Editor,
Commenting on the article by Toki Blah, “Weapons, arm bearers and tactics of ancient Khasis” (ST November 14, 2024), the Khasi battle sword is called ‘ka waitlam’ and also as ‘ka wait sum’ . Bah Toki has correctly described it to be used in slashing and hacking and with its sharp pointed end can also be used effectively as a blade to stab in close quarter fighting.
But the thought provoking article of Bah Toki brought back memories of a story once told to me many ‘moons’ ago. Besides the sword and bows and arrows, the Hynniewtrep people were known to have developed the art of iron smelting for hundreds if not thousands of years ago and in the process learnt the technique of making different sizes of canons called ‘ki ramshangki’. According to this elderly Khasi gentleman whom I met many years ago, who has since passed away, these ‘ramshangki’ as he identified them, can be hand-held, or placed on the ground position for firing depending on the size of the cannon.
This gentlemen also explained how the Hynniewtrep people came to develop the method of making gun powder for use in the ‘ramshangki.’ He explained that when urine is passed in a particular spot of land for a long time, the earth on that particular spot becomes black. That blackened earth when dug out and dried and mixed with some other mixture becomes highly explosive/flammable. Now searching through Google we find that urine contains substantial amounts of phosphorus and potassium and we read that during the American Civil War in 1863, Confederate chemist Jonathan Harrelson figured out how to create more potassium nitrate by extracting it from human urine. Though the men were all away fighting, southern women could collect their urine from bedpans and pour it into a huge horse-drawn truck for the manufacture of potassium nitrate. A request was placed in the Selma Alabama newspaper: When A Lady Lifts Her Skirt, She Shoots A Horrid Yankee”
Getting hold of this information today one must acknowledge and appreciate the ingenuity of our forefathers then, which must remind us again of what our own philosopher poet U Soso Tham had written in one of his poems, “Jingstad ngi wad sawdong pyrthei, jingshai ka Ri ngim tip eiei”(Knowledge we seek around the world, wisdom of our own we know nothing of”.
Yours etc.,
Michael N. Syiem,
Via email
Everyone gets a piece of the cake
Editor,
Who is truly responsible for the chaos on Shillong’s roads—our government or the people of Meghalaya? Driving here feels like a free-for-all. There are no effective speed limits, and drivers seem free to honk wherever and whenever they please. The traffic officials, overwhelmed by their daily duties, can only do so much.
Small details matter when driving on the narrow roads of Shillong, yet reckless behaviour has become the norm. Bikers are among the worst offenders, weaving through traffic in a zig-zag manner and adopting dangerous trends like using mobile phones while riding. Some even wedge their phones into their helmets, talking, as they navigate the roads. This so-called “multitasking” defies logic. Balancing a scooter while texting should not be something to marvel at—it’s alarming. If the city’s CCTV systems were properly utilized, many of these violators could be held accountable.
Car drivers, too, contribute significantly to the chaos. Instead of sticking to the left, many drive in the middle—or worse, on the right—causing unnecessary inconvenience. It’s common to see cars improperly signaling, using right indicators when they intend to pull over to the left. This lack of basic road etiquette seems unique to Shillong, leaving one to wonder how driving licenses are issued here.
Bikers from neighbouring Assam add their own dangerous habits to the mix, such as overtaking cars from the left—a highly unsafe practice. Taxis, meanwhile, operate with reckless abandon, turning off their headlights at night to “save battery power,” endangering other road users. They stop abruptly in the middle of the road to pick up passengers, with no regard for the disruption they cause.
Traffic personnel deserve appreciation for cracking down on vehicles with tinted windows, loud exhausts, and unlawful horns, but there is much more to be done. For instance, while the BJP government banned red beacons for VIPs in 2017, the allowance of sirens has become another source of noise pollution. Sirens should be reserved exclusively for ambulances and fire services. Ironically, the only advantage of these VIP convoys is that other vehicles can tail them, bypassing traffic jams.
Ultimately, we are all to blame. As citizens, we need to take responsibility for our actions. Driving safely and courteously isn’t just about following the rules—it’s about creating a road culture where everyone can coexist. Let’s stop pointing fingers and ensure everyone gets their fair share of accountability—their “piece of the cake.”
Yours etc.,
B. Laitphlang,
Via email
Arbitrary functioning of local durbar!
Editor
It was no less interesting to read in one of the letters appearing in these columns under the caption of ‘Fee collection announced on locality PA system!’ (ST November 16,2024) in Laitumkhrah written by Ibalamon K.naior. This write-up has indubitably unfolded the hitherto opaque can of worms where the local Dorbar under the duly elected Rangbah Shnong and other key incorporated members of the locality can fix the quantum of monthly money donations for purpose of civic operations and other extraneous exigent contributions in the event of death of the local residents to be given to the bereaved family collected from the docile residents,willy-nilly. Notably, such monetary collections have conveniently found spaces in many localities thick and fast.And the amount of subscriptions may differ from one locality to another at the discretion of those at the helm.
These monetary contributions, as described, are per se intended for the noble social services of the locality for civic purposes and other extraneous manifold amenities of bona-fide residents. Nonetheless, based on the premises of the aforesaid letter,a pertinent question arises as to why such financial requisitions are being imposed upon the commoners given that the accountability of maintaining civic undertakings is being shouldered by the existing Shillong Municipal Board. For street lighting, MeECL is accountable; PWD is responsible for repairing roads at appropriate times,besides other public utility services which are to be addressed when there are public complaints.
The letter in question further reiterated that residents who fail to comply with the Dorbar’s directive would have to face punitive actions such as ‘no public announcement shall be made in case of bereavement in the defaulters’ family,’ and perhaps other retributive procedures may be imposed upon those defaulters. The said letter has gone on record to state that such contentious collection of money is nothing short of daylight robbery, and if that be so, the law abiding citizens may query,”will not the local Dorbars who resort to these moot practices be actionable in the court of justice?”
Yours etc.,
Jerome K Diengdoh,
Shillong-2