DANIEL RAUSH, AN EUROPEAN SALT TRADER TO AHOM KINGDOM

Diganta Kumar Gogoi

In May 2022, , when I was in Barpeta Road town, owing to my service in bank, on occassion of Eid ul Fitr holiday, myself and my wife Priyam decided to undergo for travel trip in our scooty. We decided to visit Goalpara. On our way , we observed people of Islamic faith, in their vehicles are roaming, enjoying the festive atmosphere.

While crossing Naranarayan Setu(Bridge) over River Brahmaputra, we observed people halting their vehicles in the Bridge and enjoying the beautiful scenic beauty of Jogighopa on one side and Pancharatna on another side. People were also taking photos and selfies to preserve the images of that memorable day.

DANIEL RAUSH, AN EUROPEAN SALT TRADER TO AHOM KINGDOM — Representative sketch of Daniel Roush by Hanid Ranjan Bhuyan

On Goalpara Town, while riding in our Scooty in banks of Brahmaputra, suddenly my wife Priyam point out a brick structure, stating that the structure must be of some Historical importance. I parked our vehicle, and observed a brick structure surrounded by boundaries. I observed a signboard near the structure, in which it was mentioned “Raush House“.

It also mentioned that the structure is actually mausoleum of the children of Daniel Raush, an 18th Century European Salt merchant, settled in Goalpara, since 1768 CE. Even though officially history was not in my curricullum, but reading history is my favourite hobbies, specially Assam History. So when I read the name Daniel Raush, it rang a bell in my memories.

The name Daniel Raush featured in the chapters of the troubled reign of Ahom King Gaurinath Singha (1781- 1794 CE). While his exact place of origin is not known, from the records, he might be of German descent.

As per records available, Daniel Raush has served in Prussian army under King Fredrick the Great, of the German kingdom of Prussia, and had fought and got wounded in the battle of Minden on 1st August 1759, against French during Seven year War (1756-1763 CE). After the war, Daniel Raush, relieved himself from Prussian army, and set on a journey in search of fortune, to India. After a long journey, he finally settled at present day Goalpara town, in 1768 CE.

During the reign of Ahom kings, one of the main item of import to Assam was salt. Though there was salt mines at Mahang near Sadiya, its supply was insufficient for Assam, and Assam had to depend on Bengal for Salt supply. Because of its demand, there were several emporiums of salts at Goalpara, near the border of Ahom Kingdom, under the management of Daniel Raush and other traders.

As a salt merchant, Daniel Raush was in regular communication with Assamese officers posted at HadiraChowki, a village in present day Barpeta District, which acted as the custom house and western boundary military outpost of Ahom Kingdom, located in opposite bank of modern day Goalpara Town, at the confluence of River Manas and River Brahmaputra.

From Historical sources, we came to know that Goalpara was an important trading centre of traders from Ahom kingdom of Assam and foreign countries till British annexation of Assam in 1826.

In 1788 CE, Ahom King Gaurinath Singha( 1780-1794 CE). was forced to flee from capital Rangpur(Modern day Sivasagar), due to outbreak of Moamoria Rebellion. The king sought military assistance from neighbouring states of Cachar, Jaintia and Manipur. His agents also contacted Daniel Raush and Daniel Raush arranged around 400 to 700 mercenary soldiers, and sent them for Ahom king’s aid.

Later Gaurinath Singha sought Daniel Raush assistance in forwarding his request to Lord Cornwallis, Governor General of British East India Company at Calcutta(Present day Kolkata) for military assistance to to quell internal disturbance caused by rebellions and trouble caused foreign mercenaries, mostly from the dominion of British East India Company.

In this regard, Ahom King Guarinath wrote to Mr. Lumsden, the collector of Rangpur District of Bengal (presently in Bangladesh). Mr. Raush also wrote a letter to Mr. Lumsden for the same. The matter was forwarded to Lord Cornwallis, who considered the fact that political unstablity in Assam, and atmosphere of insecurity caused by the foreign mercenaries in Ahom kingdom, has affected trade and commerce with Assam, hampering the economy.

He finally sent an military expedition under Captain Welsh to Assam in 1792 CE. Captain Welsh successfully suppressed the rebellions and restored the capital Rangpur to royal authority. But before any final expedition towards Moamoria rebels could be undertaken, Lord Cornwallis was replaced by Sir John Shore as Governor General of British East India Company in October 1793.

Sir John Shore followed a policy of non interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring kingdoms, and therefore ordered return of British troops under Captain Welsh from Assam.

After several treaties on trade and commerce were signed between British government and Ahom king Guarinath Singha, Captain Welsh returned to British dominion of Bengal.

Gaurinath Singha died in 1794 CE, and the Prime Minister Purnananda Burhagohain, installed Kinaram Gohain, great grandson of Lechai Gohain Namrupia Raja, who was the brother of illustrious Ahom monarch Rudra Singha, as king of Ahom Kingdom, and was bestowed regnal name Kamaleswar Singha on his coronation.

In the meantime, Daniel Raush continued his business expedition in Assam. He traveled into interior parts of Assam, in boats via river Brahmaputra. In 1795-96 CE, two brothers Hardutta Chhoudhary and Birdutta Choudhary, raised banner of rebellion against Ahom rule in north bank of Kamrup. Along with local people, the brothers enlisted Sikhs and Hindustani mercenaries into their force, and almost occupied the entire north bank of Kamrup.

Contemporary sources termed this band of rebels as Dumdumiyas or Dundiyas. In January , 1796 CE, while on a trading expedition to Darrang in central Assam, Daniel Raush was caught by some Dumdumiya rebels and was killed, and his boats plundered. Contemporary Ahom noble, Srinath Duara Borbarua, has recorded this incident in his chronicle, Tungkhungia Buranji(history).

Another source attributes Raush’s death to Raja of Darrang, whom Raush had visited in order to demand compensation for his property destroyed in Guwahati.

At that time, Krishna Narayan of Koch dynasty was the king of Darrang. During the period of internal unrest during the reign of Ahom king Gaurinath Singha, Krishna Narayan tried to overthrow the yoke of Ahom regime from Darrang, and conquered territories upto present day North Guwahati, but he was defeated by British expeditionary force under Captain Welsh and Ahom authority reestablished in Darrang.

Thus ended a remarkable life journey of Mr. Daniel Raush who played an important role in the troubled reign of Ahom king Gaurinath Singh and marked his name in the annals of Assam history.

Presently except for the Raush family monuments at Goalpara, no other vestiges of Daniel Raush legacy survived,as per our Knowledge. The site is under protection of Archaeological Survey of India.

Diganta Kumar Gogoi , Guwahati ; Mob 98543 79713

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