Iron in Ancient India c6.s8.8

c6.s8.8

Tavernier, however, gives the credit of discovering guns and gunpowder to the Ahoms of Assam. In narrating the result of Mir Jumla's expedition to Assam in 1663 Tavernier wrote, "It is thought that these (the Ahoms) were the people that formerly invented gunpowder : which spread itself from Assam to Pegu and from Pegu to China, whence the invention has been attributed to the Chinese However, certain it is that Mirgimola brought from thence several pieces of cannon which were all iron guns, and store of excellent powder, both made in the country. The powder is round and small like ours and of excellent quality."¹ Mr. Gait in his *History of Assam*, however, writes that there was no history or tradition in Assam to support Tavernier's assertion. Mr. Gait further writes, "The use of fire-arms by the Ahoms dates from the close of this war (war with the Mahomedans under Turbak and Hosain Khan in 1533, in which the Mahomedans were defeated and a great number of cannon and matchlocks were captured by the Ahoms). Up to this time their weapons had consisted of swords, spears and bows and arrows."² It is possible that some of these captured guns were recaptured by Mir Jumla from the Ahoms during his invasion of Assam later on, and hence Tavernier's assertion.