Often some academicians with a grim view of India’s future mention to the numerous secessionist battles raging in different parts of the multiethnic, multi-religious nation. Of course, politicians and nationalists take instant umbrage. But ask them to explain the mountain call for disunion and chances are that an accusing finger will point at some “foreign powerâ€. We have always refused to acknowledge the disenchantment of our people. Almost all our northeastern states are in various stages of insurgency. Open conflict in some places, uneasy cease-fires in others, and in the rest, the beginnings of what could end up in another violent call for autonomy. Meghalaya is one state of northeast India that remained calm during achieving the status of a state. The northeast is largely cut off from mainland India, and in these remote pockets, unhappy youngsters are easily prone to feeling persecuted. They feel their community is singled out because they belong to a different ethnic stock. This resentment, if not addressed, can easily be fanned into violence. It happened in Kashmir. It happened in Nagaland and in Manipur. And it could happen in Meghalaya too. The people in Meghalaya have simply voiced their concerns. The urge to preserve their customs and hence oppose any policy which adversely affect their culture. It is not that the Khasi are desperate to cling to their customs. Much has changed in the past 50 years. As for example the Nongkrem dance is hosted by the Syiem of Khyrim, custodian of the original tribal religion in a society that is now mostly Christian. Syiem, himself, is no hatchet-wielding, grass-skirted savage who lets off alarming threatening whoops. Instead, he is a gentle 48-year-old doctor dressed in suit and tie who speaks flawless English. He talks of education, opportunities and infrastructure. Zealous missionaries have produced a highly literate population in Meghalaya that has happily adopted leather jackets and MTV. The book gives a contemporary scenario of Khasi culture which withstood against the onslaught of winds of change.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR S H M Rizvi
Dr. Syed Hasan Mujtaba Rizvi (Ph. D., University of Delhi) is a research anthropologist and has carried out empirical studies in the field of bio-cultural anthropology among the tribes, and Muslims of northern, western, north-western and north-eastern India. He, along with Dr. Shibani Roy, has written eleven books based upon original research. One of the Professor Emeritus (Anthropology) while reviewing his books stated that ".this indicates his understanding of the subject of anthropology in totality and in modern anthropological world, works of such nature are always encouraged."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shibani Roy
Shibani Roy was born and brought up at Delhi. Her schooling had been at the Lady Irwin School and Post-School studies from Miranda House. She received her B.Sc. (Hons.) Degree in Anthropology in 1967 and Master Degree from the same Discipline specializing in SocialAnthropology. After a year of research work in the field of "Consanguinity among Muslims of North India", she joined department of Anthropology as a Ph.D. student in 1970 and was awarded the Ph.D. Degree in 1976. She was a part-time lecturer in Lady Irwin college, New Delhi, teaching post graduate classes during 1972-73. She was the recipient of senior research fellowship of C.S.I.R. for her project entitled "Changes in value Orientation of contemporary Muslims" carried out amongst the Bohras of Bombay. Her articles in Hindustan Times and Youth Times equally provoked the social scientists and laymen and made them have a new perspective towards this minority community. From 1976 to 1978 she had been actively engaged in a project on female fertility financed by World Health Organization. The entire work had been centred around Rajput Women of Rajasthan. At present she is holding the post of Assistant Anthropologist (Cultural) with the Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India. She has participated in national and international seminars and has a few publication to her credit in the field of Muslim women. Dr. Shibani roy has further stepped into the secluded privacy of the Muslims by marrying a Muslim fellow anthropologist and has a daughter.
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