Misplaced Pages

#783216

40-656: The Ahom Army consisted of cavalry, infantry as well as naval units based on the Paik system militia of the Ahom kingdom (1228–1824). The kingdom did not have standing army units of professional soldiers till late 18th and early 19th centuries, when Purnandan Burhagohain raised one after noticing the effectiveness of Captain Thomas Welsh's sepoys in subjugating the Moamoria rebellion . The Ahom Army had various confrontations,

80-455: A got could be asked to render service simultaneously. As before, the gaa mati was tended to by the remaining paiks of the got . This ensured that economic production did not suffer when a large section of the population was not involved in it and contributed to the resilience of the Ahom kingdom in the 16th to 18th century. During the time of Rajeswar Singha (1752–1789), as the pressure on

120-414: A disciple of Sankardev was from the weaver community ( Tanti ) similarly Sesa, Katani, Budhbari, Chahila satras were held by Kaibartas although they claim to be of Kayastha origin. The satras are not merely religious institutions but play cultural and historical roles in society. A dance form that was initiated by Srimanta Sankardeva and later developed within the sattras, and thus called Sattriya ,

160-453: A four-sided enclosed area with four gateways ( karapat ). Centrally placed in this enclosure is a rectangular prayer-hall ( Namghar or kirtanghar ) at the aligned in the east–west direction. On its eastern side there is an additional independent structure called the Manikut (jewel-house), the sanctum santorum , in which the asana (a wooden tetradehral structure with four carved lions)

200-403: A higher social standing. Some other minor classes were: bilatiyas (tenants at the estates of nobles), dewaliyas (attached to temples and sattras ) and bahatiyas (attached to hill masters). Kanri paiks could move up to chamua . Most of the lower paik officers—Bora, Saikia, Hazarika, Tamuli, Pachani—belonged to the chamua class. After the first major survey recorded in

240-610: A profound impact on Assam's social life, with many collective practices originating in the medieval times. Many people in Assam today still carry the Paik offices titles in their last names— Bora , Saikia and Hazarika . Every male in the Ahom kingdom between the ages of fifteen and fifty who was not a noble, a priest, a high caste or a slave was a paik . The paiks were organized into four-member groups called got s. Each got had to send one member by rotation for public works. During

280-399: A standing army till the beginning of 19th century and its army consisted of the militia formed of paiks ), civil construction (embankments, roads, bridges, tanks, etc.), military production (boats, arrows, muskets), etc. There were two major classes of paiks : kanri paik (archer) who rendered his service as a soldier or as a laborer and chamua paik who rendered non-manual service and had

320-412: A territory), or a Barua (a superintending officer) each of whom could command between 2000 and 3000 paiks . The Phukans , Rajkhowas , Baruas and Hazarikas were nominated by the king and appointed in concurrence with the three great Gohains ( Burhagohain , Borgohain and Borpatrogohain ). The Boras and Saikias were appointed by their respective Phukans and Rajkhowas . The paiks had

360-597: Is one of the eight classical dance forms in India . The name satra originates in the Bhagavata Purana in Sanskrit ( sattra ), and is used in the sense of an assembly of devotees. During Sankardev's lifetime, the devotees assembled in the open, under trees. Though temporary prayer houses were built, the tradition of devotees living in the premises did not happen during Sankardev's lifetime. The first mention of

400-552: Is placed containing the main object of worship (usually a copy of the Bhagavat Purana in manuscript or an idol). The namghar is surrounded by four straight rows of huts, called hati , in which monks ( bhakats ) reside. The adhikara and other high officers of the Satra reside in the eastern hatis . All structures were originally temporary, made with wood, bamboo and covered over with thatch; brick and mortar found use after

440-517: The Buranjis which was taken in 1510 under Suhungmung , the paiks were organized according to families and lineage called phoids and resettled according to their skills. The number of paiks rendering royal service at any time followed the principle of ghar muri e-powa or one-fourth the number of paiks in a household. The paik rendering service was rotated and the other paiks in his household tended to his gaa mati during his absence. In

SECTION 10

#1732776298784

480-544: The Nikasamhati was established by Mathuradasa and Padma Ata , both of whom were disciples of Madhavdeva . It strictly conformed to the teaching of Madhavdeva and being a purist group placed more important on ascentism, Kamalabari Satra, Barpeta Satra and Madhupur Satra are the three centers of this samhati. The last of the samhati, the Kalasamhati concerned with the tribal and lowercaste societies, represented

520-556: The Purusasamhati . This samhati practiced the original features of Sankardev teachings and therefore considered to be the main sect. The head priest was chosen either from a Kayastha or a Brahmin family. The term purusa is claimed to be derived from the honorific title Mahapurusa, usually applied to Sankardev. Bardowa satra founded by Sankardev remained the most popular satra of the Purusasamhati. The next samhati,

