Artiste recalls theatre’s golden days in Shillong
SHILLONG: “The history of theatre in Shillong goes back to the year 1891 when the first drama was staged here,” recalled city-based theatre personality Afzal Hossain.
In a programme aired by All India Radio on Monday evening, Hossain shared his theatre experiences with the audience and said that although the passion for theatre seemed to be missing in the present context, the scenario was different in the past century.
Hossain, a veteran actor, playwright and makeup artist, expressed his inability to grasp the change.
“During those days, there was no electricity in Shillong. Plays were enacted with the help of lanterns. The theme of plays centered on mythological and historical subjects. Males used to perform female roles,” Hossain recalled, while recounting the golden era of theatre when more than 30 drama troupes were active in Shillong.
Belonging to a family of businessmen, Hossain’s forefathers migrated from Hooghly district of West Bengal. His grandfather late Mowla Baksh established a bank, printing press and motor workshop in Shillong. Mowla Baksh was awarded title of ‘Khanbahadur’ in June 1915 by the then Viceroy for his exemplary works.
The audience included singer Lou Majaw, Head, AIR Shillong DDG(E) A.N. Sharma and Programme Head Arkin Pariat, among others.
Media stages ‘walkout’ from State Assembly
SHILLONG: Media persons staged a walk out from the Assembly on Monday after the copy of the speech of Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi was not made available to them following his address to the Assembly.
Despite sending reminders to the Assembly officials, there was no response, compelling the media persons to walk out.
The Assembly officials later clarified that they had not received any slips from the media persons.
Later, Assembly Speaker A.T. Mondal expressed his regret at the lapse during his meeting with media persons in his office chamber.
The lapse was due to the strict instructions to the attendants in the Assembly not to move around during the Governor’s Address, Mondal said.
The newspersons, however, returned to the press gallery during the Obituary reference after copies of the Governor’s speech were made available to them.
Intl expedition explores new caves in State
SHILLONG: The 2015 Caving in the Abode of Clouds Expedition took place from February 2-26 during which the expedition team conducted explorations in Umkyrpong area.
This year, the team comprising of 32 cavers from Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, UK and others, explored the Krem Tyngheng, India’s 2nd longest cave, and extended it from 21774 metres to 22078 metres in length.
The team also explored Krem Lakhon, an impressive river cave, for 412 metres to take its total explored length to 3040 metres.
Another cave Krem Umkrung located in Lakadong was also explored and surveyed for 1163 metres. Krem Shken Shynriah located close to the village of Umlynsha proved to be the longest cave to be explored this year. It yielded 3059 metres of passage much of which was stream way, forcing the cavers to include swimming as part of the exploration.
Reality show to be organised in State
SHILLONG: A first of its king reality show – Meghalaya Got Talent – will be organised by the Meghalaya Social Programme Welfare Development Organization with an aim to promote the local talents in the State.
The show is open to all with no age limit. People who are differently abled can also take part in the show, the organisers said.
The auditions will start from March 21 at Jowai and Tura.
Interestingly, the organisers have informed that the entry fees for the reality show is Rs.1,100.