Capital
:
Shillong
Location
:
The State lies between 20º.1 N and 26.5º Latitude and 85º49 'E and 92º52 'E Longitude.
Total Area
:
22,429 Sq. Km.
Forest Area
:
8,510 Sq. Km.
Population
:
23,06,069 (2001 Census)
Density
:
79 Per Sq. Km.
Total Literacy
:
Total Literacy 77%(male : 79% & Female 74%)(As per National Sample Survey Organisation).NSSO, New Delhi - 1997.
Climate
:
4 SeasonsSummer 28ºC Maximum and Winter 3.8ºC Maximum. Average rainfall in the State is 12,000 mm.
Principal Languages
:
Khasi and Garo.
Official Languages
:
English.
Total No. of Assembly Constituencies
:
60 (sixty) 55 - Reserved Seat. 5 - Unreserved Seat.
Total No. of Parliamentary Constituencies
:
2 (two) Lok Sabha.1 (one) Rajya Sabha.
Total No. of Autonomous District Councils.
:
3 (three) (i) Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council. (ii) Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council. (iii) Garo Hill Autonomous District Council.
Meghalaya is one among the seven sisters that situated in the North Eastern Part of India. It is also known as “The Abode of the Clouds,” “ The land of Orchids,” “ The Scotland of the East” and the only Matriliny state in India. It is a small state but it holds more than 26 diverse living communities .The 26 communities can be combined to 4 major tribes that are the Khasi and Jaintia who inhibit the eastern and central part of the state ,the Garo who occupy the western part of Meghalaya and the Traders who occupy mostly in the town areas for business. Meghalaya becomes an Autonomous State on 2nd April 1970 and as a full-fledged state on 21st January 1970.Shillong is the state capital of the stste. The history of Meghalaya is mostly written and known only after the annexation of the British. It was made as the capital of Assam from 1874.It was also made as the summer capital of Bengal during the British rule. It was the first state of North Eastern India to have a University namely The North Eastern Hill University.
The geographical area of Meghalaya is 22,420sq.km.It extends about 300km in length and about 100km in breath. The forest area 8510.It lies between 200.1N and 26.500latiude and 85049E and92052E longitude. It is surrounded by the Goalpara and the Kamrup districts of Assam in the North, the south western part of the district of Goalpara and a part of Rangpur district (Bangladesh) in the west, the Mynmensingh and Sylhet districts of Bangladesh in the south and the north Cacher and Karbi Anglong districts of Assam in the east. A typical village of Meghalaya is a conglomeration of houses constructed on slopes of hills and hillocks and are generally build on a raised platform supported by big logs of wood or well shaped stones called us ‘Maw Khrum Iing’.(K.S.Singh on People Of Meghalaya Pg.10.!st pp.)Meghalaya is a picturesque landscape of mountains, plateaus, plains and rivers.Tress like pine, sal ,tita, teak, nim, almond and rich medicinal plants are found. Fauna like samber ,tiger bear, elephant, buffaloes, leopard etc. are existing in Meghalaya.The Khasi hills occupy 10,475sq.km with Shillong peak, which is 1965mm above Sea level and 6077ft., as its highest peak.Garo hills occupy 8077sq.km with Nokrek as its highest peak and Jaintia hills occupy 3877sq.km .20km of the land is occupy by 2,306,069 people.
Meghalaya experiences four seasons in the heaar viz.Spring , Summer, Autumn, and Winter. It is known to the world as the wettest place and the state who receives the heaviest rainfall in the world, in which Cherapunjee and Mawsynram are the main places who receive 1200mm of rainfall .The average rainfall is( varies from 4000 to 12000)12000mm.The average annual temperature is 17.5oC (summer 28oC and winter3.8oC).The climate changes from subtropical to semi temperate at higher altitudes.The temperature is low and thus it is cold during winter ,moderate during spring and autumn and hot during summer.
