Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised Lachit Barphukan’s bravery on the 400th anniversary of his birth and claimed that it was thanks to his courage that Assam was able to fend off the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.
While addressing a plenary session on the second day of the celebration of Lachit Barphukan’s 400th birth anniversary, Sarma said, “In the annals of India’s glorious history, today is a very significant day, which marks the crushing defeat of Mughals at hands of Ahom army led by General Lachit Barphukan”.
The BJP leader also praised the general’s bravery during the Mughal era.
“At a time when parts of our country were under the Mughal Empire, the bravery of Lachit Borphukan ensured that Assam was able to resist the imperialist designs of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb,” he said.
The Assam Chief Minister also congratulated Union Home Minister Amit Shah for bringing peace and long-lasting prosperity to the Northeast.
In addition, Sarma noted that “Union Home Minister Amit Shah has a profound grasp of the rich history and culture of Assam and his leadership today has been playing a critical role in delivering enduring prosperity and peace in our region.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the Lachit Divas cultural events in the nation’s capital were kicked off at Sunder Nursery by Assam Principal Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma and the chief guest, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju.
A three-day finale will mark the culmination of Lachit Divas celebrations from November 23 to 25 in New Delhi.
The festivities from yesterday are anticipated to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The great Ahom Army General Lachit Barphukan and his accomplishments are being honoured nationally for the first time in honour of the 400th anniversary of his birth.
He was born in Charaideo on November 24th, 1622, and is most remembered for the Battle of Saraighat, where he defeated the Mughals and put an end to Aurangzeb’s growing ambitions. The monumental occasion is being commemorated concurrently with Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav festivities.
The programme began with a traditional Tai Ahom prayer, then featured a Sattriya performance on Sita Uddhar by Mridusmita Das Bora and company, a medley of Assamese folk dances presented by maestro Ranjit Gogoi, and a dramatisation of Lachit Barphukan’s distinguished life. The stage was set ablaze by the captivating performance of Assam’s distinctive folk music by well-known Assamese vocalist Papon.
“The theme of this cultural event will be patriotism, and we’ll do our best to promote Assamese culture and civilization. In Assam, we commemorated Lachit Barphukan’s 400th birthday for the entire year. Ram Nath Kovind, a former president, introduced it in February of this year. In order to showcase the illustrious history of Assam beginning with the reign of Kumar Bhaskar Varma, we organised an exhibition and brought numerous priceless artefacts from the Guwahati museum. Lachit Barphukan also wrote a lot of letters, which we also have. Lachit Barphukan was well-known across the country. His courageous story shouldn’t be kept to Assam just “Himanta Biswa Sharma stated.
As Kiren Rijiju emphasised, India’s spirit is lacking when we accompany our unsung heroes on their journey of expansion and advancement. It is important to remember and uphold their ethos and beliefs.
“After defeating a sizable army of the Mughal Empire to defend Guwahati in the Saraighat Battle on the banks of the Brahmaputra River in 1671, Lachit Barphukan is regarded as Assam’s cultural hero. He was a strong figure of leadership and a brave role model who upheld his country’s independence. Generations will continue to be inspired by his unwavering love for the nation. Being a part of this celebration of Lachit Barphukan’s spirit makes me feel proud ” he added.