2026: The Most Controversial World Cup

This isn't the first time controversy has consumed FIFA. Some will remember July 20, 2015, when FIFA president Sepp Blatter arrived at the organization's Zurich headquarters for his first major press conference since announcing plans to leave office. FIFA was then in the grip of an international corruption crisis: less than two months earlier, Swiss authorities had arrested seven senior football officials after the United States charged multiple figures across the sport with racketeering, fraud, and bribery.

Before Blatter could begin speaking, British comedian Simon Brodkin approached the stage in character as "Jason Bent," placed banknotes in front of Blatter, and announced the money was for North Korea's bid to host the 2026 World Cup. As security removed him, he threw the remaining bills over Blatter's head, leaving the FIFA president standing amid a shower of cash before the stage had to be cleared.

The stunt turned FIFA's central scandal into a literal image: football's most powerful administrator buried in money. Blatter returned to announce FIFA would elect his successor in February 2016, but the crisis engulfing the organization didn't end there. Brodkin was later charged by Swiss police after FIFA filed a complaint, while the corruption investigations that inspired his protest continued dismantling the governing structure Blatter had led for 17 years.

But Gianni Infantino, full name Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino, has taken FIFA to a new level of controversy. The Swiss football administrator has served as FIFA president for roughly a decade, after serving as UEFA Secretary General from 2009 to 2016, where he oversaw the organization's tournament expansion. He has also been an IOC member since 2020. As FIFA president, Infantino has overseen three World Cups: Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and the ongoing 2026 tournament across the US, Mexico, and Canada.

The Peace Prize

Infantino's first major controversy of this cycle came on December 5, 2025, when he presented U.S. President Donald Trump with the inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., moments before the official draw for the 2026 World Cup, a tournament featuring 48 nations. The award, a newly created honor including a gold trophy, medal, and certificate, recognized what FIFA called Trump's "exceptional and extraordinary actions to promote peace and unity." Infantino told Trump, "This is your prize, this is your peace prize." Trump called it "one of the great honors of my life."

The award drew swift, sharp criticism. Watchdog group FairSquare, joined by European politicians and Human Rights Watch, filed an ethics complaint with FIFA, arguing that handing a political leader an award for "peace and unity" was itself a breach of the organization's supposed neutrality. Critics also noted that neither the FIFA Council nor its vice presidents were consulted on how the winner was chosen. FIFA has never explained its selection process.

The Balogun Suspension

The second controversy centers on U.S. forward Folarin Balogun. In the Round of 32, Balogun received a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia and Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemovic, a sanction that automatically carries a one match suspension under FIFA's disciplinary rules and cannot normally be appealed.

Days later, FIFA reversed course, posting a brief, unexplained statement suspending the automatic ban for a one year probationary period and clearing Balogun to play against Belgium in the Round of 16. Trump publicly said he'd called Infantino to ask for the case to be reviewed. Reporting has since indicated that the reversal wasn't even a decision by the full disciplinary committee; a single FIFA official reportedly made the call alone, without input from the other members of the committee.

Balogun started against Belgium; the U.S. lost 4 to 1 and was eliminated. Infantino has denied any interference, saying in a statement that FIFA's "judicial bodies act independently" and "decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them." FairSquare has since asked the IOC, of which Infantino is a member, to investigate whether he broke rules on political neutrality, citing the Balogun case alongside his public support for Trump's Nobel Peace Prize bid and his role in creating the Peace Prize itself.

Between a peace prize handed to a sitting president with no transparent selection process, and a suspension reversal that reportedly bypassed FIFA's own disciplinary committee, these two episodes are enough on their own to sour me on this World Cup.

Re-living death twice over

Different cultures have their tradition of how they perform the last rites of the deceased member of the community. In the Hynñew Trep society, too, different sub-tribes have their rites of passage and these could vary from one place to another. People have their way of disposing of the body of the dead, some cremated their dead while others bury them, but when it comes to the culture related to the dead, the people in the Khasi Jañtia hills follow a tradition that is unique to the area.

An opportunity to strengthen the family bond

Amongst the people in the Khasi and Jañtia region, the demise of a person is not only considered a very unfortunate incident, but it is also an opportunity for the near and dear ones and the community to extend their moral and physical support to the bereaved family. Bereavement is an occasion for family and friends to show solidarity with the family and most importantly it demonstrates the continuation of the underlining value system of the common good or well-being of all. Perhaps our society is the only society where when a person died, the body is kept lying in state for two days and the reason is to enable family members and friends to pay their last respect to the departed soul. 

The passing away of a member of the family is a special time and friends and relatives must visit the bereaved family. It is about reinvigorating the relationship of the ‘kur the kha’ family both from the mother's and the father's side. It is also a time for the ‘Paramarjan marpa’ friends and neighbours to strengthen their bond of friendship by sharing their time and resources in sympathy for the bereaved family.    

The death of any member of the community is being shared and respected by society and in fact, the deceased person received much more hounour on one’s demise than while one is still alive. Perhaps there is no other community that gives more honour to the deceased person than the tribal society. Therefore irrespective of how one lives, it is an honour to die in a tribal society. The honour given to the dead is one aspect of the society which is unique but it is also about revitalizing both the family and the community’s relationship. It is an example that demonstrated the relationship in which not only the family but even the community share and care for each other. 

In the Hynñew Trep culture, at the center of all the practice relating to the demised of the person is the important principle of the common good. It is the value which believes in the well-being of one is good for everybody which is an intrinsic part of the culture of the people. 

The last rite is not the end 

The last rite of a person is as much about the deceased person, as it is a special occasion for the kith and kin that are still alive. When somebody died in the family, all the kith and kin must be informed not only that they can pay their last respect to the departed soul, but it can also be an opportunity to rekindle the relationship. The visit during bereavement is also an opportunity to introduce relatives to one another. In the Khasi Pnar tradition, the last rite of a person is more than just an occasion for sending off the dead person to the next life. The last rites of a person also comprise of ritual ‘ka siang ka pha or the siang ka phur’ which is an offering of food to the departed members of the family who dwells in the realm of the spirit. In Jañtia Hills in some cases, the last rites of the deceased do not end with the person being cremated. The final rite of the deceased person is complete and the departed soul can finally rest in peace only when all the rituals are completed. 

Cremation is not the end of a person’s last rites 

Traditional cremation is done in a special way that ensures that the charred bones of the deceased person remain and the same are to be collected for keeping in the clan’s ossuary. In the Pnar and War cremation practices, care is taken that not everything turns to ashes since the charred bones are to be kept in the ossuary. Amongst the Pnar there is the tradition called ‘rah chyieñ or booh chyieñ’ and amongst the War Jañtia, it is called ‘lum shyiang’ a tradition in which the charred bones of the dead person are kept in the clan’s ossuary. The final rite of the deceased is completed only when the charred bones are finally laid to rest in the clan’s ossuary. 

Defiling nature is a taboo

In the Hynñew Trep traditional belief system, the hills, the forest, and the rivers are not just part of nature, but they are deities that people pay obeisance to. People seldom bury but rather cremated their dead because they believe that burying the dead is defiling nature which is the dwelling place of the nature god. ‘Ki rynkaw ki basa’ are not only important deities in the Hynñew Trep people’s pantheon of gods but they are also territorial deities. The ‘ryngkaw and the basa’ keep and look after their domain and care for those who live within their domain. A person or a family is always connected to their respective ‘ryngkaw’ or the deity whose realm is the place from where the clan originated. 

