100 longstanding years of the Khasi National Dorbar

It was on September 4, 1923 when people from all parts of Khasi Hills were summoned for a historic meet in Shillong, reveals current Khasi National Dorbar (KND) President, Laborius Manik Syiem.

Interacting with Sunday Shillong, Syiem shares insights on the journey of the organisation in mobilising leaders towards the formation of the KND.

He says that the formation of the Dorbar (interchangeably used as Durbar) was necessitated since there was a growing urge among the Syiems (the customary head of the Khasi tribal institution of an administrative area aka chieftain) of the various Himas (refers to a traditional Khasi kingdom or province), elders and all the intellectuals felt the need to unite the various Khasi States under one umbrella.

According to the current president of the Dorbar, to partake in this meet, people travelled by foot for weeks. Given its significance, he also added that the people attending came with full responsibility and understanding despite being told that they would be provided with lodging only and they would have to bring their own food.

“And so, people came in large numbers and sat through the meeting which lasted for three days. This meeting had only one agenda that was to unite the Khasi States,” he revealed.

The notice which was served to the Syiems, Lyngdohs, Sirdars, Myntris and all prominent leaders on July 27, 1923 made a reference that from 1921 onwards they had witnessed a change over the manner that the British empire was ruling India and there are strong possibilities it might be able to rule on its own.

It further stated that the change in the governance by the British empire is known as a reformed government and it has been witnessed that the Indians have started to take over their possession of the land from the British.

The notice also called upon the need to introspect on the changes in the governance of India and how to take stock of running the affairs of the Himas, taking over care over the land and everything which falls under the Himas.

It further stated that one cannot take this development lightly to ensure that they do not lose control over the Himas and to be known and seen as other great people of India.

In this connection, we need to meet and to deliberate to uplift the living condition, education, administration etc.

For this it was decided to hold the overall Dorbar (meeting) where the Syiems, Lyngdohs, Wadar, Sirdars, Myntris and all intellectual leaders to come together to deliberate on how to protect the country and to prepare the groundwork on the new form of governance which they might witnessed in the days to come.

This Dorbar will be known as the Khasi National Dorbar which will be held in Shillong for three days between September 4 to 6 of 1923.

In the Dorbar, there will be speakers who will speak about the issues and agendas to be deliberated.

The meeting will dwell at length on the need to protect and strengthen their rights and practices to govern the state and also to protect the right over their land and to administer as per the needs of the current time and also what comes in the future.

This signatories of this notice include Kmuin Manik Syiem (Syiem of Mylliem), Bidor Sing (Syiem of Nongkhlaw), Hormu Rai Diengdoh, K. Swett, Assiam Lyngdoh, JJM Nicols Roy and Wilson Reade.

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Syiem informed that the KND was formed during the three day’s meeting which was held from September 4 to 6 in 1923.

It may be mentioned here that fifty-four representatives from various Hima(s) and about three hundred people from different parts of the Khasi Hills attended the Dorbar.

The KND was the first ever attempt to congregate all the Khasi states under one organisation and to discuss and document important socio-cultural and political issues relevant to the people such as land rights, residency rights and right to ancestral property, amongst other issues.

The KND was formed in 1923 to discover the best way possible to ensure unity and cooperation among the Khasi States, towards the possibility of constituting a common organisation, and to consider the future of the Khasi States under the new constitutional setup.

The current KND president said that the following two decades witnessed various political developments in the Khasi Hills as the educated Khasi gentry attempted to prepare a political roadmap for the future progress of the Khasi States.

“We had fought against the British since we wanted our own independence and freedom,” he said.

Syiem recalled that even before India’s independence, there were many gatherings with KND to devise a plan after the end of the British rule.

“This line of thought continues till the date India got its Independence in 1947. This was the time when all of the Khasi States gained their Independence back since we were princely states,” the current KND president.

He also mentioned that the deliberations which had taken place between 1946 till 1947 was to determine whether they should remain as an independent state, join the Indian Union, or Pakistan as some had even thought to the extent of being under a protectorate.

Amid these ruminations, the KND had supported the movement of the Federation of Khasi States (FKS) of joining with India and being a Princely State it should be accommodated under the First Schedule within the Constitution of India.

According to him, the FKS had made a demand for a Khasi State and they had also consolidated to have firm ground with India.

