THE ART OF CONVERSATION - SHILLONG CALM FESTIVAL 2013

Chilean authorities are conducting toxicological tests on the remains of Nobel Laureate Poet, Pablo Neruda, who died in 1973, to ascertain if he was poisoned.

Whatever the outcome, Neruda lived in a violent and charged environment and so he wrote: and you'll ask: why doesn't his poetry speak of dreams and leaves and the great volcanoes of his native land? Come and see the blood in the streets…

India has also been bloodied with rape, murder, corruption or plain indifference towards the weak and the artist in every individual are reflecting on these pains and sufferings through their medium of choice more strongly and convincingly than ever before.

“For the Neanderthal man a step outside his cave made the difference between life and death. Yet he painted beautifully and forcefully on his cave walls about his world and his lonely battles…,” poet Jerry Pinto sketched the relationship of art with living beings.

But the question that begs an answer: is this voice of art audible in a volatile environment, when the argumentative Indian is constantly shouting down the other, politicians talking down gullible voters, TV shows becoming louder and brash?

“Conversation is a creative art and it is also a dying art in India, because we don’t listen as our decibel levels have taken over our senses,” journalist, author and columnist, Jug Suraiya touches on the metaphysics of Indians.

On the contrary, Suraiya finds literary festivals as “democratic” forums where everyone gets an opportunity, not just the intellectuals, to speak and hear through various mediums.

Like Suraiya and Pinto, writers, authors, artists, thinkers, publishers, students and people from diversified fields united at the three-day Shillong Calm festival last week to exchange ideas, not to lecture, speak, not to shout, hear and be heard. Calm aptly is the acronym for Creative Art, Literature and Music.

Ananya S Guha, poet and author says art is not extraneous from life and touches our life in one form or the other. He is of the view that conversations are the bedrock of any form of art and literature, be it paintings, poems or even letter-diary-writing, as demonstrated by Anne Frank in Diary of a Young Girl and the letters between Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in Letters from a Father to his Daughter, to name a few.

Guha, meanwhile, says that the oral tradition of the Northeast needs to be recorded and documented for future generations. “Some of the authors and writers are doing it, but, we need the State support in this regard,” Guha said.

One of the top publishers and authors of India, David Davidar says creative art is a “soft power” that reduces tension and “encourages amity” and with more festivals like Calm coming up across the country, he thinks India has a “fabulous future.”

“India is one of the most interesting countries on the planet with different stories, traditions and cultures, waiting to be shared,” the author says confidently.

The co-founder of Penguin India, publishing house and now Aleph Book Company observed that Indians writing in English are being better received in India and abroad. He admits that English literature penned by Indians does suffer from a colonial hangover, but the “British Baggage” is slowly, but, surely being shed away. 

“The writers from the Northeast are slowly coming up, like Mamang Dai and others, and in the near future more colourful and vibrant stories from this region would be accessible to the people around the world,” Davidar feels.

On the other hand, actor Victor Banerjee, gave a motivational talk and believes that “what goes around comes around” and therefore reminded that it helps to be kind, gracious and honest. 

He elucidated his point with anecdotes, be it from his personal life or from examples drawn from inventors such as Thomas Edison, Polish Prime Minister and Pianist,Ignacy Jan Paderewski and others.

Talks over Northeast India’s perceived alienation was a key point of conversation during the several book releases of authors, mostly from the region.

“Sometimes we are also too defensive and consider ourselves as one from the Dark Continent. Why should we keep complaining that the so called mainland Indian doesn’t care about us…Who cares,” says Mamang Dai journalist and author from Arunachal Pradesh.

Then on the burning issues of ULFA’s diktat to sing only Assamese songs during the Bihu festival, Suraiya says that cultures doesn’t require iron-gates and body guards. “Cultures, languages must thrive organically and must thrive from within rather than being protected,” he said.

Pinto on the other hand said nobody can mandate culture. Instead, culture must be strengthened with more grants given to local artists from the Government. Local language must be taught from the school level to the University with more intensity and encourage activities that would strengthen local cultures. “But prohibition won’t work as it has always failed,” Pinto said.

Guha emphasizes that it is wrong to discourage other cultures to be part of the Bihu festival. “The purity of the Bihu festival must be maintained and elements of populism mustn’t overtake the spirit of the festival. On the other hand, any song which is in tune with the spirit of the Bihu festival should not be discouraged,” Guha was of the opinion.

