Muslim victory
82-580: Meghalaya ( / ˌ m eɪ ɡ ə ˈ l eɪ ə , m eɪ ˈ ɡ ɑː l ə j ə / ; lit. "the abode of clouds") is a state in northeast India . Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of Assam : (a) the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills and (b) the Garo Hills . The estimated population of Meghalaya in 2014 was 3,211,474. Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22,429 square kilometres, with
164-489: A Muslim living in the village of Tultikar, sacrificed a cow for his newborn son's aqiqah or celebration of birth. The beef was supposedly picked up by a kite, which then flew to Govinda's Hindu temple and dropped it there. Govinda, in a fury for what he saw as sacrilege due to his Hindu beliefs , had the newborn killed as well as having Burhanuddin's right hand cut off. Shortly after this incident, Qadi Nuruddin of Taraf celebrated his son's marriage ceremony by slaughtering
246-464: A ballad known as Shantiranir Baromashi (Shantirani's twelve months). After the successful conquest of Gour, Syed Nasiruddin set off on an expedition against the feudal Raja Achak Narayan of Tungachal, which had been a part of the Gour Kingdom . Nasiruddin arrived with 1000 lascars and 12 Saints sent by Shahjalal (r) to help him. He camped in a place now known as Laskarpur. Raja Achak Narayan
328-530: A cow for them to eat. The Qadi was executed by the feudal ruler Achack Narayan. After both men being punished, Burhanuddin and Nooruddin's brother, Helimuddin, travelled to lower Bengal where they addressed their issued with Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah. At the same time, a Sufi missionary by the name of Shah Jalal was due to arrive in the region of Bengal. After being commanded by his uncle, Sheikh Kabir before his journey to reside and propagate Islam in
410-774: A length-to-breadth ratio of about 3:1. The state is bound to the south by the Bangladeshi divisions of Mymensingh and Sylhet , to the west by the Bangladeshi division of Rangpur , and to the north and east by India's State of Assam . The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong . During the British rule of India , the British authorities nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East". English is the official language of Meghalaya. Unlike many Indian states, Meghalaya has historically followed
492-431: A matrilineal system where the lineage and inheritance are traced through women; the youngest daughter inherits all wealth and she also takes care of her parents. The state is the wettest region of India, with the wettest areas in the southern Khasi Hills recording an average of 12,000 mm (470 in) of rain a year. About 70 per cent of the state is forested. The Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion encompasses
574-713: A number of primates . Meghalaya also has a large variety of bats . The limestone caves in Meghalaya such as the Siju Cave are home to some of the nation's rarest bat species. The hoolock gibbon is found in all districts of Meghalaya. Common reptiles in Meghalaya are lizards , crocodiles and tortoises . Meghalaya also has a number of snakes including the python , copperhead , green tree racer, Indian cobra , king cobra , coral snake and vipers . Meghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds, many of which are endemic to Himalayan foothills, Tibet and Southeast Asia . Of
656-478: A region in which the soil matches the one that was given to him in his home country, Shah Jalal knew that it is in Srihatta where he shall reside in for the rest of his life. Shah Jalal journeyed eastward and reached India in c. 1300, where he met many great scholars and Sufi mystics. As Govinda's minister, Mona Rai , was based near the port, Rai decided to stop river transport and ferries making it difficult for
738-548: A small family of Tibeto-Burman languages . Garo, spoken by the majority of the population, is spoken in many dialects such as Abeng or Ambeng, Atong, Akawe (or Awe), Matchi Dual, Chibok, Chisak Megam or Lyngngam, Ruga, Gara-Ganching and Matabeng. Pnar is spoken by many people of both the West and East Jaintia Hills . The language is related to the Khasi language. Apart from the main languages, various local dialect are being spoken by
820-464: A sovereign democratic republic. The new republic was also declared to be a "Union of States". The constitution of 1950 distinguished between three main types of states: Andhra State was created on 1 October 1953 from the Telugu -speaking northern districts of Madras State . The French enclave of Chandernagore was transferred to West Bengal in 1954. In the same year Pondicherry , comprising
