By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 20: Meghalaya celebrated its 52nd statehood day in Tura, marking a historic occasion with the unveiling of its state anthem. Governor Phagu Chauhan and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma released the anthem, the former virtually and the latter during the official Meghalaya Day celebrations in Tura.
The bilingual anthem in Khasi and Garo is anchored by the Arts & Culture Department. The initiative, led by Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh and coordinated by Commissioner & Secretary of Arts & Culture department FR Kharkongor, saw the collaborative efforts of the State Anthem Working Association (SAWA) culminate in the anthem after 52 years of statehood.
(L) Neil Nongkynrih, founder of the Shillong Chamber Choir, crafted the English lyrics, refined by a group of writers led by Paul Lyngdoh. The Khasi and Garo lyrics were skillfully drafted by Kit Shangpliang of Summersalt and Iris Watre Thomas. The anthem, blending Ksing Shynrang of the Khasi people and the Dama of the Garo people, embraces indigenous rhythms, local words, and a fusion of melodies.
In alignment with the Meghalaya Language Act, where English is the official language and Khasi and Garo are associate state languages, the anthem reflects linguistic consistency.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Kharkongor emphasised its potential to inspire unity and pride, envisaging its presence in significant events, including the upcoming Republic Day.
He added that in the run-up to the celebration of 50 years of Statehood in 2021, the Arts & Culture department was entrusted with the finalisation of the State Emblem and the State Anthem.
The Cabinet approved the State Emblem in 2022 which was officially launched on Statehood Day 2022. The SAWA took up the task of reworking the draft anthem to provide it with the requisite feel melody and overall appeal capturing the essence of Meghalaya, its inherent values, its harmony and its rich cultural diversity.
The 1 minute and 40 seconds long anthem aim to resonate with all citizens, embodying equitable lyrical representation for communities across the eastern and western regions of the state.
Kit Shangpliang said, “For Summersalt and me personally, it is a huge honour to be part of this momentous project which will last for posterity, but we keep reminding ourselves that this is not about Summersalt, it is about the land and the people of Meghalaya. We would like to believe that the anthem adds to the unity amidst the diversity, simply because of the shared-identity and shared-aspirations, across the hills and pan-Meghalaya.”
As an anthem reflecting shared identities, ownership, and the essence of Meghalaya’s culture, the composition is poised to become a symbol of unity.
Iris Watre, thrilled to contribute the Garo lyrics, emphasised the honour in portraying the land’s praise and fostering respect, aiming to encourage unity in diversity. The anthem, designed to endure for posterity, pays tribute to Meghalaya’s sacred land on a pan-state basis.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, William Basaiawmoit of the Shillong Chamber Choir said, “As a Choir we feel elated to be part of this historic moment and also because this is Uncle Neil’s last project. We are thrilled that the song was approved by the cabinet. It was a breakthrough experience and we thank God that we were part of this milestone event.
“The song reflects Uncle Neil’s prayer for his people. It’s been both a memorable and honourable moment. It is a legacy that will outlast all of us. We hope it will stir up patriotism in all who listen to this song. This anthem is also a product of unity and we are so grateful that it has come out the way it has.”
As far as the composition goes, William says there was a lot of thought that went into this song. “From the lyrics to composition we made sure there was no bias in anything that we did, right from the instruments used.
“From the very start when Uncle Neil had conceived the song he had a vision of knitting the people of Meghalaya in a bond of unity. Also, we had to go by the Meghalaya Language Act where English is the official language and Khasi and Garo are our associate state languages. The lyrics too are generic and don’t refer to a specific region so that the song remains timeless over the years. Our intent is to retain the eternal values of this song.
“We are grateful to Summersalt and Nokpante for their inputs for the Khasi and Garo instrumentation which gave the anthem an authentic feel. The English lyrics were crafted by Uncle Neil and Bah Paul Lyngdoh with assistance from the Department of Art and Culture. The Shillong Chamber Choir was part of the orchestration of the song,” William said.
Other members of the Choir echo William’s sense of joy and pain. They feel they could hear Uncle Neil’s tender exhortation behind the song. It’s almost as if he knew that it would be his last composition. “This is because Uncle Neil had a deep love for this land and its people,” the Choir members said.