Purandar Singha (1818–19, 1833–1838) was the last king of the Ahom kingdom in Assam. He was installed as king twice. The first time, he was installed by Ruchinath Burhagohain in 1818 CE, after the latter deposed Chandrakanta Singha from the throne. His first reign ended in 1819 CE, during the second Burmese invasion of Assam when his forces were defeated and the Burmese reinstalled Chandrakanta Singha on the throne. He along with Ruchinath Burhagohain continued their efforts to expel Burmese invaders, by seeking help from the British and through armed struggle. After First Anglo-Burmese War, the British East India Company took over Assam from the Burmese invaders. Finding it difficult to administer an unfamiliar region and sensing discontent among the local inhabitants to foreign rule, the British authorities decided to restore Upper Assam to a prince of Ahom Dynasty. Purander Singha was found suitable for this post and therefore, in April 1833 CE, except for Sadiya and Matak rajya, the entire territory of Upper Assam was formally made over to him, on the condition of yearly tribute of 50,000 rupees. Later, in 1838 CE, finding him incompetent and a defaulter in payments of revenue, the British formally annexed his kingdom, putting an end to a 600-year reign of the Ahom dynasty. When Purandar Singha accepted the position of Prince of Upper Assam, he did not realize the difficulties of the new position.
Purandar Singha was the son of Brajanath Gohain, son of Bijoy Barmura Gohain, grandson of Ratneswar Saru-gohain, and great-grandson of Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha. Ratneswar Saru-gohain with his brother Maju-Gohain and Rajeswar Singha's elder brother Mohanmala Maladev Gohain had joined the ranks of rebels against his uncle Swargadeo Lakshmi Singha during the first phase of the Moamoria rebellion. But after the Moamoria rebels achieved success, they treacherously murdered him, by administering poison on his food. Later Lakshmi Singha regained his throne, by defeating the Moamoria rebels. Bijoy Barmura Gohain, son of Ratneswar Saru-gohain also became involved in a conspiracy against the regime of Lakshmi Singha. He was caught and was punished by inflicting mutilation on his ears. He again conspired against the king, only to be caught, and suffered further mutilation. His young son Brajanath Gohain also suffered mutilation of his ears by royal orders.[1] During the reign of next monarch Gaurinath Singha, Bijoy Barmura plotted against the king, in association with Hangsa Narayan, the tributary ruler of Darrang. The plot was discovered and Hangsa Narayan was seized and put to death. Bijoy Barmura with his family escaped to the Kachari kingdom.
In 1803 CE, during the reign of Kamaleswar Singha, Bijoy Barmura joined some fugitive Moamoria rebels in the Kachari kingdom and planned an uprising against the Ahom kingdom.[2] They were aided by the Kachari king Krishna Chandra, and a large number of Kacharis joined their ranks. The Kachari-Moamoria coalition rose against Ahom authority in the present day, Nagaon and Morigaon districts, which resulted in a full-scale war with the Ahoms. The Kachari-Moamoria coalition was defeated and many rebel leaders were either killed or captured. Kamaleswar Singha demanded that Krishna Chandra hand over Bijoy Bormura Gohain, but he escaped with his son Brajanath Gohain to British-ruled Bengal. Bijoy Barmura spent the rest of his life in Silmari in Bengal. In 1809 CE, Brajanath Gohain went to Calcutta, met with the Governor-General and tried to procure military aid to fulfil his ambition to become king, in exchange for acknowledging British supremacy, but in vain.[1]
Purandar Singha was born in 1807 CE, at Silmari, located in British-ruled Bengal. His grandfather Bijoy Barmura Gohain and his father Brajanath Gohain were living in Silmari as exiled princes, after their attempts to become king of Ahom kingdom failed. The family faced economic hardships during their exile, and life in Silmari was very hard for them. Purandar Singha also spent his early life amidst economic hardships.[3]
In 1815 CE, Purnananda Burhagohain, Prime Minister of the Ahom kingdom, sent a deputation to arrest Badan Chandra Borphukan, the Ahom viceroy at Guwahati, who was charged with atrocities committed on the people of Lower Assam, but, being warned in time by his daughter, Pijou Gabharu, who had married one of the Premier's sons, he escaped to Bengal.[4][5][6] He proceeded to Calcutta, and alleging that Purnananda Burhagohain was subverting the Ahom Government and ruining the country, endeavored to persuade the Governor-General Lord Hastings to dispatch an expedition against Purnananda Burhagohain. Lord Hasting, however, refused to interfere in any way.