Question

U Morkha Joseph u thoh katno tylli ki dkhot ha “Ka Jingthoh Mawjingtep” kumba phi shem ha ka poim “Ka Jingiam briew ha lum jingtep iingmane”?

• A. 2
• B. 3
• C. 4
• D. 5

Hint:

In Khasi poetry, the number of stanzas often symbolizes harmony or balance — four stanzas represent the natural stages of human existence.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the context of “Ka Jingthoh Mawjingtep.”
“Ka Jingthoh Mawjingtep” is one of the most well-known poetic works written by U Morkha Joseph.
The poem portrays a deep reflection on life, death, and the legacy that one leaves behind.
The phrase “Ka Jingiam briew ha lum jingtep iingmane” translates to “the burial of a person in the family graveyard,” emphasizing the cultural belief of returning to one’s ancestral resting place.
Step 2: About the structure of the poem.
In the original composition, U Morkha Joseph structured “Ka Jingthoh Mawjingtep” in four stanzas (dkhot).
Each stanza carries a symbolic layer — moving from mourning and loss to remembrance and spiritual continuity.
Through these four verses, the poet explores how memories of the dead are etched into the hearts of the living, much like carvings (jingthoh) on a gravestone (maw jingtep).
Step 3: Significance of the number of stanzas.
The use of four stanzas represents the four symbolic phases of life and death — birth, living, death, and remembrance.
This structural symbolism is typical in Khasi poetry, where numbers often carry cultural and spiritual meaning.
Step 4: Elimination of incorrect options.
- (1) 2 — Too short; would not accommodate the poem’s complete thematic development.
- (2) 3 — Partial structure, but does not match the full poetic format.
- (4) 5 — Incorrect; the poem has a balanced four-stanza structure.
Hence, (3) 4 is the correct option.
Step 5: Conclusion.
Therefore, U Morkha Joseph wrote four stanzas in “Ka Jingthoh Mawjingtep,” as reflected in the poem “Ka Jingiam briew ha lum jingtep iingmane.”