Chilarai

2021-08-26T08:38:00Z

2409:4065:496:53AC:7EB5:A208:758D:CA89:

{{EngvarB|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Shukladhwaja
| title =
| image = Chilarai Dhubri.JPG
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Statue of Chilaray at Dhubri, Assam
| succession =
| spouse =
| spouse-type =
| coronation =
| reign =
| house =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| father = [[Biswa Singha of Kamata|Biswa Singha]]
| dynasty = [[Koch dynasty]]
}}

'''Shukladhwaja''' (Pron:ʃʊkləˈdwɑːdʒ) (1510-1577AD), or more popularly '''Bir Chilaray''' (Pron:/ʧɪləˌraɪ/), was the younger brother of [[Nara Narayan]], the king of the [[Koch dynasty]] of the [[Kamata kingdom]] in the 16th century. He was Nara Narayan's commander-in-chief and got his name Chilarai because, as a general, he executed troop movements that were as fast as a ''chila'' ([[kite (bird)|kite/Eagle]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://htsyndication.com/htsportal/article?arid=%221030428%22&pub=%22Assam+Tribune%22 |title=Article Details |publisher=Ht Syndication |date=3 March 2013 |accessdate=2 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035907/http://htsyndication.com/htsportal/article?arid=%221030428%22&pub=%22Assam+Tribune%22 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Biography==
Chilaray was the third son of [[Biswa Singha]] (1515–1540).<ref>Nath 1989, p. 28.</ref>

It was only due to his Royal Patronage that [[Sankardeva]] was able to establish the [[Ek Saran Naam Dharma]] in Assam and bring about his cultural renaissance. Several rulers, namely the then king of [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur]] and the Khasi tribal chief (Viryyavanta), submitted to king Chilarai. Chilaray and his army also vanquished and killed the [[Jaintia kingdom|Jaintia]] king, and kings of [[Twipra Kingdom|Tippera]] (Tripura) and Sylhet. Chilaray is said to have never committed brutalities on unarmed common people, and even those kings who surrendered were treated with respect. He was harsh to kings and soldiers who refused to surrender, but neither him nor his brother ever annexed territories or oppressed the common people. They only collected tributes from the vanquished kings. They even treated enemy prisoners kindly, and gave them land-grants to settle.

The duo (Chilaray and [[Nara Narayan]]) turned towards [[Bengal Subah|Bengal]], but unforeseen circumstances led to Chilaray's capture by the Afghan Sultan [[Sulaiman Khan Karrani]], while Naranarayan retreated to his capital. Much of the Koch kingdom was then captured by the Afghans.<ref name="Barmā2004">{{cite book|author=Sukhabilāsa Barmā|title=Bhāwāiyā: Ethnomusicological Study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yl_t8Ffy3rgC&pg=PA75|accessdate=2 June 2013|year=2004|publisher=Global Vision Publishing Ho|isbn=978-81-8220-070-8|pages=75–}}</ref>

Chilaray died in 1577 of [[small pox]] on the bank of [[Ganges]].<ref name="Hopkins2002">{{cite book|author=Donald R. Hopkins|title=The Greatest Killer: Smallpox in History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z2zMKsc1Sn0C&pg=PA141|accessdate=2 June 2013|date=15 September 2002|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-35168-1|pages=141–}}</ref>

==Bir Chilaray Divas==
The birth anniversary of Mahabir Chilaray is organised by [[Government of Assam]] annually from 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://online.assam.gov.in/web/bir-chilarai-divas |title=BirChilaray – Assam Online Portal |publisher=Online.assam.gov.in |date=1 April 2013 |accessdate=2 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121206043028/http://online.assam.gov.in/web/bir-chilarai-divas |archive-date=6 December 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Government also declares this day as state holiday. It is celebrated on the Purnima of Phagun Maah of Hindu Calendar.

==Bir Chilaray award==
The Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam instituted these awards in 2005. Theycomprise a shawl, a citation, and a cash award of Rs. 100,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.assaminfo.com/famous-people/48/bir-chilaray.htm |title=Chilaray | Bir Chilaray | Bir Chilaray | History of Chilaray | Kamata kingdom | Bir Chilaray Divas | Bir Chilaray Award |publisher=Assaminfo.com |date= |accessdate=2 June 2013}}</ref><ref>http://www.samachar.com/Bir-Chilaray-Ganesh-Gogoi-Bhaben-Saikia-awards-presented-lcvkPDcbeja.html{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book|author=Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa|title=Generalissimo Chilarai and his times: a historical biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V09uAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=2 June 2013|year=2003|publisher=Vikram Publishers}}
* {{cite book|author=Guptajit Pathak|title=Assam's history and its graphics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MdjO3XVk0MAC&pg=PA132|accessdate=2 June 2013|year=2008|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-8324-251-6|pages=132–}}
* {{cite book|last=Sarkar|first=J.N.|year=1992|contribution=Chapter IV: Early Rulers of Koch Bihar|editor-last=Barpujari|editor-first=H.K.|title=The Comprehensive History of Assam|volume=2|publisher=Assam Publication Board|place=Guwahati}}
* {{Citation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ECxUOSudNGYC|last=Nath |first=D. |title=History of the Koch Kingdom, C. 1515-1615 |pages=5–6|publisher=Mittal Publications|year= 1989|isbn=8170991099}}

[[Category:History of Bengal]]
[[Category:People from Assam]]

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