A History of Assam c10.3

c10.3

There are numerous old manuscripts which contain some account of the Koch kings, but by far the most detailed narrative yet brought to light is that contained in the *Bansābali* of the Darrang Rajas. This manuscript, which ends abruptly with the death of Parikshit, belonged to the late Raja Lakshmi Nārāyan Kuar, who was the leading representative of the Darrang branch of the Koch royal family.† It is written in metrical Assamese on oblong strips of *Sanchi* bark (*Aquilaria agallocha*), and is believed to have been compiled by a well-known Assamese writer in the year 1806. We have no means of tracing his sources of information; and, although at that time the memory of the events narrated must have been much fresher than it is now, there is clear internal evidence of a certain disregard of facts and of wild exaggeration, so that it is impossible to rely on the narrative as fully as on the Buranjis of the Ahoms. In the following account an endeavour has been made to eliminate the less probable portions of the story, but it must be clearly borne in mind that absolute credence cannot be given to any statement which is not confirmed by the testimony of Ahom or Muhammadan writers.