People also avoid carrying the dead bodies from one place to another or crossing the realm of one deity to another because this amount to defiling the sanctity of the ‘ryngkaw’. If defiling the sanctity of the ‘ryngkaw’ is unavoidable and the body has to be carried across, the ‘ryngkaw’ has to be appeased later. Hence people always carry the charred bones instead which is not the same as carrying a dead body. Family preferred to be cremated their relative at the place they died and instead carry the charred bones later to the clan’s ossuary which is located within the domain of their respective 'ryngkaw.' 

Therefore when a person died in far of places or in the ‘ryngkaw para’ or the domain of foreign ‘ryngkaw’, their body or at least their charred bones have to be taken to the ossuary located within the realm of their ‘ryngkaw’ of origin. The charred bones have to be taken to the realm of their deities or the ‘ryngkaw’ they belong to. The final rest of the person has to be under the realm of the deities to which they originally belong.  

When cremation is performed twice 

The traditional practice in the War Jaiñtia area which is different even from the rites practiced in the other places is the practice when the dead is cremated twice. The last rite of a person is re-enacted and the cremation was performed again after the real cremation was done a year ago. In the ‘rah chyieñ’ amongst the Pnar although it is only the charred bones that are being carried and kept lying in state at the respective family’s ‘ïung blai’, the custom and mode are somber similar to when the dead body is present. 

‘Rah chyieñ or lum shyiang’ is always performed a year after the real cremation happened, but unlike the ‘rah chyieñ’ of the Pnar in the tradition followed by residents of Nongtalang the entire cremation ceremony was carried out. As always real cremation was conducted immediately after the demised of the person but because it was done in the domain of the foreign ‘ryngkaw para’ it was conducted without proper rituals. A year later even in the absence of the dead body, a ‘krong’ was made and the same was carried to the cremation ground and friends and family marched in a procession similar to when the real cremation happens. At the cremation ground even if there is no dead body, all the rituals due for a dead person are performed and after all the rituals are performed the charred bones are kept in the ossuary and a standing is erected in the case of a male and a flat stone is laid in the case of a female person. Although there is no dead body because the deceased was cremated a year ago, or even if the ceremony is performed a year or more after the person’s demised, the cremation is conducted as if it is a real cremation. 

Perhaps it is the only place where the cremation ceremony of a person is performed twice one immediately after the person dies and another a year later in a tradition called ‘tai shyiang’.  

 

Understanding the Lives of Visually Impaired Persons

Despite December 3 being celebrated as the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, this section of the population continues to be the most neglected in society. They do not always appear on the radar screen of any government scheme and are overlooked even by the public. The Society of Urban and Rural Empowerment (SURE), taking advantage of the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society training programme, planned training for the visually impaired section of society. While planning the training, we thought it would be a typical training, and we never expected that we would learn so much from them. The training was a great learning experience for me personally and for the staff of the organization in general.

"The Blind Lead the Blind"

It was a significant milestone in the annals of the NGO SURE as it embarked on a month-long special training programme catering to the visually impaired segment of our society. There is a saying that goes, “The blind cannot lead the blind,” but what makes this initiative truly remarkable is that Kelvin Suting of the District Commerce Industries Centre (DCIC), a Jowai award-winning master trainer, is himself a visually impaired person.

The one-month training for seven visually impaired trainees from the district covers trades such as making broomsticks, mat or bamboo brooms. The training was an innovation in itself, specially designed with the visually impaired person in mind. Kelvin Suting, the master trainer, recalled his past experiences with training and highlighted the struggles that he had to overcome when trained by instructors who were not visually impaired. The trainers could not understand the challenges faced by blind trainees. Based on this observation, the training was designed by Ialsiewdor Gashnga, Programme Coordinator Skill, SURE, in collaboration with Kelvin Suting, the master trainer, and Lamobormi Suchen, Skill Development Officer, to create course content specifically meant for differently-abled individuals. The training was conducted using only the sense of touch, and the training module has been tailored to meet the needs of the visually challenged.

They Also Have Their Own Dreams and Aspirations

Krishna Phawa, one of the trainees, expressed his aspiration to follow in Kelvin's footsteps and hoped that the training would not only enable him to earn a livelihood and find success in life but, more importantly, to be able to train others. Initially, when we planned this training, we were a little uncertain; we were not sure if this would work, but deep in our hearts, we knew that it would in some way or another help our visually impaired friends. And we realized that it has somehow helped them gain at least one skill to help them earn their livelihood.

The most important lesson that I learned from spending time with them is that all of them yearn to be independent. The training had helped them, in some way, break out of the monotonous life that has confined them to their homes. After being together for one month, it has also helped build camaraderie among them.

They don’t want to live on the sympathy of their parents and their loved ones. They don’t want to continue depending on their parents or relatives, even for small things; they want to live an independent life as much as they can. In some way, we have been able to help enable them to achieve their goal. Hopefully, society will also listen to their wishes and provide an enabling system and an environment that will help them live an independent life. One also hopes that the government will also make roads, footpaths, and even government institutions much more accessible for the differently-abled citizens of this state.

Learning from a Day out with the Visually Impaired

A few days before the training ends, the visually impaired master trainer asked me if we could arrange a picnic or an outing for them to Loomkyntoor Resort. Although no funds are allocated from the scheme for the excursion, we still decided to give them the opportunity with our own funds. But the question is, what does an outing really mean for a group of visually impaired people? What does a trip really mean when one can’t see anything? The organization’s staff never thought that the outing would make them happier than the visually impaired. It is said that there is no bigger reward than seeing the people you care for happy. Going for a picnic is one thing, but for them, going together as a group of visually impaired people is something that cannot be explained. One can see the camaraderie that they have built among them. It was a joy to see them happy and to help explain to them about the place, and for some of them, it was the first time in their lives that they ate out or in a restaurant.

Visually Impaired Taking Photographs

One would wonder why they would want to take a photograph of themselves or with their friends when they cannot even see. What will they do with the photographs anyway? All visually impaired trainees, except one, have a smartphone and at least a WhatsApp account. The moment the photograph is taken, it is immediately uploaded to their status. Even if they are blind, the app on the device also helps them take photographs. It tells them if the photo is in frame or not. You can see the joy in their faces when they upload their status on WhatsApp. Thanks to the smartphone device, they can also make the best use of technology. Smartphones, in some way, become extensions of their being and help them access other services, a feat that would have been impossible to achieve had it not been for the device. Their eyes are closed, but their hearts are open, and they long for independence to live the life they wish to live.

How They Made the Best Use of the Smartphone

Among the visually impaired people we had close interaction with, Krishna Phawa stood out as one of the most experienced in making the best use of the smartphone device. Krishna not only uses WhatsApp and email but also uses G-Pay to send and receive money. Although he is 100 percent blind, because he also lives in Shillong, he can also book a Rapido ride to travel in the city. He even has a YouTube channel of his own. Krishna, who has somehow mastered the use of a special app on his smartphone, wishes he could be of help to his fellow visually impaired people and help them make the best use of smartphones. Apps that are commonly used by visually impaired people are ‘Be my eyes' and ‘Lookout', which help them read books, medicines, prescriptions, and even scan documents for them. There are also apps for the visually impaired, like ‘Kybo, 4 percent, and Keep Note', which help them text, and they can use it as a reminder.

