Khong: Its significance in Zeliangrong culture
- Part 2 -

Dr Budha Kamei *

Gaan - Ngai - A ritual festival of Zeliangrongs at Moirangkhom Kabui Khul on 6th January 2015 :: Pix - Daniel Chabungbam

Choumongding Khonglon: Tradition says, two great warriors called Chou and Mongding went for a raid and returned home with triumph. At the Raang, the villagers welcomed them and pounded drums in their honor. This kind of drumbeating is recognized as Choumongding Khonglon. It was named after Chou and Mongding. The expert drummers perform this kind of Khonglon in the community festivals and great ritual ceremonies like Maku Banru, Taraang Kai etc (Kamson, 2011:272).

Choumongding Khonglon goes like this:
Chou, chou, chou, chou
Chou, mongding, mongding, mongding
Chou,chou, chou,chou
Bangdang, bangdang, bangdang, dang
Chou, chou, chou, chou

Shenthao Khongthao: The Zeliangrong people perform great ritual ceremonies in the belief that after death the soul of the performer will go to heaven (Tingkao Kaidai). Zoulumei is the main ceremony of these great ritual sacrifices. Colonial writers used the term feast of merit to mean such great ritual ceremonies. It is a wrong interpretation because it is based on the concept of charity.

Just before the observance of Zourumei, the beating of Shenthao Khongthao is performed by the expert drummers of the male’s dormitory with the accompaniment of other musical instruments such as cymbal and gong. The Shenthao Khongthao may be followed by other types of drum beating. Shenthao Khongthao goes like this:
Chong dang dang, chong dang dang
Chong dang dang dang
Chong dang dang, chong daang
Chong dang dang, chong dang dang
Chong dang dang, chong dang dang…

Meikao Khonglon: Meikao Khonglon is a kind of drum beating indicating the village community to come and assemble at a place for a definite purpose; (Mei means man, kao, to call and Khonglon, a kind of drum beating). In great ritual sacrifices and community festivals, there are rites and customary activities to be observed in which community gathering is compulsory. Secondly, in the remote past, the Zeliangrong villages were located on top of the hills.

Because of this factor, it is not possible to call the villagers by going door to door so they used to call people through drum beating called Meikao Khonglon. On hearing the sound of drum beating the villagers will come and gather at the Khangchu or at the place where the proposed work is to be executed. Meikao Khonglon goes like this:
Dang, dang, dang dangchong, dangchong, dangchong, dang
Dang chong, chong, chong dangchong dang
Chong dang dang, chong dang dang…..

Goidou Khonglon: In great ritual ceremonies, the Zeliangrong people offer animal like mithun to God. Customarily, before sacrificing the animal they perform a kind of drum beating called Goidou Khonglon; (Goi means mithun, dou, chopping and Khonglon, a kind of drum beating). It is performed by an expert drummer of the Khangchu. This is a compulsory rite; without this the sacrifice is incomplete. Goidou Khonglon goes like this:
Chong dang dang, chong dang
Chong dang dang, chong dang dang
Chong dang dang, chong dang dang….

Jandan Khonglon: Gaan ngai is the biggest festival of the Zeliangrong people of Northeast India. In Gaan ngai and great ritual sacrifices, the senior members of male’s dormitory perform a kind of drum beating locally called Jandan Khonglon at the premises of Khangchu or at the residence of Banrupou or Taraangpou; (Jan means meat, dan, chopping flesh and bone on a piece of wood and Khonglon, a kind of drum beating).

In this way, the younger generation has the opportunity to learn the customs and traditions of their forefathers from the senior members of the dormitory. Jandan Khonglon goes like this:
Dangchong dang, dangchong kak chong, dangchong dang
Dangchong kak-chong kak-kak kakchong dang dangchong

Tingthin Khonglon: Usually, the senior members of Khangchu exhibit different kinds of drum beating in their community festivals and great ritual ceremonies. Tingthin Khonglon is also one of the kinds of drum beating producing the sound of thunder; (Ting means rain, thin, thunder and Khonglon, a kind of drum beating). Tingthin Khonglon goes like this:
Dang dang dang, dang dang chong
Dangchong dangchong, dang dang dang dang
Chong chong chong chong
Dang dang dang dang chongdang
Chongdang dang dang dang dang chongdang…

Shenlon Khonglon: In the great ritual ceremonies, they also perform a kind of drum beating called Shenlon Khonglon. It is performed by expert drummers for the prosperity of the couple who host the great ritual ceremony. Some say, it is a kind of giving blessing to the couple. Shenthao Khonglon goes like this:
Dang chong chong dang dang dang
Chong chong chong dangchong dang
Chong chong dang dang dang
Chong chong dang chong dang dang chong….

Meithei Khonglon: In the lifecycle of an individual, death is the last and final crisis. Meithei Khonglon is a kind of drum beating performed at the time of death of a person who hosted the great ritual sacrifice like Maku Banru, Taraang Kai etc.; (Mei means man, thei, death and Khonglon, a kind of drum beating). It is performed by the senior members of Khangchu at the premises of the deceased family; it goes on beating up to the grave. It is believed that the spirit of the dead take the Khonglon to another world (Kamson, 2011: 270-272).

Meithei Khonglon goes like this:
Thei thei theitingding
Theiting theiting theitingding
Thei thei thei theitingding

Besides, there are many other kinds of drum beating like Tunakhenchong, Ditingkhonglon, Khangnarot/Laorongpatkhong etc. performed in the community festivals and great ritual ceremonies (Interview report).

Conclusion: To conclude, the Zeliangrong people use different types of musical instruments in their socio-cultural events. This indicates that they love music. Among the musical instruments, the drum called Khong is the leading instrument. In the past, the young boys and girls learnt the playing of these musical instruments including the drumbeating from the senior members while sleeping in their respective dormitories. Now, the dormitories function only in festivals.

Concluded