The Moamoriya Rebellion — Question Answer
Welcome to HSLC Guru. This post provides complete ASSEB Class 9 Social Science History Chapter 3 solutions for The Moamoriya Rebellion.
সাৰাংশ: মোৱামৰীয়া গণ বিদ্ৰোহ আছিল আহোম ৰাজ্যৰ বিৰুদ্ধে ১৭৬৯ চনৰ পৰা ১৮০৫ চনলৈ চলা এক দীৰ্ঘম্যাদী কৃষক তথা গণ অভ্যুত্থান। মায়ামৰা সত্ৰৰ অনুগামী মোৰান, চুতীয়া, কছাৰী আদি নিম্ন শ্ৰেণী আৰু জনজাতীয় লোকসকলে ৰাজনৈতিক নিপীড়ন, ধৰ্মীয় বৈষম্য আৰু পাইক ব্যৱস্থাৰ শোষণৰ বিৰুদ্ধে এই বিদ্ৰোহ কৰিছিল। বিদ্ৰোহকাৰীসকলে বাৰকৈ ৰাজধানী ৰঙপুৰ দখল কৰি নিজৰ ৰজা পাতিছিল। এই বিদ্ৰোহে আহোম ৰাজতন্ত্ৰ আৰু শাসনব্যৱস্থা সম্পূৰ্ণৰূপে দুৰ্বল কৰি পেলাইছিল আৰু পৰোক্ষভাৱে বৰ্মীয়া আক্ৰমণ তথা ব্ৰিটিছ শাসনৰ পথ মুকলি কৰিছিল। ইয়াৰ ফলত ওপৰ অসমত সৰ্বানন্দ সিংহৰ নেতৃত্বত মটক ৰাজ্য গঠন হৈছিল।
Summary: The Moamoriya Rebellion was a long series of peasant and popular uprisings against the Ahom kingdom that lasted from 1769 to 1805. Followers of the Mayamara Sattra — mainly Morans, Chutias, Kacharis and other lower-caste and tribal peasants — rose against political oppression, religious discrimination and the exploitation of the paik system. The rebels repeatedly captured the capital Rangpur and even installed their own kings. The revolt shattered the Ahom monarchy and its administrative machinery, indirectly opening the way for the Burmese invasions and eventual British rule. One lasting outcome was the creation of the Matak kingdom under Sarbananda Singha in upper Assam.
Textbook Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer
1. What is Mayamara?
Answer: Mayamara is a Vaishnava Sattra, that is, a religious and cultural organisation devoted to spreading the principles and devotional practices of the Neo-Vaishnavite faith.
2. What is a Sattra?
Answer: A Sattra is a religious and cultural institution that propagates the Ekasarana Neo-Vaishnavite religion preached by Sankardeva and Madhavdeva.
3. What is Songhoti (Samhati)?
Answer: A Samhati is one of the sub-sects or divisions within the Ekasarana Vaishnava tradition of Assam, such as the Brahma, Purusha, Nika and Kala Samhatis.
4. During the reign of which Ahom king did the Moamoriya Rebellion begin?
Answer: The rebellion began during the reign of Swargadeo Lakshmi Singha.
5. During the reign of which Ahom king did the rebellion conclude?
Answer: It concluded during the reign of Swargadeo Kamaleswar Singha.
6. Which Ahom king adopted the title Swargadeo/Swarganarayan?
Answer: King Suhungmung (the Dihingia Raja) adopted the title Swarganarayan.
7. During the reign of Surampha (Bhagaraja), which Satradhikar was murdered?
Answer: Guru Nityanandadeva of the Mayamara Sattra was murdered.
8. Which Satradhikar was humiliated in the royal court of Rudra Singha?
Answer: Satradhikar Chaturbhujdev was humiliated in the court of Rudra Singha.
9. Who was the chief deity of the Ahoms?
Answer: The chief deity of the Ahoms was Somdev (Chomdeo).
10. Which Satradhikar did Jaydhwaj Singha accept as his religious preceptor?
Answer: Jaydhwaj Singha accepted Niranjandev of the Auniati Sattra as his religious preceptor.
11. Which Satradhikar did Rudra Singha accept as his religious preceptor?
Answer: Rudra Singha accepted Keshabdev of the Auniati Sattra as his religious preceptor.
