Tai Khamti-British War of 1839

Tai Khampti diorama / Image Credit

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has urged the Centre to declare Tai Khamti-British War of 1839 as the first war of India’s independence against the British.

80 British soldiers, including the British agent Colonel Adam White, were killed by the Tai Khamtis in Tai Khamti-British War that took place in 1839.

Recently the Centre has refused to accept Odisha’s demand to declare Paika rebellion as the First War of Independence. Paika Rebellion took place from 1817 to 1825 in Odisha. Currently, the Revolt of 1857, known variously as First War of Independence and Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 is called the first war of independence against British Rule. The Revolt of 1857 shook the very foundation of the British Empire in India.

About Tai Khamti-British War of 1839

The Arunachal Deputy CM Chowna Mein also underscored the need to recognize battles between other communities of Arunachal Pradesh and the British. They include four Anglo-Abor wars fought by the Adis in 1858, 1859, 1894 and 1911 and the Wancho-British war, also known as ‘Ninu Massacre’, at Ninu in Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh in 1875.

The Abors, now called Adis, live in the central part of the state, while the Wanchos inhabit the southern Arunachal Pradesh.

Today the population of Tai Khamti people is a little more than 1,00,000. They live in areas straddling Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. They follow Theravada Buddhism.

Comments

Muhammad Shah Rangila

Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal emperor, died in 1707. Muhammad Shah became Mughal emperor in 1719. During the interregnum, Bahadur Shah I , Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi-ud-Darajat and Rafi-ud-Daula ascended the Mughal throne. Jahandar Shah was murdered on the orders of Farrukhsiyar who had the support of the two powerful Mughal nobles Sayyid Abdullah and his brother Sayyid Husain Ali at that time. They are famous in history as Sayyid brothers, the King-makers. In 1719, Farrukhsiyar were murdered in utter disregard of a Mughal emperor by Sayyid brothers. Rafi-ud-Darajat died of consumption in a few months. Rafi-ud-Daula was addicted to opium and died in 4 months. Sayyid brothers now chose Raushan Akhtar, a son of Jahan Shah (the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I), to be the emperor. Raushan Akhtar ascended the throne under the title of Muhamamd Shah in September 1719. In the beginning Muhammad Shah was a puppet in the hands of Sayyid brothers who soon began to lose their gri...

Muzaffarid dynasty of Gujarat

Champaner’s Jama Masjid, built by Mahmud Begada/Wikimedia Commons Muzaffarid dynasty of Gujarat was founded by Zafar Khan, who was appointed governor of Gujarat in 1391 by the ruler of Delhi Sultanate, with the title Muzaffar Khan. Zafar Khan was son of Sadharan, a Jat convert to Islam. Firuz Shah Tughluq was married to Sadharan’s sister. Muzaffar Khan remained loyal to Delhi sultanate and was able to suppress the rebellions of Muslim and Hindu chieftains. Though deposed by his son Tatar Khan in 1403-4, he was restored to the throne by his uncle, Shams Khan Dandani, who poisoned Tatar Khan. Muzaffar proclaimed his independence as Muzaffer Shah in 1407. After his death in 1411 the throne passed on to Shihabuddin Ahmad Shah who ruled for thirty-one years. During his reign, Ahmad Shah (1411-42), who was son of the dead Tatar Khan, was engaged in continuous warfare and consolidated the Gujarat Sultanate. In 1411 he founded a new walled city which...

Turkan-i-Chahalgani, the Group of Forty

Amir-i-Chahalgani, known variously as Turkan-i-Chahalgani and Chalisa (The Forty), was a group of 40 faithful slaves which came into existence with the task of protecting Shamsuddin Iltutmish , the third Slave Sultan of Delhi Sultanate. The idea to form the group was taken by him when he came to realize that Turkish nobles cannot be trusted and could be a threat to his rule. With the passage of time the group went on to become very influential and powerful. Though Iltutmish succeeded in keeping the group under control, after his rule they became notorious and intrigued against nearly all his successors. The Forty acquired domination on the affairs of the state so much so that no ruler could defy them. Without their support it was utterly out of questions for the rulers to win the battle for succession. The members of this Turkish nobility used to appropriate all the offices of the state to themselves. Some of the rulers of the Slave dynasty after Iltutmish were murdered by these s...

Indian History

Search This Blog