Battle of Saraighat The Battle of Saraighat was fought in 1671 between the Mughal empire ( led by the Kachwaha king , Raja Ramsingh I ) , and the Ahom Kingdom ( led by Lachit Borphukan ) on the Brahmaputra river at Saraighat , now in Guwahati . Although much weaker , the Ahom Army defeated the Mughal Army by brilliant uses of the terrain , clever diplomatic negotiations to buy time , guerrilla tactics , psychological warfare , military intelligence and by exploiting the sole weakness of the Mughal forces — its navy . The Battle of Saraighat was the last battle in the last major attempt by the Mughals to extend their empire into Assam . Though the Mughals managed to regain Guwahati briefly after a later Borphukan deserted it , the Ahoms wrested control in the Battle of Itakhuli in 1682 and maintained it till the end of their rule . Background . Mughal interest in the Brahmaputra valley began in 1602 when the Nawab of Dhaka attacked Parikshit Narayan of Koch Hajo at Dhubri , the western most corner of Assam . The first Mughal - Ahom conflict took place in 1615 when the Mughals attacked the Ahoms , then under Pratap Singha , for protecting Bali Narayan , the brother of Parikshit . This resulted in a period of Mughal - Ahom war with fluctuating fortunes that ended with the Treaty of Asurar Ali in 1639 . The Treaty fixed Barnadi river in the north bank and Asurar Ali in the south bank of the Brahmaputra as the boundary between the Ahoms and the Mughals . This , and the defeat of the Koch king at Pandu in 1641 , resulted in a period of Mughal administration in Kamrup ( Guwahati and Hajo . ) Taking advantage of the Mughal succession wars after the fall of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1658 , Pran Narayan of Koch Bihar tried to occupy Koch Hajo , but the Ahoms under Jayadhwaj Singha took Guwahati and pushed him back beyond Dhubri . That the Ahoms reached Dhubri by defeating the Koch king and not the Mughals would form a central tenet in later Ahom diplomacy . Soon after , Aurangzeb occupied the Delhi throne . Mir Jumla II , pursuing Shah Shuja in Bengal , was appointed the Subahdar of Bengal in 1660 and asked to retake Assam . Mir Jumla marched in 1661 and defeated the Ahoms at successive encounters to finally take the Ahom capital Garhgaon . But the " daga juddha " ( guerrilla warfare ) of Atan Burhagohain and the rains succeeded in cutting off Mughal communication lines making it impossible for Mir Jumla to consolidate Mughal rule . Unaware of Mir Jumlas difficulties and unnerved by Baduli Phukan ' s defection , Jayadhwaj Singha sued for peace , an opportunity Mir Jumla seized on . The Treaty of Ghilajharighat ( 1663 ) brought an end to Mughal occupation of Garhgaon , but the conditions of this treaty were so severe that the Ahoms were soon resolved to reverse them . Ahom preparations for war . After the humiliating defeat inflicted by Mir Jumla the Ahom king Jayadhwaj Singha died in despair . On his deathbed , he exhorted his cousin and successor Chakradhwaj Singha to " remove the spear of humiliation from the bosom of the nation . " There followed a complete overhaul of the Ahom kingdom . People who had dispersed due to Mir Jumla ' s invasion were rehabilitated in the appropriate " khels " , food and military productions were increased , new forts were constructed and garrisoned and an experditionary army was organized under a new commander — Lachit Borphukan . Alliances were renewed with the Jaintia and the Kachari kingdoms . During this period Mughal imperial demands were tactfully and diplomatically rebuffed , but when the new " faujdar " of Guwahati , Firuz Khan , forced the matter in March 1667 , the Ahoms were compelled to move . In August 1667 the Ahom army , under Lachit Borphukan and accompanied by Atan Burhagohain , sailed downstream to retake Guwahati . Ahoms retake Guwahati . Lachit made Kaliabor , the old seat of the Borphukan , his base camp and advanced toward Guwahati along both banks of the Brahmaputra . On the north bank the Deka Phukan retook Bahbari in early September 1667 . On the south bank , the " Nausalia " Phukan and others , moving on land and water , captured Kajali , Sonapur , Panikhaiti , and Titamara forts between the Kapili river and Guwahati . The Ahoms then reached Guwahati which was defended by five " choukies " on each bank of