The Golden Heartbeats of Indian History Part 2

Northeast was not an exception to awakening of this Viratpurusha. The last decade of 17th century saw the legendary heroes like Atan Barguhain and Lachit Barphukan (compared to Ramdas and Shivaji) Atan Barguhain, the ace statesmen refused the offer of the crown in 1676 saying that it is meant for the kings and his duty is to ensure the rule of righteousness. Lachit Barphukan organized the historic attack against the general of Aurangajeb. Ramsingh at Saraighat. He had large number of tribal population in his army and they were terrors for Mughals. Lachit killed even in his own mama (maternal uncle) for his lapse in duty. Lachit, it is said, met a heroic death during the efforts but was able to stop Mughal entry in Assam. This was 1670 AD the year when, escaping miraculously from Agra, Shivaji had started rebuilding Hindavi Swarajya out of ashes. In 1680 AD, Shivaji died at Raigad. He had planned extensive final war with Aurangajeb. He died at Raigad before that. But the flame had already spread. Sikhs, Rajputs, Assamese all were determined to carry to flag ahead. Aurangajeb had to come down to dakkhan to make a futile attempt of extinguishing the wildfire. In 1681, Mughals were finally driven out of Assam. Bundelas, Jat, Satanamis revolted. Rajput war led by Durgadas Rathod lasted for thirty years i.e. till 1709 AD. And finally ended with appointment of Ajit Singh on the throne of Marwar by Bahadur Shah. In 1689 AD Sambhaji was tortured and killed. In 1700 AD Rajaram was killed and still Aurangajeb could not win as the war was continued by Tarabai, widow of Rajaram. Aurangajeb, frustrated by all this, died in 1709 AD. Far away from Sahyadri, at the footsteps of Himalayas, on the banks of Brahmaputra, the spark of Shivaji was ignited again : Rudra Simha, he is known as the eastern Shivaji. (1695-1794) He was son of Gadapani and Jayamati. (Tini Assamor visheshta) Gadapani like Rana Pratap and Guru Govinda Singh underwent tortures. Jayamati, conti -nuing the legacy of Sati Savitri underwent penance and yet refused to give the whereabouts of Gadapani. Gada came in Naga disguise to meet her which she hid from the enquirers and preferred to die. Rudra, their illustrous son is again having name of Shiva. Is it mere coincidence that almost all those who gave decisive turns to Indian history had name of Shiva? The birth and childhood of Rudra is unique period of Indian history. End of 17th century and beginning of 18th century, was the time when Sambhaji, Tarabai, Santaji and Dhanaji carried forward saffron flag of Ramdas and Shivaji. Guru Govind Singh turned even sanyasis like Banda Bahadur into nation builders, most of them were ruthlessly tortured to death. But they refused to leave the religion of Vedas and preferred death to conversion or treasion: Rudra gathered an army of 4,00,000 at Guwahati to invade Bengal. It was having large tribal representation. Rudra had plan of confederacy among all the Hindu princes and feudatories and big barons of Bengal and Bihar. He made great army without disturbing the economic life of the common people. At the darbar of Bishwanath, Rudra put his son Shiva on right lap and Cachari prince Tamradwaja on the left lap. Rudra’s 'Rahasyapatra’ to king of Tripura makes his uniqueness (or his Indianness ?) clear : ‘Owing to Moghuls the religion as inculcated in the Vedas does not get any protection, all men are subject of God but it is only proper to make an attempt to this end. In our country we will be free but we must not be dependent on the others.’ But due to revolution in the Tripura palace, this plan could not materialise. Rudra went on with extensive military preparations, but again like Shivaji, he died just prior to launching the final attack. It is probably fate of our Nation that all those who had the vision of the rebirth of the Nation were taken back from the stage at the worst imaginable moments. What was happening in the other parts of India when Rudra was preparing for the final attack? (l7l3-20 AD) Balaji Vishwanath ruled in Dakkhan. First Bajirao who followed him annexed Malwa, Gujrat and attacked Delhi in l737 AD. Ragihoba won Orissa and Bengal. In 1758 AD, Punjab and Lohore was won, in 1759 Nijam was defeated at Udgir. In 1761 AD the third war of Panipat was fought between Abdali and Peshawas. Peshawas were greatly supported by Shinde, Holkar, Gaikwad, etc. Surajmal Jat joined with 30,000 dare devil solliers. But Panipat as earlier, gave a decisive turn to the Indian history. Maratha Empire and thereby the National renaissance started declining .In 1757 AD British had won the war of Plassey. The Merchants were waiting for