Sana Chahi Ahum and the Manipuris in 1857 revolt
- Part 1 -

Yumkhaibam Shyam Singh *

Manipuri Prince Sana Chahi Ahum, aka "Narendrajit Singh/Ranajit Singh", was a recorded leader of 1857 Revolt. He participated in the great uprising by joining the mutineers of the 34th Native Infantry, Chittagong when the latter entered into Cachar, the Barak Valley of Assam. On the prince's participation in the revolt, McCulloch, the then Political Agent at Imphal, expressed: "Shortly after the mutineers entered Cachar, they were joined by the Prince, Narendrojeet Sing who was at large."

For the great role the prince played in the revolt, he was recorded as a leader with the remark: "He joined the Chittagong mutineers with his followers." In this great uprising, the kingdom of Manipur too did not remain silent as its Raja Chandrakirti Singh and some of his courtiers supported the British heart and soul. But the Raja's people stood united against the British Government by refusing to join the recruitment rally of the "Manipur Regiment" designed to check the revolt related events in the region. They also extended psychological support to the cause of Sana Chahi Ahum.

Raja Chourjit Singh (father of Sana Chahi Ahum), being expelled from Manipur by his brother Marjit Singh in 1813, took shelter in Cachar (Kachari Kingdom) along with his brother Gambhir Singh. In Cachar, Gambhir Singh became the Commander-in-Chief of the Cachar Army under its Kachari Raja Govindchandra (1813-1830). But these Manipuri princes ousted Raja Govindchandra from Cachar and ruled over South Cachar from 1818 to 1823.

Chourjit Singh ruled over the south eastern part of Cachar making Dungurirpar his capital, and Gambhir Singh- the northern part making Gumra his Capital. When Marjit Singh joined them (1819), he was given Hailakandi (now a district of Assam). It was during this time at Dungurirpar that Raja Chourjit Singh was blessed with his son Sana Chahi Ahum on Tuesday, the 27th April, 1819. But the prince grew up at Jaribon (in Hailakandi) when the Barak Valley became a hot spot of the British economic and political activities.

As his elders defended Jaribon region with fire arms against Kuki raids, the prince had a good knowledge of the weapon. After the death of Raja Gambhir Singh on 9th January, 1834, Nur Singh became the Regent of Raja Chandrakirti Singh. But the former, being a distant member of the ruling family of Manipur, had many rival princes. Consequently, Tribhubanjit Singh, an elder brother of Sana Chahi Ahum, revolted against the Government of Manipur in May 1841, but the prince was killed at the capital of Manipur.

This event was a great shock of all the Manipuris living in Cachar. Therefore, three Princes- Pabitra Singh, Khoiraba (Leelumbar/Neelumbar) and young Sana Chahi Ahum, planned for another revolt against the Government of Manipur.

Being aware of the new development in Cachar, and also owing to the request of the Political Agent at Imphal, Captain Lyons, the then Superintendent of Cachar, arrested those three princes on 16th October, 1841, and they were removed to Dacca by an order of the Government: "H. L in Cl. (His Lordship in Council) is of opinion that the persons, Parbittar Sing, Khairaba and the brother of the late Triboobanjeet (Sana Chahi Ahum), should be removed to Dacca and detained there under such precautionary surveillance as may prevent their return to the hills without the knowledge and sanction of Government."

As Sana Chahi Ahum had not done any harm directly towards the British Government, he submitted a petition on 25th April, 1842 with "complaints of being illegally imprisoned by the Superintendent of Cachar & solicits Government to direct his release." But the prince's request was a far cry. Later, on the request of Raja Chandrakirti Singh, those three princes including Sana Chahi Ahum were released from Dacca by an order of the 7th November, 1851. Hence, Sana Chahi Ahum was under surveillance at Tejgong, Dacca for about ten years.

This haughty disposition of the Superintendent of Cachar and the surveillance in Dacca rendered Sana Chahi Ahum to become a serious enemy of the British Government. On the other hand, the prince was exposed to the then Indian politics and also to the resources and capability of the British Indian Empire. It ingrained in his mind- that until and unless a united Indian power confronted, the British rule in India would remain forever.

