When Khasis Scale Mountain Peak to Reach Heaven's Navel

By Manosh Das

Shillong, Feb 7 : Did you know that heaven has a navel' and that it lies on Mother Earth? The two are even linked with a metaphorical umbilical cord' a golden ladder symbolized by a tree atop a peak where the navel' lies.

Well, the navel' of heaven is located on earth at 25.1' and 26.5' north latitude and between 90.47' and 92.52' east longitude atop the U Lum Sohpetbneng Peak. The peak, popularly known as Umbilical Heavenly Peak' is situated by the scenic Umiam Lake (Barapani) close to the Meghalaya capital.

Every year on the first Sunday of February, thousands of Khasi-Jaintia people who adhere to the indigenous tribal faith make a pilgrimage to this navel' of heaven atop the 1,344-metre high peak, about 16 km from Shillong, to offer their obeisance to god.

According to mythology, the Khasi race descended from Ki Hynniewtrep-Khyndai Skum or the seven huts on earth and nine huts in heaven, which are connected to the creator by a golden ladder on U Lum Sohpetbneng. This golden ladder (Jingkieng Ksiar) was severed when sin crept into earth. Nine families remained in the celestial abode and seven settled on earth and multiplied.

The sub-tribes of the Khasi race Khynriam, Pnar, Bhoi, War, Maram, Lyngngam and the now-extinct Diko of Meghalaya, are collectively known as Ki Hynniewtrep, which literally means Seven Huts' referring to the seven families, the first settlers on earth, according to a popular legend.

"According to ancient Khasi faith, you can approach god only with a golden heart full of virtue and humility. God is like a mother with whom her children are linked through the umbilical cord, which is symbolized by the golden ladder atop U Lum Sohpetbneng," explains Kynpham King Nongkynrih, poet and author of several books on the Khasis. The annual obeisance at U Lum Sohpetbneng was paid today by thousands of faithful Khasi with traditional rituals and rites, dances and songs.

"Khasis believe that in the days when righteousness prevailed there was a tree that served as a ladder to the original sixteen families for their communication between heaven and earth.

This tree formed the golden bridge ensuring physical contact between man and god till the time when transgression became the order of the day and this bridge gave way destroying the communication link between heaven and earth," explains a Khasi elder.