LT. SARSING TERON, THE LANGKUNG HABE AND KARBI ADORBAR

                     LT. SARSING TERON, THE LANGKUNG HABE AND KARBI ADORBAR

                                                                                                         Kache Teronpi

                                                                                                                                                 

           Lt. Sarsing Teron was born and brought up in and around Langchingbar in Rongkhang area of West Karbi Anglong who later shifted to the village of Hongkram, on the bank of the river Karbi Langpi (Barpani) near Vothatlangso. His name is closely associated with Karbi Adorbar, the first organization of the Karbi people, which was instrumental in the creation of the hill district of united Mikir and N.C Hills, now called Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts respectively.

         He was born in the year 1898 at Langprat, Tika. His father’s name was Sarmen Teron and mother Kache Beypi. He was orphaned at an early age and brought up by relatives. He was given the duty of grazing the buffaloes of his family. By that time the Tika missionary had been established (1897) by Rev. P.E Moore and John Moses Carvell. Thengkursing Ingti helped the missionaries in setting up a primary school at Tika. The children of that area were fortunate enough to have an educational foundation in their own village. Semsonsing Ingti was Thengkursing Ingti’s son, who later became the first Karbi graduate in 1933.

      As Sarsing Teron grew up grazing the buffaloes in the hills, he watched the children of Christian converted Karbi families going to school and longed to join them. But the non-Christian were still reluctant to accept school education. So, he could only watch the teaching in school from far and learn writing with charcoals on the big rocks. One day he was so engrossed in writing that he forgot about the buffaloes completely. When evening came and he had to return home without the buffaloes, he was punished severely. His long hair was tied to a branch of a tree and kept him hanging for some time. Soon after that he cut his long hair which was always tied in a bun, the traditional hairstyle of that period. Then he fled to Golaghat with the missionaries and stayed with an Assamese family. There he met Thengkursing Ingti who was also in Golaghat by that time and he was very kind and supportive to Sarsing Teron. Later Sarsing Teron converted to Christianity and studied from class I to III at Golaghat.

     Now being a little literate, he returned to his village and took up his old traditional Karbi faith again. He married Kare Ingtipi from Langchingbar and their eldest daughter Ka-et Teronpi was born in the year 1920. In 1934 the family shifted to Hongkram where life was easier. The fertile land of the Karbi Langpi improved their lives and made it possible to educate their children, sending them to Kampur, Nowgong and Guwahati for higher studies. Sarsing Teron was also ordained the Habe by the Karbi King to represent him in governing the area around Hongkram known as Umlarong Ronghan. He was often called Ronghan Habekong but better known as Langkung Habe as he resided by the river. That led him to visit various places, specially Nowgong which was the center of all official works as well as shopping. It was there that the educated people from the Karbi community gathered and had many discussions pertaining to their society.

     In 1937 the election to the Provincial Assembly was held in the hill tracts. Khorsing Terang as Congress candidate was elected to represent the Mikir Hills tract defeating Thengkursing Ingti and Mohansing Teron. A political awakening was in the rise. A mention may be made here that West Karbi Anglong was lagging behind in many fields in comparison with East Karbi Anglong in the past as well as in the present time today. There was an urgent need for change and by then Semsonsing Ingti  too was begining to take interest in social change.

        So in the year 1940, in a meeting at Kathalguri in Nowgong some people from the community assembled to discuss various issues and there Karbi Adorbar was formed wherein Sarsing Teron, the Habe was selected the president and Semsonsing Ingti, the secretary. They met Sir Robert Neil Reid, the Governor at Mohongdijua and submitted a memorandum praying for special protection and measures of development for the Karbi people. Sarsing Teron  being a Habe, a representative of the King, worked side by side with Semsonsing Ingti in discarding social ills. They met the Lindokpo, the King, for the reformation of age old traditions and uplift of social status of women. At that time women were not allowed to use umbrellas and walk in front of their men. That rule changed giving dignity to women. In 1945 Semsonsing Ingti fought the Provincial Assembly election as Independent candidate though he was defeated by Khorsing Terang.

      From 1945 onwards there was a massive drive to form All Assam District committees of Karbi Adorbar. Barelong Terang as a member took active part in organizing meetings at Golaghat, Bokaghat, Dimapur, Haflong etc. In 1946, the annual meeting of Karbi Adorbar was arranged in an extensive way at Habaipur where around 2,000 people attended. There the organization was reconstructed as political organization. Sarsing Teron was retained as president and Semsonsing Ingti as secretary.

    On 18^th May 1947 Karbi Adorbar met Bordoloi committee and submitted a memorandum placing the demand for a district comprising the areas occupied by the Karbi people. In the Border Determination Committee, Semsonsingh Ingti, Song Bey, Sarsing Teron and Khorsing Terang were selected as members for the formation of a district.

     But unfortunately in 1948 Semsonsing Ingti died before the fulfillment of his cherished dream. At last in 1951 the district of United Mikir and North Kachar Hills was formed. An Interim committee was formed by special officer C.S Booth for the new district, in presence of Kabon Neli Timungpi, MP, Shillong. The members in the Interim committee were Khorsing Terang, Nihang Rongphar, Sarsing Teron, Moniram Langneh, Birenlong Terang, Harsing Ingti, Davidlong Enghee, Birendra Teron, Longsing Tisso, John Kathar and Dharmeshwar Engleng. The committee was in office till the election in 1952.

     Sarsing Teron fought and won the election to the District Council from Rongkhang constituency, the voting center being only at Vothatlangso. He was elected to be a member of the first District Council body of Karbi Anglong. After serving for five years he retired from active political life.

    In 1960 Hongkram was taken up as Adarsha village and various incentives introduced by the government for the hill people who were asked to come down to the plains for better life.Sarsing Teron felt great satisfaction and pride at this fulfillment of one of his many dreams.

     His eldest son Chandrasing Teron went on to become the C.E.M., his younger son Mohansing Teron, E.M and the youngest son Khorsing Teron an M.D.C. His son-in-law Dhoniram Rongpi was C.E.M and Minister in Assam Cabinet. His grandsons Samsing Hanse was minister in Assam Cabinet and a great writer, and Dr. Mansing Rongpi the sitting M.L.A from Vothatlangso constituency.

         Sarsing Teron, Langkung Habe was a traditionalist but a modernist at heart. His life was a blend of both. His love to know the ABC paved way for the change in his life and took him to the road of Karbi Anglong politics to work with the people. As hobbies, he loved to maintain register with dates of every event, enjoyed cooking for himself and lived independently at his hongpharla, receiving people traditionally there and serving as the Habe till his death in the year 1979 on 5^th December at the age of 81. He nurtured Karbi traditional rites and rituals in spite of his close proximity with Christianity and being exposed to modern lifestyle.

      The life Sarsing Teron is an insight to the lives of so many children in the remote hills who are eager to go to school and learn new things, which might bring a change in their lives as well as those around them. What they need is the help and guidance of their teachers. This great and noble responsibility of spreading light and hope lies upon all the teachers. Let’s pray to God to help and guide all the teachers in this immensely glorious and humane endeavor. 

  SOURCES:

·        Kabon Teronpi and Lt. Monsing Teron

·        Smriti Probah- Barelong Terang

·        Karbi Anglongor rajnoitik itihas- Borsing Rongphar