Mosjo R. F. Wanswett, Nongwar, East Khasi Hills District
(Ba bteng)
“From Cherrapunjee to Laitlyngkot a distance of about 18 miles, there is a useful road which is capable of much improvement at a very moderate cost. There is no large river to be crossed on the road, coal and lime can be easily supplied from the village of Lyrungyu which is about 13 mile distant, and provisions and other articles might be brought from Cherrapunjee at a small expense.
Laitlyngkot is situated on the high road which is being made across the hills from Cherrapunjee to Assaloo via Joowaie Poonjee, and it is about 25 miles from the centre of the Jyntea Hills, from whence supplies might be drawn without difficulty, at a moderate.
The advantage of having, intense hills, a detachment of European Troops or even a Convalescent Depot, like that of Darjeeling mus be obvious. To ensure perfect safety in Assam and eastern Bengal it will be necessary, I apprehend, for sometime to come, to have a certain number of European Troops on this Frontier, and I think that they cannot be better placed than in these mountains where climate is so favourable to their health, and where they would be ready for service on the occurrence of any emergency in Assam and Eastern Bengal.”
Katkum kane ka report jong u Professro Oldham, ngi sngewthuh ba ka thain Laitlyngkot ka long ia kaba kham biang namar ka jaka ka long kaba itynnad bad ym don lawbah. Ka khyndew ka kham long dewmet bad ka suinbneng ka kham duna ka jingsngem jinglhum ban ia ka Sohra, ka long khiah krat bha bad ka iahap bha ia ka nong Europe ha baroh shisnem.
Na Sohra ha Laitlyngkot ka jngai tang 18 miles bad don ruh ka surok ka ban myntoi bha bad lah ban pynbha tang ha ka jinglut ba duna. Ym don wahbah ia ka ban jam, ia u, mawshun bad dewiong lah ban ioh na Laitryngew kaba jngai tang 13 mile, bad kino ki mar lah ban wanrah na Sohra ha ka dor ba tad.
Ka shnong Laitlyngkot ka don ruh harud ka surok bah na Sohra sha Assaloo lyng-ba ka Jowai, kaba long tang 25 mile napdeng ki lum Jaintia.
Ka jingmyntoi ban don ha kine ki lum. Ka jaka shong shipai bad ki iing buh tiar kum ha Darjeeling kaba ka sorkar ka dei ban sngewthuh eh khnang ban pynthikna ia ka jinglong la kloi ban pynioh ia ka jingshong shngain ha Assam bad eastern Bengal, u Profeesor Oldham u pynbor ia ka sorkar ban buh katto katne ka len shipai na ka bynta kano kano ka jingjia bakyrkieh (emergency) ha Assam bad Eastern Bengal.
(Hynrei hadien khyndiat snem ka sorkar phareng ka la jied noh pynban ia ka Upper Shillong bad ia ka Cantonment Area ba mynta na ka bynta katei ka kam).
Ha kaba iadei pat bad ka koit ka khiah ki briew, u Dr. Lamb u la thoh ia kane ka report hadien ba ma u bad ka mem jong u ki la wan jurip ia kine ki lum Khasi jong ngi, kata ha ka snem 1828.
“He (Dr. Lamb) was struck by the general air of cheerfulness and ease prevalent among the people. He remarked the strong physique of the people and their general health spoke powerfully in favour of the climate which was invigorating and salubrious. No lame or feformed people were seen and leprosy was unknown.:”
Dr. Lamb attributed the health appearance of the Khasis to the climate of their beautiful hills “where extreme fatique seems speedily forgotten and exposure to sun bad weather is followed by increase of appetite which lightened and buoyancy of spirit.” The climate of these hills seems to him to resemble that of the West England and had no doubt that many patients now sent to Cape of to Europe might be restored at much less expense of time and money if sent to the Sonatoria established on the Khasi Hills.”
Kumta halor katei ka report, ngi sngewthuh ba ka jaidbynriew Khasi jong ngi ka long ka bakoit bakhiah krad bha, kiba ka jinglong palwan jong ki ruh dei namar ka jinglong ka suiñbneng.
Kum ka jaidbynriew kaba tip ia ka hok ka sot ym ju kham don koit khamtam lei lei ha kito ki por kiba dkoh ne anna met bad wat ka jingpang kum ka nianglyngkut ruh ym ju bna ei ei ha ka ri.
