PTI

Guwahati, Mar 20: It was not Mangal Pandey, but an Ahom prince perhaps who first raised the banner of revolt against the British in 1827, thirty years before the Sepoy Mutiny, according to recently recovered manuscripts.

The prince Gamadhar Konwar along with compatriot Dhanjoy Borgohain had organized a revolt against the British at Mariani to free Assam, a year after it was annexed by the British from the Ahoms with the signing of the treaty of Yandabo.

"History must acknowledge Konwar's contribution to India's freedom struggle which came to light with the discovery of a 30-page 'sanchi pat' or tree bark manuscript two years ago," said Jintu Hazarika, secretary of a group formed to ensure that the prince received his due place in the annals of history.

The manuscript was written by Konwar's close associate Mokham Barua in Tai language in the form of a diary.

It was lying with Barua's descendants for the last two centuries till it was discovered by a Tai teacher, Mridul Phukon from Deodhai village in Sibsagar district, Hazarika said.