“U THOMAS JONES I BAD KA SYNÑIANG JONG U IA NGI KUM KA JAITBYNRIEW KHASI”

Mr. M.P Mawkon, Nongjri
Pynursla C & RD Block, East Khasi Hills District.

Ngam lah khlem da shim ia u khulom ban thoh eiei khyndiat ia Une U Riewkhraw uba U Blei u la sei na Ri Wales ban wan thaba shane sha RI KHASI JAIÑTIA kum U KHLUR UBA THABA hapdeng KA JINGDUM kaba sdang ban kah syrngiew ia KA RI KHASI JAIÑTIA BAIEID JONG NGI. Bluit U Blei u la sei ia U THOMAS JONES I ban wan sha Ri Khasi ban ai ia ka jingithuh ia ka Jaitbynriew kaba U Blei u da ieid kyrpang da kaba un long u Nongai ia ki Dak thoh ABKD jong ki ALPHABET KHASI JONG NGI U KHUN KHASI KHARA. Ha ka jingshisha ngi lah dei ban pule da ki dak thoh BENGALI kumba la ong da kiba bun ki Nongthoh history.

Ngi kynmaw dang shen ba ka KJP Assembly ka la ioh ban rakhe ia ka BICENTENARY lane ka lyngkhuh dap 200 snem jong ka sngikha une U riewkhraw kata U THOMAS JONES I ha ka snem 2010, da kaba sdang ia ka jingrakhe naduh ka snem 2007 haduh 2010 (Kata Lai snem pura kynthih). Bad Ngi kynmaw ba ka KJP Assembly ka la ioh ruh ban buh ia u Mot sah kynmaw uba la thung bad buh ha phyllaw Iingmane jong ka Balang Presbyterian Pynthorumkhrah ia uba la plie bad pynkyntang da U Rev. Dr. John Tudno Williams uba long u Moderator jong ka Presbyterian Church of Wales ha kito ki snem.

I Rev. Dr. J.F Jywa ha kawei ka jingthoh ha ka Pateng Khristan i thoh kumne haba ki don kiba kylli ia i, balei ba phi pynjrong ia ka jingrakhe ia ka Bicentenary haduh lai snem kata naduh u snem 2007 haduh 2010? …. “Wa! Kat ka rynieng jong une u riewkhraw, uba la Saiñdur ia ka jaitbynriew bad ia ka Balang jong ngi, hato ngim dei ban da kynmaw burom ia u ha ka rukom kaba kham kyrpang?”

Kumban shu pynkynmaw la kha ia une U Missionary uba nyngkong na Wales sha Ri Khasi ha ka 24 tarik u Kyllalyngkot 1810 ha Tanyffrid ha ka Parish Llanggyniew, Montgomeryshire. La iathuh naduh ba u dang khynnah u long uba tbit bha ha ki kynja jingtrei kti. Ha ka snem 1840, ka Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Missionary Society ka la pyndkut noh ia ka jingiadei bad ka London Missionary Society. Te la don uwei u Missionary jong ka London Missionary Society uba kyrteng U Rev. Jacob Tomlin uba la poi ha ri Khasi ha ki snem 1837 bad une u sahep u la ioh ban sah ha Sohra kumba 9 bnai eiei ha ka por ba u sahep Alexander ? Lish u dang don ha Sohra. Bad dei ka jingialam ba phylla jong U Blei lyngba une u Missionary uba la kyntu ban phah Missionary sha RI KHASI. Bad da kane ka jingkyntu jong une u Missionary jong ka London Missionary Society la urlong ka jingwan jong U Thomas Jones I sha Ri Khasi. I Dr. Amena Passah (Professor, Dept of History NEHU) ha kawei ka jingthoh jong i ha ka Thup Sah kynmaw ka jingdap 175 ka jingwan ka Gospel i la thoh kumne shaphang une u Rev. Jacob Tomlin bad kaei ka jingiohi jong U ia ngi ki Khasi, “Rev. Jacob Tomlin found the Khasi ‘cheerful, active and enterprising and when more civilized and blessed with knowledge of the Gospel, they will become a very interesting and noble people’.

