Arup Saikia
(The writer can be reached at arupsaikia07@gmail.com)
Inferred historical events or periods in Assam started with the reign of Pushya Varman, the first king of the Varman dynasty. Previously, no verified history could be found about the legendary Asura or Danava dynasty found in Hindu mythology. The Varmans were contemporary of the Gupta empire of northern India, led by Chandragupta II in 375 AD. The approximate date of Pushya Varman’s accession is 380 AD. Chandragupta 2, popularly known as Vikramaditya, was a legendary king for his fame, achievements, skills, attitude, and personality.
The Varman Dynasty of Pragjyotishpur (modern Kamrupa) was influenced by the famed characteristics of the Gupta period. From this time on, the language, religion, art, and literature of Aryan civilization entered the Brahmaputra valley more strongly than ever before. That swept the north and south banks of the Brahmaputra. The overall food habits of Assamese, judgement of casteism, and various religious sects such as Vaishnavism, Shakta, Shaiva, and Buddhism flowed from Aryan land. Although it’s noteworthy to say that the Aryan language and culture came to Pragajyotishpur from the fifth century BC onwards, these ties became stronger in the Varman period only. In another sense, a bridge of language and culture was constructed between the river Brahmaputra and the Ganges.
More and less, a major portion of Indo-Mongolian immigrants to the Brahmaputra Valley felt a natural attraction to Aryan civilization. The names of kings and queens are derived from Sanskrit words. Even the name of the ancient king, Mairanga Danav, was redecorated as Mahidanav. The names of some places were copied from the Aryan-ruled kingdoms. In this period, a common language was developed for the upper class, and the Sanskrit language was made compulsory.
The primary theoretical history of the Assam people is composed of a mixture of Mongolian and Caucasian materials. On the other hand, the cultural history of the people of Assam is composed of the cultures of South-East Asia, Aryan, and Dravidian. The establishment of the Salastambha and later Pala dynasties occupies an important chapter in the history of old Assam. This carried forward the process of Aryanization, irrespective of their origin. Although the Varmans and the Palas claimed or accepted their lineage from the Narakasur dynasty, the Palas are somehow related to non-Caucasian. Starting from writings or inscriptions about Bhaskar Varman to those of others, no writers address any king as Mlech (dialect speaker, non-Caucasian). But the Mlech adjective was used before the Pala kings. No matter the blood lineage, Aryan influence was predominantly initiated by the Varmans; all dynasties across roots preach the great Indo-Aryan culture.
The end of the Pala dynasty started the mediaeval period. Almost all major dynasties of mediaeval Assam are of ‘kirata’ or Indo-Mongolian origin. Relinquishing traditional, age-old faith, they gradually embraced Indo-Aryan culture or religion. The cultural practices of a few prominent Indo-Mongolian tribes, or some of their deeds, are mentioned herewith.
BODO KACHARI: The term bodo has been used since the nineteenth century. The term ‘Bodo’ refers to a particular tribe of the Brahmaputra valley. They are a Sino-Tibetan-origin tribe of Indo-Mongolian ethnicity spreading across the Northeast. Later, many ethnic groups started to grow among the Bodo people. They are Garo, Hajong, Tiwa, Rabha, Dimasha, Hojai, Sarania, Koch, Lalung, Mess, and others. In ancient times, Tibet was called Bar-Ut, and its inhabitants were called Bar-Pa. This ethnic group came from northwestern China and is therefore called Boro. During the battle of the Mahabharata, King Bhagadutaa of Pragajyotishpur led Kirat soldiers against Pandava. The origin of various branches of Bodo-Kachari was due to the different melodic tunes of their languages. The majority of Assamese tribes are of Indo-Mongolian ethnicity, but gradually their adoption of Aryan culture, religion, and language multiplied their influence. Nomenclatures of rivers and places in the Bodo-dominated area of Assam are even Aryan. While Ahom monarch Sukhapa came to Assam, Barahi and Moran communities also descended from Kachari. Anyway, Bodo-Kachari is one of the oldest communities in Assam, and history can’t touch their exact chronological events.
KOCH PEOPLE: Kochs are mainly of Kachari origin. Like ‘Mlech’, the meaning of Qubash (later Koch) is also a dialect (degenerated language). Aryan people didn’t recognise their language and therefore called it Qubash. Some scholars claimed the word Koch came from Kambuja. Judging from the ethnology of Assam, pure race isn’t available in Assam. Even people of pure Alpine or Caucasian blood were marrying local women.
There is no verified data on when the Kochs converted to Hinduism and became part of Aryan culture. But undoubtedly, this process of assimilation took place naturally and spontaneously over a long period of time. The Koch king, Biswa Singh himself, was a patron of the Hindu religion. Biswa Singha renovated the Kamakhya temple. Although he is a devotee of Lord Shiva, he accords equal status to other sects of Hinduism. Moreover, the great saint Shankardev, after his escape from the Ahom Kingdom, got due promotion and protection from the Koch Kingdom under the reign of Naranarayan. King Naranarayan and his brother, General Chilaray, were one step ahead as followers of Hinduism. Both studied Sanskrit in Varanasi. Notably, they are the first foreign-educated princes from the northeastern region. Besides Shankardev, King Naranarayan sponsored scholar-saints like Madhavdev, Ram Saraswati, Ananta Kondoli, Bakul Kayastha, and others.
