By Dr. Omarlin Kyndiah
An Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer William Butler Yeats once said, “In dreams begin responsibility”. The patriot whose death anniversary we are commemorating was a perfect epitome of this. He is U Kiang Nangbah who dreamt of an independent motherland and shouldered the responsibility of leading the fight against the British rule. On the occasion of the 158th Death anniversary of U Kiang Nangbah, we are reminded of how India fought to free itself from the shackles of colonial rule, and the stories still reverberate in our hearts. From the Great Revolt of 1857 to the attainment of independence in 1947 lakhs of freedom fighters fought to free the country from British tyranny.
The Indian freedom struggle was a long and arduous one. It started with the revolt of 1857, which is twenty-two years after the Jaintia Kingdom was annexed by the British. The Indian National Movement was one of the biggest mass movements the world has ever seen. It was a movement that inspired millions of people of all classes to revolt against the colonial empire.
After the Anglo-Burmese War of 1824-26, the British came into closer contact with the number of hill tribes in the Northeast region. Though at first, it took the form of an understanding with the British against the forces of Ava, but later because of the repeated incursions, differences came about which finally led to armed conflicts. The case of the Khasi resistance of 1829 led by U Tirot Sing Syiem is one such instance. However, it was only with the surrender of U Tirot Sing on January 13, 1833, on condition that his life be spared that the Khasi resistance came to an end.
In the context of the Jaintias, though, the event of 1857 has no major impact, yet the reforms that were carried out had an important effect on the Jaintias.
The British annexed the Jaintia Kingdom in 1835 and destroyed the political edifice which had been built, brick by brick, by the Jaintias. The top structure was completely destroyed when the institution of the Jaintia King (Syiem) was abolished, and the rich fertile plains of the Jaintia Parganas was annexed to Sylhet district and some areas to Cachar district, while the Gobha Raj and other smaller principalities were annexed to Nowgong district. This marks the end of the golden era in the political history of the Jaintias. The British adopted a policy of least interference and left the Jaintia people almost entirely to themselves for a period of more than two decades. During these periods Kiang Nangbah became fully aware of the policies and plans of the British to impose authority on the Jaintias.
The British realised that political, administrative, and financial control exercised by them were primarily based on the bayonet and they attempted to justify their colonial power on ideological grounds. They did it by establishing cultural hegemony over the locals. This was done by arguing that the local cultures were decadent and inferior and that those of the colonial masters were superior. The conversion of a number of Jaintias and using them to expand their base by the church caused suspicions about the real intent of the British in the minds of the people.
However, the anti-British feelings started when the British India Government attempted to impose taxes and interfered with the custom and religious activities of the people. These acts are viewed by the people as an attempt of the British to impose authority and make the people “submissive to that authority” and to “acknowledge the supremacy of the British government”. In 1860-61, The British imposed a house tax and income tax and also prevented cremation of the dead- a traditional practice of the indigenous faith. These activities led to the revolt of the Jaintias against British imperialism. A man of commitment to his people, U Kiang Nangbah could not remain indifferent to their plight. He took up leadership of the Rebellion in January 1862, waged a war against the colonial rulers. The colonial records attest to the fact that it could be suppressed after prolonged and arduous military operations and that the government found it difficult in the face of Nangbah’s guerrilla tactics. The British had to reinforce regiments to conduct a full-scale military operation against U Kiang Nangbah and his men and yet they described it as a “Little War”. However, as it happened throughout history, Kiang Nangbah was caught with the help of a traitor and was hanged after a “mock trial” on the December 30, 1862 at Jowai.
The Jaintias continued their fight even after U Kiang’s death but in an unorganised manner. People in places like Rymbai, Padu, Nangjngi, Nongbareh, Umkiang, Jowai, Mynso, Nartiang, Lamin, Mukhla and Nangbah were still carrying out the resistance. However, by February 1863 the resistance ended because most of the leaders were killed in the fight with the British troops while some surrendered and others were taken as prisoners (except for Oossa Marateang ( name as recorded in the Bengal Judicial Proceedings No.214, 4 March 1863) who was tried by Capt. B.W.D Morton and was hanged on 16 January 1863).
Kiang Nangbah’s reply to Brigadier Dunsord and Captain Morton, Commissioner on the Act XI of 1857 during the proceedings in the case of U Kiang Nangbah Charged with Rebellion, is one that bears reflection in these times. He said, “I shall speak the whole truth though I am hanged for it. I am neither a Dolloi nor Pator. I have attended to my fields. In the cold season I have traded with Meekiers. Manick Dolloi held a durbar at Jowai, at which he informed all the ryots that by order of the Government the religious observances and burning of the dead were prohibited. On hearing this I thought it was all up with us, and I therefore said at the durbar that I would not pay any tax.”
Today, as we remember the supreme sacrifices that U Kiang Nangbah had made for the freedom of our motherland let us bow our heads in homage to the memory of those leaders who have laid down their lives in the service of the motherland. Prominent among these were: U Swar Sutnga, U Long Padu, U Mon Rymbai, U Chey Rangbah, U Bang Raliang, U Kher Pator Raliang, U Woh Riang, U Mulon Mynso, U Kiang Sule, and U Kat Changpung.
As I conclude, I would like to remind our youth that we should not simply harp upon past glories. In order to make our dreams a reality, we must struggle to strive and not to yield. Meghalaya needs a new and young generation imbibed with new ideas, new values, new hopes, and new vigour in the social, economic, and political sphere to make the dream of our leaders a reality.
(The writer is General Secretary of Sein Raij Niamtre Shillong. Email [email protected])