Ha ka snem 1832 u Alexander B Lish u la seng skul ha Sohra, Mawsmai bad Mawmluh. Une u Sahep A.B Lish u la seng skul da ka jingthmu babha hynrei ka jingpyndonkam da ki DAK THOH BENGALI ka la dkoh noh ha ki jingtrei shitom jong u. Bad ha u snem 1834 u la plan ban pyndonkam noh da ki dak thoh Roman ha ka jaka ki dak thoh Bengali. Bad ha kita ki jingpyrshang da ki dak roman ruh u la kynduh mawsiang shibun ha ka jingthoh namar ka i kum ba ym don jingmut kata ka translation bad ka rukom pynbeit ia ki dak bad ki jingmut ha ka kynnoh Khasi. Bad kata ka jingpyrshang ka jong une u Sahep A.B Lish ka la kut noh bad ki skul la khang noh bad ym don skul shuh. Une u sahep u la mih noh ha ka snem 1838. Bad la iathuh ba ki don ki khasi kiba la nang kot nang sla kiba la long ka jingkyrkhu ia U Thomas Jones ha kaba hikai bad nang ia ka Ktien Khasi.

U Rev. Thomas Jones I ha ka por ba u dang don 30 snem ka rta bad ka kurim jong u kata i Mrs. Anne Jones iba dang armet ha kata ka por ki la mih na Liverpool ha ka 25 tarik u Naiwieng 1840. Ha shuwa ba U Sahep Thomas Jones un mih nangtei ka la don ka jingiaseng duwai ha ka 24 tarik Naiwieng 1840. Hadien jong ka jingleit lynti duriaw kaba jlan na Wales ha kaba khatduh ki la poi iuh kjat ha Sohra ha ka 22 tarik u Jylliew 1841.Kumba ngi tip ba ka Sohra ka dei ka thaiñ kaba jur slap bha, bad ba u Myllung ka Ri, U Soso Tham u la ai nam da U Lapbah Sohra. U Sahep Thomas Jones bad ka mem jong u ki la iuh kjat ha Sohra hapdeng u Slap uba jur bha. La pdiang sngewbha ia u Thomas Jones da uwei u Rangbah Shipai ba riewblei uba la ai jaka sah ia ki, une u dei u Captain Lewin. Hadien ba u la sah katto katne sngi U Thomas Jones u la sngewthuh shai ba lada ki briew kim nang ban thoh ban pule ka eh than ia ki ban sngewthuh ia ka jinghikai (Message) kaba un sam ha ki. Kumta une u Riewkhraw u la pyrshang ban nang ban kren ia ka KTIEN SOHRA (Sohra Dialect) da ka jingiarap ki katto katne ki Khasi ba la kham nang kham tip (Literate Khasis) kum u Duwan Rai, Jungkha bad u Laitthat, bad hadien hynñiew ne phra bnai ula nang bad sngewthuh ia ka rukom kren Sohra.

Ha kito ka por la iathuh ba ym don ba shlan ban pule kot namar ki briew ki ñiew sang ban pule, tang na Mawmluh khyndiat bad na Mawsmai de. Kiba nud ban leit pule ki sahep ki da ai da ka tulop.

U Nigel Jenkins ha ka kot jong u ‘Gwalia in Khasia’, u iathuh ia kawei ka jingjia kumne, “From the military and government officials, Thomas Jones received little more and undisguised criticism, “GO HOME JONES” advised a British Official, “you may as well try to instruct the monkeys on that tree, as attempt to teach these people”. U Sahep Thomas Jones u ioh tang ka jingtheh umpjah ka jingshah krenbeiñ bad jingkren pynduh jingkyrmen na ki sahep Sorkar Dohlieh ha kato ka por. Uwei na ki lei lei u da ai jingmut syndon da kaba ong, “Ko Mr. Jones khie leit phai noh sha la Ïing, wat pynlut por ban hikai ia kine ki briew, lehse kan ym da iapher eh ha kaba phin pyrshang ban hikai ia kitai ki shrieh halor dieng”.

I W.R Laiflang ha kawei ka jingthoh ha ka Pateng Khristan i la thoh kumne, ba wat la ki Khasi kim da khuid da suba, kim don la ki dak thoh pynban kim dei ki riewkhlaw. Ki Khasi hi ki la don la ka jingshai (Civilisation), ka akor ka burom. Ia ka rukom synshar-paitbah jong ki (Democratic Principle) bad ia ka rukom ba ki ia said-thma said-dorbar la iaroh bad pyrto da ki Phareng ha ka por U David Scott. Ki Khasi ki long ruh kiba khih kiba ksar bad naduh hyndai ki ju ialeit iawan sha ri thor Brama.

