Ka Phan Nonglait - Freedom fighter from Meghalaya

 Ka Phan Nonglait

Freedom fighter from the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya

Background 

In 1826 the British had control over the Brahmaputra valley in Asom (Assam). Earlier they had captured the Surma valley in Bengal. Now they wanted to connect the two, only possible through the Khasi Hills in Meghalaya which had a very conducive climate for a sanatorium where the sick could recuperate. The road would also save travel time. 

The British approached one of the chiefs in the Khasi Hills, U Tirot Sing, to facilitate road construction through his territory. He was assured complete control over the area so that trade could flourish there. He was also interested in regaining the dooars or passes in the Himalayan foothills in exchange for the permission.

After the road construction began, a rival chief objected to U Tirot Sing’s claim over the dooars, confident that the British would support his claim. Instead he was confronted by British sepoys. 

When news came to U Tirot Sing that the British were amassing troops in Asom, the Khasi Council convened and ordered the British to leave Nongkhlaw. When this was not done the Khasi attacked on 4 April 1829. 

Two British officers were killed in this operation and the British immediately retalitated against the Khasi.

The Anglo-Khasi War lasted for 4 years. The Khasi lacked modern firearms and fought with bows, arrows and swords. When it became obvious these were no match for British firearms, the Khasi resorted to guerilla warfare and were undefeated for 4 years.

Phan Nonglait Falls, Nongrmai, Meghalaya

(Arijitabani, Wikimapia)

Ka Phan Nonglait’s exploits

When British soldiers started to move out of Moirang village and headed for Nongkhlaw, Phan Nonglait set a trap for them with the help of soldiers of Tirot Sing at Langatlehrim. Due to the heat it was but natural that the British soldiers would rest near a milky-white waterfall on the route. This cascade is named Phan Nonglait Falls today. Phan Nonglait made the soldiers of Tirot Sing wait in the shadows nearby.

She made arrangements to provide the British soldiers who rested at the waterfall with cooling drinks to catch them unawares. As they relaxed in the cool environs of the falls Phan Nonglait had her people quietly take away all the weapons of the British soldiers and throw them into a rock hole in the waterfall. Unable to retrieve their weapons the British soldiers could not put up a fight against U Tirot Sing’s men and were easily captured.

The desire for freedom

When the Khasi were facing overwhelming odds with imbalance in technology with the arms they used, they used their native knowledge of local areas and a desire for freedom to keep up the fight for four long years.

Today a park in Shillong has been renamed Phan Nonglait Park in honour of the first Khasi woman who revolted against the British. 

Ref.

https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/phan-nonglait-the-first-khasi-freedom-fighter/