Siba Singha
Encyclopedia
Sutanphaa (reign 1714–1744) was a King in Assam in the early 18th Century.
Siba Singha ascended the throne and assumed the Ahom
name Sutanphaa. He gave up Rudra Singha's plan to organise a confederacy of the rajas of Hindustan and to invade Bengal
, but obeyed his father's injunction to become a disciple of Krishnaram Bhattacharjya (Nyayavagish) the Shakta priest from near Nabadwip
in West Bengal. He gave the management of the Kamakhya Temple
to Krishnaram, who came to be known as Parbatiya Gosain, as his residence was on top of the Nilachal hill. Siba Singha accepted him as the royal priest and made large number of land grants to temples and the Brahmin priests.
), and the title "Bar Raja" or chief king.
Phuleswari minted coins in joint name of her and her husband where she used Persian
legend, the first of its kind in Assam. Phuleswari was more under the influence of the Brahmins, particularly the Parvatiya Gosain, than the king had been. It is believed that instigated by this gosain and in her zeal for Sakta Hinduism she attempted to make Saktism the State religion. With this objective, she ordered the Vaishnava gosains to worship the goddess Durga. She then forbade the worship of other deities and personally supervised the act of desecration of the Sonarijan camp. Learning that the Sudra Mahantas were strong monotheists, she held a Durga
puja in the capital Rangpur and forced Moamaria and several other gosains to offer oblations to the goddess and smeared sacrificial blood on their forehead. The Moamarias never forgave this insult to their spiritual leader, and half a century later, they broke out in open rebellion, which came to be known as Moamoria rebellion
.
Phuleswari died in 1731. The king then married her sister Deopadi, and made her the Bar Raja with the name Ambika. She died about 1738, and was succeeded by another wife named Enadari who took the name Sarbeswari on becoming Bar Raja. Siba Singha erected numerous temples and gave away land for support of Brahmins and temples with all the generosity of a new convert. Siva Singha was a great patron of literature and music. According to one Buranji he was himself the writer of a number of hymns. It was during his reign Sakta Hinduism became the predominant religion of Assam.
During Siba Singha's reign, the chief public works were the construction of Dhai Ali and the tanks and temples at Gaurisagar, Sibsagar
and Kalugaon. About 8 miles (12.9 km) south west of Sivasagar town by the side of National Highway-37, Bar Raja Phuleswari Konwari, the first wife of king Siba Sngha built three temples – Shiva dol, Vishnu dol and Devi dol on the bank of a big tank covering an area of 293 acres (1.2 km²) including the banks. This big tank was dedicated in the name of 'Gauri' or 'Durga
' for which it is known as Gaurisagar tank and the entire place is now known as Gaurisagar. She also had dug the Borpatra tank at Kalugaon beside the historical Jerenga Pathar in memory of her brother who happened to be a Borpatra Gohain during her regime. On the north-eastern side of that tank two temples, namely Bishnu Dol and Jagadhatri Dol were constructed on the bank of the tank named as Lakshmisagar Pukhuri. It was during his second wife Bar Raja Ambika's rule the 129 acre (0.52204494 km²) Sibsagar tank, Bar Pukhuri, situated within the heart of Sivasagar town was dug. On its banks three temples were built in 1734 – the Sivadol
, the Vishnudol and the Devidol.
Many temples were also constructed by Swargadeo Siba Singha in Kamrup including Shripur Dewaloy (a Devi
temple), Ballilecha Shri Shri Kali Dewaloy (a Kali
temple), Jaypal Than, Basudev Dewaloy all located in present Nalbari
district. In Sualkuchi
he built the Sidheswar Dewaloy, a Shiva
temple.
At Aswaklanta, North Guwahati on the bank of the river Brahmaputra in 1720 Siba Singha built two big temples dedicated to Lord Janardana
and Lord Vishnu
.
Siba Singha had the land surveyed in Kamrup and Bakata. The register, or Pera Kagaz, based on this survey of Kamrup was still used at the time of British occupation. This contained a list of all occupied lands, except homestead with their areas, and particular of all rent free estates.
