A History of Assam c13.128

c13.128

In October 1769, a Morān named Rāgha, who styled himself Bar Barua, led an insurgent force down the north bank of the Brahmaputra and defeated the royalist troops in several engagements. The king was greatly alarmed, and summoned a council of his nobles to decide what should be done. The Burhā Gohāin proposed that messengers should be sent to make terms with Rāgha, but he was overruled by the Bar Barua and other nobles, who said that such a course would be too humiliating, and counselled flight to Gauhāti. The king determined to follow their advice, and at once left Rangpur. Many of his officers deserted him at the outset, and others left him when he reached Sonārinagar. Rāgha, who was already on his way to Rangpur, arrived there too late to prevent the king’s departure. He at once sent men in pursuit; they came up with him at Sonārinagar, and he was brought back and confined in the temple of Jaysāgar. A number of his nobles were arrested at the same time. A few of them were put to death, but the majority were merely kept in confinement.