The Khasis

The Khasis, by P. R. T. Gurdon

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Title: The Khasis
Author: P. R. T. Gurdon
Release Date: June 30, 2004 [EBook #12786]
Language: English with Khasi (Language spoken in N.E. India)
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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KHASIS ***

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The Khasis

By

Major P.R.T. Gurdon, I.A. Deputy Commissioner Eastern Bengal and
Assam Commission, and Superintendent of Ethnography in Assam.
With an Introduction by Sir Charles Lyall, K.C.S.I.
(Published under the orders of the Government of Eastern Bengal and
Assam)
Illustrated

Preface
This book is an attempt to give a systematic account of the Khasi
people, their manners and customs, their ethnological affinities, their
laws and institutions, their religious beliefs, their folk-lore, their
theories as to their origin, and their language.
This account would perhaps have assumed a more elaborate and
ambitious form were it not that the author has been able to give to it
only the scanty leisure of a busy district officer. He has been somewhat
hampered by the fact that his work forms part of a series of official
publications issued at the expense of the Government of Eastern Bengal
and Assam, and that it had to be completed within a prescribed period
of time.
The author gladly takes this opportunity to record his grateful thanks to
many kind friends who have helped him either with actual
contributions to his material, or with not less valued suggestions and
criticisms. The arrangement of the subjects discussed is due to Sir
Bampfylde Fuller, lately Lieutenant-Governor of the Province, whose
kindly interest in the Khasis will long be remembered by them with
affectionate gratitude. The Introduction is from the accomplished pen
of Sir Charles Lyall, to whom the author is also indebted for much
other help and encouragement. It is now many years since Sir Charles
Lyall served in Assam, but his continued regard for the Khasi people
bears eloquent testimony to the attractiveness of their character, and to
the charm which the homely beauty of their native hills exercises over

the minds of all who have had the good fortune to know them.
To Mr. N. L. Hallward thanks are due for the revision of the proof
sheets, and to the Revd. H. P. Knapton for the large share he took in the
preparation of the index. The section dealing with folk-lore could
hardly have been written but for the generosity of the Revd. Doctor
Roberts, of the Welsh Calvinistic Mission in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills,
in placing at the author's disposal his collection of the legends current
among the people. Many others have helped, but the following names
may be specially mentioned, viz.: Mr. J. B. Shadwell, Mr. S. E. Rita,
the Revd. C. H. Jenkins, Mr. C. Shadwell, Mr. Dohory Ropmay, U
Hormu Roy Diengdoh, U Rai Mohan Diengdoh, U Job Solomon, U
Suttra Singh Bordoloi, U San Mawthoh, U Hajam Kishore Singh, U
Nissor Singh, and U Sabor Roy.
A bibliography of the Khasis, which the author has attempted to make
as complete as possible, has been added. The coloured plates, with one
exception, viz., that taken from a sketch by the late Colonel
Woodthorpe, have been reproduced from the pictures of Miss Eirene
Scott-O'Connor (Mrs. Philip Rogers). The reproductions are the work
of Messrs W. Griggs and Sons, as are also the monochromes from
photographs by Mrs. Muriel, Messrs. Ghosal Brothers, and the author.
Lastly, the author wishes to express his thanks to Srijut Jagat Chandra
Goswami, his painstaking assistant, for his care in arranging the
author's somewhat voluminous records, and for his work generally in
connection with this monograph.
P. R. G.

Bibliography
Agricultural Bulletin No. 5 of 1898. Allen, B. C.--Assam Census
Report, 1901. Allen, W. J.--Report on the Khasi and Jaintia Hill
Territory, 1868. Aymonier, Monsieur--"Le Cambodge." Bivar, Colonel
H. S.--Administration Report on the Khasi and Jaintia Hills District of
1876. Buchanan Hamilton--"Eastern India." Edited by Montgomery

Martin Dalton, Colonel E. T.--Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal. Gait, E.
A.--Human Sacrifices in Assam, vol. i., J.A.S.B. of 1898. Grierson,
Doctor G. A.--"Linguistic Survey of India," vol. ii. Henniker, F.
C.--Monograph on gold and silver wares in Assam. Hooker, Sir
Joseph--Himalayan Journals. Hunter, Sir William--Statistical Account
of Assam. Jeebon Roy, U.--Ka Niam Khasi Jenkins, The Rev.
Mr.--"Life and Work in Khasia." Khasi Mynta--A monthly journal
published at Shillong in the Khasi language. Kuhn, Professor E.--Über
Herkunft und Sprache der transgangetischen