The Khasis | Page 7

is split up into two divisions, the Khasi Hills proper and the
Jaintia Hills. The Khasi Hills form the western portion of the district
and the Jaintia Hills the eastern. The Khasis inhabit the Khasi Hills
proper, and the Syntengs, or Pnars, the Jaintia Hills. The latter hills take
their name from the Rajas of Jaintia, the former rulers of this part of the
country, who had as their capital Jaintiapur, a place situated at the foot
of the Jaintia Hills on the southern side, which now falls within the
boundaries of the Sylhet district. The Lynngams inhabit the western
portion of the Khasi Hills proper. A line drawn north and south through
the village of Nongstoin may be said to form their eastern boundary,
and the Kamrup and Sylhet districts their northern and southern
boundaries, respectively. The people known as Bhois in these hills,

who are many of them really Mikirs, live in the low hills to the north
and north-east of the district, the term "Bhoi" being a territorial name
rather than tribal. The eastern boundary of the Lynngam country may
be said to form their north-western boundary. The Wárs inhabit the
precipitous slopes and deep valleys to the south of the district. Their
country extends along the entire southern boundary of the district to the
Jadukata, or Kenchi-iong, river where the Lynngam territory may be
said to commence towards the south. There are some Hadem colonies
in the extreme eastern portions of the Jaintia Hills. It is these colonies
which are sometimes referred to by other writers as "Kuki Colonies."
They are settlers from the North Cachar Sub-division of the Cachar
district within recent years. It is possible that the title Hadem may have
some connection with Hidimba, the ancient name for the North Cachar
Hills.
Appearance.
The colour of the Khasi skin may be described as being usually brown,
varying from dark to a light yellowish brown, according to locality.
The complexion of the people who inhabit the uplands is of a
somewhat lighter shade, and many of the women, especially those who
live at Nongkrem, Laitlyngkot, Mawphlang, and other villages of the
surrounding high plateaux possess that pretty gipsy complexion that is
seen in the South of Europe amongst the peasants. The people of
Cherrapunji village are specially fair. The Syntengs of the Jaintia Hills
are darker than the Khasi uplanders. The Wárs who live in the low
valleys are frequently more swarthy than the Khasis. The Bhois have
the flabby-looking yellow skin of the Mikirs, and the Lynngams are
darker than the Khakis. The Lynngams are probably the darkest
complexioned people in the hills, and if one met them in the plains one
would not be able to distinguish them from the ordinary Kachari or
Rabha. The nose in the Khasi is somewhat depressed, the nostrils being
often large and prominent. The forehead is broad and the space
between the eyes is often considerable. The skull may be said to be
almost brachy-cephalic, the average cephalic index of 77 Khasi
subjects, measured by Col. Waddell and Major Hare, I.M.S., being as
high as 77.3 and 77.9, respectively. According to these data the Khasis

are more brachy-cephalic than the Aryans, whose measurements appear
in Crooke's tables, more brachy-cephalic than the 100 Mundas whose
measurements appear in Risley's tables, more brachy-cephalic than the
Dravidians, but less brachy-cephalic than the Burmans, whose
measurements also appear in Crooke's tables. It would be interesting to
compare some head measurements of Khasis with Japanese, but
unfortunately the necessary data are not available in the case of the
latter people. The Khasi head may be styled sub-brachy-cephalic. Eyes
are of medium size, in colour black or brown. In the Jaintia Hills hazel
eyes are not uncommon, especially amongst females. Eyelids are
somewhat obliquely set, but not so acutely as in the Chinese and some
other Mongols. Jaws frequently are prognathous, mouth large, with
sometimes rather thick lips. Hair black, straight, and worn long, the
hair of people who adopt the old style being caught up in a knot at the
back. Some males cut the hair short with the exception of a single lock
at the back, which is called u niuhtrong or u niuh-' iawbei (i.e. the
grandmother's lock.) The forepart of the head is often shaven. It is quite
the exception to see a beard, although the moustache is not infrequently
worn. The Lynngams pull out the hairs of the moustache with the
exception of a few hairs an either side of the upper lip.
Physical and General Characteristics
The Khasis are usually short in stature, with bodies well nourished, and
the males are extremely muscular. The trunk is long in proportion to
the rest of the body, and broad at the waist; calves are very highly
developed. The women, when