It was recorded that in 1739 four Europeans, whose names appear to have been Bill, Godwin, Lister, and Mill, visited King Siba Singha at Rangpur
. The king met them at the principal gate of the city where, it is said, they did him homage by falling prostate at his feet.
The Reign
As per wish of Swargadeo Rudra Singha from his deathbed, he was succeeded by his eldest son Siba Singha (reign 1714-1744).Siba Singha ascended the throne and assumed the Ahom
Ahom Dynasty
The Ahom Dynasty ruled the Ahom Kingdom in present-day Assam for nearly 600 years. The dynasty was established by Sukaphaa, a Shan prince of Mong Mao who came to Assam after crossing the Patkai mountains...
name Sutanphaa. He gave up Rudra Singha's plan to organise a confederacy of the rajas of Hindustan and to invade Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, but obeyed his father's injunction to become a disciple of Krishnaram Bhattacharjya (Nyayavagish) the Shakta priest from near Nabadwip
Nabadwip
Nabadwip is a city and a municipality in Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal. Its name means "9 islands" in the Bengali language. The islands are named Antardwip , Simantadwip, Rudradwip, Madhyadwip, Godrumdwip, Ritudwip, Jahnudwip, Modadrumdwip, and Koladwip...
in West Bengal. He gave the management of the Kamakhya Temple
Kamakhya Temple
The Kamakhya Temple is a Shakti Peeth temple situated on the Nilachal Hill in western part of Guwahati city in Assam, India. It is the main temple in a complex of individual temples dedicated to different forms of the mother goddess as the Dasa Mahavidya, including Bhuvaneshvari, Bagalamukhi,...
to Krishnaram, who came to be known as Parbatiya Gosain, as his residence was on top of the Nilachal hill. Siba Singha accepted him as the royal priest and made large number of land grants to temples and the Brahmin priests.
Dafla expedition
His long 30 years reign was peaceful, only in January 1717 there was an expedition against the Daflas of the northern hills, who had again taken to raiding the plains people. After they had been reduced to submission, an embankment was constructed along the foot of the hills inhabited by them as protection against future raids.Bar Rajas
Siba Singha was a staunch Shakta and was greatly influenced by the brahmin priests and astrologers. In 1722 he was so alarmed by their prediction that his rule would shortly come to end, that he not only made many and lavish presents to various temples and the brahmins, in hope of conciliating the gods and averting the calamitry, but also endeavoured to satisfy the alleged decree of fate by a subterfuge which greatly diminished his prestige in the eyes of his people. He declared his chief queen Phuleswari, who assumed the name Pramateswari Devi (one of the names of DurgaDurga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
), and the title "Bar Raja" or chief king.
Phuleswari minted coins in joint name of her and her husband where she used Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
legend, the first of its kind in Assam. Phuleswari was more under the influence of the Brahmins, particularly the Parvatiya Gosain, than the king had been. It is believed that instigated by this gosain and in her zeal for Sakta Hinduism she attempted to make Saktism the State religion. With this objective, she ordered the Vaishnava gosains to worship the goddess Durga. She then forbade the worship of other deities and personally supervised the act of desecration of the Sonarijan camp. Learning that the Sudra Mahantas were strong monotheists, she held a Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
puja in the capital Rangpur and forced Moamaria and several other gosains to offer oblations to the goddess and smeared sacrificial blood on their forehead. The Moamarias never forgave this insult to their spiritual leader, and half a century later, they broke out in open rebellion, which came to be known as Moamoria rebellion
Moamoria rebellion
The Moamoria rebellion was the 18th century conflict between the Morans, adherents of the Moamara Sattra, and the Ahom kings. This led to widespread popular discontent against the Ahom king and the nobles and to two periods in which the Ahom king lost control of the capital...
.
Phuleswari died in 1731. The king then married her sister Deopadi, and made her the Bar Raja with the name Ambika. She died about 1738, and was succeeded by another wife named Enadari who took the name Sarbeswari on becoming Bar Raja. Siba Singha erected numerous temples and gave away land for support of Brahmins and temples with all the generosity of a new convert. Siva Singha was a great patron of literature and music. According to one Buranji he was himself the writer of a number of hymns. It was during his reign Sakta Hinduism became the predominant religion of Assam.
