English
Starting from Dacca on boats, guarded by the Arrakanese, Shui'a passed through Dhapa (4 kos from Dacca), Sirlpor (12 kos north of Dacca) Bhaluah (which then formed the southern limit of the Mughal dominions in Bengal), and thence to Arrakan. One who cares to note names of old Bengal towns, may profitably read this portion of the Alamgimamah * In the Alamgimamah (p. 676), he is called “ Bim Narain, zam.m ar of Kuch Behar u It is stated therein that hitherto he used to regularly pay tribute to the Emperor, but that during the chaos which arose owing to Emperor Shhh Jahin’a illness, and owing to Shall Shuj'a march to Patna, •n order to lay claim to the Imperial throne, Bim Narain ceased paying tribute and invaded Ghoraghat or Rangpur and subsequently Kamrup. 223 he captured a large number of the Musalmau residents, male and female, of that place, and with the object of conquering Kami up, to which Province pertained the tracts of Jiajo and Gauhati, and which was included in the Imperial domains, be despatched his minister named Sahuanalli 1 with a largo force. On the news of this invasion, the Rajah of Assam 8 shewing short-sightedness sent also a large force by land and water towards Kamrup. Mir Lutfullah Shirnzi, who was Faujdat* of the Province of Kamrup,® seeing from both sides torrents of invasion overtaking him, and despairiug of relief, and being certain about the absence of Imperial auxiliaries, quickly got into a boat, and reached Jahangiruagar or Dacca, and rescued himself from the impending danger. And Sahuatmth, not being able to cope with the Assamese, acting up to the saying : “ To return is better,” retired to his own country. The Assamese, without contest, conquered the province of Kamrup, swept it with the broom of plunder, earned by force to their own country all and everything, including the moveable and immoveable effects of Lbe people, pulled down the edifices, left no trace of fertility, and reduced the whole province to one plain, level ground. As Sultan Shuj*a was occu¬ pied with his own affairs, the infidels of Assam findiug nn opportunity conqueied the environs of mauza Kadi Bari, which is five stages from Jabangirnagar, and placing a garrison at the village of Tabsilah near Kadiburi, raised the standard of daring and insurrection. Consequently, when the Khan-i-Khanan reached Jahangiruagar, after devoting himself for some time to ad¬ ministrative business, be collected war-vessels and artillery and other armaments, and leaving lhti§ham Khan to protect Jahan- girnagar (Dacca) and its environs, and appointing Rai Bhogati Das Shujai to charge of financial and internal affairs, in the °4th According to the Iqbalnamaix-t-Jahangiri (p. 110), Laohrni Ni.ri.in, zamindar of Kuch Behar” also used to pay homage and tribute to Emperor Jahangir. 1 In Alamgimamah (p. 678), “ Bholanath." 8 Hie name waa Jx dhaj Singh. ( Alamgirnamah, p 678). See Alamagirnamah, a contemporary record, p. 678. Lutfullah Shirazi the Faujdar of Kamrup, retired on war-boats from Kamrup to Jahangiruagar (Dacca). The Koch also withdrew, on finding that the Assameso had in- jaded Kamrup. The Assamese advanced up to Kuribari which is five man,al from Dacca, and established a military out-post at Mast Salah, close to Kari- ban. (See Alamgii'namah, p. 679). 's * 224 yonr 1 of Emperor Aurangzeb’e accession, corresponding to 1072 A.H., lie set ont on an expedition towards the conquest, of the Kingdoms of Kuch Behar and Assam, sending forward by the river- voate, artillery, &c., and himself pushing on by land with a force of twenty thousand efficient cavalry and numerous infantry, <j i& a hill which was frontier of the Imperial dominions. In a short time, he subdued the Kingdom of Kuch Behar uptoGauhati. After this, he pushed on with his forces to conquer Assam. In the meanwhile, the Emperor’s order came, directing him to march to Arrakan, in order to rescue the children and ladies of the household of Shah Shuj'a from distress and from imprison* ment at the hands of the Arrakane9e, and to send them up to tlie Imperial presence. The Khan in reply to the Imperial order, represented that the Imperial troops were busy in fighting to conquer the proviuces of Kttea Beliar and Assam, and that to march to Arrakan, without accomplishing the conquest of the aforesaid two provinces, was opposed to expediency, and that he would postpone tJte expedition to Arrakan to next year, aud that this year, he would set abont subjugating the 1 ThetChan-i-Kh-nan (Munnam Kh) set out from Khizapn. (which hs beeft identified to be a place close to Narainganj) with war-vessels on 17th Rabiul-Awwal 1072 A.H., for the conquest of Kuch Behar, leaving Mnkhnlii. Khin as Governor of Akbarnng.tr (Rajmahnll and Ihtisham Onn as Gover* “ of Jabangiruagar (Dacca) and Bhagoti Dtss as Diwtn under the latter, and retched Baritollah. the Imperial frontier ont-post. The Alamgtrnamnh mention, that at the time three land-roate, lay to Koch Behar =—0) the Murang ! (21 rid the Doars, (3) vi& Ghoraghat or Rangpur. 