902-412: A total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into 806 districts and smaller administrative divisions . The states of India are self-governing administrative divisions, each having a state government . The governing powers of the states are shared between the state government and the union government . On the other hand, the union territories are directly governed by
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#1732765386599984-525: A vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity. A small portion of the forest area in Meghalaya is under what are known as " sacred groves " (see Sacred groves of India ). These are small pockets of an ancient forest that have been preserved by the communities for hundreds of years due to religious and cultural beliefs. These forests are reserved for religious rituals and generally remain protected from any exploitation. These sacred groves harbour many rare plant and animal species. The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in
1066-473: Is a major Hindu temple in Meghalaya and it is one of the 51 Shakti peethas on Earth. Indigenous Faiths is followed by 8.7 % of population. The indigenous faiths of Meghalaya are Niamtre , followed by Jaintia people, Niam Khasi and Niam Tynrai , followed by Khasi tribe. Muslims constitute 4.39% of the population and are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills , where they make up 16.60% of
1148-489: Is also famous for its large variety of orchids — nearly 325 of them. Of these, the largest variety is found in the Mawsmai, Mawmluh and Sohrarim forests in the Khasi hills. Meghalaya also has a large variety of mammals , birds, reptiles and insects. The important mammal species include elephants, bear, red pandas , small Indian civets , mongooses , weasels , rodents , gaur , wild buffalo , deer , wild boar and
1230-691: Is famously known to have built a seven-storey brick tower. There was a small minority of Muslim families living in the country, following the short-lived Azmardan Invasion in 1254 led by the Governor of Bengal, Malik Ikhtiyaruddin Iuzbak . The Gour Kingdom bordered the independent Bengali principality of Lakhnauti ruled by the Muslim Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah of the Balban dynasty. The war began when Burhanuddin ,
1312-600: Is geologically rich. It consists mainly of Archean rock formations. These rock formations contain rich deposits of valuable minerals like coal, limestone , uranium and sillimanite . The name Meghalaya was given by Shiba P. Chatterjee , a geography professor at the University of Calcutta . Meghalaya has many rivers. Most of these are rainfed and seasonal. The important rivers in the Garo Hills region are Ganol, Daring, Sanda, Bandra, Bugai, Dareng, Simsang , Nitai and
1394-426: Is practised even today. The highland plateaus fed by abundant rains provided safety from floods and a rich soil. The importance of Meghalaya is its possible role in human history via domestication of rice. A theory for the origin of rice is by Ian Glover while states, "India is the center of greatest diversity of domesticated rice with over 20,000 identified species and Northeast India is the most favorable single area of
1476-510: Is spoken by about 1,128,575 people residing in Meghalaya. Many words in the Khasi language have been borrowed from Indo-Aryan languages such as Assamese , Bengali and Nepali . Moreover, the Khasi language originally had no script of its own. The Khasi language is one of the very few surviving Mon–Khmer languages in India today. The Garo language has a close affinity with the Bodo languages ,
1558-530: Is the largest bird in Meghalaya. Other regional birds found include the grey peacock pheasant , the large Indian parakeet and the common green pigeon . Meghalaya is also home to over 250 species of butterflies, nearly a quarter of all butterfly species found in India. In 2020, scientists have discovered the largest known subterranean fish in Meghalaya's Jaintia Hills . Byrnihat has been ranked 38th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 3 population under 3 lakhs cities) in India. Tribal people make up
1640-530: Is the official language of the state. The most spoken languages in Meghalaya are Khasi (33.82%) and Garo (31.60%) followed by Pnar (10.69%), Bengali (6.44%), Nepali (1.85%), War (1.73%), Hindi (1.62%), Hajong (1.40%) and Assamese (1.34%). Khasi (also spelled Khasia, Khassee, Cossyah, and Kyi) is a branch of the Mon–Khmer family of the Austroasiatic stock and according to 2001 census, Khasi