the Brahmaputra ( north — Kanai - borosi - bowa , Hillar , Hindurighopa , Patduar and Korai ; south — Latasil , Joiduar , Dharamduar , Duarguria and Pandu ) . With some loss , the Ahoms captured Shah Buruz and Rangamahal forts , a little north of the city . An extended battle was fought for the Itakhuli fort ( at the site of the current Deputy Commissioner ' s bungalow ) . The Ahoms besieged Joiduar , occupied Pandu , and in spite of a Mughal reinforcement , approached Itakhuli . The grand attack was launched on the night of 4 November 1667 , when the Ahoms scaled the walls by ladders and after two months of siege , Itakhuli fell in mid - November 1667 . Most of the defenders were massacred , many surrendered but a few managed to escape . War provisions , treasures and war material fell into Ahom hands . The Mughals received some reinforcement at this point and retaliated against the Ahoms . The Ahoms fought back with their naval forces and removed them from their bases in Umananda and Barhat . The Mughals , pursued by the Ahoms , managed to fortify the Manahmukh ( the confluence of Manas river ) and fend off the attackers for some time but Firuz Khan finally surrendered and was taken prisoner . This brought an end to the recapture of Guwahati and the Ahoms were able to control their old Manas border once again . But this did not last long and they had to beat a strategic retreat due to the advancing Mughal army of Raja Ram Singh . Mughal imperial invasion . Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was informed of the losses on 19 December 1667 and he commissioned Raja Ram Singh of Amber , son of the famous Mirza Raja Jai Singh , to take back Guwahati . Ram Singh left Delhi on 27 December 1667 and finally reached Rangamati in February in 1669 . He was accompanied , as was the Mughal custom of sending two generals , by Rashid Khan , ex - faujdar of Guwahati , and from Patna by the Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur . The Ahoms , anticipating a Mughal strike , are said to have followed his movements from Delhi itself . Along the way Aurangzeb augmented Ram Singh ' s forces of 4 , 000 troopers ( from his " char - hazaari mansab " ) , 1 , 500 " ahadis " and 500 " barqandezes " by an additional 30 , 000 infantrymen , 21 Rajput chiefs ( Thakurs ) with their contingents , 18 , 000 cavalry , 2 , 000 archers and shieldmen and 40 ships . When Lachit surveyed the massive Mughal force later , he was moved to tears and he uttered : " It is a tragedy that my country is facing this dire catastrophe during my Phukanship . How will my king be saved ? How will my people be saved ? And how will my posterity be saved ? " Armies from Koch Bihar joined the Mughal forces since they were vassals . Ahom strategic planning and Mughal attacks . Aware of Mughal military might and the weakness of the Ahom soldiers , especially against cavalry and mounted forces in open fields , Lachit Borphukan and others decided to choose the terrain of the battlefield with care . The choice fell on Guwahati , which was hilly , on the way to the heart of the Ahom kingdom and without open fields where the Mughal forces would not have sufficient mobility . The only way east was via the Brahmaputra river passing through it . The Brahmaputra at Saraighat , at its narrowest 1 km width , was ideal for a naval defense . To check Mughal advance , Lachit prepared a complex system of mud embankments in Guwahati When the Mughals found Guwahati impregnable by land , they would be forced to use their navy , which was their weakest asset . Lachit set up his headquarters at Andharubali , the sandbanks between the Kamakhya and Sukreshwar hills . The deliberations of the war council were recorded and made into a manual . When the Mughal march reached the Manas river in March – April 1669 and defeated some Ahom forces , Lachit decided on a strategic retreat to Guwahati . Three Rajkhowas were asked to meet the Mughal forces and retreat to Guwahati , keeping the Mughal forces in sight but beyond the reach of their weapons . When the Mughals reached closer , he started a sham negotiation with Ram Singh , who had set up camp at Agiathuti , calling him a " Bhai Raja " ( brother prince ) . And when he was ready for the Mughal attacks , he sent words to Ram Singh via Firuz Khan that " Guwahati and Kamrup do not belong