R.Kamei
AS the people of Zeliangrong are once again commemorating the martyr’s day of Haipou Jadonang on 29th August 2014, I take the privilege to trace back the historical sequence that led to the arrest of this unsung hero on that fateful day of 1931.
It was in 1928 that Jadonang declaared a “Naga Raj” kingdom, a slogan against the overthrowing of British Raj which Ursula Graham Bowler described it as “the blue print of a Naga heaven-the millennium at hand” (Naga Path page 42). He declared; “Meiteis have their king; Indians have their own kings, why shouldn’t we have our own? All men are equal and created by God; our days have come: Our powerful weapons are kept hidden by god at Zeilat Lake. We shall pray God and by his grace we can become kings”. For this, he was arrested and kept in Tamenglong Jail for 3 days. The imprisonment ignited fire in the minds of all Zeliangrong people. Sentenced for 7 days was curtailed to 3 days due to unrest uproar of the people. Jadonang was cautioned not to make the slogan again. Yet, Jadonang, himself being a war veteran of British infantry in Iraq in First World War was fearless as he had experienced a lot in the war of bitterness, dominion and arbitrary. (See Mirror General Knowledge of Nagaland page 26 by Vekhucho Vadeo and Message signed by L. Kire, Commissioner & Secretary to Chief Minister). A valorous soldier of guts and caliber was he: A meteor from the south Naga Hills was about to strike the British Empire!
The climax fuelled up. Situation tensed. Atmosphere gloomy: British intelligentsia were on high alert. Intelligential services were reaching out far and wide like a tentacle to gather information from all possible angles of Zeliangrong villages. Yet, in this highly tension-filled atmosphere, communities of Zeliangrong were in hush-hush carrying out strategies in the death of nights to strike back against the mighty British Empire. Arms & ammunition were smuggled. Bullets procured. Tools and implements smitten out: Hundred and thousand of tools made. Daos, spears, arrows in different size and shape were made. Village blacksmiths were not spared. Secret messages were sent to the villages with a spear to receive as a sign of approval for participating in the strike. Youths were trained to the best for the impending strike. Patriotic drills and dances were taught to encourage the youths. Heads held high; minds, fearless. Haipou Jadonang and his countrymen were ready for the strike. Victory or defeat, final strike against the empire was settled and ready. The would-be-burnt thatches are dried up; just the strike of the match is the only hour that left. This time the blow must be in greater degree and in higher intensity than that of the arrest in 1928. That arrest was just a inaugural spark of his movement. The final one would be the landmark in the history of Zeliangrong. 1931 was the year he decided to declare war against the British Empire.
However, prior to the strike, he along with Gaidinlu and followers of 600 went to Bhuvan Cave, Cachar, as a last pilgrimage to have a communion with god to seek blessing for the strike. Unfortunately, destined to his fate, D.C. of Naga Hills district of Assam, based on the urgent nature of the report of a Mauzadar, reported to J.C. Higgins of Manipur that Jadonang had declared King and all the Zeliangrong Nagas also accepted it and they were ready to wage war against the British leaving aside all their domestic affairs. Clandestine strategies of Haipou Jadonang were reported to the British government of Manipur. This seriousness of the report had aroused the British intelligentsia with apprehension that J.C. Higgins informed D.C. of Cachar to arrest Jadonang at the earliest. As trickery planned, Jadonang was arrested on the river bank of Barak on 19th February 1931 when he was going to a Muslim Police Officer on his invitation for a lunch which Gaidinlu had prevented him not to go. He was arrested under Section 108 of IPC. Jadonang was kept in Silchar jail. Bail was denied.
After getting the news of Jadonang’s arrest, J.C. Higgins with a column of platoon of Assam Rifles under Major Bufield and Gorkha officer with 190 coolies marched to Kambiron through Bishempur on the Cachar road and arrived at Kambiron. Higgins and Bufield visited Jadonang’s house and temples and burnt them down.
Then, the column went down to Jirighat to receive Jadonang from the Assam authorities. Jadonang was taken to Nungkao and then to Tamenglong, and then brought to Imphal on 19th March, 1931. It was a saddest march that Jadonang, the seer of freedom ever was chained in hands and legs without any shirt except a little shawl wrapped at his waist was brought along the Imphal Kangchup road to Khwairamband (Paona) Bazaar and to Imphal Jail. Thousands of market women at bazaar looked upon him helplessly. Languishing in jail, Jadonang had heard his verdict. Legal defense was denied. The judgment declared. The execution fixed.
Comes 29th August; 1931, morning at 6 am. The nature looks gloomy. Jadonang is brought out of jail. Taken to scaffold prepared between the two mango trees on the bank of Nambul River behind Imphal jail. Head covered. Rope put. Countdown begins. Time ticking: ……5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Zero! Hang! Hanged: Jadonang was on the gallows. Wailing heard.
While Nagas of north Naga Hills were doing their best, Nagas of South Naga Hills also did the same to oust the British colonization. Irrespective of the territorial coverage, the nature of the revolt itself proves the cause of death. Long live Jadonang!
