by U Sumar Sing Sawian
Some 200 miles as the crow flies, north from the seas of the Bay of Bengal, lies the land of Ri Hynniewtrep, an area of 14,665 square kilometers of tropical plains rising to the cloud bound ridges of Alpine, the Shillong plateau lashed by torrential rains of the South east monsoon, the towns of Sohra (Cherapunjee) and Mawsynram receiving about ten thousand millimeters of rain annually, being the highest on earth. The land tucked away in the North eastern region of the Indian peninsula is inhabited by the Proto Austroloid Mon-Khmer speaking race, calling themselves, the Hynniewtrep - Seven Huts people, numbering over a million, predominating the present districts of West Khasi Hills, East Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi and Jaintia Hills of the state of East Meghalaya. The Khasi language being the liquafranca, the only surviving and developing language of the Mon-Khmer vernacular, possible in the whole world.
The genesis of the ethnic origin is traced from the Khadhynriew trep Sixteen Huts, Khadhynriew Skum Sixteen Nests, who lived in the realm of God along with the divine order, creator of the world, the universe, the cosmic and beyond and that they frequent the earth through the Golden Vine Jinkieng Ksiar, rising from the summit of the sacred U Lum Sohpetbneng peak, the golden bridging of the earth with the heavens in the universe.
Lum means Peak, Sohpet navel, bneng heaven, the heavenly navel umbilical peak. Life when it is conceived inside a mothers womb, it is through the life giving umbilical cord of the navel that sustains that very life which is so dear and precious to the mother. The umbilical cord represented by the Golden Vine known as Ka Tangnub Ka Tangjri (entada pursaethal) is therefore regarded as the divine link between the sixteen forbearers and their creator known as U Blei God, U nongbuh U nongthaw who places in order who creates, U trai Lord, U kynrad Master, U Nonpynlong U Nongpynman Who shapes Existence, U Nonsei Rynnieng U nongsei Rta who brings froth stature and age, U Nongpyndap U Nongpynbian Who fills with suffice, Uba Lah Uba Iai who is all and ever able, Nalor Ha Tbian above and below.
What ever were the circumstances, it was the will and design of the Divine power the Creator, that seven of the forbearers Hynniwtrep Seven Huts Hynniw Skum Seven Nests, settle on earth with the rest of humanity and that the remaining forbearers, Khyndai Trep Nine Huts Khynbdai Skum Nine Nests remain in their celestial abode. The Hynniewtrep finally descended to occupy the Centre-point of the earth Ri shnong Pdeng Pyrthei as crowned rulers of all other creations the animal world and plants kingdom and were bequeathed with nine seeds of grain to sow, toil, sweat and reap.
This conceptual belief of Ri Hynniewtrep land being the centric point of the globe bears the fact that apart from the new world that is North and South America continent, the U Lum Sohpetbneng peak is positioned at 25 degrees 43 minutes north latitude and 91 degrees 55 minutes east longitude, being the geographical umbilicus of the old world.
The Golden Vine was then no longer physically visible, yet remaining as the eternal spiritual umbilical cord, the communion between the Hynniewtrep race with the creator, the divine link etched in each persons Golden Heard and Soul, in each prayer, worship, invocation, thanks giving, paying obeisance, pleading and debating and that the Creator would never fail to answer through signs in divination. It is therefore strongly believed that a person be upright in totality and that the Creator would ever be in wait Ieng Rangbah U briew Ap Jutang U blei.
It was in the bosom of the sacred U Lum Sohpetbneng, that the Creator through the Mother Decree Mei Hukum, delivered the tenets of upholding Truth Tiphok tipsot, to be ever self soul searching and understand fellow humans and above all revere God Tipbriew Tipblei, holding respect and knowledge of the matrilineal lineage and also the patrilineal lineage Tipkur Tipkha, and to ear Righteousness in ones life time Kamai Ia Ka Hok.
The annual pilgrimage to U lum Sohpetbneng peak, 1,343 meters in height located in the Raij Mawbuh under the territorial jurisdiction of the Khasi state of Hima Mylliem, is held since the establishment of the administrative principality of the Raij Mawbuh which is headed by the Syiem the elected ruler along with four Basan elders belonging to the clans Kur of Rangslang, Shadap, Shylla and Manar. Reverence and obeisance is paid to the founders of the Raij and to the spiritual guardian Ki Ryngkew Ki Basa at the sanctum sanctorum Ka Duwan Ka Dupat is the summit of the peak, for the welfare and well being of the citizens of the Raij.
