GUWAHATI, Feb 11? The meaning of the texts of the Kanaibarasibowa rock inscriptions at North Guwahati have been deciphered through epigraphic study. State Museum?s Assistant Curator Sarhajuddin Ahmed, who is a noted epigraphy expert, deciphered the meaning of the texts following formal requests from the Archaeology Directorate.
The deciphering of the inscriptions has helped recording the evidence of a chapter of the State?s glory. This glory is related to the military might of the State?s people and their victory over the invading military generals several hundred years back. The text of the number one inscription is almost in a good condition, even though last of the expressions of the inscription is damaged to some extent. However, this loss does not affect reading the inscription, Ahmed said in his report.
The number two inscription is also in good condition. All the words of the inscription can be easily read. But two words in lines eight and nine of inscription number three are almost gone. Despite this, the word of line number nine can be read with the help of the letters closely placed to it. These two almost lost words are directly related to the main function of the executive part of the inscription, Ahmed said, regretting that it was a great loss.
The first inscription (number one) states that in the saka year 1127 (1205-6 A D) the Turks came to Kamarupa and they were utterly destroyed. The texts of the inscription number two and three are almost the same except the difference of two or three words.
They state that Bahgadiya Budagohain constructed a fort at the sight of the inscriptions in collaboration with Badphukan, Brihatgohain Phukan, Briddhagohain Phukan and Dihingia Sandhikai Phukan, in the month of Aghona of the saka year 1589 (1667 A D). The construction of the fort was under taken after the killing Syed Firoz (Caidya Piroz as recorded in inscription number three). Bahgadiya Budagohain was the Minister of Ahom king Chakradhvaja Singha (1663-1670 A D).
The inscription number three provides the name of the slain invader, but the number two inscription is silent about it. Historian Sir Edward Gait has written in his A History of Assam (p 158, Calcutta, 1967) that an inscription in Assamese on the Kanaibarasi rock near Mani Karneswar temple in Kamrup district, recorded the erection of an Ahom fort there in saka 1589 (1667 A D) after the defeat of Sana and Firoz. The damaged expression of epigraph number three may perhaps be Sana as supported by the chronicles, Ahmed concluded.
On the carving of inscription number three, he said that after completion of inscription number two, the importance of recording the names of the defeated and the slain ones was perhaps felt. May be, for this reason inscription number three was executed with the names of those persons, Ahmed said.
However, on the Ganesha image carved below the inscription is not related to the text at all, he said. The Ganesha image is carved in a sitting posture. A small house type structure is attached to the image of Ganesha covering the inscription. Ahmed said that there were reports that one priest was engaged to perform puja of the Ganesha idol and the spot was also known popularly as Ganesha temple. Visitors also use to pay obeisance to the idol, Ahmed said.
It may be mentioned here that the former Governor of the State Lt General (retd) S K Sinha showed keen interest in deciphering the Kanaibarasibowa rock inscriptions? texts. Even after his appointment as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Lt General Sinha has been sending messages to the Archaeology Directorate here with the requests to expedite the process of deciphering the texts of the inscriptions, said Archaeology Director Dr Hemendranath Dutta. It perhaps needs no mention that Lt General Sinha single-handedly established the military exploits of Lachit Barphukan, State?s greatest general of the mediaeval period, in the rest of the country.