560-618: The hati is found in the context of the Patbausi Satra of Damodardev. Madhavdev built the Barpeta Satra , and laid down the system of daily prayer service and initiated the system of religious tithes . Vamsigopaldev was instrumental in establishing Satras in eastern Assam. The last quarter of the 16th century saw the satras divide into four different sects (also called samhati )—Brahmasamhati, Purusasamhati, Nikasamhati, Kalasamhati. These four sects were firmly established by

600-540: The khel system. The system of appeals could go right up to the Nyayxodha Phukan . The Paik system was a method by which the Ahom king obtained service from the people and also provided service back to the people. By the 17th century it had evolved into a robust system that gave the Ahom kingdom a resilience in the face of a long protracted war against the Mughals . But soon it met challenges. Over time,

640-489: The khel was extended later by his son Lachit Borphukan into self contained ones by incorporating paiks of different professions into each khel . Khels were further organized under a mel or a dagi . A group of such divisions was attached to each of the three great Gohains, which is then called the hatimur of the particular Gohain . A second group of divisions was placed under the khel officers ( Phukan , Rajkhowa and Barua ) that rendered service to members of

680-436: The paik system increased, the number of paiks in each got was decreased from four to three. The paiks in their phoids were organized under khels according to the locality in which they belonged. Momai Tamuli Borbarua reorganized many such khels functionally according to the specific service the paiks in the khel rendered. Some of the khels were thus similar to professional or trade guilds. The organization of

720-684: The satra from whom taxes and other religious duties are extracted. The Neo-Vaishnavite satra culture started in the 16th century. They grew rapidly in the 17th century and patronage extended to them by first the Koch kingdom and later the Ahom kingdom was crucial in the spread of the Ekasarana religion. Many of the larger Satras house hundreds of celibate and non-celibate bhakat (monks), hold vast lands and are repositories of religious and cultural relics and artifacts. The satra extend control over their lay disciples via village namghar . Satra in which

760-409: The 1609 restructuring by Momai Tamuli Borbarua the phoid organization was replaced by the got . A got consisted of four paiks who lived close together. The paiks in a got were numbered mul (first), duwal (second), tewal (third), etc. In times of peace, generally one of the paiks in a got rendered royal service at any given time. In times of war, a second or even a third paik from

800-486: The 18th century. Monks , called bhakats , live in satras under a satradhikar or Mahanta . In some orders of the religion, the bhakats are celibate ( kewalia bhakat ). The satradhikar may not always be of high birth, it is recorded in many instance the satradikars belonging to tribal or lower caste origin. For example, Mathuradasa Ata, the first satradhikar of Barpeta was from the Candal community, Narayanadasa Ata,

840-462: The Ahom kingdom by expanding into new social groups that the Ahom kingdom would have expanded into otherwise and providing an alternative economic production process. This conflict with the satras led to the Moamoria rebellion which further weakened the Ahom kingdom. Sattra Satra are institutional centers associated with the Ekasarana tradition of Vaishnavism , largely found in

SECTION 20

#1732776298784

880-555: The Indian state of Assam and neighboring regions. Numbering in the hundreds, these centers are generally independent of each other and under the control of individual adhikara (or satradhikar ), though they can be grouped into four different Sanghati (orders). These centers, in the minimum, maintain a prayer house ( Namghar , or Kirtan-ghar ), initiate lay people into the Ekasarana tradition and include them as disciples of

920-650: The Satras have been challenged by reform movements, most notably under the Sankar Sangha . The Satras coordinate some of their activities via the Asam Satra Mahasabha, an umbrella organization of all the Satras. According to the Mahasabha's count on its website there is altogether a total of 862 Satras including the satras present in both the states of Assam and West Bengal. The Satra is generally

960-468: The Satras, enabling them to establish themselves on sound economics, make themselves attractive to the lay people, and spread the Ekasarana religion. The 17th century saw the rapid growth of the Eksarana Dharma in upper Assam and Majuli became a focal point of Satra tradition and authority. The number of Satras grew during this period, 125 Satras built in the 17th century and 85 Satras built in

1000-412: The absence of a paik the other members of the got took care of his lands and family. In times of war, the paiks formed the militia. All lands under rice cultivation belonged to the state. Originally, the paiks were organized into phoid s (clans), but by the 17th century the paiks were re-grouped into divisions called khel s. According to Guha (1991), about 90% of the population belonged to this class at

1040-522: The early 17th century. Damodaradeva (a Brahmin disciple of Sankardev) formed the Brahmasamhati , which represented the Brahmanical practices and ritualism. It brought back the caste system to its original form but still adhered to the teachings of namadharma of Sankardev. The followers of this sect called themselves Damodariyas (meaning: followers of Damodaradeva ) and the satradhikar

1080-532: The forces led by Mir Jumla II (1662), and finally the Burmese invasions of Assam (1817, 1819, 1821). Though the Ahom kingdom withstood all invasions from the west, it fell to the single significant challenge from the south and was destroyed. The Ahom Army was based on compulsory participation from members of its Paik system , a corvée labor system the Ahom kingdom followed. Paiks formed groups of 4 (and later 3) called gots , and at least one paik from each got