Apart from the “serious” discussions there was also Flash Mob at the festival. For those unacquainted on this modern art narrative a quick Google search helps. The search defines Flash Mob as: “a group of people, who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time.”  

School students performed “seemingly pointless and pointed” songs and dances - whichever way you like to view it.

There were many book releases too. A Point of View, a collection of poems and photographs by former Meghalaya Home Minister, RG Lyngdoh, The Ao-Naga - Oral Tradition by Temsula Ao, EM and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto, Broken Arrow, by Principal Secretary Government of Meghalaya, PS Thangkhiew and Bhaskara - the Last of the Varmans by Principal Secretary Government of Meghalaya, PW Ingty.

An insight into the occult was provided by Bindu Maira during one of the healing session she conducted during the festival. Maira calls herself a professional tarot card reader, crystal healer and life coach. In the session, the different “Chakras” of the human body were soothed through meditation and lessons given to fight stress and other ailments.

But Pinto has a different take on healing and prescribes “at least one poem a day to nourish and heal the mind.” Pinto dryly warned during a session that either people must take to poetry or choose to live a “sad existence” – the audience burst into a confused cackle.

There was also a Spelling Bee competition - a take on the popular US version of spelling competition. In this Spelling Bee, Victor Banerjee and Meghalaya Government officials had or heard it, but found difficult to spell words such as “Diarrhoea or Pharaoh” after taking part in the event together with students and other participants. Then a standup comedy by Apurva Pal for the adults was a hit.

There were also artists from various parts of the country and abroad and some even took to the streets and painted the walls and the small vendor stalls. During the three-day event, photographic exhibitions were also held and workshops for students on painting, photographic creative writings were conducted.

The annual Calm festival achieved by holding  these activities in stimulating the mind into a different level of thought process, reduce stress. It also brought in laughter, scared people with reality, which many don’t want to face and mostly knitted together the idea of India amongst Indians - maybe all for a brief moment.

Pinto summaries: “as artists we have failed. We have not been able to stop a single war... put us behind bars...from the jails we will bring out art and then from our dead bodies more art would rise. We will fight and never give up...”

This is the kind of passion Neruda is demonstrating, who not only fought during his lifetime against injustice with art, but is doing so even after his death in seeking the truth. These are perhaps the defining moments of art.

NON-BAILABLE ARREST WARRANT AGAINST CMJ UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR

A local court here on May 13 issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Chandra Mohan Jha, Chancellor of CMJ University and two others who have all gone into hiding.

Public Prosecutor IC Jha said that the Court has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant and search warrant against Jha under various sections of the Indian Penal related to forgery, and cheatings.

Apart from Jha, the Court also issued similar non-bailable warrants against the University’s director Manjeet Kaur and human resource manager Juban Kharpuri. All three had earlier applied for anticipatory bail, but was rejected by a local court.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has managed to arrest the University’s registrar, Mrinal Kanti Deb and his deputy, Premlal Rai. Rai is lodged in a hospital after complaining about his health.

Visitor of the controversial University and Governor RS Mooshahary has sought a compliance report from authorities of the University by May 21 for flouting laid norms of the University Grants Commission. The CID on the other hand sealed the University and conducting raids and arrests.

Meanwhile, several FIRs have been filed against the CMJ University in cities acroos the country.  Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma  gave enough hints that the probe against the controversial University would be taken forward by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI.) 

CONTROVERSY IN CHANDRA MOHAN JHA (CMJ) UNIVERSITY

The controversial Chandra Mohan Jha (CMJ) University was sealed down in a late night raid on Thursday by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID.)

Sleuths from the CID department swooped on the off-campus building, which also house other offices, and seized the office, including the Chancellor Jha’s office. The Investigating officers also seized some of the materials as part of the investigation.

The CID came into the picture after the Governor’s secretariat filed a criminal case against the university for “issuing PhD degrees” without authorization and also for flouting laid norms.

However, the deputy registrar of CMJ University, Premlal Rai today said that the decision to seal the University was “arbitrary which would be challenged.” He however, did not elaborate what course of action the University would adopt.

“We have opened the University and our head office was not sealed as is being rumored. This was an arbitrary decision to seal the University’s campus at Laitumkhrah, but today we have opened it,” Rai said.

He also said that the University “has not issued any PhD degrees” to students in Assam. “Notifications were issued that PhD degrees would be issued after authenticating the academic credential of the students,” Rai explained when asked.

The Governor in his order has claimed that over 400 students, mostly from Assam, were issued PhD degrees without following procedures.

