On the occasion of India’s 79th Independence Day, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the under-construction Dighalipukhuri–Noonmati flyover in Guwahati, which will be the city’s longest, will be named after Maharaja Prithu. The medieval ruler of Kamarupa is celebrated for his decisive victory over the Turkish invader Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1206 CE.
The chief minister described the move as part of the government’s “sacred duty” to preserve Assam’s cultural heritage and to inspire younger generations by honouring historical figures who defended the region against aggression by Islamic invaders.
Honouring our Heroes ⚔️
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 15, 2025
This #IndependenceDay, I am happy to share that we will be naming the upcoming Noonmati- Dighalipukhuri Flyover as
Maharaja Prithu Flyover
as a mark of recognition to his heroics and to promote his bravery amongst the next generation. pic.twitter.com/9QqakcaNYo
CM Sarma posted on X that the decision has been taken as a mark of recognition to Mahara Prithu’s heroics and to promote his bravery amongst the next generation.
Maharaja Prithu, also known in chronicles as Raja Prithu or Visvasundara Dev, ruled the ancient kingdom of Kamarupa in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. His reign is most remembered for defeating Bakhtiyar Khalji, a general of the Delhi Sultanate who had devastated renowned centres of learning such as Nalanda and Vikramshila.
After progressing eastwards without much resistance, when Khalji’s forces attempted to march into Kamarupa, they were met with fierce resistance. Historical sources, including the Persian chronicle Tabaqat-i-Nasiri written by Minhaj Siraj-al-Din, record that the invading army was completely annihilated, with many perishing in the inhospitable terrain before they could retreat. Inscriptions at sites such as Kanai Basasi and Kanhai Boroxi Bua Xil mention that the invading army was wiped out and Assam’s sovereignty preserved.
As per chronicles, after burning down the Nalanda University and killing over 10,000 Buddhist monks, Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji took over Bengal without a fight as the Bengal king fled. He than planned to invade Tibet in 1206, wanting to plunder the treasures of the Buddhist monasteries. He also wanted to control the traditional trade route with South East Asia, which went through Kamarupa and Sikkim.
But Khalji had heard about the bravery of Raja Prithu and his army, and knew that it will be impossible to pass through the kingdom. Therefore, instead of fighting against Kamarupa, he sent a delegation seeking an alliance to invade Tibet. The Kamarupa king said that he also wanted to attack Southern Tibet, to control the Silk Route, and agreed for a joint attack.
But Prithu told Khalji’s representatives that the time was not right, as monsoon season was about the start, and will be very difficult to navigate the mountains during the rains. His advice was to wait for the monsoon to be over.
But by the time Khalji’s men returned with the message, he had already progressed significantly, and was camping near present-day Siliguri. Therefore, he chose to ignore the advice, and found a man to show him a route through Bhutan bypassing Kamarupa. The guide was a man named Mech, who was converted to Islam by Khalji before start of the journey.
But they were intercepted by the Tibetan guerrilla forces, attacking them from all sides on the mountains. By that time, rains started, and their route was cut off, preventing them from returning. Many soldiers died of illness. The situation was so bad that Bakhtiyar Khalji’s man killed their horses for food. Unable to return through the same route, Khalji decided to return through Kamarupa.
Raja Prithu was aware of the developments as his spies were regularly giving updates. He was already furious at Khalji for ignoring his advice, and anticipated that the invaders will loot his kingdom to replenish supplies. Therefore, he was waiting to attack the invaders. After learning that Khalji was planning to return via his kingdom, he decided to lure the invading army to lure to the place where Teesta River meets Brahmaputra. The Kamarupa king also assembled tribal armies of the region to join his forces.
When Khalji and his army entered Kamarupa, Prithu employed a scorched earth strategy to defeat them. He destroyed bridges after they were crossed by the Islamic army, preventing them from retreating. Kamarupi forces also burnt down the entire route, depriving the invaders of food and other supplies. The Kamarupa army then attacked the Bakhtiyar’s army from all sides, and defeated them comprehensively.
As per Tabaqat-i-Nasiri, 12,000 horsemen and 20,000 infantry men of the Muslim force were totally annihilated in the front of flying arrows and bamboo spears.
However, Khalji survived, and narrowly escaped with only a few hundred men. This catastrophic defeat led to the Turkish general’s downfall. He lost the zeal to conquer new regions, and never led another campaign. As he became useless for the Sultanate, he was eventually assassinated by his own general, Ali Mardan Khalji.
Raja Prithu’s later years were marked by further wars with the Delhi Sultanate. In 1228, he confronted Nasir-ud-din Mahmud, the son of Iltutmish. Faced with likely defeat and unwilling to submit, Prithu reportedly took his own life by leaping into a water tank within his fortress.
His victory over Khalji is remembered in Assam as Mahavijay Diwas on 27th March, a day commemorating the state’s resistance and survival against one of medieval India’s most aggressive military campaigns. His victory over Khalji not only defended his kingdom also prevented Assam from becoming the part of Delhi Sultanate.
While Ahom kingdom’s general Lachit Barphukan is well known for defeating the Mughal army, Raja Prithu’s victory over Khalji’s forces is very little known, even in Assam. By naming the Noonmati-Dighalipukhuri Flyover after him, the Assam govt is attempting to spread the tales of his valour.
The decision to name the new flyover after Maharaja Prithu comes after the Himanta Biswa Sarma government named a new flyover in Guwahati after Mahabharata era king Bhagadatta. Son of Asura king Narakasura, Bhagadatta took part in the great battle of Kurukshetra from the side of Kauravas. As per the epic, he had contributed one Akshauhini of the troops, including a big contingent of elephants.
