4.14(b) Kyllang and Symper

4.14(b)

Kyllang and Symper

In 1906, Philip Gurdon refered to a wonderful mass of granite known by the name of the Kyllang Rock[123]. He mentions that the Syntengs had a story that when the strong west wind blew in the spring, this was due to the advent of U Kyllang, who came to visit his wife, the river Umngot[124], at that season.
He noted that amongst the Khasis, the hills are considered to be masculine, but the rivers are usually attributed the feminine gender.

Kyllang is near the village of Mawnai in Khadsawphra, and Symper is another hill which is situated in the Siemship of Maharam, a petty Khasi State. According to Khasi legend, gods inhabit these hills, which are called U Kyllang and U Symper. These gods had a quarrel for some reason and they fought by throwing mud at one another. After they had fought, once or twice, U Kyllang proved victorious. So U Symper, having been humiliated, sat quietly in his own place to this day. On the other hand, U Kyllang sat very proudly because he was victorious in the fight. The holes which are like tanks in U Symper's sides remain to this day. It is said that U Kyllang made those holes during the battle.