Dkhar, [1][2][3] is a term used by the Khasis to refer to non-Khasi people in Meghalaya.[4] It is non derogatory but some perceived it as derogatory. For Khasis any non-tribal is a dkhar and they address them by that term.[5][6] Sometimes the word dkhar have been collectively used with the term heathen (Non-believers), as most of the native Khasis are christian, While non-tribals are mainly hindu.[7][8][9][10] In real, the term is mostly used against affluent Bengali Hindu settlers from West Bengal or the Bengali Hindu refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan[11] It is sometimes abbreviated to ′Khar and may also denote a Khasi clan with the same name.[12]
The 'Khasi-English Dictionary' published in 1906, lists Dkhar meaning non-Khasi.[4] The entry for its abbreviation 'khar, elaborates the non-Khasi aspect. Dkhar or 'khar could either refer to an inhabitant of the plains or a person from the Khasi clan having the same name.[12]Dkhar was originally meant to designate a clan among the Khasis to assimilate people of having partial Khasi ancestry, but differentiated from the indigenous Khasi clans.[13] However, in gradual usage the term came to represent non-Khasi people from the plains area surrounding the Khasi territory.[13] During the British period, Bengalis of all religions, mainly Hindu from Kolkata, Dhaka and Sylhet settled in Shillong by acquiring government jobs and engaged in other white collar professions. They initially settled in Laban, then a small farming village and from then Laban became synonymous with dkhar.[14][15] The Bengali Hindu settlers were perceived as outsiders, foreigners to the Khasi Hills and were negatively referred to as Dkhars. The Bengali Hindu festival of Durga Puja is called Pomblang U Dkhar in the Khasi language, literally meaning the festival of the Dkhars.[16] After the Partition, many Bengali Hindus from East Bengal and Sylhet District, which was awarded to Pakistan, moved to Shillong. The Assam government settled the Bengali Hindu refugees in Them Rynjah (R.R Colony) and other neighbourhoods of Shillong. During this period Nepalis, Biharis, Marwaris and Punjabis from various parts of Nepal and India settled in the present day territory of Meghalaya. The indigenous Khasi tribals began to consider the Dkhars responsible for their unemployment, poverty and the loss of 'tribal lands'. The growing resentment was usually directed on the Bengalis.[13]
Beh Dkharedit
Bengali Hindu women and children in a refugee camp in Shillong in 1979
In 1979, as the anti-foreigner movement gained momentum in Assam, the ethnocentric Khasi organizations like the Khasi Students Union and the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council[17] raised the slogan of Beh Dkhar, literally meaning 'chase the Dkhars away',[18] directed against the non tribals migrants of the state. Martin Narayan Majaw, the mercurial leader of another ethnocentric Khasi group called Demands Implementation Committee stated clearly, "We don't like outsiders to stay here. We tell them, come here, appreciate the blue sky and the green hills, and then go away."[3]
^Rammohan, E (2006). "Chapter 17: Indian Politics and the Scales of Justice". In Sen, Shankar (ed.). Reflections and Reminiscences of Police Officers. New Delhi: Concept. pp. 173–78. ISBN8180692361. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
^Bhattacharjee, Nabanipa (2010). "5" (PDF). Communities cultures and identities a sociological study of the Sylheti community in contemporary India (PhD). Shodhganga. p. 265. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
^ abMitra, Sumit (15 December 1979). "Unwanted millions". India Today. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ abSingh, U Nissor (1906). "Dkhar". In Gurdon, P.R.T.; Ropmay, U Dohori; Singh, U Hajom Kissor (eds.). Khasi-English Dictionary. Shillong: Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam. p. 65. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
^Mazumder, Jaideep (1 October 2007). "The Hills Are Alive". Outlook. Outlook Publishing. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
^Dutta, Amrita (3 November 2013). "The Year We Left Home". The Indian Express. Express Group. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^"The Real Clouds of Meghalaya". 25 December 2020.
^Roy, Nilanjana (23 September 2002). "Outsider Perils". Outlook. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
^ abSingh, U Nissor (1906). "'khar". In Gurdon, P.R.T.; Ropmay, U Dohori; Singh, U Hajom Kissor (eds.). Khasi-English Dictionary. Shillong: Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam. p. 27. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
^ abcMatta, Mara (2015). "The Khasi New Wave: Addressing Indigenous Issues from a Literary and Cinematic Perspective". Anglistica AION. 19 (1). Napoli: Università degli studi di Napoli "L’Orientale": 51–67. doi:10.19231/angl-aion.201515. ISSN 2035-8504.
