Longest dais ever
During an International Seminar on Indo-Bangladesh Cultural Relations recently held in the city Governor RS Mooshahary who was sharing the dais along with five participants each on his right and left commented that he was actually leading a football team with eleven participants. The governor who was invited at the end to deliver the ritualistic closing speech said, “I wonder what my role is? Is it of a goalkeeper since all other players have played their role?” amidst peals of laughter from the audience. The eleven participants, including the governor also included scholars from Bangladesh. They were also at a loss as what they would say since they had to address the audience. Dr Glen Kharkongor, VC, Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU) while giving his speech at the same function said the long dais reminded him of the inauguration function of a particular post graduation course in NEIGRIHMS, recently where the announcer literally called everyone from the audience to speak leaving out only one person who was later also called to the dais. The Director, National Institute of Fashion Technology did not know what to say as she was not prepared. And since whatever she had prepared was already spoken. And then one of the participants in the dais had forgotten to take the Terracotta Buddha which was presented to every participant by the organizers. The said frame, it is learnt was taken away by someone. The hunt for the thief is still on!
Shillong features as a cool small town
Cloud 9 and Tango are popular resto-bars where young and middle aged chill out on weekends which starts Saturday evening and spills over to the wee hours of Sunday. In recent times Déjà vu a lounge bar in Laitumkhrah has also become a one stop shop for many with the penchant for karaoke. Rahul Bose who had come to Shillong recently was quite surprised to find such a joint in this little city. He was invited there by some bigwig of Meghalaya. Incidentally that bigwig is mentioned in the India Today (October 15, 2012) in the story, “Boogie Nights in Small Town India,” as the patron of Déjà vu.
Nothing wrong about that! After all everyone needs to take a chill pill after driving the seat of governance for nearly 14-15 hours everyday. Its good that Shillong finds mentions as one of those cool, liberal spaces where cultural and moral policing is not heard of. Said a spunky Gen Next party hopper, “We work hard from Monday to Saturday. What’s wrong with partying on weekends? We have every right to choose our mode of relaxation. What’s wrong with singing and dancing anyways?” Well said dude!
Bandh time is fun time
Shillongites know how to welcome a bandh. Even school kids plan their programme to the last detail at least 48 hours ahead while their parents make sure they cook up their favourite food during these unscheduled holidays. But ask the tourist who is holed up in the hotel room and you cam see the anger and disgust that the bandh was not announced weeks ahead so that their plans do not go ‘chowpat’ as one visitor from Uttar Pradesh who is here on a visit with family said.
For a tourist a loss of one day means a loss of money and time. Those who wish to call bandhs henceforth should announce their plans at least a fortnight so that tour operators can inform their clients.
But as one tour operator said, for tourists there is no killjoy as depressing as a bandh. In fact several tour operators spoken to have said that If the NGOs don’t rethink their strategies of blackmailing the government they could well kill even the small entrepreneurships that have just begun to blossom.
Sadly the daily labourers have no organisation to speak on their behalf. They are always at the receiving end. Time for another NGO of, by and for labourers?