12. Who was Krishnaram Bhattacharya?
Answer: Krishnaram Bhattacharya was a Shakta Brahman scholar from Nadia in Bengal, who came to be known as the Parbatiya Gosain.
13. During which Ahom king’s reign did Shaktism become very strong?
Answer: Shaktism became very strong during the reign of Swargadeo Siva Singha.
14. Who was Gagini?
Answer: Gagini was the son of the Moamoriya Mahanta Ashtabhuj.
15. Whom did the Moamoriyas first make king?
Answer: The Moamoriyas first made Ramakanta (Ramananda), the son of Nahar Khora, their king.
16. How long did Captain Welsh stay in Assam?
Answer: Captain Welsh stayed in Assam from November 1792 to May 1794.
17. Where was salt produced in Assam?
Answer: Salt was produced in the Sadiya and Nagapahar (Naga Hills) region of Assam.
18. Why were common people unable to use salt?
Answer: Because salt was an extremely expensive commodity, common people were unable to use it.
Long Answer
19. Who were the Moamoriyas? Can this rebellion be called a mass uprising?
Answer: The Moamoriyas were the followers of the Mayamara (Moamara) Sattra. This Sattra was a Vaishnava monastery led by a Sudra Mahanta, and most of its disciples were Morans, Chutias, Kacharis, Ahom peasants and other people from the lower castes and tribal communities. These people had to bear the burden of social discrimination and the harsh labour of the paik system, and so they nursed deep resentment against the ruling power. Since the countless people who took part in the revolt were ordinary peasants and common folk of various professions, it can rightly be called a mass uprising. It was not a war fought by a single individual or faction to seize power, but a collective uprising by a large section of the people against exploitation and injustice.
20. Analyse the political causes of the Moamoriya Rebellion.
Answer: There were several political causes behind the Moamoriya Rebellion. The Mayamara Sattra and its Mahantas were repeatedly insulted in the Ahom court; during the reign of Surampha (Bhagaraja) the Mayamara guru Nityanandadeva was murdered, and Satradhikar Chaturbhujdev was humiliated in the court of Rudra Singha. The powerful Barbarua Kirtichandra cruelly punished and insulted the Moamoriya leaders Ragh Neog and Nahar, which acted as the direct spark of the revolt. In addition, intrigue in the royal court, struggles for power and the oppression of the ruling class created hatred and rebellious feeling among the common subjects. Thus long years of political oppression and humiliation ultimately forced the Moamoriyas to take up arms.
21. Do you think the change in the religious policy of the Ahoms was a cause of the Moamoriya Rebellion? Discuss.
Answer: Yes, the change in the religious policy of the Ahoms was a major cause of the Moamoriya Rebellion. In the beginning the Ahom kings worshipped their traditional deity Somdev, but gradually they adopted Hinduism, and particularly Shaktism. During the reign of Siva Singha, under the influence of the Parbatiya Gosain (Krishnaram Bhattacharya), Shaktism became very strong, and Bar Raja Phuleswari forced Vaishnava Mahantas to bow before Shakta deities and wear a mark of blood. Such humiliation created intense resentment among the Vaishnavas, especially the followers of the Sudra-led Mayamara Sattra. Moreover, by patronising the Brahmin Sattras (such as Auniati) and belittling the Sudra Sattras, the court deepened social division and discontent. Therefore, the change in religious policy and the resulting discrimination were an important cause of the rebellion.
22. How far was the paik system responsible for the Moamoriya Rebellion?
Answer: The paik system was largely responsible for the Moamoriya Rebellion. Under Ahom rule, every adult male between the ages of 16 and 50 had to render unpaid corvée labour or service to the state, and such men were called paiks. The paiks were organised into gots, and among them there was a class division between the Kanri paiks (engaged in menial work) and the Chamua paiks (exempt from corvée and enjoying higher status). The lower-caste and tribal followers of the Mayamara Sattra had to bear most of the hard and degrading labour. This unequal division of labour and exploitation created deep discontent among the common people, which eventually took the form of rebellion. Hence this system of economic and social exploitation was a fundamental cause of the revolt.
