Assam History

History of Assam : Assam and its surrounding regions show evidence of human settlement dating back to the Stone Age. The hills, ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 feet (460–615 m) in elevation, were likely popular habitats due to the presence of exposed dolerite basalt, which was useful for tool-making. Excavations at the Ambari site in Guwahati have uncovered artefacts from the Shunga-Kushana era, including a flight of stairs and a water tank, possibly dating back to the 1st century BCE, making them around 2,000 years old. Additionally, experts believe that another notable find at Ambari is Roman roulette pottery from the 2nd century BCE.

According to the late text, Kalika Purana (circa 9th–10th century CE), the earliest ruler of Assam was Mahiranga Danav from the Danava dynasty. This dynasty was overthrown by Naraka of Mithila, who established the Bhauma dynasty. The last ruler of this dynasty, also named Naraka, was killed by Krishna. Naraka’s son, Bhagadatta, succeeded him and is mentioned in the Mahabharata as having fought for the Kauravas in the battle of Kurukshetra with an army composed of kiratas, chinas, and people from the eastern coast. Meanwhile, in central Assam, the Asura Kingdom was ruled by a different line of kings.

Ancient History of Assam : Evidence suggests the presence of civilization in Assam around the 2nd century BCE, with a rock-cut stupa at Sri Surya Pahar dated to 200 BCE, contemporaneous with the rock-cut Karle and Bhaja caves in Maharashtra. The site, located in a hilly area, features several rock-cut shivalingas, votive stupas, and deities from the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain pantheons. The 4th-century CE Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta mentions Kamarupa and Davaka (central Assam) as frontier kingdoms of the Gupta Empire. Davaka was later incorporated into Kamarupa, which expanded into a vast kingdom from the Karatoya River to near present-day Sadiya, encompassing the entire Brahmaputra valley, North Bengal, parts of Bangladesh, and occasionally Purnea and parts of West Bengal. The kingdom of Kamarupa was ruled by three dynasties tracing their lineage from the mleccha or Kirata Naraka: the Varmanas (circa 350–650 CE), the Mlechchha dynasty (circa 655–900 CE), and the Kamarupa-Palas (circa 900–1100 CE). Their capitals were located in present-day Guwahati (Pragjyotishpura), Tezpur (Haruppeswara), and North Guwahati (Durjaya), respectively. All three dynasties claimed descent from Narakasura. During the reign of Varman king Bhaskaravarman (circa 600–650 CE), the Chinese traveler Xuanzang visited the region and documented his travels. Following the decline and disintegration of the Kamarupa-Palas, the Kamarupa tradition was continued by the Lunar I (circa 1120–1185 CE) and Lunar II (circa 1155–1255 CE) dynasties until around 1255 CE.

The medieval history of Assam is considered to have begun with the arrival of the Ahoms in the early 13th century, covering their rule for 600 years until 1826. This period is particularly noted for the conflicts between the Assamese and Muslim powers, including the Turko-Afghans and Mughals, which ultimately ended in victory for Assam. However, this period of military success was disrupted in the early 19th century when Assam was unable to repel Burmese invasions, leading to its annexation.