1722-587: The Gulzar-i-Abrar , a Muslim account of the war. They were defeated once again and Sikandar retreated back to Bengal for a second time, humiliated by what had occurred. Firoz Shah then turned to his Sipah Salar (commander-in-chief) Syed Nasiruddin as he realised that this undertaking was much bigger than he anticipated and he would need a larger and more skilled army. The two armies decided to attack together but it ended in failure due to Govinda's superior military strategy. Govinda's family rejoiced over
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#17327653865991804-803: The Crown Colony of Burma . In 1947, the last Act of the Crown was passed. The act dissolved the Indian Empire, the Imperial Legislative Council and the Chamber of Princes and the Union of India was consequently established from 9 former Indian provinces ( East Punjab , United Provinces , Central Provinces , Madras , Bombay , Bihar , Orissa , West Bengal and Assam ) and 562 former Indian states. Between 1947 and 1950,
1886-468: The East Khasi Hills district and the West Garo Hills district . English is spoken as a common language across the diverse ethnic and demographic groups. In urban centres most of the people can speak English; rural residents vary in their ability. Meghalaya currently has 12 districts. Jaintia Hills Division: Khasi Hills Division: Garo Hills Division: The Jaintia Hills district
1968-540: The Government of India Act of 1919 , the governor-general-in-council declared the areas now in Meghalaya, other than the Khasi states, as "backward tracts." Subsequently, the British administration enacted the Government of India Act 1935 , which regrouped the backward tracts into two categories: "excluded" and "partially excluded" areas. At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within
2050-813: The Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong , 98.53% of the Koch , and 94.60% of the Rabha tribes are Hindus. A minority of Garo and Khasi are also Hindus mainly because of the influence of Hindu populations in Hindu majority villages. Hindus are the largest religious minority in Meghalaya with 11.52% of the total state's population as of 2011 census Hindus are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills , East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi with 19.11 per cent, 17.55 per cent and 11.96 per cent respectively. The Nartiang Durga Temple
2132-578: The Sanskrit words megha ("cloud", मेघ) and alaya ("abode", आलय) Meghalaya, alongside the neighbouring Indian states, has been of archaeological interest. People have lived in Meghalaya since the Neolithic period . Neolithic sites discovered so far are located in areas of high elevation in Khasi Hills , Garo Hills and in neighbouring states, where Neolithic style jhum or shifting cultivation
2214-526: The 19th century. Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835. The region enjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown. When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon , Meghalaya became a part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam . When the partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya became a part of the province of Assam. On 3 January 1921 in pursuance of Section 52A of
2296-486: The Bhupai. In the central and eastern sections of the plateau, the important rivers are Khri, Umtrew, Digaru, Umiam or Barapani, Kynshi (Jadukata), Umngi, Mawpa, Umiam Khwan, Umngot, Umkhen, Myntdu and Myntang. In the southern Khasi Hills region, these rivers have created deep gorges and several waterfalls. The elevation of the plateau ranges between 150 m (490 ft) to 1,961 m (6,434 ft). The central part of
2378-471: The Emperor's representative to the constituent states of the province. The first three of the lieutenant-governorships were territories annexed to India from other powers and temporarily governed by the erstwhile Bengal Presidency, before being made into their own separate provinces. Agra and Bengal were still considered de jure parts of the defunct Bengal Presidency for judicial and legal purposes. Agra
2460-588: The Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with an altitude of 1515 m. With the average annual rainfall as high as 12,000 mm (470 in) in some areas, Meghalaya is the wettest place on Earth. The western part of the plateau, comprising the Garo Hills region with lower elevations, experiences high temperatures for most of the year. The Shillong area, with the highest elevations, experiences generally low temperatures. The maximum temperature in this region rarely goes beyond 28 °C (82 °F), whereas sub-zero winter temperatures are common. The town of Sohra ( Cherrapunji ) in
2542-478: The Garo language. Due to diverse climatic and topographic conditions, Meghalaya forests support a vast floral diversity, including a large variety of parasites , epiphytes , succulent plants and shrubs . Two of the most important tree varieties are Shorea robusta (sal tree) and Tectona grandis (teak). Meghalaya is also the home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants. Meghalaya
