Momai Tamuli Borbarua
Encyclopedia
Momai Tamuli was the Governor of upper Assam
as also commander-in-chief of the army in the Ahom kingdom
. He was the first Borbarua
, a new office created during the rule of the Ahom king
Prataap Singha. He rose from a humble position as a bondsman to the office of the Borbarua, which was a combined function of the Chief Executive Officer and those of the Lord Chief Justice. His sons Lachit Borphukan
and Laluk Sola Borphukan played very significant roles in the History of Assam
, as did his brother Baduli Phukan and sister Pakhori Gabhoru, an important Ahom queen.
, raising bunds for storing rain water. The nephew used to call him Momai (maternal-uncle in Assamese
) and Sukuti was popularly known as Momai amongst the people of the locality. The Ahom king Swargadeo Prataap Singha passing by that road saw Momai at work and was pleased at the quality of work in the paddy field. The king who had a keen eye for merit released Sukuti from his obligations to his nephew, and appointed him first as Tipamia Rajkhowa and afterwards as Bar Tamuli or superintendent of the royal gardens. Momai Tamuli rose from one office to another until he was appointed Borbarua.
, Momai Tamuli was appointed the commander-in-chief of the Ahom forces. He was instrumental in enacting an important treaty with Allah Yar Khan in 1639, which fixed the Barnadi river as the boundary and which formed the basis of Ahom-Mughal relations for decades to come. His foresight and courage was a great asset to King Prataap Singha. A Mughal envoy had once reported to his master: "O Saheb, what do say of Assam? The king is a veritable Mahadeva, and Momai-Tamuli is Mahadeva's chief henchman or Nandi. As long as these two wield the affairs of Assam it is impossible to turn your face to that country."
. In 1608, he organised the job functions of the Assamese officers and fixed quotas of paiks attached to each. The Bora, Saikia, Hazarika, Barua, Rajkhowa and Phukan positions were created in line with the Mughal mansabdar
system but adapted to the customary gradation of officers prevalent in Assam from ancient times.
The secret of Momai Tamuli's rise to power and eminence was his surpassing sense of duty and extreme loyalty and devotion to his master. However high or humble his duties might be he devoted himself wholeheartedly to their accomplishment. He was true to himself and his ideal, and he drew his inspiration from the pleasure of perfection attained in his enterprises and undertakings, without any consideration of personal gain or advantage. Lachit Borphukan
, Momai Tamuli's son, inherited from his father this supreme sense of duty and capacity of self effacement in the cause or enterprise he undertook.
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
as also commander-in-chief of the army in the Ahom kingdom
Ahom kingdom
The Ahom Kingdom was a medieval kingdom in the Brahmaputra valley in Assam that maintained its sovereignty for nearly 600 years and successfully resisted Mughal expansion in North-East India...
. He was the first Borbarua
Borbarua
Borbarua was one of the five patra mantris in the Ahom kingdom, a position created by the Ahom king Prataap Singha...
, a new office created during the rule of the Ahom king
Ahom Dynasty
The Ahom Dynasty ruled the Ahom Kingdom in present-day Assam for nearly 600 years. The dynasty was established by Sukaphaa, a Shan prince of Mong Mao who came to Assam after crossing the Patkai mountains...
Prataap Singha. He rose from a humble position as a bondsman to the office of the Borbarua, which was a combined function of the Chief Executive Officer and those of the Lord Chief Justice. His sons Lachit Borphukan
Lachit Borphukan
Lachit Borphukan was a commander and Borphukan in the Ahom kingdom known for his leadership in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat that thwarted a drawn out attempt by Mughal forces under the command of Ramsingh I to take back Kamrup...
and Laluk Sola Borphukan played very significant roles in the History of Assam
History of Assam
The history of Assam is the history of a confluence of people from the east, west and the north; the confluence of the Indo-Aryan, Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman cultures...
, as did his brother Baduli Phukan and sister Pakhori Gabhoru, an important Ahom queen.
Origins
Sukuti, better known as Momai Tamuli was at first an ordinary bondsman pledged to serve under his nephew for a sum of four rupees only. One day he was working with his hoe in a field by the side of the road to the Ahom necropolis at CharaideoCharaideo
Charaideo was the first capital of the Ahom kingdom established by the first Ahom king Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha in 1228. It is about 30 km from Sibsagar town off the Sibsagar-Simaluguri road.Though the capital of the Ahom kingdom moved many times, Charaideo remained the symbolic center...
, raising bunds for storing rain water. The nephew used to call him Momai (maternal-uncle in Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
) and Sukuti was popularly known as Momai amongst the people of the locality. The Ahom king Swargadeo Prataap Singha passing by that road saw Momai at work and was pleased at the quality of work in the paddy field. The king who had a keen eye for merit released Sukuti from his obligations to his nephew, and appointed him first as Tipamia Rajkhowa and afterwards as Bar Tamuli or superintendent of the royal gardens. Momai Tamuli rose from one office to another until he was appointed Borbarua.
Borbarua
During the wars with the MughalsMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, Momai Tamuli was appointed the commander-in-chief of the Ahom forces. He was instrumental in enacting an important treaty with Allah Yar Khan in 1639, which fixed the Barnadi river as the boundary and which formed the basis of Ahom-Mughal relations for decades to come. His foresight and courage was a great asset to King Prataap Singha. A Mughal envoy had once reported to his master: "O Saheb, what do say of Assam? The king is a veritable Mahadeva, and Momai-Tamuli is Mahadeva's chief henchman or Nandi. As long as these two wield the affairs of Assam it is impossible to turn your face to that country."
Paik system
The present economic life of rural Assam is mainly due to many measures inaugurated by Momai Tamuli under the Paik systemPaik system
The Paik system was a type of corvee labor system on which the Ahom kingdom of medieval Assam was based. The origin of the word paik is unknown and it is believed that the system is based on the South-East Asian legacy the Ahoms brought with them in 1228. The mature structure was designed by Momai...
. In 1608, he organised the job functions of the Assamese officers and fixed quotas of paiks attached to each. The Bora, Saikia, Hazarika, Barua, Rajkhowa and Phukan positions were created in line with the Mughal mansabdar
Mansabdar
Mansabdar was the generic term for the military -type grading of all imperial officials of the Mughal Empire. The mansabdars governed the empire and commanded its armies in the emperor's name...
system but adapted to the customary gradation of officers prevalent in Assam from ancient times.
Village economy
Momai Tamuli was also entrusted with the task of reconstructing Assamese village life on a sound and secure economic footing. Villages were grouped into regular units for convenience of administrative control. Spinning and weaving on part of womenfolk was made compulsory in every Assamese home, and it for this farsighted policy of Momai Tamuli that weaving is became universal among Assamese ladies irrespective of caste, creed or social status. Every village was made self sufficient by providing with usual quota of artisans, priests and other functionaries. Economic independence was also the goal of family life in Assam, every family producing its own necessaries.The secret of Momai Tamuli's rise to power and eminence was his surpassing sense of duty and extreme loyalty and devotion to his master. However high or humble his duties might be he devoted himself wholeheartedly to their accomplishment. He was true to himself and his ideal, and he drew his inspiration from the pleasure of perfection attained in his enterprises and undertakings, without any consideration of personal gain or advantage. Lachit Borphukan
Lachit Borphukan
Lachit Borphukan was a commander and Borphukan in the Ahom kingdom known for his leadership in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat that thwarted a drawn out attempt by Mughal forces under the command of Ramsingh I to take back Kamrup...
, Momai Tamuli's son, inherited from his father this supreme sense of duty and capacity of self effacement in the cause or enterprise he undertook.