Demonetization or Note Ban

The National Democratic Alliance government note ban, or demonetization, has had a huge impact on visually impaired people. The note ban has affected them greatly, but the general public was not aware of it because their stories were never told. How does the Modi note ban affect the visually impaired citizens of this country? One would remember that the old notes have different sizes according to their value; for example, the size of a one hundred rupee note varies from the size of a fifty, twenty, ten, or one rupee note. The notes are easily distinguishable by people, even if they cannot see them. Because of the different sizes of the notes, visually impaired people can easily identify the currency by merely touching it. After demonetization, almost all the currency notes are of the same shape and size, which makes it difficult for people who cannot see to differentiate one from the other. Now they have to use an app like 'Mani' to help them identify currency notes.

International Day for Persons with Disabilities

December 3, which is yesterday, is celebrated the world over as a special day for persons with disabilities, but let us ask ourselves: have we been able to provide them with an environment and a space in which they can live as independently as we all are? Isn’t it true that we only look at with sympathy or even look down at them? Has the government been able to make even government buildings easily accessible to differently-able people? This is a million dollar question.

 

Indigenous People’s gift to the World

In light of the current climate crisis, hopes appear from an unlike section of the population of the world and that is the indigenous people. People who were often called savage and lived in a place called undeveloped now seem to show the world how their way of life living close to nature is one of the answers which could help combat the climate crisis.  

The guardians of lives on Earth

Even though millions more species are yet to be discovered, indigenous people who live in a territory that covers about 25 % of the world’s land surface, and has a population of 370 million only, are the custodian of about 80 % of the global biodiversity. With just a small population comprising less the 5% of the world’s population, and living in just a quarter of the world's total land surface, the indigenous people had done commendable work in conserving the biodiversity in their region. In India, the northeast region of the country is also known as a biodiversity hotspot of the country. 

The question that follows is why and how can this happen. How are the indigenous people able to protect the rich biodiversity in their respective regions? Thanks to the indigenous people and local communities who are the world’s biggest conservationists, more than 30 percent of the Earth’s land and water are already conserved. The UN Environment Program, World Conservation Monitoring Centre/ICCA Consortium’s new estimates suggest that Indigenous peoples and local communities conserve at least a fifth of all land on Earth. 

UN source states that there are currently about 476 million indigenous people in the world in 90 countries, they live and occupy approximately a quarter of the world’s land and water. The area holds about 85 percent of the world’s biodiversity, and the indigenous people can therefore be called the keepers of the biodiversity.  

The future is the indigenous way of life

“The future of our planet lies in indigenous ways of living on the Earth,” says Jon Waterhouse, Indigenous Peoples Scholar at the Oregon Health and Science University and a National Geographic Education Fellow Emeritus and Explorer. Waterhouse also says “As a global community, we have lost our way; we forgot what it means to have a relationship with the land.” It is however not easy to understand the complex relationship that the indigenous people relationship with nature. The indigenous relationship is much deeper than just conservation. The indigenous way of life is not only living in partnership with nature but it has to do with the holistic relationship the people have with nature.  

The importance of the traditional knowledge system

Indigenous communities the world over lived in isolation and oftentimes it was because they live far from the crowd that they were able to protect their biodiversity. They protect their biodiversity because for them living in balance with nature is crucial for their own survival. Hence on a closers look at their way of life concerning the environment, it is found that they possess knowledge that connects them which the nature around them. Their traditional knowledge about changes in the weather pattern and other elements which influence the ecosystem they live is appreciated by many. 

In the village people still have traditional knowledge which helps them predicts the weather and decides on the time they sow their seeds or plant their crops. They were able to read the sign in nature by reading the changes in the plants or even in the way birds sings and insects make their sounds. These biological indicators have held them in good stead and recently during the lockdown due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, their knowledge of indigenous wild edibles help them survive the pandemic. 

The living Nature

The first nation people shared another common value that animals, plants, and the spirits of nature are alive. Human is not seen as separate from nature but, as part of the earth, human are as important as animals, and plants and they share a very close kinship relationship with their fellow beings. Hunting or fishing is done in calculated ways taking into consideration their breeding and eating habits. In Jaintia hills, people will not go fishing when the fish were breeding and in the past when people hunt, they perform rituals that go with it, and also obeisance was paid when the animal was caught. 

In the indigenous concept, human is not seen as superior to nature, or rather nature does not exist to serve humans. Human is supposed to live in peaceful coexistence with fellow beings. The idea that nature exists to serve humans is foreign to the indigenous people they believe everything in nature coexists to support one another and not to serve the other. The word is coexisting not service as service is a capitalist idea that sees everything measurable in money terms or everything can be monetised. In a traditional context, the human relationship with nature is both profound and complex.  

Indigenous people are their enemy

In the global scenario, indigenous people find themselves on the front line of the attack by industrial agriculture and logging. Their ancestral lands were seized for industrial purposes and in the process destroy the biodiversity in these areas. Their mountains and rivers which they considered sacred were exploited often living hills barren and rivers polluted. 

While in many cases, the environmental terrorism against the indigenous people was executed by outside forces, in some cases like in Meghalaya, it was carried out by the indigenous people themselves. No law or no amount of enforcement can succeed in preventing the destruction of the environment when the people themselves are hell-bent to destroy nature. 

Our relationship with our values

In the case of Meghalaya the question is when we have chosen to detach ourselves from our relationship with nature; can we still call ourselves the indigenous people? When we only see natural resources as something to exploit, the question is what kind of relationship we have with nature. Can we still call ourselves indigenous people when the relationship between ourselves and nature has broken? 

The Sixth schedule which is supposed to protect us is used to exploit land and river for the benefit of the few. The Autonomous District Councils which are empowered to protect our culture, tradition, rivers and land are more often than not misused to serve the few. ADCs are now seen as just another government agency and not institutions that were empowered to protect the rights and the way of life of the indigenous people of the state. The need of the hour is to go back to our rich culture which includes living a morally upright life and living closely with nature. 

Indigenous values

Traditional values of the people comprise living a morally upright life, a caring and sharing community, and a life living a close relationship with nature. This value system is intricately woven into people’s way of life and it embodies the three cardinal principles of ‘ka tip briew tip blei, ka kamai ia ka hok, bad ka tip kur tip kha,’ which literarily translates to know man know god, live righteously, and respect one’s relation both on the father’s and mother’s side. The general purpose of a tribal’s way of life is also caring and sharing ‘ka bhalang uba bun balang’ or ‘ka bhalang ka imlang’ which translates to ‘common good or well-being of all.’ The other important value is ban bat ia ka burom ka akor (to hold on to propriety and honour), Ban bat ia ka nia ka jutang, ka shikyntien ka hok (word of honour) and u thylliej ksiar, u thylliej rupa (upholding the honour of spoken word).

The tribal also consider nature or the earth their mother (mei ramew) and it is also the dwelling place of ‘ki ryngkaw ki basa’ or the deities of nature. They consider river and mountains their gods; hence have a very profound relationship with nature. The question is why people are not only losing their culture, but have sadly distanced them from their roots. 

The indigenous people still have a way of how they manage their NRM and it is now for the government to recognise the practice and make use of the wisdom.

Urgent need for an NRM policy 

The state government needs to think outside of the box and come up with Natural Resources Management policy, which is based on strength of the people’s way of life. When the world's richest country, the G7 are looking at the lessons they can learn from the indigenous people to conserve at least 30 percent of their land and river by 2030, the state of Meghalaya with a huge population of indigenous people needs to go back to its roots and come up with lesson they can offer the world in combating climate change and that will be our gift to the world. 

