Veer Chilarai, the great General of Koch kingdom, is a symbol of the might and valor of the great Koch dynasty. Born in 1510 CE, Chilarai was the third son of Maharaja Biswa Singha (1523–1554 CE). Also known as Shukladhwaj, Chilarai was the younger brother of Maharaja Nara Narayan.
Shukladhwaj got his name Chilarai because, as a general, he executed troop movements that were as fast as a “chila” meaning kite. By his valor, he played a significant role in expanding the empire of his elder brother, Maharaja Nara Narayan.
Chilarai was instrumental in giving Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardeva protection and shelter, as well as marrying his niece Kamalapriya (alias Bhubaneswari). It was only due to his royal patronage that Shankardeva was able to establish the “Ek Saran Naam Dharma” in Assam and bring about his cultural renaissance.
Chilarai on record is said to have never committed brutalities on unarmed common people. Even the kings who surrendered were treated with respect. Chilarai adopted guerrilla warfare successfully, even before Chhatrapati Shivaji, the great Maratha emperor.
Chilarai turned his attention towards upholding of religion and culture. With the consent of Maharaja Nara Narayan, Chilarai helped rebuild the Kamakhya temple at Guwahati, which had been destroyed by the Islamic onslaught led by Kalapahar. Later on, his son Raghu Deb rebuilt the similarly destroyed temple at Hajo in Assam.
