CONTENTS

Dedicatedto .v Preface &Acknowledgements .vu A Map ofNorthEastlndia JX List ofDiagrams, Photographs and Mops. .xv 1. BackgroundofAncientAssam. 1 1.1 A Prologue to the History of Ancient 12 Assam- Land and People 1.3 Survey of Sources 1.4 Pre- 1.5 Traditional and Mythological Rnlars of Kamrup 2. BackgroundofMedieval Assam —19 2.1 Sources and Tools 22 Backdrop ofMedieval Assam 2.3 North-East on the eve of the arrival of the Ahorns in Assam 2.4 The Orgin of the Ahorns 2.5 Ahorns Traditions in Writing History 3. Base and Consolidation of the Ahorns. — ...... —33 3.1 32 Sukapha and the Foundation of the Ahom Kingdom 3.3 Suhungmung or Dihingia Raja 3.4 Swargadeo Pratap Singha or Susengpha 3.5 Posa System 3.6 Gadadhar Singha orGadapani 3.7 Swargadeo Rudra Singha or Sukhrumgpha 4. Ahom's Relations with the NeighbouringTribes. 49 4.1 Backdrop 42 Nature of the Hilly People 4.3 Ahom's Policy towards Neighbouring Tribes 5. Assam Düring the Ahom period.tlMMIMIMIMMIMMMMMMMIMIMIHMIMMMMMMMMMMMIMMMI• MM ••••••MIM .55 5.1 Administration of David Scott 52 Revenue Administration of David Scott 53 Administration of Cracroft 5.4 The Administration of T. C. Robertson

Pathak, Niranjan Ch. digitalisiert durch: The people's history of North East India IDS Basel Bern xii The People's History of North East India

5.5 Robertsons Revenue Reforms 5.6 Robertson's Administrative Reforms 5.7 The Administration of Captain Jenkins 5.8 Ahom Monarchy in Upper Assam 5.9 Society of the Ahom Period 5.10 Economic Life 5.11 Culturallife 6. Emergence of British Power in North East India. 6.1. Lakshmi Singha 62. Causes, Nature and Effects of the Moamaria Rebellion 6.3 Gaurinath Singha or Suhitpangpha 6.4 6.5 Purandar and Ruchinath 6.6 Captain Welsh's Expedition 6.7. Anglo-Burmese War 6.8 Treaty ofYandabooof 1826 6.9 Factors Responsible for the Downfall of Ahom Kingdom 7. Background of Modern Assam...... 7.1. Backdrop of Modern Assam 72. The British Rule in Assam 7.3 Rise of British Power in Assam 7.4 Consolidation of the British Power in Assam 7.5 The War of Liberation in Assam 8. Expansion and Consolidation of British Rule in North-East India 8.1 Backdrop 82 Annexation of Khasis 8.3 Annexation of Jaintia 8.4 Annexation of Cachar 8.5 Annexation of Garo Hills 8.6 Annexation of Naga Hills 8.7 Annexation of Manipur 8.8 Annexation of Mizo Hills 8.9 Annexation of Tripura 9. British Relations with the Hills Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.. 9.1 Backdrop 92 British Relations with the Monpas 9.3 British Relations with the Sherdukpens 9.4 British Relations with the Akas or Hrussos 9.5 British Relationswith the Nyishis 9.6 British Relations with the Adis 9.7 British Relations with the Mishmis 9.8 British Relations with the Singphos Contents xiii

9.9 British Relations with the Khamtis 9.10 British Relations with the Apatanis 9.11 British Relations with the Noctes 9.12 British Relations with the Wangehos 9.13 British Relations with the Tangshas 10. Colonial PoBcy towards North-Eastern Hills. 112 10.1 Backdrop 102 Meaning of Inner Line 10.3 Significance of Inno: Line 10.4 Outer Line 10.5 Mc. Mohan Line 10.6 Administrative Development in the North-East Prior to Independence 11. Freedom Movement in North-East India...... 118 11.1 Backdrop 11.2. Premature Confrontation to the British Dominance in North East 11.3 The Khasi Rebellion of 1829 11.4 The Khamti Rebellion 1839 11.5 The Singphos Uprising 1843 11.6 Turbulence in the Hill Areas 11.7 Basis and Developments of Countrywide Awareness 11.8 The Rebellion of 1857 11.9 Maniram Dewan 11.10 Agrarian Movements 11.11 Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) 11.12 Civil Disobedience Movement and Assam (1930-1934) 11.13 Assam in the Quit India Movement of 1942 11.14 Kanaklata Barua and Mukunda Kakati 11.15 The Independence Movement upto 1912 11.16 Towards Freedom 11.17 Partition of India 11.18 Measures in the Hills of North East 11.19 Judgments of Independence Movement in North East India 12. ImpactofCokmialRule...... —...... 141 12.1 Backdrop 122 Society 123 Economy 12.4 Polity 13. North East India while Indian Independence 144 13.1Backdrqp 13.2 The Partition and North-East 13.3 Partition and Influx ofRefugees 13.4 The Immigrant Problems 13.5 Plan for National Welfere xiv The People's History of North East India

13.6 Reorganization of States 13.7 The Emergence ofNagaland 13.8 The Five Year Plans 13.9 Indian Constitution and the North-East 13.10 Restructuring ofNorth-Eastern States: State Structure while Independence 13.11 Ethnicity and Identity Politics 13.12 Sikkim:Amalgamation with India 14. Epilogue. 151 14.1 Backdrop 14.2 Political Domination 14.3 Social Alteration 14.4. Economic Enlargement 14.5 The North Eastern Council (NEC) Appendices...... 153 A. Signiflcance of Studying History of North East India B. Importance of Studying Tai-Ahom C. Ahorn Coins D. Tea Impact inAssam

Some Photographs. 157 Bibliography. 169 Index. 171