1120-438: The growth of an internal market over time in the entire kingdom demanded a monetization of the economy, which the Paik system was unable to handle. This gave rise to the apaikan chamua a class of paik s who were released from their khels and who paid a cash tax in lieu of the service to the king. The satras too attracted paiks who wanted to escape the compulsory service. The satras, in addition, came into competition with

1160-400: The middle of the 17th century to propagate neo Vaishnavism. Sankaradeva is said to have established his first Satra at Bordowa , his birthplace, and then in different places of Assam. Through initially the satras were started as a part of the egalitarian movement of Eksarana Dharma, they later turned into a place of orthodoxy. From the early 20th century, the authority and orthodoxy of

1200-509: The most prominent among the six sudra satra of the Kalasamhati and revolted against Ahom kingdom during the latter part of the 18th century. The first three samhati — Brahmasamhati , Purusasamhati , Nikasamhati brought back the caste rules and Brahmanical rituals, while the Kalasamhati rejected caste rules and idol worship in its entirety. The Ahom kingdom initially resisted the ingress of religious preceptors it finally endorsed

1240-711: The most significant ones were against the west, from Bengal Sultans and the Mughal Empire ; and against the south from the Konbaung dynasty (Burma). Its won decisive victories against the forces led by Turbak (1532), the Mughal Empire in the Battle of Saraighat (1671), and the final Battle of Itakhuli (1682) that expelled the Mughal forces from Assam. Its major failures were against the army of Chilarai (1553),

Ahom Army - Misplaced Pages Continue

1280-476: The nobles began to appropriate the services of kanri paik , who as a likchou began to work for these high officials instead of the king. After the end of Ahom-Mughal conflicts , the Ahom kingdom extended the Paik system to the regions earlier held by the Mughals but where the royal service was now payable in cash, following the pargana system that was left behind. The increased production of paiks and

1320-418: The offshoots of six sudra satra and six brahmana satra formed by Gopala Ata and his followers during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The Mayamara satra and Dihing Satra, the two most important of the sudra satras admitted various local tribes into its fold — Kacharis, Kaibartas , Chutiyas , Morans , Ahoms etc. The Mayamara satra formed by Aniruddhadev (a disciple of Gopala Ata) later became

1360-527: The principal preceptors lived, or which preserve some of their relics are also called thaan . Another satra was established by king Samudrapal at a place known as Yogihati in the same period (1232 CE) as evident from a stone inscription found in Ambari . The neo-Vaishnavite satras were established by Assamese Vaishnavite monasteries for religious practices at the initiative of the Ahom Kings of Assam in

1400-424: The right to reject a Bora or a Saikia and request another officer of their choice. Kanri paiks could rise to become chamua paiks and then to higher paik officials. Appointments were made irrespective of the paik' s religion or ethnicity. The Ahom justice system was also based on the Paik system. Each Paik official offered justice to the paiks and each appeal was heard by the next higher officer in

1440-411: The royal family. The third and the largest group of dagis , organized under khel officers, rendered service to the king or the state. The paiks in a khel were organized under a gradation of officials who commanded a set number of them. They were Bora (20 paiks ), Saikia (100) and Hazarika (1000). More important khels were commanded by a Phukan (6000), a Rajkhowa (a governor of

1480-564: The time of Rudra Singha , around 1714. The top landed nobility landed aristocracy was about 1% and the rest constituted the servile class . The duty of a paik was to render service to the Ahom state in exchange for which he was granted 2 puras (2.66 acres) of usufruct cultivable land ( gaa mati ), which was neither hereditary nor transferable. In addition he could maintain his tax-free ancestral homestead and garden ( basti and bari respectively). The nobility maintained personal estates called khats . Cultivable land called roopeet

1520-624: Was chosen from a Brahmin family. It had close relationship with the Koches and the Koch king Nara Narayan was initiated into the Vaishnava order by Damodaradeva. Auniati satra, Dakhinpat Satra , Garamur satra and Kurawabahi satra became the most influential of the Brahmasamhati and received royal patronage from the Ahom kings . Caturbhuja Thakur, one of the grandson of Sankardev headed

1560-432: Was held communally that was distributed among the paiks (called gaa mati ). Wastelands reclaimed by paiks or non- paiks not covered by a royal grant are subject to inclusion in the roopeet category to be distributed as gaa mati in the next paik survey. Surplus cultivable land was distributed as ubar mati among the paiks . The royal services that the paiks tended to were defense (the Ahom kingdom did not have

1600-566: Was in military or public services at any given time. Each paik received state land for agriculture, and during the time of his paik services, the other members of his got tended to his land. Male subjects between the ages of fifteen and fifty are compulsory members of the Paik system. Therefore the entire population formed a trained militia on which the Ahom Army was based; and even at times of wars agricultural and other economic activities continued. Paik system The Paik system has had

#783216