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Evangelization of Meghalaya began in the 19th century during the British era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast to evangelize indigenous tribes to Christianity. [2] Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Sohra Meghalaya, but they lacked the resources to do so and declined. Welsh Presbyterian Mission took the offer and they began work at Sohra 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 region. Currently, Catholics, Presbyterians and Baptists are three most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya. [3]
Before Christianity arrived in Meghalaya a majority of tribal peoples were following Animist religion with Ka Niam Khasi and Songsarek traditions. Meghalaya is a Christian tribal state. [4] The Christian population in Meghalaya is estimated at 2.21 million which forms (74.59%) of the state population (2011 census). Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority. About 75% of the population practices Christianity, with Catholics, Presbyterians, and Baptists the more common denominations. [1] The religion of the people in Meghalaya is closely related to their ethnicity. Close to 90% of the Garo tribe and nearly 80% of the Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong, 98.53% of the Koch, and 94.60% of the Rabha tribes are Hindu. [5]
The Catholic Church with a homogeneous presence spread throughout the state of Meghalaya form the largest denomination in the state with 945,145 adherents (2020 data). The Church is under the ecclesiastical province of Shillong with the following dioceses: 1) Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong (342,169 adherents), 2) Suffragan Diocese of Tura (326,716 adherents), 3) Suffragan Diocese of Nongstoin (164,334 adherents), and 4) Suffragan Diocese of Jowai (111,930 adherents).
The Presbyterian Church is another largest denomination in Meghalaya under the Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Assembly with 750,989 believers in 2015. In 2018 the Church has the following number of believers under the following synod's namely Khasi Jaintia Synod Mihngi (294,320 believers), the Khasi Jaintia Synod Sepngi (370,764 believers) and the Ri Bhoi Synod (70,510 believers) adding up to 735,594 believers with slight decline from 2015. Unlike the Catholic Church, there is little or no presence of Presbyterianism among the Garos with the absence of a Garo synod.
The Baptist Church under the Garo Baptist Convention make up perhaps the largest denomination among the Garos in Meghalaya with 500,560 adherents (both baptised and unbaptised) concentrated mostly in the Garo Hills out of a garo population of 821,026 with the remaining mostly Catholics.
The Church of God in Meghalaya, an indigenous church, established in Mylliem in 1902 is the fourth largest denomination in the state with nearly 100,000 adherents.
The Church of North India of the Anglican Communion under the Diocese of North East India in Meghalaya is the fifth largest denomination with close to 50,000 adherents. And some Christian Revival Church also growing.
Year | Number | Percentage |
---|---|---|
2001 [6] | 1,628,986 | 70.25 |
2011 [7] | 2,213,027 | 74.59 |
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1901 | 20,967 | — |
1911 | 36,699 | +75.0% |
1921 | 48,728 | +32.8% |
1931 | 75,530 | +55.0% |
1941 | 1,056 | −98.6% |
1951 | 149,390 | +14046.8% |
1961 | 270,910 | +81.3% |
1971 | 475,267 | +75.4% |
1981 | 702,854 | +47.9% |
1991 | 1,146,092 | +63.1% |
2001 | 1,628,986 | +42.1% |
2011 | 2,213,027 | +35.9% |
Source: census of India |
Christian percentage was 6.16% in 1901 (before India's independence), and after independence during the first census of 1951, it was found that 24.66% of the Meghalaya population follows Christianity. During 1991, Christian percentage was 64.58% and in recent 2011 census, it was found that 74.59% adheres to Christian faith. [9]
Percentage of Christians in Meghalaya by decades [8]
Year | Percent | Increase |
---|---|---|
1901 | 6.16% | - |
1911 | 9.31% | +3.15% |
1921 | 11.54% | +2.23% |
1931 | 15.71% | +4.17% |
1941 | 0.19% | -15.52% |
1951 | 24.67% | +24.48% |
1961 | 35.21% | +10.54% |
1971 | 46.98% | +11.77% |
1981 | 52.62% | +5.64% |
1991 | 64.58% | +11.96% |
2001 | 70.25% | +5.67% |
2011 | 74.59% | +4.34% |
Percentage of Christians in the Scheduled Tribes [5]
Tribe | Christians | Percent |
---|---|---|
Khasi | 1,173,693 | 83.14% |
Garo | 787,029 | 95.86% |
Mikir | 15,290 | 79.27% |
Bodo Kachari | 1,166 | 25.04% |
Hajong | 520 | 1.35% |
Rabha | 1,649 | 5.05% |
Koch | 222 | 0.98% |
Meghalaya Scheduled Tribe Population is 25,55,861 (86% of the state population mainly Garos and Khasis), out of which 21,57,887 people among them follow Christianity. [5]
Whereas, Non ST population is 4,11,028 (mainly Bengalis, Nepalis, Biharis, Marwaris etc.), out of which 55,140 people among them follow Christianity. [5] As per social activists, many Nepalis and Bengalis (who constitute a huge chunk of non-tribal population in the state) are being converted into Christianity by the Christian missionaries, specially in Shillong and in other rural border areas of the state. [10] [11]
Meghalaya 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 a length-to-breadth ratio of about 3:1.
Shillong is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a state in northeastern India. It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the 330th most populous city in India with a population of 143,229 according to the 2011 census. It is said that the rolling hills around the town reminded the British of Scotland. Hence, they would refer to it as the "Scotland of the East".
The Khasi people are an ethnic group of Meghalaya in north-eastern India with a significant population in the bordering state of Assam, and in certain parts of Bangladesh. Khasi people form the majority of the population of the eastern part of Meghalaya, that is Khasi Hills, constituting 78.3% of the region's population, and is the state's largest community, with around 48% of the population of Meghalaya. They are among the few Austroasiatic-speaking peoples in South Asia. The Khasi tribe holds the distinction of being one of the few remaining tribes that have a matrilineal society. Under the Constitution of India, the Khasis have been granted the status of Scheduled Tribe.