their turn to molest our punyabhumi Bharat. Coming back to our glance through the history of Assam. We have already seen the genius idea of Satra but no form can really express the idea accurately, nor can any idea express the spirit totally. In the later period as it happens with all the great ideas, the form becomes all important and principle goes in the background, Nowhere the disciples and followers can reach anywhere close to the initiators. AII great persons have to die twice: first because of various reasons, second because of their own followers and devotees. In the later period, Goswamis became very rich with Royal patronage as well as popular support. They were the masters of both the worlds. As Swami Vivekananda has pointed out, this is the problem of socializing religion or institutionalizing spirituality, whether it is papal atrocities in Europe or Buddhist perversions or Brahmin dominance and casteism in later period of History of India. In spite of the samadrishhti & broad vision of its founders, satra could not absorb large sections of hill tribes. In the later period, Rudra and Shiva simha, tlrough supporters of satras, were more influenced by the shakta worship and Tantric practices. Parbatiya Goswami (Krishnaram Bhattacharya) started braminic movement, satra was caught in Brahmin nonbrahmin conflict, Damodar deva was stretched to Chaitanya: as both were Brahmins, and Shankardeva was disowned as he was not Brahmin. Nothing can be more unfortunate than this. 'Vinashkale viparitabuddhii’!! Rani Phuleshwari invited Vaishnava Goswamis- mostly nonbrahmins, they refused to bow down to Goddess Durga, their proud foreheads were anointed by blood of goat. Mother herself might have shed tears for this intolerance of her children. Followers especially of Gopaldeva, Anirudddha deva started meat eating and drinking in the night (Ratiknowa) and adopted many tantric practices. Ashtabhuja goswami of Maomaria Vaishnava had 8,00,000 disciples. He was insulted by a Barbarua, their character was blackened in a book. Maomarias collected 800000 lumps of clay and formed a hillock. This hilltrok near Jorhat (Barbheti) shows the strength of silent and united protest. Seeds of revolt were sown, They said, 'Rise up oh crushed peasants, You will be protected by Ashtabhuja, Saptabhuja and Chaturbhuja. Retaliate upon the king with his own sword, shoot him with his own gun.'-- Collective massacre of Morans was ordered by the king. Widows of maomaria vaishnavas led to North bank of Brahmaputra. They were organised into a vibrant unit by Harihar Sanyasi in his hermitage at Banderdeva. (just on the outskirts of the present Itanagar) Then those widows, incarnations of Durga marched against the king. At Maikhowa they defeated the disorganised and discontent army of the king. One Haraka was installed on the throne, and was replaced by 'Bharata' after 3 years. His ancestry was traced back to Naraka. Two Kalita brothers, Haradutta and Virdutta revolted in Guwahati and captured it in spite of the lonely fight of the great diplomat, Purnananda Borgohain. Though Pratapvallabh managed to get back Guwahati from them, Sadiya was still under control of Khamtis. Dibrugarh was under Morans. Things went worse as Badan Barphukan took Burmese help to take on Ahom army. (1815 AD) Burmese overran, butchered, raped and did unimaginable havoc during their attacks and subsequent rule (1819 --1824). Three Yandaboo treaties between British and Burmese (1826) handed over the control of Assam to British without paying any heed to the people of Assam. But this was usual style of the Gora Sahibs! This is how Bombay (Mumbai) was offered by Portuguese to British & that is how map of divided India was decided on a sea shore of Europe. But common men of the land did not accept the decision so casually. Hill tribes as well as small kingdoms offered tooth & nail fight to British 'saviours': armies as well as missionaries: till as late as 1890's. Just four years after the Yandaboo treaty, in 1830, Piali Barphukan, son of Badar Barphukan, organised confederacy of the Assam tribes to vest back the land from East India company. Naga, Khasi, Jayantia, Bhutia, Singpho, Khampti, Miri, Nishi, Mishmi, Manipuri all came together to throw away the British yoke. Santhal, Bhil, Khasi, Naga, and many others who were labelled as primitive and backward, surprised the British troops by their love for freedom and capacity to retain it. Vasudev Balavant Phadake (calling himself the second Shivaji) ignited the flame at Shirdon on the lap of Sahyadri at about this time and later in 1857, Mangal Pandey, Tatya Tope, Rani Lakshmibai, Nanasahib Peshwa and innumerable unknowns fought the first war of independence. But like the other revolts, British were able to crush that in Assam also. Piali Barphukan and his associates were executed. 