Nartiang Monoliths of Meghalaya
Monoliths around the world have been standing as timeless symbols depicting the permanence power of nature and human ability to control and use it in their pursuit. These humongous single rock or stone pieces, also referred to as megaliths because of their huge size, had been an excellent medium to understand the history, beliefs, and stories of varied communities associated with them and provide an equally interesting comparative study of the different monolithic sites found in different areas of the world. Monoliths are broadly divided into two sub-groups: a) natural and b) man-made. The ones that are crafted and erected by humans are often centered around cultural, religious, and supernatural beliefs. One such place where we find numerous sites of man-made monoliths is the state of Meghalaya in the north-eastern part of India. Here, the megalithic culture is mainly followed by the Khasi and the Jaintia groups of people in which they erect monoliths, megaliths, cromlech, carins, etc. in their sacred spaces.

The Jaintia’s of Meghalaya have the tradition of erecting a monolith as a mark of respect following the death of a person. The process includes erecting a set of huge stones with one laid flat (dolmens) and the other upright (menhirs). Thus, the dolmens and menhirs in Jaintia dialect are called moo kynthai (meaning women) and moo shynrang (meaning men), respectively, which are laid as part of the cremation ceremony of a deceased or sometimes during the disposal of their ashes by the family members. The monoliths found among the Jaintia’s mostly consist of menhirs, dolmens, and cairns. The cairns are erected upright, having a circular or squarish plan, are fitted close to each other, and often contain bones of the family members, which are periodically removed after their calcification to be deposited in jars, cists, etc. Thus, the cairns, dolmens, and menhirs have been an integral part of the Jaintia people through which they pay homage to their ancestors and remember them by.

Among the many sacred megalithic monument sites found in and around the state of Meghalaya is the very famous place of Nartiang, situated in the West Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, largely populated by the Jaintia group of people, which houses some of the most grand and humongous-looking tall menhirs. According to Jaintia legend, Nartiang had been the summer capital of the Jaintia Kings, and the monoliths are supposedly erected by a giant named Mar Phalyngki and his warriors. The Archaeological Survey of India has dated the erection of these monoliths to 1500 CE, which commemorates the glorious events of the Jaintia kingdom. The Nartiang monolith site has the largest monolithic concentration found in the state of Meghalaya so far at one single site. The tallest menhir (moo long syiem) found here is approximately 8 meters high and has a thickness of 18 inches. This unique but systematic site layout reflects the Jaintia heritage and their beliefs rooted in histories, myths, and legends.
