SHILLONG: The Khasi Learning Centre (KLC) established by the Seng Biria U Khasi (SBUK) or the Khasi Humorists’ Society is working relentlessly to ensure that the demand for including the local language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution is fulfilled by ensuring that more non-Khasis learn the language.
A perfect setting for adults desiring to learn Khasi is during the quiet evening hours from 5 pm at Shillong Law College every Saturday.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Wan Kharkrang, a veteran member of SBUK, said, “We hope that this centre helps in furthering the movement for the inclusion of the Khasi language and literature in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.”
Echoing him, one of the teachers of KLC, Sukjai Swer, said the centre has set a goal to promote Khasi language by reaching out to other non-Khasis to ensure that there are more speakers of the language and thereby ensure its incorporation in the Eighth Schedule.
The centre was established on September 5, 2015, which is celebrated as Teachers’ Day nationwide.
The persons who were instrumental for its establishment were president of SBUK Wan Kharkrang and its general secretary Markynsaidor Dkhar Tmar.
Kharkrang said the main purpose of the centre is to help the adult non-Khasi citizens have better communication with locals and vice versa.
“It will also bring about the spirit of fraternity amongst the different communities of the society,” he said, adding that the courses are free.
Similarly, Sukjai Swer said, “It is about making them understand the language and to remove language barriers. Doctors and bankers who study here want to communicate better with their patients and customers, respectively.”
Since its inception, the centre was assisted by two lady teachers — Swer, who is the head of the Khasi Department, Sankardev College, and Lily Kharpran, a school teacher who knows many languages.
“These two lady volunteers have rendered selfless service in teaching the students the language. Special lectures by prominent scholars and field trips were also organised from time to time to enable the non-Khasi students to learn something of the culture of the Khasis,” Kharkrang added.
He said teachers are given a modest honorarium depending on the availability of funds.
In its three years of existence, Kharkrang said the centre has over 160 registered students from different communities and occupations comprising doctors, lawyers, engineers, directors, bankers, professors, principals, teachers, chartered accountants, military officers, business people, missionaries, research scholars, government officials, including foreigners from Germany and an anthropologist from the University of New York.
“These students belong to different communities comprising the Punjabi, Rajput, Garhwali, Marwari, Tamil, Malayalee, Rajasthani, Goan, Andhra, Bengali, Bihari, Bhutanese, Nepali, Assamese, Garo, Naga, Mizo, Bodo, Koch, Rabha, Manipuri as well as some Khasis who wish to perfect their language skills,” Kharkrang said.
This year there are 44 students of which 31 are in the first year and 13 in the second year.
“The number of students fluctuated as some are transferred out since most of them are professionals,” Kharkrang informed.
On being asked as to what it is like teaching adults, Swer said teaching Khasi language to adults is akin to teaching small kids as they have to start from scratch.
Kharkrang expressed his gratitude to all well-wishers, including government bodies and to the governing body of Shillong Law College and the lady teachers for their help and support towards the cause of teaching the language to non-Khasis.
Armeet Singh, a retired army personnel and resident of Laitumkhrah who joined NEEPCO as DGM (security) and retired last year, supports the move to include Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule.
“The State of Meghalaya is over 40 years old but Khasi language is still not part of the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.’’
‘‘It must be included and this issue must be taken up by authorities concerned and other organisations,” he said.
Singh, born and brought up in Shillong at a time when Meghalaya was still a part of Assam, said there were no Khasi neighbours back then.
“I heard about KLC and now that I am retired, I feel I should learn Khasi. I joined in February. The teachers are also good,” he said.
Another first year student who works as a GST consultant, Prerna Jhunjhunwala, has to interact with Khasi clients from villages who come to her office.
“Though I cannot speak Khasi fluently now but I am confident that soon I will be able to understand and speak it correctly,” she said.
“I was keen to learn Khasi since we interact a lot with Khasi clients but don’t understand the language and cannot communicate in it. In these five months, I have improved a lot. I now know the names of Khasi vegetables and also know how to count in Khasi,” Jhunjhunwala said.
One second year student, Juliana D’Costa is a missionary from Goa. She is here with Sharda from Vijaywada, who is currently doing the first year course.
“I wanted to preach the Gospel in Khasi. When we go to the villages, we find it hard to teach the Bible unless I can speak to them in a language they understand,” she said, adding that she can understand the Khasi Bible.
Meanwhile, a second year student of KLC is the superintending engineer, Central Public Works Department, SK Rampal from Delhi who was transferred to Shillong 30 months ago and was attracted to the Khasi language.
“I found the place friendly and the language very sweet and enticing. When I go from here I will take a slice of Shillong with me — the language, culture, people and the memories spent in Shillong,” he said.
The CPWD campus is located near KLC but he came to know about the centre from newspapers and a signboard hung outside the Shillong Law College.
Through the centre, he became aware of the Khasi myths and legends. He said, “If I go back to my place, I will tell my children stories of U thlen (serpent), menshohnoh (blood-hunters). I also visited the kshaid Dainthlen,” Rampal said.
Rampal was not only exposed to Khasi cultures and mysterious legends but he also got to understand more of the matrilineal system practised by the tribes of Meghalaya.
“Being from North India, the matrilineal system is very new to us. This exposure has given me a chance to understand the matrilineal system in Meghalaya,” he said.
As an inspiration, Rampal has started a Khasi word of the day in his office.
