104 E. A. Gait — Historical Research in Assam. [Junk, 



be Vnm^dvalis in the possession of the Rajas of BeUolfi, Dimuria, Rani, 

 and Luki, and tliat much historical information might be obtained from 

 the records of the Barpeta sattra and the sattra of Upper Assam. 



Some of the old Musalman families of Sylhet may have records 

 which would help us to learn something of the history of that district 

 during Muhammadan rule. 



14. Of historical references in religious writings, there are two 



kinds. First, there are the old traditions 

 Eeferences in religious works. of the Yoginl Tantra, i\\Q Visnu Fur ana, 



and similar works ; and secondly, there 

 are the writings of the religious revival inaugurated by Sankar Deb, 

 such as the Guru Garitra and SaTjkar Debar Jlhan-caritra. To the 

 former kind we are indebted for most of what is known of the country 

 prior to the Khyen kings, while from the latter we learn about the 

 advent of the Baro Bhuiyas, and gather sundry contemporaneous refer- 

 ences to Musalman invasions, &c. Some of tliese works have been 

 printed. 



15. Lastly, we come to the still unwritten traditions ot the people. 



It is doubtful how far these will serve 

 Traditions. our purpose, but there is no doubt that 



they will sometimes be of use. Thus, I 

 have been given a list of 21 Jaintia kings, whose names have been 

 handed down by tradition. Of these, the 7th and 8th are mentioned 

 in the Asdm Bura7iji as father and son, and as having reigned some- 

 time between 1611 and IG49 A. D. ; and the 15th as having reigned 

 sometime between 1695 and ]714 A.D. ; the 20th, we know, died in 1832. 

 So far, therefore, as can be judged from these outside references, the 

 traditional names and order of reigning of the Jaintia kings may be 

 I'elied upon as correct. 



The Chutiyas similarly may have some traditions which would 

 help us. We know from Ahom sources that their deoris were worship- 

 ping at the copper temple at Sadiya 400 years ago, and it w^ould be 

 strange if they could not tell us something of the time when their own 

 rajas ruled the country prior to their subjugation by the Ahoms. 



16. I have detailed above the different sources of information 



from which, so far as I can see, we are 

 Action to be taken now. likely to be able to collect information 



regarding the ancient history of Assam. 

 The action which we should now proceed to take is noted below : 



Go ins — 



(1) Old Ahom coins to be read, and a search to be made for the 

 coins of kings not yet collected. 



