A BRIEF NOTE ON DHAKUAKHANA

By : MISS   NAMITA  DUTTA

                    Dhakuakhana is a vast area comprising a great number of villages and some growing towns’ .Geographically; it is situated between 27.60 degree to 27.35 degree north latitude and 94.24 degree to 94.42 degree east longitude. It is a vast and extended area situated between the mighty Brahmaputra and its tributary Subansiri. Enriched by the silt left behind by these two and many other rivers this fertile region is ideal for cultivation. Of course during the rainy season many places of this area get inundated by the rivers and become end inaccessible, when boat becomes the only means of communications. But when winter comes narrow and Jig-jag ways through jungles and paddy fields give one and ardent calling.

                Till the coming of the Soumarpith   Ahoms, under the leadership of SUKAFA in 13thcentury AD. Dhakuakhana was known as HABUNG. The legendary leader perhaps aimed at HABUNG. But he despised his plan when HABUNG got submerged during the devastating flood in 1244 AD and sailed to Dikhowmukh. After SU-KA-FA’S retreat, the Bhunyas of Lakhimpur included the region into their kingdom. It is however unknown, howlong they ruled HABUNG.

                The two major rivers/tributaries that run through HABUNG are CHARIKORIA and KORHA.  The nomenclatures are interesting.  CHARIKORIA  said  to have  her  name  from  the  four ‘KORIS’ (wins) that people had to pay to the boatmen to take them across.  On the other hand during Ahom  rule the royal tax collectors used to came by KORHA and had taken away  goods forcefully from the tenants who failed to pay the taxes. Thus the river came to be known as KORHA which means takings away forcefully.                           

            According to folklore the Harhi Than (temple) in Dhakuakhana was originally at Gowal gaon. During the 3^rd  Burmese invasion some Burmese soldier took shelter in the temple and destroyed its purity by cow slaughtering and taking beef inside the temple. The Goddess there after said to have ordered the priest of the temple to shift it to Dewolia gaon in dream. The priest also got order in the dream. The priest also got order in the dream to dig a canal connecting the rivers Charikoria and m by the canal. When the priest chased his dream to the locals, they decided to act accordingly. While digging the canal they used betel –mut leaves which was in Assamese called “DHAKUA”to displace the earth and the Assamese meaning of “to dig”being “khanda” the canal carse to be known as DHAKUAKHANA.

             Long before the colonial rule started there was a market (phat or hut in Assamese)in the bank of Charikoria in front of today’s Dhakuakhana police thana . People coming from different direction enjoyed Bihu collectively at this place and later it became famous as PHAT BIHU. This Phat Bihu is enjoyed and arranged even today and it attacks people of the whole country and seen from abroad. Last year famous social scientist R.S.Mann. (KANADA)visited Dhakuakhana to enjoy this festival.

             Along with Phat Bihu festival observed every spring another noteworthy place worth visiting in Dhakuakhana is the famous BASHUDEV TEMPLE. Situated in the bank if Champara it is 14km west to the Dhakuakhana police thana.Great Ahom king Shivasingha patronized this temple and his copper slate insertion about donating 250 a cres of land to the temple is still preserved in the temple.

            The history of Habung is closely related with the Bhaktty movement started in Assame by Shankardeva. His great diseiple  Mahapurukh Madhabdeva passed  his childhood Ghagaritool.During, Ahom rule Sanskrit was taught in “tools”here.Moftlal Mills report gives a better idea of the development if education in this region during colorias rule. Today, Dhakuakhana is marching equal in respect of education and culture with the rest of the world.Looking in other material aspects of development the people of Dhakuakhana are but keen in this respect and consistanthy tryng to make a slobal impact.

            That is why perhaps noted educationist Shart Chandra Goswami said, “DHAKUAKHANA   IS  AN  ABODE OF GENTLEMAN.”