141-435: The Khasi people are an ethnic group of Meghalaya in north-eastern India with a significant population in the bordering state of Assam , and in certain parts of Bangladesh . Khasi people form the majority of the population of the eastern part of Meghalaya, that is Khasi Hills , constituting 78.3% of the region's population, and is the state's largest community, with around 48% of the population of Meghalaya. They are among
282-453: A Jymphong and sarong with an ornamental waist-band and they may also wear a turban. The traditional Khasi female dress is called the Jainsem or Dhara , both of which are rather elaborate with several pieces of cloth, giving the body a cylindrical shape. On ceremonial occasions, they may wear a crown of silver or gold. A spike or peak is fixed to the back of the crown, corresponding to
423-459: A literary form of their language . Whereas the earlier state formations ( Kamarupa ) borrowed political structures from North India that led to Indo-Aryan domination, the Ahom state formation provided an alternate model built on Southeast Asian political structures, and which provided the space for the development of a distinct political, social and cultural identity. Though Brahminical myth-making
564-658: A 1998-99 research by the National Family Health Survey of India (NFHS), the Khasi tribe, along with Jaintia and Garo had the highest fertility in India at TFR=4.57. According to genetic study in 2007, paternally, the Khasi people of Meghalaya carry around 72.8% Haplogroup O , 10.8% Haplogroup F , 6.5% halpogroup H and 4.4% Haplogroup P . Meghalaya Meghalaya ( / ˌ m eɪ ɡ ə ˈ l eɪ ə , m eɪ ˈ ɡ ɑː l ə j ə / ; lit. "the abode of clouds" )
705-616: A 73-year-old retired Meghalaya civil servant, who is also an Khasi actor, comedian have translated Bhagavad Gita into Khasi language, locally known as "The Song of God or in Khasi, Ka Jingrwai U Blei". The book was published on 9 May 2011. The author have also translated the Ramayan , the Mahabharat and the Upanishads into Khasi. Historians suggested that the Kamakhya temple of Assam's Nilachal Hills
846-569: A descendant of the first king Sukaphaa . Succession was generally by primogeniture but occasionally the great Gohains ( Dangarias ) could elect another descendant of Sukaphaa from a different line or even depose an enthroned one. Dangarias : Sukaphaa had two great Gohains to aid him in administration: Burhagohain and the Borgohain . In the 1280s, they were given independent territories, they were veritable sovereigns in their given territories called bilat or rajya . The Burhagohain 's territory
987-549: A divine tree which was situated at Lum Diengiei Peak (also in present-day East Khasi Hills district ), a grave error which prevented them access to the heavens forever. This myth is often seen as a metaphor of how nature and trees, in particular, are the manifestation of the divine on Earth and destroying nature and trees means severing our ties with the Divine. Like the Japanese, the Khasis use
1128-528: A large depopulation due to emigration as well as execution, but the conflicts were never resolved. A much-weakened kingdom fell to repeated Burmese attacks and finally after the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826, the control of the kingdom passed into British hands. The Ahom kingdom was based on the Paik system , a type of corvee labor that is neither feudal nor Asiatic . The first coins were introduced by Jayadhwaj Singha in
1269-434: A matrilineal system where the lineage and inheritance are traced through women; the youngest daughter inherits all wealth and she also takes care of her parents. The state is the wettest region of India, with the wettest areas in the southern Khasi Hills recording an average of 12,000 mm (470 in) of rain a year. About 70 per cent of the state is forested. The Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion encompasses
1410-705: A number of primates . Meghalaya also has a large variety of bats . The limestone caves in Meghalaya such as the Siju Cave are home to some of the nation's rarest bat species. The hoolock gibbon is found in all districts of Meghalaya. Common reptiles in Meghalaya are lizards , crocodiles and tortoises . Meghalaya also has a number of snakes including the python , copperhead , green tree racer, Indian cobra , king cobra , coral snake and vipers . Meghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds, many of which are endemic to Himalayan foothills, Tibet and Southeast Asia . Of
1551-639: A part of the Assam Province after the Khasi Hill States (which numbered to about 25 kingdoms) entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British . The main crops produced by the Khasi people are betel leaves , areca nut , oranges, pineapples, plums, litchis, local varieties of rice and vegetables. Many Khasi sociologists classify the Khasi tribe in the following seven sub-tribes, which are collectively also known as 'U Hynñiewtrep' or 'Khasi': According to
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#17328521648631692-487: A process called Ahomisation . Sukaphaa befriended those among the Morans and Barahi who were amenable to join him and put to the sword those who opposed him, and in due course, many others were incorporated into Ahom clans. The Ahoms were acutely aware of their smaller numbers, and adroitly avoided confrontations with larger groups. The additions via Ahomisation enhanced the Ahom numbers significantly. This process of Ahomization
1833-569: A section of the paiks at his command for his personal use (as opposed to the Dangariyas), the rest rendering service to the Ahom state. The Borphukan was in military and civil command over the region west of Kaliabor, and acted as the Swargadeo's viceroy in the west. Borbaruas were mostly from different Moran , Kachari, Chiring and Khamti communities, while the Borphukan of lower Assam was appointed from
1974-493: A small family of Tibeto-Burman languages . Garo, spoken by the majority of the population, is spoken in many dialects such as Abeng or Ambeng, Atong, Akawe (or Awe), Matchi Dual, Chibok, Chisak Megam or Lyngngam, Ruga, Gara-Ganching and Matabeng. Pnar is spoken by many people of both the West and East Jaintia Hills . The language is related to the Khasi language. Apart from the main languages, various local dialect are being spoken by
2115-459: A small number, but he was supported and joined by other Tai chiefs and common followers along the way and entered Assam with approximately 9,000 persons. His destiny was Upper Assam , earlier the domain of the Kamarupa kingdom but which had since lapsed into deteriorating conditions, and his intention was not to conquer and raid but to permanently settle in fallow land and practice agriculture —and
2256-428: A small percentage of the population lived in such towns. Some important towns of Ahom time were Rangpur, Garhgoan, Guwahati and Hajo. The capital city of Rangpur , was found to be 20 miles (32.18 km) in extent and thickly populated by Capt. Welsh in 1794. The population, however, never exceeded 10 thousand souls. The Ahom kingdom was ruled by a king, called Swargadeo ( Ahom language : Chao-Pha ), who had to be
2397-408: A strong Tibeto-Himalayan-Burman influence. The word "Khas" means hills and they have always been people of cold and hilly regions and have never been connected to the plains or arid regions. This nature-loving tribe calls the wettest place on Earth their home. The village of Mawsynram in Meghalaya receives 467 inches of rain per year. Primarily an oral language, they had no script of their own, until
2538-473: A third Gohain, Borpatrogohain . The Borpatrogohain's territory was located between the territories of the other two Gohains. Royal officers : Pratap Singha added two offices, Borbarua and Borphukan , that were directly under the king. The Borbarua, who acted as the military as well as the judicial head, was in command of the region east of Kaliabor not under the command of the Dangarias . He could use only