Coming back to Cachar, Sana Chahi Ahum did not join the revolts against Manipur of Leelumbar, Null and Kanhai in November, 1852, and that of Wangkheirakpa, Kanhai and Kishor Singh in January 1856. It appears that, with matured mind, the prince was waiting eagerly for a right moment to strike and expel the British Government from India in general and Cachar in particular. At this juncture, the mutiny of sepoys inflamed Meerut and Delhi (May, 1857) declaring Bahadur Shah Zafar as their king.

The unrest of the sepoys reverberated around Chittagong and, consequently, three companies of the 34th Native Infantry of that district mutinied on 18th November, 1857, and marched towards Dacca so that they could join there with the 73rd Native Infantry and drift united towards Delhi for a common cause against the British.

On the real motive of the sepoys of Chittagong, a special narrative of the Govt. of Bengal expressed: "Two of the mutineers, were captured by the police of Noacolly and the villagers, on being interrogated, stated that on leaving Chittagong the detachment had intended to proceed to Delhi, but hearing that the road to the north west had been closed by Europeans, they were marching eastward with a view of reaching Munipoor, and obtaining protection of the Rajah of that country."

Therefore, those tired sepoys and their families moved along the route leading to Manipur. On 17th December, 1857, when the mutineers crossed Sleingajeah (near Pratapgarh) for Latu, the Sylhet Light Infantry (British Army) led by Major R.P.V. Byng got the intelligence of their movement. Chasing them without delay, the Major's army could intercept the mutineers at Latu (Karimganj District, Assam) in the morning of the 18th December.

In the ensuing battle at the Malegarh Hills, Latu, when Major R.P.V. Byng was shot down, the mutineer's called out to the Indian sepoys of the British Army: "Now we have killed the Sahib come and join us." On the same area, C E Buckland also wrote: "The rebel sepoys, by solicitations and taunts, tried all in their power to prevent the Hindustanis who formed half of the small force (Byng's army)." These historic battlefield cries of the Chittagong mutineers showed their fellow feeling to all the Hindustani sepoys of the British Army without any tinge of caste, race and religion. With this high Hindustani (Indian) feeling, the Chittagong mutineers entered into the Barak Valley on 20th December, 1857.

In Cachar, the news of the mutiny at Chittagong and the sepoys march towards north was heard in the first week of December. Therefore, R. Stewart, the then Superintendent, remained alert. When the intelligence of the Battle of Latu was received in the night of the 19th December, the Superintendent, for security reason, arrested six Manipuri Princes of Cachar viz., Sangie Thapa, Kunnai Sing, Mypha, Hawjaw, Khem Sing and Khoirakpa. As Sana Chahi Ahum remained underground before that day, he could not be arrested.

Entering into the Barak Valley, the mutineers did not take the popular route to Panchgan where Lt. Ross and his British Army were taking position. Instead, they took more secured but dangerous mountainous pass through Sarespore Hills. They also passed the village of Companygunge at night evading the glimpse of the British Army. Lt. Ross reported that the mutineers had split into three to four groups and all were trying to enter into the district of Cachar.

These statements reveal that apparently Sana Chahi Ahum's party was cleverly guiding the mutineers towards the Bhuban Hills for rest and reorganization of the force with numerous Manipuris around. On their long march, a Manipuri tradition of Cachar expressed, "As the arms and ammunitions were in great number, the prince loaded some of them in a boat and concealed it at Kalapahar near Jaribond."

Reaching the Bhuban Hills, Sana Chahi Ahum reorganised the united force enhancing its fighting power and decided then to occupy Cachar as a part of the expulsion of the British from India. With this objective, a conspiracy was also hatched involving the people of Cachar and its Jail staff for the escape of those arrested Manipuri Princes. On the conspiracy, Longjam Roma Singh, a major of the then Manipur Army, informed the Superintendent that on certain day they would all make their escape and join the mutineers.

This warning came true as the six princes escaped in the evening of the 10th January, 1858. Since the event was a conspiracy, the Superintendent took up punishing steps on his Jail staff. R. Stewart reported: "I found the jail Darogah guilty of having allowed the prisoners to be outside the jail precincts after dark and sentenced him to suspension from employment for 6 months and I found the Burkandage guilty of extreme neglect of duty in having quitted his charge and dismissed him."

(To be contd)