“We have issued few PhD degrees elsewhere but not in Assam,” Rai claimed.

Meanwhile, the Governor RS Mooshahary has order the all degrees issued by the University must be withdrawn. 

Security have been beefed up after another Government vehicle was torched here in the city by miscreants at Lower Lachumiere here  this afternoon.

MEGHALAYA 12TH BOARD EXAM RESULTS

The 12th standard Board examination results for Science and Commerce stream were declared today in which students from Garo and Jaintia Hills district in India's northeastern state, Meghalaya, lagged far behind.

Conducted by the Meghalaya Board of School, Prityush Haldar from St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School in the state capital topped the Science exam with a total of 455 marks. Similarly, Arunava Kar Purkayastha again from St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School topped the Commerce stream with 453 marks.

But what was worrisome is the continued poor result of students from Garo and also Jaintia Hills districts. Nobody cleared the science exam from South Garo Hills. In fact, just six students sat for the examination from this backward district. Moreover, in South West Garo Hills there wasn’t a single student who appeared from the science stream.

The pass percentage of students from West Garo Hills was 60.39, while that of East Garo Hills was 68.18. In East Jaintia Hills, out of the 16 students, just one cleared the examination. The average pass percentages of these districts in Garo and Jaintia Hills were

below the State average pass percent of 73.29.

In the Commerce stream, there were no students who sat for the board exams from South Garo Hills, North Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills. The pass percentage of students from West Garo Hills was 55.60. The only solace was in East Garo Hills where all the ten students who appeared for the examination passed. The overall pass percentage in the commerce examination was 69.24.

Predictably, Schools and colleges in East Khasi Hills from the State capital did well. Eight students were in the top ten list from St. Anthony’s Higher Secondary School in the science stream.

Three students were in top ten list in the commerce examination from the same school, which was only surpassed by St. Edmund’s College who had five students in the list.

BSNL TO CLOSE DOWN OPERATION ALONG INDO-BANGLA BORDER AREAS IN MEGHALAYA

Stating that it “makes no business sense to operate along the Indo-Bangla border areas,” the BSNL today informed that it would operate as a professional corporate unit and close down its services from commercially non-viable areas.

The public sector telephone company said, it has incurred huge losses over the years “running to lakhs” by operating along the Indo-Bangla border areas simple to comply with Central Government norms.

Chief General Manager, Northeast Circle I, DP Singh said that all telephone companies are directed by the Central Government to set up their services in such remote areas or pay penalty. However, most private telephone companies have stayed away from these non lucrative business areas and paid penalty instead.

“It makes no business sense to operate in these areas we would rather pay penalty than continue our services in these (Indo-Bangla border areas) areas,” Singh, whose telephone Circle oversees the operations in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, said. Singh added that it makes financial pridence to pay penalty than to run business in these areas.

Singh is somewhat justified in his approach   considering the Union Telecommunication Minster Kabil Sibal assertion that BSNL must be run as a private company to increase it revenue collection. 

The BSNL NE-I chief  that he would be writing to its headquarters immediately to withdraw from these non lucrative areas. “We are making huge losses from these areas. If you are asking me to operate as a corporate unit, we should also get an opportunity to decide where to operate and where not to, so that our business sustains,” he justified.

Meghalaya shares a 443 km long border with Bangladesh and much of these areas are remote. BSNL is the most important telephone service providers in these areas. 

People in these areas in the absence of Indian network are forced to use Bangladesh phones like Grameen Phones and others, which does have security implications. 



There are several instances that villagers cross over to Bangladesh and make International calls to different places of the State. BSNL officials here state that the Union Home ministry must use jammers in these areas to discourage Bangladesh telephones.

Singh however left it upon the central Government to decide on the tricky issue. “We (NE-I circle) would still operate in these remote areas provide that we are given subsidy and the centre make good of our losses,” he asserted.

The chief of the circle further informed that NE-I circle has been the second highest revenue earners in the country last year. During 2012-13 it has increased its revenue collection to Rs. 213.96 crore, which is an increase of Rs. 4.9 crore over the year 2011-12.

Despite the gains, Singh said BSNL NE circle I, like all BSNL circles in the country, is a loss making unit and the losses incurred last year was about 58 crore. “We have not assessed the losses of this fiscal, but we definitely would have reduced the margin with improved earnings,” he added. 