2679-525: A vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity. A small portion of the forest area in Meghalaya is under what are known as " sacred groves " (see Sacred groves of India ). These are small pockets of an ancient forest that have been preserved by the communities for hundreds of years due to religious and cultural beliefs. These forests are reserved for religious rituals and generally remain protected from any exploitation. These sacred groves harbour many rare plant and animal species. The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in
2820-489: Is monotheistic in nature. In Khasi traditional religion Niam Khasi, the principal deity U Blei Nongthaw, who is One and formless is the Supreme creator of the whole universe. A significant small number of Khasi population also adheres to Hindu and Buddhist faith. As per as 2011 census, around 10.3 thousands Khasi people have stated their religion as Hindu and Around 1.8 thousand Khasis follow Buddhism . Lesli Hardinge Pde,
2961-519: Is a state in northeast India . Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of Assam : (a) the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills and (b) the Garo Hills . The estimated population of Meghalaya in 2014 was 3,211,474. Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22,429 square kilometres, with a length-to-breadth ratio of about 3:1. The state is bound to
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#17328521648633102-471: Is a major Hindu temple in Meghalaya and it is one of the 51 Shakti peethas on Earth. Indigenous Faiths is followed by 8.7 % of population. The indigenous faiths of Meghalaya are Niamtre , followed by Jaintia people, Niam Khasi and Niam Tynrai , followed by Khasi tribe. Muslims constitute 4.39% of the population and are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills , where they make up 16.60% of
3243-487: Is also famous for its large variety of orchids — nearly 325 of them. Of these, the largest variety is found in the Mawsmai, Mawmluh and Sohrarim forests in the Khasi hills. Meghalaya also has a large variety of mammals , birds, reptiles and insects. The important mammal species include elephants, bear, red pandas , small Indian civets , mongooses , weasels , rodents , gaur , wild buffalo , deer , wild boar and
3384-875: Is classified as part of the Austroasiatic language family . According to Peter Wilhelm Schmidt , the Khasi people are related to the Mon-Khmer people of Southeast Asia . Multiple types of research indicate that the Austroasiatic populations in the Indian subcontinent are derived from migrations from Southeast Asia during the Holocene period. Many of the words are similar to other Austroasiatic languages such as Palaung and Khmer language : There are also words similar to those in Sino-Tibetan languages , such as nga meaning "I," which
3525-590: Is geologically rich. It consists mainly of Archean rock formations. These rock formations contain rich deposits of valuable minerals like coal, limestone , uranium and sillimanite . The name Meghalaya was given by Shiba P. Chatterjee , a geography professor at the University of Calcutta . Meghalaya has many rivers. Most of these are rainfed and seasonal. The important rivers in the Garo Hills region are Ganol, Daring, Sanda, Bandra, Bugai, Dareng, Simsang , Nitai and
3666-427: Is practised even today. The highland plateaus fed by abundant rains provided safety from floods and a rich soil. The importance of Meghalaya is its possible role in human history via domestication of rice. A theory for the origin of rice is by Ian Glover while states, "India is the center of greatest diversity of domesticated rice with over 20,000 identified species and Northeast India is the most favorable single area of
3807-455: Is spoken by about 1,128,575 people residing in Meghalaya. Many words in the Khasi language have been borrowed from Indo-Aryan languages such as Assamese , Bengali and Nepali . Moreover, the Khasi language originally had no script of its own. The Khasi language is one of the very few surviving Mon–Khmer languages in India today. The Garo language has a close affinity with the Bodo languages ,
3948-533: Is the largest bird in Meghalaya. Other regional birds found include the grey peacock pheasant , the large Indian parakeet and the common green pigeon . Meghalaya is also home to over 250 species of butterflies, nearly a quarter of all butterfly species found in India. In 2020, scientists have discovered the largest known subterranean fish in Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills . Byrnihat has been ranked 38th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 3 population under 3 lakhs cities) in India. Tribal people make up
4089-470: Is the official language of the state. The most spoken languages in Meghalaya are Khasi (33.82%) and Garo (31.60%) followed by Pnar (10.69%), Bengali (6.44%), Nepali (1.85%), War (1.73%), Hindi (1.62%), Hajong (1.40%) and Assamese (1.34%). Khasi (also spelled Khasia, Khassee, Cossyah, and Kyi) is a branch of the Mon–Khmer family of the Austroasiatic stock and according to 2001 census, Khasi
4230-602: Is the same in Tibetan, Burmese, and Old Chinese as it is in Khasi. Traces of connections with the Kachin tribe of North Myanmar have also been in the Khasis. The Khasi people also have their own word for the Himalayan mountains which is Ki Lum Mankashang which means that at one point in time, they did cross the mighty mountains. Therefore, all these records and their present culture, features, and language strongly show that they also have
4371-636: The Battle of Itakhuli , when the Ahoms were able to push the Mughals back to the west of the Manas river permanently. In 1657, owing to the 'War of succession' among the sons of Shah Jahan . Ahom king Jayadhwaj Singha extended his authority, occupied Kamrup , preventing the other rebellious Koch king Pran Narayan from securing his footing. He speedily extended his authority over whole of western Assam. He brought under his domain
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4512-561: The Chutia community. The Borbarua and Borphukan offices were not hereditary and thus could be chosen from any families. Patra Mantris : The five positions constituted the Patra Mantris (Council of Ministers). From the time of Supimphaa (1492–1497), one of the Patra Mantris was made the Rajmantri (Prime Minister, also Borpatro ; Ahom language : Shenglung ) who enjoyed additional powers and
4653-463: The East Khasi Hills district and the West Garo Hills district . English is spoken as a common language across the diverse ethnic and demographic groups. In urban centres most of the people can speak English; rural residents vary in their ability. Meghalaya currently has 12 districts. Jaintia Hills Division: Khasi Hills Division: Garo Hills Division: The Jaintia Hills district
4794-585: The Government of India Act of 1919 , the governor-general-in-council declared the areas now in Meghalaya, other than the Khasi states, as "backward tracts." Subsequently, the British administration enacted the Government of India Act 1935 , which regrouped the backward tracts into two categories: "excluded" and "partially excluded" areas. At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within
4935-796: The Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong , 98.53% of the Koch , and 94.60% of the Rabha tribes are Hindus. A minority of Garo and Khasi are also Hindus mainly because of the influence of Hindu populations in Hindu majority villages. Hindus are the largest religious minority in Meghalaya with 11.52% of the total state's population as of 2011 census Hindus are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills , East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi with 19.11 per cent, 17.55 per cent and 11.96 per cent respectively. The Nartiang Durga Temple
