Largest religious gathering to celebrate 150 years of Christianity in Garo Hills

TURA: The wheels of history have turned a full circle for Rajasimla, a non-descript town tucked away in North Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.

A century and half ago, Rajasimla had its first brush with history when the uncle and nephew duo of Omed Watre Momin and Ramke Watre Momin, had responded to the call of faith, which marked the advent of Christianity to these hills.

Today, 150 years later, the faithful in Christ have returned to the very place where the seeds of Christianity were planted with the first baptism of an uncle and nephew and the establishment of the first church at Rajasimla. The arrival of Christianity which began with two converts is now a sea of humanity.

Celebrating the journey of Christianity in the Garo Hills at the 144^th annual A’chik Baptist Dalgipa Krima Sobha was one of pure nostalgia for many as devotees from the length and breadth of Garo Hills, the north east and as far as Bangladesh with even delegates from the United States of America and South Korea taking part in this unique religious event.

The Baptism of Omed and Ramke, the first among the Garos, at Sukeshwar Ghat in Guwahati marks an an event, which has since become a landmark in the history of Garo Hills as the tribe steeped in animistic belief turned to heed to the words of the Saviour Lord Jesus Christ, a movement which gained momentum as decades passed by.

The toils and triumphs of Omed and Ramke along with the missionaries like Miles Bronson and David Scotthave since become part of both history and folklore. This advent of faith was also accompanied by the advent of education in Garo Hills with the setting up of the first primary school at Singimari in 1826.

As a solemn ritual, this event is celebrated every year to recall the services of the pioneers in a bid to pay tribute to them.

The theme of this year’s celebrations aptly titled ‘Revisiting the past and Envisioning the future’ seeks to take back the faithful particularly the youth to a journey back in time to a period in which amidst adversity, faith happened and also to chart out on roads a yet untravelled.

Addressing one of the biggest gathering of people at the Sunday church service on the final day of the five day event, speaker and executive secretary of Krima IV Rev. Dilseng M Sangma of the Wadanang Baptish Church (Tura) called upon everyone to praise and give thanks for the Lord’s blessings.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and NPP chief and Tura Lok Sabha MP Conrad K Sangma also attended the service on Sunday.

Over three lakh faithful descended on Rajasimla to get a slice of history as they partake of this event marked by nostalgia and hope.

As the faithfuls bid adieu to Rajasimla they will carry in their minds memories to cherish and in their hearts a promise to keep alight the kindle of faith.