Sudingphaa

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Ahom dynasty
Ahom insignia plain.svg
1 Sukaphaa 12281268
2 Suteuphaa 12681281
3 Subinphaa 12811293
4 Sukhaangphaa 12931332
5 Sukhrangpha 13321364
Interregnum 13641369
6 Sutuphaa 13691376
Interregnum 13761380
7 Tyao Khamti 13801389
Interregnum 13891397
8 Sudangphaa 13971407
9 Sujangphaa 14071422
10 Suphakphaa 14221439
11 Susenphaa 14391488
12 Suhenphaa 14881493
13 Supimphaa 14931497
14 Suhungmung 14971539
15 Suklenmung 15391552
16 Sukhaamphaa 15521603
17 Susenghphaa 16031641
18 Suramphaa 16411644
19 Sutingphaa 16441648
20 Sutamla 16481663
21 Supangmung 16631670
22 Sunyatphaa 16701672
23 Suklamphaa 16721674
24 Suhung 16741675
25 Gobar Roja 16751675
26 Sujinphaa 16751677
27 Sudoiphaa 16771679
28 Sulikphaa 16791681
29 Gadadhar Singha 16811696
30 Sukhrungphaa 16961714
31 Sutanphaa 17141744
32 Sunenphaa 17441751
33 Suremphaa 17511769
34 Sunyeophaa 17691780
35 Suhitpangphaa 17801795
36 Suklingphaa 17951811
37 Sudingphaa 18111818
38 Purandar Singha 18181819
39 Sudingphaa 18191821
40 Jogeswar Singha 18211822
41 Purandar Singha 18331838
Sudingphaa (or Chandrakanta Singha) (Assamese ????????? ??????????? ????)
(18111818, 18191821) was a Tungkhungia king of the Ahom dynasty, who ruled at the
climactic of the Ahom kingdom. His reign witnessed the invasion of Burmese on Assam
and its subsequent occupation by British East India Company. He was installed as
King twice. His first reign ended when Ruchinath Burhagohain deposed him and
installed Purandar Singha in his stead. His second reign ended with his defeat at
the hands of the invading Burmese army. He continued his militant efforts to regain
his kingdom as well as to keep Purandar Singha at bay. Finally he submitted himself
to Burmese who induced him to believe that they will make him king. Instead he was
seized and placed in confinement at Rangpur. After the defeat of Burmese in the
First Anglo-Burmese War and subsequent peace Treaty of Yandabo on 24 February 1826
CE, Assam passed into the hand of British. Most of the members of Ahom Royal family
were granted pensions. Chandrakanta Singha received a pension of 500 rupees. He
first lived in Kaliabor and later on at Guwahati. He visited Calcutta in order to
request the restoration of his kingdom but in vain. He died in 1839 CE soon after
his return to Guwahati.

Contents [hide]
1 Ancestry and birth
2 Early life
3 Accession to the throne
4 First reign (18111818)
4.1 Opposition with Purnananda Burhagohain
4.2 Conspiracy of Satram
4.3 Badan Chandra Borphukan flight to Burma
4.4 First Burmese invasion
4.5 Murder of Badan Chandra
4.6 Deposal and mutilation
5 Second Burmese invasion
6 Second reign (18191821)
6.1 Chandrakanta quarrels with the Burmese
6.2 Third Burmese invasion
7 Triangular contest between Chandrakanta, Purandar and the Burmese
8 Chandrakanta attempts to expel Burmese from Assam
9 Burmese atrocities on Assamese people and Chandrakanta imprisoned
10 Anglo-Burmese War and life as british pensioner
11 Attempts to restore his kingdom
12 Death
13 Wives and issues
14 Land grants, constructions and literature
15 Character and legacy
16 See also
17 Notes
18 References
Ancestry and birth[edit]
Chandrakanta Singha was the second son of Kadamdighala Gohain and Numali Rajmao.
Kadamdighala Gohain was the grandson of Lechai Namrupia Raja, the younger brother
of Rudra Singha. Kadamdighala Gohain was holding the titular rank of Charingia Raja
when the reigning monarch Gaurinath Singha died at Jorhat, in 1795 AD. Due to his
personal friendship and also because of his support to Purnananda Burhagohain in
suppressing the Moamoria rebellion, the Burhagohain raised the elder son of
Kadamdighala Gohain named Kinaram Gohain as the new king of the Ahom Kingdom, who
was then a mere baby of less than two years old. In 1795 Kinaram Gohain was
proclaimed Swargadeo Kamaleswar Singha, the sovereign of Ahom Kingdom in Assam.
Chandrakanta was born at Jorhat in 1797 AD, two years after his elder brother's
accession to throne.[1]

Early life[edit]
Chandrakanta Gohain was raised in the Royal Palace at Jorhat. During his childhood,
he made friends with the sons of junior officers and palace servants.[2] Prominent
among them was Satram, who was the son of a royal poultry keeper (Some sources
claimed that Satram was the son of an Ahom soothsayer)[3] and he exerted great
influence over Chandrakanta Gohain.[4] Meanwhile, Kadamdighala Gohain Charing Raja
died in 1799 AD and Prince Chandrakanta Gohain was given the titular rank of
Charing Raja, which he held till his accession to the throne.[5]