5076-619: The Koch Hajo branch, from 1603 to prop them as a buffer against the Mughals who had extended their rule to Bengal by 1576. The collapse of the Koch Hajo power in 1614 resulted in the Mughals coming to power up to the Barnadi river. The Mughals attempted further ingress to the east in 1616 with the Battle of Samdhara which marked the beginning of the Ahom–Mughal conflicts which lasted the till 1682 in
5217-562: The Moamoria rebellion (1769–1805) when more than half of the population fell off. Again, during the Burmese regime , the Burmese depredations (1817-1825) further reduced the population by 1/3. It shows that only 7/8 lakh people remained, at the time of British annexation. King Pratap Singha is who, systematised the population distribution and settlement of villages. The census of adult male population of
5358-492: The Moamoria rebellion , also festering internal conflicts that tore the kingdom asunder. According to Guha (1986) Ahom Assam continued to flourish till 1770. The Tungkhungia regime witnessed a relative time of peace till first half of the 18th century, where the population increased, trade expanded, Coinage and monetization made headway. New arts and crafts, new crops and even new style of dress were introduced. Rudra Singha alias Sukhrungphaa ( r. 1696–1714 ), under whom
5499-552: The Raidangia mel given to the chief queen. Forward governors, who were military commanders, ruled and administered forward territories. The officers were usually filled from the families that were eligible for the three great Gohains. Lesser governors were called Rajkhowas, and some of them were: The dependent kings or vassals were also called Raja . Except for the Raja of Rani, all paid an annual tribute. These Rajas were required to meet
5640-564: The Sanskrit words megha ("cloud", मेघ) and alaya ("abode", आलय) Meghalaya, alongside the neighbouring Indian states, has been of archaeological interest. People have lived in Meghalaya since the Neolithic period . Neolithic sites discovered so far are located in areas of high elevation in Khasi Hills , Garo Hills and in neighbouring states, where Neolithic style jhum or shifting cultivation
5781-543: The 16th century and became multi-ethnic in character, casting a profound effect on the political and social life of the entire Brahmaputra valley. The kingdom became weaker with the rise of the Moamoria rebellion , and subsequently fell to repeated Burmese invasions of Assam . With the defeat of the Burmese after the First Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826, control of the kingdom passed into East India Company hands. Though it came to be called
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5922-458: The 17th century had helped the kingdom to repulse the repeated Mughal invasions, had become extremely outdated. The later phase of the rule was also marked by increasing social conflicts, leading to the Moamoria rebellion were able to capture and maintain power at the capital Rangpur for some years but were finally removed with the help of the British under Captain Welsh. The following repression led to
6063-451: The 17th century, though the system of personal service under the Paik system persisted. In the 17th century when the Ahom kingdom expanded to include erstwhile Koch and Mughal areas, it came into contact with their revenue systems and adapted accordingly. Trade was carried on usually through barter and use of circulation of money was limited. According to Shihabududdin Tailash, currency in
6204-520: The 19th century. Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835. The region enjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown. When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon , Meghalaya became a part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam . When the partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya became a part of the province of Assam. On 3 January 1921 in pursuance of Section 52A of
6345-645: The 2011 Census of India, over 1.41 million Khasi lived in Meghalaya in the districts of East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, Eastern West Khasi Hills, Ri-Bhoi, West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills which togetherly constitute the Eastern part of Meghalaya's Khasi and Jaintia Hills region. In Assam, their population reached 35 thousand. In Bangladesh's Sylhet Division specially in Jaflong , around 85 thousand Khasis are living there. Khasi inhabiting
6486-542: The Ahom domain occurred for the next two hundred years. The Ahom kingdom, for most of its history, had been closed and population movement closely monitored—nevertheless, there were two significant contacts. One was a friendly encounter with Chutia kingdom that turned into a conflict, and the other was a marriage alliance with the Kamata kingdom . At the end of the 14th century, the nascent Ahom polity faced crises of succession, two regicides, and three quick interregnum periods when
6627-400: The Ahom king to recover his country from the Burmese occupation . The first expeditionary force had to be routed off, which was sent through 'Naga Hills', in 1767 another force was despatched through the old Raha route. The second expedition was successful and achieved its objective in recovering Manipur. Kirti Chandra Borbarua who was the most influential noble in the Ahom court, had caused
6768-418: The Ahom kingdom consisted of cowries, rupees and gold coins. With the increase of external trade since the reign of Rudra Singha , there was a corresponding increase in the circulation of money. Inscriptions dating from the reign of Siva Singha , gives the price of number of commodities like rice, ghee, oil, pulses, goat, pigeon in connection with worship in different temples of the kingdom. This concludes that
6909-691: The Ahom kingdom in the colonial and subsequent times, it was largely multi-ethnic, with the ethnic Tai-Ahom people constituting less than 10% of the population toward the end. People from different ethnic groups became a part of the Ahom population due to the process known as Ahomisation . The identity of the Ahom people in this kingdom was fluid, with the king controlling who belonged to it and who did not. The Ahoms initially called their kingdom Mong Dun Shun Kham till 1401 ( Assamese : xunor-xophura ; English: casket of gold ), but adopted Assam in later times. The British-controlled province after 1838 and later
7050-604: The Ahom kingdom. It was this formation of the Ahom kingdom that met the aggression from Bengal under Turbak in 1532 and it was able to eliminate the aggressive leadership (with significant loss to itself) and pursue the retreating invaders to the Karatoya river . In 1536, after the series of contacts with the Kachari kingdom , the Ahom rule extended up to the Kolong River in Nagaon; and by
7191-533: The Ahom kings among the new subjects Suhungmung assumed the title Swarganarayana ( Swargadeo ), though nothing like the Rajputisation process occurred with the Ahoms. The nature of the kings institutional relationship to the ministers changed with the creation of a new position, the Borpatrogohain , named after a Chutia office; and the creation of the offices of Sadiyakhowa Gohain (territories acquired from
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#17328521648637332-474: The Ahom kings into Hinduism did not occur till 1648. The Assamese language entered the Ahoms court for the first time and briefly coexisted and eventually replaced the Ahom language. No more major restructuring of the state structure was attempted until the end of the kingdom. After the division of the Koch kingdom between two branches of the Koch dynasty in 1581, the Ahoms allied with their immediate western neighbor,
