Echoes from Kajali Chowki, the military outpost of Assamese Soldiers !

Echoes from Kajali Chowki, the military outpost of Assamese Soldiers for fighting invading Mughals

DIGANTA KUMAR GOGOI

Its early Sunday morning, and unlike any other morning on Sunday, in which I normally enjoy the comforts of my bed for longer period, that day I wake up early.

The energy of early morning is immense and it occurred to me that before the sun heats up the environment, a quick morning ride is not a bad idea. I wake up my spouse cum travelling partner Priyam, from her sleep and we both decided to go out for an scooty ride.

From our Hatigaon Residence, we ride out towards Narengi, and after we reached that place, we decided to explore the route towards Chandrapur. The route had relatively less traffic, owing to early Sunday morning, and we enjoyed the ride. After crossing Panikhaiti, Tatimora and Chandrapur, we finally reached Gobardhan market where every Sunday , weekly haat or market use to be held.

We stopped our scooty for a while over the Bridge on Kalong river, to enjoy the natural beauty, around the confluence, where mighty Brahmaputra River welcome Kalong river to join him. My wife Priyam then pointed towards a hillock located at the confluence of both Rivers, and stated it must be a beautiful view from the top of the hillock, to watch both River joining there and its adjoining River bed.

Her remarks bought a smile in my face, and I told her, “My dear that hillock is the location where historical Kajali Chaki or Chowki, an important military outpost of Assamese army, was located during Ahom reign”.

Located 36 Km away from Guwahati and situated at the confluence of Brahmaputra and Kalong Rivers, Kajali Chowki was of strategic importance for the Assamese military and naval forces during their period of conflict with the Mughals. It was regarded second biggest military outpost after their military base at Guwahati.

Built on a hillock, Assamese soldiers, from their vantage point at Kajali Chowki, could keep vigil very far on Brahmaputra River and gaurd the mouth of Kalang River, in order to prevent any kind of unauthorized entry of foreigners into the interior of Assam.

Owing to its importance, the administration of Kajali Chowki was monitored by two commanders known as Kajali Mukhia Gohain, one each from the ministerial family of Borgohain and Barpatragohain, of Ahom nobility.

The first mention of Kajali Chowki was found in reference in the folk lore of legendary king Jongalbalahu of Tiwa community.

Jongalbalahu was the son of Arimatta, who is one of the most mentioned ruler in Assamese folklore. As per folklore, Arimatta is the son of mighty river Brahmaputra. While sources varies regarding the location of Arimatta’s kingdom, but most of them indicates his kingdom’s location at Lower or Western Assam. Some sources stated Arimatta’s capital is located at Baidargarh, near Betna in Kamrup.

Another sources indicates that Arimatta later became ruler of Kamata kingdom. As per sources, after Arimatta’s demise, one of his son Jongalbalahu established his regime in central Assam. It is claimed that the remanents of fortification located at Sahari Mouza, near Raha in Nagaon District, was part of Jongalbalahu’s capital and hence it is known Jongalgarh.

As per folklore Jongalbalahu defeated neighbouring Kachari kingdom and therefore Kachari king Gajraj secretly planned to avenge his defeat. He married his daughter away to Jongalbalahu, with secret instruction to his daughter, to find the source of strength and weak spots of Jongalbalahu.

The Kachari princess, found that Jongalbalahu strength lies in his magical sword gifted by Lord Shiva ( according to some sources it was gifted by Brahmaputra) and him having meal of Rice before any battle campaign. The princess requested her husband Jongalbalahu, to catch a big Borali fish from Kolong river and to send it as gift to her father.

Jongalbalahu set fish trap and embankment at several places in Kolong river to catch a big Borali fish for his father in law. After a big Borali fish was caught,the princess secretly arranged to sent the magical sword of Jongalbalahu inside the fish belly, to her father Kachari King Gajraj. After obtaining the sword, Kachari King Gajraj attacked Jongalbalahu’s capital Jongalgarh.

Jongalbalahu then discovered the harsh betrayal commited by his wife , as he found that his magical sword was missing and instead of rice, his wife has boiled stones inside cooking pan. As a last desparate attempt, Jongalbalahu jumped in Kolong river and tried to escape to River Brahmaputra, who happened to be his grandfather.

The Kachari soldiers chased him along the river. As per folklore, while swiming at Kolong river, he halted for sometime at Raha, and thereby the place Raha(ৰহা) derives its name from Assamese word ” rokha(ৰখা, ৰখিছিল ),” which means halting. Then he swimmed further and came out of water at a place called Jagi, in present day Morigaon district, and similarly the place derives its name from Assamese word “Jaga(জাগা)” , which means to come out.

He then swims further and sat for a while in place which later known as Boha ( বহা ) , which mean “to sit” in Assamese, located near present day Morigaon town. Finally he reached mouth of Kolong River to Brahmaputra at Kajali, but his ill fated destiny got him entangled in a fish trap, set by himself to catch the big Borali fish , presented to his father in law, the Kachari King Gajraj, at the request of his traitorous wife.

The Kachari soldiers chasing Jongalbalahu, finally speared him to death by pointed edge of bamboos. Thus, the life of a legendary ruler, Jongalbalahu, came to an end, at the mouth of Kolong, and the place where he met his end is known as Kajoli, from the assamese word of Kaj(কাজ কৰা), which means conducting final rites pertaining to deceased person.

Another source mentioned , due to union of three rivers, Kolong, Kopili and Digaru, the water at mouth of Kolong, joining Brahmaputra river adorns slightly black colour (কজলা), gaining the name Kajoli(কাজলী) to the location.

