Christianity in Meghalaya
Conversion from indigenous to Christianity began in the 19th century under the British era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity.[2] Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Cherrapunji Meghalaya, but they lacked the resources to do so and declined. Welsh Presbyterian Mission took the offer and they 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 region. In the 20th century, Union Christian College started operations at Barapani, Shillong. Currently, Presbyterians and Catholics are two most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya.[3]
Religion in Meghalaya (2011)[1]
Before Christianity arrived in Meghalaya a majority of tribal peoples were following Animist religion with Ka niamtre and songsarek traditions. The Christian population in Meghalaya is estimated at approximately 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 Presbyterians, Baptists and Catholics 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.
Hinduism is the second largest religion in Meghalaya practiced by most commonly by non tribals such as Bengalis, Biharis, Nepalis, Marwaris and Assamese people representing (11.9%) of the state population (2011 census).Christianity is the largest religion in the state of Meghalaya followed by Tribal local religions, Hinduism, Islam and others. Religion in Meghalaya is closely related to ethnicity. Close to 92% of the Garo and nearly 85% of the Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong, 98.53% of the Koch are Hindu and 94.6% of the Rabha are Hindus.
According to the 2001 census, out of the 689,639 Garo living in Meghalaya, only 49,917 followed their original religion (Songsarek) down from 90,456 in 1991. 9,129 of the Garo were Hindu (up from 2,707 in 1991) and 999 were Buddhist (up from 109 in 1991). There were also 8,980 Muslims.
Unlike the Garo, a significant number of the Khasi still follow their original religion (Niam Shnong / Niamtre). Out of the 1,123,490 Khasi, 202,978 followed the indigenous religion (slightly up from 189,226 in 1991). 17,641 of the Khasi were Hindu (8,077 in 1991) and 2,977 were Muslim.
A number of minor tribes live in Meghalaya, including Hajong (31,381 – 97.23% Hindu), Koch (21,381 – 98.53% Hindu), Synteng (18,342 – 80% Christian), Rabha tribe (28,153 – 94.60% Hindu), Mikir (11,399 – 52% Christian and 30% Hindu), and Biate (10,085 – 97% Christian).
The Roman Catholic Church with a homogeneous presence spread throughout the state of Meghalaya form the largest denomination in the state with 852,150 adherents (2017 data). The Church is under the ecclesiastical province of Shillong with the following dioceses: 1) Metropolitan Archdiocese of Shillong (315,241 adherents), 2) Suffragan Diocese of Tura (292,890 adherents), 3) Suffragan Diocese of Nongstoin (139,700 adherents), and 4) Suffragan Diocese of Jowai (104,319 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 upto 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 295,000 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.
See also
- List of Christian denominations in North East India
References
- "Population by religion community – 2011". Census of India, 2011. The Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Archived from the original on 25 August 2015.
- Johnson, R. E. (2010), A Global Introduction to Baptist Churches, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0521877817
- Amrit Kumar Goldsmith, THE CHRISTIANS IN THE NORTH EAST INDIA: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, Regional Organizer of Churches' Auxiliary of Social Action, Regional Headquarters at Mission Compound, Satribari, Guwahati
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