Khamliana Sailo
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| Khamliana Sailo | |
|---|---|
| Chief (Lal) of Lungleng | |
| Reign | c. 1874 onwards |
| Predecessor | Lalngura |
| Born | c. 1859 Thelep village, Lushai Hills |
| Died | Lungleng, Lushai Hills |
| House | Sailo |
| Father | Lalngura |
| Religion | Sakhua, later Christianity |
Khamliana Sailo (born c. 1859) was a Mizo chief (Lal) of the Sailo clan who ruled the village of Lungleng in the Lushai Hills (present-day Mizoram, India). He is recognised as the first literate Mizo chief and one of the earliest Mizo people to learn to read and write.[1][2]
Early life
Khamliana was born in 1859 at Thelep village in the Lushai Hills to Lalngura, a son of the prominent Sailo chief Savunga, who was recorded as among the wealthiest and most accomplished Sailo chiefs of his time.[1] He inherited the chieftainship from his father at approximately fifteen years of age.[1]
Literacy and Bible translation
In the late 19th century, following the establishment of British control over the Lushai Hills, Welsh missionaries of the Presbyterian Church of Wales began educational work in the region. On 1 April 1894, the missionary J. H. Lorrain (known in Mizo as Pu Buanga) and F. W. Savidge opened the first school in Mizoram.[3] Khamliana enrolled on 26 October 1894 and was noted by Lorrain as one of the most capable students, reportedly learning to both read and write within a single week.[4][3]
Khamliana became one of the first three Mizo men (alongside Suaka and Thangphunga) to assist the missionaries in translating Christian scripture into the Lushai language. From 21 August 1894, the three worked with Lorrain on translating the Gospel of Luke, followed by the Gospel of John.[1][3] These translations were foundational texts in the development of written Mizo literature and the spread of Christianity in the region.[1]
On 16 June 1897, Khamliana wrote a letter in Mizo to Queen Victoria congratulating her on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee, informing her that he had lit bonfires around his village to celebrate. This letter is considered the earliest known letter written by a Mizo person and is preserved in the Endangered Archives Programme collection at the British Library.[2][5]
Chieftainship
For his cooperation with the British administration, Khamliana was granted authority over six villages in the area around present-day Aizawl, including Lungdar, Hreichhuk, Arte, Khawrihmn, Khawchete, and Lungleng.[1] He chose to settle at Lungleng, approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Aizawl, where he introduced progressive agricultural practices, including the cultivation of potato, which became a staple of Mizo cuisine.[1][2]
In 1918, Khamliana built the first tin-roofed house in Mizoram at Lungleng, which survives as a heritage structure.[2] In 1923, the British government awarded him the Kaiser-i-Hind Medal in recognition of his administrative efforts and contributions to the welfare of the people under his chieftainship.[1]
Legacy
Khamliana's residence at Lungleng, known as Lungleng Lal In (Residence of the Ruler of Lungleng), is listed as a State Protected Monument by the Archaeological Survey of India, Mizoram, and is maintained as a heritage site.[1][2] The original paper records of Khamliana's chieftainship, covering the period 1897 to 1944, have been digitised as part of the British Library's Endangered Archives Programme (project EAP454); the originals are held by his descendant Laldingliana Sailo.[5]
See also
- Sailo clan
- Mizo people
- Lushai Hills
- Christianity in Mizoram
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Lungleng Lal In: The Residence of Mizo Chief, Khamliana Sailo". Indian Culture. Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Lungleng Lal In". Mizoram Tourism. Government of Mizoram. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lalthangliana, B. (2001). India, Burma leh Bangladesh-a Mizo Chanchin (History and Culture of Mizo in India, Burma and Bangladesh). Aizawl: RTM Press. Search this book on
- ↑ Hluna, J. V. (2013). Mizoram Hmar Bial Missionary-te Chanchin. Aizawl. Search this book on
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Paper records of Khamliana Sailo Lal [1897-1944]". Endangered Archives Programme. British Library. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
Further reading
- McCall, A. G. (1949). Lushai Chrysalis. London: Luzac & Co. OCLC 3474624. Search this book on
- Chatterjee, Suhas (1995). Mizoram Under the British Rule. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. ISBN 81-7099-518-3. Search this book on
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