Meghalaya is a state with many clans. Each clan have their own interpretations about their origin. Folklores and oral tradition tells of supernatural origin. For example People of Meghalaya are said to be the Seven Huts that remained down from the Nineteen clans. The seven huts were left below when the navel of the heaven was cut. The saying “Ki Khyndai shajrong bad ki Hynniuew shatbian” (the 9 above and the 7 below)and the mountain “U Lum Sohpet Bneng” are one of the symbols that made the people think about this origin. The origin of some clans are told that the unnatural marriage between human beings and animals like monkey, pig, fox, merry maid occurred.Some clans evolved due to the mixed marriage between the Khasi and Garos or with any other non Meghalayans. “The pre-historic evidence found in Meghalaya has contributed towards establishing the fact that Palaeolithic man live here .Pebble ,core, flake, tools etc. are its evidence, though no human fossils have been found.”(K.S.Singh on People of Meghalaya Pg 2)Others like Nath (1948)trace the origin of the Khasi from Austric group who migrated from the North T ‘Sintien and lived around the Kameikha in Kamrup. Mr. Shadwell ,the oldest living authority on the Khasi land and one who has been in close contact with the people for more than half a century ,mention that they originally came from Burma via. Patkai range,having followed the road of one of the Burmese invasions’(Gurdon 1907:10-11). Some scholars would say that the origin of the Khasi is from south east Asia i.e. from Mongolia, Indonesia, Cambodia and from the bank of the Mekong river.The British entered Meghalaya as early as 1824 with the purpose of constructing a road to Dhaka. The People of Meghalaya signed the first Anglo-Jaintia Treaty in 1833 with the British.On seeing the British not keeping their words, the chiefs of Meghalaya under the leadership of U Tirot Singh, the king of Nongkhlaw, resisted and hindered their plans. U Tirot Sing and David Scott, the British’s leader,had a bloody fight in Mairang until U Tirot Sing was captured and imprisoned in Dhaka.Besides other kings wage wars against the British but the fall of Tirot Sing in 1833 the then 25 independent states came under the Bristish rule by 1835. From 1874 Shillong was made the headquarters of the Assam Province. And in 1905 Shillong was made the summer headquarters of the united Province of East Bengal and Assam.
The Garo legends tells that they were from the province in the North and setteled in Cooach Behar for about 400 years. Lthe king of Cooach Behar enslaved and persecuted them so they cross Bramaputra river and moved towards Guwahati . The stay in Assam was not a favourable one for the kings and princes treated them and persecuted them badly. It was the Khasi prince who helped them to fight against them.This made them to come and settle in Meghalaya.Some of the Garos are in Assam,Behar, West Bengal,and Bangladesh.
Meghalaya though it is a small state, it is diverse in its living communities .It holds 26 communities they are:-Khasi ,War,Lyngam,Maram,Jaintia,Bhoi,Khynrium,Khasi Muslim,Garo,Rabha,Hajong,Banai,Man,Koch,Dalu,Bengali,Behari,Sikh,Muslim,Nepali,Marwari,Assamese,Boro,Lallung,Mikir,and Mizo Biate.These communities connects each other and formed the three major tribes the Khasi,Jaintia,and the Garo.Some of these communities have their own identities like the Nepali,Rabha,and those etc.Those who have come for trade have migrated from the other places (some of them have found their permanent place in Meghalaya). The Khasi tribe is the largest tribe and the Man is the smallest tribe(Man migrated from Burma and are Budhist in religion ).Slome of these communities are hybrid because of mixed marriages in early days.Many of the communities are not originally from Meghalaya. They have migrated for trade, cultavation,jobs etc. or brought in from some places by the Khasi kings.
The total lpopulation of Mehgalaya is 2306069.1167840 are males and 1138229 are females according to 2001 census.The Antropological study of the Khasi shows that they are short statured in feature , mean for men is 1566.6mm and for women is 1471.5mm. They have mesocephalic,acrocephalic and hypsicephalic head; mesorrhine, platyrrhine type of nose and euryprosophic and of euryene, types of faces. Male and frnale are characterised by high percentage of loops. The mean total finger ridge-count of the male is 140.44 and that of female is 119.75. In respect to ABO blood group system they are characterised by a very high percentage of genes and O blood group followed by A,B and AB.(Das 1978)The antropometric traits of the Garos are male average stature is 119.75mm. In respect to ABO blood group system they are characterised by a very high percentage of B blood group followed by A, O and AB.
Every community have their own dialect and is used in their conversation within the village. Till now many of the dialects have no alphabets or script. For the communities under the roof of the Khasi there is a common distinct language of Mon Khmer and it is Thomas Jones, a Calvinist Missionary who have introduced the Roman script in 1842 as a script of the Khasi language.Some of the communities can adopt the Roman script to write their dialects but some of the alphabets are not sufficient to suffice a proper writing. The Garos belong to the Tibeto burman speech family which ais also an ‘lndo-Chinese Linguistic Family’ like the Mon-Khmer of the Khasi.Some of the communities speak mixed dialects for example the Lyngam and thus formed their own peculiar type of language. The migrated communities haave their own doalect brought from their orignal land for example the Bengali, Nepali, Assamese etc. The Meghalayans also speak or conversant with English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Nepali, Garo, Mikir, Khasi, etc. besides their own mother tongue. English, Khasi, and Garo are the principal languages.
