Ahom kingdom
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The Ahom Kingdom (1228-1826) was established by Sukaphaa, a Tai prince from Mong Mao, in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra river, between the extant Chutiya kingdom in the north and the Kachari kingdom in the south. The kingdom evolved into a multi-ethnic polity, beginning especially under Suhungmung Dihingia Raja in the 16th century. It made major advances under Susenghphaa Pratap Singha, under whom the administration was revamped and the Mughal incursions were thwarted. Mughal influence was completely removed under Gadadhar Singha and the Ahom kingdom reached its zenith under his son, Rudra Singha. The kingdom became weaker with the rise of the Moamoria rebellion, and subsequently fell to a succession of Burmese invasions. With the defeat of the Burmese after the first Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826, control of the kingdom passed into British hands.
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[edit] Ahom economic system
The Ahom kingdom was based on the Paik system, a type of corvee labor that is neither feudal nor Asiatic. The Ahoms introduced wet rice cultivation in upper Assam that was largely a marshy and thinly populated land. With a superior technology of rice cultivation, as well as reclamation of land using dykes, embankments and irrigation systems, the Ahoms established the initial state structures. The first coins were introduced by Suklenmung in the 16th century, though the system of personal service under the Paik system persisted. In the 17th century when the Ahom kingdom expanded to include erstwhile Koch and Mughal areas, it came into contact with their revenue systems and adapted accordingly.
[edit] Ahom administration
[edit] Swargadeo and Patra Mantris
The Ahom kingdom was ruled by a king, called Swargadeo (Chao-Pha in Tai), who had to be a member of the Ahom princely families and a descendant of the first king Sukaphaa. Strict progeniture was not maintained and the three great Gohains (see below) occasionally had an influence on the choice of the next king.
Sukaphaa had two great Gohains to aid him in administration: Burhagohain and the Borgohain. They were selected from specific families. Princes who were eligible for the position of Swargadeo were not considered for these positions and vice versa. The Burhagohain wielded strong influence in the Ahom kingdom. Suhungmung added a third Gohain, Borpatrogohain, and this position was reserved for the desendent of the first.
Pratap Singha added two more offices: the Borbarua and the Borphukan. The Borbarua was in command of the region east of Kaliabor not under the command of the Gohains and the Borphukan was in command over the region west of it. The five positions constituted the patra mantris (council of ministers). The Burhagohain is usually appointed the Rajmantri (prime minister).
[edit] Other officials
The Borbarua and the Borphukan had military and judicial responsibilities, and they were aided by a council of Phukans. Superintending officers were called Baruas. Among the officers the highest in rank were the Phukans. Six of the formed the council of the Borbarua, but each had also his separate duties. The Naubaicha Phukan, who had an allotment of thousand men managed the royal boats, the Bhitarula Phukan, the Na Phukan, the Dihingia Phukan, the Deka Phukan and the Neog Phukan formed the council of Phukan. The Borphukan also had a similar council of six subordinate Phukans whom he was bound to consult in all matters of importance, this council included Pani Phukan, who commanded six thousand paiks, Deka Phukan who commanded four thousand paiks, the Dihingia Phukan, Nek Phukan and two Chutiya Phukans. The Baruas of whom there were twenty or more included Bhandari Barua or treasurer; the Duliya Barua, who was in charge of the royal palanquins; the Chaudang Barua who superintended executions; Khanikar Barua was the chief artificer; Sonadar Barua was the mint master and chief jeweler; the Bez Barua was the physician to the Royal family, Hati Barua, Ghora Barua, etc. Other official included twelve Rajkhowas, and a number of Katakis, Kakatis and Dolais. The Rajkhowas were commanders of three thousand paiks and were subordinate to Borbarua. They were arbitrator to settle local disputes and supervised public works. The Katakis were envoys to deal with foreign countries and hill tribes. The Kakatis were writers of official documents, and the Dolais expounded astrology and determined auspicious time and dates for any important event and undertaking.
[edit] Governors
Forward governors, who were military commanders, ruled and administered forward territories. The Sadiya Khowa Gohain and the Marangi khowa Gohain are examples of these positions. Sadiya Khowa Gohain was based in Sadiya and whose appointment dates from the overthrow of Chutiya kingdom in 1523. The Marangi Khowa Gohain governed the Naga tribes west of the Dhansiri river. The Solal Gohain administered a great part of Nagaon and a portion of Chariduar after the headquaters of the Borphukan was transferred to Gauhati. The Kajali Mukhia Gohain administered Kajalimukh. The Raja of Saring and Raja of Tipam administered the tracts round Joypur on the right bank of the Buri Dihing river. The last two mentioned were usually the relatives of the King himself, the Saring Raja being the heir apparent and the Tipam Raja the next in order of succession.
[edit] Paik officials
The Ahom kingdom was dependent on the Paik system, a form of corvee labor. Every common subject was a paik, and four paiks formed a got. At any time of the year, one of the paiks in the got rendered direct service to the king, as the others in his got tended to his fields. The Paik system was administered by the Paik officials: Bora was in charge of 20 paiks, a Saikia of 100 and a Hazarika of 1000.
[edit] Land survey
Gadadhar Singha became acquainted with the land measurement system of Mughals during the time he was hiding in Kamrup, before he succeeded to the throne. As soon as the wars with Mughals were over he issued orders for the introduction of a similar system throughout his dominions. Surveyors were imported from Koch Behar and Bengal for the work. It was commenced in Sibsagar and was pushed on vigorously, but it was not completed until after his death. Nowgaon was next surveyed; and the settlement which followed was supervised by Rudra Singha himself. According to historians, the method of survey included measuring the four sides of each field with a nal, or bamboo pole of 12 feet length and calculating the area, the unit was the "pura" or 144 square feet and 14,400 Sq.ft. is one "Bigha". A similar land measurement system is still being followed in modern Assam.
[edit] Classes of people
Subinphaa, the third Ahom king, dilineated the Satgharia Ahom ("Ahom of the seven houses") aristocracy: the royal family, the Burhagohain and the Borgohain families. From these clans, the king, and the three great Gohains were selected. The extended nobility consisted of the landed aristocracy and the spiritual class that did not pay any form of tax. The apaikan chamua was the gentry that were freed from the khels and paid only money-tax. The paikan chamua consisted of artisans, the literati and skilled people that did non-manual work and rendered service as tax. The kanri paik rendered manual labor. The lowest were the licchous, bandi-beti and other serfs and bondsmen. There was some degree of movement between the classes. Momai Tamuli Borbarua rose from a bondsman through the ranks to become the first Borbarua under Prataap Singha.
[edit] Bibliography
- Gogoi, Lila (1991), The History of the system of Ahom administration, Punthi Pustak, Calcutta
- Guha, Amalendu (1991), Medieval and Early Colonial Assam: Society, Polity and Economy, K.P. Bagchi & Co, Calcutta
- Kakoty, Sanjeeb (2003), Technology, Production and Social Formation in the Evolution of the Ahom State, Regency Publications, New Delhi