7473-433: The Ahoms were primarily responsible for converting the undulating alluvial forest and marshy plains in upper Assam to flat rice fields able to hold plain water for rice cultivation via a network of embankments. The Tai- Shans had with them the basic political structures for state-building, surplus producing technologies such as sedentary wet-rice cultivation and hydrology, a patriarchal social organisation based on chiefs, and
7614-483: The Bhupai. In the central and eastern sections of the plateau, the important rivers are Khri, Umtrew, Digaru, Umiam or Barapani, Kynshi (Jadukata), Umngi, Mawpa, Umiam Khwan, Umngot, Umkhen, Myntdu and Myntang. In the southern Khasi Hills region, these rivers have created deep gorges and several waterfalls. The elevation of the plateau ranges between 150 m (490 ft) to 1,961 m (6,434 ft). The central part of
7755-575: The Brahmans which enabled them to gain goodwill with the Indo-Aryanized tribal groups and consolidate power. The Ahom kingdom transitioned into a full state rather dramatically in a short period during the reign of Suhungmung Dihingia Raja ( r. 1497–1539 ). It began first with a consolidation of the militia in 1510, followed by an expansion into the Bhuyan region at Habung in 1512 (probably with
7896-680: The Chutia kingdom) and the Marangikhowa Gohain (territories acquired from the Kachari kingdom), both of which were reserved for the Borgohain and Burhagohain lineages. The traditional nobles ( Chao ) now aligned with the Brahmin literati and an expanded ruling class developed. And when the Ahoms under Ton Kham Borgohain pursued the invaders and reached the Karatoya river they began to see themselves as
8037-642: The Duliya Barua, who was in charge of the royal palanquins; the Chaudang Barua who superintended executions; Khanikar Barua was the chief artificer; Sonadar Barua was the mint master and chief jeweler; the Bez Barua was the physician to the royal family, Hati Barua, Ghora Barua, etc. Other officials included twelve Rajkhowas, and a number of Katakis, Kakatis, and Dolais. The Rajkhowas were governors of given territories and commanders of three thousand paiks . They were
8178-591: The Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with an altitude of 1515 m. With the average annual rainfall as high as 12,000 mm (470 in) in some areas, Meghalaya is the wettest place on Earth. The western part of the plateau, comprising the Garo Hills region with lower elevations, experiences high temperatures for most of the year. The Shillong area, with the highest elevations, experiences generally low temperatures. The maximum temperature in this region rarely goes beyond 28 °C (82 °F), whereas sub-zero winter temperatures are common. The town of Sohra ( Cherrapunji ) in
8319-428: The Garo language. Due to diverse climatic and topographic conditions, Meghalaya forests support a vast floral diversity, including a large variety of parasites , epiphytes , succulent plants and shrubs . Two of the most important tree varieties are Shorea robusta (sal tree) and Tectona grandis (teak). Meghalaya is also the home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants. Meghalaya
8460-443: The Indian state of Assam came to be known by this name. The kingdom maintained close political ties with other Tai-states especially with Mong Kwang (Nara) till the end of its rule in the 19th century. The Ahom kingdom was established in 1228 when Sukaphaa , a Tai prince, entered the Brahmaputra valley having crossed the rugged Patkai mountain range from Mong Mao . Sukaphaa probably started his journey from his homeland with
8601-473: The Khasi Hills south of capital Shillong holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month, while the village of Mawsynram , near Sohra (Cherrapunji), holds the record for the most rain in a year. About 70% of the state is forested, of which 9,496 km (3,666 sq mi) is dense primary subtropical forest. The Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support
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#17328521648638742-440: The Khasi community designed and built living root bridges of the War region. The traditional costume of the Khasis is known to be ‘i shongkun bad i Don burom” which translates to being grand/respectful and modest. The traditional Khasi male dress is a Jymphong , a longish sleeveless coat without collar, fastened by thongs in front. Nowadays, most male Khasis have adopted western attire. On ceremonial occasions they appear in
8883-414: The Khasi community is democratic in nature. In the past, the Khasis consisted of independent native states called Syiemships, where male elders of various clans under the leadership of the Chief (called U Syiem) would congregate during Durbars or sessions and come to a decision regarding any dispute or problem that would arise in the Syiemship. At the village level, there exists a similar arrangement where all
9024-640: The Khasi people practised an indigenous tribal religion. The first translation of the Bible into any of the languages of Northeast India was a Khasi version, published in 1891 by missionaries. The main Christian denominations today followed among the Khasis include Catholicism , Anglicanism , Presbyterianism (largest Christian denomination among the Khasis), and others. Around 83.14% of the Khasi tribe numbering around 1.17 million are Christian of various denominations (mainly Presbyterian and Catholic ) and 15.41% of them numbering around 217,000 still follow their Indigenous khasi religion called "Ka Niam Khasi" which
9165-407: The Kingdom attained its zenith. He subdued the kingdoms of Dimasa and Jaintia . He had made extensive preparations to extend the boundary west–towards, attempted to make a confederacy of Hindu kings of eastern India against Mughals . But he died right before he could execute his plans in 1714. Rudra Singha had re–instated the Vaisnava Satras, he himself had taken initiation of the Auniati Gosain (
9306-450: The Lord Master) had originally distributed the human race into 16 heavenly families ( Khadhynriew Trep ). However, seven out of these 16 families were stuck on earth while the other 9 in heaven. According to the myth, a heavenly ladder resting on the sacred Lum Sohpetbneng Peak (located in the present-day Ri-Bhoi district ) enabled people to go freely and frequently to heaven whenever they pleased until one day they were tricked into cutting
9447-456: The Sixth Schedule to the Indian constitution. In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 , which conferred full statehood on the autonomous state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own. Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India. The state of Meghalaya is mountainous, with stretches of valley and highland plateaus, and it
9588-417: The War Jaintia (West Jaintia Hills), Maram and Lynngam (West Khasi Hills), War Pynursla (East Khasi Hills), Tiwa language by Tiwa peoples of Ri-Bhoi district. Another example is the Biate language spoken by many people inhabiting the south-eastern part of Meghalaya bordering Assam. Indo-Aryan languages like Assamese , Bengali , Hajong , Hindi and Nepali are spoken by many people residing mostly in
9729-578: The Welsh Presbyterian Mission began work at the Cherrapunji mission field. By the early 1900s, other Protestant denominations of Christianity were active in Meghalaya. The outbreak of World Wars forced the preachers to return home to Europe and America. It is during this period that Catholicism took root in Meghalaya and neighbouring regions. In the 20th century, Union Christian College started operations at Umiam, Shillong. Currently, Presbyterians and Catholics are two most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya. Languages of Meghalaya in 2011 English
9870-410: The West Garo Hills and the Balphakram National Park in the South Garo Hills are considered to be the most biodiversity-rich sites in Meghalaya. In addition, Meghalaya has three wildlife sanctuaries. These are the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, the Siju Sanctuary, and the Baghmara Sanctuary, which is also the home of the insect-eating pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana also called "Me'mang Koksi" in
