Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Shella: A multi ethnic village at Indo- Bangladesh border

Shella: A multi ethnic village at Indo- Bangladesh border

Village Shella is situated in East Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya, India under the Sohra Division. Shella is well connected by road ways with Shillong to Guwahati route. Shella is 500 feet above sea level. The village has Post Office, Police Station and Primary Health Centres at Sohlap and Disong. Village Shella is divided into ten hamlets namely, Sohlap, Pyrkan, Umdoh, Mawrynkhong, Jasir, Nongnong, Rymsongkatonor, Jamew, Duba and Disong which are spread over both at hills as well as in plain areas.  The village Shella is surrounded by Kalatec from the east; Khamalai, Palbasti, Norburoi, Khamohi and Khabada from the west; there is no village in north; Dalia, Khasyndha, Dishantila, Khlewumthang, Bamuntila, Adorghar and Umkhabo from the south. There are three primary schools and one secondary school at Sohlap and one higher secondary school run by Ramakrishna Mission is situated at Disong.

War Khasi is the dominating population and Christianity is the major religion. Approximately 70 % are Christians and 30 % follow Hinduism and traditional religion. There are three churches situated at Pyrkan, Mawrynkhong and Sohlap. One Roman Catholic Church comes under Sohlap. The conversion took place about 40 to 50 years back when Hindu dominancy was persists. Thomas Jone came to this village from England to preach Christianity. Theological College at Cherapunjee was also founded by him. There is also one Hindu temple of Chandi Devi situated at the BSF camp at Sohlap. Chandi Devi is worshipped in the form of a black stone. There is also another stone kept beside Chandi Devi which is also worshipped as Jainti Devi. The temple is maintained by BSF and the cash box and other monetary matters are handled by the temple committee. Bengali Brahmin use to perform all rituals organised by temple authority.

The village social system is the matrilineal. After marriage male is the head of the family. Decision making authority belongs to male. Marriage is not allowed with the same clan (kur). The youngest daughter of the family inherits the maximum property. She also owned the house, whereas, other movable and immovable property may be shared among the other brothers and sisters.
The village local administration is headed by the Head Man. Head Man of the village is the judicial authority. All the ten hamlets of the village have one Head Man and each hamlet has one secretary. Function of secretary is to select the members. There are twenty six members selected from all the hamlets. They summon Darbar to select the members. Shella, Mustoh, Nongwar, Nunnong, Umtalang, Tynger, Dewsaw, Longtrai, Lyngkhom, all these villages are under Wahahadar. Both male and female have the right to vote. Dorbar Hima is equivalent to Dorbar Shnong. Every village has to send three people to Wahahadar Dorbar. Out of these three people one can be the Head Man and another two can be the secretary. One is executive and another is the judicial body. The Joint Secretary of Khasi Autonomous Council is presently functioning as Wahahadar. Block Development Officer cannot interfere in this entire local village administration system.

The existence of intermixed community and religion are also noted from the field. Although the people of Shella speak their language and follow their own culture but there is also a touch of Bengali influence because it is situated very near to Bangladesh border.

The people of the village depend on River Shella for their main source of water. Tube well, dug well, etc. is not found in any of houses. They draw water from the river for both drinking and other purposes.
Megalithic structure at Shelle village

                                                                      Village temple



                                                           Amazing view of Shella river





                                                                       Hanging bridge


                                              A school run by Ramkrishna Mission, Shella

                                                                      Shella river






                                                                        Weekly market



                                                     A Bengali and a War Khasi Women


                                                                Indo- Bangladesh border


Taking interview with a Garo man



                                                    Some of the views of Shella village





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Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary: Where Water, Wings, and Time Meet Some places announce themselves with mountains or monuments. Bharatpur does not. It reveals itself slowly — in ripples of water, in the sudden lift of wings, in the quiet patience of a bird waiting for the right moment to strike. Located in eastern Rajasthan, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, popularly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is one of those rare landscapes where nature and history have grown together. It is not untouched wilderness, nor is it purely man-made. It exists in between — shaped by geography, altered by humans, and perfected by birds. A Land Shaped by Geography Before It Was Shaped by Humans Bharatpur lies at an ecological crossroads. To the west stretch the ancient Aravali ranges, among the oldest mountain systems in the world — worn down, rocky, dry, and quiet. To the east begin the fertile Gangetic plains, flatter and more water-abundant. Between these two regions lies a gentle depression in the land, where seasonal rivers like the Gambhir and Banganga once spread their monsoon waters. This region was never meant to hold deep water. Instead, it absorbed floods, released them slowly, and returned to grassland. That natural rhythm changed in the 18th century, when the rulers of Bharatpur constructed the Ajan Bund, an earthen dam built to protect nearby settlements from flooding. Unintentionally, a wetland was born. Water lingered longer than expected. Silt settled. Aquatic plants appeared. Fish followed. And soon after, birds began to arrive — first seasonally, then in vast numbers. From Royal Hunting Ground to Protected Sanctuary During the 19th and early 20th centuries, this wetland became a favored duck-shooting reserve for the Maharajas of Bharatpur and British officials. Ironically, this exclusive use prevented farming and urban expansion, allowing the habitat to survive while many other wetlands disappeared. 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Why Bharatpur Matters Today In a country where wetlands are rapidly disappearing, Bharatpur stands as proof that: Man-made wetlands can support rich biodiversity Landscape-level conservation is essential Migratory birds connect continents, not just countries Water is the most powerful driver of life in dry regions Leaving Bharatpur When you leave the sanctuary, it does not follow you loudly. There are no dramatic cliffs or roaring rivers to remember. Instead, there is a quiet realization — that life persists not through force, but through balance. Bharatpur teaches patience. It teaches listening. And above all, it teaches that when water is allowed to stay, life will always return.

  Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary : Where Water, Wings, and Time Meet Some places announce themselves with mountains or monuments. Bharatpur does n...