Shillong to host historical play on Khasi resistance and ‘Vande Mataram’

A historical stage production centred on Khasi resistance against British rule and the legacy of the national song Vande Mataram will be staged in Shillong on July 15. Titled Rikynti Ka Rilum Khasi – Virasat: The Eternal Hills, the production is being presented by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in collaboration with the Riti Academy of Visual Arts at Jaiaw Shyiap Lumpyllon Hall.

Directed by Phrangsngi Wahlang and written by Raphael Warjri, the full-length play blends history, folklore, music and indigenous performing arts. The narrative is built around the traditional Khasi Phawar, an oral poetic form, to depict the community's resistance to colonial rule and its connection to its ancestral land.

The story unfolds through conversations between a grandfather and his granddaughter, linking historical events with present-day concerns. It revisits the Hill State Movement, the constitutional efforts of the Federation of Khasi States to protect indigenous identity and self-governance, and the Anglo-Khasi War led by Tirot Sing Syiem against British forces.

The production also recreates the attack at Nongkhlaw, an event recorded in colonial accounts as the Nongkhlaw Massacre but remembered by many in Khasi history as an assertion of sovereignty and resistance.

Alongside its historical narrative, the play incorporates patriotic songs, traditional Khasi music, dance and dramatic choreography to highlight themes of courage, sacrifice and cultural resilience.

Organisers said the production aims to encourage younger audiences to engage with the region's history while recognising the contribution of the Khasi people to India's freedom movement and cultural heritage.