In the history of India, very few kings and generals tried to stop the Mughal war machine and its expansion plans in the Indian subcontinent. Not only did they stop the customs of the Mughals in their tracks, but they were also responsible for shaping the country and the region as we know it today.
Lachit Borphukan, the general of the Ahom Kingdom, is best known for fighting the Mughals, defeating them at the Battle of Saraighat in 1671 on the banks of the Brahmaputra, near Guwahati.
Lachit Borphukan: The legendary Ahom warrior who defeated Aurangzeb at the Battle of Saraighat | ME TOO
On November 24, Assam celebrates the 401st birth anniversary of one of the state’s greatest sons, the 17th century Ahom general Lachit Brophukan. But very few of us know the legendary Ahom warrior, Lachit Borphukan. So, there is no need to worry; Here it is about the legendary Ahom warrior, who defeated the rural Mughal Aurangzeb in the battle of Saraighat.
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- Who was the Ahom commander, Lachit Borphukan?
- About the Ahom kingdom
- Ahoms suffered a humiliating defeat in 1663.
- Lachit Borphukan appointed commander of Ahom army
- Battle of Saraighat in 1671
- No recognition found beyond Assam
Who was the Ahom commander, Lachit Borphukan?
Born on November 24, 1622, Lachit Borphukon is a 17th-century commander of the Ahom forces. Borphukon is famous for the Battle of Saraighat of 1671, where he destroyed the Mughal naval flotilla on the mighty Brahmaputra River. Borphukon’s father, Momai Tamuli Borbarua, was the commander-in-chief of the Ahom army.
Lachit Borphukan: The legendary Ahom warrior who defeated Aurangzeb at the Battle of Saraighat | sentinelassam
The origins of the name Assam in the words Asama or invincible clearly denote how this northeastern land stood firm for 600 years throughout the medieval history of India. It has been ruled by the powerful Ahoms since the mid-13th century and has been saved on numerous occasions by Mughal attacks, which is why the name of the legendary general Lachit Borphukan has become synonymous with valor and bravery in the history of Assam.
About the Ahom kingdom
Ahom Kingdom | LHI/livehistoryindia
He ahom kingdom had been repeatedly attacked by Turkish and Afghan rulers of the Delhi Sultanate and later by mughals. The Mughal-Ahom Wars had been going on since 1615-16, with the first Mughal attack on Assam with a view to capturing the region. The Ahoms had ruled much of Assam for almost 600 years, between 1228 and 1826.
From 1615 to 1639, many battles were fought between the two and, tired of the war, both sides agreed to sign a treaty after the Mughals advanced towards Assam and captured Kamrup.
Ahoms suffered a humiliating defeat in 1663.
This did not go unnoticed by Aurangzeb, and when he assumed the throne, he immediately ordered Mir Jumla to re-annex Assam.
Lachit Borphukan Monument in Bramhaputra | wake up your voice
In 1663, the Ahoms suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Mir Jumla, the Bengali subedar of the Mughal empire, following which the Treaty of Ghilajarighat was signed. After the defeat of the heartbroken Mughals, the Ahom king, Jayadhwaj Singha, died. Soon after, Chakradhwaja Singha took charge of the empire in 1663, and he had not forgotten the humiliation and vowed to expel the invaders from Assam.
Lachit Borphukan appointed commander of Ahom army
To provide a moment of pride to his ancestors and citizens, in August 1667, the Ahom king appointed Borphukan as commander of the Ahom army. Under the leadership of Lachit Borphukan, the Ahom army began its decisive march and, in a short span of two months, not only expelled the Mughals and captured the new faujdar of Guwahati, Syed Firoz Khan, but also claimed his glory and lost prestige. .
Lachit Borphukan: The legendary Ahom warrior who defeated Aurangzeb at the Battle of Saraighat | Wikimedia
Alarmed by the losses, the Mughal king Aurangzeb sent a large army consisting of around 4,000 soldiers, 30,000 infantry, 21 Rajput chiefs with their contingents, 18,000 cavalry, 15,000 archers, 5,000 artillerymen, 1,000 cannons and 40 ships.
Battle of Saraighat in 1671
Borphukan, who led the army of the Ahom kingdom, which covered most of present-day Assam and is one of the country’s most revered military icons, knew that it would be impossible to defeat the Mughal army on the open plains. So he resorted to guerrilla warfare and waited for the opportune moment to launch a counterattack. Borphukan, built several mud embankments in Guwahati to stop the movement of the Mughal army, particularly the cavalry.
Battle of Saraighat in 1671 | Facebook
Borphukan’s main objective in this diversion of the army was because he knew well that the Mughal army was not good at naval preparation, so he wanted to force them to take the river route.
During the time of construction of these embankments on the Brahmaputra, Borphukan realized that the Brahmaputra River was narrowest at Saraighat, making it an ideal location for naval blockade of the Ahoms. This clever use of terrain to limit the enemy’s movement over land and force him to fight wherever he chooses would prove to be one of the best decisions Lachit made.
Lachit Borphukan: The legendary Ahom warrior who defeated Aurangzeb at the Battle of Saraighat | Reddit/@Abhi_saikia
Despite being terribly ill, Borphukan led the Ahom army from the front during the naval battle fought at Brahmaputra in Saraighat, near Guwahati. Borphukan’s mind game strengthened the Ahom army and attacked the Mughal navy from all sides.
The legacy of his tireless courage, determination and war-fighting skills has become an integral part of Assamese culture and identity. After the glorious victory of Saraighat, Lachit Borphukan died on 25 April 1672.
No recognition found beyond Assam
In honor of Borphukan, the National Defense Academy (NDA) Khadakwasla in Pune confers the Lachit Borphukan Gold Medal to its best cadet every year. This gold medal was instituted in 1999 following an announcement by the army chief, General VP Malik. He said this medal would inspire defense personnel to emulate Borphukan’s heroism and sacrifices.
We are immensely happy to release the theme song to commemorate the 400th birth anniversary of Assam’s legendary General Bir Lachit Borphukan, sung by Assam’s singing sensation. @zubeengarg1. pic.twitter.com/p62BcgEiDC
– Pijush Hazarika (@Pijush_hazarika) November 16, 2022
Even now, Borphukan has not found any recognition beyond his region of Assam, as other heroes of Indian history, such as Maharana Pratap and Chhatrapati Shivaji, have done across the country.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn