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The Manah River and the Ancient Tales of Howly

▶ The historic Manah River stands as a silent witness to many important events in the history of Howly. Once a mighty and fast-flowing river, today Manah remains still and silent — echoing the Assamese saying, "Once like Vrindavan, now left barren." According to local legends and historical records, gold dust was once found along the sandbars of the Manah River.

 

▶ There are different theories about the origin of the name ‘Manah.’ One belief is that the river was named because "the Man tribes" (Man + Ah, meaning Man arrived) settled along its banks. Another theory suggests that the name came from "Mana" (meaning obstruction) because the strong currents of the river once hindered the progress of the Man tribes.

 

▶ On the banks of this very river, during a period of astrological adversity, the Koch king Naranarayan established his capital at Ghila-Vijaypur (covering parts of present-day Howly) in the mid-16th century.

 

▶ Raghuray, the son of Chilarai, also had his Borbari (official residence) along the banks of the Manah River in what is now Howly.

 

▶ Until the devastating Assam earthquake of 1897, Manah served as one of Assam’s key waterways. During the Sankari era, Bhabananda Saud (who later became famous as Narayan Das Thakur Ata) frequently traveled via the Manah River and docked his trade boats at the Howly ghats.

 

▶ The Manah River was also used as a boundary marker in several peace treaties between the Mughals and the Ahoms.

 

▶ The Manah River stands as a living witness to the tragic history of Howly during the brutal invasions by the Man forces in 1823. In the third wave of the attacks, the Man troops entered Chandi Baruah’s royal compound by crossing the Manah River. In a horrifying act of brutality, the Man invaders burned down Chandi Baruah’s dream city, took him captive to Mayanbari, and killed him in a savage manner. Fortunately, Chandi Baruah’s family managed to escape through the Manah River and survived.

 

▶ It was along the banks of this river at the British-era Dak Bungalow in Halapakuri village that Rajanikanta Bordoloi penned the historically rich Assamese novel Monomoti, which contains detailed descriptions of Howly’s history and the Manah River.

 

▶ In its prime, large quantities of timber used to drift down the Manah River from the nearby hills. At times, so much timber floated down that people could walk across the river stepping from log to log.

 

▶ After the massive earthquake of 1897, the Manah River lost its natural flow while the strength of the neighboring Beki River increased. As a result, the ancient kingdom of Barnagar eventually split into two regions — Howly and Sorbhog.

 

▶ Today, the once-historic Manah River, now reduced to a lifeless stream, faces a serious threat to its existence. Encroachment by local settlers has drastically reduced its water-holding capacity. If immediate measures are not taken to protect and restore the Manah River — a vital lifeline of Howly’s history — this region could face irreversible cultural and environmental loss.