Borpatragohain (Ahom: Chao Sheng Lung) was the third of the three great Gohains (counsellors) in the Ahom kingdom. This position was created by Suhungmung Dihingia Raja in 1527, when Konsheng was appointed the first Borpatrogohain. "Thaomung-mungteu Konsheng was made Chao-sheng-lung (Borpatrogohain) in Lakni Rungrao 1527." Saikia(1997) notes that, following the defeat of the Chutias and the annexation of their domain and people into the Ahom kingdom, “a third ministerial office of the Bar Patra Gohain was created”. The designation was borrowed from Vrihat-patra, the Habung dependent of the Chutia king. "It appears that the novel designation of Barpatragohain was borrowed from the civil list of Habung where the local ruler, a dependent of the Chutiya king, had the title of Vrhat-Patra." The Buranji chronicles mention the Chutia official as Pator-Lung (Lung meaning “Great” in Ahom) who fought alongside Kasitara Barua against Phrasenmung Borgohain and Klinglun Burhagohain in the Ahom-Sutia battle at Dibrugarh.Barua, Gopal Chandra, Ahom Buranji, p. 55Bhuyan, S.K., Deodhai Asam Buranji, Chapter 31 The Chutia Borpatra official appears to have been retained until the later part of the reign of Suklenmung. He was killed following a rebellion led by a Brahmin official against the king; the rebel Brahmin, however, escaped and fled to Koch Bihar.Mahanta, Sukumar, Assam Buranji, p.25, "At that time, the king said, 'By subduing the Sutias and suppressing the Bhuyans, my father and I have taken their kingdom. Why, then, is a Brahmin seeking to become king—why have I appointed the Sutia Borpatro for?' Saying this, the Borpatra was executed. The king then attempted to execute the Brahmin as well, but he fled and escaped to Koch Bihar."
The other two counsellors of the Ahom kingdom, the Burhagohain and the Borgohain, strongly opposed the creation of this office. However, the king successfully instituted this by claiming that three ministers were now required to stabilise the kingdom. Suhungmung claimed that Konsheng, a formidable warrior, was his half-brother who had grown up in a Naga chieftain's house. "The third counsellor so appointed was publicly claimed by the king to be his own half-brother, posthumously born to a banished queen in a Naga chief's house." Since the other two counsellors refused to transfer portions of the Ahom militia (hatimur) under their command to the new office, Suhungmung instead transferred his own non-Ahom militia (Chutias, Barahis, and Morans) to the Borpatrogohain and brought part of the Ahom militia of the two older Gohains under direct royal control. To placate the two aggrieved counsellors, Suhungmung created two additional frontier Gohain positions that were exclusive to the two lineages, and offered the Sadiya and Dihing provinces to the Borgohain and Burhagohain respectively. "Borgohain and Buragohain were given the charge of Sadiya and Dihing province respectively." He also ruled that the Borpatragohain's family could not have any marital relationship with the king's lineage.
In later times, people from non-Ahoms families, like those of Garhgayan Patar and Maran Patar, were also made Borpatragohain in later times. The Borpatrogohains administered the region from the Daphla Hills to the Brahmaputra, and between the Gerelua and Pichalua rivers.
List of Borpatragohains Kon-Sheng/Kan-Seng Klan-Jang Ban Jangi Laku Borpatragohain Banchangia Borpatragohain Lai Borpatragohain Chereli Borpatragohain Bhaga Borpatragohain Achuk Borpatragohain Kenduguria Sengkong Borpatragohain Paramananda Borpatragohain Kalugayan Harinath Borpatragohain Kenduguria Mrittunjay Borpatragohain Redeshwar Borpatragohain Maran Borpatragohain Kenduguria Rudresvar Borpatragohain
Notes
Bibliography