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2624-474: The Government of India introduced legislation to merge the union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli into a single union territory to be known as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu , effective from 26 January 2020. Ladakh UT The Constitution of India distributes the sovereign executive and legislative powers exercisable with respect to the territory of any state between
2706-491: The Indian Union and the state's monarchy was abolished. In 1987, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram became states on 20 February, followed by Goa on 30 May, while erstwhile union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu 's northern exclaves Damão and Diu became a separate union territory as Daman and Diu . In November 2000, three new states were created, namely: Pondicherry was renamed Puducherry in 2007 and Orissa
2788-529: The Khasi Hills south of capital Shillong holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month, while the village of Mawsynram , near Sohra (Cherrapunji), holds the record for the most rain in a year. About 70% of the state is forested, of which 9,496 km (3,666 sq mi) is dense primary subtropical forest. The Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support
2870-533: The Muslims. Out of embarrassment, Garuda appeared to committed suicide, jumping off the boat at Puni beel . The boatmen, however, continued taking Apurna and Shantipriya to Tungachal, eventually finding refuge with Raja Achak Narayan, though the boatmen themselves were killed. Apurna and Shantipriya made a vow in Tunganath Shiva temple to fast for ninety days, hoping for safety. The incident is mentioned in
2952-771: The Sixth Schedule to the Indian constitution. In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 , which conferred full statehood on the autonomous state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own. Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India. The state of Meghalaya is mountainous, with stretches of valley and highland plateaus, and it
3034-460: The Union and that state. Conquest of Taraf • Effective and the end of Gour Kingdom • Gour Govinda surrendered The Conquest of Sylhet ( Bengali : শ্রীহট্টের বিজয় , romanized : Srīhôtter Bijôy , lit. 'Conquest of Srihatta') predominantly refers to an Islamic conquest of Srihatta (present-day Sylhet , Bangladesh ) led by Sikandar Khan Ghazi ,
3116-527: The War Jaintia (West Jaintia Hills), Maram and Lynngam (West Khasi Hills), War Pynursla (East Khasi Hills), Tiwa language by Tiwa peoples of Ri-Bhoi district. Another example is the Biate language spoken by many people inhabiting the south-eastern part of Meghalaya bordering Assam. Indo-Aryan languages like Assamese , Bengali , Hajong , Hindi and Nepali are spoken by many people residing mostly in
3198-717: The Welsh Presbyterian Mission began work at the Cherrapunji mission field. By the early 1900s, other Protestant denominations of Christianity were active in Meghalaya. The outbreak of World Wars forced the preachers to return home to Europe and America. It is during this period that Catholicism took root in Meghalaya and neighbouring regions. In the 20th century, Union Christian College started operations at Umiam, Shillong. Currently, Presbyterians and Catholics are two most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya. Languages of Meghalaya in 2011 English
3280-835: The West Garo Hills and the Balphakram National Park in the South Garo Hills are considered to be the most biodiversity-rich sites in Meghalaya. In addition, Meghalaya has three wildlife sanctuaries. These are the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, the Siju Sanctuary, and the Baghmara Sanctuary, which is also the home of the insect-eating pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana also called "Me'mang Koksi" in
3362-533: The army decided to spend a night in his company. A much larger army was made, and this new and improved army travelled to Sylhet via Cumilla and Habiganj . The army was then guided through Sylhet once again by Ghazi Burhanuddin , ultimately arriving at the banks of the Barak River . They set their camp on top of a small hillock, northwest of the Kangsa-Nisudhana temple. From here the third battle
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3444-420: The army should train and prepare before readying themselves for another battle. In the second expedition, Sikandar took the same recognised route through Mymensingh. As the army marched through the hills, a storm took place. Due to heavy rainfall and flooding, nearly half of the army died by the time Sikandar reached Govinda. Govinda's massive war boats looked as if they were floating forts on the water according to