Accession to the throne[edit]

Kamaleswar Singha died of smallpox disease at the age of sixteen in January 1811.
Purnananda Burhagohain nominated Chandrakanta as the new king of the Ahom Kingdom,
who was then merely fourteen years old.[6] During the coronation ceremony, young
Chandrakanta was very nervous at the presence of so many people in the audience
hall. He refused to sit on the throne unless his childhood friend Satram stood by
him near the throne. The nobles hesitantly agreed and accordingly the coronation
ceremony was completed.[7] He was proclaimed Swargadeo Chandrakanta Singha, the
sovereign of Ahom Kingdom. The Tai-Ahom priest conferred on Chandrakanta Singha the
name Sudingphaa. The expensive Singarigharutha ceremony, the traditional Tai-Ahom
custom of crowning the monarch, was withheld, owing to the poor financial condition
of the state.

First reign (18111818)[edit]

Being still a boy Chandrakanta Singha was unable to take much part in the
government of the country, and the control remained with the Purnananda
Burhagohain.[8] Purnananda Burhagohain transacted all the business in the name of
the king without making any attempt to eclipse the king or obscure his name. He
took the king around to important localities to give confidence to the people and
instill in their minds respect for Ahom monarchy. While the Purnananda Burhagohain
handled the affairs of state, the young king Chandrakanta Singha spend his time in
amusement and fun in the royal palace in Jorhat among his friends and palace maids.
[9][10]

Opposition with Purnananda Burhagohain[edit]

As Chandrakanta grew up, he began to feel unrest at Purnananda Burhagohain's
influence. With the help of his trusted friend Satram, who was raised to the rank
of Charingia Phukan (officer in charge of administration of the region of Charing),
Chandrakanta tried to free himself from Purnananda Burhagohain's influence and
control. Chandrakanta often listened to Satram's advice in preference to nobles,
and at last took to receiving them in audience with Satram seated at his side.[11]
[12] The nobles protested, but in vain, and things rapidly went from bad to worse.
[13] Backed by Satram and other associates, the young King flouted Purnananda
Burhagohain's opposition to his marriage with Padmavati, the daughter of a Bhakat
or disciple of Bengena-atia Satra, a commoner and raised her to the rank of
Parvatia Konwari or Chief Queen, and thus violated the time-honored custom
according to which royal partners had to be selected from the principal Ahom
families.[14] In response to King's arrogant behavior, the nobles led by the
Purnananda Burhagohain protested by refusing to grant the customary salute given to
Chief Queen in the audience hall, thereby increasing the friction between two
sides.[15]

Conspiracy of Satram[edit]
Satram was of the same age as the King, but he was unrivalled in his precocity and
cunning. Satram, himself held high ambitions and was aware of the fact that as long
as Purnananda Burhagohain exercised absolute control over state affairs, his
ambitions will never be fulfilled. Therefore, he began to gather support against
the Burhagohain from various quarters of the Ahom nobility. First of all, he
misinterpreted Purnananda Burhagohain's motives and actions and gradually poisoned
the ears of Chandrakanta Singha. Badan Chandra Borphukan, the viceroy of Guwahati,
was made to believe that Purnananda Burhagohain was his enemy and the Burhagohain
was planning to destroy him. Badan Chandra's daughter Pijou Gabharu, who had
married to Oreshanath Dhekial Phukan, a son of Purnananda Burhagohain, was also
made party to this belief.[16] Satram, along with his associates planned to
assassinate the Burhagohain, while he was on his way to the royal palace. The plot
was discovered and all the associates of Satram were arrested and duly punished.
[17] Satram fled to the Royal palace and sought refuge from the King. Meanwhile,
Purnananda Burhagohain called on the Grand Council of the three Gohains, the
Burhagohain, the Borgohain, and the Borpatrogohain. According to the custom of Ahom
rule, the Grand Council of the three Gohains held absolute power. Unanimously, the
Council could enthrone or dethrone a king and it could revert any order given by
the king himself.[18][19] A wave of panic ran across Chandrakanta Singha and the
royal family. The Queen-mother, Numali Rajmao pleaded with Purnananda Burhagohain
to spare her son, the king. The Burhagohain gave his word to the Queen-mother
regarding the safety of the king, and in return, he demanded Satram be surrendered
to the Grand Council. Chandrakanta Singha reluctantly agreed to surrender Satram on
one condition that Satram's life be spared. The Grand Council of Gohains, held a
trial on Satram, in which his guilts were proved. Satram was banished to Namrup,
where he was soon afterwards killed by some Nagas.[20] It was believed that Satram
was murdered at the instigation of Purnananda Burhagohain. Many believed that the
King himself was privy to Satram's conspiracy. All these events took place in June
1814.[21][22][23]

Badan Chandra Borphukan flight to Burma