SUALKUCHI, Nov 26 - A delegation of the National Monuments Authority, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, today visited the famous Alaboi Battlefield and the graveyard of 10,000 Assamese soldiers, who embraced martyrdom fighting the Mughal Army on August 5, 1669. The NMA team, led by its Chairman Tarun Vijay was accompanied to the area by the State Government�s Archaeology Directorate and the State Minister for Culture, Keshab Mahanta.
Madhushudhan Medhi, secretary, Saraighat Journalists� Forum and Kamal Baruah, Circle Officer, Hajo visited the Agyathuri area which was the rest camp of Lachit Borphukan who led the Ahom soldiers and the Alaboi hill area which was the rest camp of Ram Singh who led the Mugal Army. The team visited the battlefield at Pachariya, Malong, Dadara and the site of 100 earth mounds which are believed to be maidams of Assamese soldiers.
Dipti Rekha Kuli, Director of Archaeology briefed the team on the Alaboi Battle at Pachariya.
Tarun Vijay, Chairman, National Monuments Authority, appreciated the Assamese soldiers� act in the battle and termed Alaboi the Haldighati of the North East. He added that on June 18, 1557 at Haldighati in Rajasthan, the Mughals won and the Maharana Pratap of Mewar got wounded and retired into the hills. Maharana Pratap fought against the Mughal Army with 3000 horsemen. Vijay announced that a historical complex will be built at the Alaboi site with Lachit Borphukan �Bir Surya Path� and the �Alaboi Gourav Path�.
The Culture Minister Keshab Mahanta announced that a statue of Lachit Borphukan will be constructed here and the State government will observe �Alaboi Martyrs Day� on August 5 every year in association with the Saraighat Journalists� Forum.
The other members who visited the site included Dipti Rekha Kuli, Director of Archaeology Department, Nabajit Deori and Sabina Hasan, officials of the Archaeology Department and other members of the National Monuments Authority, Government of India.
ANN Service adds from Sivasagar: Later, the team from the National Monuments Authority visited Sivasagar. Other members accompanying the Chairman, Tarun Vijay were Prof (Dr) Ashvini Agarwal, Prof (Dr) Ajay Khare, Dr Vinay Kumar, Navaneet Soni (Member Secretary) and Chaitanya Sharma (Administrative Officer). Dr Dipti Rekha Kuli, Director, Archaeology, Assam and Kongkonjyoti Saikia, District Officer, Archaeology led the team to the districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo, which house hundreds of historical monuments.
Representatives of AASU Sivasagar district led by its adviser and the education secretary of AASU�s central committee Sarat Hazzarika, district president Ashim Dutta, secretary Samiran Phukan, AASU subdivisional unit president Montu Shahu, secretary Subhas Das, Manobjyoti Kalita, Jipom Bora met the team of experts and submitted a memorandum demanding among others, adoption of scientific ways of preserving, protecting and beautification measures for all monuments scattered all over the districts. The student leaders through the memorandum drew the attention of the central team to the state of neglect most of the monuments in different parts of the two districts are today, except for a few frequented by most visitors.
