Doli-Puran is a historical ballad in Assamese. Composed by Narrottam Das, it narrates events related to the Patharughat Peasant Resistance of 1894 that took place in Assam’s Darrang district. On 28 January 1894, more than a hundred peasants fell to the bullets of the British army in Darrang. The unarmed peasants were peacefully protesting against the increase in land revenue levied by the British when the military opened fire. The book, Doli Puran, was recovered at Tangla in Udalguri district and was first published in 1949. Narottam was an eyewitness to the uprising and described the events in his songs Doli (earth/soil). The unarmed peasants are said to have thrown clods of soil at the British police who were firing at them.
The peasants who were protesting belonged to both the Hindu and Muslim communities. The official colonial account put the number of injured peasants at 37 and the death toll at 15. However, according to Doli Puran, 140 peasants died in firing by the British police. In 1957, Dineswar Sarma, a freedom fighter and historian, is said to have collected and published in Assamese, the songs in Pothorughator Ron (Battle of Pothorughat), which is a historical account of the events that took place. Every year, 28 January, is observed by the villagers of this area as ‘Krishak Diwas’ to pay their respects to the Patharughat peasants. In 2001, a Martyrs’ Column (Swahid Stambh) was built at the site in honour of the martyred peasants. It has been more than a century and the gallantry of the Patharughat martyrs continues to inspire the people of Assam.
Source: Indian Culture Portal