Sati Joymati
Encyclopedia
Joymati was the wife
of Ahom
prince Gadapani. She is known as Sati Joymati because she endured torture and died at the hands of royalists under Sulikphaa (Loraa Roja), which enabled her husband to rise in revolt and become the king himself. Her son Rudra Singha had Joysagar dug at the spot where she was tortured. The first Assamese movie
Joymati
in 1935 by Jyoti Prasad Agarwala
featured this story.
, who then inaugurated a veritable reign of terror, killing rival princes or mutilating their limbs, doing away with his rivals and opponents, and dismissing or appointing officers at will. The veterans of the Battle of Saraighat
marched up to the capital, captured and killed Debera and placed on the throne a prince of their own selection. The Prime Minister Atan Burhagohain
, Rajmantri Dangaria, by virtue of his foresight and disinterestedness, brought the situation under control, and was acclaimed in all responsible quarters as the only saviour of his country. Twice the crown was offered to him and twice he refused.
The growing power of the Premier was, however, not tolerated by Laluk Sola Barphukan, the governor of Guwahati
. Barphukan negotiated with the Sultan Azamtara, Governor of Bengal, for handing over Guwahati to the Mughals
in exchange for four lakhs of rupees and an assurance to support Laluk's candidature to the throne of Assam. Accordingly, he handed over Guwahati to Nawab Mansur Khan, who was appointed as Fauzardar by the Sultan in March 1679. Laluk then marched up to Gargaon, had the Premier (Burhagohain) killed and set up on the throne a stripling of fourteen years old, Sulikphaa or Loraa Roja (Boy-King in Assamese
), while he himself wielded virtual sovereign power under a newly-created office Burhaphukan. Fearing a challenge to his power, he began a purge of all princes who were eligible for the Ahom throne.
Failing to trace Prince Gadapani, Sulikphaa's soldiers picked up his wife Joymati, and despite brutal and inhuman torture, the princess did not reveal the whereabouts of her husband. After continuous torture for several days, she expired.
Joymati's self-sacrifice bore fruit later: Laluk was murdered in November 1680 by a disgruntled body of household retainers. The ministers, now roused to a sense of patriotism, searched for Gadapani, who gathered strength and returned from his exile in Garo hills to oust Sulikphaa from the throne. Joymati had known that her husband was the only person who could end Sulikphaa-Laluk's reign of terror, and for her love and supreme sacrifice for her husband and the country, folk accounts refer to her as a Sati.
and Hindu name Gadadhar Singha (1681–1696) brought peace and prosperity back to the country. The first act of his reign was the dispatch of an army against Mansur Khan at Guwahati
. After the decisive victory at the famous Itakhulir Rann (battle of Itakhuli
) the Ahoms captured back Guwahati
from the Mughals in August 1682. Manaha (river Manas) became once more the western boundary of Assam and it remained as such till the occupation of the country by the British in the year 1826.
, 1696–1714). In honour of the memory of his mother Joymati, Rudra Singha built the Joysagar tank in 1697 at Sibsagar
. It was perhaps the biggest man made tank in the world comprising an area of 318 acres (1.3 km²) of land including its four banks, out of which 155 acre (0.6272633 km²) is filled with fresh water. A 2 km long earthen water pipeline used to run from this tank to the Rangpur Palace (Kareng ghar) for supplying water to the royal palace.
Rudra Singha also built the Fakuwa Dol in 1703-04, a pyramid shaped temple was constructed in front of Rangnath (Shiva) Temple on the banks of Joysagar tank. It is said that Rudra Singha, in order to perpetuate the memory of his mother Sati Joymati, constructed the temple and placed a golden idol of his mother inside it. It was actually a maidam (grave) of Joymati. The circumference of the Dol was about 90 ft (27.4 m) and in height from base to top it was 30 ft (9.1 m) There were eight brick pillars around the temple. The temple and the pillars are now in shambles.
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
of Ahom
Ahom Dynasty
The Ahom Dynasty ruled the Ahom Kingdom in present-day Assam for nearly 600 years. The dynasty was established by Sukaphaa, a Shan prince of Mong Mao who came to Assam after crossing the Patkai mountains...
prince Gadapani. She is known as Sati Joymati because she endured torture and died at the hands of royalists under Sulikphaa (Loraa Roja), which enabled her husband to rise in revolt and become the king himself. Her son Rudra Singha had Joysagar dug at the spot where she was tortured. The first Assamese movie
Assamese cinema
Assamese cinema is cinema in the Assamese language, watched primarily in Assam, India. The industry was born in 1935 when Jyoti Prasad Agarwala released his movie Joymoti...
Joymati
Joymati
Joymati , released on 10th March, 1935, was the first ever Assamese film. Based on Lakshminath Bezbaruah's play on the 17th century story of Sati Joymati, the film was produced and directed by the noted Assam poet Jyotiprasad Agarwala, and starred Aideu Handique and acclaimed stage actor and...
in 1935 by Jyoti Prasad Agarwala
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala
Jyoti Prasad Agarwala was a great Assamese playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and film maker from Assam. He was considered as Assamese cultural icon, deeply revered for his creative vision and output and is popularly called the Rupkonwar of Assamese culture...
featured this story.
Background to torture
Six princes sat on the throne between the death of Chakradhwaj Singha in 1670 and accession of Gadadhar Singha in 1681. Udayaditya Singha was murdered through machination of Debera BorbaruaBorbarua
Borbarua was one of the five patra mantris in the Ahom kingdom, a position created by the Ahom king Prataap Singha...
