Sukaphaa

Chaolung Sukaphaa (reign 1228-1268), also Siu-Ka-Pha, the first Ahom king in medieval Assam, was the founder of the Ahom kingdom. A Tai prince originally from Mong Mao, the kingdom he established in 1228 existed for nearly six hundred years and in the process unified the various tribal and non-tribal peoples of the region that left a deep impact on the region. In reverence to his position in Assam's history the honorific "Chaolung" is generally associated with his name ("Chao": lord; "Lung": great).

Since 1996 December 2 has been celebrated in Assam as the Sukaphaa Divas, or Asom Divas (Assam Day), to commemorate the advent of the first king of the Ahom kingdom in Assam after his journey over the Patkai Hills.

Biography

Beginnings in Mong Mao

The details of Sukaphaa's life and origins before his entry into Assam, available from different chronicles, both Ahom and non-Ahom, are full of contradictions. According to Harvcoltxt|Phukan|1992 who has tried to hold up a consistent account, Sukaphaa was born to Chao Chang-Nyeu ("alias" Phu-Chang-Khang) and Nang-Mong Blak-Kham-Sen in the Tai state of Mong Mao (also called Mao-Lung, with the capital at Kieng Sen), close to present-day Ruili in Yunan, China. [Harvcol|Phukan|1992|p=67. According to the "Buranji" by Kashinath Tamuli Phukan, Chao Tai Pung ruled Mong Mao, and had two sons, Pao Meo Pung (who finally ruled Mong Mao) and Phu Chang Khang (who finally ruled Mong Mit). Sukaphaa was born to Phu Chang Khang. This version is discounted by Harvcoltxt|Phukan|1992.] Chao Chang Nyeu was a prince from Mong-Ri Mong-Ram, who had traveled to Mong Mao possibly on an expedition. [Harvcol|Gogoi|1968] Mong Mao was then ruled by Chao Tai Pung. Chao Chang Nyeu was befriended by Pao Meo Pung, the son of the ruler, who gave his sister Blak Kham Sen in marriage. Sukaphaa was born of this union not later than 1189 [Harvcol|Gogoi|1968|p=251] and was brought up by his maternal grandparents. Pao Meo Pung, who eventually ruled Mong Mao, had no male heir and Sukaphaa, his nephew, was nominated to succeed him. A son born late to Pao Meo Pung's queen ended Sukaphaa's claim to the throne of Mong Mao.

Journey into Assam

Sukaphaa left Mong Mao (also called Mong Mao Lung—"great" Mong Mao) in 1215. [Most Buranjis attest to this version. Some Tai chronicles from outside Assam record the journey of Sukaphaa from Mong Mit (and not Mong Mao) in 1227 where he was the ruler Harvcol|Gogoi|1968|p=253. According to this version, Sukaphaa's father had earlier divided his Mong among his three sons, and Sukaphaa became the ruler of Mong Mit about 1209. The immediate cause of departure was the aggression of Su-Khan-Pha of Mong Mao.] He was accompanied by three queens, two sons and a daughter; chiefs from five other dependent Mongs; [Mong-Hkang, Mong-Hkru-Dai, Mong-Hka Mong-Pun, Mong-Phu and Mong-Li Harvcol|Gogoi|1968|pp=256-257.] members of the priestly class and soldiers—a total contingent of 9,000. Some commoners too joined this core group on the way. He had with him 300 horses fitted with saddles and bridles and two elephants. Heavy arms were transported along a different route. [Harvcol|Phukan|1992|p=51] Sukaphaa followed an older known route from Yunan to Assam stopping at various places and reached the Patkai hills in thirteen years. When he reached Patkai, he subdued the Nagas very ruthlessly to create a passage back, crossed the Patkai and reached Namruk (Namrup) on December 2, 1228. He established a Mong at Khamjang under the rule of Kan-Khrang-Mong in the same year, which is considered as the historical date of the beginning of the Ahom Kingdom and Khamjang the eastern most province of the kingdom.

Even though Sukaphaa treated the people of the Patkai hills very severely on his way to the Brahmaputra valley, his approach to the population in Assam was conciliatory and non-confrontational. He married the daughters of Badaucha, the Matak Chief and Thakumatha, the Barahi chief and established cordial relations with them. As he began establishing his domain, he avoided regions that were heavily populated. [Harvcol|Gogoi|1968|p=264] He encouraged his soldiers as well as members of the Ahom elite to marry locally. A process of Ahomization (whereby locals who adopted Ahom methods of wet rice cultivation and statecraft were accepted into the Ahom fold) bolstered the process of integration. [Harvcol|Guha|1983|p=12. "...the Ahoms assimilated some of the Nagas, Moran and Barahi neighbors and later also large sections of the Chutiya and the Kachari tribes. This Ahomisation process went on until the expanded Ahom society itself began to be Hinduised from the mid-16th century onwards." The Ahomization of neighbors, thus, began with Sukaphaa himself.] The Barahi and the Moran, speakers of Tibeto-Burman languages, called Sukaphaa's people "Ha-Cham", that later on developed into "Assam" (see Etymology of Assam), the name of the kingdom; and "Ahom", the name of the people.

earch for a capital

Over the next few years, he moved from place to place searching for the right capital, leaving behind his representative at each stage to rule the colonized land. At first he went to Dangkaorang, then Khamhangpung, and then to Namrup. Then he went up the Burhidihing river and established a province at Lakhen Telsa. [Harvcol|Phukan|1992|p=52] Then he came back down the river and established his rule at Tipam. In 1236 he moved to Mungklang (Abhoipur), and in 1240 down the Brahmaputra to Habung (Dhemaji). In 1244 he went further down to Ligirigaon (Song-Tak), a few miles from present-day Nazira, and in 1246 to Simaluguri (Tun Nyeu), a place downstream from the present-day Simaluguri. [Harvcol|Phukan|1992|p=53] Sukaphaa then remained in Demow for six years. Finally in 1253 he built himself his capital city at Charaideo near present-day Sibsagar town. The capital of the Ahom kingdom changed many times after this, but Charaideo remained the symbolic center of Ahom rule.

In 1268 Sukaphaa died. At the time of his death, his kingdom was bounded by the Brahmaputra river in the west, the Burhidihing river ( coord|27.324195|95.119629|type:river_source:wikimapia)in the north, the Dikhow river (coord|26.970732|94.636745|type:river_source:wikimapia) in the south and the Naga hills in the east. [Harvcol|Phukan|1992|p=53]

ee also

* Ahom Dynasty
* Ahom kingdom

Notes

References

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External links

* [http://www.assamtribune.com/dec0307/edit4.html Siu-Ka-Pha – a great visionary] An article by Babul Tamuli published in The Assam Tribune on the occasion of Siu-Ka-Pha Divas