Layers of History: Essays on the Khasi-Jaintias

The seventeen essays in this collection relate to the Khasi-Jaintias of Meghalaya in North East India and cover a time span from their pre-colonial past, through the colonial era and into more contemporary times. All but one of the essays in this collection were researched and published during the author’s years at NEHU. All the essays have been looked at afresh and updated. The essays do not purport to be a complete modern history of the tribe-there are several areas of their history that have not been covered in this collection as they have been studied by other colleagues and scholars. The collection starts with an essay on the division of history of the region into time phases and critiques the applicability of these divisions. Several essays in the collection relate to the trade and economic activity of the Khasi-Jaintias. Four essays in the collection focus on the Khasi states – British policy toward the states, Syiemship succession, the federation of the Khasis states and the incorporation of states into the Khasi- Jaintia Hills district and India. The collection includes essays on David Scott, Tirot Sing, Thomas Jones, Hajom Kissor Singh and David Roy. Of the many more significant and silent makers of its history several stand out prominently. A rather long article takes the discussion to the traditional governance of the Khasi hills and brings it up to more recent times. The last essay provides a perspective of the people, the land and the state.