23. Discuss the results of the Moamoriya Rebellion.
Answer: The results of the Moamoriya Rebellion were far-reaching and destructive. Politically, this civil war, which lasted for nearly three decades, completely shattered the Ahom monarchy and administrative system. As the army and the treasury grew weak, the kingdom lost its capacity for self-defence, which later opened the way for the Burmese invasions and British intervention. Socially and economically, countless people lost their lives, many villages were destroyed, and agriculture and trade were thrown into disorder. As a result, a separate Matak kingdom was formed in upper Assam under the leadership of Sarbananda Singha. On the whole, the rebellion changed the course of Assam’s history forever.
24. Do you think the Moamoriya Rebellion was successful or unsuccessful? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: The Moamoriya Rebellion may be called partly successful and partly unsuccessful. On the one hand, this rebellion, which lasted for nearly 36 years, completely weakened the Ahom power and dealt a heavy blow to the oppressive administration; in this sense it was successful. Moreover, as a result of the revolt the Matak kingdom was established in upper Assam, which was a major gain for the rebels. On the other hand, the Moamoriyas could not achieve their main goal of completely overthrowing the Ahom dynasty and establishing a stable and equitable government. Because the kingdom became weak, the Burmese and the British later got the opportunity to enter Assam, which was a negative consequence of the revolt. Therefore, on the whole, the rebellion can be said to have been only partly successful.
25. Under what circumstances did Captain Welsh come to Assam? Why did he go back?
Answer: As a result of the Moamoriya Rebellion, Swargadeo Gaurinath Singha fell into a grave crisis, and when the rebels captured the capital he had to flee to Guwahati. In this dangerous situation he appealed to the British East India Company for help. Accordingly, the Company sent a military force under Captain Welsh, and Welsh reached Assam in November 1792. He restored Gaurinath Singha to power and helped in suppressing the rebellion. However, because of the non-intervention policy of the Governor-General of Bengal, Sir John Shore, Welsh was recalled, and in May 1794 he left Assam and went back.
26. Describe the role played by Captain Welsh in suppressing the Moamoriya Rebellion.
Answer: Captain Welsh played an important role in suppressing the Moamoriya Rebellion. Arriving in Assam in 1792, he carried out several successful campaigns against the rebels with the help of his trained army. He recovered Guwahati and, after defeating the rebels, restored Gaurinath Singha to the throne. In 1793 he also signed a commercial treaty with the Ahom kingdom, which established trade relations between the two sides. Although he could not completely suppress the rebellion, his intervention temporarily saved the Ahom power. After he went back, however, the rebellion flared up again.
27. Discuss Captain Welsh’s account of Assam.
Answer: During his stay in Assam, Captain Welsh recorded a detailed account of its political, social and economic condition, which is a valuable source for the history of Assam of that time. He described the Ahom administrative system, the paik system, and the struggles for power and internal conflicts in the court. His account also mentions the agriculture, trade and resources of Assam; he even wrote about the volume of trade between Assam and Bengal. Although his account shows a tendency to praise the British role, it remains a very important document for understanding the society and economy of late-eighteenth-century Assam.
Short Notes
28. Kirtichandra Barbarua
Answer: Kirtichandra Barbarua was a very powerful and arrogant minister during the reign of Swargadeo Lakshmi Singha. He insulted and severely punished the Mahanta of the Mayamara Sattra and the Moamoriya leaders, which became a direct cause of the rebellion. His oppression and arrogance created intense resentment among the common subjects. After the rebellion broke out, the rebels captured and killed him.
29. Mayamara Sattra
Answer: The Mayamara (Moamara) Sattra was a Vaishnava monastery led by a Sudra Mahanta and belonging to the Kala Samhati. Most of its disciples were Morans, Chutias and other people of the lower castes and tribal communities. The growing strength and influence of this Sattra created conflict with the Ahom power. The followers of the Mayamara Sattra were the main driving force of the Moamoriya Rebellion.
30. Purnananda Burhagohain
Answer: Purnananda Burhagohain was an able and courageous prime minister (Burhagohain) of the Ahom kingdom who held office for a long time from 1782. During the worst crisis of the rebellion, he controlled the situation with a firm hand and tried to save the kingdom. He suppressed many revolts and also came to terms with the Mataks. His capable leadership protected the crumbling Ahom kingdom for some time.