3526-825: The birds found in Meghalaya forests, 34 are on worldwide threatened species list and 9 are on the critically endangered list. Prominent birds spotted in Meghalaya include those from the families of Phasianidae , Anatidae, Podicipedidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Falconidae, Accipitridae, Otididae, Rallidae, Heliornithidae, Gruidae, Turnicidae, Burhinidae, Charadriidae, Glareolidae, Scolopacidae, Jacanidae, Columbidae, Psittacidae, Cuculidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Bucerotidae, Ramphastidae, Picidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae, Cisticolidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae, Timaliidae, Sittidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Nectariniidae and Muscicapidae. Each of these families have many species. The great Indian hornbill
3608-860: The capture of nearby Taraf . চৌকি নামে ছিল যেই পরগণা দিনারপুর Chouki name chhilô jei Pôrgôṇa Dinarpur ছিলটের হদ্দ ছিল সাবেক মসুর Silôṭer hôddô chhilô śabeq môśur সেখানে আসিয়া তিনি পৌছিলা যখন śekhane aśiẏa tini pouchhila jôkhôn খবর পাইলা রাজা গোবিন্দ তখন । khôbôr paila Raja Gobindô tôkhôn এপারে হজরত তার লস্কর সহিতে epare Hôzrôt tar lôśkôr śôhite আসিয়া পৌছিলা এক নদীর পারেতে aśiẏa pouchhila ek nôdīr parete বরাক নামে নদী ছিল যে মসুর Bôrak name nôdī chhilo je môśur যাহার নিকট গ্রাম নাম বাহাদুরপুর। jahar nikoṭ gram nam Bahadurpur যখন পৌছিলা তিনি নদীর কেনার jôkhôn pouchhila tini nôdīr kenar নৌকা বিনা সে নদীও হইলেন পার। nouka bina she nôdīo hôilen par Tārīkh-e-Jalālī The Greater Sylhet region historically consisted of many Hindu petty kingdoms such as Srihatta (Gour) , Laur and Jaintia . Govinda
3690-462: The care of the priest. Following this, he took his wife, Hiravati, and son, Nirvana, with him to Kamrup . Garuda and his family, taking shelter at Grivakali shrine, then decided to head off to Tungachal . They set on a boat at Dhanuhatta driven by the royal servants Ghaturam and Jharuram. However, they were seen by Subid, a rebel from the time of Raja Govardhan's fall, who informed the Muslims of their actions; leading to Garuda's boat being followed by
3772-647: The direct rule of the Emperor of India (who was also the King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions ) and a few minor states, ruled by Indian princes under the suzerainty of the Emperor. A Governor or Lieutenant-Governor acted as the representative of the Emperor to that province and head of government of the directly ruled territories in the province. The governor or lieutenant-governor also served as
3854-411: The formation of an autonomous state. Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills , and the Garo Hills . The name 'Meghalaya' coined by geographer S.P. Chatterjee in 1936 was proposed and accepted for the new state. The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, with the autonomous state having a 37-member legislature in accordance with
3936-587: The former French enclaves of Pondichéry , Karikal , Yanaon and Mahé , was transferred to India. This became a union territory in 1962. Also in 1954, pro-India forces liberated the Portuguese-held enclaves of Dadrá and Nagar Aveli , declaring the short-lived de facto state of Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli . In 1961, India annexed it as the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli . The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 reorganised
4018-414: The further division of East Khasi Hills district on 4 June 1992. It has an area of 2,448 square kilometres (945 sq mi). The total population of the district was 192,795 in the 2001 census. The district headquarters is at Nongpoh . It has a hilly terrain, and a large part of the area is covered with forests. The Ri-Bhoi district is known for its pineapples and is the largest producer of pineapples in
4100-664: The late Holocene being called the Meghalayan stage/age , since a speleothem in Mawmluh cave indicating a dramatic worldwide climate event around 2250 BCE had been chosen as the boundary stratotype . One of the biggest Central Institutes , the North Eastern Council Secretariat, is also situated in Shillong. The word Meghālaya means "the abode of clouds"; the name derives from a compound of
4182-767: The majority of Meghalaya's population. The Khasis are the largest group, followed by the Garos then the Jaintias . These were among those known to the British as " hill tribes ." Other groups include the Bengali, Hajongs , the Biates , the Koches and related Rajbongshis , the Boros , Dimasa , Kuki , Lakhar, Tiwa (Lalung) , Karbi , Rabha and Nepali . Meghalaya recorded the highest decennial population growth of 27.82% among all
