Winston Churchill the most charismatic British Prime Minister of the 20th century said “History is written by the victors” but the valour and victory of the Ahom army and its navy under its towering general  Lachit Borphukan in the Battle of Saraighat has sadly been reduced to a footnote in India’s history.  It isn’t mentioned in the history books in the same light as Battle of Haldighati or the Deccan Wars fought between the Marathas and the Mughals. In this battle fought in March 1671 at the banks of the Brahmaputra the mighty Mughal forces were humbled by the outnumbered Ahoms using guerrilla warfare strategy, diplomacy and better use of their positions. Here we turn back the pages of history and look at this epic battle.

The Choice of Battlefield 

The defeat of the Mughal forces was scripted even before the war began as the Ahoms had chosen the best possible area to fight the battle. It was tactical brilliance at its best as the Brahmaputra narrows down at Saraighat and has hilly terrain all around which allowed the Ahoms to build fortifications which they exploited to the fullest advantage during the battle. Lachit ordered his men to build mud embankments all around Guwahati which forced the Mughals to take the river route to battle quite unknowingly playing into the hands of the Ahoms. He set up his headquarters at Andharubali a place strategically located between Kamakhya and Sukreshwar hills which allowed him to move freely all along his defensive positions encouraging his troops to fight for their motherland.

Lachit’s Heroic Charge

Lachit the master strategist bought time from Ram Singh by engaging him in diplomacy which allowed him to reinforce his position. Ram Singh whose patience has soon ran out ordered final assault on Guwahati and initially saw the battle go as per his plans with his navy pushing the Ahom sailors back and coming within attacking distance of Andharubali. Soon Ahom forces started retreating as they feared slaughter at the hands of the invading enemy. Lachit who had fallen seriously ill during the course of battle came out and led his troops from the front. He is said to have pushed a few of his men into the river and sounded the war cry. Seeing their General take the enemy head-on ignited the spirits of the Ahom soldiers and they engaged with the Mughal forces in one of the fiercest ever battles to have been fought during Aurangzeb’s reign. Lachit’s entry turned the fortunes for the Ahoms and soon his men turned the tide of the battle.

 READ MORE: Battle Of Imphal, World War II

The Role of Ahom Navy 

Mughals for all their military might never possessed a strong navy though at the zenith of their rule they controlled large parts of India’s coastal regions. Perhaps their origin in the barren and arid lands of Central Asia never made them realize the importance of a strong Navy. Ahom rulers on the other hand always saw merits in having a strong force of sailors ruling along the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra. It was this chink in the armour that was exploited by Lachit Borphukan to his advantage which resulted in colossal defeat for the Mughals with its Admiral Munnawar Khan falling to an arrow right at the start of the battle. The Mughal use of large boats proved to be their nemesis as these were tough to maneuver in the river with strong current when they had to face their opponents from all directions on smaller and easily maneuverable boats.

Raja Ram Singh I’s tribute defeated badly in the war Raja Ram Singh I like a true commander paid rich tribute to Lachit Borphukan and his men in his correspondence with Aurangzeb. He is said to have written that he has never come across such a versatile fighting force where each man could shoot arrows, dig trenches, row boards and wield cannons. This was perhaps the closest to being modern day ‘Special Forces’ where individuals can easily switch roles in close combat situations. Writing about Lachit, Ram Singh said he had never faced a force where a single person leads all formations. 

Four centuries later Lachit Borphukan remains merely a legend for the people of Assam with very few people outside the region aware about his heroics. Marcus Garvey who led the Black Nationalism moment in Africa once said: “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” Lachit Borphukan and his heroics do deserve more recognition and a wider audience.