The newly-installed signboard at the grave of Nape Wangcha at Banfera

June 24: On a hillock at Banfera, in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, lay in anonymity the grave of a Wangcho princess ? a virtually forgotten chapter from the life and times of a mighty Ahom ruler and a vital missing link between Assam and its neighbouring state.

It took a chance discovery of this grave by the Arunachal Pradesh forest department to bring this legendary princess back into the spotlight.

Muralidhar Rao, conservator of forests, southern Arunachal circle, told The Telegraph over phone that the grave of Nape Wangcha, the Wangcho princess whom Ahom ruler Gadadhar Singha had married when he was a prince in exile, was traced on the basis of tales narrated by villagers.

The department has since cleaned the area, erected a fencing around the grave and put up a signboard narrating the legend. Arunachal Pradesh environment and forest minister Newlai Tinkhatra, who is from Banfera, attended a function at the site last week and planted saplings.

The next step, according to Rao, is to link the site with the Ahom tourism circuit, including Sivasagar and Charaideo in Assam.

The grave of Nape Wangcha is about 70 km from Sivasagar, which has several relics from the Ahom era. During his exile, Gadadhar had come in contact with the tribal chieftain of Banfera and fell in love with Nape Wangcha. She travelled to Sivasagar after he ascended the throne.

When Nape Wangcha breathed her last, her body was taken back to her place of birth, where she was buried in accordance with her last wish.

The grave is locally known as Nape Wangcha Rukting.

Rao said the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Corporation and the tourism department had drawn up a plan to build tourist lodges at the site, which is also known for its scenic ambience.

Before the grave was officially protected, bounty hunters would visit the place in search of hidden treasures. Like the Egyptian kings, Ahom royalty were buried in pyramid-shaped tombs along with gold ornaments and other valuables.

Gadadhar was forced to go into hiding after Sulikafa, or Lora Raja (1679-1681), ascended the Ahom throne in 1679. As he was not the real heir to the throne and became king only through a palace intrigue, Lora Raja ordered the execution of anyone who might lay claim to the crown.

Gadadhar, then known as Gadapani, fled Sivasagar and took shelter first in Arunachal Pradesh and then in Nagaland. His wife Joymoti was tortured to death when she refused to divulge the whereabouts of her husband. Legend has it that Gadapani once visited the spot where his wife was tortured in disguise and persuaded her to spill the beans and save herself. But Joymoti recognised him and famously rebuked him to ?mind his own business?.

She died, but Gadapani got the throne in 1681 and ruled till 1696. He led the Ahoms in the famous Battle of Itakhuli against the Mughals and recaptured Guwahati.