Acquiring land for Shillong
It
was Major Rowlatt who actually started the process of acquiring land for the
proposed station of Shillong[1].
He entered into Agreements with individual proprietors (or Ry Kynti owners) for purchase of an extensive tract, which he
called “a gentle undulating plateau”.
Because of his inept handling of the second Jaintia rebellion, he was replaced by Brigadier General George Daniel Showers. The process was continued by him and his successor Colonel John Hopkinson Haughton. The latter gave his attention to the community land (or Rai Raid). On 8 December 1863, he entered into an Agreement with Malay Singh, the Syiem of Moleem.
Because of his inept handling of the second Jaintia rebellion, he was replaced by Brigadier General George Daniel Showers. The process was continued by him and his successor Colonel John Hopkinson Haughton. The latter gave his attention to the community land (or Rai Raid). On 8 December 1863, he entered into an Agreement with Malay Singh, the Syiem of Moleem.
The lands comprised two
distinct areas, the plateau below Shillong Peak, originally selected by Major
Rowlatt, and the first lands around Ieudoh. All economically capable sections
of the residents took advantage of the provisions. Major S.T. Trivor,
Secretary, Public Works Department (Assam Division), in anticipation of the
Supreme Government's approval, bought from Colonel H.S. Bivar, the Deputy
Commissioner, an extensive area of land with a house and ground for Rs.26,000.
This was for the Chief Commissioner's residence, which later developed into the
present sprawling Raj Bhavan. Various Government constructions, all stone
structures, which had already been started, were expedited in right earnest
following the visit of Sir Cecil Bedon, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal.
According to E.P. Philemon,
the area bought by the British from the landowners and ceded by the Syiems of Mylliem and Khyrim, fell
within a perimeter starting from the Military Station below Shillong Peak and
skirting the villages of Sadew, Nonkseh, Iewduh, Mawkhar, Laitumkhrah, Laban
and back to the base of Shillong Peak[2].
The large area around the Shillong Peak was ruled by the independent Basans and priests and some portions
were occupied by few other powerful tribes.
When the British first came
to settle in Shillong, there was no Government land at all, as Khasi Syiems were never territorial Chiefs.
The land system prevailing in the then existing villages was that followed by
the Khasis from time immemorial, comprising of ‘Ri Kynti’ and ‘Ri Raid’[3].
The land in the Khasi Hills belonged to the community and the individual
cultivators had no right over the land. Originally there were four main
classifications of land in the Khasi Hills - public land called ‘Ri Raid’ (communal) under the joint
control of local authority of a group of clans; private land called ‘Ri Kynti’ or ‘Ri Kur’ which is a presumed private holding; sacred groves called ‘Law Kyntang’; and preserved groves
called ‘Law Adong’.
In the communal land (Ri Raid), certain class of families
become the perpetual land holders and were exempted from taxation, a right held
by their decendants whereas Ri Kur
land was jointly managed by the Durbar
of clans or sub-clans. Ri Khurid
lands are those which Khasi families hold by right of outright purchase and
over which they exercise rights similar to those of a Ri Kynti owner. Khasi families other than the founding clans who
hold Ri Kynti lands by right of
purchase from the original owning clan exercise the same absolute rights over
those lands as their original owners.
Ri Kynti land included Laitumkhrah, European Wards, Police Bazar, Jail
Road Wards, and Cantonment Areas. Ri Raid
land included the Municipal Wards of Laban, Lumparing, Malki, Mawkhar,
Southeast Mawkhar, Jaiaw, Rilbong, and Kench's Trace[4].
Ri Khurid land included the entire
area of Mawprem.
Moleem and Khyrim: As mentioned previously, in 1862 it was deemed expedient to
establish a Military Cantonment and Sanitorium at Shillong, in the Moleem
country, instead of Cherra Poonjee[5].
The Rajah of Moleem was bound by his
engagements to give up whatever lands might be required for such purposes. Still
it was considered expedient to grant him compensation, which he desired should
take the form of a cession of lands of equal value south and east of the River
Oomean or Bogapanee [what was this piece of land?].
The subjection of British
subjects to the rule of a native Chief, however, being deemed objectionable,
the Rajah was required to cede all
his sovereign and personal rights in the land for a sum of Rupees 2,000, and
the rights of the private proprietors were bought up for Rupees 6,825 and an
annual payment of Rupees 108. Rabon Sing, Rajah
of Khyrim, having an interest in some portion of the land conjointly with the Rajah of Moleem, was also required to
sign the Deed of Sale.
No. CIII
Note:
8
December 1863, signed in Yoedoh by Rabon Sing, Rajah of Khyrim.
10
December 1863, signed in Shillong by Melay Sing, Rajah of Moleem and Lormiet Montang.
