56 Facts About Purandar Singha

Purandar Singha was the last king of the Ahom kingdom in Assam.

Purander Purandar Singha was found suitable for this post and therefore, in April 1833 CE, except for Sadiya and Matak rajya, the entire territory of Upper Assam was formally made over to him, on the condition of yearly tribute of 50,000 rupees.

When Purandar Singha accepted the position of Prince of Upper Assam, he did not realize the difficulties of the new position.

Purandar Singha was the son of Brajanath Gohain, son of Bijoy Barmura Gohain, grandson of Ratneswar Saru-gohain, and great-grandson of Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha.

Later Lakshmi Purandar Singha regained his throne, by defeating the Moamoria rebels.

Purandar Singha was caught and was punished by inflicting mutilation on his ears.

Purandar Singha again conspired against the king, only to be caught, and suffered further mutilation.

Kamaleswar Purandar Singha demanded that Krishna Chandra hand over Bijoy Bormura Gohain, but he escaped with his son Brajanath Gohain to British-ruled Bengal.

Purandar Singha was born in 1807 CE, at Silmari, located in British-ruled Bengal.

Purandar Singha proceeded to Calcutta, and alleging that Purnananda Burhagohain was subverting the Ahom Government and ruining the country, endeavored to persuade the Governor-General Lord Hastings to dispatch an expedition against Purnananda Burhagohain.

Purandar Singha repeated his misrepresentations regarding the conduct of Purnananda Burhagohain, alleging that he had usurped the King's authority, and that owing to his misgovernment, the lives of all, both high and low, were in danger.

The Burmese occupied the capital Jorhat and Badan Chandra triumphantly entered the capital, interviewed Chandrakanta Purandar Singha and offered to run the affairs of the state as his capacity as Mantri-Phukan or Prime Minister.

Ruchinath took up the case of Brajanath Gohain, great-grandson of Ahom king Swargadeo Rajeswar Purandar Singha, who was leading an exiled life at Silmari in Bengal and invited him to become a candidate for the throne.

Since Purandar Singha was very young, the real authority lay with Brajanath Gohain and Ruchinath Burhagohain.

Purandar Singha appointed himself as Charing Raja and Juvaraj or heir apparent.

Purandar Singha issued coins and grants lands to Brahmins in his own name, though it was the king who could perform these acts.

Bodawpaya, through his marriage to Hemo Aideo, had an alliance with Chandrakanta Purandar Singha, and dispatched a fresh army of 30,000 men under Alungmingi, known as Kiamingi Borgohain.

The triumphant Burmese now searched for Chandrakanta Purandar Singha, led him from his retreat and properly installed him on the throne.

An Assamese force, under the leadership of Bhisma Gogoi Borphukan was dispatched by Purandar Singha to resist the invaders.

Purandar Singha replied that the British Government was not accustomed to interfere in the internal affairs of foreign states.

Meanwhile, Chandrakanta Purandar Singha tried to free himself from Burmese influence, which resulted in the Third Burmese Invasion of Assam, in March, 1821 CE.

Purandar Singha sent his men under the leadership of Robert Bruce, to attack Chandrakanta Singha's forces in Guwahati, in May, 1821 CE.

Purandar Singha was later released when he agreed to enter into the service of Chandrakanta Singha and to supply his soldiers with firearms and ammunition.

Purandar Singha rallied his men in the Goalpara district, and Robert Bruce obtained for him three hundred muskets and nine maunds of ammunition from Calcutta.

Chandrakanta Purandar Singha, seeing his opportunity, returned to the attack and, after inflicting several defeats on the Burmese, recaptured Guwahati in January 1822 CE.

Undaunted by enemy strength, Chandrakanta Purandar Singha marched into Upper Assam with approximately 2000 men consisting of Sikhs and Hindustani mercenaries and some local Assamese people recruited around Guwahati.

