Gour Govinda dramatically restored Gour's reputation as a regional superpower by constructing forts all over his kingdom, guarding his kingdom with large stones (shil; from which the name Shilhot/Sylhet is theorised to have come from) and establishing a number of military training camps. He built a seven-storey stone brick tower in Penchagor which he called Gorduar, which would serve as the new capital. Govinda is credited to introducing archery in war for the first time in the History of Bengal. To prove his might, he tied the Khasi king to ropes, bringing him to Gour. The Khasi paid a ransom to Gour to free their king. Using Puni beel as his battlefield against states like Laur and Jaintia, Govinda drowned his challengers to such an extent that Gour was described to be free of enemies during his reign. By making peace with Ratan Manikya of Tripura and gifting him an elephant, he was able to retrieve Brahmachal and Tungachal back to Gour administration. He appointed his brother-in-law, Achak Narayan, to govern Tungachal.