In this Blog’s post, we look at a brief establishment history of Darrang Circle NELC. Now this Circle is known as Udalguri Santal Circle. There are 17 Congregations under Darrang Circle.
History of the Darrang Circle
Firstly, we discuss some Missionaries and Pastor. Those who came to Darrang district, in Assam. Norwegian Missionary Rev. Johnson Gausdal was among them. He came to Udalguri, District of Darrang, which is north of Assam in 1935-1940. At that time some of Santal people were migrating from Jharkand and Dinajpur and living there. Rev. Johnson took some pastors with him from Jharkand for his ministry. Among them were Nimwi Murmu, James Hopna Soren, and Roben Murmu. Nimwi Murmu was born in 1898 at Jharkand. He took Ordination on 30th March in 1941. He worked with missionary and came to Assam Colony from the Jharkhand.
Another Pastor James Hopna Soren was born in 1906 at Nankar district of Jharkhand, the village of Gamharpahari. He took Ordination by Rev. Gausdal on 29th November 1942. He stayed in Grahampur Assam after ordination. Again another Pastor Roben Murmu was born in 1913 at Ranga, Assam. He got Ordination by Rev. Gausdal on 29th November 1942.
The establishment of Singaon, Sapkati, Bagantola and Simoldhohi Congragations
The Pastors who came with Rev. Johnson Gausdal; they stayed some days at Singaon. They proclaim the Word of God. And they converted some people and made a church worshiping God. This church was dedicated by Rev. Simrat Mardi. He was born in 1907 at Chondrapura, Jharkand; and ordinate on 2nd Mach, 1944.
He worked as an evangelist in Assam Colony. He was the first pastor of the Darrang District. Rev. Simrat Mardi and Rev. Nimwi Murmu, Rev. James Hopna Soren, and Rev. Roben Murmu were proclaiming Gospel surround the place of Udalguri, District of Darrang and slowly the Christianity was spread and Rev. Simrat Mardi dedicated some Churches like Sapkati, Bagantola, and Simoldhohi.
Sugestion reading
Liberation: Sermon on the Topic Santal liberation
Pastors’s work in Darrang Circle (History of Darrang Circle)
The Second pastor of Darrang Circle was Rev. Mongol Besra. He was Ordinate on 14 February 1957. The third pastor of this Circle was Rev. Choron Hasda who was born at Sapkati in 1934 and after graduation of Diploma Course from Benagaria Santal Theological Seminary; Ordinated on 3rd May 1966 by Bishop M.M. Tudu in Ransupur Church.
He proclaimed the Gospel in the District of Sunitpur also and erected there one church at the village of Paharpur. After that Ordinated Rev. Nathaniel Hembrom in on 20 May 1979. And later pastors are Rev. Daniel Hembrom, now he is working in Kumarikata Mission. Rev. Mose Hasda, he is passed away, Rev. Barnabas Hasda, who retired in the 2016 year in December month, Rev. Manshing Murmu, who is passed away in 2019. Now there is working Rev. Susi Hembrom.
Kadamtala Congragation (History of Darrang Circle)
There is a church call Kadamtala NELC Church. This was erected by Rev. Simrat Mardi in 1952-57. There are only six numbers at beginning of the Church. Lt. Mariyam Mardi’s families were the first members of this Church. She is passed away on 25 August 2020.
According to the oral of Mariyam Mardi’s, her mother’s families were lived in the Villages of Malarpur, in Dinajpur. They were non-Christian, but when the Mission celebrated its quarter centenary jubilee to build a station and Church in Rautnagar, which was dedicated in 1930.
Arrival of Darrang district
After some years later they converted to Christianity and after the First World War, they immigrated to Assam with two daughters. They arrived at Udalguri, Darrang district of Assam, before three years of Independent day of Indian. So, we can say the year was 1944. They stayed in the village of kadamtala, where non-Christian people were living. In this village, her father’s brother’s family were living who came before them. They cut the jungle and made the field for cultivation.
After a few months they able to know that there was a church in Simoldohi. It was 10 km far from Kadamtala. Then they used to go to Simoldohi church. But people of that village did not like Christianity. Because of this, the village people insulted them. But they stayed between such a situation because of belief in God and more than 10 years.
When Mariyam Mardi was 17 years old she got married. After one year the church of Kadamtala was erected by Rev. Simrat Mardi, and Mariyam Mardi’s husband Matiyas Hembrom was the first elder of this Church.
Establishment of Kadamtala Church
After the establishment of this Church, believers came from the Villages such as Nolkhamra, Uttar Borpukhri, and Puthimari. Then some years later Nolkhamra and Uttar Borpukhri had erected their own Church.
Now the members of Kadamtala Church are the third generation Christian. There is no clarity about the date of establishment of this Church, but it is clear that the year was between 1952-1955.