The Ahoms is an epic retelling of the 600-year rule of the Ahom dynasty.
In 1228 CE, a group of Shan or Tai warriors, led by a brave leader named Sukapha, left their homes in Myanmar and travelled to Upper Assam. Here, they set up the nucleus of what would become the powerful Ahom empire. Till it was annexed by the British in 1826, for nearly six centuries, Sukapha's descendants reigned over a greater part of the Brahmaputra Valley.
Few dynasties in the world have enjoyed such a long period of almost unbroken rule. It was primarily due to the Ahoms that the pre-colonial Assamese nation was born. Their reign witnessed the synthesis of disparate tribes of the Brahmaputra Valley and the evolution of a distinct Assamese language, culture and identity. The Ahom dynasty was one of the greatest political entities of medieval Asia, equal to, if not greater than, its better- known counterparts in other parts of the world.
The history of the Ahoms is replete with tales of war, bravery, brutality, love, loyalty, treachery and treason. This book seeks to imaginatively acquaint readers with the fascinating saga of the dynasty, along with the major events during its rule.
Arup Kumar Dutta is an author, freelance journalist and social commentator based in Assam. He writes fiction, non-fiction, newspaper editorials, articles and columns, satirical pieces and so on for adults, and adventure novels for young people. In his five-decade-long career, he has authored thirty-five books including The Anagarika's Swansong (2009), The Bag (2018). The Brahmaputra (2001), Unicornis (1991), Cha Garam: The Tea Story (2001), The Roving Minstrel (2002), The Kaziranga Trail (1978), The Blind Witness (1983), among others. He has been conferred numerous awards, including the Padma Shri by the Government of India (2018), and DLitt (honoris causa) by the Dibrugarh University (2018) and the Gauhati University (2020).
IT WAS AN AMAZINGLY FERTILE VALLEY, FLANKED BY MOUNTAIN Iranges on the north, east and south. A mammoth river, fed by innumerable tributaries, meandered through it. This emerald vale enjoyed a central geo-ethnologic position vis-à-vis China, Myanmar (Burma), Southeast Asia, Tibet, Bhutan and the Indian subcontinent. Little wonder that the land across which the mighty river Brahmaputra flowed had, through millennia, attracted migrant settlers from every direction.
They-the Australoid, Dravidians, Caucasoid and Mongoloid-arrived in different phases of time. The Mongoloids who had their origins in west China came in sporadic waves to become the dominant grouping, imparting to Northeast India its distinct ethnic identity. New arrivals clashed with and occasionally drove out old settlers from more salubrious spots on the riverbanks, forcing them to shift to the mountains. The constant but periodic inflow initiated a process of conflicts and dispersals till the settlers colonized the valleys and mountains in a mind- boggling number of communities contained within small kingdoms or principalities, each possessing a distinct language and culture of its own, yet simultaneously sharing certain common affinities, having come from similar origins and evolving within a common environment.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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