Mawphlang

Mawphlang is a village in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya state in north-eastern India, 25 kilometers from Shillong. The word maw means "stone", maw phlang means "grassy stone," and is one of many settlements in the Khasi hills named after monoliths.^[1] Mawphlang is the site of one of the Khasi Hills sacred groves.^[2]^[3] Khasi heritage village - located in the Mawphlang district - is considered to be the hub of Khasi culture. As per digital media NewsGram, the village project is in shambles. The heritage project was started with much fanfare, but has suffered losses due to governmental apathy and charges of corruption.^[4]

Country

India

Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)

Vehicle registrationML

Quick facts Country, State ...

Mawphlang
village
Mawphlang valley and village
Mawphlang Location in Meghalaya, India Show map of Meghalaya Mawphlang Mawphlang (India) Show map of India
Coordinates: 25°28′N 91°46′E
Country	India
State	Meghalaya
District	East Khasi Hills
Languages
• Official	English
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registration	ML
Nearest city	Mawphlang
Climate	Cwb

Mawphlang was the centre of Presbyterian Church of Wales missionary and medical activity in the Khasi Hills during the 1890s. A dispensary and then clinic were established in 1878 by Dr Griffith Griffiths of Brynmawr, Aberdaron who died at Mawphlang, 22 April 1892.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8] After Griffiths came William Williams (missionary) who also died at Mawphlang.^[9]

References

[1]
Encyclopaedia of Tourism Resources in India – Volume 1 – Page 234 Manohar Sajnani – 2003 "... visitors to the area is the large number of monoliths, table stones and cromlechs that are seen in most of the villages. .. Maw-smai the oath-stone, Maw-phlang the grassy stone and many others."
[2]
Economic Studies of Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge – Page 42 Nirmal Sengupta, Indian Economic Association Trust for Research and Development - 2007 "In more traditional societies such as the tribal societies of the Northeast, the concept of sacred grove is very prevalent. Thus, in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya at one time each village has had a small patch of forest preserved in a virgin state. ... of these sacred groves such as 'U Basa' or 'U Ryngkew' for the 'Mawphlang' sacred grove locally called 'Law Lyngdoh'."
[3]
Indian forest records: Botany – Volumes 3–4 – Page 161 Forest Research Institute (Dehra Dūn, India) – 1941 "The sacred grove at Mawphlang, called Law Lyngdoh, has the following story connected with it. One of the Khasi clans "Iangblah ", originating from Jaintia is said to have constituted this sacred grove, which is of considerable extent, in order to provide a home for a spirit called " U Basa " or " U Ryngkew ". These names indicate that the spirit is regarded as a keeper or defender of the land. The current belief in regard to this grove is that anyone who commits any damage in it will be throttled to death by the spirit in residence."
[4]
"Hub of Khasi culture, Khasi Heritage Village in shambles". NewsGram. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
[5]
D. Ben Rees Vehicles of Grace and Hope: Welsh Missionaries in India 1800–1970 Page 54 – 2002 "GRIFFITHS, ANNIE married Mary Gertrude in Edgbaston, Birmingham on 28 June, and they both sailed for ... Their first centre was Mawphlang, and resulting from a combination of missionary and evangelical work, a number of local people of ..."
[6]
Shaji Joseph Puykunnel Christianity and change in Northeast India Page 208 - 2009 "The child was treated by Dr. Griffiths and healed. To meet the growing needs of the people, Dr. Griffiths soon built a small dispensary at Mawphlang and also three houses for the patients' relatives and friends. During the outbreak of cholera at ..."
[7]
John Hughes Morris The history of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists' foreign mission Page 317 – 1996 "GRIFFITH GRIFFITHS, M.B., C.M. — Born at Brynmawr, Aberdaron, December 19th, 1852, son of Capt. Richard and Ellen Griffiths. In 1872 proceeded to Glasgow University ... Died at Mawphlang, April 22nd, 1892."
[8]
Maurice G. Lyngdoh Recapture: a collection of articles on the works of the ... Page 22 – 1992 "Dr.Griffiths built a small dispensary at Mawphlang and also three houses for the accommodation of the patients' relatives and friends. During the outbreak of Cholera at Shillong in 1879, Dr. Griffiths assisted by Rev. Thomas Jerman Jones and ."
[9]
J. Meirion Lloyd (1991). History of the Church in Mizoram: Harvest in the Hills. Synod Publication Board. pp. 17–23.

References

External links

Related Articles