Editor,
I don’t normally send clarifications to comments on my articles because I believe that opinions are open to criticism. I also believe that others too have their right to their own opinion. More importantly, I also believe in a healthy and constructive debate. However, I have taken exception to the recent rejoinders to my write-ups because they are personal attacks on me, where the writer has unnecessarily dragged into the controversy the organisation which I am affiliated to, into the debate.
The subject was why some leaders of the Niamtre took part in the ceremony to hand over water and soil for use in the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya to the RSS functionary in Jowai. The writer took offence at my observations that there are some influences of Hinduism in the indigenous religion where I cited examples of the tradition of naming girl twins as Durka and Kongka and boy twins as Ram and Lakhon which are obviously Hindu names. Another point of objection was the taboo on consuming beef in a tribal society. I leave it to the wisdom of the readers to draw their own conclusions on this.
The writer also said that there is no Hindu influence on the indigenous religion in Nartiang which is not convincing at all. I will not repeat what I had written in my article but would like to ask, that if the two temples are not for worshipping Devi and Shiva then what are they for then? I have many times witnessed the celebration of Durga Puja in the temple and had personally interviewed late Uttam Deshmukh the pandit who was then the priest of the two temples in Nartiang. I have also interviewed the elders of the raid Nartiang to understand the point of confluence of the two traditions.
The writer also questioned the credibility of my study and my understanding of the culture. I live in the culture and this is not the first time I have written on the subject. I have personally witnessed all the festivals that I have written about be they the different Behdieñkhlam festivals, the Durga puja, the Puja/Pastieh Kopati of Raliang, Chadsukra/Noh sakyriat, Rongkusi, festival in Bataw and others. I was lucky to witness one of the last two celebrations of Rongkhli/Rongkhla festival and also witnessed the kñia ‘lei Shillong or kñia Masi of the raid Ïalong which happens once in two decades. I have personally witnessed the ‘choh ñia tradition’ and the ‘long hai’ of the War Jaintia people which unfortunately is a dying tradition. It was an opportunity to also witness the ‘chad lam syiem’ of the Hadem people who live in Saitsama village.
I have visited most of the ‘khloo blai’ (sacred groves) of the different raids/kurs and have physically set foot on almost all the root-bridges in Jaintia Hills. I have promised myself long time ago to visit every nook and corner of Jaintia Hills and regret that the only region that I have not visited is the border areas where Huroi, Hingaria and Lejri villages are located. I have not only visited places where the Khasi Pnar live but also visited Saipung area and Khaddum where the Biates and tha Hmars live. I have even visited Jaintiapur in Bangladesh and interviewed elders in the place to understand the history of the Jaintia kingdom. I rely on primary sources.
I do not wear my religion on my sleeve and have never abused any position or even this space to further the interests of my religion. In fact Unitarian Church is non-proselytising religion and OR Challam knows that very well. He himself has taken part at an interfaith service organised by the Unitarian church, Jowai. I was taught to respect all religions and I had never called the traditional religion pagan or questioned any organisation’s right to affiliate with another. He would do himself a favour if he had read the articles between the lines. In fact it is this same upbringing which made it possible for a pastor of a church to visit Hindu temples, join in celebrations of different traditional festivals, learn and write about the wisdom of our ancestors. My column in the Shillong Times is more than one decade now, and I have written hundreds of articles related to our culture.
I owe an apology to the members and the leaders of the Unitarian Church because the Church was unnecessarily dragged into the debate. I consider my positions in different organisations as hats that I wear only when the occasion requires that I do so, otherwise I am just an ordinary human being and my opinions in the articles are my own and I alone am responsible for them.
Yours etc.,
H H Mohrmen
Riatsasim, Ïawmusiang
Jowai