Jaintia Hills

Jaintia Hills

      physiographic region, eastern Meghalaya (Meghālaya) state, northeastern India. The sparsely populated mountainous region—part of the Meghalaya plateau—has an average elevation of more than 3,000 feet (900 metres). It receives generally heavy rainfall and is densely forested. Fine timber woods are produced, but there is little industry. The Kopili River, which is the largest stream in the region, is rocky and swift and has many spectacular waterfalls. There are several species of rare wildlife.

      The inhabitants of the Jaintia Hills are primarily tribal Jaintias, who, like the Khasis to the west, are thought to be descendants of the first Mongolian migration to India. Until the 19th century these people had a three-tiered system of administration. Under British rule, however, this system was broken down, and after independence it was replaced by a district council for tribal affairs and an Indian officer who administered other matters.

      Partly because of their isolation, the Jaintias have largely maintained their matriarchal culture. They still practice shifting cultivation (potatoes are the main crop), though the Indian government attempted—with some success—to promote settled farming. Jaintias more than other tribal groups of the region have been influenced by Hinduism and Aryan ways, and, thus, settled farming was more readily accepted in the Jaintia Hills.

      While the region remains isolated and less developed than much of India, British hegemony and its aftermath brought about a remarkable degree of unity among the peoples of the hill districts of Meghalaya.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Jaintia Hills — Jaintia Hills, s. Khasi und Dschaintiaberge …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Jaintia Hills — Admin ASC 2 Code Orig. name Jaintia Hills Country and Admin Code IN.18.1269523 IN …   World countries Adminstrative division ASC I-II

  • Jaintia Hills district — Infobox Indian Jurisdiction native name = Jaintia Hills District locator position = left state name = Meghalaya district = Jaintia Hills leader title = Mayor leader name = ? altitude = 1525 population as of = 2001 population total = 295692 area… …   Wikipedia

  • Jaintia Hills — geographical name hills E India in N central Assam E of Khasi Hills …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Jaintia (montagne) — Jaintia Géographie Altitude Massif Patkai Administration …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Jaintia Kingdom — The Jaintia Kingdom from eastern Shillong Plateau extended to the plains south of it and to the north of the Barak River valley in Assam, India. Jaintia is derived from Zantein, the collective name of different tribal groups from the region. The… …   Wikipedia

  • Jaintia — ▪ historical state, India       in Indian history, a state in Assam, northeastern India, stretching from what is now the northern frontier between Bangladesh and India over the Jaintia Hills to the Kalong River in the Assam plain. The people were …   Universalium

  • East Khasi Hills district — Infobox Indian Jurisdiction native name = East Khasi Hills District locator position = left state name = Meghalaya district = East Khasi Hills leader title = Mayor leader name = ? altitude = 1525 population as of = 2001 population total = 660994… …   Wikipedia

  • Lushai Hills — Mizo Hills Mizo Hills Carte de localisation des Mizo Hills. Géographie Altitude 2 125 m …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Lushaï Hills — Mizo Hills Mizo Hills Carte de localisation des Mizo Hills. Géographie Altitude 2 125 m …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”