1 he ia.n- 1 - Khanan sent out scouts to ascertain which route was the best, and then chose uTe Ghoragbot route, by which he pushed on wirh his forces by land, sending ont another force by the river on war-vessels, the two forces to give cover each other, and to cover eqnal distance each day. (See Alatngtmama , n 683 for a full description of this expedition to Kuch Behar and Assam). The war-vessels passed through a river which joins Ghoraghat with the Brahmaputra, and the Imperialists reached Kuch Behar town. The Rajah fZ Naraii.) fled to Bhutan, his minister Bholannth fled to the Murang, and the Imperialists stormed Kucl. Behar town, and named it Alnmgirnagar. Sye Sadia, Sadr or Chief Justice of Bengal, shouted ont the Azan from_th tor of the Rajah’s palace; the Rajah’s son Bigh-mnnlh embraced I-l-m .. * 1 fandvar Beg (who received the title of Isfandyar Hion) was left by S-hKhnuin as Faojdar of Kuch Behar, with Qazi Samu (who -ns farmer- ly RhSh Shuj'a’s officer) as Diwan of Kuch Behar. (be© p. 691, <itngt Furs. text). 225 provinces of Kucli Bebar and Assam. After this, on the 27th Jamadialsani of the aforesaid year, marching from Gauhati, lie entered Assam. Fighting by water and by land, ho pushed through the jungles, mountains and vivers. And wlierover he went he established a garrison. Storming the citadel and palace of the Rajah of that country after much fighting, he gained much booty. After successive battles, 1 the hapless Assammese, being routed, fled and escaped to the hills of Bhutan, and the whole of Assam was conquered. At length, the Rajah of Assam drawing the rein of submission to the neck, and wearing the ring of obedience on the ear, deputed a trust- worthy envoy to wait ou the Khau-i-Khanan with gifts and presents, and agreed to pay tribute to the Emperor, and also sent his own daughter with goods, rare silk-stuffs, elephants and other rarities in charge of Badli Phukan, for Emperor Aurangzeb. The aforesaid Phukan, with all the presents, reach¬ ing the outskirts of the city of Dacca, encamped aud prepared l After conquering Kuch Bchar, tho Khin-i-Khanan (Motu^m Khan), proceeded to the banks of the Brahmaputra, with his military and naval forces, and passed through Rangamati. Diler Khan commanded the van, whilst Mir Murtaz za was in charge of the artillery. Tho Khin-i-Khanan occupied Jogikhapa, and appointed Atanllah to be Faujdar of that place, and then occupying Sirighat, stormed Ganhati, and appointed Muhammad Beg-to be Faujdar of Gauhati. After halting at Ganhati for some time, the Khan-i- Khanan marched out, when the Rajahs of Darang (named Makrupanj) and of Daromariah offered tribute and submitted. The Khan-i-Khanau then stormed the fort of Jamdhara, appointed Syed Mirzai Sahzwari (together with Syed Tatar and Rajah Kishin Singh) to bo Thanadar of Jamdhara, and appointed Syed Na?ir*nd*dln Khan (together with other Imperial officers) to be Thanadar or commandant of Kilabari, captured 400 Assamese war-vessels with numerous guns and armaments and stores, occupied 8olagadka, Lakhokadh, Diwalgaon, Kajpar, and Kargon or Gargaou, the oapital of Assam, captured 208 batter¬ ing guns, 100 elephants, and 3 lacs of specie in gold and silver, 675 other guna, 1,000 war-vessels, with other armaments and stores. (See description of Gargaon, the old Assam capital, in p. 728, Alamgirnamah). Whoa the rains sot in, the Khan-i-Khanan encamped at Mathnrapnr, which was a high place, about 3 kroh distant from Gargaon, leaving Mir Murtazza with Rajah Amur Singh and others in charge of Gargaon, and appointing Syed Muhammad ns Diw&n, and Muhammad ’Abid to confiscate the effeots of the Rajah who had fled to the hills of Kamrup, and Meana Khan in charge of Salpani, and Ohozi Khun in charge of Dewpani. and Jullal to protect tho hanks of ibe Dhank river. Tho whole of Dakhioknl aud portions of Uttarkul weru ijub- dued by tho Imperialists (j. 730, Alamjn naniali). 29 22G to set out for tho Imperial capital. In that the sorcery of the Assamese is well known, the Ivhau-i-Ivhanaii was affected by their sorcery. For some time lie was laid up with pains on the liver and heart; daily these increased, and pointed to a fatal termina¬ tion. Although he got himself treated, no beneficial effect was perceptible. He was, therefore, obliged to leave behind Mir Murtaza and other commanders. Leaving garrisons at every strategic point, he proceeded to a hill, and from thence, owing to his illness increasing, he set out 1 on a barge for Jahangirnagar ( Dacca). At a distance of two kroli from Khizrpur, on the 2ud of the mouth of Ramzan 1073 A.H., corresponding to the 5th year of Emperor Aurangzeb’s accession, he died on board the vessel.