A History of Assam c10.41

c10.41

In the course of the second expedition against the @H Chilarai's death and dismemberment of Koch kingdom. Muhammadans, Chilarai was attacked by small-pox and died on the banks of the Ganges. He left a son, named Raghu Deb, whom he commended to his brother's care. From the time of Chilarai's death there were, it is said, no more wars, and the prosperity of the people grew apace. In the Ahom *Buranji*s, however, a rebellion is said to have occurred in 1577, headed by three men named Bar Dado, Gabha Naik and Bar Katu. They were defeated and fled with 14,000 of their followers to Ahom territory, and were given refuge and settled at Gajala. According to the *Akbarnāmah*, Nar Nārāyan lived the life of an ascetic and did not marry till late in life. He at last did so, on the urgent representations of his brother Chilarai, and in due course he had a son. After Chilarai’s death, the latter’s son Raghu Deb, who had previously been regarded as the heir to the throne, began to fear lest he should be ousted from the succession. His disaffection was fanned by some of his father’s old followers; and at last, under the pretence of making a journey, he collected his family and all his adherents and proceeded to Barnagar on the Monās river, near which he erected a fort which he called Ghilajaypur. The site is now covered with forest growth, but numerous fruit trees and tanks are still to be seen there.* Nar Nārāyan sent men to recall him, but he refused to return. At last, rather than go to war with his own nephew, the peace-loving monarch agreed to divide the kingdom, keeping the portion west of the Sankosh for himself and his successors, and giving up to Raghu Deb the tract east of that river; on his side Raghu agreed to pay tribute, to acknowledge his uncle as his overlord and to strike coins only in the latter’s name. This was in 1581 A.D. Muhammadan writers refer to the two kingdoms as Koch Bihār and Koch Hājo respectively; the former name of course still survives, but the only trace of the latter is in the town called Hājo, a few miles north of Gauhāti.