By H H Mohrmen
I first came to know about the existence of this path from a lesson during my high school days. It was part of a chapter in a Khasi text book, “Ki Dienjat Ki Longshuwa.” In the book, there is a chapter on a journey from Jowai to Jaiñtiapur by U Hajom Kissor Singh Nongbri. The remnants of this stone path attest to the existence of “Ka Luti Syiem,” or the royal path, which connected the hills and the plains regions of the Jañtia Kingdom. This track, which extended from Jañtiapur (now in Bangladesh) northward to the upland region of Nartiang, has fallen into disrepair due to neglect.
According to folk narratives, the path is believed to have connected Nartiang, the summer capital of the kingdom, with Jañtiapur, the winter capital. It may have even extended beyond Nartiang to Nowgong (now Nagaon) in Assam. Sayeed Murtaza Ali (1954) stated that, according to J. H. Hutton, Nartiang was the sole capital of the kingdom before the annexation of Jaintiapur. This report also mentions that the highway from Nartiang passed northwards through Amchoi (now Amsoi in Morigaon district) and Kholahat in Nowgong district. From Amchoi, it continued southwards through Bar Amni, Bara Rangkhoi, Umpanai, Nartiang, Jowai, Jaraiñ, and Muktapur, ending at Jaintiapur. Ali (1954) noted that Dr. J. H. Hutton traveled along this track during his visit to the Jañtia region in 1925.
By road today, the distance from Nartiang to Jaintiapur is 91 km, and from Nartiang to Nagaon, it is an additional 149 km. At its longest, the royal path spanned 240 km. If, as Ali (1954) suggested, the path from Nartiang to Nagaon passed through Amchoi (now Amsoi), the distance would have been longer—up to 253 km if the route included Umpanai.
Remnants of the Path
The stretch of the royal path generally known today is the section from Jañtiapur to Nartiang. Not much is known about the remaining portion from Nartiang to Amchoi and Nagaon, even among locals. The remnants of the stone path in the Jañtia Hills suggest it was built twice, as there are two sets of stone bridges. In some portions, new paths have been constructed over the old ones.
While there have been articles about the stone bridges, Ka Thaw Sum Syiem, the Rupasor bathing ghats, and parts of the path, there has been no comprehensive study of the entire royal path. The History Department of Thomas Jones College, Jowai, conducted a survey in 2017, focusing on the remnants of the path between Muktapur and Nartiang. The study revealed that most of the more than 70 km of the path spanning two countries has disappeared.
Along the way, there are many monoliths, some locally known as Kor Shongthait or resting places. Examples include the collection of stones near the Thlumuwi stone bridge and those at Khimmusniang, Jowai. In Amlarem, a subdivision of West Jaintia Hills District, sections of the stone path remain well-preserved. Four stone bridges in this region can still be seen today.
The Stone Bridges
While the entire stone path may be considered a historical monument, its significant features include the four megalithic bridges built on the southern slopes. Proceeding from Jowai southwards, there is the Thlumuwi megalithic bridge over the Umwi River, Umïaknieh/Amjakniah, near the Krangshuri waterfalls, a bridge at Syndai, near the Rupasor bathing ghat over the Umkabeh River, and a bridge over the Umpubon River, near the Amlarem-Muktapur road.
The Thlumuwi Stone Bridge is located between Chkenpyrsit and Chkentalang villages on the Jowai-Amlarem road. It is easily accessible, just a few steps from the present highway, and is about 16 km from Jowai. The construction is simple, comprising a series of slabs on support stones with a total length of about 26.50 meters. Local folklore attributes the construction of the bridge to the legendary giants of Nartiang, U Luh Laskor, and U Mar Phalangki. Nearby, on the Chkhenpyrsit side, overgrowth covered the dolmens and menhirs used by travelers as resting stones.