[7] Meanwhile, Badan Chandra had struck up a friendship with the Calcutta agent of the Burmese government and he went with this man to the Court of Amarapura, where he was accorded a meeting with the Burmese king, Bodawpaya. He repeated his misrepresentations regarding the conduct of Purnananda Burhagohain, alleging that he had usurped the King's authority, and that owing to his misgovernment, the lives of all, both high and low, were in danger. At last, he obtained a promise of help.[5][8][9][7] Towards the end of the year 1816 an army of about eight thousand men under the command of General Maha Minhla Minkhaung was dispatch from Burma with Badan Chandra Borphukan. It was joined en route by the chiefs of Mungkong, Hukong, and Manipur, and, by the time Namrup was reached, its number had swollen to about sixteen thousand.[7] Purnananda Burhagohain sent an army to oppose the invaders. A battle was fought at Ghiladhari in which the Assamese army was routed. At this juncture Purnananda Burhagohain died or some say, committed suicide by swallowing diamonds,[10][9] leaving the entire Ahom government leaderless.[7] His eldest son, Ruchinath was appointed as Burhagohain. The Ahom war council decided to continue the war; and a fresh army was hastily equipped and sent to resist the Burmese. Like the former one, it was utterly defeated, near Kathalbari east of Dihing. The Burmese continued their advance pillaging and burning the villages along their line of march. Ruchinath Burhagohain endeavored in vain to induce the reigning Ahom monarch Chandrakanta Singha to retreat to Guwahati, and then, perceiving that the latter intended to sacrifice him, in order to conciliate Badan Chandra and his Burmese allies, fled westwards to Guwahati.[11]
The Burmese occupied the capital Jorhat and Badan Chandra triumphantly entered the capital, interviewed Chandrakanta Singha and offered to run the affairs of the state as his capacity as Mantri-Phukan or Prime Minister. The young king, Chandrakanta, had no alternative but to acquiesce in Badan Chandra's proposal.[12][13] Badan Chandra now became all powerful and he used his Burmese allies to plunder and slay all the relations and adherents of Purnananda Burhagohain.[14]
Meanwhile, friendly overtures were made to Chandrakanta from the Burmese camp. An Ahom princess, Hemo Aideo, (also known as Bhamo Aideo) was offered to Bodawpaya for the royal harem along with fifty elephants. Hemo Aideo was accompanied by large retinue. The Burmese were paid an indemnity, and in April 1817, they returned to their own country.[15][16][17]
A few months later, the political scene in the Ahom kingdom had changed. Badan Chandra Borphukan was assassinated by his political rivals, aided by the Queen-mother Numali Rajmao. She with nobles called on Ruchinath Burhagohain to return to the capital Jorhat. But Chandrakanta's peace with the Burmese, his support for Badan Chandra and his refusal to go down to Guwahati at the approach of the Burmese army, had aroused the suspicion of Ruchinath Burhagohai, who saw him as mainly responsible for the attempts made against his father Purnananda Burhagohain, and the arrival of the Burmese troops.[14][18] Ruchinath took up the case of Brajanath Gohain, great-grandson of Ahom king Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha, who was leading an exiled life at Silmari in Bengal and invited him to become a candidate for the throne.[14][18][17] Brajanath Gohain agreed and came to Guwahati where he was joined by Ruchinath Burhagohain and his supporters. After gathering a force of Hindustani mercenaries and local levies, Ruchinath and his party proceeded to Jorhat. Chandrakanta fled to Rangpur, leaving Luku Dekaphukan in charge of the capital.[17] Luku Dekaphukan offered some resistance to Ruchinath Burhagohain's forces but the resistance was easily repulsed and Luku Dekaphukan was killed.[18]
The victors succeeded in bringing over the royal troops to their side. They then entered Jorhat on February 17, 1818.[19][20]
Brajanath at once caused coins to be struck in his own name, but it was now remembered that he was ineligible for the throne, as he had suffered mutilation of one of his ears.[19][17] The Ahom considered their king as of divine origin and the person of the monarch, was sacred, and any noticeable scar or blemish, even a scratch received in play, a pit of smallpox, or a wound received in action, was a bar to succession.[21] Therefore, Brajanath's son Purandar, then only ten years old, was brought from Silmari, who arrived in time and was acclaimed as sovereign of the Ahom kingdom of Assam, in February 1818 CE. A few days later Biswanath Marangikhowa Gohain, brother of Ruchinath Burhagohain, sliced off Chandrakanta's right ear in order to disqualify him from again sitting on the throne.[19][18][22][17]
Since Purandar Singha was very young, the real authority lay with Brajanath Gohain and Ruchinath Burhagohain. They immediately made a clean sweep of all the nobles and officers, including the Borgohain, Borpatrogohain and Borbarua, who were suspected of still bearing loyalty to Chandrakanta Singha. Being the father of the monarch, Brajanath Gohain exercised the virtual powers of a sovereign. He appointed himself as Charing Raja and Juvaraj or heir apparent. He also issued coins and grants lands to Brahmins in his own name, though it was the king who could perform these acts.[19]
