468 Notes on Ancient Temples and other remains [June 



Copper Temple, I was induced from the reports of Deoree Sooteeahs* 

 of Suddyah to visit a temple or place of worship, situated close on the 

 left bank of the Dikrung river, and to look for other remains which 

 were said to exist in the Doab, or tract of country lying between that 

 river and the Debong, connected, according to the traditions of the 

 people, with the Rajah Bishmook before mentioned, and his capital of 

 Koondilpoor. 



We found this temple of worship about 1 miles distant from Sud- 

 dyah, the last four miles of the road lying along the bed of the Dik- 

 rung to the mouth of a small stream on the left bank, called the 

 Deopanee, in the immediate vicinity of which it is situated. This 

 extraordinary looking place, represented in sketch No. 3, and rough 

 ground plan annexed, is considered by the natives of the district, the 

 most ancient and holy spot in Upper Assam ; and the source from 

 which all other objects of worship have sprung, not even excepting that 

 of the Copper Temple. By the orthodox Hindoos, it would be consi- 

 dered an altar to Mahadeo, or Siva and Parvatti, with their attendant 

 Gunas. From its shape and the number of the Linga however, I 



* The Deoree Sooteeahs are the hereditary officiating priests of the copper temple, 

 and Boora Booree. They belong to a class of the Assamese population deserving of 

 notice, as the Sooteeahs or Chootyahs, who at one time previous to Ahom supremacy 

 held power on the North and South bank of Burrumpooter, in the modern district of Sud- 

 dyah and Saikwah, and according to their own account, are descendants of the original 

 Hindoo Khetree races of ancient Kamarupa. (The family of the late Muttack Sena- 

 puttee are Chootyahs). This tradition might derive some corroboration from the fact, 

 that the language of this race, now only known to the families of the priests, contains a 

 great proportion of Sanscrit and Hindee as well as Burmese words, which last are pro- 

 bably derived from Pali, and the whole language may therefore have been originally 

 one of the Pracrit dialects of the day ; according to the Tai races also, the " Khwam 

 Chootyah (or Chootyah,) language appears to have been the only written language in ex- 

 istence at the period of their advent in Assam ; — and it is notorious, that both Burmese and 

 Shans substitute the Y for the R, and we would then have it written more like Xshattrya or 

 Chuttryah. In the present time the Sooteeahs are called Hindoo Sooteeahs, and Ahom 

 Sooteeahs, the last named being those with whom the Ahoms or Saums intermarried at 

 an early date. The class of the Assam population known as Beheeahs in upper Assam, 

 also consider themselves belonging to the Hindoo Sooteeah family. With reference 

 indeed, to the characteristic features of the different people in Upper Assam, it may be 

 generally remarked I believe that amongst the Chootyahs— Beheeas and Killitas who 

 have not intermarried with the Saums, the high and regular features of the Hindoo pre- 

 dominate. Many of the latter indeed are very well featured, with the grey eye which we 

 frequently find amongst the Rajputs of Western India, 



