Bhutan and Assam

 

Bhutan and Assam

Bhutan and Kamarup

Like Cooch Behar, Assam was the part of the ancient kingdom of Kamarup. Kamarup was also known as Pragjyostipur. Pragjyostisa was the capital of the kingdom of Kamarup which was located near the present day Gawahati. Bhutanese source says that a Bhutanese monk served as a Royal preceptor in the court of Pragyostisa in Assam. But Nath, B.  writes that a monk was from Leh. However, whether a monk was a Bhutanese or Ladhaki national, the monk was a Buddhist. Assam had many Buddhist pilgrimage sites. One of the important sites was Hajo. Hajo was the important pilgrimage site in Assam in the past. In addition, Hajo was the centre of the trade transaction in the region. The people from eastern Bhutan and also from Tibet visited Hajo annually, while people from western Bhutan carried out trade with Cooch Behar or Rangpur.

Both Tibetan and Bhutanese considered “Sa Chog Drong” for Hajo, the place where Lord Buddha entered into Nirvana.[1] Actually it was a mistake and both Tibetan and Bhutanese did not aware that Buddha passed away at Kusanagar.

Bhutan and Ahom Kingdom

From 13th century onwards, Assam was ruled by Ahom Kings for about six hundred years.  Bhutanese were given the rights to administer Assam duars by the Ahom Kings. In return, Bhutanese paid tributes to the Ahom Kings in kinds.

The seven Assam Duars extended from the Bhutan frontier to the Gohain Kamala Ali. The five Duars were located in the Kamrup district of Assam while the other two were in the Darrang district. Bhutanese administered the five duars of the Kamarup district fully but a unique system was practiced with the other two duars of Darrang. Bhutanese administered two duars of Darrang from December to June while Ahom King administered from July to November. Therefore, in a year, Bhutanese controlled the two duars of Darrang for about seven months whereas Ahom King five months. But Phukan writes that the two duars of Darrang remain under the control of Ahom Government from 15th June to 15th October.

The Bhutanese tributes to the Ahom King include yak tails, Horses, Blankets, musks, daggers and gold dust etc.

 

Sl.No	Items	Quantity
1	Yak Tails	94
2	Horses	36
3	Musk	24 (pieces)
4	Blankets	44
5	Daggers	24
6	Gold dust	24

 

Source: Lahiri

Assam sources say that later disputes arose between Bhutanese and Ahom Governments because Bhutanese defaulted in paying tributes. However, the disputes were settled peacefully. Later on, another dispute arose but each time a settlement was reached either by signing an agreement or paying compensation by the Bhutanese.

 

The tribute for the five Duars in Kamarup was as followed.

 

Items/Duar	Banska	Gaukealla(Gharkola	Chapa Khamar	Chapaguri	Bijni
Cash	901	395	450	546	260-4-0
Gold (tola)	11	2	2	11	11
Ponies	15	5	5	16	16
Musk (bag)	11	2	2	11	11
Yaktails	11	2	2	11	11
Daggers	11	2	2	11	11
Blankets	11	2	2	11	11

 

Source: Majumdar (1984)

 

“However, towards the end the seventeenth century, the Ahom came into conflict with Bhutan when in 1688, an Ahom officer who had gone to collect taxes for four months had been resisted. An engagement took place with greater loss on the Ahom side. Subsequently the conflict was compromised by payment of money by the Bhutias. There was again trouble when a Choudhury of Assam who was sent to collect taxes from Kariapar Duar area was killed. When the Barphukan dispatched a strong force to punish those guilty, they paid money compensation and the matter was closed. There had been again some trouble in the Kariapar area for nonpayment of taxes towards the close of the century. But the Ahom Government enforced them to pay”.[2]

 

In the early 19th century, there was an exchange of visits between Bhutan and Ahom Government. The article was written by J.N. Phukan who submitted to the Centre for Bhutan Studies for publication.

 

The relations between Bhutan and Assam was disrupted by the East India Company in 1828, when East India Company took the Assam under its control.

 

References

§  Lahiri, Dr. Rebati Mohan. 1954. The Annexation of Assam (1824- 1854), Generral Printers & Publishers Limited, Calcutta.

§  Majumdar, A.B. 1984. Britain and the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhotan, Bharati Bhawan, Patna.

§  

---

[1] Waddel (1893)

[2] Phukan.