By Daiaphira Kharsati
SHILLONG: The village of Lyngkyrdem in East Khasi Hills is not as popular tourist destination as other places in the state despite a Bollywood movie was shot in 1972 starring late Dev Anand and Sharmila Tagore- Yeh Gulistan Hamara.
The headman of Lait Lyting in Lyngkyrdem said, “Though it is in the tourist map, very few tourists visit the place.”
Recalling being featured in the song He suno meri baat of the movie, headman D.S. Lyngdoh said, “I was in class V when we were asked to act in the song.”
The village has few viewpoints namely Laitshyniar, Ryngknah, Kyrdop, Kynton-U-Iang, Mawlieh, however, the headman informed that the viewpoints need maintenance.
Another reason that there are very few visitors is lack of tourist facilities as there are no hotels, home-stays and guest houses, Lyngdoh told The Shillong Times.
The people in Lyngkyrdem village are mostly into trade and other business, some are employed in different government departments since agriculture is not feasible in the village except in one’s own garden.
The movie
“I don’t know about the other children but it was the first time in my life that I tasted an apple,” Lyngdoh said as he recounted the time when the children were given an apple by the film crew.
He recalled that the school gave a holiday to allow the students to shoot for the song in the film.
“They would teach us a few dance steps/act and song lyrics were written on the blackboard,” he added.
He said that the song took about a week to shoot whereas it is only around 4 minutes.
In the song, the children from the village were seen frolicking with the two lead actors.
“We ran behind them. We were paid Rs 10 to Rs 15 per day. In the movie, there were other women, elderly ladies who were asked to only nod or shake their heads, they were also paid Rs 10,” Lyngdoh said.
Asked on the actors’ approach to the children, he said of the two actors, Dev Anand was very friendly towards the children.
The movie was shot at Ryngain village and Wah Rymben.
Almost 46 years of the film shoot and still very less tourists visit the place, Lyngdoh is still upbeat about the prospects of tourism and said, “The best time to visit the village is during the month of October-November.”