Shillong =Unpredictable
Alice could think of coming here if being in wonderland enthralled her so much. Shillong presents a contrasting scenario each time you blink.
Shillong’s is currently the winter wonderland with lights strewn across the city and blinking mischievously at us.
They seem to be asking, “Guess who is sponsoring all your Christmas festivities?” We ask no questions because they are embarrassing. Who cares so long as the town is decked with lights and hollies. Looks like Shillong has awaked after a 5-6 month hiatus. All creatures hibernate in winter. Shillong goes to sleep in autumn to wake up in winter.
None can say that this town which now presents a whacky atmosphere of crazy shopping carnivals, intense Christmas preparations and the like was the very same town which looked deserted during the agitations, blockades and not to forget the loss of three lives that left many hearts bleeding.
The transition from Syria to Las Vegas…in a snap is stark indeed!
The belligerent heroes have deigned to call off agitations, promising peace during this season of goodwill.
There are sparkling smiles all around would. Looks like all hatchets have been temporarily buried. Looking at the amazing razzle-dazzle of blinking lights people are perplexed… “Is this the same spot we saw a petrol bomb being hurled and someone died screaming of blistering pain on his rotting skin?
In a matter of few weeks everything has changed. All is forgotten. Will Christ will be born in unholy hearts that snuffed out the lives of innocent people?
From the closed shutters of shops, we now see a rush that forces the shutters open before time for the shoppers must be entertained.
From cakes usually seen turning stale, now even pre-orders are rejected! From a time when the only dazzle were the results of an arson case, we now have the MUDA brightening up the night sky…the list goes on and we are thankful! But to whom and for what?
What a time to dig roads!
Amidst the chaos and anarchy that Christmas shopping brings and vehicles literally choking the streets of Shillong, there is digging around Laitumkhrah main road and it is raising a hell of a lot of dust for passers- by who can be heard cursing under their breath. Alas!
It’s a huge price to pay for the Laitumkhrah beautification project.
The residents of Police Bazar and the shoppers paid a similar price a year ago. In fact a women who feel into a ditch during the chaotic time had to be hospitalised. Lucky MUDA that she didn’t sue them!
She would have had a pile of money for things like undue harassment, mental agony and loss of (wo)man days etc., The poor vegetable hawkers are having a bad road day or several such days.
It’s going to be a dusty Christmas Christmas for them besides being a cold one as well.
What the kids say!
“Mummy how can Santa go shopping for me if there is a bandh on December 23rd? Can’t Santa request the HNLC to do the bandh after Christmas? And mamma why do people play such loud music inside their vehicles? I will go deaf… And yes…why do people drive and speak on their mobile phones? Is that called multi-tasking?”
The busy mom bombarded with so many questions said, “Ask the police. They have answers for everything?”
“Everything?” asks the child. “Yes everything,” says the harried mother.
“Can I ask them to tell Santa to catch the HNLC dude who is disturbing our Christmas shopping?” the boy persisted.
“That’s the only thing they won’t be able to do, son, they don’t even know if he’s a human or a phantom. And now don’t ask me what phantom is. You are too young to know,” said the ‘young’ mother. The child looked quizzically at her and then clamped up. Truly out of the mouth of babes comes rare wisdom which adults fail to understand.
On this solemn note, Shillong Jottings wishes all readers and aficionados of this column a very blessed and peace-filled Christmas….