Sukhaangpha (1923-1332)

Under Sukhaangpha (the 4rth Ahom King), the Ahom kingdom entered into the first major conflict with their neighbors. The Ahom kingdom fought a long war, beginning about 1324, against the Kamata king Pratapdhvaj. The war did not end in a win for either, but concluded in a truce with Sukhangpha marrying Rajani, the sister of Pratapdhvaj.

Suhungmung (1497-1539)

Suhungmung (Swarganarayan, Dihingia Raja), was one of the most important Ahom kings, who ruled at the cusp of Assam's medieval history. His reign broke from the early Ahom rule and established a multi-ethnic polity in his kingdom. Under him the Ahom Kingdom expanded greatly for the first time since Sukaphaa, at the cost of the Chutiya and the Kachari kingdoms. He also successfully defended his kingdom against the first Muslim invasions under Turbak Khan. During his time, the Khen dynasty collapsed and the Koch dynasty ascended in the Kamata kingdom. His general, Tonkham, pursued the Muslims up to the Karatoya river, the western boundary of the erstwhile Kamarupa Kingdom, the farthest west an Ahom king had ventured in its entire six hundred years of rule.

He was the first Ahom king to adopt a Hindu name, Swarganarayana, indicating a move towards an inclusive polity. He is also called the Dihingia Raja, because he made Bakata on the Dihing River his capital.

Expansion

Under Suhungmung the Ahom Kingdom acquired a vision of an extended polity and consolidated rule. He began by suppressing the revolt of the Aitonia Nagas in 1504 and making them accept Ahom overlordship. He surveyed the country and annexed the Habung region. But his biggest successes were against the Chutiya Kingdom.

Against Chutiya Kingdom

The conflict began in 1513 under the Chutiya king Dhir Narayana when Suhungmung annexed Mungkhrang and Namdang. The Chutiya counter attack came in 1520 when the newly established fort at Mungkhrang was taken. But the Ahoms fought back, retook the fort and extended the Ahom Kingdom to the mouth of the Tiphao River, where a new fort was constructed. This fort was soon attacked by the Chutiyas, but in the expedition lead by Suhungmung itself, they were routed. By this time Suhungmung clearly wanted to annex the Chutiya Kingdom, and was not interested in a treaty. The Chutiyas fortified Sadia but they were soon defeated. The Chutiyas were pursued further and their king and prince were killed in battle. Suhungmung took possession of the Chutiya royal heirlooms and established the office of the Sadiakhowa Gohain to look after the newly acquired region. Though this was not the end of the conflict it brought to an end the first major expansion of the Ahom Kingdom.

Against Kachari Kingdom

In 1526, Suhungmung marched against the Kachari Kingdom. In 1531 Khunkhara, the Kachari king, sent forces under his brother Detcha to drive the Ahoms away from Marangi but the Kachari army was defeated and their commander killed. The Kacharis were pursued up to the capital Dimapur and Khunkhara had to flee. Suhungmung established a Kachari prince, Detsung, as the Kachari king. But Detsung rose in revolt in a few years, and the Ahoms pursued him till Jangmarang where he was killed. The Kachari Kingdom abandoned Dimapur permanently and established their new capital at Maibong. Unlike the Chutiya Kingdom, Suhungming did not take direct possession of the Kachari Kingdom.

Muslim invasions

The first Muslim invasion of the Ahom Kingdom occurred in 1527, but it was defeated and pushed back to the Burai River. A few years later, there was another attempt when a commander advanced up the Brahmaputra in fifty vessels. This too was defeated. In yet another expedition, the Barpatra Gohain slain the commander, Bit Malik, and captured cannons and guns. The most successful among these initial raids on the Ahom Kingdom was the one led by Turbak.

Turbak, a Gaur commander, advanced against the Ahom Kingdom in April 1532 with a large force. He first faced Suklen, Suhungmung's son, at Singri. In this battle Suklen was defeated and wounded and the Ahoms retreated to Sala. The Ahoms again faced reverses at Sala and some other expeditions thereafter, but won the first significant victory in March 1533 when a naval force was defeated with heavy losses to Turbak's forces. This led to a period of stalemate with the two armies encamped on opposite banks of the Dikrai River.