It was however during the centenary celebration of the Seng Khasi institution, being the spiritual and cultural custodian of the Hynniewtrep race established on November 23, 1899, that the Raij Mawbuh along with the Seng Khasi, have been organizing and performing the pilgrimage under the banner and theme of Ancient Wisdom Modern Knowledge Confluence Toward a better Future understood, having a wider perspective, concerning the welfare and well being of the entire Hynniewtrep race in every hearth and home, also aimed at strengthening the bonds of affinity of the diverse cultural, social and religious backgrounds and above all to attain spiritual contentment.
This annual pilgrimage held in e very month of February, is know as Kiew Pyneh Rngiew, that is to strengthen the Rngiew or inner self of a person. Unlike the physical elements of individual or spiritual and other senses, the Rngiew is that inbuilt unseen inner strength which is not exactly an aura, but reflect itself in the face of a person making ones personality a figure of strength, confidence, possessing a healthy body and frame of mine, rejuvenating the charisma of a person, that can cushion any adverse condition in life. Thousands of people would line up only to get a pinch of U Khaw Eh Rngiew the rice grain that has been blessed and sanctified for a strong Rngiew and also consecrated water derived from the founts of drinking and drawing water Umdih Umtong from the waistline of the peak.
The customary rites right from the summit at the sanctum sanctorum down to the feet of Lum Sohpetbneng is conducted by elders wearing the traditional and familiar turbans jain spong, adding to the solemnity and image of authority. From the summit of the legendary peak echo the inotations strains of amoroso somber music, the rhythm of the drums, cymbals and the piped wind tangmuri queen of musical instruments, floating in the air in the fresh morning breeze down the mountain slopes and the valleys below.
Faith can move mountains and can cause miracles. Many of the elder citizens who cannot move about even in their own homes because of sickness and old age are seen trudging the six kilometer pathway and some had said that they feel healthier as if a burden had been lifted off their backs and that they had gained enlightenment. There was a case of a person who after the pilgrimage was returning to his work place at Tura by a night super bus. On the way armed miscreants had waylaid the passengers robbing them of their possessions. But when they encountered the person the robbers could not even look straight into his eyes. He said that he had the belief that he rice grain of U Lum Sohpetbneng which he had dept in his shirt pocket, was the protecting force in him
To the Hynniewtrep people the number nine above and seven below are divine and mystical numbers and strangely enough on the pilgrimage day on February 10, 2002 there was in fact a cloud nine and seven affect, indication happiness, when a cloud formation like a stairway to the skies fro atop U Lum Sohpetbneng was observed, which however lasted for just ten minutes or so , when this particular cloud pattern faded away and disappeared.
Then there are the relics of footprints on the rocks around the sanctum sanctorum believed to be those of the nine and seven huts during the days of yore.
Important social customs add to the serenity and stateliness on the occasion as elders and dignitaries are accorded with the traditional style of welcome on reaching the summit, as women anoint their foreheads with mustard oil and mother in laws would do to their son or daughter in laws entering the threshold of the house for th first time after tying the matrimonial knot. Footwear is also kept aside when stepping into the sanctum sanctorum and devotees sprinkle themselves three times with water from nearby manger, an act of ablution and purification.
On completion of the rites and rituals, the customary Shad Mastieh Warrior dance is performed, which is usually done at the end or conclusion of religious ceremony of the clan, community, or the administrative Raij, elaka and hima. Also the Chiphiah Dance which was said to have been first performed as reverence to the Creator in a covenat with the Hynniewtrep had affirmed that the communion through the spiritual Golden Vine would continue.
The Chiphiah dance was adopted as the dance of the Nikhla clan, known as the Shad Nikhla. However today the dance is knows as the Lahuh Dance.
U Lum Sohpetbneng is therefore the monumental evidence of the age of innocence and civilization Sotti Juk in which the spiritual roots of the Hynniewtrep are deeply grounded, as it towers in all its loftiness and serenity as a trusted sentinel, jealously guarding the spiritual belief, the territorial integrity and cultural heritage of the Hynniewtrep race.
The golden vine has also a message of universal dimension, that as human beings in communion with God the Creator, it is only through the spiritual purity and sincerity of ones Golden Heart and soul.