Lachit Borphukan

#GS-01 Indian History

Lachit Borphukan:

Lachit Borphukan was a commander and Borphukan, in the Ahom kingdom in present day Assam.
He is known for his leadership in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat that thwarted a drawn-out attempt by Mughal forces under the command of Ramsingh I to take over Ahom kingdom.
He was chosen as one of the five Borphukans of the Ahom kingdom by king Charadhwaj Singha, and given administrative, judicial, and military responsibilities.
Lachit Borphukan died a year after the Battle of Saraighat from a long festering illness.
He was buried at Teok in Jorhat and a maidam (a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave) was commissioned in his honor.

The Ahom kingdom was established by Sukaphaa, a Tai prince from present-day Yunnan Province, China.
It expanded drastically under Suhungmung in the 16th century.
The Ahom kings ruled large parts of what is now known as Assam for nearly 600 years, from the early 13th century to the early 19th century.
The Ahoms engaged in a series of conflicts with the Mughals from 1615-1682, starting from the reign of Jahangir till the reign of Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb dispatched Raja Ram Singh I of Jaipur in 1669 to Ahom eventually resulting in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671.

Borphukan was one of the five patra mantris (councillors) in the Ahom kingdom.
The position was created by the Ahom king Prataap Singha.
The position included both executive and judicial powers, with jurisdiction of the Ahom kingdom west of Kaliabor river.
The region to the east of Kaliabor was governed by the Borbarua who was another one of the five patra mantris.
The Borphukan was also responsible for maintaining diplomatic relationships with the ruling houses in Bengal and Bhutan.
The Borphukan’s residence was situated in the present Fancy Bazaar area of Guwahati.