31. Kanri paik and Chamua paik
Answer: In the Ahom paik system, the paiks were mainly divided into two classes — the Kanri paiks and the Chamua paiks. The Kanri paiks were greater in number, yet they were assigned to lower and hard labour and enjoyed low social status. The Chamua paiks, on the other hand, were fewer in number, but they were exempt from corvée labour and held higher status. This unequal class division created discrimination and discontent in society.
32. The trade treaty between Welsh and Gaurinath Singha
Answer: In 1793 a trade treaty was signed between Captain Welsh and Swargadeo Gaurinath Singha. By this treaty, a fixed rate of duty was imposed on imports and exports in the trade between Assam and Bengal. To regulate this trade, customs officers were appointed at places such as Guwahati. This treaty is significant as the first step in the spread of British commercial influence in Assam.
33. Bar Raja Phuleswari
Answer: Bar Raja Phuleswari was the consort of Swargadeo Siva Singha, who took a direct part in the governance of the kingdom and even issued coins in her own name. She was a staunch follower of Shaktism and was active in spreading it. She forced Vaishnava Mahantas, especially the Mayamara Mahanta, to bow before Shakta deities and wear a mark of blood. This humiliation created deep resentment among the Vaishnavas and prepared the background for the rebellion.
34. Parbatiya Gosain
Answer: Parbatiya Gosain was the title of Krishnaram Bhattacharya, a Shakta Brahman scholar who came from Nadia in Bengal. He was called the Parbatiya (hill) Gosain because he was settled on the Nilachal (Kamakhya) hill. He became the family priest of the Ahom royal family and increased the influence of Shaktism in the court. It was under his influence that the Ahom royal family was drawn towards Shaktism instead of Vaishnavism.
35. Sarbananda
Answer: Sarbananda was a leading Moamoriya chief of upper Assam. During the rebellion he established his own power in upper Assam, founded the independent Matak kingdom and assumed the title Sarbananda Singha. Through negotiations with Purnananda Burhagohain, he secured a semi-autonomous status for the Matak kingdom. The establishment of the Matak kingdom was a lasting outcome of the Moamoriya Rebellion.
36. Bharat Singha
Answer: Bharat Singha was a king placed on the throne by the Moamoriyas, and he was related to the Mayamara Mahanta. The rebels enthroned him in order to establish their own rule against the Ahom power. Later, while suppressing the rebellion with the help of allies such as the Singpho and Khamti, the Ahom power defeated and killed him.
37. Rangpur city
Answer: Rangpur was the capital of the Ahom kingdom, which was established and expanded during the reign of Swargadeo Rudra Singha (1707). It was a large and prosperous city containing the royal palace and various important buildings. During the Moamoriya Rebellion the rebels repeatedly captured this capital, and the city was damaged again and again. Rangpur is important in the history of Assam as the centre of Ahom power.
Extra Questions and Answers
1. From when to when did the Moamoriya Rebellion continue?
Answer: The Moamoriya Rebellion continued from 1769 to 1805, that is, for nearly 36 years.
2. Who founded the Matak kingdom?
Answer: Sarbananda Singha founded the Matak kingdom in upper Assam.
3. Who were the first two chief leaders of the Moamoriya Rebellion?
Answer: Ragh (Raghav) Neog and Nahar (Nahar Khora) were the first two chief leaders of the rebellion.
4. From which communities did the Moamoriyas mainly come?
Answer: The Moamoriyas came mainly from the Morans, Chutias, Kacharis, Ahom peasants, Kaibartas and other lower-caste and tribal people.
5. The Moamoriya Rebellion indirectly opened the way for the entry of which foreign powers into Assam?
Answer: By weakening the Ahom kingdom, the rebellion indirectly opened the way for the entry of the Burmese and the British into Assam.
Key Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Moamoriya | A follower of the Mayamara Sattra; the common people who took part in the rebellion |
| Paik | An adult male liable to render unpaid corvée labour or service to the state |
| Got | A unit of three or four paiks under the Ahom paik system |
| Satradhikar | The religious head or preceptor of a Sattra (Vaishnava monastery) |
| Burhagohain | A high-ranking minister of the Ahom kingdom, comparable to a prime minister |
| Matak Rajya | The semi-autonomous kingdom founded by Sarbananda Singha as a result of the rebellion |