The Princely State of Nobosohphoh, locally known as Nongsohphoh, was an erstwhile non-salute native state of India which was under the indirect rule of the British Government of India. The region was managed by native shareholders under the supervision of the British authorities. The state comprised of a total population of 2,872 in the year 1941. The princely state of Nobosohphoh was incorporated as a part of the states of Khasi kingdom in Meghalaya, located in northeastern India, south of Bhutan, which was under the rule of the British Province of Assam. The territory of Nobosohphoh or Nongsohphoh lied towards the central region of the Western Khasi States. The native state was bounded by the princely state of Nongstoin in the north and the west; by the taluka of Maharam in the south; and by the princely state of Mawrang in the east. The Princely State of Nobosohphoh was under the administrative control of the States of Assam Agency.
History of Princely State of Nobosohphoh
The princely state of Nobosohphoh, like other States in the Khasi Kingdom, was established when villages merged together for mutual protection against the adjacent territories. The native ruler held the title of Syiem. There were 2 major branches of the ruling family of the Syiem, namely the Black Syiems and the White Syiems. During the 19th century, members of both the families were elected rulers and the branch of the White Syiem family asserted the right to alternate in the rulership with the Black Syiem branch. The system of rulership was diarchic, with two state headquarters located at Marngor and Rangblang and the accession alternated between the 2 branches of Syiems.
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 system 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.
In case a female heir was elected as the Syiem of the princely state, she was permitted to administer the state with the support of a male Syiem, who held the title and style of Kongor, and the State Darbar. The state of Nobosohphoh was so remote that the territory was not recognized as a separate state until the year 1853.
Accession of Princely State of Nobosohphoh
After the Partition of India and the departure of the British Government of India in the year 1947, the state was acceded to the newly independent Union of India, which also known as the Dominion of India, by the Syiem of Nobosohphoh state. At present the territory is located in Meghalaya.