Shuh shuh, ba ka jinglong ka suinbneng kaba pyngngad bad ba khuid, ka long syriem ia kaba ha ki phang Sepngi ka England bad namar kane ka daw u Dr. Lamb u pyni na ka bynta ki nong Europe kiba don ha India, ki lah ban ioh ka lad ban sumar ia ki ha ka jinglut kaba khyndiat lada don ki Sonatoria ha ki lum Khasi ban ia kaba leit phah sumar sha Cape Town ne Europe.
Ha ki bynta ba shakhmat nga la btai khyndiat shaphang ka jinglong ki lum ki wah, ki them, ki lhuh, ki riat ki ram, ki ranab bad ki madan kiba pyniapngiah shibun ia ki briew ban peit.
Hynrei kaba kham pyniapngiah shuh shuh ka long ka jingdon jong ki kshaid kiba donnam kum ka Kshaid Nohkalikai, Dainthlen, Riat Mawiew ha Sohra (Khlieh shnong), Kshaid Wahkaba, ka Laitryngew, ki Kshaid Nohsngithiang ka Mawsmai Nogthymmai, ka Kshaid Khoh ramhah, ka shnong Laittyra ha ka Hima Sohbar, ka Kshaid Kynrem ha Umwai, Hima Mawlong, ka Kshaid Wahrem ka Umniuh – Tmar nalor kiwei kiwei ki kshaid kiba don ha ka thain Mawkma – Laitlyngkot kum ka Kshaid Weisawdong, Lyngngei, Mawsawdong, Mawsaw, Lyngkshia bad Janailar, kiba kham bun ki long kiba itynnad bha ban peit khamtam ha ka por lyiur bad synrai.
Nalor ki Kshaid, ka thain ruh ka don ki wah ba donnam kiba tuid sha rithor ryng-kat lang bad ka wah Rilang ne Kynshai ne Wah Ranikor ba ngi ju kham kren paidbah bad Umngoh ka thain Dawki, ki long ka wah Umiam kaba tuid lyngba ka Mawphu shaduh Shella bad kane ka wah ka don ki bynta kiba long kshaid bad haba ka la poi sha ka jaka madan shuwa ban poi sha ri Bangladesh don ki jaka ba ibit ibiang bha na ka bynta ban iaid kai, shongkai pyngngad kiba long kum ki river beaches.
Bad kawei pat ka long ka Wah Sohryngkew ne Wahrew, kaba wan tuid na ki lhuh khatarshnong, Pynursla bad Mawkdok ka da iaid lyngba ki shnong Sohkhmi bad Ryngngud Sohbar, bad poi sha ka ri madan ka tharai jong ka Hima Sohra.
Kane ka wah ruh ka long kaba itynnad bha bad ka khring eh ia ki rawon na kylleng ban leit khwai.
Nangta ka don ka jingkieng suspension bridge ba dang shu dep tei shen kaba pyniasoh bad ka Hima Nongjri. Kane ka wah ka ai dur ba iphuh iphieng ia ki lum Nongjri bad Sohbar. Ka wah ka dap da ki maw bad i kordor bad khamtam lei lei ia u Mawsiang ba kham phylla ha Mawskain ka shnong Sohbar ia uba la ioh kyrteng (Scientific name) kum u Cretaceous Palatone (KPG) da ka GSJ. Bad ia une u mawsiang ba kham niar eh ban shem ha pyrthei, ki Scientist mynta ki sdang ban wad jingtip ia ka jinglong jingjia ha ki por barim bajah ha kaba la jia ka jingpynlong kaba kham pher ia une u maw bad u kham pher shibun na ki fossil ha ki maw ba la shem ha Mawmluh bad ki stad Science kin dang ialeh ba Study (pule).
Bad kumta katkum ka report sorkar ha kaba u Captain Fisher u la ai hadien ka jingjurip jong u ia kane ka thain bad ka ri lum Khasi, ka ong kumne shaphang, ki kshaid ka ri lum jongngi :- “Captain Fisher’s account is no less interesting. He was charmed by the noble waterfalls of the Khasi Hills which when full appeared to him, to be the most stupendous and magnificent calculated of the excited singled sensations of pleasure and awe and many of these having a perpendicular fall of one thousand feet oa unbroken descent deserved to be ranked according to him among the most considerable falls in the world.”
