Ahom era artefacts discovered near Nazira

April 9: Dingla Munda was digging a pond in his backyard when his spade struck something hard.

As he shovelled frantically to pull out two wooden dragons and two carved wooden planks, little did he imagine that they were nearly 800 years old.

But just out of curiosity, the villager from Rajabari in Sivasagar district, took his discovery to Prabin Konwar, a government doctor in nearby Nazira town, who is also a well-known researcher in Ahom history.

That the artefacts soon found space in the Tai museum has elated Munda. But the villager is even more delighted because his excavations have generated a renewed interest in Nazira town, located in Charaideo subdivision.

Though the entire Sivasagar district is littered with monuments from the Ahom era, this is the first time that objects of archaeological interest have been found near Nazira. Charaideo subdivisional officer Vivekananda Phukan said the administration has already written to the Archaeological Survey of India to carry out a survey of the area and initiate excavation as “we believe that this area may have more to offer”.

An official at the ASI office in Guwahati said a team will visit the site soon. “We will decide only after we see the objects and the site,” he added.

Charaideo, located about 30 km from Sivasagar town off the Sivasagar-Simuluguri Road, was the first capital of the Ahom kingdom established by the first Ahom King, Swargadeo Chaolung Sukapha, in 1253.

Though the capital of the Ahoms moved several times, Charaideo remained the symbolic centre.

It is also home to the sacred burial grounds of Ahom kings and queens.

The tombs (maidams) of Ahom kings and queens at Charaideo hillocks have evinced much architectural interest over the years.

“It is only due to Munda’s presence of mind that these valuable wooden artefacts could be discovered. Now the villagers want that the district administration and other government agencies should take steps for their preservation,” Konwar said over phone.

He believes that scientific analysis of the artefacts and further excavation at the site could reveal unknown facts about the 598-year reign of the Ahoms.