ANNEXURE - I

                 

 PREFACE

Shri.O.R Shallam

President

Seinraij Jowai

Seiñ Raij is a socio, religious and cultural movement of the people living in Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya against the tyrannical British Rule of suppression and denouncement of the indigenous tribe. Seiñ Raij aims in protecting and preservation the rich cultural heritage of the ‘Pnar” people professing the indigenous faiths and beliefs against the onslaught of western cultural and religious invasion. Seiñ Raij today has taken the shape of an institution and cares about the general welfare of the “Niamtre” people who believe in “U Tre Kirot”-the Almighty God. Its evolution may be traced in history  to the period of the Great Indian Revolt of 1857 where there was an uprising against the British high handedness and suppression over the Indian society. The case in history of this movement in this part of the Indian sub-continent may be referred to as the Jaintia Rebellion of 1824-1863 where there was an uprising against the British highhandedness and dominion over the local socio, cultural and religious practices. After the execution of U Kiang Nangbah in the scaffold of the British on the 30th December 1862 the movement to strife for independence continued silently. By the dawn of independence in 1947, “Behdeiñkhlam Festival” which was banned by the British for 17 years was revived and celebrated under the aegis of Seiñ Raij, Jowai as an organizing body so also invigorated “Chad Sukra Festival” to its true form. Today, Seiñ Raij stands tall in protecting the diverse cultural, religious and ethical identity of the local indigenous pnar community of the district. All that remains now may be attributed to the sole efforts made by Seiñ raij and it has proclaimed to be the rightful custodian and curator of the cultural and religious heritage of people living in Jaintia Hills.

 

SEIÑ RAIJ JOWAI evolved as a homogenized institution, a nodal body, to cater to the needs of the people residing within the jurisdiction of the 12 localities of Jowai. Evolved on the tenets of ‘KA NIAMTRE ‘religion as “ka Niam tip bru tip Blai" i.e to understand fellow human beings and to revere GOD as our creator. Seiñ raij Jowai is a socio religious and cultural organization, and a custodian of culture ‘tradition and rich heritage of the Pnar people embracing the indigenous faith KA NIAMTRE, to rejuvenate the social well being and interest of the people blending the spirit of fraternal love and oneness, to preserve and conserve the rich cultural heritage as bestowed upon the people through their fore fathers. Ka Seiñraij Jowai also covers within its domain the role of being as a patron and guardian of our Mother earth KA SYIEM RYMAW to uphold and conserve trees and forest clearly loomed large in the presence of KI KHLOO KYNTANG KHLOO RAIJ (Sacred Forest).

 

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