Bhogtoram Mawroh
Ha kine ki bnai ba la leit, nga la ïashim bynta ha ka workshop kaba lai sngi halor ka phang ‘The Cambridge Companion to the Indigenous Peoples of India’ ha Shiv Nadar University. Ka jingïatai ka kynthup kumno la peit ïa ki briew trai ri trai muluk ha ka Ri India naduh hyndai haduh ka kyrdan jong ki ha ka juk mynta. Watla ki nongïashim bynta ki la ïahap jingmut halor bun ki mat ba la pynpaw, hynrei don kawei ka mat kaba pynïapher ïa ki jingmut-kata ka mat kaba ïadei shaphang ka jinglong kynthei-shynrang ha ki imlang sahlang jong ki kynhun jaitbynriew trai ri bad ka jingdonkam ban pynbeit thymmai ïa ki riti dustur. Baroh ki la ïahap jingmut ba, watla ka kyrdan jong ki kynthei ha ki imlang sahlang jong ki kynhun shnong trai ri trai muluk ka long kaba kham bha haba ïanujor bad kiwei, don pat ki rukom leh ne ki riti dustur kiba ktah jur bad ki bym ïahap ïa ki kynthei, kum ka jingpynshitom ne jingpynïap briew da kaba kynnoh ba ki long ki nongai ksuid. Hynrei, don ki katto katne kiba kham pyrshah ïa ka jingpynkylla ïa ki riti dustur, namar ki pyrkhat ba lada pynjem ne pynkylla ïa kine ki riti, kan lah ban pynduh ïa ka kyrdan jong ki kum ki Scheduled Tribes, kiba la pynïapher na ka imlang sahlang paidbah namar kine ki dei ki bynta ba kyrpang jong ka jingim bad ka riti dustur jong ki. Ka long kaba phylla ïa ka jaitbynriew Khasi, namar watla ka long ka jaidbynriew kaba bud ïa ka rukom shim jait shim khong na ka kmie, hynrei ki kynthei ki dang shah khang na ka jingïashim bynta kaba pura ha ka saiñpyrthei. Kane ruh ka long kawei na ki mat ba la ïatai.
Ha ka kot jong u Bankerlang Kharmylliem kaba la pynmih ha u snem 2025, ‘Understanding Social Sustainability in a Hill Town: Water Governance in Shillong’, u la thoh bad bishar bniah ïa ka rukom treikam jong ka Dorbar Shnong, khnang ban peit lada ka Dorbar Shnong ka la lah ne em ban wanrah ïa ka jingryntih bad ka jingïaryngkat kyrdan ha ka jingïoh ïa ka um. U la shem ba ka jingtreikam jong ki Dorbar Shnong ka don ka jingïapher-don ki bynta kiba bha bad don ki bynta kiba dang duna. Hynrei don ki katto katne ki mat kiba mih paidbah ha baroh ki Dorbar Shnong : ka jingbym kynthup ïa ki sur jong ki briew ki bym dei ki Khasi bad ka jingbym don bynta jong ki kynthei. Ha ki katto katne ki Dorbar Shnong, ki kynthei ki la sdang ban ïashim bynta ha ki jingïalang bad jingïatai, hynrei ka dang jngai bha ka por ban poi sha ka kyrdan ha kaba ki kynthei kin lah ban ïakhun ïa ka elekshon na ka bynta ka shuki Rangbah Shnong. Katkum ka jingtip ba la ai da u H. H. Mohrmen, kane ka la jia lypa ha Jaiñtia Hills. Kumta, ka paw ba ka jingïashim bynta jong ki kynthei Khasi ha ka saiñpyrthei ka dang ïaid shakhmat kham stet hapdeng ki Pnar ban ïa kiwei pat ki kynhun jaitbynriew Khasi.
