Sati Joymoti Divas: The Assamese Princess’ Sacrifice Shaped Assam’s Future

Sati Joymoti Divas (সতী জয়মতী দিৱস): Sati Jaymati, also known as Joymati Konwari, an Ahom Princess, is one of those socio-historical figures who is still part of the Assamese people’s collective consciousness.

She is remembered as a patriot and martyr, promoted as a national hero, and cherished as a symbol of the ideal wife, mother, and adobe of feminine virtues throughout the last century and to this day. She is even revered as a divine manifestation.

সতী জয়মতী দিৱসৰ এই পবিত্ৰ ক্ষণত স্বদেশৰ স্বাৰ্থত চৰম যাতনা সহি আত্ম-বলিদান দিয়া সতী জয়মতীৰ চৰণত যাচিছোঁ শতকৌটি প্ৰণিপাত। সাহসৰ জীৱন্ত প্ৰতীক মহিয়সীগৰকীৰ ত্যাগ আৰু স্বদেশপ্ৰেমে সকলোকে সদায়ে উদ্বুদ্ধ কৰি যাওক, তাকেই কামনা কৰিছো। pic.twitter.com/xQ9MXaVoP4

— Ashok Singhal (@TheAshokSinghal) March 27, 2023

Soti Joymoti’s sacrifice for her country paved the way for Assam’s Ahom Kingdom to become stronger and more stable. Many people are inspired by her story of patriotism.

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Sati Joymoti and rise of Ahom Kingdom

Between 1671 and 1681, the state of Assam was undergoing a tumultuous period under the rule of many inept kings who were mere puppets at the hands of their Nobles and Prime Ministers, who were descendants of the Shan prince, Sukaphaa. At this time, King Gadapani took full and strong control of Assam, reclaiming the region of lower Assam and Guwahati from the hands of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. But his ascension to the throne would not have been possible without Joymoti’s selfless surrender.

Jaymati was born in the middle of the 17th century in Madhurigaon, Sivasagar, to Lai Thepena Borgohain and Chandradaru (close to Jorhat). Lai Thepena had twelve wives. Jaymati was his first wife Chandradaru’s daughter. She had a total of 24 brothers, 11 stepmothers, and 12 sisters.

Jaymati married King Godapani (Godadhar/Supaatpha), son of Gobar Roja of the Tungkhugia family, through a Choklong (Ahom tradition) marriage.

Godapani was young, attractive, dynamic, and capable of making sound decisions. Despite his lack of formal education, he demonstrated the qualities of a leader with political acumen and foresight.

Sensing trouble from Lora Roja, Godapani fled to the Naga Hills (Nagaland) on the advice of his wife Joymati and took refuge under the love and care of a Naga damsel ‘Dalimi’. ‘Lora Roja’ translates to ‘Boy King’ in English. Sulikphaa became king at a young age, earning him the title Lora Roja.

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His escape caused a huge uproar in the court, and troops were dispatched to track him down. When the king’s men were unable to locate Gadapani, his wife, Joymoti, was summoned, as it was assumed that she must be aware of her husband’s whereabouts. Joymoti was subjected to agonising torture in an attempt to force her to reveal her husband’s hiding place, but no amount of pressure could sway her. In ‘Jerenga pathar’ in Sivasagar, she was tortured for fourteen days.

When Godapani learned of his wife’s torture, he went to Jarenga Pather in disguise and asked Jaymati to tell Lora Raja the truth. She refused to tell Lora Raja anything and stood firm in her decision. Instead, she asked Godapani to leave. If he was apprehended and imprisoned, her dream of establishing an empire with stable socioeconomic and political conditions, led by Godapani, would be dashed.

Joymati’s devotion to her husband and kingdom is admired, so she was bestowed with the title Sati. She attempted to save her kingdom and people from Sulikphaa’s atrocities and quickly became a symbol of bravery. Her altruistic sacrifice, patriotism, courage, honesty, and pride earned her the title of Assamese hero. Her greatness is manifested through her selfless and sincere truthfulness, heroism, patriotism, and self-respect. The self-sacrifice was made not only to save her husband’s life, but also to protect a patriotic king who could restore society’s peace and tranquillity.

The story of Soti Joymoti, on the other hand, lives on in the architecture built in her honour by her elder son, Sukhrungphaa, or Lai. The Joysagar tank, the largest of the Ahom Kings’ tanks and India’s largest man-made lake, stands on the site where Joymoti was tortured three centuries ago in Sivsagar. A two-kilometer-long earthen water pipeline once connected the tank to Rangpur Palace (Kareng Ghar), supplying water to the royal palace.