H.K. Singh’s “Unitarian Christianity” an Indigenous Connection (On the occassion of his 100 Death Anniversary 13, November 1923 - 2023)

Hajom Kissor Singh Lyngdoh Nongbri, the founder of the Unitarian movement in Khasi and Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya and Karbi Anglong District of Assam remains a lesser-known personality in the contemporary society of the North East. The fact is though HK Singh started the Unitarian movement in the hills 132 years ago, being a non-proselytizing religion, the Church remains a small minority, hence the popularity of its founder has not increased as it should. HK Singh was born on 15 June 1865 and started a formal worship of the Unitarian Church at Jowai on September 18, 1887.

He was converted to Christianity probably on the same day with his younger brother, u Nissor Singh who is famous for writing the first ever Khasi dictionary in the year 1885 ¹. He grew up in the era of the advent of Christianity. Later in his life, he witnessed the resurgence of the Khasi Traditional religion. Perhaps these events have shaped his thoughts and philosophy. 

The Unitarian Church that H.K. Singh established is unique in its own right. Maintaining its liberal outlook; the church in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills took roots in the soil of the land and adopted some of the thoughts and philosophy of the region. Its claim of being an indigenous religion is based not only on the fact that it was not started by any foreign missionary in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, but it has also not received foreign assistance when it was first started. It is also unique because this liberal Christian denomination which was started by a Khasi absorbed and adopted the basic tenets of the Khasi traditional thoughts and philosophy. Hence the theology of the religion he started is original in that he blended the essence of the two faith traditions and formed his philosophy. 

H.K. Singh though a disciplined diary keeper who made regular entries on his day-to-day life, was also a prolific writer of letters. Unfortunately, he does not have any essay, dissertation, or sermon to his credit. His only work that reflects his thoughts and beliefs is the hymns that he composed for the Unitarian Hymn Book. If H.K. Singh ever had any theological discourses with his followers, they were not preserved for posterity, neither did he enter in his diary his thoughts and philosophy. Fortunately, H.K. Singh composed many hymns in the Unitarian hymnal and these hymns represent his thoughts and philosophy in the myriad themes under the sun.

His concept of the oneness of God was based both on the traditional beliefs ² and that of the Bible. He went further indigenizing the concept of God by using the Khasi word “Phi” (you) to address the almighty which is commonly used to address those in a position much higher and more respectable instead of the Khasi word “Me” (Thou). HK Singh’s use “Phi” to address the almighty was sometimes misunderstood in the plural sense of the term. Hence he was thought to worship many gods. His replacing of the Khasi word “Me” with “Phi” to address the Almighty is in itself a landmark because it is a polite term to use in the Khasi Pnar context. 

H.K. Singh’s concept of God is a synthesis of the “Yahweh” of the Old Testament, the father in heaven of Jesus and the ultimate God the Creator of the Khasi tradition. 

U Blei Nongthaw Nongbuh is not the only name that the Khasi Pnar uses to call God. They also have another name for God and that is ‘U Trai kynrad.’ Whether ‘U Trai Kynrad’ is a Khasi translation of the English ‘Lord’ which is again derived from the Greek word “Kyrios” is a debatable matter. Certainly in the Christian context; the using of the word ‘U Trai’ connotes the New Testament concept of the Lord which many times refers to the second person in the holy trinity which means Jesus Christ. This is what Christian churches assume and would like others to believe that the name Trai that Khasi gives to their God has a Christian origin and hence a Christian meaning.

U Trai is not a post-Khasi-Christian period invention. In the Khasi parlance, the term has been in use since time immemorial. Apart from using the name God, the Khasi also use the word Kynrad or U Trai Kynrad in paying obeisance to God Almighty. Incidentally, the word Trai in Khasi also has the same meaning as that of the English Lord, which means owner, foundation, foothold, etc. Kynrad is the personification of God 

In the context of the Pnar or the indigenous people of Jaintia Hills, they use two terms when referring to God. God the creator, ‘U Blai” is similar to Yahweh and God the Father and U Blei Nongbuh Nongthaw in Khasi. In the Pnar of Jaintia pantheon of gods, the creator, the molder, and the keeper is a female deity known as ‘ka syiem wabuh ka syiem wathoo.’ The Pnar has another term they use for God and that is “U Tre Kirot” which is equivalent to Lord. The word “Tre” in the Pnar parlance literarily means Owner, Lord, foundation, foothold, or roots. “Kirot” means Caring and Compassionate and the other meaning of Kirot is bountiful and perfect. Tre Kirot hence literarily means bountiful Lord the caring and compassionate one.

The War Jaintia, which is a sub-tribe of the Khasi people who live on the southern slopes of Jaintia Hills, speaks a Khasi language that is quite different from the other dialects used by the other Khasi sub-tribe. Scholars believe that the Amwi dialect spoken by the people of War Jaintia is the foundation of the whole Khasi language. In the War Jaintia dialect, there is only one word for God and that is “Prai”. There is no other word equivalent to Lord in the war Jaintia, but just “Prai u ae thia” which means “U Blei Nongthaw” in Khasi, and its English translation is God the Creator. Whether ‘Prai’ means both God and Lord is another question, but based on the evidence used by the War Jaintia people, ‘Prai’ which is incidentally similar to both ‘Trai and Blai” in the Pnar language, connotes the same meaning³.

It is obvious from the hymns that he composed; Hajom Kissor Singh’s concept of God is that of a traditional Khasi Pnar concept, God the Creator who is both God and Lord at the same time. Like the traditional concept, he does not differentiate one from the other, but his concept of God is much more than the God our forefather understands. 

In his Statement of belief, H.K. Singh in stanza 2 ⁴ of hymn number 1 in the Khasi Unitarian hymnbook describes his idea of God as /The living God is one only God/ He is our real father-mother/He is filled with love and compassion/ And forgive those who repent/ (U Blei Ba im U long Blei Tang Ma-U-Hi/ U long u Kpa-ka-Kmie ba shisha jong ngi/ U long Uba dap da jingieid jingisnei/.) 

By ascribing God as being both a “Father and Mother” entity; HK Singh went a step further than the traditional concept of God’s male gender ⁵. His God is genderless. This is the uniqueness of Khasi Unitarian theology although generally God is referred to as a male even in the Khasi matrilineal society, God is beyond gender. Although Khasi Pnar tends to use the prefix ‘U’ before the word God, which represents the male gender of God, Khasi Pnar has no image of God, and their concept of God is more of a spirit that pervades. Perhaps this idea is borrowed from the Pnar tradition where the “ka Syiem waboo” is one of the important deities in the h” Singh’s concept of God beyond gender and more of a formless spirit in nature is a step ahead of the traditional Khasi concept of God.

