Myths
Myths and Legends
Meghalaya is a land of myths and legends. The myths are not just a play of imagination nor a subjective way of wish-fulfilment, but throw a floodlight on the stage and quality of the civilisation of the land, the poetic genius of the its people and their aspirations in life. There are numerous number of myths and legends of Meghalaya, transmitted orally, for want of any written script, over the centuries from generation to generation. These myths and legends told and retold and remembered and recounted from ages have naturally too many variations, but these are still very much living among the Meghalayans and are like fairy tales wrapped in capsules of emotion. Firstly, the myth centre around the creation of the earth and water and the origin of the tribes.
Among the Khasis and Jaintias, the story of the celestial origin of their ‘Hynniew trep’ stock run like this :
In good olden days there were sixteen families living in heaven. They descended on earth as and when they liked by climbing down a golden stairs on the peak of ‘Sohpetbneng’ (the navel of Heaven), a few kilometers away from Umiam lake on way to Guwahati. It is said that seven families wished to live on earth and God granted their wish. The Seven families, known as ‘Ki Hynniew Ha Tbian’ began to live on earth in the hills. God, however, snapped the Golden Stairs and the ‘Seven Families’, remained permanently on earth. The Khasi-Pnar originated from these ‘Seven Families’, but even now they have not forgotten the ‘Nine Families’ or ‘Ki Kyndai hajrong’, living permanently in heaven. Whenever they pray to God, they also make request to the ‘Nine Families’ above to forgive them for their omissions and commissions.
In another folklore about Shillong, it is said that a nymph like woman was frequently seen coming out of ‘Krem Marai’, a cave not far from Shillong Peak. But no one dared to go to the cave and meet her. One day a daring man of ‘Mylliemngap’, with the help of a bamboo pole stretched a bunch of ‘Jalyngkteng’ flowers near the mouth of the cave. The woman, lured by the flowers, came out of the cave to inhale the scent, when the daring man suddenly grasped her hands and caught her. She was the daughter of the deity of Shillong. The woman known as ‘Pahsyntiew’, that is ‘Lured by Flower’ was the ancestress Queen Mother of Shillong kingdom. She is said to be the pioneer in iron smelting and a new form of agriculture. She taught the people etiquette and how to talk, sing and dance. She was married to ‘Kongor Nongjri’. Two boys and a girl were born by their union.
In the folklores of the Jaintias, there is another myth regarding the creation of the earth. According to it:
God first created three sisters – the sun, the water and the air. Then he created ‘Fire’ as their brother. Fire was the being of the Earth. According to yet another folklore of the Jaintias, Goddess Bei Rymnaw prayed to God for making the earth worthy for living. Then at the behest of God, the ministers of God made higher streams and rivers. Thus the earth was made ready to bear living beings. Trees and animals were created. The world was so beautiful that the chief servant of God became jealous and generated enmityamong the creatures. In order to bring peace and harmony among the animals, God had to sendthe ‘Seven Families’ to rule over the animal kingdom.
There is still another mythical story deserving narration. It is about the origin about the Jaintia King. U Lah Ryndi, handsome young man once caught a big silvery fish and took it home. Then he went out. To his surprise he discovered on returning home that his house had been cleaned and food ready. Next day, he pretended to go out for hunting but hid himself inside the storeroom. In the evening, he found that a mermaid-like woman came out of the fish and began to do the household chores. Immediately he came out of his hiding and caught her hands. Subsequently, they were married. They had many children, among them two girls. These two girls subsequently became the ancestral Queen Mothers of ‘Sutnga Syiemship’—from which originated the Jaintia Kings.
According to the Garo myths, at first the earth was vast watery plains surrounded by darkness. Then the Sun and the Moon were placed in the sky. God then sent the air to fill in the open space. Then the Earth was dressed with clouds as her turban and petticoat. Next she was given hair in the form of vegetations like Palm, Cane and Grass. Animals were created – first a big monkey, then the frog. In the meantime, the Earth was completely dried up by the rays of the Sun. So the Creator made rivers to flow and sent rain to water the Earth. He also created thunder to announce the coming of the rain. Then were created a man and woman – ‘Sani’ and ‘Muni’. According to Garo myths, the garos were the descendants of the children of Sani and Muni. According to Garo myths, the Garos were the descendants of the children of Sani and Muni.
