Bharatiya Veerangana - Ka Phan Nonglait

1799, witnessing the political fragmentation among various powers, including the declining Mughal Empire in Delhi, which was under Maratha influence in Northern India. The Marathas, led by Peshwa Baji Rao II, held considerable sway in Central and Western India but were facing internal strife and external threats, notably from the British East India Company. Southern India saw the peak of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War with the death of Tipu Sultan, leading to British consolidation of power in the region. Overall, 1799 marked a period of shifting alliances, conflicts, and the beginnings of British dominance in India.

Amidst this tumultuous era, one family in the far eastern hills of India welcoming the girl child in their home. A ray of hope emerged in the ‘Abode of Clouds’ – in the ‘State of Meghalaya’. Within the East Khasi Hills lies Hima Nonkhlaw, a region known for its historical significance. Hima Nonkhlaw is a traditional Khasi kingdom within the Khasi Hills Autonomous District of Meghalaya, encompassing 54 traditional institutes known as Hima/Elakas. These units have thousands of villages with their own administrative and judicial functions. It was here in Rymmai Village, that Ka Phan Nonglait, the first woman freedom fighter from the Khasi Hills, was born in 1799.

Born in 1799, Ka Phan Nonglait was a brave girl of that time, who eventually got involved in India’s freedom struggle during the era of U Tirot Sing, a legend of the East Khasi Hills. He hailed from the Syimileh (Chief) clan of the Nongkhlaw region of the Khasi hills and was known for his warfare tactics, valor, and uncompromised control over the Khasi region against British occupation. The Anglo-Khasi War between 1829 and 1833 was part of the Independence struggle that began with U Tirot Sing’s attack on a British garrison that disobeyed the orders of the Khasi king to stop a road construction project through the Khasi Hills. It was more of a war of guns versus swords and arrows, in which Tirot Sing and his army countered the colonial forces with his guerrilla tactics. Ka Phan Nonglait fought in his army and is considered as the first woman freedom fighter to have fought the British forces with guerrilla tactics. Her role in the freedom struggle is no less than any other freedom fighter of India. She passed away on December 6, 1850, due to prolonged illness.

Reflections…

The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia communities had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in the 19th century.

1. 1835: Meghalaya was incorporated into Assam by the British administration.

2. 1905: As part of the partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon, Meghalaya became part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam.

3. 1912: The partition was reversed, and Meghalaya became part of the province of Assam again.

4. 1921: Pursuant to Section 52A of the Government of India Act 1919, the areas now in Meghalaya, except the Khasi states, were declared as "backward tracts" by the governor-general-in-council.

5. 1935: The Government of India Act 1935 regrouped the backward tracts into "excluded" and "partially excluded" areas.

6. 1947: At the time of Indian independence, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and had limited autonomy within the state.

7.  1960: A movement for a separate hill state began.

8. 1968: On 11 September 1968, the Government of India announced a scheme for constituting an autonomous state within Assam.

9. 1969: The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 was enacted for the formation of an autonomous state, carving out the two districts United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills from Assam.

10. 1970: The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, creating an autonomous state with a 37-member legislature under the Sixth Schedule to the Indian Constitution.

11.1971: The Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, conferring full statehood on Meghalaya.

12. 1972: Meghalaya attained full statehood on 21 January 1972, with its own Legislative Assembly.

Established on January 21, 1972, Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills. Currently comprising 12 districts, Meghalaya is mainly inhabited by the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia communities. The name 'Meghalaya' coined by geographer S.P. Chatterjee in 1936 was proposed and accepted for the new state.

Now, just imagine, over 137 years from 1835 to 1972, Meghalaya struggled to establish robust governance. Initially incorporated into Assam, then detached and attached to Bengal, and later detached again to be included back into Assam. The British further classified areas in Meghalaya, excluding the Khasi Region, as Backward Tracts. They then subdivided these tracts into Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas.

They employed the Divide & Rule policy extensively, first dividing the state from the country, then within the state, and further within the region itself. This created a constant battleground.

Have we ever considered how partition affected them? Did it create a divide between the people of Meghalaya and the rest of Bharat? "Could sensible tourism act as a glue?"

Sensible tourism:

Hima Nonkhlaw region is in East Khasi Hills, located 63 km from Shillong, accessible within a 1.5-hour drive. The development of a highway connecting Nonkhlaw to Guwahati Airport is expected to shorten travel times, potentially making it a new tourist destination in Meghalaya. Currently, tourism in Meghalaya predominantly focuses on popular destinations like Cherrapunjee and Mawlynnong Village, known as Asia’s Cleanest Village. Promotion of tourism in West Khasi Hills District via Nongkhlaw is in the loop. Such efforts aimed to explore and develop spots to attract tourists and diversify tourism beyond traditional hotspots in Meghalaya

Complex realities:

Two main key challenges are:

Social Unrest and Ethnic Tensions: The state has witnessed periodic tensions between different ethnic communities, sometimes resulting in conflicts over land, resources, and political representation.

Cultural Preservation: Rapid modernization and external influences pose challenges to the preservation of traditional Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia cultures, languages, and customs.

What can WE do?

When we individually acknowledge the state’s freedom fighters, we honor their sacrifices. By seeking out their stories and sharing them, we instill pride in the people of that state, recognizing their valorous heritage that unites us all as Bharatiyas. Just as we take pride in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a Maharashtrian, others too cherish hearing about their heroes.

Let's pledge to learn about the history and great people of any region before we travel there. It's a wonderful way to connect with the locals and appreciate their illustrious past. This is what Sensible Tourism should look like!

।। जय हिंद ।।