10011-400: The arbitrator who settled local disputes and supervised public works. The Katakis were envoys who dealt with foreign countries and hill tribes. The Kakatis were writers of official documents. The Dolais expounded astrology and determined auspicious time and dates for any important event and undertaking. Members of the royal families ruled certain areas, and they were called Raja . Members of
10152-550: The arrival of the Welsh missionaries. The Welsh missionaries originally used the Bengali script before resorting to the Roman script to transcribe the Sohra dialect of the Khasi language. Particularly significant in this regard was a Welsh evangelist, Thomas Jones . The Khasi first came in contact with the British in 1823, after the latter captured Assam . The area inhabited by the Khasi became
10293-406: The barter economy was in the process of being replaced by the money economy, which was the outcome of Assam's developing economic ties both with feudal India and the neighbouring countries of the north east. Due to trade with Tibet, a coin of Jayadhwaj Singha carries a single Chinese character on each side reading Zang Bao. This had been translated as 'treasury of your honour'. Nicholas Rodhes read
10434-827: The birds found in Meghalaya forests, 34 are on worldwide threatened species list and 9 are on the critically endangered list. Prominent birds spotted in Meghalaya include those from the families of Phasianidae , Anatidae, Podicipedidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Falconidae, Accipitridae, Otididae, Rallidae, Heliornithidae, Gruidae, Turnicidae, Burhinidae, Charadriidae, Glareolidae, Scolopacidae, Jacanidae, Columbidae, Psittacidae, Cuculidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Bucerotidae, Ramphastidae, Picidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae, Cisticolidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae, Timaliidae, Sittidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Nectariniidae and Muscicapidae. Each of these families have many species. The great Indian hornbill
10575-446: The burning of Buranjis . Rajeswar Singha's reign marked the end of Ahom supremacy and glory, the signs were decay was already visible during his reign. He was succeeded by his younger brother Lakshmi Singha alias Sunyeophaa ( r. 1769–1780 ). The Ahom kingdom by the mid-18th century was indeed an over-burdened hierarchical structure, supported by a weak institutional base and meagre economic surplus. The Paik system which in
10716-419: The clan allegiances that held the Ahom polity together earlier replacing it with political authority of the king, and introduced the tradition of the singarigharutha ceremony, the state coronation of the Ahom kings that symbolised royal Ahom sovereignty, authority and legitimacy. Sudangphaa settled Habung brahmins close his capital, settled the sons of his adopted Brahmin family in frontier areas, dismantled
10857-400: The conflict with a treaty that fixed the boundary between the two polities at Patkai . This event was significant since it moved the Ahom polity from implicit subordination to explicit sovereignty, and this was accompanied by the transition of the name of the polity from Mong-Dun-Sun-Kham to "Assam", a derivative from Shan / Shyam . Sudangphaa established a new capital at Charagua, broke
10998-472: The end of Suhungmung's reign, the size of the kingdom had effectively doubled. These expansions created significant changes in the kingdom—the Assamese-speaking Hinduized subjects outnumbered the Ahoms themselves; and the absorption of the Chutia kingdom meant a wide range of artisan skills became available to it increasing the scope for division of labour. To provide legitimacy to the rule of
11139-413: The end of the Battle of Saraighat , the Ahoms not only fended off a major Mughal invasion but extended their boundaries west, up to the Manas river . The western border was fixed at Manas river after the Battle of Itakhuli , which remained the same till the annexation by the British. Following the Battle of Saraighat , the kingdom fell straight under ten years of political disorder. During this period
11280-732: The erection of many temples and made numerous grants to the religious sites and brahmanas. He died in 1744, and his younger brother Pramatta Singha was set up on the throne setting aside the claims of Siva Singha's son. Pramatta Singha alias Sunenphaa ( r. 1744–1751 ), nothing of importance is recorded during his reign. He had erected the Rang Ghar with masonry and built the Sukreswar and Rudreswar temples in North–Guwahati. During his reign, Kirti Chandra Borbarua gained much of his political influence. In 1744, he received an ambassador from
11421-455: The establishment of Kamarupa in (4th century CE). There is also an endogamous very small community of Khasi Muslims, mostly residing in Shillong and adjoining areas of the city, who accepted Sunni Islam as a result of historic Muslim traders in the region. On 3 February 2019, Quran , Islamic Holy Book, was released in the Khasi language . The translation of 1251 pre-pages and pages of Quran,
11562-484: The family" ) is involved must be matrilocal (that is, in his mother-in-law's house), while post-marital residence when a non-heiress is involved is neolocal. Traditionally (though nowadays this rule is not absolutely true), a Khasi man returns to his Iing-Kur (maternal home) upon the death of his spouse (if she is a Khadduh and they both have no children). These practices are the result of rules governing inheritance and property ownership. These rules are themselves related to
11703-406: The feathers worn by the menfolk. The Jainsem consists of two pieces of material fastened at each shoulder. The "Dhara" consists of a single piece of material also fastened at each shoulder. Weaving Ryndia is an art passed down through the generations and treated as an occupation, providing livelihood to families in the region. Traditionally a hand-spun, hand-woven fabric, worn with pride by both
11844-532: The few Austroasiatic-speaking peoples in South Asia . The Khasi tribe holds the distinction of being one of the few remaining tribes that have a matrilineal society. Under the Constitution of India , the Khasis have been granted the status of Scheduled Tribe . Khasi mythology traces the tribe's original abode to 'Ki Hynñiewtrep ("The Seven Huts"). According to the Khasi mythology, U Blei Trai Kynrad (God,
11985-415: The formation of an autonomous state. Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills , and the Garo Hills . The name 'Meghalaya' coined by geographer S.P. Chatterjee in 1936 was proposed and accepted for the new state. The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, with the autonomous state having a 37-member legislature in accordance with
12126-414: The further division of East Khasi Hills district on 4 June 1992. It has an area of 2,448 square kilometres (945 sq mi). The total population of the district was 192,795 in the 2001 census. The district headquarters is at Nongpoh . It has a hilly terrain, and a large part of the area is covered with forests. The Ri-Bhoi district is known for its pineapples and is the largest producer of pineapples in
12267-488: The help of the descendants of the Habungia Brahmans settled during Sudangpha's time ). The Indo-Aryan Bhuyans were relocated to the capital and absorbed into the lower echelons of the growing state as scribes and warriors. They in turn helped in the elimination of the royalty of the advanced Chutia kingdom in 1523; and that kingdom's nobility, commanders, professional classes, warriors and technologies were absorbed into
