THE MYTHICAL ORIGIN OF THE AHOM KINGS. Friends following is a story about the mythical origin of the AHOM kings, collected from the book, “A HISTORY OF ASSAM “ written by SIR E. GAITT. For your perusal . “ There are two versions of the origin of the AHOM kings, one being the story told by the DEODHAIS, which tallies very closely with that still preserved amongst the SHANS of UPPER BURMA, while the other is a modification of it invented by the BRAHMANS with a view to encouraging their conversion to HINDUISM. Both agree in attributing to them a divine ancestry. According to the DEODHAIS, LENGDON directed his son TENKHAM to descend to the earth and establish a kingdom there. TENKHAM was unwilling to leave heaven and so it was arranged that his sons, KHUNLONG and KHUNLAI should go instead LENGDON , presented them with an idol called SOMDEO, a magic sword or HENGDAN, two drums to be used for invoking divine aid and 4 cocks for telling the omen. KHUNLUNG, being the elder, was to be the king and KHUNALI, the younger, his chief councillor. KHUNLUNG and KHUNLAI descended from heaven by a golden chain in the year A.D. 568, and alighted in the country of MUNGRIMUNGRM, where the TAIS or SHANS dwelt without a king .On arrival it was found that, in hurry of departure, the cocks and other gift had been left behind. One LANGO went back to fetch them, and was given as his reward the kingdom of CHINA and also the magic HENGDAN.. KHUNLUNG and KHUNLAI built a town in MUNGRIMUNGRAM. The latter ousted his elder brother, who thereupon, taking the SOMDEO with him went further west, and founded a new kingdom in MUNGKHUMMUNGAJAO. He ruled for forty years and then returned to heaven, leaving seven sons. The youngest KHUNCHU , succeeded him, the others having been installed during his lifetime as tributary kings of other countries. The eldest son, whose kingdom was called MUNGKANG, inherited the SOMDEO. Another son, it is said, was made king of AVA, In this connection, it is noteworthy that the BURMESE rulers always called the AHOM princes as their “brother kings”. MUNG means “ country “ and KANG means “ drum “. MUNGKAM may be translated as the “ country of drum” KHUNLAI ruled for seventy years and his son TYAOAIJEPTYAPHA for forty years. The latter is said to have founded the AIJEPI era, which is still current amongst the NARAS and the BURMESE. He died childless, whereupon TYAOKHUNJAN, of the line of KHUNGLUNG and KHUNCHU sent one of his sons to fill the vacant throne. This prince ruled for 25 years. On his death his kingdom was divided, one taking MUNGRIMUNGRAM and the other MAULUNG on the SHUELI river . The latter and his descendants ruled for three hundred and thirty three years, when the line became extinct and another of KHUNCHU’S descendants was elected king.. One of his grandsons was SUKAPHA, the founder of the AHOM kingdom in ASSAM; he had a dispute with one of his brothers in consequence of which he left the country and after stealing the SOMDEO from the RAJA of MUNGKANG, fled towards ASSAM.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:54:04 +0000
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