, who then inaugurated a veritable reign of terror, killing rival princes or mutilating their limbs, doing away with his rivals and opponents, and dismissing or appointing officers at will. The veterans of the Battle of Saraighat
Battle of Saraighat
The Battle of Saraighat was fought in 1671 between the Mughal empire , and the Ahom Kingdom on the Brahmaputra river at Saraighat, now in Guwahati...
marched up to the capital, captured and killed Debera and placed on the throne a prince of their own selection. The Prime Minister Atan Burhagohain
Atan Burhagohain
Atan Burhagohain was one of the most influential Burhagohains in the nearly 600 years of the Ahom kingdom. Atan Burhagohain Rajmantri Dangaria was the Prime Minister of Assam for more than seventeen years, January 1662 to March 1679...
, Rajmantri Dangaria, by virtue of his foresight and disinterestedness, brought the situation under control, and was acclaimed in all responsible quarters as the only saviour of his country. Twice the crown was offered to him and twice he refused.
The growing power of the Premier was, however, not tolerated by Laluk Sola Barphukan, the governor of Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
. Barphukan negotiated with the Sultan Azamtara, Governor of Bengal, for handing over Guwahati to the Mughals
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in exchange for four lakhs of rupees and an assurance to support Laluk's candidature to the throne of Assam. Accordingly, he handed over Guwahati to Nawab Mansur Khan, who was appointed as Fauzardar by the Sultan in March 1679. Laluk then marched up to Gargaon, had the Premier (Burhagohain) killed and set up on the throne a stripling of fourteen years old, Sulikphaa or Loraa Roja (Boy-King in Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
), while he himself wielded virtual sovereign power under a newly-created office Burhaphukan. Fearing a challenge to his power, he began a purge of all princes who were eligible for the Ahom throne.
Joymati
Joymati was the wife of the Ahom prince Gadapani. During the purge of the princes from 1679 to 1681 under King Sulikphaa (Loraa Roja) instigated by Laluk Sola, Gadapani took flight. At various times, he took shelter at Sattras and the adjoining hills outside the Ahom kingdom.Failing to trace Prince Gadapani, Sulikphaa's soldiers picked up his wife Joymati, and despite brutal and inhuman torture, the princess did not reveal the whereabouts of her husband. After continuous torture for several days, she expired.
Joymati's self-sacrifice bore fruit later: Laluk was murdered in November 1680 by a disgruntled body of household retainers. The ministers, now roused to a sense of patriotism, searched for Gadapani, who gathered strength and returned from his exile in Garo hills to oust Sulikphaa from the throne. Joymati had known that her husband was the only person who could end Sulikphaa-Laluk's reign of terror, and for her love and supreme sacrifice for her husband and the country, folk accounts refer to her as a Sati.
Gadapani becomes king
Gadapani was formally installed a sovereign in August, 1681. Gadapani, who took the Tai name SupaatphaaSupaatphaa
Supaatpha , or Gadadhar Singha, established the rule of the Tungkhungia clan of the Ahom kings that ruled the Ahom kingdom till its climactic end. He was the son of Gobar Raja, a descendant of Suhungmung, and who had become the king for a mere 20 days...
and Hindu name Gadadhar Singha (1681–1696) brought peace and prosperity back to the country. The first act of his reign was the dispatch of an army against Mansur Khan at Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
. After the decisive victory at the famous Itakhulir Rann (battle of Itakhuli
Itakhuli
Itakhuli or Sukreswar Hill is a small hill on the south bank of the Brahmaputra at Guwahati. The present official residence of the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup District of Assam is located on top of this hill. Adjacent to it in the western side of the D.C.'s bungalow is the Sukreswar Temple...
) the Ahoms captured back Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
from the Mughals in August 1682. Manaha (river Manas) became once more the western boundary of Assam and it remained as such till the occupation of the country by the British in the year 1826.
Joysagar tank in Joymati's memory
Gadadhar Singha's eldest son Lai succeeded him. He took on the Hindu name of Rudra Singha (SukhrungphaaSukhrungphaa
Sukhrungphaa , or Rudra Singha, was a Tungkhungia king of the Ahom kingdom under whom the kingdom reached its zenith of power and glory. Rudra Singha, known as Lai before he became the king, was the son of the previous Ahom king Gadadhar Singha...
, 1696–1714). In honour of the memory of his mother Joymati, Rudra Singha built the Joysagar tank in 1697 at Sibsagar
Rangpur (Ahom capital)
Rangpur, one of the capitals of the Ahom kingdom, was established by the Swargadeo Rudra Singha in 1707 . It is currently a part of the Sibsagar town. Many historical monuments of the Ahom era;the Kareng Ghar, Talatal Ghar, Rang Ghar are located here....
. It was perhaps the biggest man made tank in the world comprising an area of 318 acres (1.3 km²) of land including its four banks, out of which 155 acre (0.6272633 km²) is filled with fresh water. A 2 km long earthen water pipeline used to run from this tank to the Rangpur Palace (Kareng ghar) for supplying water to the royal palace.
Rudra Singha also built the Fakuwa Dol in 1703-04, a pyramid shaped temple was constructed in front of Rangnath (Shiva) Temple on the banks of Joysagar tank. It is said that Rudra Singha, in order to perpetuate the memory of his mother Sati Joymati, constructed the temple and placed a golden idol of his mother inside it. It was actually a maidam (grave) of Joymati. The circumference of the Dol was about 90 ft (27.4 m) and in height from base to top it was 30 ft (9.1 m) There were eight brick pillars around the temple. The temple and the pillars are now in shambles.
Sati Joymati Divas
Sati Joymati Divas, Commemoration Day of Sati Joymati is held in Assam on March 27.External links
- http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=mar2708\edit3 Remembering Sati Joymoti Author: Dr Kathita Hatibaruah, The Assam Tribune, 27 March 2008