Sujinphaa (1635 – July 1677) also Arjun Konwar, was a Namrupiya king of the Ahom kingdom. Atan Burhagohain installed him on the throne after removing Debera Borbarua from power and deposing the previous king, Gobar Roja. Sujinphaa began his reign well with proper advice and support from Atan Burhagohain and other nobles. But soon, acting on the advice of his wife and other advisors, the king began to defy the authority of the Burhagohain, which resulted in a head-on collision between both sides. The king successfully defended the first onslaught of Atan Burhagohain's forces, but fell to the second, which was reinforced with troops from Guwahati. Sujinphaa was deposed and blinded. Some sources state that he killed himself, while some sources maintain that he was murdered by Bhatdhara Phukan, the brother of Laluksola Borphukan.
Ancestry and early life Sujinphaa was the son of Namrupia Raja Tailai and grandson of Ahom king Pratap Singha. His early name was Arjun Konwar, and he belonged to the Namrupia branch of the Royal Ahom Dynasty. His mother was a daughter of the Khatowal Chetia family of Chutia lineage. Sujinphaa married two daughters of Kekora Sandikai; the elder was made the Barkuanri and the younger was made the Parvatia kuanri. The Sandikai family was one of the prominent Ahom noble families. The Barkuanri bore him four sons, Sengmung, Dighala, Sutyang and Sunnang. They were also known as Kalia Gohain, Dighala Gohain, Dhala Gohain and Saru Gohain. He, along with his family lived in Dihing, maintaining their family estate.
Accession to the throne After the deposition and execution of Udayaditya Singha in 1672, the Ahom kingdom entered into a period of weak kings, with de facto power wielded, successively, by three prominent ministers: Debera Barbarua, Atan Burhgohain and Laluk Sola Borphukan. Debera Borbarua, the first such minister, rose in prominence and exerted complete authority over the administration in Garhgaon, the Ahom capital, at a time when many powerful ministers were at guard at newly occupied Guwahati soon after the Battle of Saraighat (thus these officers were called Saraighatias). Debera's period of control saw three kings being deposed and put to death, within a short period of about three years. After Udayaditya Singha, he installed and subsequently deposed two others: Ramdhwaj Singha and Suhung. He then installed Gobar from Tungkhungia branch of Royal Ahom Dynasty on the throne. Meanwhile, the Saraighatias in Guwahati decided to put an end of Debera's atrocities and therefore led by Prime Minister Atan Burhagohain, they marched towards the capital Garhgaon. Gobar and Debera Borbarua were captured and put to death. The nobles offered the crown to Atan Burhagohain and declared their intention to make him king, but Burhagohain gently declined the offer stating that only members of Royal Ahom Dynasty, the direct descendants of Sukaphaa were alone eligible to become kings. The Burhagohain searched for a suitable candidate for the throne, and they found Arjun Konwar, living at Dihing, suitable for the post. Therefore, Atan Burhagohain nominated Arjun Konwar as the king of the Ahom kingdom. In November 1675 CE, the coronation ceremony took place at Barnaosal at a newly constructed Singarighar, without which function no prince attained the status of a full-fledged sovereign. He assumed the Ahom name Sujinphaa, while the Brahmins conferred on him the title Sur Singha. Owing to his origin from Dihing, he was also known as Dihingia Raja. Sujinphaa ascended the throne with great éclat. Large sum of money were distributed amongst the people and the festivities continued for seven days.
Reign
Appointment of new officials Sujinphaa and Atan Burhagohain immediately set upon them to reorganized the administration at the capital Garhgaon, which got destabilized during the period of Debera Borbarua's ministerial dictatorship. New officers were appointed replacing the ones appointed by Debera. They were Kenduguria Sheng-Klang (Borpatrogohain); Guimela Borgohain's son Laluk (Borgohain); son of Rangasila, Lanching-Shaikan (Borbarua). The sons and nephews of the Phukans and Baruas who had been killed by Debera were admitted to the rank of Phukans and Baruas.
Conflicts with the premier The reign of Sujinphaa, supported by the wisdom and foresight of Atan Burhagohain, promised to be one of prosperity and peace. But some of the officers and nobles disliked this combination; more specially abhorred the growing power of Atan Burhagohain. So, a certain section of nobles tried to create discord between the king and the premier. A maternal relative of the king, Lao Deka, also known as Harkina Barua, belonged to the Dihingia Khatowal Chetia family. He was appointed Barchetia and, as a close relative of the king's mother, had free access to the royal palace. According to S. K. Bhuyan, he encouraged the chief queen's fears that the growing authority of Atan Burhagohain threatened the succession of her four sons. The resulting mistrust contributed to the estrangement between Sujinphaa and the Burhagohain. The four princes supported their mother, and gave vent to similar misgivings, adding, "Our sovereignty is only in name as the Burhagohain monopolises all power in himself."
Meanwhile, the two sons of Sujinphaa had once, in the excitement of a hunting excursion, obstructed the path of the Burhagohain. The consequences of this discourtesy were exaggerated by Lao Barchetia, and stern measures against the princes were reported as being contemplated by the Burhagohain. They now planned to kill the premier when he was asleep in a neighbouring camp. Lao Barchetia having apprised him of the plot, the Burhagohain made good his escape and went home. This is how the double-faced Barchetia deepened the estrangement between the royal family and the premier.