12408-518: The husband handing the wife 5 cowries or paisa which the wife then hands back to her husband along with 5 of her own. The husband then throws these away or gives them to a village elder who throws them away. Present-day Khasis divorce through the Indian legal system. The type of marriage is the determining factor in the marital residence. In short, post marital residence for a married man when an heiress (known as Ka Khadduh or "The Youngest daughter in
12549-410: The initiation of Parvatiya Gosain and established him 'Nilachal mountain' with extensive land grants and paiks. Siva Singha was very much under the influence of Brahmanas and astrologers, 1722 it was predicted by the astrologers that his reign would soon come to a end owing to the evil influence of Chatra–bhanga–yoga . Therefore, he transferred the royal umbrella and throne to his wife Phuleshwari who
12690-580: The inscription as 'Currency of Tibet', Also these two characters were used by the Chinese in Lhasa between 1792 and 1836 with the meaning 'Tibetan currency. Furthermore, there was a significant contact between China and Tibet in the mid-seventeen century, so it is not unlikely that the Assamese would have thought have thought that a Chinese character was an appropriate for Assamese-Tibetan trade coin. This piece evidently
12831-652: The institution of Buranji writing, a practice of historiography rare in India. In the late medieval era, the Ahom kingdom was known to be a kaghazi raj (a kingdom with records) just as the Mughal Empire was. At the time of their advent, the Ahoms came with advanced technologies of rice cultivation, and it was their belief that they were divinely ordained to turn fallow land to agriculture and also to absorb stateless and shifting agriculturists to their own ways. The shifting people were called kha and many such kha people were ceremonially adopted into different Ahom clans,
12972-407: The king and the two counsellors held each other in check and balance. These institutions of checks and balances thus seeded held fast for six hundred years—in the 18th century John Peter Wade, a British officer, observed these unique institutions and novel system of government. Sukaphaa had instructed that events during his rule be chronicled, a practice sustained by his successors; and there emerged
13113-545: The king of Twipra . He died in 1751. Rajeswar Singha alias Supremphaa ( r. 1751–1759 ), he was put on the throne by Kirti Chandra Borbarua by setting aside the claims of seniority of his elder brother Barjana Gohain . Rajeswar Singha had erected the most number of temples among the Ahom Kings, he was an orthodox Hindu and took initiation of Nati–Gosian (a relative of Pravatiya Gosain). In 1765, he sent an expedition to Manipur whose king Jay Singha made an appeal to
13254-503: The kingdom was without a king. Sudangphaa Bamuni Konwar ( r. 1397–1407 ), born and raised in a Brahmin household in Habung , was identified as a descendant of a past king and installed on the throne by the Burhaohain and Borgohain to end the period of crisis. He established Brahmin officers, advisors and communities near the capital and the Brahmin influence, though negligible,
13395-638: The late Holocene being called the Meghalayan stage/age , since a speleothem in Mawmluh cave indicating a dramatic worldwide climate event around 2250 BCE had been chosen as the boundary stratotype . One of the biggest Central Institutes , the North Eastern Council Secretariat, is also situated in Shillong. The word Meghālaya means "the abode of clouds"; the name derives from a compound of
13536-692: The majority of Meghalaya's population. The Khasis are the largest group, followed by the Garos then the Jaintias . These were among those known to the British as " hill tribes ." Other groups include the Bengali, Hajongs , the Biates , the Koches and related Rajbongshis , the Boros , Dimasa , Kuki , Lakhar, Tiwa (Lalung) , Karbi , Rabha and Nepali . Meghalaya recorded the highest decennial population growth of 27.82% among all
13677-411: The men and women in Meghalaya, the fabric in its un-dyed off-white state, or maroon and mustard plaid design, is a cultural symbol of the Khasi people. Eri silk is also known as ‘peace silk’ as the production process is considered to be non-violent. Weaving is primarily done by women. Eri silk in Meghalaya is produced from start to finish by women working from home or in clusters. The Khasis are, for
13818-569: The most influential Brahmana Sattradhikar ) but later in his life he got inclined towards Shaktism , considering it to be more suitable for a monarch, he invited a famous Sakta Brahmana from Bengal–Krishnaram Bhattacharya alias Pravatiya Gosain. From his death bed he expressed his will that, all his five sons to be kings in an executive manner and advised them to take initiation of Parvatiya Gosain Siva Singha alias Sutanphaa ( r. 1714–1744 ), he dropped his father's plan to invade Benagal. He took
13959-430: The most part, monogamous. Young men and women are permitted considerable freedom in the choice of mates. Potential marriage partners are likely to have been acquainted before betrothal. Once a man has selected his desired spouse, he reports his choice to his parents. They then secure the services of a mediator to make the arrangements with the woman's family (provided that the man's clan agree with his choice). The parents of
14100-459: The nobles exercised immense power, and seven kings were put on the throne and deposed. In the meantime, Kamrup went back in the hands of Mughals for a few years. Gadadhar Singha ( r. 1682–1696 ) established the 'Tungkhungia rule' in Assam, which continued to remain in power till the end of the kingdom. In 1682, the Mughals were defeated in the Battle of Itakhul , and Manas river was fixed as
14241-425: The north bank (Uttarkul), the south bank (Dakhinkul), and the island of Majuli . The north bank (Uttarkul) was more populated and fertile but the Ahom kings set up their capital on the south bank (Dakinkul) because it had more inaccessible strongholds and defensible central places. From 1500 to 1770 A.D., one comes across definite signs of demographic growth in the region. There was terrible depopulation In course of
14382-464: The northern part are known as Bhoi, as that area is often called Ri Bhoi. People in the east are known as the Pnar, and they call their land Rilum Jaintia. The south are called War or Ri War, because of its mountainous regions and soil fertility . The west has a number of regional names: Maram, Rimen, Khatsawphra, Mawiang, Lyngam. A Khasi who inhabits the central area is known as Khynriam. The War inhabitants of
14523-466: The one big district was divided into two: West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills The East Khasi Hills district was carved out of the Khasi Hills on 28 October 1976. The district has covered an area of 2,748 square kilometres (1,061 sq mi) and has a population of 660,923 as per the 2001 census. The headquarters of East Khasi Hills is located in Shillong. The Ri-Bhoi district was formed by
14664-625: The origin of domesticated rice." The limited archaeology done in the hills of Meghalaya suggest human settlement since ancient times. After the Conquest of Taraf in 1304, Shah Arifin Rafiuddin, a disciple of Shah Jalal , migrated and settled in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills where he preached Islamic monotheism to the local people. His khanqah remains in Sarping / Laurergarh on the Bangladeshi border but
14805-667: The part containing his mazar is in Meghalaya on top of Laur Hill. Bhaitbari is an archaeological site first discovered and excavated by A. K. Sharma in 1993, a fortification of burnt brick with mud core was discovered at Meghalaya - Assam border and is dated to 4th-8th century AD, the city has been speculated to have been one of the capital cities of Kamarupa . The British discovered Camellia sinensis (tea shrub) in 1834 in Assam and later companies started renting land from 1839 onwards. The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in
