Keywords
Assam
Paik System
Khels
Labour
How to Cite
Abstract
The Ahom dynasty was established by Sukapha (1228-1268) in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam in the year 1226. The dynasty reigned in Assam till 1826 and was the longest-reigning dynasty of Assam, ruling for 600 years. They were not the indigenous population of Assam but migrated from Yunnan Province, China. Upon their arrival, they settled and assimilated into the indigenous population, becoming one amongst them through the process called Ahomisation. The Ahoms devised an administrative system to engage and use labor for the state's purpose. This system came to be known as the Paik System, in which able-bodied men aged 16 to 50 were employed by the state for both civilian and military roles. The Paik system is unique to the Ahoms, as its arrangement is peculiar, and they were divided into groups known as Khels, according to the specialization of the jobs performed by them. The present paper explores the impact of the Paik system on the administration, economy, and military of the Ahom dynasty. The objectives of the paper are to understand the arrangements of the Paik system and highlight its role in the smooth functioning of the dynasty. The papers establish the integrality of the Paik system through which division of labor, as per its special function, is observed.
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