Sudingphaa (1811–1818, 1819–1821) also, Chandrakanta Singha, was a Tungkhungia king of the Ahom dynasty, who ruled at the climactic of the Ahom kingdom. His reign witnessed the invasion of Burmese on Assam and its subsequent occupation by British East India Company. He was installed as King twice. His first reign ended when Ruchinath Burhagohain deposed him and installed Purandar Singha in his stead. His second reign ended with his defeat at the hands of the invading Burmese army. He continued his militant efforts to regain his kingdom as well as to keep Purandar Singha at bay. Finally he submitted himself to Burmese who induced him to believe that they will make him king. Instead he was seized and placed in confinement at Rangpur. After the defeat of Burmese in the First Anglo-Burmese War and subsequent peace Treaty of Yandabo on 24 February 1826 CE, Assam passed into the hand of British. Most of the members of Ahom Royal family were granted pensions. Chandrakanta Singha received a pension of 500 rupees. He first lived in Kaliabor and later on at Guwahati. He visited Calcutta in order to request the restoration of his kingdom but in vain. He died in 1839 CE soon after his return to Guwahati.
Ancestry and early life
Chandrakanta Singha was the second son of Kadamdighala Gohain, the Charing Raja, and Numali Rajmao, the queen-mother, born around 1797, two years after his brother. He was the brother of majiu aideo . Suklingphaa had ascended the throne. Chandrakanta Gohain was raised in the royal palace at Jorhat. During his childhood, he made friends with the sons of junior officers and palace servants. Prominent among them was Satram, who was the son of a royal poultry keeper (Kukurachowa Bora) of Chutia ethnicity"This episode involving Satram is referred to in the chronicles as ‘the affair of Bhut’s son’. Satram belonged to the Chutia community. Even today, descendants of Bhut, the Kukurachowa Bora, live in Kukurachowa village under the Gohpur subdivision of Sonitpur district. The late Ghanakanta Phukan—a freedom fighter and one of the leading founders of the Chutia Sanmilan—belonged to this lineage.", and he exerted great influence over Chandrakanta Gohain. After Kadamdighala died in 1799, Chandrakanta succeeded him and remained in that office till his accession to the throne.
Accession to the throne
Kamaleswar Singha died of smallpox disease at the age of sixteen in January 1811. Purnananda Burhagohain nominated Chandrakanta as the new king of the Ahom Kingdom, who was then merely fourteen years old.Bhuyan Dr. S.K. Tunkhungia Buranji or A History of Assam (1681-1826) 1968 page 196 During the coronation ceremony, young Chandrakanta was very nervous at the presence of so many people in the audience hall. He refused to sit on the throne unless his childhood friend Satram stood by him near the throne. The nobles hesitantly agreed and accordingly the coronation ceremony was completed.Barbaruah Hiteswar Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms 1981 page 288 He was proclaimed Swargadeo Chandrakanta Singha, the sovereign of Ahom Kingdom. The Tai-Ahom priest conferred on Chandrakanta Singha the name Sudingphaa. The expensive Singarigharutha ceremony, the traditional coronation ceremony, was withheld owing to the poor financial condition of the state.
First reign (1811–1818)
Being still a boy Chandrakanta Singha was unable to take much part in the government of the country, and the control remained with the Purnananda Burhagohain.Gait E.A. A History of Assam 1926 page 224 Purnananda Burhagohain transacted all the business in the name of the king without making any attempt to eclipse the king or obscure his name. He took the king around to important localities to give confidence to the people and instill in their minds respect for Ahom monarchy. While the Purnananda Burhagohain handled the affairs of state, the young king Chandrakanta Singha spend his time in amusement and fun in the royal palace in Jorhat among his friends and palace maids.Barbaruah Hiteswar Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms 1981 page 289Barua Gunaviram Assam Buranji or A History of Assam 2008 page 103
Opposition with Purnananda Burhagohain
As Chandrakanta grew up, he began to feel unrest at Purnananda Burhagohain's influence. With the help of his trusted friend Satram, who was raised to the rank of Charingia Phukan (officer in charge of administration of the region of Charing), Chandrakanta tried to free himself from Purnananda Burhagohain's influence and control. Chandrakanta often listened to Satram's advice in preference to nobles, and at last took to receiving them in audience with Satram seated at his side.Barbaruah Hiteswar Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms 1981 page 292Barua Gunaviram Assam Buranji or A History of Assam 2008 page 104 The nobles protested, but in vain, and things rapidly went from bad to worse. Backed by Satram and other associates, the young King flouted Purnananda Burhagohain's opposition to his marriage with Padmavati, the daughter of a Bhakat or disciple of Bengena-atia Satra, a commoner and raised her to the rank of Parvatia Konwari or Chief Queen, and thus violated the time-honored custom according to which royal partners had to be selected from the principal Ahom families.Bhuyan Dr. S.K. Tunkhungia Buranji or A History of Assam (1681-1826) 1968 page 197 In response to King's arrogant behavior, the nobles led by the Purnananda Burhagohain protested by refusing to grant the customary salute given to Chief Queen in the audience hall, thereby increasing the friction between two sides.Bhuyan Dr. S.K. Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha 1975 page 143
