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.