HK Singh further elaborates his idea of God in hymn number 66 ⁶ when he said/ Sing God’s praise; Lord of heaven and earth/ His wisdom unfathomable/ All creation on earth and in heaven/ Is living proof of his greatness overall / Sing God’s praise, Lord of stars and moon/ He is filled with glory, righteousness and lights/ All things that we see/ He made thus to teach us/. Sing God’s praise, he is our mother and father/Giver of spiritual light, He blesses us too/ He is loving, forgiving and wishes that/ We love our neighbors, do good and live courteously/. Sing God’s praise, Lord of lords, King of kings/ Lord of life and death Lord of the spirit/ Lord of times is also Lord of seasons/ Peace be unto us who worship him eternally/. (To rwai ia U Blei, Trai ki bneng bad khyndew/ Ia jingstad bakhraw jong U ym lah ban thew/ Ki jingthaw baroh ha pyrthei ne ha bneng/ Ki pynpaw ia ka Burom jong U kylleng/ To rwai ia U Blei, Trai ki khlur bad ki bnai/ Ha u dap tang burom, ka Hok bad jingshisha/ Kiei kiei baroh kiba ngi iohi-i/ U la buh khnang ban ai jinghikai ia ngi/ To rwai ia U Blei, Pa Mei long Ma U hi/ U ai jingshai mynsiem, U Kyrkhu ia ngi/ U ieit, U map ei kumjuh U kwah ia ngi/ Ban ieit ia ki lok, ban lehbha leh tipsngi/ To rwai ia U Blei, Trai ki trai, Syiem ki syiem/ Trai ka jingim jingiap, Trai jong ki mynsiem/Trai jong ki por U long Trai ruh ki aiom/ Suk ia ngi long ban ai nguh ia U junom/) In the hymn number 5 ⁷, HK Singh says: One God/ One truth/ One true religion/. (Uwei U Blei, kawei ka hok/ Kawei ka niam shisha/ Ieit ia Blei, ieit ia ki lok/ Kylleng ngin ia pyrta/) In the second paragraph of hymn no 24 ⁸ of the Unitarian hymnal, he says, One God, one church/ One people, one mission/ Love God love friends/ Live a blessed life/. The Khasi version of the hymn says: (/Uwei U Blei, kawei ka Seng, kawe ka kam/ Ieit ia U Blei bad ia ki lok/ Ka jingim kan syrtok/)

In Hymn number 63 ⁹ he further said / Praise the Lord vociferously / Our Creator / Caregiver, Keeper and Benefactor/ He is the greatest Lord/ With God’s support/ Heaven and earth last forever / by divine love and grace/ He showed us the way of life /He bestowed wisdom on us/ Lights, Spiritual consolation too/ Understanding and overall progress/ And sow love inside us /That we may attain perfection/ Peace in him we’ll find/ In love we’ll flourish forever/ We’ll all live in peace with God/. (To rwai jamsawa I’U Trai/ Jong ngi baroh U Nongthaw/Nongsumar, Nongri, Nongai/ Long jong ngi U Trai bakhraw/Da jingkyrshan jong U Blei/ Ki neh ki bneng bad khyndew/Da jingieit da jingaiei/ Lad jingim ia ngi U kdew/ Jingstad ia ngi U la ai/ Jingshai, jingtngen mynsiem ruh/Jingsngewthuh jingroi kyrhai/ Bad jingieit ha ngi la buh/ Kumta jingjanai ngin poi/Ka jinghun ha U ngin ioh/ Ha jingieid junom ngin roi/ Ngin im suk ha U baroh/.) 

Hymn number 74 ¹⁰ when translated says /Sing sweet praise for God/ Spirit filled with joy/ We only trust his benevolence / That flows and fill forever / In his benevolent, / We live and were blessed/ Only he can quench the thirst/ Of a dry and eager soul. / There is no other like God/ In heaven and earth/ Fill with love and forgiveness/ For us to give and fill. /Let us sing to the Lord/ Kneeling we’ll pray/ Our souls will be enlightened/ with perfect peace/. (Rwai iaroh thiang I’U Blei/ Da ka mynsiem ba thesei/ Ngi shaniah tang ha jingisnei/ Jong u ba tuid bashlei/ Ha jingisnei jong U/ Ngi ioh im ioh kyrkhu/ Tang Ma U hi ba lah ban pynjah sliang/ Ia mynsiem ngi ba rkhiang/ Kum U Blei ym don shuh/ Ha bneng ha khyndew ruh/ Ba dap da jingieit jingmap-ei/ Ia ngi ban ai bashlei/ To ngin rwai ha U Trai/ Da dem khohsiew duwai/ Mynsiem jong ngi kin ioh jingshai/ Bad jingsuk hun janai/.) 

In stanza 1 of hymn number 127 ¹¹ he says, /Oh God who is eternally wise / Creator and everlasting provider/ Heaven and earth cannot/ encompass all your riches/. (Ko Blei ba stad bymjukut/ Nongthaw, Nongai bym jukut/ Ki bneng bad pyrthei kim lah/ Ban kynthup jong phi ka spah/) 

The two original readings H.K. Singh wrote are reading number 10 and 11 in the Khasi Unitarian Hymnbook ¹², both these readings were dated 1891 and reading number 10 is another piece that describes his concept of God. “…who is our creator and our foundation and sources of everything else; Who is eternal, Everlasting, Perfect in all respect, Who loves us most, Who is eternally good, the Wisest, who is present around us and inside us and who pervades everywhere and permeates in everything”. (… Uba long U Nongthaw bad Tynrai jong ngi bad jong kiei kiei baroh; U Bymjukut, U Baiaineh, U Bajanai ha kiei kiei baroh; U Baieijtam, U Babhatam, U Bastadtam, U Badap hapoh bad habar jong ngi, ha kylleng bad ha kiei kiei baroh.) 

Two Khasi stalwarts Radhon Singh Berry and Job Solomon were contemporaries of HK Singh. They were also known for their contribution to the literary world of the nascent Khasi language. RS Berry and Job Solomon also immensely contributed to the growth of the Unitarian movement by composing hymns for the Church. Radhon Singh Berry of Seng Khasi who composed more than 30 hymns in the Unitarian hymnbook later became Unitarian and Job Solomon remained in his faith till he breathed his last. Both these men of letters emphasized in the hymns they composed in the Unitarian hymnbook the truth that Khasi Unitarian’s God is God in the traditional Khasi Pnar context.

R.S. Berry in the hymn number 40 stanza 3 ¹³, says: /This is not a foreign God / God of our own he is/ He created you the way you are/ Now he come to awake you/. The Khasi version says: (Une Um long U Blei nongwei/ U Blei la jong U dei/ U ba thaw ia phi ka long briew/ Mynta U wan kyrsiew/) Then Job Solomon in the hymn number 7 ¹⁴ he again stress on the idea in the stanza 5 which says, /This is our God/ God of our ancestors too/ God of the Pnars and the Khasi/ He is also Lord of the Lords/. (Une U long U Blei jong ngi/ Blei ruh ki Ba-hyndai/ U Blei ki Pnar bad ki Khasi/ Uba U Trai ki trai/). 

The concept of God in the Khasi Unitarian context is a unique concept of a Universal and formless God, it is not God in the Judeo-Christian context -the father in heaven, God in an ‘anthromorphical’ form, or God in human image. The Khasi God is God in spirit and all-pervading God. Hence Unitarianism in the Khasi Jaintia hills is an indigenous religion precisely because it sprang up from its soil. 

H.K. Singh has to his credit composed 63 hymns in the Khasi hymn book of the Unitarian Union North East India. This is by no means a small feat ¹⁵. H.K. Singh’s contribution which the Khasi literary world failed to notice is that, apart from composing the 63 hymns, translated several English hymns and responsive readings in the Khasi hymn book of the Unitarian Church. H.K. Singh has also served as a member of the committee along with his brother Nissor Singh to co-produce the first English Khasi dictionary ¹⁶. Later along with Babu Jeebon Roy, he helped R.S. Berry with the famous book on Khasi Etiquette ¹⁷. Again H.K. Singh major contributions are the hymns he composed; the hymns are also illustrations of his thoughts and philosophy on various aspects. 

