Haipou Jadonang
Haipou Jadonang Malangmei was born on 30 July 1905 Sunday[citation needed] at Puiluan (also Puiron or Kambiron) village of the present-day Nungba Sub-Division in Tamenglong district.
By the age of 10[citation needed], he had become popular among the Zeliangrong tribals for his dreams and prophecies and healing powers by local herbs and medicines.
[citation needed] Jadonang saw the growing influence of Christianity in Naga territory as a sign of foreign imperialism.
[citation needed] Jadonang established a socio-religious movement called Heraka (literally "Pure"), derived from ancestral Naga practices known as "Paupaise".
Jadonang, on the other hand described Tingkao Ragwang as an omnipotent and omniscient god, who permeated the world as a spiritual energy.
These concepts of monotheism and a centralized belief system were influenced by Christianity, and probably Islam, which were being preached in Manipur and Cachar plains.
He also did away with a number of gennas (rituals), such as the ones associated with childbirth, presence of an animal in the house, disasters such as earthquake and landslides, felling of tree, and weapon injuries.
[5] Instead of focusing on rituals, Jadonang emphasized qualities that he said were pleasing to Tingkao Ragwang, such as truth, love, and respect for the entire creation.
But influenced by Christianity and Vaishnavism, Jadonang encouraged construction of Heraka temples called "Kao Kai".
Besides its religious aspects, Jadonang's movement had a political aim: he wanted his people to forget the past hatred of the inter-village feuds and communal tension, and unite against the foreigners.
Jadonang had heard about Mahatma Gandhi's plans for civil disobedience movement in India, and wished to expressed solidarity with him.
In January 1927, he made arrangements to take a dance troupe of 200 Naga boys and girls to welcome Gandhi at Silchar.
After his release, Jadonang gradually built an army (called Riphen), which comprised 500 men and women at its peak.
[13] Subsequently, Jadonang also reached out to other Naga tribes including the Angamis, Chakhesangs, Rengmas, Maos and Marams.
[14] In January 1931, the British officials received reports that Jadonang was planning to declare a war against them by the end of that year.
On 19 February 1931, Jadonang was imprisoned in the Silchar Jail, after being arrested while returning from the Bhuvan cave with Gaidinliu and 600 other followers.
J. C. Higgins, the British political agent of Manipur, led an Assam Rifles column to Jadonang's native village Puiluan.
He went all the way up to Tamenglong, showing a chain-bounded Jadonang to people, in order to demonstrate that the Heraka leader did not possess any divine powers.
[16] At the Imphal jail, Higgins interrogated Jadonang, who denied all the charges against him and refused to provide any information about the anti-British movement.
The traders had been killed by other villagers, for fear of exposure of secrets and for violating the Dihnei, a genna (taboo) which prohibits the starting of fire.
[18] Apou ky Racheng/ Kampai Racheng: During those tumultuous years (1930-1933), the movement reached the northern Tamenglong area where the Liangmai tribe of the Zeliangrong community live.
They had also prophesied that humans would begin to fly (it did literally happen when the airplanes flew over their heads), and that there would come a time the people would not suffer anymore politically as they would make their living by selling sand, rocks, trees.
Politically this movement asked the people not to pay tax any longer to the British (we still have songs of praises for apou Gandhi/ Kandhi as the bringer of freedom).
