By H.H. Mohrmen
Hajom Kissor Singh is widely known as the founder of the Unitarian Church in the Khasi Jaiñtia and Karbi Anglong regions of Assam. However, his greatness lies also in his willingness to contribute to every sphere that could advance literature, education, and even the politics of the region.
Born on 15 June 1865 at Saitsohpen, Sohra, to Bor Singh Malngiang and ka Bida Nongbri and he studies up to the matriculation level. That was a remarkable achievement, considering that formal education in the hills had only begun about two decades earlier with the arrival of the Welsh Presbyterian (Calvinistic Methodist) missionaries in the region.
Sohra or Cherrapunjee was the place where the Mission first began its work with the arrival of Rev. Thomas Jones and his wife on 22 June 1841. He learned the Khasi language and became the first known individual to develop its written form using the Roman script. HK Singh grew up at Cherrapunjee and belonged to the first generation of educated Khasis who benefited from the educational initiatives introduced by the Welsh missionaries.
An Educationist Par Excellence
While still working in the SDO’s office; HK Singh started an Upper Primary School in Jowai in 1893 called the Unitarian Free School. Under his leadership a petition was sent to the government requesting that the Khasi Jaiñtia students be allowed to write their Upper Primary school examination in Khasi language. In a letter to the Director of Public Instruction, Assam dated Jowai, the 8th of February 1902 the administrators of the three schools in Jaiñtia hills pleaded that the Khasi Jaiñtia students be allowed to write their exams in Khasi. The application was signed by Hajom Kissor Singh Manager, Unitarian Free School, u Soso Tham Headmaster Shangpung U.P. School and Samuel Challam officiating Headmaster of a School in Jowai.
In response, the Director of Public Instruction, Assam, W. Booth in his letter to the Sub-Inspector of Schools, Jaiñtia hills, Jowai number 7327 dated Shillong the 21st October said that he agreed with the applicants on all points stated in their application and that the children must be taught in their own vernacular to the end of the Upper Primary standard.
Contribution to the early writings of Khasi
Dr Sylvanus Lamare (Mawphor dated 12 July 2006) mentioned about the remarks made by the Editor of u Khasi Mynta when Khasi tracks were sent to the press. U Khasi mynta in its (Nailur) September, 1, 1896 edition praised the beauty and the correct structure of the Khasi language used in the translation of the tracks sent to the newspaper by HK Singh.
In the early part of 1900 when the government constituted a Textbook Committee, U Khasi Mynta, remarked that it was surprised that the Committee only comprises of the DPI of Schools and the Deputy Commissioner and J.C. Evans. Earlier a Khasi, U Babu Jeebon Roy was made member of the Committee but after his demise the government had not appointed any native to the Committee. A petition was made to the Governor to consider the appointment of a member from the local community to the committee. Later U Khasi Mynta in its September 1903 edition reported that the DPI has made some correction and nominated Hajom Kissor Singh as member of the Textbook Committee along with Dr. Roberts.
H.K. Singh has also contributed to production of many important books. He and his brother u Nissor Singh find mention in the preface of the book “The Khasis by PRT Gurdon”. They were two of the nine Khasi names mentioned in the preface as people who had helped Gurdon in coming up with the book. H.K.Singh along with Babu Jeebon Roy also wrote the introduction to the book ‘Ka Jingsneng Tymmen’ by Radhon Sing Berry.
He composed 72 hymns for the Unitarian Church hymnal and translated many hymns published in the hymn book. U Khasi Mynta, the journal appreciated the beauty of the Khasi language used in the book. The only prose that Hajom Kissor Singh wrote was a piece about his journey from Jowai to Jaintiapur which was included as a chapter in the book ‘Mawpun Jingtip.’
The completion of the Khasi English Dictionary
The first English Khasi Dictionary by u Nissor Singh was first published in 1906 and later the government ordered the revision of the same. In the preface of the Dictionary the then Deputy Commissioner of Khasi and Jaintia Hills A.W. Dentith remarked that the Government vide letter Number 4445C Dated 30th March 1907 constituted a committee to work on the project which comprised of Mr F.E. Jackson, Mr. L.O. Clark and Mr. B.C. Allen members representing the Deputy Commissioner and the other three members were Rai Sahip Dohory Ropmay, u Hajom Kissor Singh and his brother u Nissor Singh the author of the dictionary.