18
December 1863, signed by J.C.Haughton, Officiating Governor General’s Agent,
North East Frontier.
Whereas it was stipulated in the Agreement entered into by me Melay Sing, Rajah of Moleem, under 19th March 1861,
with the British Government, that the right of establishing civil and military
sanitaria, posts, and cantonments within his country should remain with the
British Government; whereas Lieutenant-Colonel
J. C. Haughton, Agent to the Governor General, North-East Frontier, under
the instructions of the said government, has selected, for the purpose of civil
and military sanitaria, &e., the land hereinafter described, I hereby
renounce, with the advice and consent of his (sic) Muntrees and the Heads of
his (sic) people, all sovereign and personal rights therein to Her Majesty the Queen of England and
the British Government. It is, however, stipulated, should the proprietors of
any of the land within the limits hereinafter described be unwilling to sell or
part with their land to the British Government, the said persons shall continue
fully to enjoy the same without impost or taxation as heretofore, but that in
all other respects the jurisdiction and sovereignty of Her Majesty the Queen of
England and of the British Government and the Officers of Government duly
appointed shall extend over the said land and over all persons residing thereon
and to all offences committed therewithin:-
Boundary: The boundary of the lands
of Oo Don Sena to the south and east
of the Oom Ding Poon stream which
have been purchased; the boundary of the lands of Ka Stang Rapsang, south of the stream south of the Oom Ding Poon adjoining the village of Sadoo which have been purchased. The
boundary of the lands of Oo Bat
Khaobakee touching the Oom Ding Poon
stream which have been purchased.
The boundary of the lands of
Ka Doke adjoining the last named
which have been purchased; the boundary of the land of Sooaka adjoining the last named which have been purchased; the
boundary of the Shillong lands which have been purchased,
from which point the boundary will follow the north and west sides of the
present government roads till the boundary of
the lands of Borjon Muntree, which
have been purchased, is met; it will then follow the boundary of the said Borjon's land till the boundary of the
said land again meets the government road now
existing, which it will follow till the boundary of the Raj lands purchased are met.
It will follow the boundary
of the Raj lands till that dividing
the Longdo lands of Nongseh from the Raj land and the land purchased from Oo Reang-Karpang of Nongseh
and will go between the two last on the east side of a hill by a path till the
boundary stone of the Longdo of Nongseh at the head of a water-course is
met. It will then follow that water-course to the junction of it with the Oom Soorpee, leaving the hill with the Longdo jungle of fir trees on it to the
left or north and west side.
The boundary will then cross
the Oom Soorpee River and
ascend by a ravine opposite inclining somewhat to the right hand to monumental
stones (Mowshin Ram), near one of
which a peg and pile of stones is placed. The boundary will then descend the
hill backwards towards the point of Youdoe
Hill, that is, the hill on which the Youdoe
Bazar is held, to a pile of
stones and a peg not far from the government road
which it crosses and not far from the Oom
Soorpee River. The boundary thence turns north-east by ascending the hollow
to the ridge which divides the water-flow, on which is a mark to the hollow to
the north-east, which it follows by the water to the Oom Kra River, leaving the Yondoe
Bazar hill and the village of Mao Kra
on the left hand.
The boundary thence turns
eastward, following the base of the hills and excluding all cultivation in the
plains, including within it the hill lands given to the government by Oo Beh till the lands of Oo Dor given to government are met,
whence the boundary, in the same way, follows the base of the hills excluding
the cultivation in the plains till the River
Pomding Neyam is met. Opposite a cave at the mouth of this stream, when it
enters the plain, a peg and pile of stone is met.
The boundary thence follows
the same stream to its head in the rice lands of Oo Beh aforesaid, thence it follows the foot of the hills, leaving
the village of Limera to the left or
east side, and excluding the rice cultivation of Oo Beh, but including the hill land given by him to government,
till it reaches the head of the said rice cultivation, where it turns sharply
to the left or east between two hills till it reaches the banks of the stream Oom Pongteng Kom, the downward Crosses
of which it follows till the junction of the same water, now called Oom Soorpee, with the Oom Jussaci is reached.
This river is the boundary
till its source is reached from a pile of stones, near which, marking the
boundary of land purchased from Oo Don
Sena, the boundary crosses over south-westerly to the point where the Oom Shillong
makes a bend, at that point stones have been placed opposite ten fir and five
oak trees on the spur of a hill. The boundary then follows the Oom Shillong
till the boundary of Oo Don Sena's
land is met, which it follows the point from whence it started is reached.
I agree that the government,
or the possessor of the land within named, as well as the Shillong lands,
shall have the joint right of turning off all water adjoining the said land for
use, subject to such rules as the government may prescribe. He (sic) promise
also, as far as in me lies, to preserve the sacred groves whereon
the water supply is dependant, and to punish any of my subjects found cutting
the trees of the said groves and to deliver up for punishment any British
subject found so offending.