No monarch or dynasty tried to build a community or nation. Any monarch tries to strengthen his political position against the linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic background in which he stands. For smooth administrative legislation, a leader contributes to developing his subjects spiritually, economically, and emotionally. That way, the nation-building or race-building process starts.
CHUTIYA: Chutiya is one of the oldest Arayanized ethnic groups in Assam. They are also the offspring of the vast Bodo-Kachari, or Kirat, community. Interestingly, Chutiyas much earlier came into contact with Arayan culture; even very early, they lost their own language to embrace Assamese. Chutiya’s contribution to building the common Indo-Aryan language is immense. They have converted to Arayan culture and even worshipped mother goddesses like Kechai-Khaiti and Tamreswari in temples. It is said that Arayan people call them “Achyut”, meaning untouchable. In due course, Achyut became Chutiya.
Their kingdom was Sadiya-based.
AHOM DYNASTY: Before the arrival of Ahom, the Indo-Aryan language was developed up to the Brahmaputra valley and later named the Assamese language. The contribution of Ahom was to unite many ethnic groups under one kingdom, where Hinduism of Shakta or Vaishnavite ideology or practices slowly creeped into the entire kingdom. Whether the Ahom monarch supported or opposed it, no ideology was confined to particular pockets like in the previous era. Sutyinpha, or Jayadhvaj Singha, was the first Ahom monarch to convert to Hinduism in the middle of the seventeenth century. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Neo-Vaishnavism initiated by Shankerdev greatly succeeded in establishing and spreading Arayan monotheism, covering Ahom, Kochi, Kachari, and other major kingdoms.
ARCHITECTURE: There are two forms of architecture in Assamese civilization: one of houses, forts, palaces, etc., and the other of temples or religious places. The two types of architecture are the first steps in the development of Assamese architecture.
The Kalika Puran described Pragajyotishpur’s beautiful palatial palaces as resembling civilised Arayan culture much before the arrival of the Varmans. Kalika Puran, moreover, mentioned the names of a few townships, but except for Sonitpur, no other name could be found in reality. Moreover, the Yogini Tantra elaborated on the Hayagriva temple, situated in a beautifully coloured city. The relics of the Kachari empire in Dimapur genuinely certify Assam’s rich architecture and urban development.
RELIGIOUS ARCHITECTURE: The religious architecture of Assam mainly started with temples. The temples were not Arayan; they were mainly lord Shiva and Shakti peeth (places). Shiva is a non-Aryan god, notwithstanding that the method of worship is the confluence of two streams. Arayanized Hindu influence on primitive ethnic methods is conspicuous. The non-Arayan Shakti sect doesn’t have the ferocity of Shaktipeeth. This may be for Arayan influence. The Assamese have a close affinity in terms of language with North India. But in terms of architecture, both north and south India have noticeable impacts. The square-pillar structure of temples is perceived to be imitated from the south. It’s noteworthy to say that Assamese architecture fundamentally developed its own style. The maximum number of temples built during the Salastambha dynasty from the seventh to the tenth centuries. The temples built during this period resemble neither northern nor southern structures. But the foundation stones of these architectures are taken from entire Arayan or Dravidian India. Examples are Kamakhya, Ugratara, Shivadol of Sivasagar, etc.
LANGUAGE IMPACT: The majority of Mongolian-origin people living in Assam couldn’t develop their language fully at par with other Indo-Aryan languages. Their (Mongolian) languages are monosyllabic and tune-based, with less vocabulary. Short, long, and loud tunes denote different meanings of the same word. Moreover, any group of the same clan, if they settle away, will eventually become incommunicado with their parent clan. So, their tenet or faith couldn’t cover or spread a larger geographical area. Therefore, all ancestors of Assam, including Bodo-Kachari, slowly and gradually practised learning and speaking the Indo-Aryan language, which is rich in vocabulary and syntax. The main question is: What is the base or foundation of language? Partially human’s thoughts, beliefs, and customs contribute to growing a language in a particular area and swelling vocabulary. So, all immigrants to Assam before Aryans, knowingly or unknowingly, intentionally or unintentionally, started to practise Aryan customs and rites. That unlocked floodgates to great India.
Vaishnavism, led by Sankerdev, is like an unseen thread that united the people of Assam across races. If we assess only two important events in Assam history, the first will be the Aryan role of the Varman dynasty, and the second will undoubtedly be the appearance of Sankardev for cultural and social awakening. This awakening built a strong foundation for the Assamese language, literature, and culture. But importantly, the history of Assam even didn’t start when Aryan culture slowly but resolutely crept into the veins of Assamese society, resulting in today’s Assam. The assimilation of the blood and culture of Southeast Asia with that of the mainstream Bharatiya (Indian) hinterland gave a remarkable, unique dimension and gave shape to the Assamese community. Direct descendants of Aryan people or kingdoms are very few in Assam. Nevertheless, the distinctive atmosphere or mindset surrounding the people of Assam is predominantly a shadow of the Aryan culture.