By Dominick “Dauni Roising” Rymbai
December 30, 2022 is the 160th Death Anniversary of the Indian freedom fighter, U Woh Kiang Nangbah, the Aam Aadmi leader of the Jaintia Rebellion (1860-1863). Reading through Rev. HH Mohrmen’s debut English work U Kiang Nangbah, one can say the main causes of the rebellion were economic hardships (imposition of house tax on the Aam Aadmi) and cultural domination (banning of traditional festivals) by the white man. It has nothing to do with religion, per se.
Love and Hate. Two powerful emotions that can bring out the best and the worst in us, humans. And then religion, creed, religious denomination, faith or by whatever word a Thesaurus describes it, as usual, creeps into the picture. In our ancient hills we call home, many a beautiful love story has been ruined by that dreaded word and went the Ka Sohlyngngem & U Rynniaw way. Fortunately, the support ecosystem of the clan (Kur), family and friends in our Hynniewtrep society is somehow vibrant else most stories would have ended along the lines of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988 film), Heer-Ranjha or Laila-Majnu. Still, life has become as such that had he been a Khasi tribal, the English radical poet Percy B. Shelley would have come out with better lines than Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought (To A Skylark, 1820). Also, had she been a Khasi, the popular American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift would have abundance of, and maybe better, material for her sweet sad love songs.
Music. The language
of the soul.
When Fr.(Late) Justin Lyngkhoi, former parish priest of Khliehriat and a Maram native of Sawsymper village, composed the hymns for the Catholic Khasi Hymn book, Ka Lynti Bneng, he was certainly influenced by the age-old Catholic Latin hymnal. When Maxter Warjri (formerly of The Voices: Na La Rympei) started to compose the music and lyrics for the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the Riatsamthiah Presbyterian Church in 2024, he will certainly be influenced by the Welsh Calvinistic traditions. Once upon a time, not so long ago, a band MonKhmer led by a Khasi named Hammarsing Kharhmar, was active in the indie music scene of New York City. The band had influences of the Blues, Americana and Alternative Rock genre. When Ram Suchiang, a Pnar, brought out a Hindi album, he was certainly influenced by the likes of RD Burman and the music of Mahesh Bhatt films. The singing style of Gracyl Ropmay does have influences of Western pop-rock and Shakira.
However, should anyone pay attention and listen with a little depth to all the above mentioned musicians, one can feel the beat of the Khasi Rhythm in all their outpourings. This Khasi Rhythm knows no religion. It surely knows a Khasi tribal. A Khasi is just born with (and into) it. And irrespective of dialects and sub-tribes, any Khasi can relate to it. If one takes one of those yellow Maxx jeeps from Shillong to Nongpoh or vice versa, one should not be surprised if the driver is playing some Pnar songs. Nights in Nongstoin town would ring with some of the popular Pnar numbers. And this holiday season, Chi-iung’s Didi Pong Pong, Nadien Ngan Bud from LJ Film Studio Nongpoh, Hey Kongthei by Hepp X Wanjop Sohkhlet, O’ste, EDM songs of DJ Wanshan and Boys of Rhythm’s Shad Haban Da Shai are up there on any Khasi or non-Khasi playlist.
Governance is a continuous process. That one can easily conclude from the tu-tu main-main healthy Assembly debates between our former CM (the present Leader of Opposition) and our present CM. A former doctor of Zikzak PHC, our former CM understands well the debt-laden, out-of-pocket expenses of patients and their families. In December 2012, the Government of Meghalaya launched one of India’s first Universal Health Coverage scheme, the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS). This was years before the Centre launched the PM Jan Aarogya Scheme. An MBA by training and a former entrepreneur, no one understands better the hardships and obstacles faced by our budding entrepreneurs, the job creators rather than job seekers. Many an entrepreneur will be grateful for the PRIME Start-Up Hubs and the support ecosystem they provide. And come March 2023, one hopes the new/old government will continue with the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project.
It’s an in-thing for the thinking (and non-thinking too) public to throw brickbats and non-constructive criticisms at the state bureaucracy, the very same bureaucracy that implemented the MHIS scheme and PRIME Start-Up project. For successful implementation of MHIS from January 2013 onwards, due credit should be given to Mr DP Wahlang, IAS (the then Commissioner & Secretary) and MR Synrem, IAS (the then Secretary), Health Department, Government of Meghalaya and their teams. For PRIME Start-Up, the names of Dr Vijay Kumar D, IAS (present Commissioner and Secretary) and Cyril VD Diengdoh, IAS (present Secretary) of Planning Department and their teams, come to mind.
In the interest of Meghalaya’s citizens, the creed of the aforementioned elected representatives and bureaucrats should never come up for discussion. Their work should.
The Flag, our
National Flag.
Some attribute the saffron to the majority community, the green to the largest minority and the white to the other minorities. The Chakra symbolises all Indians (the Union of States) working together to achieve greatness as envisioned by our Founding Fathers and Mothers, hopefully latest by 2047. The size of each colour in the Flag is equal, all Indians being equal as enshrined in our Constitution. One fails to understand why many attribute the colour saffron only with our Prime Minister and the main ruling party at the Centre. He is the PM of our Republic, not just of the 37.36% of the total voters who voted for his party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Objectively speaking, the Centre has been working overtime for the North-Eastern Region, especially in the roads’ lifelines, making us feel less alienated and cut-off. Recently, our PM announced the construction of the Shillong-Diengpasoh Road. The road will be a godsend for many from eastern Meghalaya to reach Shillong; in emergency cases, it will enable the patients to reach NEIGRIHMS in record time.
Oh, this age of anonymous trolls in social media where insults/threats are issued right, left and centre. Oh! To live and die for a Cause, a cause bigger than oneself or one’s religious beliefs. The warrior U Woh Kiang Nangbah has proved that one can.
As 2022 ends and 2023 beckons, Sting’s Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot (Mercury Falling, 1996) resonates through the mind. There is a lingering fear of another phase of the pandemic.
Hoping against Hope. There is Hope. Hoping & Praying for a Better Future.
P.S.: The writer is a Hynniewtrep/Khasi tribal; a Pnar married to a Khynriam from Shillong, with Roots of Origin from present-day Tuber village in East Jaintia Hills District. His most immediate maternal relatives are permanently settled in Tpep-Pale locality, Jowai. Baptised a Roman Catholic, he was deeply influenced by the Beipoons (Grannies) of Tpep-Pale, the Salesians of Don Bosco and Protestant relatives. And was raised in a syncretic mix of Pnar cultural traditions, with a heavy dosage of the indigenous Niamtre rites & rituals of the Rymbai clan, and the Western Christian traditions. Presently he is a member of the Riatsamthiah Presbyterian Church, Shillong.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal; they do not reflect those of the Government of Meghalaya.