By Patricia Mukhim
Shillong: Sambha Lamarr, who introduced the Creative Art, Literature and Music (CALM) Festival to the public of Shillong in May 2012, passed away at Bethany Hospital on Good Friday.
Sambha, just 47 years of age, was a much loved person not just in Shillong but across the country where she had friends who contributed to the richness of the CALM Fest.
It was Sambha who invited Chetan Bhagat to Shillong and gave us a taste of what it is like to hear a celebrity author talk of issues closest to his heart. The next year she brought Jerry Pinto, Shobhaa De, and a host of artists, photographers and writers and of course stand up comedians who taught the stoic people of Shillong to laugh and let their hair down.
The CALM Fest has become an event that not only the people of Shillong look forward to but a festival that is marked out in the calendar of creative writers from Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Dehra Dun et al.
Sambha would share with other CALM enthusiasts about who was coming and who would do what. She involved a cross section of Shillongites in her endeavour to make CALM an inclusive and participative event. She carefully thought out activities for school and college students even while she crafted out a full schedule for the visitors and eclectic participants. Owner of one of Shillong’s cozy little bookshop ‘The BookMark’ in Nongrim Hills, Sambha has hosted several book release functions and organised inter-community dialogues on contentious issues. Facebook is replete with tributes paid to this wonderful personality. Everyone who knew her has something special to say about her. Says Daulat Rahman, correspondent, The Telegraph, “Shocked…one of the most graceful women I have ever met in my life. When I met her a few years back …she gave me an English version of Holy Quran which later helped me in deeper understanding of Islam and Prophet Mohammad. May Allah grant her eternal peace and Jannatul Firdous …Ameen.”
There are others too who were gifted books when they visited ‘The BookMark’. Sambha herself was well read and would recommend books to friends and associates.
On Friday when news of her demise filtered out, people from all walks of life rushed to her residence. She had left her imprint on all those who have come in contact with her. Sambha had taught for a brief while in St. Edmund’s School. Her students remember her lovely smile and her soothing presence. “Ma’am Sambha never needed to raise her voice. She was a mentor to many of us,” said a former Edmundian, adding that she would involve them later on as compère etc., during the CALM Fest.
Sambha has been battling cancer for the last one year and spent her last few days at the ICU of Bethany Hospital. In death Sambha retained her peaceful, dignified demeanour. Anyone looking at her lying on her bed cannot but miss the half smile on her face.
It is in such a situation that John Donne’s Sonnet X, Death Be Not Proud, resonates. “Death be not proud/ though some have called thee/ Mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so…”
From the people of Shillong comes the Last Farewell…Rest in that place of Calm and Peace.
Sambha leaves behind her young sons Chuamiki and Korniaki, her husband Hansel, sisters Rika, Rilana and Dakahiwot and her grieving mother.