Meanwhile, the friends of Badan Chandra Borphukan went to the court of the Burmese monarch Bodawpaya and appealed for help. Bodawpaya, through his marriage to Hemo Aideo, had an alliance with Chandrakanta Singha, and dispatched a fresh army of 30,000 men under Alungmingi, also known as Kiamingi Borgohain.[23][22] The Assamese army resisted the Burmese in Phulpanichiga near the Janji River on February 17, 1819.[24] Some sources stated that the battle took place in Machkhowa in Sibsagar district.[25][22] Initially, the Assamese resisted Burmese with some spirit, but at a critical point in the engagement, their commander lost his nerve. They were defeated and beat a hasty retreat to Jorhat.[26] Purandar Singha, his father Brajanath Gohain and Ruchinath Burhagohain fled to Guwahati taking with them all the valuables from the royal treasury, worth 3.5 million rupees.[27] The triumphant Burmese now searched for Chandrakanta Singha, led him from his retreat and properly installed him on the throne.[28][26]
Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain regrouped their troops in Guwahati. The Burmese commander Momai Barua marched towards Guwahati at the head of a large Burmese force.[29] An Assamese force, under the leadership of Bhisma Gogoi Borphukan was dispatched by Purandar Singha to resist the invaders. Both sides fought a battle in Khagarijan (present day Nagaon) on 11 June 1819, in which the Assamese army was defeated. The Burmese occupied Guwahati and Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain escaped to Bengal.[30][22]
Purander Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain appealed to British Governor-General Lord Hastings, to help recover their kingdom. He replied that the British Government was not accustomed to interfere in the internal affairs of foreign states. Meanwhile, Chandrakanta Singha and his Burmese allies asked the British authorities for the extradition of the fugitives, but to these requests also a deaf ear was turned.[31]
Purandar Singha and Ruchinth Burhagohain started recruiting soldiers and mercenaries from Goalpara, Bengal and Bhutan, and rallied their troops in Duars, an area located on the borders of Bhutan and Assam. With the aid of a British soldier and trader, Robert Bruce, the force was supplied with guns and firearms.
Meanwhile, Chandrakanta Singha tried to free himself from Burmese influence, which resulted in the Third Burmese Invasion of Assam, in March, 1821 CE. Defeated near Jorhat, he retreated to Guwahati, and started gathering more troops. The Burmese general installed Jogeswar Singha as the king of the Ahom kingdom, after getting approval from the Burmese monarch Bagyidaw. Purandar Singha decided to take advantage of the situation. He sent his men under the leadership of Robert Bruce, to attack Chandrakanta Singha's forces in Guwahati, in May, 1821 CE. They were defeated, and their commander Bruce was taken prisoner. He was later released when he agreed to enter into the service of Chandrakanta Singha and to supply his soldiers with firearms and ammunition.[32] Purandar Singha retreated towards the border with Bhutan to rally his forces; and the Burmese marched against Chandrakanta Singha's position in Guwahati. Alarmed by the size of the Burmese army, Chandrakanta Singha retreated to British-ruled Bengal.
Towards the end of 1821, Chandrakanta collected a force of about two thousand men, consisting of Sikhs and Hindustanis from British-ruled Bengal.[33][34] He rallied his men in the Goalpara district, and Robert Bruce obtained for him three hundred muskets and nine maunds of ammunition from Calcutta.[32] The Burmese troops and their followers were so numerous that it was found impossible to provide them with supplies in any one place. They were, therefore, distributed about the country in a number of small detachments. Chandrakanta Singha, seeing his opportunity, returned to the attack and, after inflicting several defeats on the Burmese, recaptured Guwahati in January 1822 CE.[32][35][34]
Meanwhile, Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain rallied their troops in Bhutan and also recruited new soldiers from Bhutan and Bijni. Encouraged by the defeats of Burmese at the hands of Chandrakanta Singha, Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain also started to harass Burmese troops especially on the north bank of Brahmaputra. The Burmese commander Mingimaha Tilowa Baju sent a long letter to the British Governor-General at Calcutta, protesting against the facilities which had been accorded to the Ahom princes and demanded their extradition, but the British authority gave no reply.