The People of Meghalaya considers the earth as the mother who provide and protects .Ka Mei Ramew ,Ka Nongbsa Ka Nong btiap bas Ka Nongda Nongpeit They are land owning people .The primary occupation is agriculture, supplemented by sericulture ,petty business contract jobs, basketry ,fishing, hunting, and collecting forest products like honey ,firewood ,bamboo shot etc.The staple food of Meghalaya is rice. Potato ,one of the cash crop of this region was first brought by David Scott the British conqueror of Meghalaya .Jhumming is the chief mode of cultivation besides dry-land cultivation of rice .The major crops are rice ,maize, Jute, pulses, potatoes ,ginger, sweet-potatoes, tapioca, chillies, etc. They also cultivate betel nuts, betel-leaves, soft broom. Plantation of oranges, Mangoes, bananas, prars, lineapples, plumes, jackfruits, Khasi oranges (sohphoh Nongkhlaw) are also done. Vegetables like potatoes, peas, brinjal, beans, tomato, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin (red and ash) cucumber, leafy vegetables, roots and tubers are grown by the people of Meghalaya. White collar jobs are increasing as the state grows. They are also blacksmith, business people, drivers.(The people of Meghalaya are non-vegetarian they relish chicken, pork, beef, mutton sometimes buffalos, dogs, elephants and other animals from the forest, besides all sorts of edible fish and birds.
The literacy rate of Meghalaya is 77%.As per national Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO, New Delhi 1997)the male literacy rate is 79% and female is 74%. The invasion of the British give way to the people of Meghalaya even before the alphabets exists in the state. The male literacy rate is 79% and female is 74%. The Khasi language is penned down only when Thomas Jones a Welsh Presbyterian Missionary introduce the Roman script in 1842 as the alphabets for the Khasi language.(The Khasi language has only 23 alphabets )The Garos also have adopted the Roman script as their alphabets. The invasion of the British give way to the people of Meghalaya even before the alphabets exists in the state. The North Eastern Hill University (NEHU),the first existing university in North East India, St. Anthony’s college, St. Edmund college, St. Mary’s college, and Lady kin college are some of the best Educational centres in the state. The Meghalaya Board of School Education has its headquarters in Tura with its branch in Shillong.
“ Meghalaya currently has 7 districts. These are:, East Garo Hills East Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, Ri-Bhoi, South Garo Hills, West Garo Hills and the West Khasi Hills.
The East Garo Hills district was formed in 1976 and has a population of 247,555 as per the 2001 census. It covers an area of 2603 square kilometres. The District Headquarters are located at Williamnagar, earlier known as Simsangiri.
The East Khasi Hills district was carved out of the Khasi Hills on 28 October 1976. The district has covers an area of 2,748 square kilometres and has a population of 660,923 as per the 2001 census. The headquarters of East Khasi Hills are located in Shillong.
The Jaintia Hills district was created on 22nd February 1972. It has a total geographical area of 3819 square kilometres and a population of 295,692 as per the 2001 census. The district headquarters are located at Jowai. Jaintia Hills district is the largest producer of coal in the state. Coal mines can be seen all over the district.
The Ri-Bhoi district was formed by further division of East Khasi Hills district on 4th June 1992. It has an area of 2448 square kilometres. The total population of the district was 192,795 as per the 2001 census. The district headquarters are located at Nongpoh. It has a hilly terrain and a large part of the area is covered with forests. The Ri-Bhoi district is famous for its pineapples and is the largest producer of pinapples in the state.
The South Garo Hills district came into existence on 18th June 1992 after the division of the West Garo Hills district. The total geographical area of the district is 1850 square kilometres. As per the 2001 census the district has a population of 99,100. The district headquarters are located at Baghmara.
The West Garo Hills district lies in the western part of the state and covers a geographical area of 3714 square kilometres. The population of the district is 515,813 as per the 2001 census. The district headquarters are located at Tura.
The West Khasi Hills district is the largest district in the state with a geographical area of 5247 square kilometres. The district was carved out of Khasi Hills District on 28th October 1976. The district headquarters are located at Nongstoin.”