Ha ka kot kaba la pynmih da ka Khasi Author’ Society kaba la ai kyrteng ‘Haba im ka ktien im ka jaitbynriew’, ka thoh kumne, “Ngi sngewnguh eh ia U Thomas Jones uba la wanrah bad pynskhem syndon ia ki DAK-THOH ROMAN na ka byna ban pyndonkam ha ka thoh ka tar Khasi naduh ka snem 1842 bad u la plie ruh ia ki lai tylli ki skul ha Mawsmai, Mawmluh bad Sohra.Naduh kata ka por kam shym don shuh ka jingkyrtiang dien. Ha ki snem kiba hadien, ki riew shemphang trai ri kum u Jeebon Roy Mairom bad u Radhon Singh Berry ki la nang pyndap dong ia ki dak-thoh Khasi da kaba wan rah shuh shuh ia ki dak kiba ia hab sur bad ka kren Khasi. Kane ka sakhi shai kdar ba ka jaitbynriew ka don ki riew shemphang kiba trei minot ban kyntiew ia ka ktien sha ka kyrdan kaba la ih bha kumba ka long mynta”. Bad mynta ka Ktien Khasi kum ka ktien thoh ka la dap bad kynjoh pura sha ka 178 snem.

U Sahep Thomas Jones I da kaba u la tip ia ka jingpyrshang jong u Sahep A.B Lish ban pyndonkam da ki dak thoh Bengali ka la pulom bad kam iahap (Failed), kumta u Thomas Jones u la sdang beit da kaba pyndonkam da ki DAK THOH Roman. Baroh arngut shi kurim (U THOMAS JONE bad i ANNE) ki la trei shitom ban thoh ia ki kot da kaba ki lap ba kata ka rukom thoh da ki dak roman ki long kham iahap ha ka ktien sohra. Hapdeng shibun ki jingshah kren wohdaw ia ka jingpyrshang jong u, ha kaba khatduh kine ki shi kurim ki la lah ban pynmih nyngkong ia ka kot kaba u ai kyrteng “Ka Kot Pule Khasi A-B (The first Khasi Primer entitled, Ca Citab ban Hicai Ca Citien Cassia). Bad ia kane ka kot u la pynbha shuh ia ka rukom thoh ha u snem 1846, ia kaba la kham pynbha shuh shuh ha ka snem 1852 kaba la ai kyrteng, “Ka kitap nyngkong ban pule ka ktin Khasi” la iathuh da U William Pryse. Bad u la pynmih ruh ia ki ar tylli ki kot niam.

I Rai Bahadur D Ropmay i la thoh kumne shaphang U Thomas Jones, “One of them is the First Primer, an excellent textbook read in schools for 60 long years”. Ka dei ka jingtrei shitom met bad mynsiem jong une u Riewkhraw ba la ai nam ai burom bad iai kynmaw bad pyrto ia u kum U KPA KI DAK THOH KHASI, u nonglap ia ka thoh ka tar bad ka pule Khasi (The Founder of Primary Education and the pioneer of Khasi Literature).

U Thomas Jones u la pynkylla khasi ia ki jingrwai na ka Welsh bad English sha ka Jingrwai Khasi (Khasi Hymn Book) kaba u la ai kyrteng, Ki Jingrwai Niam ban ia rwai ha Skul bad ha ki jingiaseng Mane Blei ha ka snem 1845. Bad kane ka jinglumlang ia ki jingthoh ha ka ktien khasi ki la kylla long ka jingsdang jong ka jingthoh Poetry ha ka Ktien Khasi. Bad lah ban ong ba U Thomas Jones u dei u Nongthoh Jingrwai Poetry uba nyngkong ha ka Ktien Khasi. Lah ban lap ia ki jingrwai kiba u Thomas Jones I u la thoh ha ka Kot Jingrwai (Khasi Hymn Book) jong ka balang Presbyterian jong ngi. Kine ki kynthup, “Ha khmih U wan ha u lyoh” (KHB 101), “Ka jingduwai U Trai” (KHB 255), “Ka Jingiap ki riewblei” (KHB 462). Nalor u Thomas Jones kiwei ki missionary ruh ki la noh synniang ha ka jingthoh ia ki jingrwai (Poem).

I Babu B.R Kharlukhi i la thoh kumne, “Ym lah ban don ‘literature’ khlem ki dak thoh”. I la iathuh ruh ba don ka jingiathuhkhana pateng ba haba ka Mem u Thomas Jones I ka hikai ia ki khynnah Nongsawlia ban spel ia ki dak, kim nud ban ong A lane B na ka daw ba la hikai ki kmie ki kpa ba tang shu ong A un mih u khla bad tang shu ong B un mih u hati. Ia ka jingpyrshang jong U Thomas Jones I ban pyndonkam da ki Roman Script ia ka ktien khasi, ka Balang Kmie ha Ri Wales kim da ia hap jingmut. Hynrei U Thomas Jones I um shah rem noh ha ka jingpyrshang jong u kaba la pynlong pat KA JINGKYRKHU KABA KHRAW IA NGI KUM KA JAITBYNRIEW KHASI. Nga sngewnguh eh ia U Blei ba U la phah ia une U Shakri jong U ban wan ban tbeh lem ia U PREW ka jingtip ha ngi kum ka Jaitbynriew. Ka Jingkynmaw ieid ia Une U RIEWKHRAW kan iai sah junom la junom ha nga bad ha baroh ki parari jong KA BRI U HYNÑIEWTREP.