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#17327653865994264-474: The military general of Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah of the Lakhnauti Sultanate , against the Hindu king Gour Govinda . The conquest was aided by a Muslim saint known as Shah Jalal , who later ordered his disciples to scatter throughout eastern Bengal and propagate the religion of Islam. The Conquest of Sylhet may also include other minor incidents taking place after Govinda's defeat, such as
4346-412: The one big district was divided into two: West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills The East Khasi Hills district was carved out of the Khasi Hills on 28 October 1976. The district has covered an area of 2,748 square kilometres (1,061 sq mi) and has a population of 660,923 as per the 2001 census. The headquarters of East Khasi Hills is located in Shillong. The Ri-Bhoi district was formed by
4428-468: The opponents as the only other option was through the hills. When word of this reached Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah , the commanded his nephew Sikandar Khan Ghazi to lead an army against the Raja. Sikandar marched with his soldiers towards the low-lying hills of Sylhet via Mymensingh . Govinda appointed Chakrapani as his commander-in-chief. The army was confronted by Govinda's skilful archery. Govinda's army
4510-585: The origin of domesticated rice." The limited archaeology done in the hills of Meghalaya suggest human settlement since ancient times. After the Conquest of Taraf in 1304, Shah Arifin Rafiuddin, a disciple of Shah Jalal , migrated and settled in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills where he preached Islamic monotheism to the local people. His khanqah remains in Sarping / Laurergarh on the Bangladeshi border but
4592-667: The part containing his mazar is in Meghalaya on top of Laur Hill. Bhaitbari is an archaeological site first discovered and excavated by A. K. Sharma in 1993, a fortification of burnt brick with mud core was discovered at Meghalaya - Assam border and is dated to 4th-8th century AD, the city has been speculated to have been one of the capital cities of Kamarupa . The British discovered Camellia sinensis (tea shrub) in 1834 in Assam and later companies started renting land from 1839 onwards. The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in
4674-468: The plateau comprising the Khasi Hills has the highest elevations, followed by the eastern section comprising the Jaintia Hills region. The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak, which is a prominent IAF station in the Khasi Hills overlooking the city of Shillong. It has an altitude of 1961 m. The Garo Hills region in the western section of the plateau is nearly plain. The highest point in
4756-471: The population. Conversion from indigenous to Christianity began in the 19th century during the British colonial era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast India to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity. Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Cherrapunji Meghalaya, but they declined out of the lack of resources. Taking up the offer,
4838-466: The provinces with only territories under direct Crown rule. The latter years of the Indian Empire saw the enactment of the last Government of India Act by the Crown. This act granted full autonomy to Indian provinces. Provincial laws no longer needed the assent of the governor-general. This act created the office of a Premier in each province, who functioned as the new head of government and
4920-639: The provinces. However a good number of states were organised into imperial structures called agencies, or residencies. An Agent to the Governor-General (AGG) functioned as the Emperor's representative to all the states in the agency. In 1919, the fourth Government of India was enacted by the Crown. This saw many major changes. The legislatures of the provinces were made elected ones rather than nominated ones. Some provinces were given bicameral legislatures . All provinces were elevated to governorships and all lieutenant governors were made governors. Burma
5002-473: The representative of the Emperor . In addition to these, there were certain territories ruled directly by the Government of India through nominated chief commissioners. These were former independent states annexed to India and since ruled directly by the Supreme Government. A vast majority of the Indian states in the late nineteenth century were, in terms of imperial divisions, organised within
