By Paramjit Bakhshi
By accident, or by a larger cosmic design, I was invited, courtesy Zulfi Ali who read one of my occasional columns in this newspaper, to present a paper, at the recently held William Carey University seminar. The topic was “Harbingers of Transformation: Social change in a globalised era”. My first reaction was of disappointment. The PCI hall, with a capacity of about fifty people seemed too small. I guess I too disappointed them. My topic of my choice was “Dynamic of Social Change: a generalists perspective” demanded a little more than the allotted time. When the AV system malfunctioned it cut into my allotted time and I was forced to cut short my speech. However the interaction that followed made up for all the disappointments.
A number of people presented papers and though I did not stay for all the papers, during the two day seminar, I did come away with much food for thought, which I want to share with the readers (since the media mostly failed to cover it).
There were two themes which were interesting for me during the seminar. The first being the very current issue of Khasi cultural identity and the fear of losing it. Two scholars highlighted how local preferences have moved away from traditional food, clothing, sports and entertainment towards newer and hitherto alien choices. David Marbaniang, Asst Professor, St. Anthony’s College presented the results of a survey conducted by him in support of this viewpoint and Dr. Smt. Roplyenda Lyngdoh’s paper also said the same thing.
Having stayed in Shillong since 1976, this issue, which has come into sharp focus, since the incidents of 4th April, perplexes me as an individual.
I am a Sikh, who has no roots in Punjab today. Partition took away the land of my ancestors, much before I was born. I do not wear a turban or carry a sword and have been a smoker. You will hardly see me at the gurudwara or fraternizing with other Sikhs. By all accounts I am not a Sikh or a bad one, more so because I chose to marry, and have been married for the last thirty years to a Khasi girl, who has a sense of serenity and calmness that I don’t share. I cannot write or read Punjabi though I can speak acceptable if not pure Punjabi. Having stayed in the Northeast since I was nine years old I eat all North-eastern food, eating Punjabi food only occasionally. I love Punjabi folk music but do not think it has been corrupted by such genres as bhangra rap.
However should anybody say that I look like an Assamese, or a Sindhi, or an Egyptian I am quick to point out that I am a Sikh. For me being a Sikh has little to with the outward symbols and accepted cultural practises. It has got to do with the spirit of being a Sikh. In my mind’s eye Sikhs represent an attitude of never say die and though lakhs of us became displaced the thing that we are proud of is that you will never see a Sikh begging anywhere in the world. That is enough to make a Sikh proud, anywhere. I don’t need to wear my identity on my sleeve.
I think that the various and cultures struggling to preserve their identity in the Northeast need to find out what it means to be a Khasi, or a Naga, or a Mizo, in spirit and then should hold on to those values in this fast changing world. Outward symbols will change if not disappear totally with time but values can survive just as ours did through Mughal and English rule, the Partition and the 1984 riots. If a Sikh taxi driver who does not speak English can make New York his home there is no reason why an educated Khasi cannot hold his own anywhere in the world.
In this connection we need to re-examine our tendency to kill genuine discourse and individualism in our communities. As I said, during my presentation, all societies need individuals who can stand tall and voice their diverse opinions in an atmosphere of freedom. We need enlightened individuals and not just large groups of people thinking the same outworn thoughts and romanticising the past. Romanticising the past is like believing in heaven. Though we may all believe in heaven none of us are prepared to die this instant to get there just as all proponents of our glorious past are loathe giving up modern conveniences as they continue to jet around the world, sometimes in executive class, as its advocates. The clock cannot be turned back no matter how hard we try. Prof Ken Gnanakan, the Chancellor, WCU, in his concluding remarks had great advice on how to handle change.
He said (or he quoted someone, I forget which is the case) that the winds of change are here and cannot be wished away. It is up to us whether we want to build walls or try and stop this change or build windmills to take advantage of these changes. There could not have been a better analogy.
The problem of individualism is a real problem in most societies. Rudyard Kipling must have recognised this because he said “The individual has always had to struggle from being overwhelmed by the tribe. To be your own man/woman is a hard business. If you try it you will be lonely often and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. ‘I feel that unless own owns oneself one cannot know one self. The Greeks had very wisely put just two words at the entrance to the temple at Delphi. They read “Know Thyself”. This is what gives us the wisdom to handle all change.
Shillong has some towering personalities such as Mr. R G Lyngdoh and Ms. Patricia Mukhim and we can have more such people if we have an environment where wisdom takes precedence over fear, adaptability wins over rigidity and openness thrives over narrow mindedness. Fear may touch popular emotion but it is wisdom which guides us through tough times. As Renee Lulam’s story, concerning the tenacity of rural Mizo women, highlighted we can find solutions for our pressing problems if we can look ahead with hope and determination.
The second topic of social relevance was brought into sharp focus by a frail looking but obviously tough lady called Ms. Shoma Modak. Like me, she was no scholar, but unlike me, or unlike any of us there, she is a woman of action . She runs, with very meagre resources, four makeshift schools for underprivileged and exploited children, under the name of Shishu Shiksha Ghar at Rangman, Mawlong, Punjabi line and at Paltan Bazaar. Among her pupils is a ten year old child prostitute, a fact which few of us may know about, and fewer still acknowledge. She gave up her job with an NGO to do some real work, she said. Among her successes are two children who got a gold and a bronze at the State level Taekwondo championship. One of them has also been selected for the Nationals. Though she has tried to raise funds to expand she has got no help from any government departments.. Her presentation was a shocker and an eye opener to all present and credit must go to her for her courageous and outstanding work. It also must go to the organisers of the workshop, the William Carey University for giving her a chance to present a paper, thus making this a workshop different from the routine scholarly affairs which do not connect to the man on the street. Should anybody desire to fund such genuine effort they can contact her at [email protected]
My only regret is that Mr. Tony Marak, PCCF , Govt of Meghalaya, came as the Chief Guest and gave a valedictory speech and not a presentation. His oratory skill and his knowledge of forests, wildlife, conservation and environment would have added to the varied perspectives of change which the workshop sought to highlight. It would have also have given the audience a chance to interact with him.
The author is a life skills trainer and can be contacted at [email protected]