312 J. M. Foster —The Temple of Jaysdgar, Upper Asam. [No. 4, 
depth is stated to be thirty*six feet in the centre; the water level is about 
two feet above that of the surrounding country, and was formerly much 
more until the bund was cut through for some now unknown purpose. The 
earth removed during the excavation was used to form the banks. In its 
immediate neighbourhood are two other immense tanks, the Othae and Rudra 
Sagar, which are now dry and were probably never completed. 
A slight historical sketch of the causes that led to the formation of this 
temple and tank will probably be found interesting. During the reign of 
Gadhadhar Singh, alias Chupatpha, (died A. D. 1G25) the Moamariahs or 
Muttacks (a people living in the north and north-east of Asam, who were 
divided into two clans, the Moamariahs so called from their being a dis¬ 
tinct sect from the generality of Asamese, and the Morans, signifying 
1 inhabitants of the jungle’) gave great trouble by incessantly making war 
upon and plundering their more peaceable southern neighbours. At last they 
became so powerful, that they elected a chief ruler of their own under the title 
of the Lora Raja, who completely defeated Gadhadhar Singh, and took 
possession of the country as far south as Jorhat.* 
According to the native MS. Chronicles, Gadhadhar Singh escaped to 
the jungles after his defeat, whilst his wife Jaymati Koorie was captured 
by the Lora Raja and tortured by him to give information as to her 
husband’s place of refuge. In the centre of the Jaysagar Tank a post now 
stands : at this spot she is said to have been daily flogged, but without its 
producing the desired effect. On being questioned as to his whereabouts, 
and a promise being made that she should be liberated if she would give the 
necessary information, she replied that she had not seen him for a long time. 
Gadhadhar Singh hearing of this presented himself one day in disguise be¬ 
fore her, and asked her why she did not point him out to his enemies. She 
at once recognized him, but refused to betray him. Addressing him 
as a friend of her brother, she told him to leave her to her fate, as his sub¬ 
mission to the Lora Raja could be of no advantage to either. Three 
times this scene was repeated, and finally Jaymati Koorie told him she 
would insult him if he troubled her any more. He at length left for the 
jungle, and she, faithful to the last, died under her tormentor’s hands. 
Now Gadhadhar Singh’s sister was married to the Bor Phukan, who 
lived at Gauhatti and was an ally of the Lora Raja ; Gadhadhar Singh 
took refuge in his house, and was so well disguised, that he remained there 
in safety, being known to his sister only, for two years or more. Ultimately, 
* It may here be noted that the Momariahs kept rising in rebellion with varying 
success until the Government was assisted by a British force in 1793. Gliargaon, the 
old capital, Rangpur, the new one, Jaysagar tank, Gaurisagar tank, and other places, 
were frequently scenes of most sanguinary battles, the fights on several occasions 
lasting three days. 
