Far East Kingdoms

Kachari Kingdom (Dimasa)
c.AD 835 - 1830

The first of the Kachari kings claimed to rule in the town of Dimapur in Assam in the early ninth century, although he was probably little more than a powerful chieftain. The Kacharis belonged to the Dimasa Bodo Kachari group and called themselves descendents of Ghatotkacha, the son of the Pandava Prince Bhima. They also appear to have had links to their cousins, the Mlechha kings. They ruled from their capital at Hidimbapur (Dimapur).

The Kachari kingdom emerged as a recognisably powerful entity on the south bank of the River Brahmaputra while the Chutiya kings were dominant in north-eastern Assam and the fading Kamarupa kings to the west were struggling to hold onto their territory. During the sixteenth century, they were forced out by the Ahoms and moved to Maibong, where they adopted a Brahmanical lifestyle. Later in the eighteenth century, the Koch rule of Khaspur (near Silchar) died out and the wandering Kachari kings were able to merge that kingdom within theirs, shifting their capital to Khaspur.

(Information by Abhijit Rajadhyaksha.)

c.835 - 885

Virochana

First of the Dimasa kings of the Hirimba kingdom.

c.885 - 925

Vorahi

c.925 - 1010

Prasanto / Prasadao / Chakradwaj

Also known as Khamaoto.

Prasanto establishes a capital at Kachomari on the banks of the River Daiyang in Golaghat district. This is a short-term measure, however, and the king soon founds the kingdom's primary capital at Dimapur in Assam.

A photograph of a Kachari male, illustrating his Tibetan origins

c.1010 - 1040

Uditya

c.1040 - 1070

Prabhakar

c.1070 - 1100

Korpoordhwaj

c.1100 - 1125

Giridhar

c.1125 - 1155

Beeradhwaj

c.1155 - 1180

Surajit

c.1180 - 1210

Ohak

c.1210 - 1286

Makardhwaj Narayan / Rana Pratap

Also known as Raogena.

Makardhwaj oversees an age of glory in the kingdom, with some great architectural works taking place in Dimapur.

1286 - 1316

Bhopal

1316 - 1336

Purandar

1336

The Kachari kings emerge as a recognisably independent kingdom based at Dimapur in Assam.

1336 - 1386

Bicharpatiha / Prakash

Ruled from Dimapur.

1386 - 1411

Vikramadityapha / Vikaranto

1411 - 1436

Mahamanipha / Prabal

1436 - 1461

Manipha

1461 - 1486

Ladapha

1486 - 1511

Khorapha / Khunkhorapha / Khunkhora

1498

The Khen dynasty is ended although it is unclear just how. The king's death is perhaps either caused by, or encourages an invasion by the sultan of Bengal.

1500

The Jayantiya kingdom emerges, perhaps due to the chaos caused by the Bengalese invasion of Assam.

1510

The Koch kings emerge in Assam to replace the Khen kings.

1511 - 1536

Detsungpha / Det Tsang / Dersongpha

1536

The Kacharis move their capital to Maibong, perhaps as part of the process by which they are forced out of Dimapur by the Ahoms, a process which certainly seems to be complete by 1586.

1536 - 1550

Nirbhay Narayan

Ruled from Maibong / Maibang.

1550 - 1576

Durlabh Narayan / Harmeshwar

1576 - 1583

Megha Narayan

1583 - 1613

Satrudaman / Pratap Narayan

Also known as Jasa Narayan.

1583

During his reign, Satrudaman is responsible for an invasion of the Jayantiya kingdom which apparently begins a period of increased Kachari dominance there, although they are rivalled by the Ahoms. This dominance cannot last for long, however, due to the events of 1586.

1586

By this date the Kacharis have been forced out by the Ahoms and migrate to Maibong (although they may already have started this process by the 1540s), where they adopt a Brahmanical lifestyle. The city of Khaspur, which had been under their control, is taken by a branch of the Koch kings. Ultimately, the wandering Kacharis are apparently able to return to Khaspur after the death of the last of the Koch rulers there by 1772, shifting their capital there.

1613 - ?

Kamal Narnarayan / Nar Narayan

The Koch ruler of Khaspur.

? - 1637

Bhidarpa Narayan

1637 - ?

Indraballabh Narayan

? - 1681

Birdarpa Narayan

1673

The Chutiyas fall under the domination of the Ahom kings, and are absorbed into their state.

1681 - ?

Garudhwaj Narayan

Maardhwaj

? - 1699

Udayaditya

1699 - 1708

Tamradhwaj Narayan

1708 - ?

Queen Chandraprabha

? - 1730

Suradarpanarayan

1730 - 1735

Dharmadhwaj Narayan

Also known as Harishchandra Narayan, Harishchandra I.

1735 - 1745

Kiri Chandra Narayan

1745 - 1757

Gopi Chandra Narayan

1757 - 1772

Harishchandra II

Ruled from Khaspur.

by 1772

Bhimasingha is the last Koch ruler of Khaspur. His daughter, Kanchani, marries Laxmichandra, prince of the Kachari kingdom, and once the king dies the Kacharis are able to migrate to Khaspur, merging the two kingdoms into one and establishing their capital in the city.

1772 - 1813

Krishna Chandra Narayan

1813 - 1830

Gobind Chandra Narayan

Last Kachari king. Assassinated without an heir.

1830

Raja Gobind Chandra is assassinated by a group of seditious 'persons' with the help of some of his personal attendants on 24 April,  at Haritikar. Without a heir to succeed him, the British East India Company annexes the Kachari kingdom under the details of its Doctrine of Lapse. Only the Jayantiya and Ahom kings survive in Assam.

Khaspur
AD 1586 - c.1772?

The Koch kings formed a successful kingdom in 1510, when Chandan Narayan quickly built up an expanded area of territory under his control. Chandan's grandson, Naranarayan, was the last king of a single Koch kingdom. Upon his death, the territory was greatly divided, with Koch Bihar one of the bigger slices. Naranarayan's brother, Kamal Narayan, took the opportunity provided by the fading of the Kachari dynasty to take over their former kingdom at Khaspur (near Silchar).

(Information by Abhijit Rajadhyaksha.)

1586? - ?

Kamal Narnarayan / Nar Narayan

Apparently also ruled the Kacharis from 1613.

Uditanarayan

Vijayasingha

Dhirsingha

1673

The Chutiyas fall under the domination of the Ahom kings, and are absorbed into their state.

The Baro Dwari in Khaspur

Mahendrasingha

Ranjitsingha

Narasingha

Bhimasingha

Last Koch king of Khaspur.

by 1772

Bhimasingha is the last Koch ruler of Khaspur. His daughter, Kanchani, marries Laxmichandra, prince of the Kachari kingdom, and once the king dies the Kacharis are able to migrate to Khaspur, merging the two kingdoms into one and establishing their capital in the city.