U Tirot
Sing
After concluding the treaty of
Yandabu in 1826, the British had control over
the Brahmaputra valley. They had already occupied
the Surma valley by becoming "Diwan"
of Bengal in 1765. Now the British wanted a strategic
road to link up these two valleys under their
occupation. The construction of this strategic
road was possible only through the Khasi Hills.
The Khasi Hills were also considered suitable
for setting up sanatoria cantonment. The political
agent of the British, David Scott approached U
Tirot Sing, the king of Khadsawphra Syiemship
for construction of the road project through his
kingdom. David Scott promised U Tirot Sing that
if the project was agreed upon, U Tirot Sing would
be allowed complete control over Bordwar and that
free trade would flourish along the proposed road. |
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U Tirot Sing convened a session of his Durbar in which
the matter was debated for two days and two nights.
David Scott who was invited to witness the proceedings
was struck with the decency, decorum and the quality
of the debate. When David Scott had given up all hope,
the Durbar agreed to his proposals. Soon a British garrison
with labourers for construction of the road was posted
at Nongkhlaw. News came that the British army at Guwahati
and Sylhet had been reinforced. U Tirot Sing sensed
the ulterior motive of the British to ultimately grab
the entire hill territory lying between the Surma valley
and the Brahmaputra valley. Alarmed by the eventuality,
U Tirot Sing convened the Durbar and with its decision
served a notice to the British to quit Nongkhlaw, but
the British did not pay any heed.
U Kiang Nongbah
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Raja Rajendra Singh of Jaintiapur, a Jaintia
king was deprived of his kingdom through deceit.
His territory in the plains was taken away by
the British, and he was left with the option to
rule over his people in the hills which offered
little scope for earning revenue for running the
administration. Hence he declined kingship. The
British then offered rulership to the village
headmen, Dolois and Sirdas. This worked well from
1835 to 1953, though the people secretly bore
a grudge against the British. Then the British
imposed a house-tax in 1860 which met with resentment
and within a few months, the people rose in rebellion.
But the same was easily put down, as the rebels
were not organised. |
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Towards the close of 1860 income tax was also levied
in addition to the house-tax. There was an apprehension
in the air that tax would also be levied on betel and
betel-nut. Imposition of these taxes created turmoil
amongst the Jaintias and they rose again in a fierce
rebellion in 1862. The magnitude of the upsurge was
so much that as many as seven regiments and detachments
of troops were put into action to suppress it. Jowai,
which was besieged by the rebels for about 3 weeks,
was thus reoccupied amidst heavy casualties. The leader
and guiding spirit in this rebellion was a young man,
U Kiang Nongbah. In the first rebellion he kept his
identity secret and thus avoided arrest. He was extremely
shrewd and a great organiser. He contacted all the Dolois
and Sirdars without causing any suspicion. He managed
to hoodwink the British Intelligence Service. They had
no trace of his movements and activities. Yet, ultimately
he was defeated because of the superior might of the
British. In the unequal fight that ensured, hundreds
of Jaintias were killed and U Kiang Nongbah was betrayed,
captured and hanged publicly to strike terror into the
hearts of the Jaintias on December 30, 1862. When he
was put to the gallows, he said, in a clear voice: "If
my face turns eastward when I die on the rope, we shall
be free again within a hundred years. If it turns westwards,
we shall be enslaved forever". His prophesy came
true as India became free within a hundred years!
Pa Togan Sangma
In 1835, the British conquered the Jaintia kingdom.
The Khasis were also subjugated a little later. In 1862,
the fierce rebellion of the Jaintias led by U Kiang
Nongbah was put down. Now the British wanted to establish
their hegemony in the Garo Hills.
In December 1872, the British sent
out battalions to Garo Hills to establish their
control in the region. The attack was conducted
from three sides – south, east and west.
The Garo warriors confronted them at Rongrenggiri
with their spears, swords and shields. The battle
that ensured was unmatched, as the Garos did not
have guns or mortars like the British Army.
Togan Sangma, a young man was in command of the
valiant Garo warriors. He fell fighting with unmatched
heroism and courage in December 1872.
Pa Togan Sangma is immortalised at the martyr’s
column in Shillong, where his name is enshrined
along with U Tirot Sing and U Kiang Nongbah, the
gallant heroes of the Khasis and Jaintias. |
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