1855-56 AD was the period when Santhals in Bihar and West Bengal rouse up against the landlords, money lenders and British officers, Kanu and Siddhu Marmu were the names of the leaders. British needed several regiments to suppress them. There is an inspiring story of a series of arrows being shoot from different portions of an old hut, when after some time the regiment of British captured the hut, so as to capture the army of Santhals. They were surprised to find only one old man there who was about to die and yet was ready to shoot few more British soldiers. Even Karl Marx took note of these qualities of the so called primitives in his notes on the Indian History. He has written about a seven months of guerilla warfare which took place sometimes in 1895 AD. Mundas of Chota Nagpur rouse in revolt. Their leader Birsa was known as Birsa Bhagawan. Koyas rouse in Andhra. Alluri Sitaram Raju died a hero's death during the non-co-operation movement of Congress. Bastars rouse in 1911, Kurichia's in Kerala, Tanya Bhill, Vishnu Gond, Kangla Manjihi are few names which the pages of History could catch fortunately. Oraons set an example by their nonviolent Satyagraha movement led by Tana Bhagat. Debar report gives details of patriotic spirit of all those who were considered unworthy of such lofty ideas. Coming back to our glance through the history of Assam proper, What about the other smaller inhabitants of Assam, were they anyway away from the mainstream? As said earlier, Bodos are said to be the earliest inhabitants. So were the Khasis. Bodos were later on divided in many tributaries. l) Hidimba : They are famous for the marriage of Bhima with Hidimba : their son Ghatotkacha was a great hero in Mahabharata. 2) Varahis : Trace back to Varahapal who got married to a Bodo girl, It is said that Babhruvahana (Arjuna's son) established their kingdorn in Dibrugarh, Majuli, etc. Charaideo was equated to the Garuda of Lord Vishnu. Vishwakarmapur is today's Bihupuria. (in Assam near Bandardeva) Even today, Vishwakarma is worshipped on a very large scale all over these states. 4) Kalitas: were expert artisans, potters, cobblers, smiths, etc. They came after the fall of the Palas, Perhaps they were temple builders from the South or West. In 1132, Purandharpala established it. Bhishmaknagar, north Lakhimpur was their area. Ramchandra Kalita was attaked by Daflas (Nishings) and so he ran away and built the city of Mayapur: near today's Itanagar (1325 AD) They were worshippers of Vasudeva and did fortification of Majuli and built up Nagshankara Mandir( Darring ). Gopal deva is associated with Kalitas. 5) Chutiyas / Sootias : Birpal organisecl Sootias then living in 60 different villages on both the sides of Subansiri. Kubera was their main god. Almighty father Kundi and alrnighty mother Marna was worshipped by them : their daughter was Kali. Tamreshwari is famous Tantric Pitha where annual human sacrifices were prevailing till now. It is untraceable now, may be swallowed by Mother Earth. Buddhist Tara was mixed with Marma-Matrimaliti and it became Ugratara : her temple in Guwahati. with Yantra is very famous. Ahoms amexed Kalitas in 1512 AD and Sootias in 1523 AD. King Nitya Pal fought with 120 queens and it is said that all the queens jumped frorn Chandangiri hills after they were defeated. We are reminded of Allauddin Khilji's question,, 'But why all these beautiful Rajput queens should immolate themselves?' and his minister's (must be Hindu) quiet reply : 'You will never understand that my Lord.' 6) Cacharis : they were mostly Hidimbas. Dima (water abundant) cha (children) thus the name Dimasas. They had Capital Dimapur. (earlier name: Lakshmindrapur) Brahmapur (near Nowgong) and Sonapur (in Mikir Hills) were other main cities. Ranachandi Durga arrd Ganesha images are found in Dimapur. Vasudeva image was brought from Orissa after being swept away by Swarganarayana (Ahom king) Cachar king ran to South West : North Cachar Hills and Maibang was made as capital. Tamradhwaja (to whom Rudra put on his lap) made Khaspur (Diphu) as their capital. Brahmins of Syllhet declared king as pure Hindu by making him to take a new birth from the womb of a golden cow. Shiva temples were built on a large scale including the Hara Parvati temples. The name of Tolaram Singphu is famous for the revolt of Mikirs against the whimsical deputies of the British. In fact he continued the mission of' his father till David Scott intervened and crushed them in 1838 AD. 7) Tipperah : in Cachar hills, Lushai