Editor,
The article, “Are we victims of learned helplessness” by Patricia Mukhim (Shillong Times Oct 14, 2022) makes painful reading. It shines a light on the pitiful predicament of our tribal society in Meghalaya. Helplessness has become ingrained in our tribal psyche. It’s an acquired mindset, imposed on us by dominant societies, and self-accepted by us in acquiescent resignation.
We are unable to think for ourselves, decide for ourselves, and take charge of our destinies. We expect charity, reservation, and sympathy. We expect to be spoon-fed. We do not value or demand agency and autonomy. We are unable to mobilise ourselves, and the influencers among us cannot make a dent in our social inaction.
Why does Meghalaya have the lowest acceptance of Covid vaccination in the country? There is no collective thinking or action to change such self-harming behaviours. Unable to persuade the people in his village to accept vaccination, a headman phoned me late at night to vent his frustration. Tongue in cheek, he ruefully suggested that we call a white preacher from Europe or the USA, to thunder the benefits of vaccination from the pulpit. That would work, according to him.
This helplessness, unwillingness and inability has been taken for granted by the government. This is one of the reasons that leads to consultocracy. This is a new word for me. It describes a growing tendency of political governance to bring in high-cost outsiders. Even where local expertise is available it is not called upon. We have little faith in our own people to deliver the goods.
Not only government, academia is also culpable. We unwittingly or knowingly collaborate in research or field projects, playing second fiddle in spite of our expertise. Data is collected, published in international journals, attributed and credited to outsiders, while local partners are hardly acknowledged. Worst of all copyright over precious data is lost from our custody. Such data is packaged and owned by outside agencies and actors, and sometimes sold back to us.
The editorial pointedly asks the question, “Are consultants more knowledgeable than the local people – scholars, academicians, researchers and village communities?”. Social and cultural inputs are important in any sphere of human endeavour and local inputs are invaluable to any project. These cannot come from outsiders.
Such depreciation of local expertise weakens democracy and deprives people of their rights to participate. Collaboration is often beneficial, and we are not advocating a policy of isolationism. Local human resource capital can be built up by providing opportunity, and at the same time we must measure up to professional expectations.
Yours etc.,
Glenn C. Kharkongor,
Via email
Reminiscing Shillong’s oldest Puja pandals
Editor,
In the Sunday Shillong (ST Oct 2, 2022) there mention was made about some of the oldest Pujas pandals in Shillong which is very informative. Here I would like to add one or two more names to the list of the old Durga Pujas of Shillong. One is the Durga Puja of Shillong Hindu Dharma Sabha (Jagannath Mandir) Thana Road which is also very old dating to over a hundred years of its celebrations. I think next year will be the 125th year of its Puja celebration. The second Durga Puja which comes to my mind is the one at the Rup Rekha Parishad (Asamiya Namgarh) lower Jail Road just adjacent to the Umkhrah river which as far as I remember is also a centenary old Puja.
While coming to the reminiscences I am an octogenarian resident of Shillong and remember the idols were brought from Guwahati (then Gauhati) by the only private transport company the commercial carrying Company in covered trucks having 2 or 3 compartment each one for one idol so that there would not be any damage to the idols. In case of minor scratches the sculpture would be accompanied by a vehicle carrying someone to mend the damaged or scratched parts of the idol. I have witnessed the day of “Navami” when “ Bali ” of buffaloes and goats were sacrificed at the Gorkha Puja Luckier Road which used to be held in the premises of the present football ground. I have also seen the “Bali” performed at the Shillong Police Reserve on that day where goats etc., were sacrificed to appease the Goddess.
Further I also remember the day of immersion. The idols would be carried on bamboo platforms by the people and many used to assemble at the Police Point for the onlookers who flocked to the area and took their seats on the lawns of the hillock of the old Meghalaya Assembly building. From there the procession would move in batches of 5 or 6 idols at a time to be immersed at at the Umkhrah river on the foothills of Pasteur Institute.
These are some of my reminiscences of the Old Durga Pujas of Shillong until the day of immersion. Yours etc.,
S.L. Singhania,
Shillong