From Saurav Borah
TURA: Life after dusk is still something alien to this second largest “city” of Meghalaya. Almost everything “goes to sleep” after 7pm, it seems.
Given that militancy is on the wane in Garo Hills, things look bright for this sleepy town even as the younger generation still craves for more entertainment and places to hang out and have a good time on a Sunday afternoon.
Chabi Ghar, the only place for watching movies on big screen once upon a time (in the 1970s), in Ringrey, which later shifted to Balading, closed down way back in 1991. Thereafter, this city has had no cinema to call its own.
“It now is a part of a former MLA’s house. I was not even born when it was closed. But yes, we miss good places to hang around in town even as there are natural wonders like the Nokrek National Park, a little away from Tura, where we go to,” said 25-year-old Lening Sangma, a resident of Hawakhana.
The Android generation may now have their mobiles and laptops to while away free time, but they too want their city to have an urban life, like Shillong and Guwahati.
This correspondent did see a few good bakeries around town and an open air café (Kefe Aroma), with a catchy tagline – Where Artists Meet, at Dakopgre.
A tiny food joint, called Walseng’s Kitchen near the Congress office here, closes before 7.30pm but for a good part of the remains chock a block.
Says Destiny Marak, a school teacher from Tetengkol, “There is hardly a good place to spend time with friends. The DC Park and Nehru Park are not the ideal places for families, as mainly young couples are seen sitting there for hours.” Branded food outlets like Domino’s or Subway have not forayed into the town as yet even as signs are good.
“We used to have a KFC but now it no long operates because of some issues, which I am not aware of. But yes, Tura still has some catching up to do. The faster the better for residents like us,” Dinosa R Marak, an entrepreneur, said.
There are just about two malls in the town, excluding the Super Market Complex, which is in a commercial area.
“The Sora Complex at Dakopgre and a Bazar India are just about the two malls that I can recall. But I believe that there is ample scope for development if our elected representatives work diligently,” a first-time voter said, wishing anonymity.