hills, Karimganj, South Sylhet are Tipperah hills. They had mixed worship of 14 Gods : Shiva-Durga, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Kartikeya, Ganesha, Brahma, Earth, Sea, Ganges, Fire, Cupid, Himalayas ,… all these were represented by small earthen symbols. What happened after the British established total grip on Assam, for that matter on the whole of India? As it happened in the other parts, English education brought lot of new ideas, opened the doors of the age-old and great but saturated and suffocated race to the larger world. Renaissance in 19th century India started with imitation of the West and thus aliened youths from the roots. Later after the rise of Ramakrishna-Vivekananda, the things changed. India decided not to become the docile pupil of the West, doomed to repeat their cycle of success and failure. She started rising up from the deep slumber, once again to become Jagatguru, to discover the complete meaning and the vaster form of our own Dharma, to give a decisive turn to all the problems over which the whole mankind is stumbling. Same pattern echoed itself in Assam (that is why we repeat that every part of India has gone through the same waves, same ups and downs, same shocks and tides as the whole of India has gone and so separation is impossible. Look at the chronology of events, In 1813: translation of Bible was done by Aatmaram Sarma from Nagaon -1840, Mr. Robinson, an American Baptist published a grammar book of the Assamese language, from Serampur, Bengal. N. Brown's grammatical notes on the Assamese language were considered as the most authentic till Aanandirarn Dhekial Phukan (the hero who made plea of Assam for Assamese) wrote a better book.The first Assamese newspaper, Ouronodai was started by the Missionaries in 1846. They also started schools and printing press. Bholanath Das wrote the 'Sita Haran Kavya ' in 1888, Ratnakant Choudhari wrote the Abhimanyu vadha Katha in I875. Kamalakant (1853 - 1937) wrote patriotic poetry. The Name of Lakshminath Bezbarua, is one of the most shining one in this gaIaxy. He is considered as people’s poet. Hemachandra Goswami and Chandra kumar Agarwalla are the other two in the famous Romantic trio of Assam. Jyoti prasad Agarwalla wrote the Shonit Kuwari, Labhita, etc. and his 'Gose Gose Pate Dilhe ' is still sung in any corner of Assam if a youth is asked to sing any Akhomiya gan. Atul Hazarika wrote ' Naraka sur' and Prabin Phukan wrote, ' Lachit Barphukhan', the great hero about whom we have told earlier. B.K. Barua, M. Neog, D. Neog, Lila Gogoi are few of the other names who have moulded the minds. 'Piali Barphukan ' a drama written on the life of the great martyr of British period was very popular at that time but its author is not known. Hemchandra Barua ard Rajnikant Bordoloi were famous for their novels. Assam is having such a rich and ancient history (it is said that first translation of Ramayana in any of the Indian language is in Assamese : Kandali Ramayana ) ln1842, Nidhan Rajbanshi, a tribal peasant of Goalpara was bayoneted to death like a wild bear because he could not pay his tax. The fight given by Piali Barphukan is already mentioned earlier. Motiram Dewan was another hero whose praise is still sung here. He was just 20 when in 1826, Assam lost its Independence, he fought to drive out the British rule but was executed to death in 1858 (a year after the first war of Independence was ignited) Maniram mounted the gallows with a smiling face. Tarunram Phukan, Navinchandra Bordoloi, were others who initiated the people in the worship of the Mother India. Congress session at Pandu near Guwahati is remembered for the call of Swadeshi. It was in 1926 AD when Gandhiji spoke to a crowd of 25000. Gandhiji praised Assam in these words, 'Every woman of Assam is a born weaver. She weaves folk tales in the clothes. --- I fell in love with the women of Assam as soon as I learned that they are accomplished weavers. Being weavers they have used economy in their dress without impairing its beauty or its efficiency as a cover. And to me it is a sign of very high culture to see Assamese women and girls wearing little or no jewellery. 'There are other reasons also for being proud of them. In 1942, when the rest of India raised the flag of ‘Quit India’ movement, then Kanaklata Barua, an Assamese girl in her teens took Satyagraha and with tiranga in her hand led a march on a Police station where she was shot dead by the British. So was Bhogeshwari Phukonani, an elderly woman. Kushal Kanwar was executed in Jorhat jail in 1943. Kamala Miri died in a prison after fatal disease. There are many such brave deeds which are woven in the hearts of the people.