H.K. Singh is vehemently against superstitious belief which was prevalent among the natives then. He was against the belief in ghosts and nature deities like the gods of rivers and mountains. The hymns he composed that illustrate this are the second stanza of hymn number 5, paragraphs 3 of hymn no 7, and paragraphs 1 of hymn no 35 ¹⁸. Stanza 2 of hymn number 5 ¹⁹, says; /We are joyful to preach the holy church of God/ It is the power that liberate us from worship ghost and demons/. (Ngi sngewbha ban ialap ia ka/Dhorom bakhuid U Blei/ ka long ka bor ban pynduh ia/ jingmane ksuid ne khrei/). In stanza three of the hymn number 7 ²⁰, H.K.Singh says /False worshiping and superstition/God, bring all that to an end/ (Jingmane bieit bad jingngeit bieit/ Baroh pyndam a Blei/.) Lastly in the first stanza of the hymn number 61 ²¹ he said, /Thou has liberate us from darkness/ we thank thee Lord/ from the bondage of superstitious belief/ we thank thee Lord/ from the demons of the houses and the hills/ we thank thee Lord. (Phi la pynlait na jingdum/ ngi ainguh Trai/ Na ka jingngeit beit bakhum/ ngi ainguh Trai/ na ki suid iing bad suid lum/ ngi ainguh Trai/.) 

It may be mentioned that in the Khasi Jaintia thoughts and understanding; there is only one word for the two English words the spirit and the soul -“ka mynsiem.” So when one says “Mynsiem” it could either mean the soul or the spirit. To the Khasi Pnar the human soul is the same with the all-pervading spirit. The Khasi does not differentiate between the two. To the Khasi, ‘ka mynsiem’ is that which connects one soul to another and that which encompasses the entire universe and also that which transcends all creation. The universe and the entire creation are linked by the spirit or filled with the spirit. H.K. Singh’s concept of the everlasting life of the soul also bears the truth that his thought was inspired by the indigenous Khasi thoughts and philosophy of life after death. The Khasi concept of life after death is that the soul departed from the body will go eat bettlenuts in the corridor of God’s house, so traditionally the Khasi too, believe that the soul lives eternally. The immortality of the soul also proves that the spirit even transcends the realm of mortality. The Khasi Pnar believe that during conception, the mother conceives only the body that which is mortal, the soul or the spirit was divinely instilled in the body in the womb. The Khasi Unitarians believe that the spirit in the human body which was divinely placed in the mother’s womb lives and grows in the human body and on its death return back to God who is the everlasting source of all spirits ²².

Salvation to the Khasis is by deeds and character. The Khasis lay great emphasis on the other cardinal principle of life which is known as ‘Kamai ia ka hok’ to earn righteousness. In the Khasi way of life, one’s entire life is governed by this principle alone. There are two schools of thought about salvation, one thinks that he who does not earn righteousness in his life will go to the nurok ka ksew, or the Khasi hell, and the other thinks that whatever wrong one does in his life will befall on his descendant. One who lives in the path of righteousness shall go to eat bettlenuts in the corridor of God’s dwelling. In the Christian context, it is the challenge that Jesus calls upon everyone to bear one’s cross and to do the will of God. Unitarian also shares a similar belief that salvation is by one’s deeds and character and not by faith alone. ²³ Stanza 2 of hymn number 251 ²⁴ says: /He who has given one’s soul/ To serve the Lord ceaselessly/ Those who have to spend their lives/ To help fellow human without regret/ Blessings they will receive/ Before the Lord of honour/. (Kiba la aiti la mynsiem/ Ban shakri i’U Trai khlem pud/ Kiba la pynlut la jingim/ Ban iarap briew khlem bynnud/ Jingkyrkhu katno kin ioh/ Ha khmat Trai ka burom/). The last four lines of the last paragraph of this same hymn say: /While living in this world/ How we may serve/ The Lord God/ The keeper of our soul/. (Katba dang im ha pyrthei/ Katno dei ngin iai shakri/ Ia U Trai Kynrad U Blei/ Ba ri ia mynsiem jong ngi/). 

His idea of an afterlife is that the spirit departed will return to the Kingdom of the Spirit. There is no concept of the saved and the damned, hence salvation is universal according to HK Singh’s thoughts and philosophy. One can conclude that HK Singh’s thoughts and philosophy are original and though he started Unitarianism in the region he did not merely copy the theology of other Unitarian groups in different parts of the World, but rather developed his understanding of it and propagated the same among his folks.

Hymn number 1 ²⁵ which is the statement of faith of the Unitarians in the hills is a testimony of his belief in immortality or the everlasting life of the spirit. Stanza number 4 of the hymn says: /God has created us to be immortal/to have everlasting life and to grow forever/ (U Blei ula thaw ban ym iap shuh/ hynrei ban im junom bad nangiairoi ruh/) This also resembles the Khasi understanding of the soul and the body which is like a bird and the cage. 

H.K. Singh concept of life after death is that the spirit departed from the soul will journey to the Kingdom of the Spirits. He described the Kingdom of the Spirit in the hymn number 248 ²⁶ and if we would freely translate the stanza number 2 of the hymn it would thus read: “We cannot compare the Kingdom of the spirit with this earthly shelter.” / If for this earthly body/ God has provided so much/ which will be buried under the ground/ tomorrow or in the future/ so much so the Kingdom of the Spirit/. (Haba ia ka met khyndew/ U Blei u ai katne/ Kaban leit shapoh ramew/ Lashai la shisngi ne/) ²⁷. 

In the third stanza of the same hymn, the poet sings: /In the Kingdom of the Spirit/ there will be no more trouble/ There are only wellsprings of life/which surge eternally/ (Hangta ha Ri ka Mynsiem/ Ym don jingjynjar shuh/ don ki um ka jingpynim/ Kiba kyrsoi khlem duh/) Furthermore in the next stanza of the hymn he says / In the land of the Spirit/ In love we will grow forever/ (Hangta ha ri ka mynsiem/ha ieit ngin roi junom/) The last two lines of the last stanza of this hymn, he said: /Those who have departed before us/ We will meet again in joy/we will be cleansed and continue to love/ we will live in perfect peace/ (Kiba laleit myshuwa/ ngin ia shem lang kyrhai/ ngin nangkhuid nangieid hangta/ ngin ia im suk janai/) ²⁸.  

In conclusion, this paper deals only with the three subjects that manifest in H.K. Singh’s hymns. Other than his concept of God and the afterlife and his disagreement with superstitions which is prevalent in his contemporary society, his other hymns deal with many other subjects. From the above deliberation; we can conclude that HK Singh by blending the essence of the two faith traditions he was then exposed to, was able to start his religion. He is indeed in his own right a religious reformer par excellence. It was also to his advantage that the new religion he started was liberal in its outlook and approach; hence it was open to accommodate new thoughts and philosophy. Being a founder of a liberal religion, HK Singh understood that it is only natural for the religion to adopt and absorb all the good thoughts and teachings from other traditions. Before any religious tradition even thinks of the idea of ‘Inculturation,’ he has already done it, In fact ‘Inculturation,’ is only natural for a progressive church like Unitarian. In his efforts to maintain the liberal outlook of the church he coined the motto “To Nangroi” which literarily translates to ‘keep on progressing’ that the church is not to remain idle but to move on with the changing times. 

