Assam History from Ancient to Medieval. Linn for the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn6HrMmyO2M

1. Ancient to Medieval[Assam]

2. ASSAM

3. UNDIVIDED ASSAM
The blue suggests Brahmaputra river flowing from Tibet and merging in Bay of
Bengal
Tibet
Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

4. Etymology
• Referred to as Pragjyotishpur in Mahabharata
• Kamarupa in Medieval times (uptil 12th century)
• Assam name drawn from Ahom people
• Established Assam province in 1912 (British India)
• Legislature since 1937
• Statehood in 26 January, 1950
• Area 78,438 Km2
• Shares intl. border with Bhutan & Bangladesh
• Capital is Dispur

5. Ruler History- Pre history Legends
• Mahiranga Danava- Bodo Kachari dynasty
• Naraka or Narakasura [Son of Bhudevi and
Varaha (Vishnu)- Naraka dynasty (Bodo-
Kachari lineage)
• Naraksura aka Bhauma dynasty
• Bhagadatta- (son of Naraka) last king [fought
for Kauravas in Kurukshetra]
(source: Kalika Purana)

6. Ancient Era-Kamarupa dynasty-I/III
• Varman dynasty (350-650 AD)
• Established by Pushyavarman [contemporary
of Samudragupta]
• Capital- Pragjyotishpur [Guwahati]
• Religion-Hinduism [alliance with Gupta
Empire]
• Official language- Sanskrit/kamrupi Prakrit.
• Bhaskaravarman last King [accompanied king
Harshavardhana from Pataliputra to Kannauj

7. Kamarupa dynasty-II/III
• Mlechchha dynasty (650 -900 AD)
• Established by- Salasthambha [non-Aryan
local Chieftians] (Bodo-Kachari lineage)
• Capital- Haruppeswara [Tezpur]
• Last ruler- Tyagasimha
• Religion-Polytheism
• Official language- NA

8. Kamarupa dynasty- III/III
• Kamarupa-Pala dynasty (900-1100 AD)
• Established by- Brahma Pala
• Capital- Durjaya [North Guwahati]
• Last Ruler- Jaya Pala
• Religion- Hinduism [Palas of Bengal were
Buddhists]
• Official Language- NA

9. Medieval Era
• The Chutiya (Bodo-Kachari lineage)(1187-1673
AD)
• Established by- Birpal
• Capital- 3 Swarnagiri [Near Arunachal
p]/Ratnapur [Majuli]/Sadiya
• Last ruler- Nityapal
• Religion- Kechaikhaiti, Hinduism
• Languages- Deori/Assamese

10. • The Dimasa (Hidimba Kingdom) (13th century-
1832 AD)
• Aka ‘Son of the Big River’
• First ruler- Bicharpatipha (Bodo-Kachari
lineage)
• Capital- Dimapur/Maibong
[Dimahasao]/Khaspur [Kachar dist]
• Last ruler- Govindachandra Narayan
• Religion- NA
• Language- Dimasa

11. • Ahoms or Tai-Ahom (1228-1826 AD)
• First to introduce record keeping of state
affairs among the Kingdoms in Assam
(Chronicles)
• Established by- Sukaphaa
• Capital- Charaideo/Garhgaon/Rangpur/Jorha
• Last ruler- Purandar Singha
• Religion- Me Dam Me Phi/Buddhism/Eksarana
Dharma/Hinduism
• Language- Ahom/Assamese

12. • Larger Koch dynasty (1510-1949 AD)
• Established by- Viswa Singha
• Capital- Chikana Kamatapur
• Last ruler- Nara Narayan (1540-1587)
[undivided Koch dynasty]
• Later succeeded by many generations.
• Languages-
Rajbanshi/Assamese/Sanskrit/Koch
• Religion- Hinduism
• Area- Western Kamarupa

13. Mughal Invasions
• Mughals made 17th unsuccessful attempts to
capture.
• Mir Jumla, governor of Auranzeb, briefly
captured Garhgaon from 1662-63 AD.
• Then Ahom king was Sutamla or Jayadhwaj
Singha [20th Ahom King]
• Sutamla fled to Namrup before Mir Jumla and
is called Bhagania Roja [Fleeing King]
• Famous battle with Mughals- Saraighat (1671)
• Famous General- Lachit Barphukan

14. Colonia History
• Following the end of 1st Anglo-Burmese war
(1826) saw the British entering Assam.
• The Treaty of Yandabo was signed.
• Discovery of Tea [camellia sinensis] in 1834
• Initially it was made a part of Bengal Province.
• It was separated from Bengal in 1874 and
constituted into NEFA along with Eastern Bengal,
following partition of Bengal in 1906.
• Then in 1912 Assam Province was created
following the Assam Legislature in 1913.
• Capital - Shillong

15. At the turn of 20th century-8 provinces of British India (Assam being one among them)
These provinces were governed by either Lieutenant Governors or Chief Commissioners
15
Area
( '0002 miles)
Population
(in millions) Chief Administrative Officer
Burma 170 9 Lieutenant-Governor
Bengal 151 75 Lieutenant-Governor
Madras 142 38 Governor-in-Council
Bombay 123 19 Governor-in-Council
United Provinces 107 48 Lieutenant-Governor
Central Provinces and
Berar
104 13 Chief Commissioner
Punjab 97 20 Lieutenant-Governor
Assam 49 6 Chief Commissioner