Vision Academy EducareVision Academy Educare
Question 86 of 91 · Mughal Empire
Questioneasy
This question was previously asked in

Defence

The Ahom general Lachit Borphukan is famous for defeating the Mughal army in 1671 in the Battle of:

Answer View answer ▾

Answer: Option D — Saraighat

Detailed Solution

Lachit Borphukan, the general of the Ahom kingdom of Assam, is famous for defeating the Mughal army in the Battle of Saraighat, fought in 1671 on the Brahmaputra river near Guwahati.

Background:

  • The Ahom kingdom ruled the Brahmaputra valley of Assam for about 600 years (1228-1826).
  • In 1662, the Mughal general Mir Jumla, under Aurangzeb, invaded Assam and captured the Ahom capital, Garhgaon.
  • The Ahoms were forced to accept a humiliating treaty, giving up territory including Guwahati.
  • The Ahom king Chakradhwaj Singha appointed Lachit Borphukan as commander to recover the lost territories.
  • Lachit recaptured Guwahati in 1667.
  • The Mughals sent a large army under Raja Ram Singh I of Amber to reconquer Assam.

The Battle of Saraighat (1671):

  • It was fought mainly on the Brahmaputra river, at Saraighat, near Guwahati.
  • The Ahoms used clever strategy, guerrilla tactics and their knowledge of the river and terrain.
  • Although Lachit was seriously ill, he personally led his troops in the decisive naval battle.
  • The Ahom boats defeated the larger Mughal fleet.
  • The Mughals were forced to retreat.
  • Lachit died of illness about a year later.
  • According to legend, he beheaded his own maternal uncle for failing to complete the building of defences on time, saying "My uncle is not greater than my country."

Remembrance:

  • "Lachit Divas" is celebrated in Assam on 24 November.
  • The National Defence Academy awards the "Lachit Borphukan Gold Medal" to its best passing-out cadet (since 1999).
  • A large statue of Lachit Borphukan was unveiled at Hollongapar, near Jorhat, in 2024.

About the Ahoms:

  • They were Tai people who came from the Shan region (Myanmar) in 1228.
  • They built a strong state with a system of forced labour (the "paik" system).
  • They were finally conquered by the Burmese, and then came under British rule in 1826.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Plassey, Haldighati and Talikota were other famous battles.

Quick tip

Remember: Battle of Saraighat (1671) = Lachit Borphukan (Ahom) defeated the Mughals (under Ram Singh) on the Brahmaputra near Guwahati; Lachit Divas = 24 November.

💬 Discussions on this question

Ask a doubt ›

Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.

Ask a doubt

More Mughal Empire Questions

View all ›
  1. Q1.The Mansabdari system was introduced by:
  2. Q2.The Red Fort (Lal Qila) and the Jama Masjid in Delhi were built by:
  3. Q3.The Second Battle of Panipat between Akbar and Hemu was fought in:
  4. Q4.The British established their first factory in India at Surat in 1613 with the permission of:
  5. Q5.Who was the last Mughal emperor of India?

More General Knowledge Questions

  1. Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
  2. Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
  3. Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
  4. Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
  5. Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms

Mughal Empire — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Mughal Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526 and reached its height under Akbar. This topic covers the Mughal emperors from Babur to Aurangzeb and the later Mughals, the Sur interlude under Sher Shah Suri, Mughal administration (the mansabdari and jagirdari systems), revenue systems, architecture, painting and literature. Common questions ask about important battles (Panipat, Khanwa, Haldighati), Akbar's policies such as Din-i-Ilahi and the abolition of the jizya, Sher Shah's reforms such as the rupiya coin and the Grand Trunk Road, and the builders of famous monuments. For example, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Delhi. Practise the Mughal Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

‹ All Mughal Empire questionsBrowse all topics ›