I first set my foot in Kuki Worship Service, Guwahati in the spring of 2010. My posting to North-East Region after completing my sixteen months Induction Training at the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT), Nagpur landed me in Guwahati. My initial introduction was brief as subsequently, my service posting soon took me to Dibrugarh in Upper Assam, where I served for three years in my fledgling career. I faintly recall now the church building was dedicated later that year with much celebration. I also vividly remember taking a walk along the footpaths beyond the church premises with my friend Manga. The marshy stretch of land on either side of the footpath has in no time transformed into a concrete jungle of human habitation.
I largely consider myself a ‘Shillong product’ as I went through my college education there. My generation was fortunate as Kuki Worship Service was already actively functioning in different cities of India, including Shillong, by the time we attended college. Therefore, apart from engagement in the Evangelical Union after school, the spiritual nurturing during college days were rooted in the Kuki Worship Service and at some point, in tandem with the Laymen’s Fellowship. Besides the fellowship, the Kuki Worship Service has also shaped and chiseled me personally. This came through serving as a Sunday School teacher in Shillong and Delhi, involvement as Music Secretary & Youth Secretary in Shillong and association with the Church Building Project (CBP) committee in Delhi, recently.
My second innings with Kuki Worship Service, Guwahati began in 2013 and lasted for about 5 years. My crystallized memory reminds me how I began by seating myself towards the front of the men’s row but gradually ended up occupying the last benches of the middle row. This period also witnessed the passing of Pastor’s baton from the founding pastor Rev. M. Haokhothong to the much younger, Rev. Akhai Touthang, who continue to faithfully serve to this day. I fondly traverse the heydays of Rev. M. Haokhothong – his simple and jovial demeanour, his overwhelming wit and humour, display of nonchalance, et. al. It was always a thrill to hear him read the vernacular Bible and make an exposition on the literal meaning of relevant passage.
There is another aspect which endeared the Church campus to the sporting lot. Credit has to be given to Bro. David and other pioneers who took initiative to have some regular sporting activity in the campus. Outdoor badminton matches in the evening were hotly contested not only with the racket & shuttle but equally heated through exchange of verbal brick-bats. At one point, the matter of littering and decorum of the players became contentious. The matter was deliberated by the church committee who decided in favour of the players. The committee ruled that the use of the campus space for evening games served two positive purposes – the fitness of the youths and deterrence to anti-socials. In the process, the wisdom displayed by Dr. V.P. Singson, then Chairman of the committee, has become legendary.
Stories about church building construction is an indelible part of the Kuki Worship Service, Guwahati folklore. Testimonies of human efforts and God’s providence has served as continual encouragements for the devout. The same is very well documented in the Church Inauguration Souvenir released on the occasion of church dedication on 3rd October 2010. Ms. Kimchin Lhangum aptly described in her article ‘A tribute to Kuki Worship Service (G)’, to
quote, “Rs. 3 per brick, 3 bricks for Rs. 10 so Rs. 30 per month as church building contribution out of a pocket money of Rs. 2000. This was the fate of most, if not all of the in-college members of KWS(G) a decade ago.” The comprehensive report of participation and efforts of the members and beyond have been detailed in the article of Pu L.L. Khongsai, who was Secretary then, titled ‘KWS(G) Hou-In Kisah (Pakai: Kakinepnao)’. Pu D.P. Haokip in his article published in the Khanglai 2017 Delhi Souvenir titled, ‘God’s mighty works in the construction of the KWS(G) Church’ discussed minutely how the church plot was acquired, the various means and methods adopted to gather funds, the exercise of faith and God’s providence, among others. An interesting part of the vibrant note reads, “In order to fulfill the millennium vision of having a church plot, Rev. Haokhothong located a plot belonging to Mr. Pitamber Teron, Mr Bipin Teron and Mr Suren Teron (brothers) and Mr. D.P. Haokip and Mr. J.K. Haokip were entrusted to find out two persons who can buy the plot of land simultaneously with the church. Thereafter, (L) Elder Jangngam Haokip, Bijang Village was contacted and convinced to pay an advance of Rs. 5 Lacs out of the first instalment of Rs. 6 Lacs.”
‘Guwahati spirit’. Clearly a household vocabulary of the community discourse in Guwahati. This is something that old-timers love to talk about and cherish with pride. A buzzword that speakers insists on not failing to emphasize at the opportune time. Leaders also appeal to the masses to imbibe by the ‘Guwahati spirit’ on important social occasions and emergent circumstances. So, what actually is ‘Guwahati spirit?’. The Departmental Report of Kuki Welfare Association, Guwahati in the Church Dedication Souvenir appear to largely address this query. “Kukis in Guwahati are self-organised under three mutually linked organs viz., Kuki Students’ Organisation, Kuki Worship Service and last but not the least Kuki Welfare Association. There is freshness and a very unique sense of community ownership among the Kukis that binds this very hardworking, honest and cultural Kuki community in Guwahati. We in Guwahati love to call this ‘the Guwahati Spirit’”.
The Kuki Worship Service as an entity has grown and expanded from its humble beginning in Shillong, decades back. The members of the community have benefitted beyond measure, both spiritually and socially, cutting across different age groups. At the same time, challenges abound, and more frequent than not, it’s existence, foundation, roots and legitimacy has also been questioned and subjected to scrutiny. According to the information provided in the website of CKWS, there are presently as many as 20 units of the Kuki Worship Service in different cities of India, along with 4 units outside India. In my quest to clear my conceptual understanding of the basic tenets of the Kuki Worship Service, I have perused few available literature. In this regard, I find that two essays cover the Kuki Worship Service movement, lucidly and concisely. These articles are: ‘Future Prospects of Kuki Worship Service (Revised Version 2017)’ written by Rev. Dino L. Touthang and ‘Historical Account and Theological Foundation of Kuki Worship Service’, written by Dr. Thongkhosei Haokip. Both articles were published in the Khanglai 2017 Delhi Souvenir.
Now, I am in my third innings as a member of the Kuki Worship Service, Guwahati. It has coincided with the much-awaited Silver Jubilee Celebration as the fellowship is completing 25 years of existence since its inception on 17 November, 1997. I observe that membership has grown manifold – more number of family members and students. Unlike in my last stint, when brethrens from Assam flocked home on long weekends or holidays, the benches do not look so deserted anymore and occupancy on any Sunday is more or less consistent. Most recently, a nascent unit has also been opened in Azara, and a sizeable plot of land has been acquired for construction of church building of Kuki Worship Service, Azara. The Kuki Worship Service, Guwahati is marching ahead and moving forward in all spheres. At this juncture, as we commemorate 25 years of God’s faithfulness, it would be prudent as well as apt to remember our modest beginning and remain rooted in Him.
To conclude, I am irresistibly tempted to refer to the famous words of the Emperor Meiji in the epic period action drama film, ‘The Last Samurai’. “I have dreamed of a unified Japan. Of a country, strong and independent and modern. Now, we have railroads and cannon, western clothing. But we cannot forget who we are or where we come from.”