The Ahoms finally attacked the invaders and defeated them in a number of battles. In the final battle fought near the Bharali River, Turbak was killed and his army pursued till the Karatoya river in present-day North Bengal. The captured soldiers subsequently became the first significant Muslim population of the Ahom Kingdom. They were called Garia since they were from Gaur, and the appellation was later extended to all Muslims. This population finally became well known as expert brass craftsmen.

The Buranjis mention the first use of firearms by the Ahoms in these battles.

Death of Suhungmung

Suhungmung was assassinated by a servant, Ratiman, who stabbed him as he slept in his palace. It is suspected that Suhungmung's son Suklenmung, who became the next king, was responsible for the death. End of the great king.

New offices

Suhungmung established new Ahom positions.

1. Borpatrogohain is the third of the great Gohains (the others being Burha Gohain and Bor Gohain, instituted by Sukaphaa). The first Barpatra Gohain was an Ahom prince brought up by a Naga chief.
2. Sadiakhowa Gohain looked after the Sadia region taken from the Chutiyas in 1523.
3. Marangikhowa Gohain looked after the lower Dhansiri river valley taken from the Kacharis.

Susenghphaa (1603-1641)

Susenghphaa, aka Pratap Singha, was the 17th and one of the most prominent kings of the Ahom kingdom. As he was advanced in years when he became king, he is also called the Burha Raja (Old king). His reign saw an expansion of the Ahom kingdom to the west, the beginning of the Ahom-Mughal conflicts, and a reorganization of the kingdom with an expanded Paik system and reoriented village economy designed by Momai Tamuli Borbarua. His expansion to the west is underlined by the two new offices that he created: that of the Borbarua and the Borphukan. The alliances he formed with the rulers of Koch Hajo resulted in formation that successfully thwarted Mughal expansion. The administrative structure that he created survived till the end of the Ahom kingdom in 1826.

Reign

Langi Gohain, the son of king Sukhamphaa, was installed as the Swargadeo by the ministers Tonkham Borgohain, Chaopet Burhagohain and Banjangi Borpatrogohain after the death of his father in 1603. At his coronation he was 58 and he assumed the name Susenghphaa accorded to him by the Tai priests.

He accepted an offer of marriage to the Jaintia princess and the subsequent events brought him into conflict with the Kachari kingdom. He also established alliance with the Koch Hajo rulers by marrying Mangaldahi, the daughter of Parikshit Narayan, in 1608.

According to historian Late Benudhar Sarma, the present form of worship of Durga with earthen idol in Assam was started during the reign of King Susenghphaa or Pratap Singha. The King heard about the festivity, the pomp and grandeur with which the King Naranarayan of Koch Bihar celebrated Durga Puja from one Sondar Gohain, who was held captive by the Koch Raja. King Pratap Singha sent artisans to Koch Bihar to learn the art of idol making. The King organised the first such Durga Puja celebration in Bhatiapara near Sibsagar. This was the first time Durga Puja with earthen idols in Assam was held for the masses, in addition to the worship in Durga temples.

The conflict between Koch Bihar and Koch Hajo drew the Mughals and finally the Ahoms into the conflict in 1615, which finally ended in 1682 with Supaatphaa a later Ahom Swargadeo removing Mughal influence for ever from Assam. An interim truce (Treaty of Asurar Ali) was signed during Susenghphaa's reign. A necessary outcome of the Ahom-Mughal conflicts was cessation of Ahom-Kachari hostilities and restoration of peace, to confront a common enemy.

Administration

As the Mughal attacks weakened Koch Hajo state powers and Ahom influence spread west, Susenghphaa appointed Langi Panisiya the first Borphukan as his western viceroy, based at Kajali, and in charge of all Ahom territories west of Kaliabor. The three classes of ministers Burhagohain, Borgohain and Borpatrogohain had their well defined areas to rule and function, and those part of the kingdom which did not fall under their jurisdiction were brought under the control of the Borbarua, a new office that was also created during the rule of Pratap Singha. Under him Momai Tamuli Borbarua, the first Borbarua, made extensive changes to the Paik system and village economy.

He redistributed populations to consolidate his rule. He moved the Bhuyans, the remnant of the Bhuyan chieftains, from the north to the south bank of the Brahmaputra, decreasing their power considerably. He moved eight thousand families to the sparsely populated Marangi area which was originally recovered from the Kachari kingdom by Suhungmung.