U Bankerlang u la lum ruh ïa bun ki kyntien bad ki jingong kiba pyrshang ban batai balei ki kynthei kim ju ïashim bynta bha ha ka saiñpyrthei saiñ hima sima. Don ar tylli kiba paw kyrpang: “ka said ka thew, ka saiñ ka tiah, kiba khia kiba shon ka jong u rangbah,” kaba pynpaw ba ka jingïatai, ka jingpynkut jingmut, ka jingpynkhreh ïa ki kam, ka jingpynïaid ïa ka shnong, ki polisi bad ki kamram kiba ïadei bad ka jingpynïaid ka dei ka bynta jong ki shynrang; bad “ka wait, u sum, ka sang, ka barshi, ka kñia ka khriam baroh ka jong u rangbah,” kaba pynpaw ba ki tiar ïaleh thma bad ki kam niam ne ki jingleh niam ki dei ki bynta jong ki shynrang. Ka jingmut kaba kongsan ka long ba ki kynthei kim dei ban ïashim bynta ha ki kam saiñpyrthei, namar kane ka dei ka bynta jong ki shynrang. Hynrei, ka histori kaba la thoh ne ka jingïathuhkhana pateng lyngba ka ktien kim pynshisha satia ïa kane.
Ha u snem 1835, ha ka ‘Report on the Eastern Frontier of British India’, u R. Boileau Pemberton u la thoh ruh shaphang ki Khasi, bad u la bynta kyrpang ïa ka Hima Jaiñtiapur. Ha kata ka jingïathuh, u la kdew ba “ha kaba pynïaid ïa ki kam sorkar ki Syiem Khasi jong ka Hima Jaiñtiapur, (ki Rajah jong Jynteeah) ki hap ban ïakren ha baroh ki bynta kiba kongsan bad ka Syiem Sad, bad ki Doloi jong ki distrik, ki Myntri bad kiwei ki ophisar jong ka sorkar.” Kane ka pyni shai ba ka bynta jong ka Syiem Sad ka long kaba kongsan bha ha ka jingpynïaid ïa ka synshar ka khadar na ka bynta ka hima. Ka kam saiñ hima sima kam dei satia ka nongkynti ne ka bynta ba la mang kyrpang tang jong ki shynrang. Ha ki katto katne ki khep, ki kynthei ki lah ruh ban ïoh pateng ha ka liang ka jingsynshar.
Ha u snem 1878, u W. S. Clarke, uba dei u Deputy Commissioner jong ka Khasi-Jaiñtia Hills, u la shah bynshet ban pynlong ïa ki jingtohkit sorkar halor ki mat kiba ïadei bad ka jingïoh pateng ïa ka khet Syiem. Hadien ka jingïasyllok kaba bniah bad ki Hima, u la pynkut da kaba ong ba “ki kynthei ki lah ban ïoh ïa ka bynta kum ka khet Syiem.” Kane ka la paw ruh ha ka kot jong u Hamlet Bareh, ‘The History and Culture of the Khasi People’, kaba ïatai bniah shaphang ka jinglah ban long Syiem. Katkum kane, ki kynthei ki lah ban long Syiem. Kumta, katkum ka riti dustur, ym shym la don ka jingkhang ïa ki kynthei ban bat ïa ki shuki ha ka saiñpyrthei, wat ïa ka shuki kaba ha khlieh duh jong ka ri. Hynrei, hato don ne em ki kynthei kiba la long Syiem ha ki por mynbarim? Hangne ki khanatang ki ïathuh bad ka ai ïa ka jubab-hooid, ki la don ki kynthei kiba long kum ki Syiem ha ki por ba mynbarim kiba pynïaid ïa ka synshar ka khadar.