Kumta halor kitei ki katto katne ki jingshisha kiba iadei bad ka jinglong ka mei mariang bad ki sawdong sawkat jong ka, ngi iohi ia ka jingwan tuid ki nongjngoh kai pyrthei ka la nangkiew nangkiew katba nang mih ki sngi.
Katkum ka jingioh jingtip ha u snem 2017, ka jingwanpoi ki tourist ka la kiew sha ka 10 lak ei ei ki nong India bad kumba 9000 tam kiba na shilliang duriaw, bad ha ka snem 2018 ki tourist ki wan poi kumba 12 lak tam bad 12000 tam kiba na shilliang duriaw.
Kumta ka la don ka jingdawa kaba jur ia ki home stay, ki hotel, ki guest house bad ki resort bad kham bunsin kiba don mynta kim lah ban pyndap jaka sah miet. Bad halor ka jingnang kiew ka jingwan ki nongjngoh kai pyrthei na kawei ka snem sha kawei pat, ngi dei ban sngewthuh ba ki nongwan jngoh kai pyrthei ki don kiwei pat ruh ki jingthmu, kata ban ioh jingtip ruh shaphang ka culture jong ki briew, ki jingjia ha ki history ka ri, kiwei kiwei ki liang kiba ki nongwan jngohkai ki leh research bad pyntip sha ka pyrhei lyngba ki kot ki documentary, ki thesis bad kiwei kiwei ki rukom pynkhriang jingtip.
Kumta kum ka thain ngi dei ba sngewsarong ia ka jingdon jong ka history ka thoh ka tar u Khasi ba la pruid dak da ki Missionaery na shilliang duriaw bad ka jingwan poi ka jingshai ka Gospel da ka jingaiti lut jong ki naduh u snem 1840 ter ter.
Ka shnong Nongsawlia ka long kawei na ki shlem kiba ia ki kam bakhraw na ka bynta ka jaidbynriew la pyndep da ki briew. Bad mynta ki dang sah ki matti jong ki ia kaba ngi la ioh pateng ma ngi.
Shuh shuh haba ngi kren ia ka history ka ri ngim lah ruh ban klet ia ki longshuwa manshuwa kiba la aiti lut ia la ka jingim na ka bynta ka jaidbynriew bad ka ri.
Mynba ki dohlieh ki la wan kiew sha kine ki ri lum jong ngi, ki la pyndonkam ruh da ka bor ban iohi synshar bad long kynrad hynrei ia ka jingshlur jong ka jaidbynriew jong ngi ha kito ki por la iai kynmaw bad sah pyrto ym tang ha ngi hi hynrei wat ha kine ki nongsynshar kiba wan na shilliang duriaw.
Kumta da ka jingshlur na ka ri mih shibun ki rangsatar bad ki riew ieit ri ia kaba ngi la tip ha kito ki snem katno ba ki la tur ia ki riat ki ram, ka eh ka shon, ki jingma bad jingmynsaw, ka duh thiah duh dem, khamtam lei lei naduh ka snem 1829 ter ter haduh 1831 ha kaba la don ka jingialeh pyrshah ia ka sorkar phareng da ka thma, bad ha kane ka thain jong ngi bun ki khlawait kiba la mih madan ia ka ban pynsah ia ka burom ka jaidbynriew kum ki Sohbar, ki Mawmluh, ki Mawsmai, ki Wahlang, ki Laitkynsew, ki Shella bad kiwei kiwei ki shnong kiba ryngkat bad ki khlawait ka ri, kata kum u Tirot Sing, Bor Manik, u Olar, u Songao, u Mon Bhut, u Moken Sing bad kiwei kiwei ki bym lah ban jer kyrteng lut mynta. Kiba bun bah ki khlawait ka ri.
Te kumta bad halor kine ki jingshisha baroh ba la batai lyngkot bad kum u briew uba don ka jingsngew kitkhia na ka bynta la ka ri bad ka jaidbynriew bad ka thain lajong hi baroh kawei, nga kwah ba iwei pa iwei na ngi, naduh ki samla, ki longkmie, ki longkpa, ban ngin iasnoh kti lang ha ka ban pynurlong ia ka thain jong ngi ka ban iai kiew bad iai san ha ka jingpynbha bad pynitynnad ia ka mei mariang katkum i bor barit ba ngi lah, khnang ba ka jingioh kam iohjam jong ki briew khamtam ki samla kan long kaba thikna bha da ka jingnang kiew ka jingwan ki nongjngoh kai pyrthei.