Reference :

1. Syiem R.S., Ka Jingim u Nissor Singh Lyngdoh Nongbri, Ka Thiar ki Nongthoh Khasi. 

2. Singh H.K., to Jabez T. Sunderland, in the Unitarian, April 1891, p 172, 

3. Mohrmen H.H. http://hhmohrmen.blogspot.com/2009/10/concept-of-god-in-khasi-unitarian_27.html

4. Singh H.K., Ki Jor Tynrai ka Niam U Blei, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India. 1982 edition p.1

5. Mohrmen H.H., http://hhmohrmen.blogspot.com/2009/10/concept-of-god-in-khasi-unitarian_27.html

6. Singh H.K. To Rwai ia U Blei, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 51-52

7. Singh H.K. Uwei U Blei, Kawei ka Niam, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 4

8. Singh H.K., Rwai ia ka Niam U Blei, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 19

9. Singh H.K., Ki Jingai U Blei ia ngi, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p.50

10. Singh H.K., Rwai iaroh thiang ia U Blei, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 59-60.

11. Singh H.K., Ka jingshlei ka jingaiei U Blei Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 119-120

12. Jingpule 10 bad 11, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 5-6. 

13. Berry R.S., Ka Jingkhot sha Jingiaseng, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 37

14. Solomon J., Ha ri lum jong ngi la nangroi, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p.5. 

15. Mohrmen H.H, Hajom Kissor Singh: U Riewkhraw ba ka jaitbynriew ka leh klet, Mawphor September 15, 2007.

16. Singh Nissor., Preface of the Dictionary 

17. Berry R.S., Ka Jingsneng Tymmen, Ka Lamphrang December 1902.

18. Mohrmen H.H, Hajom Kissor Singh: U Riewkhraw ba ka jaitbynriew ka leh klet, Mawphor September 15, 2007.

19. Singh H.K., Uwei U Blei, Kawei ka Niam, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 4. 

20. Singh H.K., Ka Jingrwai Anniversary, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 7

21. Singh H.K., Ai nguh bala ioh lait, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 30.

22. Mohrmen H.H. http://hhmohrmen.blogspot.com/2010/09/core-belief-of-unitarians-in-khasi-and.html. 

23. Ibid. 

24. Singh H.K., Ka jingleitnoh ki baieit ia U Blei, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p. 237-238. 

25. Singh H.K., Ki Jor Tynrai ka Niam U Blei, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p.1

26. Singh H.K., Ka ri ka Mynsiem, Hymn Book of the Unitarian Union North East India, 1982 edition p 216-217.

27. Ibid. 

28. Ibid. 

H.K.Singh : Man of the Prefaces ( On the occassion of his 100 Death Anniversary November 13, 1923-2023)

This year marks the hundredth anniversary of u Hajom Kissor Singh Nongbri who died on November 13, 1923, at Puriang. Not much about him except that he was only known as the founder of the Unitarian Church in the Khasi Jaintia and Karbi Anglong district of Assam. His contribution to the nascent Khasi literature then is not being appreciated. Hajom Kissor Singh’s literary contribution to the emerging Khasi literature and the knowledge about the tribe can be found in almost all important publications published then.  

The Khasis by PR Gurdon

One cannot study the people who live in the Khasi and Jaintia areas without flipping through the pages of PR Gurdon’s book The Khasis. The Khasis is like a main door for outsiders who want to study the Khasis’, and Gurdon’s books are in fact like a bible for those who study Khasi culture and history. In the preface to the book “The Khasis by PR Gurdon”, Gurdon the author mentioned Hajom Kissor Singh, and his brother Nissor Singh on the preface of this book. Gurdon a foreigner rely on the natives who can speak English to help him in his work, and of the nine Khasi names mentioned in the preface as people who had helped Gurdon to come up with the book, the names of the brothers u Hajom Kissor and his brother u Nissor Singh finds mentioned. 

His Contribution to LP and UP School Education 

Born to Boor Singh Malngiang and ka Bida Nongbri on the 15 June in 1865 at Saitsopen, Sohra, H.K. Singh studied up to Matriculation. His love for education was obvious when in his initiative and while still working in the DC’s office in the late eighteen and early nineteen hundred; he started an Upper Primary School in Jowai called Unitarian Free School which caters to the needs of the students in Jowai. H. K. Singh was also a signatory of the petition sent by the school administrators in Jaintia Hills in which it was pleaded with the Government to allow Khasi Pnar students to appear for their Upper Primary School examination in their mother tongue. Unlike Assamese and Bengalis students, Khasi Pnar students had to appear for their examination in English language while the former wrote their exam in Assamese and Bengali respectively. Under the leadership of u Hajom Kissor Singh, a petition was sent to the government requesting that the Khasi Pnar be allowed to write their Upper Primary school exam in Khasi. 

In a letter to the Director of Public Instruction, Assam (Through the Sub Inspector of Schools, Jaiñtia Hills) dated Jowai, the 8th of February 1902 the administrators of the three schools in Jaiñtia Hills pleaded that the Khasi Pnar students be allowed to write their exams in Khasi. The application was signed by Hajom Kissor Singh Manager, Unitarian Free School, u Soso Tham Headmaster Shangpung U.P. School, and Samuel Challam officiating Headmaster Jowai. Before the three gentlemen intervened, students in the Khasi and Jaintia appeared for their Upper Primary School Scholarship and Pass Examination in English as students of other communities were allowed to appear for their examination in their lingua franca.  

In response to the petition of the three heads of school, the Director of Public Instruction, Assam W. Booth in his letter to the Sub-Inspector of Schools, Jaintia hills, Jowai number 7327 dated Shillong the 21st October wrote: ‘About your Memo. No. 17, dated the 8th February 1902, from the manager, Unitarian Free School, Jowai, and the Headmaster of Jowai Middle English School and the Shangpung Upper Primary School, I have the honour to say that I agree with the applicants on all points stated in their application, the Children must be taught in their own vernacular to the end of the Upper Primary standard.’    

His contribution to the Text Book Committee

The government in the early 1900s constituted a Textbook Committee and in this connection, U Khasi Mynta wrote that it was surprising that the Committee members only comprised of the DPI of Schools, the Deputy Commissioner, and J.C. Evans. Earlier Khasi u Babu Jeebon Roy was made a member of the Committee but after his demise, the government has not appointed any native to the Committee. The report in U Khasi Mynta requested the Governor to consider the request to appoint a member from the local community to the committee. Later U Khasi Mynta in its September 1903 edition reported that the DPI had made some corrections and nominated Hajom Kissor Singh as a member of the Textbook Committee along with Dr. Roberts. H.K. Singh not only replaced Babu Jeebon Roi and became the native member of the Textbook Committee which was responsible for selecting textbooks for use in the school in the region, but he also played a very important role in the government’s effort to bring out the first English Khasi dictionary. 

In the Preface of the First English Khasi Dictionary 

The first English Khasi Dictionary was published for the first time in the year 1920 and it took the committee about 11 years to complete the arduous task. In the preface of the Dictionary the then Deputy Commissioner of Khasi and Jaintia Hills A.W. Dentith wrote about the story of how the project was started till the dictionary saw the light of day. Dentith remarked that according to office letter Number 4445C Dated 30th March 1907, the government constituted a committee to work on the project of coming up with the first-ever English Khasi Dictionary which comprised Mr. F.E. Jackson, Mr. L.O. Clark, and Mr. B.C. Allen members representing the Deputy Commissioner and the other three members were Rai Sahip Dohory Ropmay, u Hajom Kissor Singh and u Nissor Singh the author of the dictionary. The importance of the project can be seen from the fact that the government was involved in it and has also made all effort to see the dictionary see the light of day.      