14946-654: The people or ruling clans of their respective domains. Famous among these Syiemships are Hima Mylliem, Hima Khyrim, Hima Nongkhlaw, amongst others. These Syiemships continue to exist and function till today under the purview of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), which draws its legal power and authority from the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Before the arrival of Christian missionaries and post- conversion, almost all of
15087-461: The plateau comprising the Khasi Hills has the highest elevations, followed by the eastern section comprising the Jaintia Hills region. The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak, which is a prominent IAF station in the Khasi Hills overlooking the city of Shillong. It has an altitude of 1961 m. The Garo Hills region in the western section of the plateau is nearly plain. The highest point in
15228-466: The population. Conversion from indigenous to Christianity began in the 19th century during the British colonial era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast India to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity. Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Cherrapunji Meghalaya, but they declined out of the lack of resources. Taking up the offer,
15369-604: The power of Mong Mao faded to be replaced the power of Mong Kwang, at which point the Ahoms stopped the tributes. The Ahoms began to call their domain Mong Dun Sun Kham ("a country of golden gardens"). Though Sukaphaa had avoided the Namdang region mindful of the numerically small Ahom contingent, but his son Suteuphaa made the Kacharis withdraw on their own via a stratagem and the Ahoms expanded into it; but no further expansions of
15510-662: The reign of Siva Singha led to the Moamoria rebellion and ultimately to the eclipse of the kingdom. Sukaphaa (1228–1268) spent a couple of decades moving from place to place establishing colonies and finally settled down in Charaideo in 1253. He established the offices of the Dangarias—; the Burhagohain ( Chao-Phrungmung ) and the Borgohain ( Chao-Thaonmung ). In the 1280s, these two offices were given independent regions of control; partly hereditary and partly elected,
15651-571: The residents of the village or town come together under the leadership of an elected Headman (called U Rangbah Shnong) to decide on matters pertaining to the locality. This system of village administration is much like the Panchayati Raj prevalent in most Indian States. There were around 25 independent native states on record which were annexed and acceded to the Indian Union. The Syiems of these native states (called Hima) were traditionally elected by
15792-467: The rightful heir of the erstwhile Kamarupa kingdom . The Ahom kingdom became more broad-based and took many features of its mature form under Pratap Singha ( r. 1603–1641 ), primarily to meet the sustained attacks from the Mughals. The Paik system was reorganized in 1609 under the professional khel system, replacing the kinship-based phoid system; and paiks could be permanently alienated to non-royal institutions via royal grants. Under
15933-481: The rooster as a symbol because they believe that it was he who aroused God and also humbly paved and cleared the path for God to create the Universe at the beginning of time. The rooster is the symbol of morning marking a new beginning and a new sunrise. Khasian is closely related to Palaungic language of Myanmar. Pre-Khasian migrated through Upper Burma to Brahmaputra Valley on the way to Meghalaya. The Khasi language
16074-859: The royal boats, the Bhitarual Phukan, the Na Phukan, the Dihingia Phukan, the Deka Phukan, and the Neog Phukan formed the council of Phukan. The Borphukan also had a similar council of six subordinate Phukans whom he was bound to consult in all matters of importance. This council included Pani Phukan, who commanded six thousand paiks , Deka Phukan who commanded four thousand paiks , the Dihingia Phukan, Nek Phukan and two Chutiya Phukans. The superintending officers were called Barua s. The Baruas of whom there were twenty or more included Bhandari Barua or treasurer;
16215-399: The royal families who occupy lower positions are given regions called mel s, and were called meldangia or melkhowa raja . Meldangia Gohain s were princes of an even lesser grade, of which there were two: Majumelia Gohain and Sarumelia Gohain . Royal ladies were given individual mel s, and by the time of Rajeshwar Singha, there were twelve of them. The most important of these was
16356-456: The rural sex ratio of 972. Religion in Meghalaya (2011) Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority. About 75% of the population practices Christianity, with Catholics , Presbyterians , Baptists , and Church of God the more common denominations. The religion of the people in Meghalaya is closely related to their ethnicity. Close to 90% of the Garo and nearly 80% of
16497-704: The same king, the offices of the Borphukan (viceroy of territories acquired from the Koches and the Mughals), and the Borbarua (the "secretary" of the royal government) were established to increase the number of Patra Mantris to five, along with other smaller offices. The practices of using Brahmins solely for diplomatic missions, the Ahom kings adopting a Hindu name in addition to their Ahom names, and patronising Hindu establishments began with Pratap Singha, though formal initiation of
16638-557: The service of a thousand additional paiks from the Jakaichuk village. The Borbarua and the Borphukan had military and judicial responsibilities, and they were aided by two separate councils ( sora ) of Phukans . The Borphukan's sora sat at Guwahati and the Borbarua's sora at the capital. Six of them formed the council of the Borbarua with each having his separate duties. The Naubaicha Phukan, who had an allotment of thousand men managed
16779-406: The seven north-eastern states, as per the provisional report of census 2011. The population of Meghalaya as of 2011 has been estimated at 2,964,007 of which females constitute 1,492,668 and males 1,471,339. As per the census of India 2011, the sex ratio in the state was 986 females per 1,000 males which was far higher than the national average of 940. The urban female sex ratio of 985 was higher than
16920-484: The silver earned from these trading activities. Another point by which we can understand the trade relation of Ahoms with other nations is through the use of Silver coins. It is to be noted that there are no silver mines in the northeast or in the rest of India, so the metal entered as a result of trade. In extent the kingdom's length was about 500 miles (800 km) and with an average breadth of 60 miles (96 km). The kingdom can be divided into three major regions:
17061-533: The south by the Bangladeshi divisions of Mymensingh and Sylhet , to the west by the Bangladeshi division of Rangpur , and to the north and east by India's State of Assam . The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong . During the British rule of India , the British authorities nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East". English is the official language of Meghalaya. Unlike many Indian states, Meghalaya has historically followed
17202-568: The state of Assam. A movement for a separate hill state began in 1960. On 11 September 1968, the Government of India announced a scheme for constituting an autonomous state within the state of Assam comprising certain areas specified in Part A of the table appended to paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. Accordingly, the Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 was enacted for
17343-532: The state was taken very strictly so that every working man would be registered for the state service. The census were properly recorded in registers called paikar piyalar kakat . The following table estimates the population composition of classes, during the reign of king Rajeswar Singha (1751-1769). According to the population estimates computed by Gunabhiram Barua . population by Guha (1978) population by Bhuyan (1949) population by NPB population by Dutt (1958) There were towns, but only
