The Legend of Sati Sadhani

Dr Indrani Medhi and Bishal Dey

The mediaeval period in the history of Assam began with the dissolution of the powerful and extensive kingdom of Pragjyotisha-Kamrupa in the early part of the twelfth century. Following its disintegration, there surfaced a number of states in the eastern or upper Brahmaputra valley formed by Mongoloid tribes like the Chutiyas and the Kacharis, while in the lower or western Brahmaputra valley, there grew up the state of Kamrup Kamata, which continued to exist to the beginning of the 16th century.

All the states in mediaeval Assam, whether of the Chutiyas, Kacharis, Ahoms or the Koches, were monarchical. States, since the beginning of civilization, were organised in the form of patriarchy. A woman's relation with the state is determined by socio-economic factors. But in Assam women could participate in state politics, usually as spontaneous agents working at the back of the screen.

Prominent among these women, mention may be made of Sadhani, the legendary queen of the Chutiyas. The Chutiyas ruled in the country bounded on the west by the river Sisi, a tributary of the Subansiri; on the east by Brahmakunda; on the north by the hills; and on the south by the Burhidihing.

Sadhani was born in Sadiya to King Dhirnarayan (Dharmadhwajpal) and Queen Srikanti. The various legends and historical accounts mentioned that Sadhani was born after various religious offerings and sacrifices. As she was born after intense sadhana by both the king and the queen, she was named Sadhani. The folklore of the Chutiya community portrays that Swayamvar was organised to find a suitable groom for his intelligent, religious and beautiful daughter Sadhani.

For Sadhani he set the condition that the nobleman who can shoot dead a running squirrel with a bow and arrow will be able to marry Princess Sadhani. Kings and the princes from far and distant kingdoms came to the Swaymvar and took part in it.

Unfortunately, all the invited kings and princes failed to shoot down the squirrel. Disappointed with the failure of invited kings and princes, King Dhirnarayan decided to open the Swaymvar for his general subjects who were present in the courtyard. Hearing the pronouncement of the King, a cowherd boy from the crowd came forward who was quite adept in archery to participate in the event.

He succeeded in striking the running squirrel to the ground. He abdicated the throne in favour of his son-in-law Nitipal, who, after becoming the king, assumed the name Chandranarayan, the husband of Queen Sadhani and the last king of the Chutiya dynasty. King Nitipal was pleasure-loving, inefficient and disregardful of the ordinary principles of justice and statecraft. He had removed the experienced ministers and instead recruited his favourites, which alienated the Chutiya nobility. Consequently, there was disorder and confusion. The Bhuyans of Habung and Panbari probably attacked the Chutiya kingdom and declared themselves independent. As a result, Sadhani had to intrude into the matters related to courts and took various decisions for the subjects of the kingdom.

Taking advantage of the inefficiency of the new king, the Ahoms attacked them in 1524. After many battles with Ahom, the Chutiya King Nitipal wanted a truce with Ahom King Suhungmung. The Ahom King agreed to a truce with Chutiya on the condition that Chutiyas had to hand over the Chutiya heirloom, the Pat-Rani (chief queen), a female elephant and ten male elephants. The Chutiya King agreed to provide a princess other than Pat-Rani, ten elephants and one female elephant but refused to hand over the Chutiya heirloom (gold cat). At the same time, they also raised a fort at Lohit and concentrated his troops there. The Ahoms calculated that as a signal of the renewal of clash. As a result, the Ahoms stormed the newly built fort on the day of Chutiya Bihu/Bisu, i.e., April 16, 1524. They also proceeded to the Kaitara hill to capture the Chutiya king.

On this particular day, the Chutiyas, while offering Bihu prayer to ancestral deities, were unarmed, and only the Deuri (priest) had a weapon. The Chutiya soldiers could not withstand the onslaught of the Ahom army and had to take refuge in Chandangiri Hills. However, the Chutiyas applied guerrilla warfare strategies and used faakdhenu (crossbows) and spears to defend themselves for consecutive days.

Rani Sadhani formed a female fighting squad of 120 warriors with her fellow princesses and consorts. They assisted the army by rolling boulders onto the enemy below, which killed a lot of Ahom soldiers. That day was 21 April (7th Bohag) and was widely considered as Ujha (drummer's) Bisu. One of the former ministers of the Chutias whom Nitipal had removed sided with the Ahoms and suggested that the Ahom Commander Phrasengmung Borgohain play the dhol. The general ordered the captives to climb up ghila creepers and play the Bisu drum or dhol. As it was the season of Bihu, the Chutia Army took this to be a sign that reinforcement had arrived. They considered this to be a sign of victory and thought that the Ahoms had been chased out. Here a severe engagement took place in which the Chutiya king and his eldest son were killed. The heads of the father and his son, which were sent to the Ahom king, were buried under the footsteps to the temple at Charaideo hills.

However, when confronted with the proposal of marrying Sadiyakhowa Gohain, the Ahom frontier officer of Sadiya, in the midst of impending defeat and reluctant to surrender, Sadhani made the crucial decision of choosing death over dishonour and sacrificed her life by jumping from the Chandragiri hills in 1524. Sati Sadhani Divas celebrates the life and times of the legendary queen. It also reminds us of the significance of loyalty, courage, devotion, patriotism and sacrifice over everything in our lives.

The story of Sati Sadhani serves as a powerful and enduring narrative within the history of mediaeval Assam. Emerging from a society where women, though often operating behind the scenes due to the patriarchal structure, could still exert influence.