Creation of other posts like Rohiyal Barua, Jagiyal Gohain, Kajalimukhiya Gohain is also credited to him. For his organizational capability, political acumen and his wisdom, he was also known as Buddhi Swarganarayan.

Pratap Singha died in the year 1641 after a long reign of 38 years. Although a great part of his reign was distracted by wars with the Kacharis and the Mughals, he was still able to devote much attention the internal organisation of his kingdom, development of backward tracts and construction of roads, embankments and tanks.

Supangmung (1663-1670)

Supangmung, also known as Chakradhwaj Singha, was an important Ahom king under whom the Ahom kingdom took back Guwahati from the Mughals following the reverses at the hands of Mir Jumla and the Treaty of Ghilajharighat. He is known for his fierce pride as an Ahom monarch.

Reign

Jayadhawaj Singha left no sons, so the Ahom nobles called in the Saring Raja and placed him on the throne. He was a cousin of the Jayadhwaj Singha, and a grandson of Suleng Deoraja, a previous Saring raja and the second son of Suhungmung (Gogoi 1968:448). The new monarch was named Supangmung by the Deodhais. He assumed the Hindu name Chakradhawaj Singha. At the installation ceremony, the Jaintia Raja sent an envoy to convey his congratulation. So also did the Koch Raja of Darrang, who had sided with Mir Jumla during his invasion, and with whom friendly relations were thus restored. About the same time Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had presented a khelat or robe of honour to Chakradhawaj Singha, and the imperial envoys insisted on the king's donning them in their presence. King Chakradhawaj Singha could not stand this grave humiliation. He shouted out from his throne--"Death is preferable to a life of subordination to foreigners. I have to surrender my independence for a suit of sewn garments!"

Recapture of Guwahati

Chakradhawaj Singha soon after the start of his reign started repairing the forts at Samdhara and Patakallangand and restored the army to a state of efficiency. In March 1665 the king summoned an assembly of his ministers and nobles and ordered them to devise and adopt measures for expelling Mughals from Western Assam, adding--"My ancestors were never subordinate to any other people; and I for myself cannot remain under the vassalage of any foreign power. I am a descendant of the Heavenly King and how can I pay tribute to the wretched foreigners." Early in 1667 Saiad Firuz Khan, who succeeded Rashid Khan as Thanadar of Guwahati, sent a strongly worded letter to the Ahom King, demanding the payment of the balance of the indemnity still outstanding. On receiving this letter, Chakradhavaj Singha made up his mind to fight the Mughals.

The necessary preparation were made with all speed and in August 1667 a well equipped army set out led by Lachit Borphukan to wrest Guwahati from the Mughals. King Chakradhwaj Singha gave valuable gifts to the commanders of the expedition and delivered to them the following message--"I desire that your wives and children, and the cows and Brahmans should be duly protected and preserved; and I should also acquire the prestige and reputation of having vanquished the Mughals. If you prove incompetent in the task of defeating the enemy at Itakhuli you shall not be let off with impunity. And, do you think that there will paucity of Phukans and Rajkhowas like yourselves."

At midnight, around November 2, 1667, Itakhuli and the contiguous garrison of Guwahati fell into the hands of Ahoms. The victors took possession of the elephants, horses, guns, coins and all other articles which they found in the imperial stores in Guwahati. The enemy was chased down to the mouth of Manas River, the old boundary of Assam and Mughal India. The Ahoms also succeeded in bringing back the Assamese subjects who had been taken captives by the Mughals during the expedition of Mir Jumla.

Thus within the short span of two months the Ahoms succeeded in recovering their lost possession and along with it their lost prestige and glory, and this was due mainly to the determination and courage of Ahom King Chakradhwaj Singha. On receiving the news of victory the king cried out--"It is now that I can eat my morsel of food with ease and pleasure"

The Ideal Monarch

The king was regarded by Assamese as the fountain head of all energy and inspiration, and Lachit Barphukan was fortunate in having Swargadeo Chakradhwaj Singha as the supreme head of the state. The patriotism and self respect of this monarch have but few parallels in the history of Assam. He had to suffer in the beginning from the shameful legacies of the preceding regime. During the two years long preparation for the war with the Mughals, the monarch personnally supervised the preparations--stocking of food, arms and ammunitions, he placed the smities inside the palace enclosures to oversee their work, trained the archers with his own hand, then finally ordered the march to Gauhati when he was fully satisfied with the preparation.

