Padma Shri historian JN Phukan leads landmark exploration of Ahom–Nocte heritage in Arunachal

Padma Shri awardee and eminent historian Professor Jogendra Nath Phukan has embarked on a significant historical sojourn in Arunachal Pradesh, leading a path-breaking initiative to explore and document ancient sites linked to the Ahoms and the Noctes in the Deomali sub-division of Tirap district. 

The initiative marks an important step towards uncovering shared historical narratives of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh that have remained largely undocumented on the ground.

The delegation, led jointly by Professor Phukan and Arunachal Pradesh Minister for Environment and Forest, Geology, Mining and Minerals, and DoTCL Wangki Lowang, undertook an extensive visit to Sumsi village on Thursday. The visit focused on examining heritage structures and interacting with local communities to gather oral histories and traditional knowledge associated with the region’s past.

During the visit, the delegation examined an ancient maidam in Sumsi village, believed to date back to the glorious Ahom era. A maidam, also known as a moidam, is an earthen mound of stones raised over graves, a funerary practice traditionally followed by the Ahoms. Preliminary historical references suggest the structure could be more than three centuries old.

Noted Assam historian Surya Kumar Bhuyan, in his seminal work Assam Buranji, recorded that the mother of Swargadeo Joydhaj Singh, the Ahom king, died at Namsang during the invasion of Mir Jumla in 1662. Local belief in Sumsi village holds that the massive earthen mound located there is the maidam of Joydhaj Singh’s mother, a claim that has been passed down generations through oral tradition.

To establish the historical authenticity of the site, Professor Phukan and his team interacted extensively with villagers, documenting narratives, customs and local accounts associated with the maidam, which is estimated to be around 335 years old. The delegation was accorded a warm and cordial welcome by the villagers, led by Raja Wang Glok Lowang, reflecting strong community interest in preserving and validating their historical heritage.

The visit is being seen as a crucial first step towards systematic historical documentation and conservation of Ahom–Nocte heritage sites in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, with scholars and local leaders alike expressing hope that further research will bring national attention to the region’s rich but lesser-known past.