Assam History (Note Part 3)

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(B) Koch Dynasty:-

The Koch dynasty of Assam and Bengal, named after the Koch tribe, emerged as the dominant ruling house in the Kamata kingdom in 1515 after the fall of the Khen dynasty.

The first ruler of the Koch dynasty was Vishwa Singha, who established himself in 1515 as the ruler of the Kamata kingdom. Viswa Singha's two sons, Naranarayan and Shukladhwaj (Chilarai), the king and the commander-in-chief of the army respectively, took the kingdom to its zenith. 

Under Naranarayan's rule, and under the military command of his brother Chilarai, he was able to subjugate the entire Brahmaputra valley. He introduced a silver coin, called the Narayani,that greatly influenced the numismatics of Assam.
Nara Narayan was impressed by the Baishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva who became a member of his court in the last three years of his life and who established a sattra in the kingdom.
With the help of his step brother Kamal Narayan, Naranarayan built a road called Gohain Kamal Ali along the foothills of the eastern Himalayas from the capital to the eastern frontier.

Chilarai was the younger brother of Naranarayan. He was Nara Narayan's commander-in-chief. His real name was Shukladwaj but he got popular by the name Chilarai because his movement as a general was as fast as a 'Chila'  (Kite).
By his valour, he played a significant role in expanding the empire of his elder brother, Maharaja Naranarayan. His valour ensured Koch supremacy over the Bhutia, Kachari kingdom and the Ahoms though several battles were fought between the Koches and Ahoms with countable victories for both sides. It was due to Chilarai's efforts that Ahom king Sukhamphaa signed a treaty called Treaty Of Majuli with koch king Naranarayan.
Chilaray was instrumental in giving Srimanta Sankardeva protection and shelter. It was only due to his Royal Patronage that Sankardeva was able to establish the 'Ek Saran Naam Dharma' in Assam and bring about his cultural renaissance. 

The duo (Chilaray and Naranarayan) turned towards Bengal but due to unforeseen circumstances Chilaray was captured by the Afghan Sultan Sulaiman Karrani while Naranarayan retreated to his capital. Much of the Koch kingdom was captured by the Afghans thereafter. However Chilaray and Nara Narayan later rebuilt the Kamakhya temple that the Sultan's army had destroyed.

Nara Narayan made Raghudev, the son of Chilarai, the governor of Koch Hajo, the eastern portion of the country. After the death of Nara Narayan, Raghudev declared independence and became the ruler of Koch Hajo and
Nara Narayan's son Lakshmi Narayan inherited the western part of the kingdom Koch Bihar. The Sankosh river divided the two new kingdoms.

Koch Hajo:-
Raghudev Narayan was the first ruler of Koch Hajo.
Since the declaration of independence, the rulers of Koch Hajo and the rulers of Koch Bihar have maintained hostilities against each other. In 1602 the Nawab of Dhaka (governor for the Mughals) moved by Lakshmi Narayan (ruler of Koch Bihar) and others attacked Parikshit Narayan, the son of Raghudev and the ruler of Koch Hajo. Parikshit, defeated at Dhubri, sued for peace. But he soon continued with the hostilities and in 1614 was driven up to Pandu, now in Guwahati. Here, Parikshit surrendered and agreed to become a vassal of the Mughal Empire. But before he could take up this assignment he died. 
The Mughals appointed Bijit Narayan, son of Parikshit Narayan, as the zamindar of the region between river Sankosh and Manas, and he became the founder of the Bijni branch of the Koch royal family which finally settled in Abhayapuri.

Koch Bihar:-

Lakshmi Narayan, Nara Narayan's son, was the first ruler of the Koch Bihar portion of the Kamata kingdom. He was an ineffectual ruler. After losing much territory to the Mughal commander Ali Kuli Khan, he accepted Mughal sovereignty and assistance in defending against his neighbours. 
Bir Narayan, Lakshmi Narayan's son and successor, was a pleasure-loving ruler who failed to exert his authority to levy taxes on the king of Bhutan.
His successor Pran Narayan invaded Bengal, seizing Ghoraghat, the centre of Mughal power in 1658, and in 1661 capturing Dhaka, the capital. However, by this time Aurangzeb sent his armies to invade Bihar and Assam. Pran Narayan retreated to the mountains and waged a guerrilla war for three years, finally making a pact with the Mughal Nawab Shaista Khan in 1664.
Rajendra Narayan was the last known ruler of this dynasty.

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