Boy Who Stopped an Empire: Lachit Borphukan and the Battle of Saraighat

 The Mughals came with cannons, cavalry, and imperial pride.

The Assamese came with boats, bamboo, and a general who refused to lose.

His name was Lachit Borphukan — and at Saraighat, on the banks of the Brahmaputra, he didn’t just fight a war…

He wrote a chapter of Indian resistance with sweat, courage, and one unforgettable battle cry.

🛡️ The Threat to Assam

In 1667 CE, the Mughal Empire was at its peak under Emperor Aurangzeb.

His general, Ramdulla Khan, led a massive army — infantry, cavalry, artillery, warboats — to crush the small yet proud Ahom Kingdom of Assam.

Their goal:

Complete annexation of the Northeast.

The Ahoms were brave, but they were fractured, tired, and outnumbered.

That’s when the king appointed Lachit Borphukan, a young military commander, as the Senapati (Commander-in-Chief).

He wasn’t from royal blood.
He wasn’t politically connected.
But he was fiercely loyal to his land.

⚓ The Genius of Guerrilla Warfare

Lachit knew that fighting the Mughals in open battle would be suicide.

So he turned to unconventional strategy:

  • Trained the army in naval warfare (rare for land powers)

  • Used narrow river passages to trap Mughal warboats

  • Built mud walls and bamboo forts overnight to trick the enemy

  • Mastered hit-and-run tactics, always staying one step ahead

He turned geography into his greatest ally — using the winding Brahmaputra River like a sword.

😷 Even When He Was Dying…

By the time the Battle of Saraighat (1671) arrived, Lachit was severely ill — possibly with high fever or tuberculosis.

Doctors advised rest. Ministers begged him not to fight.

But when he heard his commanders hesitating to attack, he stood up — pale, bleeding, and barely able to breathe — and roared:

“Dexot koi mukoli kori dile, eti bela horuwo nohoi!”
(If you abandon your country when it needs you most, then I have no use for such cowards!)

He got on a boat.
Sword in hand.
Eyes on fire.

His men followed — and in a furious river battle, the Ahoms routed the Mughal fleet.

The mighty empire was pushed back. Assam remained free.

🕯️ Legacy

  • Lachit Borphukan died soon after the victory, possibly due to his untreated illness

  • The Battle of Saraighat became Assam’s proudest military triumph

  • Lachit Diwas is celebrated every year on November 24th

  • India’s National Defence Academy awards the best cadet with the Lachit Borphukan Gold Medal

In an age of emperors, he proved that a son of the soil could outsmart an empire.

🤯 Why His Story Must Be Known

  • He’s one of India’s greatest military geniuses, yet rarely mentioned outside Assam

  • He stood for dharma, duty, and dignity — over titles and life itself

  • He showed that leadership is not about birth — but about bravery

His body was breaking.
His land was not.
So he fought until the very end.

📬 Call to Action

When an empire came for the hills,
A boy from the valley rose like a storm.

Join our “Defenders of Dharma” series to meet the forgotten warriors who said no to conquest and yes to courage.

📚 Monetization & Affiliate Ideas

  1. 📕 Illustrated Book: “Lachit: The Warrior of the River” (Children/YA)
    Great for: Schools, Assamese diaspora, historical readers
    Affiliate: Amazon / Flipkart

  2. 🎥 YouTube Docu-Short: “How Lachit Defeated the Mughals”
    Monetize: YouTube Ads + sponsorship + book link

  3. 👕 Merch: “Dexot Koi Mukoli…” — Battle Cry Posters / Tees / Mugs
    Design: Traditional Assamese motifs + roaring tiger visuals

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Queen Who Burned Her Own City: The Fall of Palenque

  The Queen Who Burned Palenque: The Forgotten Fire of Ix Tz'akbu Ajaw By: Chronicles Unveiled – Historical Fiction Blog In the thick mists of the Chiapas jungle, where howler monkeys cry through the canopy and strangler figs weave around forgotten stone, lies the ruined Maya city of Palenque . Towering temples once gleamed with red pigment and white stucco, broadcasting the glory of kings. But among the glyphs carved into limestone and jade lies a mystery—one not about kings, but a queen . A queen who may have willingly destroyed her own legacy. Her name was Ix Tz’akbu Ajaw , wife of the legendary King K'inich Janaab' Pakal , known today as Pakal the Great . Though history often pushes royal consorts into the margins, Tz’akbu was no silent figure. She was of noble blood, from the powerful Toktahn lineage—an outsider, brought to Palenque not only as a bride, but as a political maneuver to cement unity between rival city-states. But what began as a union of dynasties wo...
Read more

The Desert Lioness: Rani Roopmati and the Fall of Mandu

In the heart of Madhya Pradesh, perched on cliffs above the Narmada, once stood the fairytale city of Mandu — a kingdom of poetry, music, and love. But when love turns to war, and poetry to sacrifice, legends are born. This is the tragic, untold story of Rani Roopmati , a singer-turned-queen who died defending her honor — and left behind a kingdom in ruins and a ballad that never ends. 🎶 A Queen of Song Roopmati was not born of royal blood . She was a village girl , famed for her melodious voice and devotion to the Narmada River , whom she worshipped like a goddess. One day, Baz Bahadur , the Sultan of Malwa, heard her singing during a hunting trip. He was spellbound. So was she. But their love wasn’t just romance — it was art, music, and spiritual devotion combined . Roopmati became his queen consort Mandu flourished as a city of ghazals, gardens, and temples She laid one condition: she would never leave her view of the Narmada Baz Bahadur built her a palace — R...
Read more

“The Blind Pharaoh’s Curse: How Psamtik III’s Defeat Changed Egypt Forever”

  In 525 BCE, the last native-born ruler of Egypt’s 26th Dynasty, Pharaoh Psamtik III, stood at the edge of ruin. The Persian Empire, under Cambyses II, was closing in. Yet, as defeat loomed, a darker legend would begin — the story of a blind pharaoh, a cursed betrayal, and a legacy erased from stone. 👁 The Fall of a Dynasty Psamtik III ruled during Egypt’s final days of independence before Persian domination. Young, inexperienced, and surrounded by ambitious nobles, he ascended the throne after the death of his father, Amasis II. Unfortunately, he would only rule for six months . His downfall came swiftly. Cambyses II of Persia, fueled by revenge and conquest, invaded Egypt with a massive army. The decisive Battle of Pelusium —a horrific scene involving sacred cats used as psychological warfare —ended in Egypt’s crushing defeat. Psamtik III was captured. But what happened next is where the story slips into shadow. 🕳 The Legend of the Blind Pharaoh Ancient chroniclers like...
Read more