A fight for motherland & Khasi honour

A Jellingstar Lymba

Was it fate that Tirot Sing collided with the most powerful colonial power of his contemporary time, or was it divine intervention that the Nongkhlaw Hima borne one of the greatest sons of the soil? He was no doubt the chosen one. Chosen from the bloodline to succeed the right of Syiemship; chosen to preserve the traditions, honour and dignity of the Hima (Nongkhlaw) and the Khasi land as a whole; to lead the khlawait (brave warriors) against the invading and oppressive foreign power; and to take a stand and a head-on collision with colonial master.

What hurt Tirot Sing and his fellow countrymen to muscle up the kharlieh or whitemen was their treatment of him not as an ally but subordinate. And what hurt him the most was the betrayal of the covenant by the foreigner (on the agreement for the construction of the road via Nongkhlaw; to link the then Sylhet and Kamrup).

The British dishonoured and disrespected the covenant of the ‘licking of salt on the blade’ between them: the covenant that was not meant to break or alter whatever the cause and circumstances might be. No doubt the bitterness and resentment burnt the hearts of warriors who would now take up the cause to defend their beloved land even when the enemies were at the gate. Notwithstanding the unforetold circumstances, they held their right and ground of which they laid their life.

Thus, the war was at first aimed to brush off inequity and ill-fate which had befallen their land. The war was also meant to end British domination, restore the relation with the Ahom in Assam (their age-long partner) and reinstitute previous normalcy in political affair and economic activities as was during the time prior to the advent of the British. Hence, the Khasis prepared a war even at the worst consequence to free their land from foreigners and to restore its prestige and honour.

On the other hand, after winning over the friendship of the Syiem of Sohra and after permission was granted by Tirot Sing for the construction of the road, David Scott utilised his selfish end in the hills as planned. In return for the permission for the construction of road through the hills for the free passage of the British, the syiem was provided with a grant of land in the plain of Sylhet.

The construction of the road by the British East India Company via Khasi Hills was carried out, with Lieutenant Beddingfield and Lieutenant Burlton to supervise the construction work. But, due to the arrogant behaviour of the British soldiers and other accumulated reasons, on April 4 1829, the Khasis attacked the British at Nongkhlaw which changed the prospect of relation between the Khasis and the British, from a cordial friendship to formidable enemies.

The two commanding officers, British soldiers and sepoys, about 50 or 60 men met their untimely death at the wrath of the Khasi khlawait or brave warriors. David Scott escaped the ‘carnage’ because he was in Cherrapunji while attending the matter of road construction. Fate had him the mercy of the syiem of Sohra who let David Scott escape from the hills. Hence, due to his escape, the enforcement was brought in Khasi Hills from Gauhati and Sylhet. The Khasi himas called for a general confederacy to fight against the common enemy. But the British (with experiences) had the latest systems and strategies that could easily overrun the native or tribal people within a short time.

The Nongkhlaw massacre was a historical event. The incident was disparaged by men of the company and other pro-British as uncivilised and barbaric. But taking the incident into consideration, it credited the Khasis as an act of bravery to expel exasperated foreigners for their highhandedness on the right of others.

The arrival of large force of the British company in Khasi Hills was like a heavy hailstorm upon their heads and roofs. Defence and encounter were not easy which they now faced with a new kind of enemies who startled them with new weapons and warfare. Unaware of such new encounters and situations, the Khasi himas were taken by surprise and abandoned the battleground and resumed new strategy.

The Khasis, like the Spartan who held the Hot Gate against the mighty Xerxes of the Persian Empire, fought for the sake of their motherland. The patriotic heart kindled the sacrifice and spirit of no surrender. Slyness was the best enemies’ option when the Khasis were more or less imperturbable in mano a mano. The enemies entered the gate; the back gate was left unguarded and the trust was betrayed. Thus, the situation immortalised the sacrifice and bravery of defenders, and invaders’ trickery; like the two sides of the coin.

The war lasted for about five years but military strength, better war resources and capacity of British leaders favoured the British victory. It is easily understood that the great nation of the British could overwhelm the small land of the Khasi. But the fact also cannot be denied that the Khasi at this point of time were using traditional weapons and warfare. In the open field, the traditional bows, arrows, spears, swords and shields of the Khasis could not stand against the guns and artillery of the British. Therefore, after some direct encounters, the Khasis had to renew their war strategy and adopted the guerrilla war tactics.

No doubt, with equal capacity of weapons in the open fields, the Khasi could easily overrun the British. Various fights and serious encounters took place at Laitkroh, Mylliem, Beltola and other places. The main target of the British was to capture Tirot Sing and his main ally, Bor Manik — the masterminds behind all the incidents and war.

The British suppressed all insurgence in the Hills. Within a decade, all Khasi himas were brought under submission. The British were the first foreign power to penetrate and to build their empire among the tribals of Northeast India. But the life of the people and the generation after were met with chaos, confusion and uncertainty of whatever their future or the future of their motherland.

Power, resource ad patience weaned in time as never before as others felt the ‘world on Hercules shoulder’. Few bore the weight to the limit of human capacity. Allies were deceived and bound in chains. Left alone, the task is left to bring forth the strength from the depth of bitterness and heaviness of the soul. Could it be done? Doubt now engulfed the courage and sacrifice. The force and strategy of enemies hit the talus to bring the brave hearts to their knees. Regretfully, Tirot Sing with no choice gave up the fight when his turns were all enclosed up. Live to fight another day echoed in the undisputed courage and spirit of the warrior.

The British understood that the best way to dwindle the spirit of fighters and cooperation among the Khasis was to take Tirot Sing far away from his homeland. Thus, after he was captured, the British prepared the final abode of Tirot at Dacca (Dhaka). The sorrow and remorse weighed him down to sickness to the limit where his physical strength could carry no more. Finally, with the highest of longing he wished and prayed for the freedom of his beloved land, in the near future. He never meant to die in foreign land.

About 113 years after his death, a freedom is won worth the price. Tirot Sing’s sacrifice and struggle earned him a name among the greatest freedom fighters of the Khasis. And 188 years from his last day, the honour and the highest of respect was thankfully offered to him by the people of this beloved land, Meghalaya. No price could pay the sacrifice made. July 17 is the day worth commemorating.

 (The author is a lecturer in the Department of History at Lady Keane College, Higher Secondary Section)