The Muslim Community
The
Muslim community made a huge contribution to the formation of Shillong. Apart
from the Khasis, Government employees and professionals, Bengali Muslims were
the earliest settlers of Shillong[1].
The Shillong Bar had about 20 members belonging to the community.
After
the British authorities decided to transfer the District Head Quarters to
Shillong, Golam Hyder Mollah and Kasimuddin Mollah also shifted their business
interests to the newly emerging Shillong Station. They started business on a
large scale in the name of Golam Hyder
and Sons.
The firm purchased extensive tracts of lands from Europeans in the Rock Wood and Snow View areas covering the present estates of Meghalaya Co-operative Bank, State Transport building, Hotel Pegasas, Bijou Cinema and Kelvin Cinema, the latter being the first ever Cinema started by an Anglo-Indian known as Unger.
Another pioneering European proprietor was a Mr. D. Inglis. The Golam Hyder Estate in course of time spread over the present day Broadway Hotel, Mohini Stores, Muslim Union Guest House and Thana Road area in Police Bazar. The family can be credited with many ‘firsts’ in early years of Shillong.
The firm purchased extensive tracts of lands from Europeans in the Rock Wood and Snow View areas covering the present estates of Meghalaya Co-operative Bank, State Transport building, Hotel Pegasas, Bijou Cinema and Kelvin Cinema, the latter being the first ever Cinema started by an Anglo-Indian known as Unger.
Another pioneering European proprietor was a Mr. D. Inglis. The Golam Hyder Estate in course of time spread over the present day Broadway Hotel, Mohini Stores, Muslim Union Guest House and Thana Road area in Police Bazar. The family can be credited with many ‘firsts’ in early years of Shillong.
According to Lieutenant Colonel H. J.
Huxford, O.B.E. of the 8th Gurkha Rifles, after some 31 years, with Cherrapunji
as its Head Quarters Station, the 44th (Sylhet) Regiment of Bengal Native
(Light) Infantry moved to Shillong, where it and the 43rd (Assam) Regiment of
Bengal Native (Light) Infantry were frequently stationed up to the Second World
War[2].
This establishes the fact that both the Battalions of the 8th Gurkha Rifles had
links with Shillong as both these Battalions were stationed in Shillong at one
point or another.
[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]The Gurkhas,
settlement and society : with reference to Shillong, 1867-1969 / Sanjay Rana.
New Delhi : Mittal Publications, 2008.
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