Nuksa, kum kaba pynkhuid pynitynnad ia ki wah, pynneh ia ki khlaw kum ki law shimet, ki lawkyntang, ki khlaw shnong bad kiwei kiwei. Ban pynsah ruh ia ki mrad ki mreng, ki sim ki doh bad ki doh um doh wah.
Nalor kata ban pynsah ia ki krem ki kroh, ki mawshyieng, ki mawbynna, ki kor shongthait bad kiwei kiwei ki matti ki longshuwa.
Ngi dei ruh ban sngewthuh ba dei ban don ki library ne ka jaka pule kot ne ka information cells bad wat ki museum, khnang ba kito kiba wad jingtip bad leh research ki ioh ka lad ia ka ban sngewthuh ban tip bad ban pynphriang.
Te kumta halor kane ka kam kaba ngi sngewthuh ba ka lah ban ai kamai kajih ia ki briew ka thain, la ka long ha ki jait kam ba ngi trei, nga don hangne ban pynpaw bad iathuh ba ngi don mynta ki samla shynrang bad kynthei, ki longkmie, ki long-kpa na man la ki shnong ha ka thain, kiba angnud ban iasnoh kti lem bad nga ia kaba ngi la don ha ka ban iaid shaphrang ban seng ia ka Pressure Group kaba khlain, bad ruh ka ban iawer bad tyrwa lang ia baroh ban kyrshan lang ia ka kam jong ka.
Bad kane ka Pressure Group kan don ka kam jong ka, ka ban lamkhmat (introduce) ban leit rah ne pynpoi shaduh ka United Nation Organisation ban pynrung (initiate) ia ka thain Sohra, kum ka “World Heritang Tag” hapoh ka Education Scientific Culture Organisation, da kaba ngin wad ki lad jingiarap ruh na ka sorkar jylla bad sorkar kmie kumjuh.
Bad ia ka ophis treikam pat jong kane ka Pressure Group ka ban sa seng la jied ha Saitsohpen ka jaka pateng kaba biang bha.
Shuh shuh kum ka jaitbynriew hynniewtrep ngi sngew sarong lang ruh ia ka ban tip ba dang shen da ka jingtrei shitom ki riew iohi jngai na ka thaiñ khatarshnong, kiba la lah ban pyntip sha ka pyrthei ia ka culture jong ki nong kongthong (bad ki shnong ba marjan). Kaba niar eh ban shem ha ka pyrthei ba ka shong ka la ioh rung kum ka heritage site ha UNESCO bad la tip kylleng ka pyrthei ia ka KONG-THONG kum ka “Whistling Village.”
Te shuwa ba ngan pynkut noh ia ine i jingthoh ba lyngkot jong nga, ha kaba iadei bad ka kam jngoh kai pyrthei, nga kwah ban pynkynmaw ba kum ki briew ka thain wat ngi la ioh ka jingiaroh shibun na ki nongwan jngoh kai pyrthei la na ki para nong India ne ki bar – ri ruh kumjuh ia ka jinglong shida bad shisur jong ngi kiba ju iathuh beit bad kren ia ka jingshisha khamtam lei lei haba ki tourist ki kylli ia ki jaka puta ba ki kwah ban leit peit kai.
Hynrei kaei kaba kongsan tam kum ka jaidbynriew pat kaba ngi dei ban kynmaw bha ba ngi dei ban leh, kata ka long ba ngi dei ban ri kyndong bha ia la ka akor – ka burom kum ka jaidbynriew ba tipbriew tip Blei.Bad ha ka juh ka por, ngi dei ban sngewthuh ba ngi long ka jaidbynriew kaba rit paid bha hakhmat kiwei pat ki jait bynriew, ki jylla bapher bapher ha India ne shilliang duriaw bad kumta ngi lah dei ban husiar bha ia ki briew ba nabar ba kin ym ioh shim kabu wat tang khyndiat eh ban pynjngut ia ka jinglong riewshisha, riewshida bad donburom donakor ki briew jong ngi bad kham tam ban pynneh pynsah ia ka jinglong donburom (dignity) jong ki khun samla shynrang bad kynthei mynta bad ha ki por ban wan ruh kumjuh, khnang ba kan ym long ka jingbabe ia ka jaidbynriew jong ngi.
