Social Structure
- Society was categorised into clans or khels. The Khel often controlled several villages.
- Ahoms worshipped their own tribal gods but accepted the Hindu religion and the Assamese language.
- However, the Ahom kings did not completely abandon their traditional beliefs after embracing Hinduism.
- Intermarriages with locals also reinforced the processes of assimilation of Ahoms into Assamese culture.
Military
- The Ahom king was the supreme commander of the state as well as the armed forces.
- The King himself led the state forces in times of war.
- The Paiks were the main army of the state. They were divided into two categories i.e serving and on standby.
- The off-duty Paiks formed a permanent militia that the Kheldar (an experienced military organizer) could mobilize at short notice.
- The entire contingent of the Ahom army consisted of infantry, marines, artillery, elephants, cavalry, and spies.
- The main weapons of war consisted of bows and arrows, swords, spears, pistols, bolts, and cannons.
- They sent spies into the enemy camp to study the enemy’s strength and war strategies before leading an expedition.
- Ahom soldiers were experts at fighting a guerrilla war.
Culture
- Land was granted to poets and scholars, and the theater was encouraged.
- Important Sanskrit works were translated into the vernacular.
- Historical works known as buranjis were also written first in the Ahom language and later in Assamese.
Causes of Decline of Ahom Dynastry
(a) Moamoria rebellion:
- A religio-political rebellion against the Ahoms and their cold attitude towards the Koch, Kachari, and Motok tribes.
- When the Ahoms established their rule in India, they were successful because of their flexibility and respect for local beliefs, and the people themselves had now become intolerant of change.
(b) Weak Successors and Economic Downfall
(c) Conflicts over internal issues.
(d) Invasion of Burma.
Ahom Dynasty : History, Social and Political Structure and Causes of Decline
The Ahom Dynasty, also commonly termed as the Ahom Kingdom, ruled over the Northeast region of India, present-day Assam for nearly 600 years. Founded in the 13th century, the Ahom Dynasty saw the rise of a powerful kingdom that expanded its influence over neighbouring territories.