Da kaba pynshongnongrim na ki khanatang, ka Hima Shillong ryngkat bad ka Madur Maskut ki paw kum kiwei na ki Hima Khasi kiba la mih shuwa eh ha Ri Khasi-Jaiñtia. La kdew ruh shaphang ka Hima Sutnga, hynrei ka long kaba shai ba ha kaba sdang, ki Pnar kiba shong ha Nangbah, Nartiang, Jowai bad Maskut ki dang hap hapoh ka jingsynshar jong u Syiem Malngiang. Hadien ba la pynïap ïa u, ka jingsynshar jong ka Hima Sutnga ka la pynskhem noh ïalade, bad ki briew kiba shong ha ka ki kynthup ïa ki Pnar bad ki War-khamtam ki War Amwi kiba la seng ïa ka Hima Sutnga-ryngkat bad kiwei ki kynhun briew ki bym dei ki Khasi, kum ki Karbi, Tiwa bad Biate. Hynrei, shuwa ban mih kine ki Hima, la don ka Raid, kaba katkum ka wadbniah jong u Fabian Lyngdoh, ‘A Study on the Nature and Roles of Traditional Governance Institutions among the Khasis in Ri Bhoi District of Meghalaya’, ka la mih na ka Nongbah hyndai ne kata ka jaka shong shnong kaba nyngkong eh. Ka Raid kaba la mih nyngkong eh ka long Raid Ïapngar, kaba ïoh kyrteng na ka Ka Ngar, ka kynthei kaba la khlad noh ha ka jaka kaba la long ka nongbah kaba nyngkong eh jong ka Raid.
Katkum ka riti dustur, ka Raid Ïapngar ka la shah synshar da ka kynthei kaba kyrteng Ka Ïaw Saring, kaba la ïaroh palat ïa lade, kaba sarong bad kaba ñiewbeiñ ïa ki briew kiba duk. Hynrei, kawei pat ka kynthei, Ka Luh Shadap, kaba dei ka Pnar, ka la pynhap ïa ka na ka khetsynshar lyngba ka jingïaleh da kaba ïa kop bam kaba kynthup ïa ka doh sniang bad u soh jew uba la tip kum u Sohnairiang bad ïa kane ka jingïaleh la pynïaid da ki Basan. Hadien ba Ka Luh Shadap ka la jop ïa Ka Ïaw Saring, ka la shimti ïa ka jingïalam bad ka shakri kum ka Lyngdoh jong ka Raid. Ka Ïaw Saring bad ka longïing jong ka ki la im da ka jingïaid wir da kaba ïaid na kawei shnong sha kawei pat, na kawei ka jaka sha kawei pat katto katne por, bad khatduh ki la poi shong ha Raid Nongtung. Haduh mynta, ka kur jong ka ka dang long kawei na ki Jait Basan jong Raid Nongtung. Kawei pat ka jingïathuhkhana ka ong ba ka longïing jong Ka Ïaw Saring ka la leit sha Raid Nonglyngdoh ha Nongpoh, ha kaba la pdiang ïa ki kum ki Jait Syiem jong ka Raid Nonglyngdoh hapoh ka kyrteng Ki Syiem Mariñ. Kumta, ki kynthei ki la don lypa ha ki kam nongïalam ha ki por kiba dang sdang bha jong ka jingpynlong ïa ka hima Khasi. Hynrei ka jingïathuhkhana kaba kham phylla tam shaphang ka kynthei kaba long Syiem ka ïadei bad ka jingpynlong ïa ka Hima Shillong. Kane ka jingïathuhkhana ka paw ha ka kot ba la thoh da Shortimai Syiem bala pynmih ha u snem 2003, ‘Ka Jingïathuh-Khana-Pateng Shaphang Ka Hima, Shillong’.
