Shillong: In the village of Kongthong, Meghalaya, people do not use names. Mothers compose unique melodies for their children at birth. This tune serves as a lifelong identity. When someone passes away, their specific melody dies with them. It is never reused for another person.
Dr. Dipon Sharmah and a group of eleven travelers visited the village in mid-June. They departed from Guwahati and traveled through Shillong to reach the remote location. The final twenty-six kilometer stretch from Mawjrong wound through thick fog and pine trees. The group stayed at a community-run homestay called The Traveller’s Nest.
Two tourism interns, Alva and Lucky, and a staff member named Barecy served as guides for the group. The villagers speak Khasi, making the interns essential for communication. One mother of seven demonstrated the custom by singing fourteen distinct melodies for her children. She sang both short versions for indoor use and long versions for calling to others in the forest.
The tradition is known as Jingrwai Lawbei. It honors the clan’s first ancestress. Villagers believe these tunes protect them from evil forest spirits. The custom is not inherited or chosen from a repertoire. Mothers compose each melody fresh. As Dr. Sharmah noted, "She sang all the tunes in sequence – fourteen melodies in all, and each one was different."
Village life revolves around music and nature. Children play precise football in the hills. Travelers also observed the Nepenthes khasiana, a local insect-eating pitcher plant. The group departed after a rainy night, having experienced a culture where communication is inherently musical. They documented the trip in a group chat titled Kongthong – Hills That Sing.
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