“We even had the Constitution Making Dorbar for the Khasi States. Finally, we joined up with India through the Instrument of Accession and the Annexe Agreement and were accepted into the Indian Union on August 17, 1948,” the current KND president said.

According to Syiem, the agenda of achieving their own Hill State is etched in the minds of those in the Khasi National Dorbar.

“Although we have missed our first demand to be included in the First Schedule within the Constituent Assembly. We decided to strive ahead and our second chance to demand a state of our own again comes in,” he said.

During the visit of Late Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru to Shillong in 1952, Syiem said that the members had now resolved to write a memorandum to the then Prime Minister Nehru pressuring for a separate Hill State.

Despite the then Governor of Assam making sure that the KND members would not be able to meet the Late PM, Syiem said that the elders were so farsighted that by taking everyone by surprise KND appointed late Wilson Reade (an educator and advocate, was the chairman of the Khasi National Durbar, who lead the Hill State Movement) to go and attend that meeting where Late PM Nehru was to be there.

“It was here that the Late Wilson Reade managed to hand over the memorandum to the late PM on behalf of KND,” he said.

Meanwhile, on October 19, 1952, former Prime Minister, Late Jawaharlal Nehru visited Shillong and the KND also prepared to submit the memorandum to him. The KND had approached former Assam Chief Minister, Late Bishnu Ram Medhi to allow the association to meet Late Nehru to submit a memorandum. But he (Late Medhi) refused to allow the KND to meet the Late Prime Minister.

Left with no other option, the President of KND, Late Wilson Reade went to the pandal when the Late Prime Minister was delivering a speech at the Garrison Ground, Shillong to hand over the memorandum demanding for a separate Hill State.

This was the first time that the demand for a separate Hill State was formally handed over in writing to the Prime Minister.

In 1954, the States Re-Organisation Commission came to Khasi Hills and on April 1, 1954, the Khasi National Dorbar went to hand over a memorandum to demand for the separate Hill State. Former Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Late Captain Williamson A. Sangma after seeing the memorandum had sent a telegraph to endorse and support the demand of the KND to the States Re-Organisation Commission.

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Syiem mentioned that late Capt WA Sangma joined the Hill State Movement through the tribal union adding that the Hill State Movement which began in 1962 started from the Khasi National Dorbar.

According to him, it was at this very place in Mawkhar where the KND stands today, where all intellectuals, Syiems. Headman, Dalois (Duke) and people from all walks of life had gathered to deliberate and strategies for the Hill State Movement.

“After a long struggle from an Autonomous State we finally attained full-fledged statehood in January 1972,” KND president recalled.

Meanwhile, Syiem recalled that the first donation had come in from late former Chief Minister, BB Lyngdoh who had donated Rs 5 lakh on March 31, 1991 which started for the construction of the new permanent building of the KND.

According to him, the old Assam type wooden structures of the KND office were dismantled and late Jormanik Syiem had laid the foundation of the permanent building on September 28, 1992.

The current KND president informed that they had also received additional donations from MLAs and MPs from time to time till the new building of the organisation was finally inaugurated on September 4, 2007.

Meanwhile, Syiem stated that all the facts and history of the journey of this movement during the past 100 years has been published in the form of the two books released during the inauguration of new building in 2007 and the second one was released  during the centenary celebrations held recently.

“There is a possibility that some may not like it when we put it out in the public domain. We know that truth hurts but it is still the truth and the people must know,” the current KND president said while refusing to divulge the details on which aspects he was referring to.

“I hope these two publications will be a guiding light to this generation to arm themselves to build a better life and a great future for the people of the State” Syiem adds.

When asked about the way ahead for the organisation, he said that the youth has always been referred to as the future leaders but he sees the youth as a golden bridge to resolve the gap between the elders and the younger and their younger generation.

“Learn from the good deeds and wisdom of the past and present leaders, try to replicate it to ensure better days for the people and to hand over these precious stones to the younger generations who will be the future leaders of the country,” the current KND president observes.

He said that they will try to consolidate more members since the numbers at KND have dwindled and they will need new members to come in.

For its centenary celebrations, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had graced the occasion which was held at the Dorbar Hall of the Khasi National Dorbar at Mawkhar on September 4 where the Deputy Chief Minister felicitated the oldest general secretary of the organisation, JK Tariang and also released the centenary souvenir of the Khasi National Dorbar.