Administrative and public works
Siba Singha is said to have established such an elaborate system of espionage during his reign that he had accurate information of everything that was done or even spoken in all parts of his kingdom.During Siba Singha's reign, the chief public works were the construction of Dhai Ali and the tanks and temples at Gaurisagar, Sibsagar
Sibsagar
Sivasagar is a town in the Sibsagar district in the state of Assam in India, about north east of Guwahati....
and Kalugaon. About 8 miles (12.9 km) south west of Sivasagar town by the side of National Highway-37, Bar Raja Phuleswari Konwari, the first wife of king Siba Sngha built three temples – Shiva dol, Vishnu dol and Devi dol on the bank of a big tank covering an area of 293 acres (1.2 km²) including the banks. This big tank was dedicated in the name of 'Gauri' or 'Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
' for which it is known as Gaurisagar tank and the entire place is now known as Gaurisagar. She also had dug the Borpatra tank at Kalugaon beside the historical Jerenga Pathar in memory of her brother who happened to be a Borpatra Gohain during her regime. On the north-eastern side of that tank two temples, namely Bishnu Dol and Jagadhatri Dol were constructed on the bank of the tank named as Lakshmisagar Pukhuri. It was during his second wife Bar Raja Ambika's rule the 129 acre (0.52204494 km²) Sibsagar tank, Bar Pukhuri, situated within the heart of Sivasagar town was dug. On its banks three temples were built in 1734 – the Sivadol
Sivadol
The Sivadol stands on the bank of Borpukhuri tank in the heart of Sivasagar, Assam. It was built in 1734 by Bar Raja Ambika, queen of Ahom king Swargadeo Siba Singha. The Sivadol is believed to be the tallest Shiva temple in India. Its height is and the perimeter is at the base. It is capped by...
, the Vishnudol and the Devidol.
Many temples were also constructed by Swargadeo Siba Singha in Kamrup including Shripur Dewaloy (a Devi
Devi
Devī is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism, its related masculine term is deva. Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the female aspect of the divine, as conceptualized by the Shakta tradition of Hinduism. She is the female counterpart without whom the male aspect, which represents...
temple), Ballilecha Shri Shri Kali Dewaloy (a Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
temple), Jaypal Than, Basudev Dewaloy all located in present Nalbari
Nalbari
Nalbari is a city and a municipal board in Nalbari district in the Indian state of Assam. Nalbari is headquarter of Nalbari District.-Education:...
district. In Sualkuchi
Sualkuchi
Sualkuchi is a census town in Kamrup district in the Indian state of Assam. It is situated on the north bank of the river Brahmaputra, about 35 km from Guwahati, Sualkuchi is a block of Kamrup District...
he built the Sidheswar Dewaloy, a Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
temple.
At Aswaklanta, North Guwahati on the bank of the river Brahmaputra in 1720 Siba Singha built two big temples dedicated to Lord Janardana
Janardana
Janardana is another name of Vishnu or God and appears as the 126th name in the Vishnu sahasranama. It is also a common name of Krishna being address as such by Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita....
and Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
.
Siba Singha had the land surveyed in Kamrup and Bakata. The register, or Pera Kagaz, based on this survey of Kamrup was still used at the time of British occupation. This contained a list of all occupied lands, except homestead with their areas, and particular of all rent free estates.
It was recorded that in 1739 four Europeans, whose names appear to have been Bill, Godwin, Lister, and Mill, visited King Siba Singha at Rangpur
Rangpur (Ahom capital)
Rangpur, one of the capitals of the Ahom kingdom, was established by the Swargadeo Rudra Singha in 1707 . It is currently a part of the Sibsagar town. Many historical monuments of the Ahom era;the Kareng Ghar, Talatal Ghar, Rang Ghar are located here....
. The king met them at the principal gate of the city where, it is said, they did him homage by falling prostate at his feet.