La ngeit ba ka Hima Shillong ka sdang ïa ka tynrai jong ka na Ka Pahsyntiew, kaba la ñiew kum ka briew ba kynja Blei. La ong ba u Bambteng Mylliemngap u la shem ïa ka hapoh ka Krem Marai haba u dang trei ha ki kam rep. U la lah ban khroh bad khring ïa ka ban mih na ka krem da kaba rah ïa ki syntiew Jalyng-kteng. Hadien kata, ki la shim ïa ka bad pynlong dkhot jong ka Kur Mylliemngap, bad u Bambteng u la long kum u kñi jong ka bad u la sumar bha ïa ka, namar u ngeit ba ka dei ka khun jong U Lei Shillong. Hadien khyndiat por, u la khot ïa ka jingïalang jong ki Bakhraw, ha kaba u la pynpaw ïa ka jingkwah jong u ban thung ïa ka kum “ka nongsynshar-ka nongsumar, ka nongri-ka nongda, ka nongkhroh-ka nongkjor, ka nongmai-ka nongsneng, ka nonglum-ka nonglang ïa ki khun ki hajar, kum ka kmie ka syiem”-kata, ban long ka Syiem. Ha ka Dorbar pyllun ki la mynjur ïa ka jingtyrwa jong u bad ki la rai ba naduh kata ka sngi kan don tang kawei ka Hima, bad kata ka kynthei kan long ka Syiem ka ban synshar ïa baroh. Naduh kata la tip ïa ka kum Syiem Pahsyntiew, bad hadien ynda ka la shongkurim, ka la long ka kmie tymmen kaba nyngkong eh jong ka jait Syiem jong ka Hima Shillong.
Kine ki khanatang baroh ki pynshai bha ba ha ka por ba dang sdang ka jingthaw ïa ka Raid, ne ka por ba la thaw ïa ka Hima, hapdeng ki Khasi, ki nongsynshar ba nyngkong eh ki dei ki kynthei. Kane ka ïadei bad ki jingthoh, kiba pynshai bha ruh ba ki kynthei ki lah ban long Syiem. Kane kam long kaba phylla than haba pyrkhat ïa ki jinglong tynrai jong ki Khasi. Ha ka jingshisha kan jin da la long kaba sngewthamula lada ki kynthei kim don ka bynta kaba khraw ha ka saiñ hima sima ha ka imlang sahlang ki Khasi.
Kane ka don ka jingïasyriem bad kawei pat ka kynhun kaba ki Khasi ki ïasam tynrai: ki Vietnamese. La tip tang kum ki Para Trung (trung sisters), ka Trung Trac bad ka Trung Nhi ki la pynmih ïa ka kynhun shipai bad ki la leit ïaleh pyrshah ïa ki nong China khnang ban ïada ïa ka ri jong ki kpa tymmen jong ki 2,000 snem mynshuwa. Ka Trung Trac hadien ka la long ka syiem kynthei jong ka Vietnam, kumjuh ruh ka syiem kynthei kaba nyngkong eh ha ka histori jong ka Ri Vietnam. Kane ka pyni shai ba ki kynthei ki ju bat ïa ki kyrdan kiba kongsan ha ka saiñ hima sima ha ki imlang sahlang jong ki ri Austro-Asiatic, ha kaba ka riti dustur jong ka kmie ka ai ïa ka nong-rim bad ka jingmutdur na ka bynta jong ka.
Hato dei ban pynkylla ïa ka aiñ riti dustur ban pynlong ïa ka kaba kham ïa ryng-kat ? Nga ngeit kumta, hynrei ka kit ruh ïa ki jingma ha ka saiñ pyrthei kiba hap ban pyrkhat sani bad peitngor bha. Hynrei ha ka jinglong jong ki Khasi, la kumno kumno ha kaba ïadei bad ka jingïashim bynta jong ki kynthei ha ka saiñ hima sima, ym donkam ban pynkylla ïa ki riti dustur, tang ban pynim biang ïa ki. Nga pyrkhat ba ka la dei ka por ba yn ai ïa ki kynthei ïa ka kyrdan kaba dei hok jong ki ha ka imlang sahlang, kum u Syiem, u Lyngdoh, bad u Rangbah Shnong.
(Ki jingmut ba la pynpaw ha ka jingthoh ki dei jong u nongthoh hi shimet bad kim pynpaw ha kano kano ka rukom ïa ka jingïadei jong u bad kano kano ka seng ne ka tnat treikam bapher bapher.)
