|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Art and Culture |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Indian Archaeology |
| |
| Bong Laskar Memorial,
Bahgmara, South Garo Hills District |
| This monument is situated in the
heart of Baghmara, theheadquarters of South Garo
Hills District, Meghalaya. The Monument was built
in the memory of Bong Laskar, one of the most
prominent Laskars of Baghmara. The monument is
built of burnt bricks and has a tomb like structure.
It is 3.60 m high and 4,30 m wide. The period
of construction of this monument could not be
determined accurately. It is believed that one
Besing Laskar constructed this monument before
the British annexation of Garo Hills at
around 1874. |
| Mir
Juml's Tomb at Mankachar, West Garo Hills District |
 |
Mir
Jumla was one of the capable Mughal Generals.
He was appointed the Governor of Bengal by Aurengzeb
at around 1659. In 1662 he invaded Assam in course
of terrestrial expansion. His initial success
was however foiled by the flood of the mighty
Brahmaputra River. Many of his men perished from
starvation and malaria. Mir Jumla decided to retreat
to Bengal by boat. However, before he could set
his feet on the soil of Bengal, he fell ill and
died in the year 1663. His mortal remain was buried
on a hillock at Mankachar in the West Garo Hills
District of Meghalaya.
|
| Nartiang Ancient
Sites and Remains, Jaintia Hills District |
| Nartiang is about 30 Km
north to Jowai in the Jaintia Hills district
of Meghalaya. Archeologically and historically
the place is considered to be of great importance
for the State and the country. Historically,
by the end of the first half of the 16th
century approximately, the Jaintia rulers
had consolidated their conquest by subduing
many local petty chiefs in both the fringes
of the plains of the Brahmaputra valley
and the Surma valley with their capital
at Jaintiapur. The expansion of the kingdom
northwards made Nartiang pivotal for both
the administrative and commercial relations
with the Ahom and the Kacheri kingdoms of
the plain of the Brahmaputra valley. Taking
the proximity and the strategic location
of the place into consideration, the Jaintia
rulers accordingly shifted their hill or
summer capital from
Sutnga to Nartiang sometimes during the
second or the third quarters of the 16th
century. The place is found to consist of
many archeological sites and remains. They
are as follows: |
The Monoliths
Site: It is a cluster of the famous
and impressive Nartiang megaliths or monoliths
covering a wide complex of nearly 100
meters in diameter. The tallest and biggest
of the monoliths is about 8 meters in
height, 2 meters in breadth and 0.46 meters
in thickness. Bordering in the north is
the Nartiang weekly bazaar. The site is
one of the most significant symbolic wonders
of the megalithic or monolithic culture
in the country as a whole and had been
also declared as the "Monument
of National Importance". The
Monument is said to be associated with
the establishment of Nartiang as the second
hills capital as well as the principal
market kingdom.
|
 |
The Ruin Royal
Palace: On a hillock to the south,
about a kilometer from the site of the
megaliths or monoliths complex is located
the site of the ruin royal palace with
large premises with an alignment planned
to be encompassed with brick walls on
all sides. However, this ambitious plan
could not be undertaken. The only part
that was completed was a portion of the
said brick wall facing north with an arch
gate provided at the middle.The Durga
Temple: Inside the complex, just a few
yards from the main gateway is situated
a temple dedicated to the goddess Durga.
It is said that in this temple human sacrifice
had been performed in ancient days.
The Shiva Temple:
The forth site is a Shiva temple situated
on the top of a hillock over-looking the
village about 300 meters. West of the
site of the Durga temple. It is inside
this temple that old guns used by the
Jaintia Rajas as their weaponry are being
kept till date.
|
|
| The
Borghat Historical and Archeological Remains,
Jaintia Hills District
Borghat is a beautiful little village situated
on theeast bank of the blue river Myntdu
in the south of the Jaintia Hills district,
Meghalaya at about 80 kms from Jowai. The
navigability of the Myntdu river with other
parts of the Surma valley had made the place
into a prospective commercial depot where
traders from the hills and the plain of
the erstwhile Jaintia kingdom could meet
for commercial transaction. Further, the
place also situated midway between Jaintiapur,
the capital and Sutnga, the hill capital
of the kingdom. The commercial and the strategic
importance of the place had prompted the
mighty Jaintia Raja, U Bor Sing to convert
it into the kingdom sub-headquarters and
adorned it with temples, tanks and other
structural splendour of that time. Even
with the transfer of the hill capital from
Sutnga to Nartiang sometimes during the
2nd or 3rd quarters of the 16th century,
the importance of this place as a flourishing
market still continued till the time of
partition in 1947.
The place consists of the following ancient
remains: |
The Ruin Royal
Palace:The ruins of this structure
situated on the east bank of the river
Myntdu just south of the present Borghat
village under the shade of big Banyan
trees. The ruin was possibly due to the
passage of time. But the most important
factor was probably due to the continued
action caused by the havoc of the Myntdu
river during the rainy season especially
when the Myntdu river had changed its
course towards the east.
|
The Royal Temple:
This temple is a very simple and austere
looking Bengal type structure made of
bake brickbats and situated right in the
heart of the present Borghat village.
The proper Temple is enclosed by a rectangular
brick wall of 100 X 70 meters with an
entrance at the south portion. Some portions
of the wall are still intact while the
southern portion is in dilapidated state.The
Temple is still standing in good shape
and prayer/pujas are still being offered
by
some casual visitors.
|
|
|
| Megaliths or Monoliths
Site at (Iew, Shillong) Laitlyngkot, East Khasi
Hills, District |
| At Laitlynglot, a place of about
25 kms. from Shillong by the side of the Iew Shillong.
There are groups of clustered menhirs (Mawbynna
Shynrang) and dolmens (Mawbynna kynthei) of very
impressive sizes. The biggest of these menhirs
is about 5 meters in height, 1.50 meters in breadth
and 0.05 meters in thickness. The Largest of these
dolmens is about 9.25 meters in length, 3.25 meters
in breadth and 0.50 meters in thickness. Altogether,
there are about 60 menhirs and 20 dolmens in a
cluster. Historically, the monument is said to
have been associated with the establishment of
the Iew Shillong market. Their date of construction
could not be determined. The menhirs and the dolmens
are examples of the unpolished stone technology
or culture and may be of great help to the scholars
in the study of stone technology transition. |
| Crematorium of the
ancient Sohra Chiefs (Syiems) at (Pomsohmen) Cherrapunjee,
East Khasi Hills District |
 |
At Pomsohmen,
a hamlet of Cherrapunjee (Sohra) situated at about
52 kms. from Shillong, exits two structures of
cultural importance, one is the crematorium of
the mother of the ruling Syiems (chiefs) known
as "Ka Syiem Sad". The structures
were built of fine stone masonaries and measuring
about 20 feet in length,12 feet in breadth and
8 feet in height. These Crematoria were built
around the year 1856. According to customs, the
successor of the deceased Syiem/chief would have
to perform cremation rituals of his predecessor.
Until and unless this ritual was being performed
or completed and which was usually done with the
prescribed pomps and honours, the successors of
the deceased Syiem (chief) would not be considered
by the people of the chiefdom as the full-fledged
Syiem (chief) but as acting Syiem. However since
1926 this customary ritual could not be performed
mainly because it involves enormous expenditure
and time. This ritual is found only in Sohra chiefdom
and not in any other chiefdoms of the Khasi tribe
of Meghalaya.
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
