HAFLONG, Sept 3 - The 84th martyr�s day of Haipao Jadonang, organised by the Haipao Jadonang Trust Committee was observed here at District Library Auditorium, Haflong with a daylong programme in a befitting manner recently.
The day's programme began with the lighting of the lamp and offering of flowers on the portraits of Haipao Jadonang by the dignitaries and was followed by observance of condolence of one minute.
In this connection, a well attended meeting was held at the same venue with S Jeme, president, HJT Committee in the chair. The meet was attended by SP Viswasrao, Commander, 22 Sector, as the chief guest, FA Choudhuty, Govt Pleader as the guest of honour and RK Sing, CO, 43 AR, BC Langthasa, retired ACF, PL Hrannul, former president of Hmar Inpui, Ihuing Jeme, MAC, NCHAC etc., as the special invitees.
Montuing Jeme, general secretary, Zeliangrong Heraka Association, Assam dwelt at length on the life story of Haipao Jadonang, mentioning some interesting incidents of his childhood while appealing to the people to pursue the footprints of such a social, spiritual reformer of the Jeme community.
Haipou Jadonang founded the Heraka (or Haraka, �Pure�) religious movement, variously described as a reform movement or a cult. Heraka derives from an ancestral Naga practices known as �Paupaise�. It is also known as the �Kacha Naga movement�, �Gaidinliu movement�, Periese (�old practice�), Kelumse (�prayer practice�) and Ranise (�Rani�s practice�). Khampai is a pejorative term for the movement. It has also been described as �Naga renaissance.�
Jadonang encouraged the Heraka followers to worship and make sacrifices to the creator god Tingwang.
In accordance with the Rongmei tradition, which states that the humans first emerged from a primeval cave, Jadonang established a cave temple at the Bhuvan cave.
Jadonang was arrested at Tamenglong in December 1928, after he prophesised the end of the British Raj. JC Higgins, the Political Agent of Manipur State, arrested him on February 1931 at Cachar. A month later, he was taken to Imphal and imprisoned there. On August 29, the British hanged him on the banks of the Nambul river, for the murder of four Manipuri traders. According to the British government, he and his followers had sacrificed the traders to the deity in a temple near Nungkao. According to his supporters, the case was fabricated by the British and Jadonang was falsely implicated.
Speaking on the occasion, all the speakers mentioning Jadonang�s contributions for the reformation of the society, appealed to all to follow his ideology and to work for the progress of the society. They also said Jadonang was not of a particular community, he was a freedom fighter.
The meet was followed by a seminar on �qualities of a dynamic leader� wherein N H Pauheu, president, Zeliangrong Baudi, Assam and Montuing Jeme, general secretary, Zeliangrong Heraka Association, Assam were the resource persons.
Earlier, all the dignitaries were felicitated with traditional scarf and shawl.
