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Khasis As Pioneers Of Trade And Commerce In North East
The Khasis who had settled in the Ri Hynniewtrep land bordering the Brahmaputra Valley in the North and the plains of Bengal in the South carried out trade relations with their neighbours through trade routes and also in the border markets known as haats which dotted the border areas.
In the book entitled ‘Geological structure of part of the Khasi Hills 1854’, Thomas Oldham relates as following – “A large proportion of potatoes is annually sent from the hills, purchased by Bengalee merchants and shipped from Pandua or Chatak, now in Bangladesh to Calcutta. From the hills also, Calcutta and other places are principally supplied with pineapples. Also oranges known as Mandarin oranges are also shipped to the Middle East and other parts of Europe. The orange groves stretch for miles along flat ground, just at the base of the hills and are very well kept.”
The Collector of Slyhet (now in Bangladesh) Lindsay in the book ‘Lives of Lindsay’ volume 11 Calcutta 1849 described the Khasi border markets of 1774, the Panduah and Bholaganj markets as follows – “During a few days of my residence at Panduah, I had the uncommon gratification of witnessing a caravansary arriving from the interior of the mountains bringing on their shoulders the hills goods consisting of the coarsest silk from the confines of China, fruits of various kinds and the great staple was the iron of excellent quality. The tribes in descending from rock to rock, as represented in the Oscar and Malvina, in the present instance the only route was steps cut out from precipices. The burdens were carried by women in baskets, supported by a belt across the forehead, men walking by their side protecting them with arms. The young girls are handsome, not being allowed to use betelnut until after their marriage.”
In the ‘Himalayan Journal’, Sir Joseph Hooker, the famed botanist remarked as follows. “The Khasi coal is excellent for many purposes. It was of the first quality and gave great heat and few ashes.” About the Khasi limestone, Thomas Oldham remarked – “Mush of this limestone would produce durable and occasionally handsomely veined marble. It would answer well for ordinary purposes, chimney pieces, slabs for tables, garden seats and for flooring tiles.”
In the book ‘The history and civilisation of the people of Assam to the Twelfth Century AD’, it was remarked that – “The Khasis knew the art of manufacturing gun powder from sulphur, saltpeter and charcoal.” It may be mentioned that the Jaintia Rajas had cannons. These people in ancient times discovered gun powder and guns which passed on to Assam to Pegu and from Pegu to China.
Because of these trade relationships, the Khasis also maintained diplomatic relations with China as referred to in the ‘Journal of Assam Research Society 1939, Volume 111, p 13 – 14’, Alan Wilson recorded the findings. “In the ancient times the Khasis were a much powerful people than they have ever been since the British had any connections with India and their customs were enforced on or copied by the neighbouring tribes. There is reason to believe that they sent an embassy to China sometime in the 16th century for it is on record that an embassy to China in Peking headed by a man named U Ai, which is essentially a Khasi name, and some twelve months ago, a small metal slab was obtained in Nowgong which adjoins the north side of the Khasi Hills, which is a Chinese credential of some sort. It is made of copper plated with gold, in the shape of a knife board, about five inches long, two and a half wide and one inch thick.
The Khasi states also collected trade taxes from the haats or border markets, including the Doopati market in Cachar along the river Surma. Taxes were also levied by the Khasi state of Hima Sohbar at Theria market, also at Nolikhata hat under Hima Mawiang, also in the markets of Raha, Chappurmukh, Neli and Gabha falling under the Hima Sutnga of Jaintia Hills.
EW Dkhar (author) recorded the importance of the Shyrten river port by stating – “Shyrten is situated at the confluence of rivers Phulrit and Umiam, encircled by the trade centres of Nongwar in the southern plains of the Khasi Hills, Tynger and Dewsa in Ri War, bordering north Bengal. Khasi iron and steel implements are exported to Bengal from Shyrten, manufactured at Synrang, Jyrtieh near Sohra, in the vicinity of the Kshaid Dain Thlen Falls. The heydays of Shyrten were around 1663, when hundreds of small river boats from Bengal crowded the port.
In 1662, the Mughals under the leadership of Mir Jumla had attacked the villages around Shyrten including Kalatek, Sarang and Umkhabaw which led to the alliance of the village having trade and commerce interests, known as Sawthyndaw, leading to the defeat of the invading Mughals. In the following year, the Khasi state of Hima Shella Confederacy of 23 villages was formed based on traditional democratic principles, having policy makers known as Duwakdar and philosophers known as Sande.”
Long before the concept of the ‘Look East Policy’ was conceived, Ri Hynniewtrep had already established trade routes and markets such as Haat Phali, Haat Majai which were accessible by land routes using head loads and horses and also riverine routes along rivers flowing south to Bengal and north into the Brahmaputra valley. Ferry boats were also used at Ranikor along the rivers Kynshi and Rilang. There was an attempt to connect the Surma valley with Sohra by rail but the unfinished railroad was damaged during the great earthquake of 1897.
The most dependable bridges were the rubber root trees, tendrils of trees growing on opposite banks joined together, developing in girth and strength and which have resulted in truly ‘Living Bridges’ which remain to this day, bridging the flourishing past with the present competitive world of selling and buying.
