32 
J. M. Foster — Note on Gharg'ion, Asam. 
[No. 1, 
Note on Ghargaon , Asam. — By J. M. Foster, F. R. G. S., Nazeerah, 
Assam. 
Ghargaon, for many years the capital of the Ahom kings of Asam, 
is so little known, or cared for even by those acquainted with its existence, 
that it has been thought worth while to place a record of its appearance at 
the present date in the hands of those likely to appreciate such, as in all 
probability a few years more will see the place a heap of undistinguishable 
ruins, or worse still, converted into materials for building purposes, dime, 
neglect, the heavy rains of the country, and frequent earthquakes, have 
much injured this once noble pile of masonry ; but strange to say, the hand 
of man has done hut little damage so far, a few attempts to find hidden 
treasure by digging being the only mischief visible : the scarcity of inhabi- 
tants, the respect and awe with which it is regarded, may have served to 
protect it so far ; hut it is much to be regretted that so interesting a speci- 
men of architecture should have been allowed to fall into such a state, that 
the abovementioned causes, and that curse of ancient Indian masonry, the 
Pipal tree, must inevitably complete its utter ruin before many years pass 
over. 
The following extracts from “ A Descriptive Account of Asam, by 
William Robinson, 1841” give a slight sketch of the founder and the his- 
tory of the place. 
P. 318. “ Of the state of the district antecedent to the conquest of the 
Ahoms we know nothing. It was in all probability filled by an abundant 
Hindu population, from whom the bulk of the present inhabitants have de- 
scended. The Ahoms were for many generations confined to the tract east 
of the Dehing. As their power increased, their conquests extended beyond that 
river, on the left bank of which thoy founded their first capital Huluguri- 
nugur. About half-way between Jaipur and Dehing Mukh, extensive re- 
mains of the fortifications of the Nugur are still to be seen.’ 
“ On the further advance of their arms, the Ahoms removed the seat of 
government to Ghergaon on the banks of the Dikko, which continued to be 
the principal residence of the princes till the prosperity of the Ahom dynasty 
began to fade. The royal palace at Ghergaon was surrounded by a brick 
wall about two miles in circumference, but the whole town and its suburbs 
appear to have extended over many square miles of country. The ruins of 
gateways built chiefly of masonry are still to be seen within the fortified 
circumvallations which surround the town. It may be observed that one of 
the gateways is composed of stone, the blocks bearing marks of iron clamp- 
ings, which evidently shows that they once belonged to far more ancient 
