TURA: A team of seven research scholars from Tura led by Prof Milton S Sangma (Retd) while on an expedition on June 18, discovered several stone sculptures of the Garos dating back to the pre-Christian era at various historical sites they visited under Goalpara District of Assam.
The team comprising of Prof Sangma, Crystal Cornelious D Marak, Sembertush A Sangma, Rinklee Marak, Basan R Marak and Venybirth S Ch Marak along with local guide Sohithson Sangma, after passing through Goalpara town, took to the trail leaving Makri Hill (as called by locals) on the left and the Brahmaputra River on the right until they reached the Nara Narayan Bridge over the Brahmaputra River which connects Jogighopa to Pancharatna.
In the course of their expedition the team came across a huge stone sculpture standing majestically at the foot of Makri Hill overlooking the Brahmaputra River. They were later able to identify the sculpture as a memorial post of the Garos called ‘Kima’.
According to Garo oral tradition, the Memorial Post or Kima was carved in memory of a Garo girl named Dimre who was given in marriage to a local chief of present-day Jogighopa and its surrounding areas in exchange for three hundred plantain stems.
It was with rafts made of these plantains that the Garos crossed over the Brahmaputra to escape from total annihilation. The Stone Memorial Post or Kima is a living testimony today, of Dimre’s sacrificial spirit and her true love for her people.
The team next visited a Garo village located on the other side of Makri Hill and interacted with the villagers who informed them that they are the descendents of the original settlers of the place.
The team was also informed about other Garo villages in the neighborhood who are also the descendants of the original Garo settlers. A visit was also paid to the famous Surya Pahar located a few kilometres east of Goalpara Town where they saw animistic deities and Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples which are being maintained by the ASI.
The Surya Pahar was known to Garo forefathers as ‘Sambol A’ding’ or a hill of grass and trees.
The team lastly visited an ancient Garo village called Habraghat near Krishnai where they discovered another huge stone sculpture half buried in the ground with a picture of a Garo girl dressed in full Garo customs for a dancing festival.
The stone slab also had pictures of a long Garo Drum, a big pot of rice beer and other carved pictures.