VIVEK RATH RECALLS SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S IDEALS

Thousands of people here today walked through the exact route, Swami Vivekananda undertook 112 years ago in Shillong, while recalling the saint’s ideals.

The procession called “Vivek-Rath” began from Bilasipara in Assam on 23 April and covered Chapara, Dhubri, Dudhnai, Gauripur, Goalpara, Guwahati before culminating here.

The Rath began in the morning at 8 am where thousands of people from different parts of the state and country converged at Laban where Swami Vivekananda had stayed during his visit to Shillong 112 years back.

The procession with women, men, children and monks of the Ramakrishna Mission traversed from Laban through IGP point, Police Bazaar and converged at Quinton hall for a public meeting where Swami Vivekananda had delivered a lecture on this day in 1901.

On the dais where several dignitaries who recalled the ideals of the saint and urged the huge gathering to imbibe his teachings.

“Gender disparity that is being talked about these days and also the growing crime against women was touched upon by Swami Vivekananda 100 years ago.

Swamiji said that any country which doesn’t respect its women cannot achieve greatness now or in the near future,” Keya Sengupta, Director of the Indian Institute of Management said.

She said that “self-discipline is the medicine of all the scourges afflicting the society today.”  The IIM Director said that the importance of practicing self-discipline as taught by Swami Vivekananda has become all the more relevant in the present context.

PP Srivastava member from the North Eastern Council termed the congregation at the venue here a “historic occasion.” “This is the very same place where Swami Vivekananda had addressed a gathering 112 years back,” he said.

He urged the congregation to “feel the thrill and vibration that our forefathers experienced years ago listening to the teachings of the patriotic saint.” 

ZUBEEN THREAT BY ULFA PLACED AS EVIDENCE BEFORE TRIBUNAL

The Assam Government placed before a tribunal, the ULFA’s threat to Zubeen Garg, as one of the many evidences of the outfit’s unlawful activities and sought its ban for another two years.

For the second day today, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal held it’s sitting at a City Hotel, away from intense media glare in Assam, to probe the unlawful activities of the ULFA and the NDFB. The Tribunal would decide whether to continue the ban on the outfits, as outlawed organisations.

Officials said that the Zubeen Garg’s case was placed as one of the evidences before the Tribunal, headed by Justice JR Midha, about the outfit’s illegal activities, while seeking its ban. Zubeen was threatened by the ULFA (Paresh Baruah faction) for singing Hindi songs during the ongoing Bihu festivals.

“The case relating to the threat issued to popular singer Zubeen Garg was placed as one of the evidences before the Tribunal. The case is registered in Guwahati city. Based on all the evidences we sought to extend the banned on the ULFA for another two years,” a Government official said, requesting anonymity.

Yesterday witnesses, that included Superintendents of Police and Investigation Officers, presented their cases relating to the unlawful activities of the NDFB before the Tribunal headed by Justice Manmohan Singh.

20 odd official witnesses presented the case diaries and records before the Tribunal to support their cases highlighting the illegal activities of the NDFB, mainly in the Bodoland areas. Today, about 28 officials deposed before the tribunal relating to cases involving the ULFA.

Assam Government Counsel, Avijit Roy said the Tribunal would pass its order sometimes in May. The Tribunal, may also hold additional sittings if the need arises, he said.

The Assam Government, however, is seeking for an extension of the ban for another two years on the two outfits, but a final decision would rest on the Tribunal, Roy stated.

MEGHALAYA'S UNIQUE CAVE SYSTEM

Meghalaya’s cave system has extended to 387 kms - one of the longest cave system in the Indian subcontinent – after conclusion of an International expedition of speleologists from around the globe.

So far 1,350 caves have been identified in Meghalaya in northeast India mostly in the limestone-rich Jaintia Hills district. 850 of these caves have been explored totally or partially, said Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association (MAA), secretary Brian D Kharpran Daly. During this expedition 19 new caves were discovered.

 The International caving expedition was 21^st of its kind and was dubbed “Caving in the abode of the clouds” and spanned over a period of 18 days from February 4.

An eighteen member team from UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Germany and India took part in the expedition, which also included three biologists and researcher from Lady Keene College.

 

Brian said in the Larket Area in Jaintia Hills district Krem Khung cave system was extended from 5065 meter to 7349 meter, making it India’s 8th longest cave. One of the characteristic of this cave is large-sized fallen boulders found everywhere inside.

Krem Labit Kseh in the Kopili Valley, on the other hand, was extended from 5910 meter to 6802 meter. The cave has fine river passages. This is one of the very few caves in India that has several rare gypsum formations, resembling flowers. It is India’s 10th longest cave.

