Princely State of Nongkhlaw

Princely State of Nongkhlaw

Princely State of Nongkhlaw was incorporated as a part of the States of Assam Agency. It was appointed as a princely state under the indirect rule of the British administration.

The Princely State of Nongkhlaw, locally known as Khadsawphra, was one of the former princely states of India which existed during the rule of the British Empire in India. During the early 19th century, the region was appointed as one of the princely states of India under the indirect rule of the British administration. The region comprised of a total population of 15,627 in the year 1941. The princely state of Nongkhlaw was incorporated as a part of the states of Khasi kingdom in Meghalaya, which was situated in northeastern India, south of Bhutan, which was under the rule of the British Province of Assam. The territory of Nongkhlaw or Khadsawphra lied towards the northern region of the Western Khasi States.

The erstwhile princely state was bounded by the British Province of Assam and Jirang in the north; by the territory of Sohiong in the southeast; by the princely state of Mylliem in the east; by the princely state of Nongspung in the south; by the princely state of Mawrang in the southwest; by Myriaw state in the west; and by Rembrai in the northwest. The Princely State of Nongkhlaw was incorporated as a part of the States of Assam Agency.

History of Princely State of Nongkhlaw
The princely state of Nongkhlaw or Khadsawphra was established during the 16th century by a member of the ruling family of Jaintia. He went to the Khasi Kingdom and found 8 villages that were not under any native ruler. After being requested by the lyngdohs, he merged the villages in order to form a new state and administered the territory as the native prince. The native ruler held the title of Syiem. The next Syiem expanded the control of Nongkhlaw state. After the break of the state of Shillong, Nongkhlaw formed vice regencies in a vast region which included the Shella Confederacy, the princely state of Cherra and Sohiong. As these regions were hard to administer, therefore they were abandoned after the princely state of Nongkhlaw came under protection of the British Empire in India in the year 1834. Syiem Tirot Singh was regarded as a Khasi national hero, who led the revolution against the British rule in the first Khasi War, from 1829 to 1833.

There were 2 major branches of the ruling family of the Syiem, namely the Mawdem and the Mawnai. During the 19th century, members of both the families were elected rulers and asserted the right to alternate in the rulership among the 2 branches. The native ruler or Syiem of Nobosohphoh was succeeded by his eldest brother, failing which, by the ruler's eldest nephews, grand nephews, or cousins, in no particular order, but at all times in the female line. As a result of the failing male heirs, the native ruler was succeeded by the eldest of the previous ruler's sisters, nieces, female first cousins, grand nieces and distant female cousins, in that order and always in the female line. A female syiem was succeeded by her eldest son, nephew and so on, in the stated order. Although this system did not provide total claim to succession, as the heirs might have been disqualified from the succession due to several reasons under Khasi custom and religion.

Accession of Princely State of Nongkhlaw
After the departure of the British Government and the Partition of India in 1947, the former princely state was acceded to the newly independent Union of India, which also known as the Dominion of India, by the Syiem of Nongkhlaw state. At present the territory is located in Meghalaya.

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