By Kit Shangpliang
Would it be an overstatement to say that the Hill State movement in Meghalaya wouldn’t have sustained, had it not been for the songs that moved the hearts of the people those days! Nevertheless, history will tell that the songs coming from the depths of the primordial soul were inspirational tools to carry the movement forward.
The adrenaline rush hartals, the rhetoric, the protests, the charged crowd and at the centre of those organised events were the songs that everyone knew how to sing. The family members of those involved closely with the movement said that the stout connection between the organic songs and the hill state movement was nothing short of revolutionary proportion.
One of the volunteers are still alive today, Dr I. Nongbri, explained, “In a way and interestingly, the movement turned out to be a linguistic reaction to the government’s ruling to impose the Assamese language in the Khasi and Garo hills and in response, many songwriters, writers and creative people came out to be at the epicentre of the movement”.
The 1960s, especially towards the end and just beyond saw and heard some of the politically moving songs like the Beatles’ Revolution (1968) and Imagine (1971), Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall (1963). Though there is no confirmation or evidence to say that these songs have had a profound influence on the hill state movement, it is known that the leaders had been exposed to western music. In all probability, they knew how songs in the West had altered political landscapes and that it would be worth a try, to introduce the inspirational replica and channel it to propel the movement. So songs were written and sung.
When these songs in the dozens and hundreds popped up to instil a sense of urgency and most of all, to sustain the Hill State movement for over a decade, it was in itself a standalone campaign loaded with poetry and creativity. Each song was a story on its own, a collection of political thought processes and a basket full of socio-patriotic aspirations based on the unique cultures and rights and well-being of the people who dared to share a common future.
Noted songwriter and elderly artiste Phyrnai Marbaniang says, “The movement had a structure with local units being set up throughout the length and breadth of the Khasi hills. Each unit would have songs of their own but there would be a few that stood out among the rest, one of which is Khynriam U Pnar, U Bhoi U War.”
It is also believed that Garo hills was not far behind in using songs to further the movement. Prominent Garo artiste and musicologist from Tura, Iris Watre recalled, “One of the most popular songs written during those times was “Ang atchiram a.songtang Garo Hills” written and sung by Millickson Marak. This song has been sung by many and is available in the archives of All India Radio, Shillong.”
As music is embedded in the lifestyle of the Khasi and Garo people, the leaders then, including Late Captain Williamson Sangma and Late Brington Buhai Lyngdoh understood the rousing values of the songs to mobilise volunteers and yet keep them safe in the vortex of the movement. The late 60s was also a time when people’s songwriters naturally emerged. If music comes with convincing powers that bypass the mind and head straight to the heart, the hill state movement frontliners knew the public pulse and understood the psychology behind the songs and how that stirring process would help them to finish what they started politically.
According to Marbaniang, many a time the crowd in their thousands from Jaiaw, Mawlai and their adjoining settlements, including Ri Bhoi, would usually assemble at the Khasi National Dorbar Hall at Mawkhar. Public updates and speeches would pump up the spirit of the movement, after which, young men, women, mothers and sometimes children would join a peaceful march around Shillong town to make their presence felt. Such public rallies would witness the multitudes singing songs of the land and its people to lift the spirit of the movement.
The use of the indigenous Phawar, a careful loop of rugged melody or melodies loaded with apt lyrics that is highly witty, humorous and political was very effective. Nongbri confirmed, “Many gifted natural witty singers used the Phawar to get the message across. I also remember people singing the song Mei Ri Lum, as it easily invoked a sense of patriotism and love for our own kind, but the Phawar was the one that got the crowd to stay in the public rallies for a long time.”
When the movement devised a programme called ‘Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA)’ to intensify the pressure and at the same time win people’s support, especially the youth where parents’ permission was needed to get them to volunteer. Leading from the front was Late Mr Eric Bremley Lyngdoh, that on 24 October 1968, his task was to lead the team and peacefully gherao the Assam Secretariat. On being helplessly cordoned off by the erstwhile Assam police, it would be conflicting to the peaceful idea of NVDA to retaliate to the police force. His son Dr Aiban Blah said, “It was at the time when our father as the Youth General Secretary of the movement sang his famous Khasi song to call upon the women in the vicinity to support him”. The words of the song call for mothers as caretakers to wish the fighters well with a request for mothers to support them in prayer, so the volunteers will gather strength to fight.
Bremley sang this ferociously but peacefully in Khasi “Ko long kmie jongngi, nongsumar nongri ia ka ri jongngi, kitbok kitrwiang bad to dwai lem maphi bangin ieng ialeh mangi”. So demanding was the singing that it called female government servants to come join him in the song and the singing went on and the tears of oneness for the cause rolled down the eyes of the womenfolk, much to the astonishment and graceful response of the police personnel who were present then.
Bremley continued to write many songs like U Tiew Kulab, a song that talks about the Rose as the symbol of the movement after the change from the initial Star symbol. Ka Saw Wat u Risawis, a song to remind the hill state movement’s day of 24th October as a day to rekindle the aspirations until the fight is done. Ka Dak ka Jingjop and Ban long ki Nongjopare, optimistic songs that encouraged volunteers to continue the fight because victory was coming. What is interesting is that at the heart of these songs, there was a subtle dip into a theology that spelt out the movement’s dependency on God.
Of the many tall songs that Bremley wrote, ‘Sor Shillong’, a work of art spoke about the beauty and wisdom of Shillong and drew likeness from none other than the charismatic Captain Williamson Sangma, who requested the writer to translate the song into English. The connect between Captain Sangma and Bremley was more like a father and son duo, so much, that the plan was to use the song as part of the negotiation with the central government in New Delhi.
All said and done, it is now clear that songs and music were the lifeblood of the hill state movement in Meghalaya. They helped in changing the political discourse of the movement to the point where, on January 21, 1972, the new state called Meghalaya was born. What an achievement and to all those who have contributed to the lyrics and the melody lines that sustained the campaign, a Meghalayan of today says ‘Thank you for the Music.’
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