(Signed) LORMIET MONTANG + His mark
SHILLONG,
The
10th
December 1863.
Witness:
(Signed) U. JOYMONEE
Interpreter
Before me, this 18th December 1863,
explained in Cossyah and signed.
(Signed)
J.C.Haughton
Witnesses present not called on to sign, being
unable to write.
Oo RAM, Muntree. Oo DON KOONWUR.
Oo SONA, Muntree. Oo
JON SIRDAR.
Oo JEE, Muntree. PURBUT, Interpreter.
Oo DON SENA, Muntree. TAMA KOONWUR.
RAJAH SINGH KOONWER. ALOP KOONWUR.
KUNRACE, of Khyrim.
I, Melay Sing, having, on behalf of myself and my Muntrees, and all others concerned, ceded the Raj rights and title in the land at Shillong, known as the Shillong
lands; the Raj lands south of the
Oom Soorpee, known as the Kurkontong Nongseh land; the land near Youdoe, known as the Shillong Labang land; hereby renounce
all right and title thereto, resigning the same to Her Majesty the Queen of England with the trees, water, and all
things thereon or therein, and hereby acknowledge to have received, in full
satisfaction therefor, the sum of Rupees 2,000 (two thousand) from Lieutenant-Colonel Haughton, Governor General's Agent, North-East
Frontier.
(Signed) RAJAH RABON SINGH + His mark
YOUDOE,
The
8th
December 1863.
Witness:
(Signed) U. JOYMONEE
Interpreter
Rajah Rabon hereby acknowledges to have
ceded all right on part himself and his people.
(Signed)
J.C.HAUGHTON
Officiating
Governor General’s Agent, North East Frontier
Witness: SREE ARRADHUN DOSS
(Signed) U.
JOYMONEE Mohurir
Interpreter
Present:
(Signed) Oo
RAM, Muntree (Moolem Poonjee).
(Signed) Oo
JEE, Muntree (Moolem Poonjee).
(Signed) Oo
SOOBAH, Muntree (Moolem Poonjee).
(Signed) Oo
SONAH, Muntree (Moolem Poonjee).
(Signed) Oo
RAIMON, Muntree (Khyrim Poonjee).
(Signed) Oo
BAMON, Muntree (Khyrim Poonjee).
(Signed) Oo MOOIK
LONGSKOR (Khyrim Poonjee).
(Signed) Oo
SONKHA LONGDO (Khyrim Poonjee).
Helen Giri
refers to the above Agreement executed between the British and the Syiem of Mylliem and points out that it
shaped the course of action for the selection of the future capital of the
British in the Khasi Hills[6].
On the selection of Shillong as the new District Head Quarters, T. Cajee, wrote:
“...is now a matter, of history as well as the
subsequent decision to build the "Civil Station", on the slopes of
Iewduh instead of the original decision to locate it on the slopes of the
Shillong Peak itself. The Civil station was started between the then existing
Khasi villages of Mawkhar and Laitumkhrah which became as it were, satellites
of the new Administrative Headquarters...
...The valley where Shillong now nestles is on
the northern side. It was chosen because of the abundance of water supply then
when it was covered with dense forests. There was no settled habitation, known
by the name Shillong till the British came to select the said valley as their
headquarters in 1864 when they found that Cherra Punji was too wet for their
health and convenience. There were then, a few scattered villages in this
valley known by the name of Laban, Mawkhar, Laitumkhrah, etc., of which Laban was,
the most well known and to this day, Khasis from the interior would say on
their way to Shillong that they are going to Laban and on their way back that
they are returning from Laban not Shillong”.
[1]Sengupta,
Sutapa. & Dhar, Bibhash. & North-East India Council for Social
Science Research. 2004, Shillong
: a tribal town in transition / editors, Sutapa Sengupta, Bibhas Dhar
Reliance Pub. House, New Delhi :
[2]Sengupta,
Sutapa. & Dhar, Bibhash. & North-East India Council for Social
Science Research. 2004, Shillong: a
tribal town in transition / editors, Sutapa Sengupta, Bibhas Dhar
Reliance Pub. House, New Delhi:
[3]Rymbai, R.T;
"Shillong and Its Land System", Published in the Shillong Centenary
Souvenir, 1976, p. 29.
[4]A beaten
trail, path or a track, especially through wild or open territory, made by the
regular passage of people, animals, or vehicles.
[5]A collection
of treaties, engagements, and sunnuds relating to India and neighbouring
countries, compiled by C.U. Aitchison, 1865.
[6]The Khasis
Under British Rule (1824-1947), Helen Giri, published by Regency Publications,
New Delhi, 2002.
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