U Thomas Jones I um wan tang ban wan rah ia ka Jingshai ka Gospel hynrei u la wan rah ruh ia ka jingshai ha ka thoh ka tar bad ka ?ule dangle ruh. Nalor ka thong ban ai ia ka jingshai ka Gospel bad ka Thoh ka tar ka pule dangle, u la shim ruh ia ka sien jam ban iarap ia Ki Khasi ha ka ioh ka kot (Economic Empowerment) bad ban ia khun lem ruh na bynta jong ka hok jong ki (Fighting for Justice on behalf of the exploited Khasi people against The British Rulers). Haba u la iohi ia ka jingshah ñion beiñ jong Ki Khasi ha kato ka por um hun ban shu peit kai ia kata ka jingshah lehbeiñ jong ki ha U Harry Inglish uba bat ia ka kyrdan Assistant Political Agent ha ka British Court. Kum U briew jong U Blei U Thomas Jones uba don ka jingmut babha ban wan shane sha Ri Khasi bad ia ki briew jong ka. Haba u iohi ia kane ka jingleh donbor jong uta u Ophisar Dohlieh um lah shah ban shu sngap ban iohi ia ki Trai ri ki shah lehbeiñ. Kumta u la shim ia ka rai rangbah ban ïeng na bynta ki Khasi ha kato ka por bad u pyrshah ia ka jinglehdonbor bad jingbamsap jong u Harry Inglish bad kiwei pat ki Dohlieh kiba leh donbor. Da kane ka jingiarap jong U Thomas Jones ia ki Khasi, u la kylla long U Sohpdung bad U Nongshah thwet ha ka buit sianti ba sniew jong u Harry Inglish. U Harry Inglish u la shun thlong mluh thlong sying ia une u Thomas Jones tang na ka bynta ka jingmyntoi shimet jong u. Bad u la leh kiei kiei ki ban pynshitom ia ka jingtrei jong U Thomas Jones kum U Missionary ha Ri Khasi ha kato ka por. Bad tang ha ki 8 snem ba u la trei ha Sohra ha ka kam mission u Thomas Jones u hap ban iehnoh ia ka kam mission bad u la hap ban phet rieh noh na Sohra. Ha kaba khatduh u Thomas u la khlad noh ha Kalkatta ha ka 16 tarik u September 1849 hadien ki jingeh ha ka met bad ka jingmut jingpyrkhat (Physical & Mental hardships). Ngi iohi hangne ba ki kam sniew kam smeh ki kham leh donbor ban ia KA JINGIEID, KA JINGLONGHOK bad KA JINGBISHARHOK.

Katto katne ka Jingiapher hapdeng U THOMAS JONES bad U HARRY INGLISH.

U REV. THOMAS JONES I ha ki 38 tylli ki mawjam jong ka jingim jong u, u la buh ia ka matti ksiar ki matti rupa ha ka jingpyrshang ba radbah jong u kin iai sah pyrto junom pateng la pateng. Bad ha kine ki snem ki don ki jingjia ba sngewsih kiba long kum ki jin?tynjuh bad ki sohsat kiba la wan ha ka jingim jong u. Ki eriong bad ki jingatphyllung kiba la shop ia u ka diang bad ka mon ki long, ka jingkhlad jong ka mem jong u ha ka 22 tarik u August 1845 bad ka jingkhlad noh jong u na ka Mission ha ka 1847. Nangta u la aiti ia la ka jingim ban iada ia ka Jaitbynriew Khasi baieid jong ngi na ka jingbanbeiñ jong ka Sorkar Phareng bad Nongkhïi Dohlieh da kaba seng Skul, ai ia ki Alphabet Khasi ABKD, hikai ruh ha kaba kyntiew ia ka ioh ka kot. Na ka bynta kane u la shah banbeiñ ha ka bor synshar Dohlieh haduh ba u hap phet iap noh sha Kolkata bad ka Jingpang ka la lap ia U bad u la khlad ha Kolkata ha ka 16th September 1849 ha Scottish Burial Ground, Karaya Road, Kolkata.

