The Ahom Dynasty: Part 1
Today I had the good fortune to visit Sibasagar, a small town in Upper Assam, and more importantly, the erstwhile capital of the great Ahom Kingdom. Pictured here is the Rang Ghar, one of the oldest surviving amphitheatres in Asia. It was constructed by Swargdeo Rudra Singh. It was built out of bamboo, wood and thin baked mud bricks, cemented by a paste of mud, eggs, pulses and fish paste. The bricks were plastered over with lime. The architectural motif on top of the roof resembled a typical Assamese long boat, while the design motifs on the walls are reminiscent of the typical floral Hindu designs popular at the time. The beautiful manicured garden were venues for bull fights and dances, while the royal family watched from the second floor of the Rang Ghar, which literally means House of Entertainment.
The Ahom Dynasty had unique origins, and were said to be an off-shoot of the Shan dynasty of China, hailing from Mong Mao on the modern China-Burma border. However, recent genetic studies have linked the Ahom kings to Thailand, suggesting a longer migration pattern that had many starts and stops all over South-East Asia. The dynasty was established by Sukaphaa (1228-1268), and was passed down by the male line. However, the decision to appoint a suitable king was left up to a council consisting of representatives of 5 noble families, who could remove unsuitable kings and keep the throne empty when no suitable candidates were found for the throne.
Stay tuned for more in #AhomWeek.