East Khasi Hills is an administrative district in the state of Meghalaya in India. The district headquarters are located at Shillong. The district occupies an area of 2,748 km2 and has a population of 825,922. As of 2011, it is the most populous of Meghalaya's 12 districts.
The Garo Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi range in Meghalaya state of India. They are inhabited by the Garo people. It is one of the wettest places in the world. The range is part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion.
The Khasi Hills are a low mountain formation on the Shillong Plateau in the Meghalaya state of India. The Khasi Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi-Jaintia range and connect with the Purvanchal Range and the larger Patkai Range further east. The Khasi Hills, and the whole Garo-Khasi-Jaintia range, are in the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion.
Jowai is the headquarters of the West Jaintia Hills district of the state of Meghalaya, India, and is home to the Pnar, a sub-tribe of the Khasi people. It is located on a plateau surrounded on three sides by the Myntdu river bordering Bangladesh to the south. Due to its high altitude of 1365 m above sea level, Jowai experiences warm summers with cool to chilly winters.
Tura is a municipality in the West Garo Hills district of the Indian state of Meghalaya. One of the largest towns in Meghalaya, Tura is located in the foothills of the Nokrek range of Garo Hills. The climate in Tura is moderate throughout the year, and the town has many interesting and unexplored areas.
The Pnar, also known as Jaiñtia, are a sub-tribal group of the Khasi people in Meghalaya, India. The Pnar people are matrilineal. They speak the Pnar Language, which belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family and is very similar to the Khasi language. The Pnar people are natives of West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya, India. They call themselves as "Ki Khun Hynñiew Trep". Their main festivals are Behdeinkhlam, Chad Sukra, Chad Pastieh and Laho Dance.
The Presbyterian Church of India (PCI) is a mainline Protestant church based in India, with over one and a half million adherents, mostly in Northeast India. It is one of the largest Christian denominations in that region.
The Khasi and Jaintia Hills are a mountainous region in India that was mainly part of Assam and Meghalaya. This area is now part of the present Indian constitutive state of Meghalaya, which includes the present districts of East Jaintia Hills district, headquarter Khliehriat, West Jaintia Hills district, headquarter Jowai, East Khasi Hills district, headquarter Shillong, and West Khasi Hills district, headquarter Nongstoin.
Christianity is one of the religions in Tripura, a state in North East India. According to the Indian Census 2011, the population of Christians in Tripura is 159,882 or 4.35% of the total population. Christians are mostly found among the indigenous communities of the state such as the Tripuri, Lushai, Kuki, Darlong, Halam etc. Among the Scheduled Tribes of the state Christians share is 13.12% of the population.
Christianity is the third largest religion in Assam, a state in the north-eastern region of India. The total population of Christians in the state is 1,165,867, which according to the 2011 census comprises about 3.75% of the state's total population. After Islam, Christianity is also the second-fastest growing religion of Assam. The largest concentration of Christians in Assam can be found in the Dima Hasao District, where Christians number approximately 30% of the population. The second largest concentration is in the Karbi Anglong district where they form approximately 16.5% of the population.
Christianity is the largest religion in the Northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China. According to the census of 2011 Christians constitute 30.26% of the state's population. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the state with around 180,000 adherents. The Arunachal Baptist Church Council is the second largest denomination with 150,000 baptized members in about 1,200 churches and Arunachal Pradesh Christian Revival Church Council (APCRCC) which was started in 1987 at Naharlagun also growing fast.
The largest religion in the Nagaland state of India is Christianity. According to the 2011 census, the state's population was 1,978,502, out of which 87.93% are Christians. Along with Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram, Nagaland is one of the four Christian-majority states in the country.
Christianity is the largest religion in Mizoram. The majority 87% of Mizoram population are Christian in various denominations, predominantly Presbyterian. More than 98% of the Mizos are Christians by faith. The Government of Mizoram declared that Christianity plays a very important role among the daily life of Mizo community and therefore further declared that Christianity as the religion of the state. The culture of Mizoram is mainly influenced by Christianity. Hence, Christianity was given a special status on the state by the government while maintaining a minimum level of secular environment and approach. In June 2018, the government of Mizoram including Vanlalruata, president of anti-corruption organisation-turned-political party, People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram claim that Mizoram is a Christian state. Hindus form a small minority (3.55%) mainly of Manipuris and there are also around (7.93%) Buddhists according to the 2001 census, mostly made up from Chakma settlers of Arakan origin. There are about 8,000 mostly ethnic Mizo followers of a Judaic group Bnei Menashe, who claim descent from the biblical Menasseh. Muslims make up about 1.1% of the state population.
North East India Christian Council (NEICC) is a Protestant ecumenical council of North East India, affiliated to the National Council of Churches in India as one of the regional councils in the year 1939.
The history of Christianity in Mizoram covers the origin and development of all forms of Christianity in Mizoram since the British occupation at the end of the 19th century until Indian Independance. Christianity arrived due to British intervention in tribal warfare, raids of British plantations. The ensuing punitive British military expedition was called the Lushai Expedition of 1871. The subsequent annexation of the erstwhile Lushai Hills to the British Empire opened the gateway for British Christian missions to evangelise the Mizo people.
Hinduism is a minority religion in the Meghalaya state of India constituting 12% of the state's population. The Nartiang Durga Temple in Meghalaya is one of the 51 Shakti peethas on Earth and is considered by Hindus of Meghalaya as the permanent abode of Goddess Durga. Hinduism is a popular religion practice by Rabhas, Hajongs, Kochs, Rajbongshis, Mikirs, Bengalis, Nepalis, Biharis etc.