When is Asom Divas?
Asom Divas is a regional public holiday in the Indian state of Assam on December 2nd each year.
Also known as Sukaphaa Divas, this holiday commemorates the advent of the first king of the Ahom kingdom in Assam
History of Asom Divas
The Ahom dynasty was established by Chaolung Sukaphaa, a prince from the Tai state of Mong Mao, close to present-day Ruili in Yunnan, China.
After the birth of a cousin blocked his path to the throne, he left Mong Mao. After crossing the Patkai Mountains, he arrived in Namrup, in the southeast of Assam in 1228. The date of his arrival is usually accepted as the founding date of the Ahom Kingdom.
Sukapha is revered for being a strong, courageous and bold leader and he played a vital role in unifying the various indigenous ethnic groups of Assam.
He conquered many of the local tribes, though he was smart enough to realise that the people in the tribes he had conquered, outnumbered the Ahom. He put in place conciliatory measures to unite all the indigenous people, treating them all equals and encouraged intermarriage between the Ahoms and other tribes.
Sukapha's reign established the Ahom Kingdom that would rule medieval Assam for the next six hundred years, famously resisting other great powers such as the Mughals. The period of Ahom rule is seen as a glorious chapter in the history of Assam.
December 2nd has been a public holiday in Assam since 1996.