^Wahlang, R (12 September 2013). "Sorry Plight Of The Oldest Town In Shillong". The Shillong Times. Shillong. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
^Hujon, Janet Moore (18 October 2017). "To Laban With Love". The Shillong Times. Shillong. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
^Singh, U Nissor (1906). "Dkhar". In Gurdon, P.R.T.; Ropmay, U Dohori; Singh, U Hajom Kissor (eds.). Khasi-English Dictionary. Shillong: Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam. p. 162. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
^Pariat, Janice (8 November 2013). "Inside/Outsiders". Motherland. New Delhi: Wieden+Kennedy. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
^Lyngdoh, Margaret (28 March 2016). Transformation, Tradition, and Lived Realities: Vernacular Belief Worlds of the Khasis of Northeastern India (PhD). University of Tartu. OCLC 614785252. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
April 15, 2024
dkhar, term, used, khasis, refer, khasi, people, meghalaya, derogatory, some, perceived, derogatory, khasis, tribal, dkhar, they, address, them, that, term, sometimes, word, dkhar, have, been, collectively, used, with, term, heathen, believers, most, native, k. Dkhar 1 2 3 is a term used by the Khasis to refer to non Khasi people in Meghalaya 4 It is non derogatory but some perceived it as derogatory For Khasis any non tribal is a dkhar and they address them by that term 5 6 Sometimes the word dkhar have been collectively used with the term heathen Non believers as most of the native Khasis are christian While non tribals are mainly hindu 7 8 9 10 In real the term is mostly used against affluent Bengali Hindu settlers from West Bengal or the Bengali Hindu refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan 11 It is sometimes abbreviated to Khar and may also denote a Khasi clan with the same name 12 Contents 1 History 2 Beh Dkhar 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editThe Khasi English Dictionary published in 1906 lists Dkhar meaning non Khasi 4 The entry for its abbreviation khar elaborates the non Khasi aspect Dkhar or khar could either refer to an inhabitant of the plains or a person from the Khasi clan having the same name 12 Dkhar was originally meant to designate a clan among the Khasis to assimilate people of having partial Khasi ancestry but differentiated from the indigenous Khasi clans 13 However in gradual usage the term came to represent non Khasi people from the plains area surrounding the Khasi territory 13 During the British period Bengalis of all religions mainly Hindu from Kolkata Dhaka and Sylhet settled in Shillong by acquiring government jobs and engaged in other white collar professions They initially settled in Laban then a small farming village and from then Laban became synonymous with dkhar 14 15 The Bengali Hindu settlers were perceived as outsiders foreigners to the Khasi Hills and were negatively referred to as Dkhars The Bengali Hindu festival of Durga Puja is called Pomblang U Dkhar in the Khasi language literally meaning the festival of the Dkhars 16 After the Partition many Bengali Hindus from East Bengal and Sylhet District which was awarded to Pakistan moved to Shillong The Assam government settled the Bengali Hindu refugees in Them Rynjah R R Colony and other neighbourhoods of Shillong During this period Nepalis Biharis Marwaris and Punjabis from various parts of Nepal and India settled in the present day territory of Meghalaya The indigenous Khasi tribals began to consider the Dkhars responsible for their unemployment poverty and the loss of tribal lands The growing resentment was usually directed on the Bengalis 13 Beh Dkhar edit nbsp Bengali Hindu women and children in a refugee camp in Shillong in 1979In 1979 as the anti foreigner movement gained momentum in Assam the ethnocentric Khasi organizations like the Khasi Students Union and the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council 17 raised the slogan of Beh Dkhar literally meaning chase the Dkhars away 18 directed against the non tribals migrants of the state Martin Narayan Majaw the mercurial leader of another ethnocentric Khasi group called Demands Implementation Committee stated clearly We don t like outsiders to stay here We tell them come here appreciate the blue sky and the green hills and then go away 3 See also editBongal Mayang MalaunReferences edit Rammohan E 2006 Chapter 17 Indian Politics and the Scales of Justice In Sen Shankar ed Reflections and Reminiscences of Police Officers New Delhi Concept pp 173 78 ISBN 8180692361 Retrieved 10 June 2018 Bhattacharjee Nabanipa 2010 5 PDF Communities cultures and identities a sociological study of the Sylheti community in contemporary India PhD Shodhganga p 265 Retrieved 6 March 2020 a b Mitra Sumit 15 December 1979 Unwanted millions India Today Retrieved 31 August 2015 a b Singh U Nissor 1906 Dkhar In Gurdon P R T Ropmay U Dohori Singh U Hajom Kissor eds Khasi English Dictionary Shillong Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam p 65 Retrieved 10 June 2018 Mazumder Jaideep 1 October 2007 The Hills Are Alive Outlook Outlook Publishing Retrieved 26 June 2017 Dutta Amrita 3 November 2013 The Year We Left Home The Indian Express Express Group Retrieved 5 June 2018 The Real Clouds of Meghalaya 25 December 2020 Who is a Dkhar 30 August 2017 Shillong in flames Curse of being Dkhar in Meghalaya 25 November 2022 Dkhar is a slur in Shillong 17 March 2023 Roy Nilanjana 23 September 2002 Outsider Perils Outlook Retrieved 5 September 2014 a b Singh U Nissor 1906 khar In Gurdon P R T Ropmay U Dohori Singh U Hajom Kissor eds Khasi English Dictionary Shillong Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam p 27 Retrieved 10 June 2018 a b c Matta Mara 2015 The Khasi New Wave Addressing Indigenous Issues from a Literary and Cinematic Perspective Anglistica AION 19 1 Napoli Universita degli studi di Napoli L Orientale 51 67 doi 10 19231 angl aion 201515 ISSN 2035 8504 Wahlang R 12 September 2013 Sorry Plight Of The Oldest Town In Shillong The Shillong Times Shillong Retrieved 19 October 2018 Hujon Janet Moore 18 October 2017 To Laban With Love The Shillong Times Shillong Retrieved 19 October 2018 Singh U Nissor 1906 Dkhar In Gurdon P R T Ropmay U Dohori Singh U Hajom Kissor eds Khasi English Dictionary Shillong Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam p 162 Retrieved 10 June 2018 Pariat Janice 8 November 2013 Inside Outsiders Motherland New Delhi Wieden Kennedy Retrieved 10 June 2018 Lyngdoh Margaret 28 March 2016 Transformation Tradition and Lived Realities Vernacular Belief Worlds of the Khasis of Northeastern India PhD University of Tartu OCLC 614785252 Retrieved 10 June 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dkhar amp oldid 1190042152, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
