Assam's Sikh community to celebrate 204 years of history this October

Raha, July 11: More than two centuries after the first Sikh settlers arrived in Assam, the Assamese Sikh community of Chaparmukh Singh Gaon in Raha is preparing to commemorate the milestone with a three-day celebration in October.

Organised by the Axomiya Sikh Santha, the three-day event will commemorate the community's 204-year journey in Assam, while paying tribute to the Sikh soldiers who first arrived in the state during the Ahom era.

"It is a proud moment for us that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has given us time to hold the programme in October. Based on his availability, we have planned a three-day event. Today, we are inspecting the venue. The chief minister has been invited to attend as the chief guest," Axomiya Sikh Santha president and vice-chairman of the Assam Government's Minority Development Board, Rajbir Singh, said.

He said the organisers would seek the necessary permission from the district administration after finalising the venue.

"We hope the event is organised peacefully. It is a significant occasion for the Assamese Sikh community. We will coordinate with the District Commissioner, the local MLA and other authorities to ensure everything is conducted as planned," Singh added.

The origins of the Assamese Sikh community date back to the reign of Ahom Swargadeo Chandrakanta Singha. During the Burmese invasions of Assam, Punjab Kesari Maharaja Ranjit Singh sent around 500 Sikh soldiers to assist the Ahom kingdom.

Many of them were killed while fighting the Burmese at Hadirachoki, while a group of surviving soldiers moved eastward and eventually settled along the banks of the Titaimari River at Chaparmukh.

Over the years, the settlers established homes, built a Gurudwara and gradually made Assam their permanent home.

From Chaparmukh Singh Gaon, the community spread to different parts of the state, identifying themselves as Axomiya Sikhs and becoming an integral part of Assam's social and cultural landscape.

Preparations for the event are already underway, with organisers stating that the celebration will showcase the community's contribution to Assam's history, culture and communal harmony, while paying tribute to the Sikh soldiers whose sacrifices laid the foundation of the Assamese Sikh community.

The anniversary is expected to draw members of the Assamese Sikh community from across the state and beyond to Chaparmukh Singh Gaon, regarded as the birthplace of the Assamese Sikh community in Assam.