The Tai Ahom National Council Memo Scheduling

Professor Amalendu Guha thinks the religion of the Ahom a “form of animism tinged
with elements of ancestor worship with that of degenerated Tantric Burddhism and tribal
fertility cults “ (Neo-Vaishvavism to Insurgency, Occasional paper by Centre for Social Sciences
Studies, Calcutta, 1984, p. 7).
David K. Wyatt, the reputed Yale University Professor of Thai History writes, “As the
Ahom were not Buddhists, but practiced an animistic religion”. (Thailand ,1984, p. 41).
Dr. Lipi Ghosh of South-East Asian History in Calcutta University observes “the Ahom
maintained their ancestral religion even after the acceptance of Hinduism”. (“Tai Ahom and
Historical Jurisprudence of Assam in Tai Culture, Berlin, Vol. VI, Nos. 1&2, p. 143).
Earlier about the religion of the Tai, W.A.R. Wood observes, “as a nation they (Tai)
were almost certainly animists, worshipping the beneficent spirits of the hills, forests, and
waters, and propitiating numerous demons with sacrifices and offerings.” (History of Siam,
1924, pp. 38-39).
In the same vein, Erik Seidenfaden in his book The Thai Peoples (1967, p.40) writes,
“The original religion of all Tai was probably animism perhaps coupled with ancestor
worship”.
A large number of earthly supernatural are believed to exist who are known as phi, a term
usually translated as ‘spirit’. Some of these are guardian gods of the earthly objects like Phi Nam
(guardian spirit of water/river), Phi-Tun (guardian spirit of tree), Phi Phai (guardian spirit of
fire), Phi Ruen (guardian spirit of the house), Phi Doi (guardian spirit of hill), and others. Hence
for the protection of paddy, fruits, plants, water, fields, their guardian spirits must be propitiated
with prayer and by offerings such articles as they like to have. Otherwise the belief is that they
will cause trouble. In addition to these spirits, the Ahoms believed and still believe that there are
malignant spirits also called phi who cause trouble and disturb peace. Hence they are also
regularly offered articles like chicken, fish, rice, and other things to keep them happy. Thus the
Ahom priests regularly worshiped all the gods and spirits.
© Ahom System of Divination:
The Ahoms throughout their history believed in divination.
Mirza Nathan, whose real name was ‘Alau’d-Din Isfahani, the commander of the
Mughal army that fought wars against the Ahom from 1608-24 A.D. records,