The bridge at Umïaknieh, or Amjakniah in the War Jañtia dialect, is more refined. At first glance, it appears incomplete, but during a visit, Danny Burke, an archaeologist from Ireland, noted that the present bridge seems to have been built on an older one. It seems that additional stones were added later, possibly to repair or strengthen the original bridge. Some large stones in the river suggest that the old bridge had partially collapsed. The length of the Umïaknieh Bridge is 24.80 meters.
There are several engravings on the bridge. A rough sketch of a human footprint is carved on the top surface of one of the stone slabs. There are also engravings of a blooming flower and a horse, finely done, appears on one side of a support pillar. These motifs are similar to designs found on coins issued by Bor Kusain II, who reigned from 1731–1770. These royal motifs may help date the later portions of the bridge.
Two Different Types of Stone Bridges
It seems likely that the bridge was constructed by two different builders at different times. The name of the bridge is Umïaknieh in Pnar and Amjakniah in War. The prefixes “um” and “am” mean water or river, and “ïaknieh” and “jakniah” mean fighting for position, fame, honour, or any other cause. Therefore, Umïaknieh or Amjakniah translates to “the water they fought for.”
According to local lore, the king commissioned his giants to construct the path, assigning the bridge on the plateau to u Luh Laskor and u Mar Phalangki, and the slope and plains portions to u Bailon Khyriem. U Luh Laskor and u Mar Phalangki were giants from Nartiang, while U Bailon Khyriem hailed from Thangbuli. The giants quarreled over this portion of the work which is between the plateau and the slopes, and this incident is said to have given the bridge its name.
When we first visited, the approach path to the bridge at Umïaknieh from the Krangshuri waterfall side was largely intact. It had side drains and culverts at regular intervals to discharge water and protect the path from being washed away by torrential rain. The design of the path demonstrated the engineering prowess of its builders. However, I was disheartened during my visit to Krangshuri in November when I saw what had happened to this portion of the bridge. During his visit to Krangshuri, I met with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and C.V. Diengdoh from the Tourism Department to stress the importance of preserving this portion of the path. Unfortunately, my concerns fell on deaf ears. The entire section of the path has now been renovated. While the repair work may have used elements of ancient architecture, the originality and uniqueness of the path have been lost forever.
As one gentleman remarked, “We don’t have historical structures, so these are our Taj Mahal and our Qutub Minar.” Unfortunately, the megalithic bridges are now the only remaining structures of this ancient pathway.
The Other Megalithic Bridges
The other two stone bridges are located at Syndai, near the Umpubon River and the Rupasor bathing place. These two megalithic bridges feature different masonry styles. The workmanship of the bridge over the Umpubon River is rudimentary, similar to that of the upland bridges.
The bridge over the Amkabeh River at Syndai, however, is more sophisticated. It features stone block arches, with some support stones fixed together using iron rods. The stones were cut to interlock with one another. Each of the three arches includes a keystone in the middle. Interestingly, neither lime nor cement was used to bind the stones, and it is believed to date back to the 18th century CE.
It is safe to conclude that the Thlumuwi Stone Bridge, the original portion of the Umïaknieh Bridge, and the bridge over the Umpubon River were earlier works, built in the same style and with similar workmanship. The later portion of the Umïaknieh Bridge and the bridge over the Amkabeh River appear to have been constructed in a later period, likely under the patronage of a later king.
Who Built the Bridges?
To conclude, there are at least three possibilities regarding who and when the stone path was built? It may have been constructed by Bor Kusain II, the king who renounced the throne and became an ascetic. Alternatively, it could have been built by Bor Kusain I, the first Jañtia king to issue coins. A third possibility, suggested by Catherine Shadap-Sen (1981), is that the Sutnga kings built the path in the prehistoric period.
Shadap-Sen’s proposition is convincing, suggesting that the earlier bridges were built before the kingdom was fully established in the plains—or perhaps even earlier. Later additions to the path and bridges, with improved masonry, were likely made under subsequent rulers of the Jañtia kingdom. (This is an abstract from the thesis “Cultural History of Jañtia Hills in Stories, Stones, and Traditions,” 2017.)