to the Mughals " since they were taken from the Koch and that the Assamese were prepared to fight to the last . A period of battles between the Ahom and Mughal forces in the region of Guwahati followed , with varied results with forts changing hands many times . In these battles , the Mughal forces were arraigned in four divisions : In these attacks the Ahom allies — the Garos , the Jaintia , the Nagas , the Rani of Darrang , the Raja of Rani , and even the monsoons of 1669 — joined battle . The Ahom defense was arraigned as : Both commanders had a number of " pali " commanders each defending a specific strategic area , with each " pali " reorganized in response to the challenge posed by Ram Singh ' s forces . Aurangzeb received information of the lack of progress in August 1669 and made arrangements with the Subahdar of Bengal , Shaistha Khan , to provide reinforcements to Ram Singh . This period is also known for Atan Burhagohain ' s " dagga judha " ( guerilla warfare ) . Ram Singh protested that these harassing campaigns lowered the " dignity of warfare " , and withdrew from fighting ( October 1669 – March 1970 ) , to no particular military advantage . Major Ahom reversal at Alaboi . One of these battles stood out for a major Ahom reversal . Exasperated with the delaying tactics of the Borphukan , Ram Singh asked for a duel with the Ahom king . He promised to withdraw from Assam with his army if he was defeated . Lachit updated Chakradhwaj Singha about this proposal , who rejected the offer on the ground that it was beneath his dignity to duel a mere servant " who has no umbrella over his head " ( who is not a " Chhatrapati " ) . Annoyed with Ram Singh ' s proposal he ordered Lachit to confront the Mughals militarily . In a battle that was set up as a challenge , a force of 10 , 000 Mughals under Mir Nawab was to confront a force of 20 , 000 Ahom cavalry . Ram Singh ' s " approach was psychological , marked by pride , chivalry and revenge " . The Ahom approach , to cover their basic weaknesses , was based on " diplomacy , deception and mispresentation " . So instead of 20 , 000 , they sent in 40 , 000 and using an anti - koch tactic that had worked against Chilarai , they dressed their vanguard archers and musketeers as Brahmans to make the Rajput warriors desist from killing them . Ram Singh , on the other hand , set a woman , Madanavati , dressed as a man , to command the vanguard to deny the Ahoms any glory in case of a victory . The battle took place in the fields adjoining the Alaboi hills about 5 August 1669 . In the first phase , Madanavati dispersed the first four lines of the Ahom vanguard with ease , but the Borphukan had trenches dug to conceal his other lines . In the second phase , a diversion to cross the Brahmaputra was thwarted , and Madanavati was shot . The battle turned and in the third phase , Mir Nawab ' s forces were routed . Enraged at the deception , Ram Singh let loose his veteran horsemen and in the carnage that followed , 10 , 000 Ahom soldiers were massacred . Aurangzeb was pleased with these Mughal successes and increased Ram Singh ' s mansab from 4000 to 5000 . Ram Singh was also instructed to invest Guwahati soon , and if it was not possible , to devastate the land and plunder the people . Final diplomatic maneuvers . After the Mughal advances in late 1669 , Ram Singh began diplomatic efforts . The proposal was for the Assamese to evacuate Guwahati and a return to the 1639 status quo ( Treaty of Asurar Ali ) in return for a Mughal payment of 300 , 000 rupees . The Ahoms did not respond favorably . Ram Singh next attempted to bribe and create divisions among the Ahom field commanders ( Phukans ) . In the meantime , the Ahom king Chakradhwaj Singha died and was succeeded by his brother Udayaditya Singha . The long war had resulted in popular discontent in the Ahom kingdom . Ram Singh again put forward his proposal on the 1639 status quo settlement and this time the Ahoms appeared receptive . The Ahom king , though displeased , left the decision to his commanders in Guwahati . In the meeting which included Lachit Borphukan , the only dissenter to the proposal was Atan Burhagohain , who displayed his statesmanship . Atan Burhagohain argued that there was no guarantee that the Emperor at Delhi will abide by Ram Singh ' s assurance . Also , a settlement