WAHKHEN: Not many will identify a national award-winner in a tattered shirt and lose discoloured trousers squatting on the floor and bantering with villagers over a cup of tea. But that is Komik Khongjirem, the rustic musician.
Khongjirem, who is the president of Seng Riti Institute at Wahkhen in Pynursla, received the national award in 2001 for his contribution to Khasi traditional music. He is also a master in making musical instruments.
Khongjirem taught music at North-Eastern Hill University, Synod College and St Anthony’s College, among other places. At present, he teaches music to the children of Wahkhen.
“We want to preserve the tradition of Khasi music and so we are training the young generation, both boys and girls, so that there is no dearth of Khasi musicians in the future,” said the septuagenarian as he sipped tea sitting in front of the music school, a one-roomed iing skum.
Music classes are held on Sundays. The sound of ksing, padiah, ksing kynthei and tangmuri fills up the otherwise serene village.
Khongjirem still performs during local festivals like Nongkrem dance in Smit where he is the duhalia. The musician has performed in Delhi and other parts of the country.
Despite his national recognition, the master musician has got no recognition from the state government. In fact, the government “has done little to promote a talent such as his”, said a fellow villager.
Another award-winning musician, Rojet Buhphang, from the same village has also not got the deserved recognition. He is one of the teachers in the music school.
There is also no state support for the music school at Wahkhen and the villagers have to bear all expenses. “The school is aimed at preserving and promoting culture through traditional music. The children never miss a class and to encourage them we
also provide refreshment after
the class. For any repair of the school too, we spend money from our pocket,” sighed the veteran musician.
It is a struggle for the senior musicians in the village to run the school, the members of the institute admitted, but they are dedicated to the cause of safeguarding tradition. “We have approached the government several times but it did not yield result,” said Khongjirem.
When asked about the state government’s apathy to recognise his talent and promote it, Khongjirem almost ignored the question with a smile. “I don’t know what to say about the state government’s negligence,” he said.
