Editor,
With due respect to the article by Rangbah Bhogtoram Mawroh(Peace between Khasis and Karbi: A legacy of the past) published in this paper on February 20, 2024, I would like to say that the Hynñiew Trep are not sub-groups. In Niam Khasi, the Hynñiew Trep are the Seven Huts or Seven Families who out of the KhatHynriew Trep or Sixteen Huts in Heaven had decided to stay on Mother Earth and came down through Ka Jingkieng Ksiar (The Golden Bridge) connecting Heaven and U Lum Sohpetbneng (The Mount Sohpetbneng). The remaining Khyndai Trep or Nine Huts decided to stay in Heaven. Then the Hynñiew Trep lived on the Lum Sohpetbneng and in places around the Lum Sohpetbneng. They progenerated their descendants, and the descendants migrated to different regions on earth in the present-day Khasi-Jaintia Hills/Ri Khasi/Ka Bri U Hynñiew Trep.
The Hynñiew Trep and their descendants did not have a script to keep records of their religious beliefs, religious practices and culture. They did not have a scripture that explains their religion and culture. Their beliefs, and explanations on religious practices and culture were passed down from generation to generation in oral stories and oral narratives.
However, we the believers in Niam Khasi believe that the Hynñiew Trep are our, “Ki Thawlang Ki Iawbei,” i.e, our ancestors and we are, ”Ki Khun U Hynñiew Trep/Ki Khun Ki Hynñiew Trep” ,i.e, we are the descendants of the Hynñiew Trep. With regards to the Karbi who became Khasi, my late father once told a story, when I and my brothers and sisters were young, that some group of Karbis adopted the culture of the Hynñiew Trep. The children(descendants) that were born from the marriage/cohabitation of Ki Khun U (Ki) Hynñiew Trep and the Karbi were also recognized as Ki Khun U Hynñiew Trep/KiKhunHynniewTrep
The religions on earth have their own beliefs, and explanation on the beliefs, practices and culture. Many have the scriptures and some do not have, e.g, Ka Niam Khasi. Finally, I would like to request that nobody should hurt the religious beliefs and traditional beliefs of the Niam Khasi Believers.
Yours etc.,
Wallambiang Rani, (A Niam Khasi believer)
Upper Shillong
If Sikkim can do, why can’t Meghalaya?
Editor,
The announcement of the Sikkim government on the February 9 to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to its state employees effective from April 1st, 2006 has been enthusiastically welcomed by the rank and file of the state functionaries who accepted the news as manna from heaven, given that no semblance of agitation on their part was warranted for conferment of such a boon. This endorsement of Sikkim government denotes the fact that any other state government, in their own capacity, given the good-intention for the welfare of employees can take recourse to such beneficial policies without waiting for the Central government approbation.
This concurrence of the Sikkim government in favour of the white- collar workers merits exceptional attention as it enshrines this Himalayan state as the first among the North-Eastern states to venture on this course of action. And to top it all Sikkim, ruled by the regional part the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, has added another feather to its cap by being the only state political party of North-East which, if I’m not mistaken had voted against the controversial CAA legislation in Parliament in 2016 thereby navigating its own unique path, thereby reminding me of the nuances of the poem ‘The road not taken’ composed by that great American poet Robert Frost, which reads,
I took the one l3ess travelled by/ And that has made all the difference”
The Sikkim government led by Chief Minister P.S Tamang is indubitably painfully aware of the grim plight that hangs around the state’s employees bracketed under the New Pension Scheme (NPS), who, on retirement with meager pensionary benefits, will end up in old age homes, unlike their counterparts falling under Old Pension Scheme (OPS) who can draw a respectable total sum on retirement. All said and done, many of Meghalaya’s white collar workers may, therefore, ask, ‘if the Sikkim government can do, why can’t Meghalaya?’
Yours etc.,
Jerome K Dengdoh,
Shillong -2
Justifying a bad practice
Editor,
The Chief Minister in his budget statement mentioned the number of political appointees under this coalition to be at 188. The justification is that since this has been a practice in the past hence it is simply following past protocols which is an absurd justification to say the least. If we look at the economic and statistics and the NITI Aayog report on Meghalaya it is shameful. This state is the third poorest amongst all states and the so-called change which this government with a composite package of regional parties promised, has failed to address many underlying issues and the primary one is unemployment. Being the third poorest state in the entire country the ruling parties have no shame whatsoever by this statistic. It’s only the bureaucracy that maintains the status of the state.
How can employment be generated in the government sector when almost half of the taxpayers’ money is gone to pay and accommodate unproductive persons who could be replaced by better experts from various fields and who are educated, experienced youths of the state who often spend their time filing applications for various vacancies. Another aspect is the non-payment of pensions, subsidies, grants, scholarships etc., to many down the line. There is no citizen centric policy to address these and for how long will this state be reduced to a “pauper state” with a begging bowl from the central government and in the forms of loans. It is a pity that the common man suffers while the high-level ones enjoy life. I pity this state which has gone to the dogs.
Yours etc…
Dominic S Wankhar
Via email
Thoughtless Government order on school calendar/timing
Editor,
In support of S.Lyngdoh’s letter captioned, ‘School timings problematic’ (ST Feb 21st 2024), I would also like to lend my weight behind the writer. If, as per Government orders all the schools are to start at 9 am then without doubt there will be heavy traffic congestion resulting in chaos and choc-a-bloc traffic during that time.
As a suggestion to the government and the management committees of different schools in and around Laitumkhrah, I suggest that classes for pre nursery,,nursery, KG and even up to class I to consider starting their school from 9:30am – 12:30 pm
This step, if taken will surely ease the burden of traffic snarls in the early mornings and of course these small children in their initial stages of learning would not need to be kept for 5 hours in school on a daily basis.
Secondly, I totally agree with Lyngdoh regarding closure of academic year for classes I to XII up to 20th December keeping in mind the climatic condition of our State which gets very cold by then and could affect the children’s health since schools are not heated spaces. The tiny tots would be more vulnerable. The Government while dishing out orders should first of all keep the health of students as and a priority and the seasonal climatic conditions of the region.
Yours etc.,
Helen Dkhar,
Via email