Chakradhwaj Singha also sent letters to neighbouring chiefs in order to obtain their cooperation and support in his plan to resist the Mughals. The king's patriotic intent and self respect came out in the letters of the period. In June 1664, he wrote to Raja Prana Narayan of Koch Behar, "You know for yourself all about the manner in which we repeatedly dealt heavy blows upon the Mughals. If God has inflicted on us a reverse on this occasion, does it imply that we shall be subjected to discomfiture a second time?" He wrote again in February 1666, "Because the Mughals have humiliated us once, does it follow that we should make no attempt to throw off this position of subordination to them?

Chakradhwaj Singha's insight and wisdom were best shown in the selection of Lachit Barphukan as the commander in chief to lead the new army. A wrong man would have behaved differently, but the king's nominee was imbued with the same zeal and patriotism of the sprited sovereign, and he succeeded in expelling the Mughal from Assam.

Chakradhwaj Singha also ordered his Prime Minister Atan Burhagohain, a skilled soldier, military engineer and diplomat to accompany Lachit Borphukan on the campaign to oust the Mughals from Assam. While the best brains of the country, whether in statesmanship or warcraft were in the frontline at Gauhati, the King had to manage the affairs of the country with inferior talents and abilities. Sitting at the capital for nearly two years he managed and gave logistic support to the army in the front supplying men, arms and food materials.

After the recapture of Gauhati and recovery of the land up to the old boundary at Manas river, King Chakradhwaj Singha organised and streamlined the civil administration and revenue collection system of lower Assam under senior officers--Phukans and Rajkhowas adapting from the Mughal's system. From the capital he maintained an efficient civil administration in the country which was necessary to guarantee the regular reinforcements of men and materials to the Army in the frontline.

Death of King Chakradhwaj Singha

The long war has taken both physical and mental toll of the King and in April 1670 Swargadeo Chakradhwaj Singha died, just one year before the Battle of Saraighat. The King did not get the satisfaction of seeing the final defeat of the imperialist Mughal Army at Saraighat, which sealed the fate of all the Mughal plans of expansion of their kingdom to the East. Chakradhwaj Singha gave the desired momentum which paved the way for the ultimate victory of the Assamese.

Suklamphaa (1672-1674)

In November 1672, Sarugohain (Suklamphaa), the youngest brother of Chakradhwaj Singha (Supangmung), ascended the throne of the Ahom kingdom after deposing his brother Udayaaditya Singha (Sunyatphaa, 1670-1672), and assumed the Hindu name Ramadhwaj Singha.

The Mutiny

The divide between the two brothers due to their differing religious belief led to fratricide and Sarugohain took over the throne by killing his brother. Sarugohain was assisted by Debera Dakhinpatia Hazarika, Mohan Deka, Ghorakowar Bhitarual Phukan, Gajpuria Hatibarua, Parikshit Dhekeri and others. Udayaaditya's religious fanaticism under the influence of a godman had made him unpopular, and the three great Gohains implicitly supported this group

The conspirators, after killing all the king's bodyguards and officers, besieged King Udayaditya Singha in his bed-chamber. Sarugohain, seated in the audience-hall, declared himself to be king. Ghorakowar Bhitarual Phukan who assisted the new monarch in his bid for the throne was immediately elevated to the office of Borbarua.

On the following day Udayaditya was placed on a sedan and led to Charaideo Hill. His mother beseached Sarugohain to spare the life of his brother, or kill her along with the desposed monarch. Sarugohain consoled his mother saying that he and his brother would exercise joint dominion, he from his headquarters at Garhgaon and Udayaditya from his capital at Charaideo. Udayaditya was put to death soon after his arrival at Charaideo. Before he breathed his last he put a handful of rice in his mouth and said, "An innocent is being killed! O, Great God, may retribution descend on him who is committing this crime." Sarugohain then killed Paramananda Gokulpuri Sannyasi, the religious guru of Udayaditya.

The Dark period

This event started a very unstable nine-year period of weak kings, dominated by Debera Borbarua, Atan Burhagohain and Laluk-sola Borphukan in succession. This period ended with the accession of Gadadhar Singha to the throne.

Ramadhwaj Sinha ruled for about two years and was poisoned on the instructions of Debera Borbarua, the defacto ruler, when he tried to assert his authority.