then would mean that the drain on the country ' s resources would have been in vain . Further , what was the guarantee that once the Mughals take Guwahati , they would not reach for Garhgaon or even Namrup . Atan Burhagohain was able to persuade the other commanders and the Ahoms rejected this proposal . The diplomatic efforts of Ram Singh failed once again . Final battle at Saraighat . Meanwhile , Mughal reinforcements in the shape of war - vessels and imperial officers ( " Omraos " ) reached Ram Singh , along with the Mughal admiral , Munnawar Khan and the Mughal Viceroy Shaista Khan , sent the message that Ram Singh was sent to fight the Assamese , not make friends with them . Ram Singh now made preparations for his final and direct assault on Guwahati and began moving along the northbank . Near Sualkuchi he was joined by ships with artillery and archers under five sardar s . The Mughals had large boats , some carrying as many as sixteen cannons . The Mughal ambassador , Paditrai , had reported a breach in the embankment at Andharubali a few days earlier , and Ram Singh wanted to exploit this opening . The Ahom soldiers were demoralised after their losses at Allaboi . Their commander - in - chief , Lachit Borphukan and their admiral were both seriously ill , and the Nara Raja , the son of the Miri Sandikoi , was in command . An encounter both on land and water ensued near Ashwakranta . The Ahom land forces , under Laluk Borgohain Phukan , worsted the Mughals , but the Mughal boats compelled the Ahom boats to retreat to Barhila , north of Saraighat . The land forces , fearing an encirclement , too retreated . The battle reached a crucial phase , when the Mughals were beginning to get close to Andharubali . The Borphukan , as well as the Nara Raja sent messages to inspire the soldiers . It looked as if there was a break in command and some boats began falling back to Kajali and Samdhara . Lachit Barphukan was observing this from his sickbed in the gatehouse of the Itakhuli fort . At this crucial moment in the battle , when the Mughals were about to land at Andharubali , the Borphukan sent orders via " katakis " to all the land and naval forces to attack . He also ordered seven war - boats for himself and had Nadai of Kharangi carry him to a boat . He shouted " The King has put all the people in my hands to fight the Bongal . Shall I go back to my wife and children ? " and pushed a few men into the water . With the other six war - boats the Borphukan headed toward the naval battle . The entry of the Borphukan transformed the Ahom soldiers . His small flotilla soon swelled with Ahom warships from all sides that smashed into the Mughal warships at Amrajuli on the north bank , opposite Kamakhya hills . The triangle in the river , between Itakhuli , Kamakhya and Aswakranta was filled with men and boat . The Ahoms spanned the river over an improviso bridge of boats and resorted to a combined front and rear attack . The Mughal admiral Munnawar Khan , smoking a hookah was killed by a gunshot from the back , throwing the Mughals out of gear . They suffered the loss of three top - ranking amirs , and another 4000 dead . The day of this decisive battle is not known for certain , only that it happened in the middle of March 1671 . Epilogue . The Mughals were pursued to the Manas river , the Ahom kingdom ' s western boundary . The Borphukan instructed his men not to attack the retreating army , reminding them of Alaboi . Anticipating a counterattack , he set messengers at regular intervals , while Atan Burhagohain and other commanders stood ready for one . The Mughals in Darrang were also worsted , and Ram Singh left Kamrup on 7 April 1671 for Rangamati . Ram Singh waited in vain for another opportunity and finally had an audience with Aurangzeb on 25 June 1676 . Lachit Borphukan died at Kaliabor about a year later in April 1672 , but not from the illness at Saraighat . And this was not the final battle between the Ahoms and the Mughals , nor did Guwahati remain with the Ahoms . Lachit Borphukan ' s own brother and successor Borphukan , Laluk Sola , deserted Guwahati for the Mughals in 1679 . It remained with the Mughals until 1682 , when the Ahoms under Gadadhar Singha recovered it and ended Mughal control in Kamrup for ever , though the Mughal administration of 80 years cast a long shadow .