Extended winter or early monsoon?
It is evident that the climate of Meghalaya is no longer predictable. April has been rainy and cold and people have had to pull out their woollens and blankets yet again. While in Delhi and elsewhere the mercury is soaring to dangerous heights, Meghalaya defines itself as the moody State. The climate is harsher on tourists who check the internet for the exact temperature only to be betrayed when they arrive here for the temperature on some days last week went to 10 degrees. A tourist from Mumbai who came with very minimal clothes had to buy a pullover to keep himself warm. Farmers are wondering how their crops are going to fare with the weather fluctuating so crazily. While April is known for its cyclones, it has never been this cold in the past. In fact the rains seem to bring the cold. This weather has completely bewildered the garment shop owners in downtown Shillong. These shops have been displaying snazzy summer wear but the weather is such that summer clothes would freeze the wearer. How long this freakish weather will continue is anybody’s guess but summery clothes are certainly not for Shillong right now!
No sense of direction
Young Shillongites do not seem know the names of streets and localities of this city, other than their own backyards. How many for instance know where Butcher Road is. Khasis call it Them Bijoy. Other lanes and by-lanes too have English names known only to a few. Hence tourists who ask for English names are often sent on a wild goose chase. Recently, a tourist couple were visiting the city for the first time. They boarded a tourist vehicle from Guwahati which was provided by their tour operator. The couple visited the Don Bosco Museum at Mawlai en route to Laitumkhrah. They were to stay in a newly opened guest house at Laitumkhrah. The driver looked everywhere for the guest house which is located in Red Hill Road but could not locate it. None of the people he asked could tell him where Red Hill Road is. This is because there are no signages. Earlier a visitor to Shillong wanted to visit someone in Lady Veronica Lane but no one could tell her where it is. Many local residents here know only their own streets. It’s high time for localities to put up signages. After all we live in the 21st century and drivers cannot be expected to ask every passer- by for directions.
Learning Curve
About 43 MLAs are attending the training programme for elected representatives in New Delhi. Politicians are the only specimens who launch into their profession without any work experience and some without even the bare minimum qualification. The Indigo flight from Guwahati at 1.20 pm on Sunday was a power flight as several MLAs took this flight. Urban Affairs Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh was seated next to James Sangma. Next to them was Phrang Roy, former Assistant President, IFAD. The trio was engaged in nonstop conversation during the entire stretch of the flight (two and a half hours). The discussions were free ranging and the light hearted banter unmistakable. It has to be said of the MLAs and ministers of Meghalaya that they really have no airs. No one on the flight could have guessed who is an MLA and who the minister. The bonhomie was infectious!