Supaatphaa (1681-1696)

Supaatpha or Gadadhar Singha established the rule of the Tungkhungia clan of the Ahom kings that ruled the Ahom kingdom till its climactic end. He was the son of Gobar Raja, a descendant of Suhungmung, and who had become the king for a mere 20 days. Gobar Gohain was made the king by Debera Borbarua in 1675 and was executed after the fall of Debera Borbarua at the hands of the forces of Atan Burhagohain. After Laluk Sola Borphukan had Atan Burhagohain murdered in 1679, he installed Sulikphaa Lora Roja as the king and tried to become the de jure ruler of the Ahom kingdom. He began a campaign to inflict wounds on Ahom princes who were eligible for the throne. To escape this, Gadapani had to become a fugitive hiding in the Naga hills and his wife Sati Joymati, was tortured and killed by the henchmen of Sulikphaa and Laluk Sola Borphukan.

This period saw the ruthless power grab of Debera Borbarua and Laluk Sola Borphukan's abandonment of Guwahati and oppression via Sulikphaa Lora Roja.

Previously known as Langi Gadapani, Gadadhar Singha was able to stabilize the kingdom after the decade long turmoil. Gadadhar Singha retook Guwahati from the Mughals for good, and established a strong rule of 'blood and iron'. He came into conflict with the Vaishnava sattra and made way for Rudra Singha, his son and succeeding king, to take the kingdom to its zenith.

Gadadhar Singha made his capital at Barkola.

Reign

Political/Military

At the time of Gadadhar Singha's accession to the throne, the Ahom kingdom was being sapped by internal dissensions, and patriotic feeling had become so weakened that many deserted to the Mughal side, who had re-occupied Gauhati, and were gradually pushing their frontier eastwards. The hill tribes too became emboldened and raided villages in the plains. Before he died he had quelled all internal disputes, revived the waning national spirit, driven the Mughals beyond Manas and, by prompt punitive measures, put a stop to the raiding and restored the prestige of the Ahoms among the turbulent tribes on the frontier.

His first act after becoming the King was to equip an army to oust the Mughal from Gauhati. He appears to have met with very little opposition. The forts at Bansbari and Kajali fell at the first assault, and a great naval victory was gained near the mouth of Bar Nadi, the whole enemy fleet falling into the hands of Ahoms. In 1682 Gadadhar Singha waged the Itakhulir Rann (War of Itakhuli) and captured Guwahati back from the Mughals and brought an end to the eighty years of Ahom-Mughal conflicts. The Fauzdar of Guwahati fled and the Ahom army pursued the Mughals as far as Manas river. A vast amount of booty was taken in Guwahati, including gold and silver; elephants, horses and buffaloes, cannon of all sizes and guns, swords and spears. This was the last war with the Mughals. Henceforth both sides accepted the Manas as the boundary.

Administrative

He was a Shaivite, as were his succeeding kings, and his reign saw the beginning of the conflict between the Sattra and the Ahom kings. To help propagate this form of Hindu worship he built the Shiva temple Uma Nanda Temple (Devaloi) at the Peacock island in middle of river Brahmaputra at Guwahati. Gadadhar Singha was keenly alive to the importance of public works. He built the Dhodar Ali a 211 km. long road from Kamargaon to Joypur touching Mariani using the lazy (dhod means lazy in Assamese) opium addicts, Aka Ali and many other roads. Two stone bridges were built and a number of tanks were evacuated. The earliest known copper-plate grant recording grants of land by Ahom Kings to Brahmins or Hindu temples, date from his reign.

A noteworthy measure of this monarch was the commencement of a detailed survey of the country. Gadadhar Singha became acquainted with the land measurement system of Mughals during the time he was hiding in Lower Assam, before he succeeded to the throne. As soon as the wars were over he issued orders for the introduction of a similar system throughout his dominions. Surveyors were imported from Koch Behar and Bengal for the work. It was commenced in Sibsagar and was pushed on vigorously, but it was not completed until after his death. According to historians, the method of survey included measuring the four sides of each field with a nal, or bamboo pole of 12 feet (3.7 m) length and calculating the area, the unit was the "pura" or 144 square feet (13.4 m2) and 14,400 sq ft (1,340 m2). is one "Bigha". A similar land measurement system is still being followed in modern Assam -- 144 sq ft (13.4 m2). is one Lecha, 20 Lecha or 2,880 sq ft (268 m2). is one "Katha", and 5 Katha or 14,400 sq ft (1,340 m2). is one Bigha.