As per chronicles, it was Ahom king Pratap Singha (1603-1641 CE) who realized the strategic importance of the location, established a military outpost at Kajali, to guard the mouth of Kolong river, because Kolong serves as communication route to interior of present day Morigaon- Nagaon district, upto Kaliabor and it was very important to take control of this important communication route.

The king appointed two Gohain, one from minister Borgohain family and another from Barpatragohain family, as Kajalimukhiya Gohain of Kajali Chowki, in order to jointly monitor this strategic military outpost. An interesting event is mentioned in chronicles regarding appointment from family members of three ministerial family, the Burhagohain, the Borgohain and the Borpatra Gohain.

The king found negligence of duties on the part of kins of the three Gohains, and as a form of punishment assigned them to clear termite hills at crown farmlands. The royal poultry keeper (কুকুৰা চোৱা )was appointed to monitor their task. After being taunted by Poultry keeper for unsatisfactory performance in the assigned task, the kins of Gohains, assualted the former, who then reported the matter to the monarch.

The king then exiled those kins of three Gohains to frontier military outpost at Kajoli and Jagi. One of the kin of Burhagohain family is appointed as Jagiyal Gohain, while the kins of Borgohain and Barpatragohain is jointly appointed as Kajali Mukhia Gohain at Kajali Chowki.

Kajali Chowki serves as an virtual military headquarter or administrative centre to monitor any movements at mouth of Kolong River joining Brahmaputra, also to monitor the activities and nearby chieftains and rulers of tributary kingdoms of Mayong, Panbari and Darrang.

During the period of conflict between Assamese and Mughal forces, Kajali Chowki witnessed several intense land and river battles.

Several mentions of Kajali Chowki can be found in the records of Mughal chroniclers. In the words of Mirza Nathan, a Mughal Chronicler and military commander, at his chronicle Baharistan- Gayibi, the Kalong river is a branch of the Brahmaputra and it flows by Kaliabar, Nagaon and Dimarua and rejoins the Brahmaputra at Kajalimukh, where the king of Assam has his garrision stationed at Kajali Chowki.

He also mentioned that when Mughal general Saiyid Aba Bakr led an invasion into Assam, the garrision at Kajali Chowki confronted the invaders with three hundred war boats. The Mughal chronicler Sihabuddin Talish, accompanying the Mughal General Mirjumla, during the later’s invasion to Assam, also mentioned Kajali as important military outpost of Assamese. 

Similarly, in the contemporary Assamese chronicles, Kajali Chowki was mentioned as place of military significance. During the period of Assamese Mughal conflicts in the reign of Swargadeo Pratap Singha, his most capable minister Momai Tamuli Borbarua, father of illustrious patriot Assamese general Lachit Barphukan, spent nearly twelve years at Kajali Chowki, primarily for defence of Assam against Mughal invaders.

During the reign of Ahom King Chakradwaj Singha(1663- 1670 CE), when Lachit Borphukan led his military campaign to recapture Guwahati from Mughal, he first ousted Mughals from Kajali Chowki and established his base there for successful military campaign against Mughal base at Guwahati.

Kajali Chowki also witnessed actions in 1682 CE, during the reign of Gadadhar Singha, when Assamese soldiers ousted Mughals from Guwahati and recaptured Western Assam till Manas river, for final time from imperial Mughal.

During the reign of Ahom king Rajeswar Singha( 1751-1769 CE) French diplomat cum trader Jean Baptiste, on his way to Rangpur(present day Sivasagar), the capital of Ahom Kingdom, via boats in Brahmaputra river, observed Kajali Chowki and recorded his following remarks in his memoir – ” The mouth of this river (Kolong) is very remarkable because it passes along the foot of an extremely high mountain. This mountain seems to be made of one enormous rock piece rising steeply.” This above description still fits in the geographical context of Kajoli Chowki till this day.

In early 19th century, British military and administrative officiers Dr John Peter Wade and Francsis Hamilton, mentioned Kajoli Chowki in their records, who have either visited this place or heard of it from their sources.

During the reign of Ahom King Gaurinath Singha( 1780 – 1794 CE), when Ahom kingdom was in turmoil by revolts and civil wars, a band of mercenaries, commonly known as Hindustani sepoys, primarily from British ruled Bengal province, led by a sepoy named Jogangiri, ousted Badan Barphukan, the Ahom viceroy of Western Assam from his base at Guwahati.

Badan Barphukan then retreated to Kajali Chowki , waited there, until further reinforcement of Royal armies ousted the mercenaries and killed their leaders. These incident highlighted the importance of Kajali Chowki as an important military base next to Guwahati, till final years of Ahom administration.

From 1817 to 1826 CE, Assam witnessed three times invasion from neighbouring country Myanmar and later Anglo Burmese War(1824-1826 CE), which resulted in fall of Ahom regime in Assam and subsequent occupation by British. During this period of turmoil, adminstration in Kajali Chowki also ceased to exist.

After independence from British rule in 1947 CE, Kajali chaki and it’s adjoining villages were originally incorporated in Nagaon and later in Morigaon district. But for a proposed plan for setting up new capital of Assam, at Chandrapur, Kajali chaki and it’s adjoining villages were incorporated in Kamrup district .

The remanents of fortifications are presently under protection of Archaeology department. A temple of Lord Vishnu was founded by local people in the hillock of Kajali Chowki. Few years ago artillery cannon-balls of Ahom period used by Assamese Soldiers were found buried at the site. The place got ample potential of tourism and can became a platform for publicizing the tales from Assam history in World ‘s forum.

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