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#17327653865995084-457: The rural sex ratio of 972. Religion in Meghalaya (2011) Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority. About 75% of the population practices Christianity, with Catholics , Presbyterians , Baptists , and Church of God the more common denominations. The religion of the people in Meghalaya is closely related to their ethnicity. Close to 90% of the Garo and nearly 80% of
5166-406: The seven north-eastern states, as per the provisional report of census 2011. The population of Meghalaya as of 2011 has been estimated at 2,964,007 of which females constitute 1,492,668 and males 1,471,339. As per the census of India 2011, the sex ratio in the state was 986 females per 1,000 males which was far higher than the national average of 940. The urban female sex ratio of 985 was higher than
5248-596: The soil in Srihatta with that which was previously given by Ahmad Kabir, finding them to be identical. In any case, following the battle, Shah Jalal along with his followers permanently settled in Sylhet. Govinda retreated with his family to Harong Hurong cave in Mulnicherra. He then went to the shrine of Grivakali, where he left his aunt, Apurna, and his cousin Garuda and cousin-in-law Shantipriya (or Shantirani) in
5330-403: The state of Assam. A movement for a separate hill state began in 1960. On 11 September 1968, the Government of India announced a scheme for constituting an autonomous state within the state of Assam comprising certain areas specified in Part A of the table appended to paragraph 20 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. Accordingly, the Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 was enacted for
5412-417: The state. The West Khasi Hills district is the largest district in the state with a geographical area of 5,247 square kilometres (2,026 sq mi). The district was carved out of Khasi Hills District on 28 October 1976. The district headquarters are located at Nongstoin . States and union territories of India India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories , for
5494-495: The state; its mountain forests are distinct from the lowland tropical forests to the north and south. The forests are notable for their biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants. Meghalaya has a predominantly agrarian economy with a significant commercial forestry industry. The important crops are potatoes, rice, maize, pineapples , bananas, papayas, and spices. The service sector is made up of real estate and insurance companies . Meghalaya's gross state domestic product for 2012
5576-416: The states based on linguistic lines resulting in the creation of the new states. As a result of this act: Bombay State was split into the linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra on 1 May 1960 by the Bombay Reorganisation Act. The former Union Territory of Nagaland achieved statehood on 1 December 1963. The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 resulted in the creation of Haryana on 1 November and
5658-552: The territories of the princely states were politically integrated into the new Indian Union . Most were merged into existing provinces. Others were organised into new provinces and states , such as Rajasthan , Himachal Pradesh , Malwa Union , Baghelkhand and Bundelkhand States Union , and Patiala and East Punjab States Union , made up of multiple princely states. A few, including Mysore , Hyderabad , Bhopal , and Bilaspur , became separate states. The new Constitution of India , which came into force on 26 January 1950, made India
5740-440: The three consecutive victories and his aunt Apurna, the queen-mother and wife of the previous Raja Govardhan , celebrated by building a large 20-acre water tank in Ambarkhana known as Rajar Mar Dighi . Nasiruddin then returned to Bengal where he heard of the arrival of the famous saint Shah Jalal , as well as his companions who at this point numbered around 360. Shah Jalal was famed for his strong physique and tall stature, and
5822-415: The transfer of the northern districts of Punjab to Himachal Pradesh . The act designated Chandigarh as a union territory and the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana. Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969. The north-eastern states of Manipur , Meghalaya and Tripura were formed on 21 January 1972. Mysore State was renamed Karnataka in 1973. On 16 May 1975, Sikkim became the 22nd state of
5904-409: The union government. The Indian Empire was a very complex political entity consisting of various imperial divisions and states and territories of varying autonomy. At the time of its establishment in 1876, it was made up of 584 constituent states and the directly ruled territories of the Crown . The entire empire was divided into provinces and agencies. A province consisted of territory under
