Book Review- The Legend of Lachit Borphukan by Nilutpal Gohain

 

Some people don’t wait for history. They make history and redefine the word “valor”.

Situated off the NH 37 near Jorhat is the statue of Bir Lachit Borphookan amid a garden adjacent to his Moidam (burial ground). I have visited the place once and was captivated by a little introduction about this local hero. Little did I know that this “local” hero is the history architect!

I feel humbly appreciative to the writer of this read Nilutpal Gohain who aptly acquainted me with the rich history that germinates from the ancient land of Assam and to the hero Lachit Borphukan.

The plot is of 1667 AD, Assam. After a plunderous invasion of the Mughal Subedar Mir Jumla, the Ahom kingdom is reeling under loss, deceit, and inside disputes. The Ahom Monarch Chakradhwaj Singha and his ministers are serving the vassalage of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb under the terms of a despicable treaty and the morale of the Assamese people is curtailed to its lowest ebb. However, a valiant commander of the Ahom army rises to the occasion. With his unflinching grit and determination, he leads the Ahoms to face the Mighty Mughals in one of the largest naval wars in the history of India.

Will the fewer number of Ahoms be able to vanquish the invincible Imperial Army? 

Will Emperor Aurangzeb have a trick under his sleeve to thwart the Ahom expedition?

The action, the twists and turns, and the emotions in the saga kept me hooked for 4 hours.

The language is simple and the narrative flows well. There is no unnecessary emphasis on analogies or poetic prose to deflect from this re-telling of history (albeit in a fictional manner). This is a book about a great hero and the battle which cemented his reputation.

The book write-up justifies the title!!

After reading this book, I felt the traditional history textbooks which I have read in school haven't done justice to braveheart nationalists and I am sure there are many such Bravehearts whose lives are yet to be explored.