Dhubri District - History

History

In the past, the gateway of western Assam was a meeting place of different racial groups which mingled together and formed a unique cultural heritage and historical background. The growth of blended culture in this region, particularly in the areas of language, art and religion is due to the continuous process of assimilation of various races, castes, and creeds of local people, invaders, and migrated people.

In 1669 AD Raja Ram Singh, Raja Ram Singh of Amber was deputed by Emperor Aurangzeb to crush a rebellion by the Ahom king Chakradhwaj Singha. But Assam was a difficult country for such an operation and Raja Ram Singh requested Guru Teg Bahadur (Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇਗ਼ ਬਹਾਦੁਰ, Hindi: गुरू तेग़ बहादुर) to accompany him. Guru's role was proved to be much more crucial than his mere presence. This operation was actually a punishment for Ram Singh because it was from his custody that Shivaji and his son had escaped, a few years earlier.

On arrival to Kamrup early in February 1669 AD, Guru Teg Bahadur camped at Dhubri while Raja Ram Singh with his army camped at Rangamati Fort. Though the Imperial Army was confident but still not sure whether the holy man with them would be able to destroy the evil effects of magic and witchcraft of the Assamese. Just across the river the Assamese were unnerved by the superior numbers of the Imperial Army but they were confident that the supernatural powers of their magicians would keep the attackers at bay.

The Assamese women magicians with their tantric paraphernalia began reciting mantras of destruction in their encampment directly across the river of the camp of Guru Teg Bahadur. But all their magical effects failed to harm the Guru. The magicians were overconfident about their ability to destroy any human being. From across the river they hurled a 26-foot-long stone, which came arcing across the sky like a missile and struck the ground, near Guru's camp, so hard that nearly half of its length was embedded in the ground. It can still be seen in the same position. A historical brass tablet was placed by the British when they tried to dismantle the tilted stone in the heart of the city.

When their missile of stone failed to harm the Guru, the magician next flung a tree, which fell very close to the Guru's camp without causing injury to any one. Then, as Guru Teg Bahadur took his bow and aimed an arrow at the altar of magic, all of their magic and sorcery came to a sudden end. The magicians realized that superior powers had completely deprived them of their magical strengths and blocked their willpower. Then they crossed the river to the Guru's camp and begged forgiveness for having offended him. They told him that they were fighting only to repel the foreigners who had come to enslave them.

Guru Teg Bahadur assured the magicians that he would work to bring peace between Raja Ram Singh and the Ahom King, for which, a change of heart was necessary on both sides. Consequently, he advised Raja Ram Singh to achieve his rulers objectives through peaceful negotiations and not to fight unless he was attacked.

The peace settlement brought about by the efforts of Guru Teg Bahadur was celebrated by a joint homage to the shrine of Guru Nanak by both the Mughal and the Ahom armies. The mound of peace of Dhubri was erected with the red earth carried by the soldiers of both the armies on their shields. This permanent monument to Guru Tegh Bahadur's a successful peace efforts stands at Dhubri to this day. Pilgrims from all over India visit Dhubri to pay homage at Gurdwara Damdama Sahib. They also visit the mound of peace constructed by Hindus an& Muslims soldiers of the two armies.

There is also Panchpeer Dargaha It is Mazar Sharif of five Sufi Saints who accompanied Mughal General Raja Ram Singh during his time of Mughal fight with the Ahom Regime of Assam