In the later part of the project, a committee to revise the manuscript was constituted with Rev. Walter Firminges, Rev. C.L. Stephens, Rev. J.C. Evans, and Khan Sahib Amjad Ali as members. The preface also mentioned that the author Nissor Singh read the part of the manuscript sent to him from the Printing Press and was able to proofread only from alphabet A to O. Unfortunately Nissor Singh died on February 20, 1918, while serving as the Inspector of School in Tura, in the Garo region. A.W. Dentith in the preface concluded that the proof of the remaining letters from P to Z was read by his brother Hajom Kissor Singh. H.K. Singh not only completed the unfinished task that his brother had left, but he also wrote the keys to pronunciation and the list of abbreviations in the dictionary. Hajom Kissor Singh is therefore instrumental in bringing out the first English Khasi dictionary.      

On the Preface of the Jingsneng Tymmen

Ki JIngsneng Tymmen is a collection of old saying which elders use to inculcate good manners to the young ones and it was one of the important publications of the time. H.K. Singh also contributed to the project of bringing out ka Jingsneng Tymmen and he along with Babu Jeebon Roy wrote the introduction to the book. The relationship between H.K. Singh and R.S. Berry grew deeper and stronger and the latter ultimately converted to Unitarianism. Any study of R.S. Berry’s work will remain complete if his contribution to the Unitarian Church is not taken into consideration. Radhon Sing Berry composed 35 hymns in the Unitarian hymnal and has also written the chapter “ki Kpieng Ksiar ban deng” which was once part of the Unitarian hymnbook.  

His major literary contribution 

H.K. Singh also composed 72 hymns for the Unitarian Church hymnal and he has also translated many hymns published in the hymn book and this is not a small feat by any means. When H.K. Singh sent the first Khasi Unitarian hymnal to u Khasi Mynta, the journal reported that it had nothing to say about the book, because it is already known that it is a book of worship but added that it appreciated the beauty of the Khasi language used in the book. Perhaps H.K. Singh’s hymn should also be appreciated for the language and the grammar used in the hymns. His translation of English hymns both by foreign and native composers is commendable   

The only prose that H.K. Singh wrote was a piece about his journey from Jowai to Jaintiapur and the sub-title of the write-up is ‘The Journey, the Forest and the People.’ Again the journey was part of his assignment to address the grievances of the people in Jaintiapur. At that point, in time Jowai and Jaintiapur were part of the same subdivision under the then-British Empire. This piece was included as a chapter in the Mawpun Jingtip which was one of the prescribed textbooks of the Meghalaya Board of School Education.    

U H.K. Singh may not have written his book but he had immensely contributed to the development of the Khasi literature which was still in its nascent stage then.  

An able Administrator

H.K. Singh was also an able administrator, U Khasi Mynta in its November 1905 issue; observed that it is important to have a native appointed as the Head Clerk in the Deputy Commissioner’s office and the courts in Jowai and Shillong because local people know the culture, tradition and religion of the Khasi, moreover they can understand, read and write better in Khasi than the non-native head clerk. Having a native officer in the office will also help the government communicate better with the Syiem, the Wahadar, the Sordar, the Dalloi, etc. Perhaps it was also due to the lack of qualified Khasi candidates to take the job that no Khasi was appointed to the post till then. The Newspaper appreciated Major Gurdon for appointing Hajom Kissor Singh to replace Babu Radhanath who was transferred for posting in the plain area and hoped that H.K. Singh would be able to do justice to his work and bring pride to the community.   

The government also appointed H.K.Singh as the Dewan (Prime Minister) of Khyrim state for some time to help the Syiem of the Hima. S.E. Rita in his order dated 23-9-1902 stated that Hajom Kissor Singh was recalled before the expiration of leave and appointed temporarily as Dewan of Khynrim State by Chief Commissioner of Assam in a letter No. 156 confd dated 15-9-1902, 4219 on condition that the Khyrim State bear the cost of his pay at Rs. 150 P.M. and pensionary contribution as calculated under the rules in force. 

These are some of the contributions that this man has made to the development of the Khasi literature and the Khasi Pnar Community in general. On his 100th anniversary, we remember him for his contributions not only to the progress and development of the Unitarian church in the region but to the society at large.

Reimaging Black Clay Pots of Larnai West Jaintia Hills

The two objects shared in this post were made of the same clay. The only difference is that the two items were made by different people, living in two different places using a different techniques. The pots are, the usual black clay pots from a village in West Jañtia hills commonly known as “kchu larnai” or Larnai pots. Although the tradition of making the black clay pots started at Larnai but people who were originally from Larnai and moved to Tyrchang village also make clay pots. But it is the other items that have an interesting story to tell.

Along with Willhelmost Shylla and Olary Nongtdu we have done a comprehensive study about the pottery activity in the two villages and the people who continue with the tradition. But to emphasis the importance of the pots and this activity, it is always appropriate to start by asking the uninitiated if they had ever tried “pu tharo or tpu señ”. How you ever tried the famous rice cake of the region? The fact is one cannot make “pu tharo” without “kchu larnai or khiew ranei”.

To cut the chase, it was in one of the annual visits organized by Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong for its scholars that a very unusual incident happened. On that particular visit when the visitors reached Tyrchang and saw people making clay pots, one of the guests requested me to ask the artisans if they would sell him a kilogram of their clay. Kong Matilda Shylla one of the potters laughing said they only sell pots and not clay. She also said that she cannot estimate the cost of a kilogram of clay. Gideon persisted and said to me that he does not mind how much they charge for a kilogram of clay but wishes that he can take home the clay. Kong Shylla then finally said, “ok give me Rs 35 for a kg of the black clay.” The clay was then packed in a plastic bag and we left the village.

A few months later, when I visited Dr. Glenn Kharkongor, the chancellor of Martin Luther Christian University, at his office, he asked me if I remember the guy who bought a kilogram of clay from the potters in Tyrchang. I said ‘yes I distinctly remember the incident because ordinarily, visitors to the villages would only buy pots from the artisans, but it was the first and the only time that a visitor would buy clay instead. Dr. Glenn then handed to me two small plastic boxes and when I look inside I saw two beautiful black pendants. He told me that Gideon made several pendants with the clay that he purchased and these are some of the items he made with the clay. When Dr. Glenn told me the price of the pendant, I realized that the price of one small pendant is much more costly that the price of a “weñ” a pot, and a cover used for baking “pu tharo”. One can make about fifteen pendants with the same amount of clay the potter use for making a “weñ”.      

Coming back to the study we made, the other findings of the studies was the clay which can only be found in the area around Sung valley is limited resources, and it can exhaust anytime. The need of the hour is to make the maximum profit from the available clay and making pendants and other items are ideas that one can explore. Another finding of the study is the fact that young people of the two villages are not interested in continuing with the activity. We have suggested involving them in adding value to the traditional products by painting the pots with local motifs or any image for that matter, but the youths are not interested.

Many times it was the people from outside who make us realised the true value of what we do. In this case, Gideon has opened up our eyes and our minds, that to help artisans earn more money from their clay, the need of the hour is to reinvent their activity.  Surely the new way of using the clay will also attract the young people in the village to engage in the activity. We have approached the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society if we can bring Gideon to the village and help train the potters in the two villages to make pendants, bracelets, or even necklaces from the clay.