Later a committee to revise the manuscript was constituted with Rev. Walter Firminges, the Rev. C.L. Stephens, the Rev. J.C. Evans and Khan Sahip Amjad Ali as members. The preface also mentioned that the author u Nissor Singh read the part of the manuscript sent to him from the Printing Press and was able to proof read only from alphabet A to O. Unfortunately Nissor Singh died on the 20th of February 1918 while serving as the Inspector of School in Tura, Garo hills. Dentith concluded that the proof of the remaining letters from P to Z was read by his brother u Hajom Kissor Singh, who also wrote the keys to pronunciation and the list of abbreviation in the dictionary.
Standardizing Khasi using Roman Alphabets
Rev Thomas Jones wrote the Khasi language using Roman alphabets, however later there was a realisation of the need to improve and standardise Khasi writing. Babu Jeebon Roy was the first to recognize the need for standardized alphabets to preserve the Khasi language.
He collaborated with British missionaries and other Khasi intellectuals to refine the Roman script and adapt it to the unique phonetic characteristics of Khasi. U Jeebon Roy and his contemporaries sought to ensure that the script accurately represented the sounds of the language. Jeebon Roy together with other thinkers in Khasi like Babu Hajom Kissor Singh, Radhon Singh Berry and Babu Hormu Rai Diengdoh, introduced the two Khasi Alphabets “ї” and “ñ” in the list of alphabets used to write Khasi. The full list of the alphabets which include those introduced by Thomas Jones and the two newly incorporated ones appeared for the first time in printed form in his book, “Ka Pule Khasi Kaba Nyngkong” in 1897.
An Able Administrator
U Khasi Mynta in its November 1905 issue; observed that it is important to have a native appointed as the Head Clerk in the Deputy Commissioner’s office and the courts in Jowai and Shillong because local people know the culture, tradition and religion of the locals. The Newspaper appreciated Major Gurdon for appointing Hajom Kissor Singh to replace Babu Radhanath a Bengalee who was transferred for posting in the plain areas with the hope that H.K. Singh would be able to do justice to his work and bring pride to the community.
S.E. Rita in his order dated 23-9-1902 stated that Hajom Kissor Singh was recalled before the expiration of leave and appointed temporarily as Dewan (Prime minister) of Khyrim State by Chief Commissioner of Assam in a letter No. 156 confd dated 15-9-1902, 4219.
Building of the modern Khasi state
At the fag end of his career, U H.K. Singh also participated in the politics of the Khasi state. In the late eighteen hundreds, the Khasi and Jaiñtia hills region as we know now was divided by the British in two segments, the Khasi Jaiñtia which was under the direct British rule and the Khasi States which comprises of the states still ruled by independent Khasi chieftains.
The Khasi Native States sought clarification regarding their future position, as they were concerned about preserving their identity and traditional institutions. To address these concerns, a notice was circulated on 27 July 1923 by the Syiem of Mylliem, Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy, and other traditional leaders. The notice announced that a Khasi Durbar, to be known as the “Khasi National Durbar,” would be convened from 4 to 6 September 1923 at the residence of Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy at Qualapatty.
The Syiems, Wahadadars, Lyngdohs, Headmen, and others participated in meeting and elected the first office bearers of the durbar, President – u Join Manick, Syiem Sohra, Vice President – Rai Sahib Hormu Rai Diengdoh, Secretary – Rev. J. J.M. Nichols Roy, Assistant Secretary – u Hajom Kissor Singh, Treasurer – u Chandranath Roy and 11 Executive Committee Members.
H.K. Singh quietly laboured for social transformation at a time when the Khasi language as a formal educational milieu and Khasi nationalism were still taking roots. Though the passage of time has obscured much of his work, the imprint of his service endures in the social and intellectual awakening of his people.
