History of Assam , India

Assam, the land of lofty hills and mystic valleys situated on the banks of the mighty river Brahmaputra, the home of Goddess Kamakhya, lies in the north-eastern part of India. It is one of the most beautiful states of India bestowed with natural resources, flora and fauna as well as biodiversity, dense forests and lush green hills. The population of the state is about 25 million and covers a total area of 78,523 sq km, with its capital as Dispur, which lies within the city of Guwahati. The Gateway to North-East India, it falls in-between the regions of India, Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan. This mesmerizing land offers panoramic vista of its surrounding that captivates the heart and mind of the visitors.

History of Indian State of Assam

The name of the state Assam is believed to have been derived from the Sanskrit word “Asom”, which means unprecedented and exceptional. The word “Asom” also means rugged and since the topography of the state is uneven and rugged enclosed by exalted hills, rivers, valleys and plains, many believe that the state got its name from it. Moreover, some people also believe that the state might have got its name from the word Ahom, who ruled over Assam for over 600 years. However, there is no evidence from where the state got its name.

Assam has a long and illustrious history, which traces back to the era of Stone Age. There are several evidences that prove the existence of human life during that period. The history of the state is mainly formed by the conflux of different races from north, east and west, namely Tibeto-Burman, Indo-Aryan and Austro-Asiatic. The state also finds its mention in the great Indian Epic the Mahabharata, during which, the state was known by the name of Pragjyotishpur, which means the home of eastern astrology. It also finds its mention in Hindu literatures namely Yogini Tantra and Kalika Purana, etc. The earliest dynasty that ruled over the state was Danava dynasty, ruled by Mahiranga and this dynasty was defeated by Narakasura and as per the chronicles of History, the last Naraka king was exterminated by Lord Krishna and the throne was taken over by Bhagadatta. However, the actual history of the state starts with the foundation of Varman dynasty by Pushya Varman during the 4th century. This kingdom came to be known as Kamrupa Kingdom, which expanded from Sadia in the east to Karatoya in the west. The state witnessed prosperity during the rule of Bhaskarvarman in the 7th century. Until 12th century, the state was ruled by several dynasties namely Mlechchha dynasty, Pala dynasty, Khen dynasty, Kamata kingdom, Koch dynasty and Sutiya kingdom.

In the swathe between the Kachari and the Sutiya kingdoms, a Tai group, headed by Sukaphaa entered the state of Assam and established the Ahom kingdom, which ruled over the state for over 600 years. The 16th century is considered to be an important era of the Assamese History as during this period, Ahoms were strengthened in the east and Koch dynasty on the west. During this time, the Neo-Vaihnavate religion “Ek Saran Dharma”, founded by Shrimanta Shankar Deva started growing. Owing to the rivalry that cropped up between the Koch Bihar and Koch Hajo and one of the group allied with the Ahoms while the other with the Mughals, which gave rise to the famous Saraighat Battle in the year 1671 and defeated the Mughals. Soon the Ahom Kingdom became powerful and reached its zenith by ruling over almost the whole of Assam. A rebel by the Moamoria during the 18th century led to its downfall; although they regained the power, they had to face a lot of hurdle owing to the invasion by the Burmese during the 19th century. In the year 1824 CE, the First Anglo-Burmese War started and finally the state of Assam fell into the hands of the British Government. In the year 1874, a separate state of Assam was formed with Shillong as the capital; however only in the year 1947, after India attained Independence, Assam became a part of the Indian Union and Shillong still continued to be its capital. It was only in the year 1972, Assam and Meghalaya were made separate states with Dispur as the capital of Assam and Shillong as the capital of Meghalaya.