5986-707: Was a conservative Hindu ruler of the Gour Kingdom , intolerant and harsh towards other faiths such as Islam, Buddhism and even certain denominations of Hinduism. It was known by his people that Govinda practiced magic which he had learnt in the mountains of Kamaru and was religiously and militarily educated for twelve years in the Kamakhya Temple , and Kulsia Ashram (on the banks of the Kulsi River in modern-day Sualkuchi or Kulsi Reserve Forest) respectively. During his reign, he built forts all over his kingdom and established many military training camps. He
6068-472: Was also defeated and fled with his family to Mathura . Shantipriya was said to have also committed suicide. Following a victory, Tungachal was annexed to Bengal and renamed as Taraf . The 12 saints who accompanied Nasiruddin are as follows: Gour and Taraf were then incorporated into Shamsuddin Firoz Shah 's kingdom with Sikandar Khan Ghazi being the first Wazir of Sylhet. Gour was nicknamed Jalalabad after Shah Jalal for his aid in delivering Islam to
6150-486: Was created on 22 February 1972. It has a total geographical area of 3,819 square kilometres (1,475 sq mi) and a population of 295,692 as per the 2001 census. The district headquarters is in Jowai . Jaintia Hills district is the largest producer of coal in the state. Coal mines can be seen all over the district. Limestone production in the state is increasing, as there is high demand from cement industries. Recently,
6232-530: Was estimated at ₹ 16,173 crore (US$ 1.9 billion) in current prices. The state is geologically rich in minerals, but it has no significant industries. The state has about 1,170 km (730 mi) of national highways. It is also a major logistical center for trade with Bangladesh. In July 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy divided the Holocene epoch into three, with
6314-509: Was fought between Gour Govinda and the combined armies of Shah Jalal and Syed Nasiruddin, with the latter forces ultimately claiming victory. Shah Jalal called out the adhan as the time for salah approached and the army were able to destroy Govinda's 7-storey Gorduar palace. After hearing that his commander Mona Rai was killed, Govinda was forced to retreat and Srihatta was brought under Muslim control. According to tradition, another disciple of Shah Jalal, Shah Chashni Pir at this point compared
6396-506: Was given a special status and made an autonomous province. The Chamber of Princes was established by Emperor George V in 1920. One of the major consequences of this was the creation of many more agencies from the states of the provinces, thus granting them direct relations with the Emperor instead of with the Governors. This saw the separation of all the states from the provinces and addition to before-mentioned agencies. This left all
6478-406: Was noted as Bengal 's first army which practised the skillful art of archery . The Bengali army, inexperienced in the foreign terrain which consisted of many low-lying hills and valleys, were brought to utter shame by Govinda's archers and had no option but to retreat back to Muslim Bengal to avoid casualties. The Sultan was not happy at all with the result of the first battle and decided that
6560-534: Was renamed Odisha in 2011. Telangana was created on 2 June 2014 from ten former districts of north-western Andhra Pradesh . In August 2019, the Parliament of India passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 , which contains provisions to reorganise the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories; Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh , effective from 31 October 2019. Later that year in November,
6642-399: Was responsible to the provincial legislature. Bengal, Madras and Bombay which had been till now styled Presidencies, were now officially styled as provinces. The provinces of Orissa and Sind were created from Bihar and Bombay respectively. The Province of Burma which had previously functioned as an autonomous province of India was now separated from the Indian Empire, and established as
6724-501: Was separated in 1878 and merged with Oudh . The Bengal Presidency was re-established in 1912 as a governorship. All these provinces had their own legislatures established by the Indian Councils Acts, and high courts established by Indian High Courts Acts. Laws passed by these legislatures needed the dual assent of the governor or lieutenant-governor of the province and the governor-general of India , who functioned as
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