Conspiracy of Satram
Satram was of the same age as the King, but he was unrivalled in his precocity and cunning. Satram, himself held high ambitions and was aware of the fact that as long as Purnananda Burhagohain exercised absolute control over state affairs, his ambitions will never be fulfilled. Therefore, he began to gather support against the Burhagohain from various quarters of the Ahom nobility. First of all, he misinterpreted Purnananda Burhagohain's motives and actions and gradually poisoned the ears of Chandrakanta Singha. Badan Chandra Borphukan, the viceroy of Guwahati, was made to believe that Purnananda Burhagohain was his enemy and the Burhagohain was planning to destroy him. Badan Chandra's daughter Pijou Gabharu, who had married to Oreshanath Dhekial Phukan, a son of Purnananda Burhagohain, was also made party to this belief.Bhuyan Dr. S.K. Tunkhungia Buranji or A History of Assam (1681-1826) 1968 page 197 Satram, along with his associates planned to assassinate the Burhagohain, while he was on his way to the royal palace. The plot was discovered and all the associates of Satram were arrested and duly punished.Barbaruah Hiteswar Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms 1981 page 294 Satram fled to the Royal palace and sought refuge from the King. Meanwhile, Purnananda Burhagohain called on the Grand Council of the three Gohains, the Burhagohain, the Borgohain, and the Borpatrogohain. According to the custom of Ahom rule, the Grand Council of the three Gohains held absolute power. Unanimously, the council could enthrone or dethrone a king and it could revert any order given by the king himself.Barbaruah Hiteswar Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms 1981 page 295Barua Gunaviram Assam Buranji or A History of Assam 2008 page 105 A wave of panic ran across Chandrakanta Singha and the royal family. The Queen-mother, Numali Rajmao pleaded with Purnananda Burhagohain to spare her son, the king. The Burhagohain gave his word to the Queen-mother regarding the safety of the King, and in return, he demanded Satram be surrendered to the Grand Council. Chandrakanta Singha reluctantly agreed to surrender Satram on one condition that Satram's life be spared. The Grand Council of Gohains, held a trial on Satram, in which his guilts were proved. Satram was banished to Namrup, where he was soon afterwards killed by some Nagas. The episode was remembered as the affair of the “son of Kukurachowa Bhut”. It was believed that Satram was murdered at the instigation of Purnananda Burhagohain. Many believed that the King himself was privy to Satram's conspiracy. All these events took place in June 1814.Barua Gunaviram Assam Buranji or A History of Assam 2008 page 106
Badan Chandra Borphukan flight to Burma
News of Satram's fate reached Guwahati and Badan Chandra Borphukan became worried on account of his associations with Satram. In Jorhat, even though Purnananda Burhagohain suspected Badan Chandra Borphukan of favouring Satram's conspiracy, the Burhagohain initially hesitated to take action against him. But reports began to circulate of Badan Chandra's oppressive behavior and gross exactions on the people of Lower Assam, even as the conduct of his sons was even more outrageous. One of their favorite pranks was to make an elephant intoxicated with bhang and let it loose in Guwahati, while they followed at a safe distance, and roared with laughter as the brute demolished houses and killed the people who were unlucky enough to come in its way.Barbaruah Hiteswar Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms 1981 page 297Gait E.A. A History of Assam 1926 page 224-225 At last, things reached such a pass that Purnananda determined that Badan Chandra had to be removed. In 1815, a deputation was sent to arrest him; but, being warned in time by his daughter, Pijou Gabharu, who was married to one of the Burhagohain's sons, he escaped to Bengal.Bhuyan Dr. S.K. Tunkhungia Buranji or A History of Assam (1681-1826) 1968 page 198Barua Gunaviram Assam Buranji or A History of Assam 2008 page 107 He proceeded to Calcutta, and alleging that Purnananda Burhagohain was subverting the Ahom Government and ruining the country, endeavored to persuade the Governor-General Lord Hastings to dispatch an expedition against Purnananda Burhagohain. Lord Hasting, however, refused to interfere in any way.Gait E.A. A History of Assam 1926 page 225 Meanwhile, Badan Chandra had stuck up a friendship with the Calcutta Agent of the Burmese government and he went with this man to the Court of Amarapura, where he was accorded an interview with the Burmese king, Bodawpaya. He repeated his misrepresentations regarding the conduct of Purnananda Burhagohain, alleging that he had usurped the King's authority, and that owing to his misgovernment, the lives of all, both high and low, were in danger. At last he obtained a promise of help.Bhuyan Dr. S.K. Tunkhungia Buranji or A History of Assam (1681-1826) 1968 page 198-199Barua Gunaviram Assam Buranji or A History of Assam 2008 page 108
First Burmese invasion