U HARRY INGLISH u dei Ophisar Sorkar Dohlieh uba bat ia ka kyrdan Asst. Political Agent uba bamsap bad lehbeiñ bha ia ki Khasi. Ha ka kam Khaïi Pateng u lehbor bha ia ki Khasi da kaba pynbor ban die ha ka Company jong u kaba u ai Kyrteng Inglish & Company bad u kpa jong u (George Inglish) ha ka dor ban iohnong ia lade. U la leh donbor ruh ia ki Bri Sohniamtra jong ki Khasi ha kato ka por. Kiba ialeh pyrshah ia u, ki shah kem bad set phatok.

Hynrei ngi iohi hi ia ka Jingshisha ba ia ka kyrteng jong u Harry Inglish la klet noh wat lada don kiba kynmaw khyndiat HYNREI KA NAM KA BUROM BAD KA KYRTENG JONG U THOMAS JONES I KA IAI SAH PYRTO JUNOM DA KA JINGSNGEWIEID BAD JINGBUROM.

I Rai Bahadur Ropmay i thoh kumne, “U Thomas Jones u dei u Kpa jong ka Khasi Alphabet bad u Nongseng ia ka nongrim ba neh jong ka Khasi Literature”.

U Dr. R.A Hughes ha ka message kaba u la phah ha ka jingrakhe dap 150 snem ka Khasi Literature ha ka snem 1991 u la thoh kumne, “Thomas Jones who knew what it was to be a blacksmith, used his skill to forge words to serve man by producing the earliest books for children and adults which showed the way to the highest he knew”.

U Rev. T.B Philip u la iathuh ha I Rangbah W.R Laitflang kumne shaphang U Thomas Jones, “Ka Jingangnud u Thomas Jones, ka long ba ki Khasi ki dei ban sngewthuh ia ka Gospel ha ka ktien jong ki hi, shuwa ba kin lah ban pdiang ia ka”.

I Bah Mawrice Lyngdoh i don ban ong kumne ia u Thomas Jones, “U Thomas Jones u la ialeh shitom ban hikai ia ki briew ha ki kam trei kti kiba ki nonghikai skul mynta ki khot Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW)”.

Ha ka ban pynkut nga sngewnguh ia U Blei uba la sei ia une U Riewkhraw bad U Missionary na Shiliang duriaw na Ri Wales ban wan shane ban thang ia U PREW ka JINGSHAI ha ngi kum ka Jaitbynriew Khasi Jaiñtia bad ha ka Bri Hynñiewtrep jong ngi. Haoid kum ka Balang Presbyterian ngi don ia ka sngi kyrpang na bynta jong une u Riewkhraw bad mynta ngi la ioh syndon ia ka Sngi Kyrpang ia Une U Riewkhraw ha ka 22 tarik U June man la ka snem kum KA THOMAS JONES I DAY ia kaba la ithuh da ka Sorkar Jylla. Ka jingim ka jong u ka long ka nuksa ka ban ai mynsiem ia ngi ban long kiba don ka mynsiem ban long kiba TBEH JINGSHAI ha kano kano ka kam kaba ngi trei ha la ka jingim bad ha ka jingshakri ia la ki para briew ha la i jong i jong i sap i talent iba U Blei u la ai ha ngi khlem da tyngkai ne long kiba khapnap ban ia sam lem ia ka jingtip jong kaba bha bad badonburom ki ban iai sah pyrto junom la junom.

To ngi ruh ngin kup ia kane ka jinglong babha kaba U Thomas Jones u la pyni da ka jingsngewrit, kiba kloi ban iarap ia kiba rit kiba tlot bor ym kiba khwan myntoi shimet ne kiba bam sap da kiei kiei ki jinglong pohdor kum u Harry Inglish la ka long ha ka jinglong jingim kaba man la ka sngi jong ngi.

Ki Missionary kiba khraw kum U Dr. William Carey bad U Thomas Jones ki wan na ka jinglong sngewrit kata u William Carey kum u Nongsuh juti bad u Thomas Jones kum u Kamar. Hynrei haba U Blei u pyndonkam ki kylla long ki briew kiba phylla bad kiba ioh ia ka nam bad ka burom pateng la pateng. To ngi ruh ngin long kiba pyndonkam hok ia ka sap ka talent kiba U Blei u la ai ha ngi.

Ki par Jingtip:

1. Ka thup sah jingkynmaw jong ka jingdap 175 snem jong ka jingwan ka Gospel ha Ri Khasi Jaintia jong ka KJP Assembly (Dosquicentennial Jubilee – 1841-2016).
2. ‘Haba im ka ktien im ka jaitbynriew’ ka kot lyngkdop jong ka Khasi Authors’ Society kaba la pynmih ha ka snem 2018.
3. Ka Pateng Khristan jong u bnai February & July 2008.