British bungalow, a legacy of embracing Christianity of Tangkhul community
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik
Ukhrul, November 30 2023:
The lone British antique bungalow located in the heart of Ukhrul town that was inherited from an American missionary has not only kept alive but made the Tangkhul Christian community flourish, particularly for those who have embraced the American Baptist Mission as their religious faith.
The American Baptist Mission, commonly known as AB Mission by Tangkhuls, is directly governed from the British bungalow by the Tangkhul Baptist Churches Association (TBCA).
The antique western building established at Mission Compound Alungtang, Ukhrul is the main central head office of AB Mission.
This correspondent interacted with an elderly person of Ukhrul about the British bungalow.
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LS Luirai (79) said that the double storeyed bungalow has seven rooms including the kitchen and was constructed by Dr Rev Earl Brook in 1943.It continued to function as the main command centre for all Tangkhul churches affiliated to TBCA.
It is worth noting that all Tangkhul church leaders under TBCA come together at the old building to discuss and take important decisions for execution of policies that have to be followed by all member churches, he added.
It might be mentioned that Rev William Pettigrew was the first western missionary who came to Hunphun village in 1896 and was permitted to settle at Lungtung Awungtang.
(Hunphun is the original name of Ukhrul village) .
The then headman of Hunphun village, HA Raihao, sheltered him and permitted Pettigrew to carry out his missionary work and educate the villagers.
In 1901, after working for 5 years in the village, 12 persons were baptized by Rev William Pettigrew at Ngayira in Hunphun village.
Rev William Pettigrew also selected a beautiful hillock at Tangrei called Phungyo for construction of a church in Hunphun village for those who embraced the American Baptist Mission in Ukhrul district.
Working as the pastor of Phungyo Church, he relentlessly worked to spread the gospel of Christianity across the district.
A separate mission land, called Phungyo land in Ukhrul town, was also allotted in Hunphun village by the headman for settlement of those families who had converted to Christianity.
From 1896 to 1954, the western missionaries worked in the Tangkhul region for 55 years and succeeded in their mission project by imparting western education and gradually converted the whole Tangkhul community to Christianity.
This paradigm shift in the Tangkhul society led to forsaking of the traditional practice of animism and conversion to Christianity.
Although the Tangkhul community embraced different Christian denominations, especially American Baptist Mission, Roman Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist etc, however the community considered Phungyo Church at Tangrei as the starting point of Christianity.
They fondly refer to it as the "mother church of Manipur" because of its historical significance to the Christian community of the State.
Phungyo Baptist Church recently observed its foundation day celebrating 123 years of Christianity in Ukhrul town.
The Tangkhul population of almost 2 lakh have now converted to Christianity.