Death

Gadadhar Singha died in February, 1696, after a reign of fourteen and a half years. Gadadhar Singha left two sons, Lai and Lechai, and his elder son Lai succeeded him. Under Lai, who took the name Sukhrungphaa (Hindu name Rudra Singha), the Ahom kingdom reached its zenith. The royal robes of Swargadeo Gadadhar Singha made of gold and a gold umbrella are preserved in the Bengenaati Satra of Majuli, Assam.

Sukhrungphaa (1696-1714)

Sukhrungphaa or Rudra Singha, a Tungkhungia king, under whom the kingdom reached its zenith of power and glory. Rudra Singha, known as Lai before he became the king, was the son of the previous Ahom king Gadadhar Singha. An illiterate (probably dyslexic), he is best known for building a coalition of rulers in the region and raising a vast composite army against the Mughal Empire. He died on the eve of his march west from Guwahati.

His father had to escape persecution by the previous Ahom king and his mother, Sati Joymati, was killed in royal custody. He established his capital at Rangpur.

Reign

Political works

Though he was an illiterate himself, he had an expansive and progressive political vision, just as Akbar had. Rudra Singha subjugated the Dimasa (1706) and the Jaintia kingdoms. His father had removed the last vestiges of the Mughal rule in Assam, and he planned to extend his kingdom up to the Karatoya river, the traditional western boundary of the erstwhile Kamarupa kingdom. He began forming an alliance with different kingdoms and positioned himself at Guwahati for the expedition with a large army and fleet, along with the troops from the Dimasa-Kacharis (14,000), the Jaintiyas (10,000) and the Daflas (600), when he died. The later kings did not follow up on his plans.

Rudra Singha reversed the persecution of the Vaishnava xatras during Gadadhar Singha's reign and reinstated the xatra preceptors, including Chaturbhujdeva the satradhikari of Mayamara xatra, in their former seats. But he forbade the sudra satradhikars from initiating brahmins and brahmins from vising sudra monasteries, under the influence of the gosain of Auniati xatra who was the royal perceptor.

Administrative works

He encouraged exchanges with other kingdoms and sent ambassadors to other royal houses in various parts of India. He created khels or official positions for specifically for diplomacy, like Khaund, Kotoki, Bairagi, Doloi, Kakoti. He sent men to Delhi to learn music and Brahman boys to Gurukuls for Vedic and Sanskrit studies. He brought architects from outside for constructing the palace and other buildings in the new capital city, Rangpur. He introduced Mughal style dresses in the Ahom court. He encouraged the culture of local folk music and dance and appointed officers called Gayan Baruas. It is said that he was first Ahom king to have the Bihu celebrated in the courtyard of the palace and gave royal patronage to Bihu.

As he grew older, he felt more and more drawn towards Saktism and decided to become a sakta. However, he died before his initiation could be completed. He instructed his sons to invite the Bengali priest Krishna Ram Bhattacharyya and accept him as their religious guide.

Civil works

In the honour of the memory of his mother Sati Joymati, he dug the Joysagar tank the world largest man made tank covering comprising an area of 318 acres (1.29 km2) of land including its four banks. In 1703 he built the Rangnath (Shiva) Temple near the Borduar or main gate way on way from the Joysagar tank to the Talatal Ghar to offer prayer to Lord Shiva. In front of Rangnath Dol a pyramid shaped temple was constructed in 1703 - 04, in order to perpetuate the memory of his mother Sati Joymati, which was actually the maidam of Joymati. There are numerous other architectural monuments and structures credited to him including the Kareng Ghar (The royal palace at Rangpur) about 4 km west of Sibsagar town, the Namdang stone bridge of Gaurisagar, the Kharikatia Ali (ali means road in Assamese) the road leading from Kharikatia to Titabor, Metaka Ali, etc. The Namdang bridge, a stone bridge 60 m long , 6.5 m wide and 1.7 m thick was built over the Namdang river in 1703, is one of the best example of workmanship and engineering skill of the Ahom era. This bridge is on the National Highway no.37 and has been proudly providing service for the last 300 years.