On 19 April 1822 AD the 20,000 Burmese led by Mingi Maha Bandula and the 2000 mixed Assamese-Hindustani forces led by Chandrakanta Purandar Singha fought the decisive battle at Mahgarh.

Chandrakanta Purandar Singha is said to have displayed unusual vigour and courage by himself present in the thick of battle; personally leading his soldiers; and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with enemy soldiers.

Unable to resist the Burmese with his small force, Chandrakanta Purandar Singha fell back to Hadirachowki, where he made preparation to resist the Burmese with his mixed levies consisting of Sikh, Hindustanis and Assamese soldiers.

On 21 June 1822, Chandrakanta Purandar Singha made his final stand against Mingi Maha Tilowa Baju and his Burmese forces in the battle of Hadirachowki.

Purandar Singha Singh is a young man, apparently about 25 years of age.

Purandar Singha's countenance is pleasing, and his manners extremely good.

Some historians are of the opinion that the selection of Purandar Singha over Chandrakanta Singha as a tributary ruler of Upper Assam was a British political ploy.

Purandar Singha lived most of his life in exile with his father; therefore if the British install Purandar Singha to the throne, he would be more grateful and will submit to British rule more readily than his rival candidate Chandrakanta Singha.

At the onset of his second reign, Purandar Singha appointed officials according to the traditional Ahom system of governance, but since his kingdom's territory was very much less than the territories of the Ahom kingdom, before 1826 CE, he left many official posts vacant.

Purandar Singha appointed Mahidhar, the son of Ruchinath Burhagohain, to the post of Burhagohain.

Purandar Singha allotted Maju Mel or estate to his nephew, Narnarayan Gohain, Mahi Mel or estate to his cousin Ishwar Gohain, and Suru Mel or estate to his uncle, Brajanath Gohain's younger brother, Indunath Gohain.

Purandar Singha begged for a considerable reduction in the amount of revenue, as he explained that the country was badly ravaged by the Burmese invaders, affecting all spheres of life of the people, which includes social and economical.

Purandar Singha's subjects were oppressed and misgoverned and his rule is very distasteful to the bulk of the population.

Purandar Singha was himself found guilty of gathering personal fortune rather than concentrating on good governance for his people.

Purandar Singha having thus proved a failure, his kingdom was placed under direct British control, in September 1838 CE.

Purandar Singha's kingdom was divided into two districts, Sibsagar district and Lakhimpur district.

Purandar Singha hoped for the eventual restitution of his state as a result of his petition to the Governor-General.

The petition of Purandar Singha was turned down by the Governor-General, after consultation with British officials serving in Assam.

Purandar Singha lived out the rest of his life in Jorhat along with his family.

Purandar Singha died on October 1,1846 CE, a few days before the Durga Puja celebrations.

Purandar Singha's remains were entombed in a Maidam, constructed in Jorhat.

Purandar Singha had numerous wives; prominent among them were Maharani Chandrakala, Chandrakanti Kunwari and Ambavati Kunwari.

Maharani Chandrakala was the Parvatia Queen of Purandar Singha and she was a Manipuri princess.

Purandar Singha was succeeded by his son Jubraj Kameswar Singha.

In 1847 CE, Kameswar Purandar Singha was permitted by the British Government to use the title of Raja.

Purandar Singha died on June 10,1852 CE, and his remains were entombed near his father's tomb, in Raja Maidam, Jorhat.

Kameswar Purandar Singha left three widows, Rani Lakhipriya, Padmahari Kunwari and'Madhavi Maju Kunwari, as well as a concubine named Rupavati Khatania.

Kandarpeswar Purandar Singha, Kameswar's son with Lakhipriya, was born in 1840.

Purandar Singha was placed under arrest, with his agent Maniram Dewan Barbhandar Barua who was then in Calcutta petitioning the Governor-General for the restoration of the Ahom kingdom to Kandarpeswar Singha.

Contemporary chroniclers are of the opinion that since Purandar Singha had passed his childhood through economic hardships during his father's exile in Bengal, he was very much attracted to money and wealth.