Invisible Man and the myth of Tiso-Jonding

 DS Teron

The fabulous ‘Mande Burung’ or ‘Jungle Man’ of the Garo folklore has come alive again.
The ‘Indian Express’ issue of the 3rd August 2008 says so. According to the report, hairs
collected from the illusive beast have been dispatched to the Oxford Brookes University for
DNA analysis. The popular bedtime story for children in the Garo Hills, the ‘Mande Burung’
myth is refusing to fade as the sudden focus of the media, both national and international, has
rather added to its mysterious aura. High-ranking forest officials in the Meghalaya government
are however dismissive of any grain of truth in the stories, which they say only the print and
electronic media will find interesting and saleable. Probably, the 1982 Meghalaya government
investigation’s failure to authentically prove the existence of the mysterious ‘Mande Burung’ had
frustrated the forest officials.
 
But, ‘Mande Burung’ needs not be frustrated, nor should one be skeptical or dismissive of
the folk beliefs. ‘Mande Burung’ is certainly not alone, neither is it confined only to the Garo
folklore. For centuries, generations of Karbis down to this day have continued to be enamored by
the fabulous tales of the equally mysterious entities of the likes of ‘Tiso-Jonding’, ‘Phri Api’ and
‘Kenglongpo’. In Karbi folk memories, these mysterious and larger than life entities are still
alive, inspiring modern tales of passion and excitement. From the realm of bedtime stories, these
mysterious characters are slowly beginning to emerge into public limelight and assume the
centre of talk again—thanks to video productions like the fictionalized ‘Kanghon Killing
Chongkret’ basing on the theme of the popular myths about a Karbi tigerman, a unique
phenomenon of lycanthropy among the Karbis. But let’s bear in mind that it is only a beginning
and an experiment too trivial to be counted as important or path-breaking. What is immediately
called for is to be able to bring these shadowy creatures of the Karbi folklore into both national
and international limelight. Just as the Scottish monster of the Lock Ness and the Chinese
dragons have endured for centuries and still continuing to nourish the theme-starved filmmakers
throughout the world.
 
Coming to Tiso-Jonding, Phri Api and Kenglongpo— what are these creatures for the
uninitiated in Karbi folklore? If you ask a Karbi about them, it is likely that he/she would be just
as interested as you are. An old man in his late 80s, Khorsing Kro, the Habé of Nokbaré, is
passionate about his childhood memories about the fabulous Tiso-Jonding. Mr. Kro narrates the
creature as an ape-like animal covered with reddish-brown hairs, a bigger version of the Hollock
Gibbon. The creature is illusive and never appears before human eyes. For a lesser mortal, a
chance confrontation is also therefore considered a serious misfortune. However, not long ago,
there were special breed of priests who could tame and summon the ‘Tiso-Jonding’. As Mr. Kro
says, the creature is attributed with superhuman strength and magical powers to remain invisible
though its voice is heard, speaking fluently in human languages, singing lullabies, playing flute
and even drum. The creatures huddle together in the groove of banyan trees in deep forests.
Karbi folklore abounds with tales involving the creature. The thirty sub-clans of the Ejang clan
even include a Tiso (Jonding) according to Karbi belief. What is even more vital is the Karbi
belief that the family deity —‘Peng’ is actually a manifestation of the Tiso-Jonding according to
a legend that tells the amusing story of a dual between the mysterious creature with a Karbi
ancestor in times long past. Being overpowered by the Karbi ancestor, the Tiso-
Jonding (according to some account, the entity is an malevolent spirit variously described
as Tiso-Jonding or Chekama) promised to protect him and his family. Just as the Old Testament
account of Jacob’s confrontation with an angel at Pnei-el or Penuel.
 
Well, the folklore of the mysterious Tiso-Jonding (lit. the tall Tiso) that so intimately knits
together with the Karbi folk belief cannot simply be dismissed as hearsay or superstitions. Phri-
Api or Kenglongpo —the other two entities, mysterious and magical though they are, have
however not found similar favor and fervor in Karbi belief system, but nevertheless, they are
alive—probably in physical sense or otherwise. Kenglongpo (lit. straight-legged or legs without
joints) has never ceased to haunt the Karbi minds that invoke both fear and fascination. A
counterpart of the mighty American Bigfoot or the Nepalese Yeti— or a missing link in the long
chain of human evolution? Well, no one is sure, but the myth of Kenglongpo endures, though
less fortunate than the ‘Mande Burung’ which is currently enjoying media attention from both
home and abroad. Mythical creatures, like Kenglongpo and Tiso-Jonding from the Karbi folklore
are awaiting media resurrection, at least from the more sympathetic media at home. While Phri
Api, equated with the Assamese ‘Bon-Manuh’, are also believed to be wandering behind human
eyes in the forests of Chinthong. With the disappearing forests and the growing threat to
biodiversity, one never knows if this mysterious species still exists!