To Sunday Shillong,
This is in reference to the article ‘In search of history’ that was published on July 21. I may request the team to add the memorial of Swami Vivekananda in Laban, adjacent to Battibazar area, to the list of heritage buildings. Swamiji came to Shillong in July 1901 and stayed in the house (the old house in picture) of Roy Saheb Kailash Chandra Das, Laban, for a good number of days. Sir Henry Cotton, the then chief commissioner of Assam, and many other remarkable persons met Swamiji in that house. It is worth mentioning that the chief commissioner invited the monk to be his guest but refusing his request with courtesy, Swami Vivekananda preferred to stay with his countryman Kailash Chandra Das. The house is still there, most neglected, and only a plaque is there, where it is engraved about Vivekananda’s stay. It should be counted as a heritage house carrying the memory of the global personality like Swami Vivekananda. You may kindly focus the same in your write-up for preserving the valuable memory of such a great personality like Swamiji. I heard the house is now under litigation; if the government interferes everything could be solved.
Thanking you
Uma Purkayastha
To Sunday Shillong,
This is in reference to the article ‘In Fairy Land’ that was published in the June 21 edition. As a resident of Shillong, I felt really proud when I read about how an Austrian artist took interest in the culture and tradition here and how she was impressed by the beauty of Meghalaya. It was also interesting to know that she had read about Meghalaya when she was a child. After I read the article, I checked the artist’s website and found her works really interesting. Her way of expressing her thoughts and telling stories about a particular place or person is unique. I wish she comes back to Meghalaya and explores other parts of the state, especially Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills, and digs out more interesting anecdotes about the tribes and the places.
Thanking you
Gavin Kharshandy