17484-494: The state. The West Khasi Hills district is the largest district in the state with a geographical area of 5,247 square kilometres (2,026 sq mi). The district was carved out of Khasi Hills District on 28 October 1976. The district headquarters are located at Nongstoin . Ahom kingdom The Ahom kingdom ( Ahom : 𑜒𑜑𑜪𑜨, ahüm ; Assamese : আহোম), or the Kingdom of Assam ( / ˈ ɑː h ɔː m / , 1228–1826)
17625-495: The state; its mountain forests are distinct from the lowland tropical forests to the north and south. The forests are notable for their biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants. Meghalaya has a predominantly agrarian economy with a significant commercial forestry industry. The important crops are potatoes, rice, maize, pineapples , bananas, papayas, and spices. The service sector is made up of real estate and insurance companies . Meghalaya's gross state domestic product for 2012
17766-487: The structure of the Khasi Kur (clan system). Khasi names are known for their originality and elaborate nature and often literal nature. The given names may be invented by parents for their children, and these can be based on traditional native names, Christian names, or other English words. The family names, which they call "surnames," remain in the native Khasi languages or its dialects. The traditional political structure of
17907-448: The tribal allegiances that held the polity together earlier and brought the Ahom kingdom very close to a full-fledged state. The next hundred years saw the kingdom mostly suppressing rebellious Naga groups, but a conflict with the Dimasa kingdom in 1490 saw the Ahoms, not strong enough to take them on frontally, suing for peace. The Ahom royalty continuously improved their relationship with
18048-615: The western boundary. Gadadhar Singha came in conflict with the Vaisnava Satras who began commencing immense power and influence over the state and people, and started a wide–spread persecution of the Vaisnavites. The rule of Tungkhungia Ahom kings was marked by achievements in the Arts and engineering constructions, the Tungkhungia reigme witnessed a relative time of peace and stability till
18189-438: The whole Brahmaputra Valley, from Sadiya in the east and Sherpur on the south. Thus, the Ahom state attained the greatest territorial zenith. In 1662, Aurangzeb to bring the lost tracts and to punish the rebels elements in that quarter, launched an invasion under his chief lieutenant Mir Jumla II , in this invasion the Ahoms could not resist up well, and the Mughals occupied the capital, Garhgaon. Unable to keep it, and in at
18330-424: The woman ascertain her wishes and if she agrees to the arrangement her parents check to make certain that the man to be wed is not a member of their clan (since Khasi clans are exogamous, marital partners may not be from the same clan). If this is satisfactory then a wedding date is set. Divorce is relatively common, with causes ranging from incompatibility to lack of offspring. This ceremony traditionally consists of
18471-600: Was a late medieval kingdom in the Brahmaputra Valley (present-day Assam ) that retained its independence for nearly 600 years despite encountering Mughal expansion in Northeast India . Established by Sukaphaa , a Tai prince from Mong Mao (present-day Yunnan Province , China ), it began as a mong in the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra based on wet rice agriculture. It expanded suddenly under Suhungmung in
18612-447: Was a common feature that all ancient and medieval kingdoms—such as Chutia and Kachari kingdoms—in Assam utilised for legitimacy to various degrees, the Ahoms were able to use their alternate Lengdon-based legitimacy to establish their rule and effectively negotiate with the indigenous people; nevertheless the later Tungkhungia kings veered towards Saktism and the persecution of the shudra Mahantas and their laity that began during
18753-480: Was an ancient sacrificial site for an Austroasiatic tribal goddess, locally called or known as “Ka Mei Kha” (literally: old-cousin-mother ), of the Khasi tribe supported by the folk lores of these very peoples. The traditional accounts from Kalika Purana of (10th century) and the Yogini Tantra too recorded that the goddess Kamakhya is of Kirata origin, and It is said that the worship of Kamakhya goddess predates
18894-402: Was an attempt by Jayadhwaj Singha to facilitate trade with Chinese knowing person coming from the direction of Tibet. Rudra Singha is also said to have established an extensive trade with Tibet and to have encouraged intercourse with other nations although he strictly limited the extent to which foreigners were allowed into the country. Presumably, some of the coins of his reign were struck with
19035-472: Was between Sadiya and Gerelua river in the north bank of the Brahmaputra river and the Borgohain's territory was to the west up to the Burai river. They were given total command over the paiks that they controlled. These positions were generally filled from specific families. Princes who were eligible for the position of Swargadeo were not considered for these positions and vice versa. In the 1527, Suhungmung added
19176-482: Was created on 22 February 1972. It has a total geographical area of 3,819 square kilometres (1,475 sq mi) and a population of 295,692 as per the 2001 census. The district headquarters is in Jowai . Jaintia Hills district is the largest producer of coal in the state. Coal mines can be seen all over the district. Limestone production in the state is increasing, as there is high demand from cement industries. Recently,
19317-577: Was done by a Khasi Muslim leader Mubarak Lyngdoh, to propagates Islam among the local Khasis. The translation was done at the initiative of the Seng Bhalang Islam (A local Islamic organisation of Shillong, Meghalaya). Khasi Muslims numbers around 1,689 as per 2011 census. There are also a small segment of Khasi population who don't follow any particular faith. Around 6.8 thousand Khasis have stated that they are atheist and don't believe in any particular religion or God as per 2011 census. According to
19458-470: Was estimated at ₹ 16,173 crore (US$ 1.9 billion) in current prices. The state is geologically rich in minerals, but it has no significant industries. The state has about 1,170 km (730 mi) of national highways. It is also a major logistical center for trade with Bangladesh. In July 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy divided the Holocene epoch into three, with
19599-471: Was felt for the first time. A number of rebellions erupted purportedly against this influence but Sudangphaa was able to suppress them and solidify his rule. One of the rebels invited a military expedition from Mong Kwang (called Nara in the Buranjis, the successor state of Mong Mao to which the early Ahom kings used to send tribute) resulting in a clash in 1401—but Sudangphaa defeated the expedition and concluded
19740-507: Was given the title of 'Bar–Raja' on the advice of Pravatiya Gosain. Phuleswari melded too much with the religious affairs, she had caused the insult of the Shudra–Mahantas. After the death of Phuleswari, two other wives of Siva Singha were set on the position of 'Bar–Raja', namely Ambika and Sarbeswari. Siva Singha reign was peaceful, except an expedition sent against the Daflas, he had caused
19881-454: Was particularly significant till the 16th century when under Suhungmung , the kingdom made large territorial expansions at the cost of the Chutiya and the Kachari kingdoms. At this initial stage the kingdom was still not fully sovereign. Sukaphaa sent his word of allegiance and tributes to Mong Mao , a practice that was continued by some of his successors till about the early 14th century when
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