Lao Barchetia now harnessed the services of a senior female attendant of the royal household. It was her duty to bring daily to the Burhagohain twenty trays of presents from the king. One day she warned the premier of the preparations made by the king for his capture, and she asked the premier to remain similarly prepared for an eventuality. The Burhagohain dismissed the lady after asking her to tell him more about the plot and promised to advance her rank. She then went to the king and told him that the Burhagohain was making elaborate preparations for attacking the monarch. The king believed the maid's story, and remained vigilant and prepared with his four sons. He posted additional men to guard the entrances of the palace, and appointed spies to keep watch over movements of the Burhagohain and his adherents.
The Phukans learned of the preparations made by the king, and they went in a body to the Burhagohain and suggested to him the advisability of the attacking the king before the latter completed the preparations. The Burhagohain did not support the proposal made by the Phukans, instead he put forward the proposal to meet the king in person for clarification of their doubts. Lao Barchetia, being afraid that the proposed meeting of the king and the nobles would result in the discovery of the part he was playing in fomenting the estrangement, persuaded the Barkuanri or the Chief Queen to warn the king of the dangers of an interview with the nobles, as it might give them an opportunity to accomplish some prearranged plan for the destruction of the monarch. The Queen in turn warned the king about the proposed meeting with the nobles. Therefore, when the nobles led by Atan Burhagohain visited the royal palace with the desire to meet the king, Sujinphaa declined their request on the plea of his illness and asked the nobles to return home. From this incident the nobles realized the hostile attitude of king Sujinphaa.
Failed palace coup by Burhagohain
King Sujinphaa actively engaged himself in preparations to seize the persons of Atan Burhagohain and his supporters. He equipped the attendants of the palace with daos, shields, bows and arrows, and mounted guns at the several entrances. The four princes took charge of the preparations. A spy was set against each partisan of the Burhagohain to watch his movements and actions. Meanwhile, the trusted aides of Atan Burhagohain, Tepartalia Ram Phukan, Dilihial Langi Phukan, Kalanchu Phukan Govinda and Bhitarual Phukan Betmela, pressed the Burhagohain for immediate action to counteract the king's designs which, they were informed, would be put into operation the next day. The Phukan asked the Burhagohain to take the lead in their contemplated attack on the Palace. Initially, the Premier hesitated to take such drastic measure against the monarch, but at last yield to the wishes of his supporters.
On the night of Saturday, June 25, 1676 CE Atan Burhagohain and his supporters march towards the Palace properly armed. Atan Burhagohain asked his son-in-law, Ramcharan Borpatrogohain to join the party, but Ramcharan evaded immediate compliance, and promised to join up after having a bath. He however allowed half of his men to accompany the Burhagohain retaining the other half with him. The premier and the Phukans with a force of armed men entered the palace enclosure shortly after midnight. Having heard the commotion and uproar, Sujinphaa woke up and saw the attackers in the courtyard. He at once grasped the position, rushed out of his room with a sword, attended by the armed guards of the palace, and killed whomsoever he met on the way. A shields-man of the king named Chatai-kukura, brandished his sword as he walked by the side of the king, and managed to put twelve attackers to death. Having seen the king, blazing with fury and revenge, the Burhagohain got down from his sedan, and stood at the open space near the Barchora or open courtyard. The Swargadeo approached the sedan in darkness and inflicted on it a few blows with his sword thinking that the premier was seated inside. Conceding defeat, Atan Burhagohain fled the capital and shifted his camp at Dergaon.
On the following morning the king assembled the leading nobles, and expatiated before them on the attack made by the Burhagohain which he characterized as unfriendly and unprovoked, as the premier himself had brought the prince from his ancestral home and seated him on the throne. "I could have killed the Burhagohain," said the king, "but I refrained from taking his life as we are co-disciples and have thus jointly attained companionship under the spiritual teachings of the Guru."
During the course of the deliberation on Sunday morning the king asked the officers and nobles to reaffirm their allegiance to him by taking the necessary oaths, according to both the Hindu and Ahom forms. The Hindu oaths were administered by Rama Misra and his son and other Brahmans in the presence of Lakshminarayan Salagram, Gita, Bhagavat, copper vessels and the basil plant. The Ahom oaths were taken in the presence of the Bardhak, or sacred drum, where pigs and fowls were sacrificed. The officers were given appropriate presents by the monarch after which they retired to their respective quarters.
Attempts for negotiation between Sujinphaa and Atan Burhagohain Soon after his flight from the capital, Atan Burhagohain sent Dilihial Gohain-Phukan and Ram Tamuli to Guwahati with a request to the Phukans and Rajkhowas stationed there that they should march up to his aid in fulfillment of their old promise to stand by one another in emergencies. The officers stationed at Guwahati immediately responded to call for aid from Atan Burhagohain and a large army led by Laluk Sola Borphukan marched upwards to the Burhagohain's camp.