By The Editor
Assam government has organized a week-long programme starting from Friday November 18 to commemorate the birth anniversary celebration of legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan with march past by security agencies like the army, para-military forces and state police force across the state in all district headquarters and major towns . Time and again the mighty Mughals under their famous general Mir Jumla had tried to invade Assam but to no avail. The final struggle was in the year 1671 during the historic ‘Battle of Saraighat’ on the Brahmaputra  beside present–day Guwahati University campus, Jhalukbari when Borphukan totally routed the Mughal forces led by Raja Ram Singh- I who tried to take back Assam. Birth anniversary celebration was launched by former president Ram Nath Kovind in February this year and will conclude with three-day finale from November 23 to 25 in New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending last day’s events. Beside numerous programmes, a documentary has also been made on Borphukan which will be telecast through national and international media to popularise achievements of Ahoms’ legendary hero.
After Mughals’ defeat the Mussalmans who had been taken prisoner had chosen to stay in Assam, totally adopted it as their land, married local girls and behaving like the Assamese in nearly every respects. Their hearts are inclined far more towards mingling with Assamese than towards association with Muslims. Bar Phukan was the newly- created post by the Ahoms which meant Governor of conquered territories or provinces and so also other names or titles like Bar-Gohain and Bar Barua bestowed on great and worthy leaders with responsible functions. Tribal names of Ahom kings usually commended with Su meaning ‘tiger’ in contrast to Sing or Singh meaning ‘lion’, and ended with pha meaning ‘heaven’. Thus Sukapha, leader of the Ahoms who invaded north-east Assam means ‘a tiger coming from heaven’ (the word ka meaning ‘come’). Others subsequent kings had names like Sunenpha meaning ‘a beautiful tiger of heaven’ (the word nen signifying ‘beautiful’). Supatpha meaning ‘a lace–like tiger’ of heaven (pat meaning lace) and Sukhrungpha meaning ‘ a furious tiger of heaven’( khrung meaning furious). In few cases the final syllable was not pha as in case of Suhangmung which means tiger of renowned country (hung meaning renowned and mung meaning country). The word Assam is derived from various sources but most close is from Ahom tradition ‘Asama’ which means ‘unequalled’ or ‘peerless’.
As preparations for the coming 400th birth anniversary celebrations of Assam’s legendary hero Lachit Barphukan, Assam chief minister urged the people of Assam to lit earthen lamps in their homes on the occasion of Lachit on November 24. Celebrations will begin in Assam on November 18 and in the national capital from November 23 to 25. Book on Lachit Barphukan will be released and documentary will also be screened at Vigyan Bhawan and top central ministers will take part in various programmes.