Shad Suk Mynsiem: It is a social –religious organisation .It is to engender solidarity amongst the different groups of Khasi. It was established in 1899 to protect and preserve the Khasi way of life from the onslaughts of Christianity and Modernism. It is for “safeguarding the doctrine of truth and the essence of Khasi culture, religion and custom from the onslaughts of the western and Christian influences and for revitalisation of the Khasi usages, manners, folklore and finally, their dancing, on the basis of truth, love and service to their fellowmen.”(Marthur 1979-89) . “The annual spring dance, performed to celebrate harvesting and sowing. The Dance is performed in relation to the agricultural cycle (i.e. the harvesting period and the beginning of the sowing period). The participants in the dance are both male unmarried (virgins), while their male counterparts do not have any such restriction. The costumes and jewellery worn by male and female dancers and female. Drums, flutes and cymbals pick up the tempo in a corner of the arena and the male and female dancers in two separate circles - women in the inner, men on the outer - begin their ritual steps. Young virgins keep their eyes downcast and dance with minimum body movement, arms loose from the shoulders, body straight. The men, in sharp contrast, do a energetic, swift and galloping movement around the outer circle, slowing down and speeding up with the rhythm of the drums. At a change of beat they stop and resume and they move clockwise and anti-clockwise, always assuming a posture of "protecting" the women within the circle. Faster and faster move the dancers, as the end of the 'Ka Shad Suk Mynsiem' draws near.”
Wangla Festival: It is the most important of all the Garos festivals. The festival is held to propitiate Misi Sajong the god of agriculture and other gods at the closing of Jhum cycle, usually in the month of October or November. It is the moist joyful celebration that last for many days and is marked by the drinking of ricebear, feasting, music, dancing and merry making. Sacrifices are made for a good harvest. It uses to take place in Asananggiri. “ On the first day of the Rugala ceremony, the Nokma displays his valuable gongs covered with long banana leaves. The "second” ceremony is the burning of incense to revive the monsoon clouds. People throw cooked rice on the floor to symbolise hailstones. Story telling by bards and minstrels and, singing competitions are performed. It is a time for romancing for the young and choosing of life partners. Story telling by bards and minstrels and, singing competitions are performed. It is a time for romancing for the young and choosing of life partners. Do'KruSua: This dance symbolizes the "pecking of doves" enacted by two lady dancers. Two mimic doves, peck each other much to the enjoyment of all. It is another expression of how closely the Garos relate to nature as well as the simplicity of life.”
Christmas:It is the festival of the Christians. It is to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ who was born to save humanity from sin. Among all the celebration Christmas is the biggest, most joyful and common in the state. The people share gifts, visit friends and go for picnics or organise cultural gatherings to show that the new life of Jesus Christ is shared with all.
Behdiengkhlam: It is the festivalto drive away the Khlam(Cholera), the evil spirit so that the pleoople would enjoy Prosperity and good health .It is celebrated In Jaintia Hills District. “ The festival is observed by non-Christian 'Pnars' who believe in the traditional faith of "Niamtre".Legend has it that Jowai town was once covered by thick forest, without human habitation. It was the home of five Deities - four huge stones and a river nymph. A week before the festival begins, a pig is sacrificed to "Thunder" (Knia Pyrthat). The "Wasan" or priests ring "Chew Chew", a brass bell, along the main road of the town till the forest begins.The main feature of the festival is the making of the "Dein Khlam", "Symlend" and "Khnong", which are rounded, polished and tall trunks of trees, felled in a preserved forest. Pine trees are never used. After letting them lie in the woods for a couple of nights, the trunks are brought to the town with great fanfare - drums and pipes play, there is also much dancing and yelling. Later these trunks are erected in each locality and even in front of individual homes.
Flora and fauna: “As per the State of Forest Report 2003, published by the Forest Survey of India, Meghalaya has a forest cover of 9,496 km², which is 42.34% of the total geographical area of the state. A small portion of the forest area in Meghalaya is under what is known as “Sacred Groves” Meghalaya has three Wildlife Sanctuaries. These are the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, the Siju Sanctuary and the Bhagmara Sanctuary, which is also the home of the insect eating Pitcher plant, the Nepenthes Khasiana. The important mammal species include elephants, bear, civets, mongooses, weasels, rodents, gaur, wild buffalo, deer, wild boar and a number of primates. The prominent bird species in Meghalaya include the Magpie-Robin, the Red-vented Bulbul, the Hill Myna is usually found in pairs or in flocks in the hill forests of Meghalaya, the Large Pied Hornbill and the Great Indian, which is the largest bird in Meghalaya. The common reptile varieties in Meghalaya are lizards, crocodiles and tortoises. Meghalaya also has a number of snakes including the python, the Copperhead, the Green Tree Racer, the Indian Cobra the King Cobra, the Coral Snake and Vipers.”(Fm. Information about Meghalaya of India)
