General Studies

Kiang Nongbah

Raja Rajendra Singh of Jaintiapur, a Jaintia king was deprived of his kingdom as his territory in the plains was taken away by the British. 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 1853, though the people secretly bore a grudge against the British. Then the British imposed a house-tax in

1860 which was met with resentment and within a few months, the people rose in a rebellion that was easily put down as the rebels were not organised. 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 such 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 hung 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!

Ropuiliani

Ropuiliani became the first woman chief in the recorded history of Mizoram during the late 19th century AD after her husband, Vandula died. She was the chief of a village called Denlung, situated near Hnahthial in southern Mizoram. The village still exists today.

Denying the superiority of the British colonists, she refused to acknowledge the British authority as a result of which she was imprisoned by them in 1893. She was first incarcerated in Lunglei, the second capital of Mizoram but was later shifted to a jail in Rangamati, now in present Bangladesh.

Barely a year after she was imprisoned, Ropuiliani died in jail in January 1894 and her body was taken home by her son, Lalthuama who was also imprisoned along with her. The administration of the village never came under Ropuiliani or her descendents again.

Rani Gaidinliu

Rani Gaidinliu was a very active participant in the fight for freedom from British rule. Born in Longkao village of Manipur on 26 January, 1915, Rani Gaidinliu was a charismatic girl even at a tender age. She joined the freedom struggle at the age of 13. She led a socio-political movement to drive out the British from Manipur and Naga areas. She was arrested in 1932 at the age of 16 and imprisoned for life. She was freed in 1947 after India gained freedom.

She was greatly influenced by Haipou Jodonang and after he was arrested and subsequently hanged by the British, the mantle

fell on Gaidinliu to lead and continue the revolution. She went underground along with her followers.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru met her at Shillong Jail in 1937 and he promised to pursue her release. Nehru described Gaidinliu as the daughter of the Hills and gave her the title of “Rani Gaidinliu” or Rani of her people.

She was conferred “Tamrapatra Freedom Fighter Award” in 1972, Padma Bhushan (1981), Vivekananda Seva Award (1983) and she returned to Longkao (Nungao) in 1991 and lived there till she died on 17 February 1993 at the age of 78.

Haipou Jadonang

Haipou Jadonang was the youngest of the three sons of Thindai (father) and Tabonliu (mother) and was born in the year 1905 at Kambiron (Puilon) village in Tamenglong district of Manipur. He was one of the first Nagas to claim to be the ‘Messiah King’ of the Nagas and strove to liberate his people from British rule. Playing the role of a God – King, he became popular for his prophesies, healing power, religious and social activities. He organised his people into an effective resistance against British rule. His movement popularly called the Naga Raj spread like wildfire and engulfed the whole Zeliangrong areas and further widened its influence to neighbouring areas.

Subsequent to the widespread uprising in the area, the British initiated plans to bring down Haipou Jadonang and crush his Naga Raj. The Political Agent of Manipur State, J. C. Higgins finally succeeded in arresting Haipou Jadonang on the 19th of February 1931 at Cachar. About a month later, he was taken to Imphal and was imprisoned in Imphal Jail while prosecution against him and some of his followers was going on at the court of the Manipur Political Agent.

On the 29th of August, a day that is observed by all Zeliangrong inhabited areas, he was hung by the order of the British Government at the banks of the Nambul River. It was thus that this pioneer of the anti – colonial movement in the Northeastern region of India became a martyr.

Haipou Jadonang dedicated his life to the progress and upliftment of his people, though his dream of uniting his people is yet to see the light of day.

Pa Togan Nengminza

Pa Togan Nengminza was a brave A·chik warrior. He was born in the village of Samanda near Williamnagar, East Garo Hills, Meghalaya. Being a large man, he has often been compared to the Philistine warrior ‘Goliath’.

In the year 1872 some British soldiers entered into the Garo Hills and set up camp in a village named “Matcha Rongkrek” which is situated near Chiso Bibra.

Pa Togan Nengminza and other Garo warriors

attacked the British soldiers while they were sleeping. Roused from sleep by the cries of their comrades,the remaining British soldiers retaliated. It was a one sided affair as the Garo warriors were ill equipped. Needless to say, they suffered heavy losses and Pa Togan Nengminza died on the spot, succumbing to a barrage of bullets.

Pa Togan Nengminza fought and died for his own motherland and community. This brave warrior is remembered by the people of Garo Hills on the 12th of December every year. Till today, the Meghalaya Government is also celebrating 12th December as “Togan Nengminza’s Day”

Govind Guru

Govind Guru,the founder of the Samp Sabha, an organisation dedicated to fighting British rule as well as the feudal Indian princes.Govind Guru’s followers had gathered at Mangarh for the annual conference of the Samp Sabha, was a popular saint of the Bhils who made the Mangarh hill a centre of faith. He awakened the Bhil community and filled them with a sense of patriotism. The Bhils were so inspired that they sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom. Later, 1500 Gurubhakt Bhails sacrificed their lives while fighting against the British army. It is called the Jallianwala Bagh of Rajasthan.

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