 

The third longest cave in the sub continent, Krem Diengjem, has been extended from 21,250 meter long system to 21,359 meter and is almost close to India’s second longest cave, Krem Kotsati- Umlawan also found in the area.

Meanwhile, Brian said: “there are a lot of caves which remains to be discovered and explored. These caves provide us tremendous input on the ecology of the place, past history, besides providing opportunity for the locals and the Government to promote tourism.”

ASSAM RIFLE REPRIMANDED BY MEGHALAYA GOVERNOR

Meghalaya Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary today reprimanded a gathering of Assam Rifles officials, including its Director General, Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh for “targeting innocents” in fake encounters and stated such aberrations “cannot be accepted.”

In fact, the Governor expressed his displeasure during an investiture ceremony of the Assam Riles at the Raj Bhavan here today.

Mooshahary said he well appreciated the work done by the Assam Rifles, be it civic duties, counter-insurgency operations or undertaking other vital social responsibilities.

“I deeply appreciate your work in difficult situations, but in the name of encounters (with militants) if innocents are targeted then it cannot be accepted,” he told the stunned gathering of Assam Rifles officials.

The Meghalaya Governor was referring to  Supreme Court-appointed committee which has reported that there were at least six human rights violation committed during operations conducted by the Assam Rifles together with Manipur Commando.

The committee probed the alleged extra judicial killings in Manipur, which included the death of a 12-year-old boy. The committee compromised of former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, Chief Election Commissioner of India, JM Lyngdoh and a senior police official.  

Mooshahary said that the Assam Rifles must work on its relationship with the people of the northeast as its area of responsibility is confined to the region.

The Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force in India.It was raised by the British in 1835 as the Cachar Levy and came to be known as Assam Rifles in 1917. 

The paramilitary force conducted counter-insurgency operations in insurgency-infested state of Manipur and others in northeast India. It also has the dual responsibility of guarding the Indo-Myanmar border.A unique feature of the force is that the officers are drawn from the Indian army whereas the soldiers are direct recruits.

“I was unhappy to read in the newspapers this morning about the Supreme Court-committee report on human rights violation. This inquiry has been conducted by distinguished people,” he said.

He added that the Assam Rifles and all other security agencies need to “introspect” on these extra judicial killings. “The Assam Rifles and the other security forces must introspect and correct these aberrations,” he advised the top officials of the Assam Rifles.

He reiterated that the Assam Rifles being the oldest paramilitary force in the country is respected by the people of the northeast for its service, but “such aberrations (fake encounters)” would “undo all its good work and alienated the people from the force.” 

ALL RELIGIONS ARE TRUE

As Christians visited Churches on the occasion of Good Friday, a Hindu temple resonated with the prayers from the Bible here at the state capital of Meghalaya, Shillong.

“Love thy neighbor is one of the most important commandments of the Christians, Jesus Christ himself said,” Father Joseph Cilia, from the Roman Catholic Church, sermonized to a congregation at a Temple. He said, “some religious leaders, unfortunately, are separating people instead of uniting them.”

Fr. Cilia was not alone in this discourse; he was joined by leaders from the Sikh, Seng Khasi, Muslim, Jain, Hindu and Buddhist religious orders at an “inter-faith dialogue” at the Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) here. They event was held to mark the 150^th birth anniversary celebrations of Swami Vivekananda.

“When I got this invitation I said to myself I won’t miss it, so I have come,” Fr. Cilia said, who was fasting on occasion of Good Friday. Before he spoke, a verse from the Bible was read out as a prayer.

“Some of the earliest records of inter-faith dialogues can be traced to the time of Akbar when the emperor held such discourses between the different religious groups.

Such discourses or Parliament of religion are held globally now and promote brotherhood and understanding of different religions,” Swami Guatamanadaji Maharaj, RKM, Chennai said, giving a brief history on such important inter-faith dialogues.

Additional Director General of Police, SK Jain who spoke on Jainism said, Anekantavada or pluralism or multiplicity of viewpoints is the cornerstone of Jainism.

“Every point of view is important and must be respected and that would lead us towards peace and brotherhood,” he said.

Similarly, Ka Tip Briew Tip Blei (know man know God) is one of the fundamental doctrines of Seng Khasi religion of the indigenous Khasi community of Meghalaya, Seng Khasi general secretary,Bentielang Singh Rumnong emphasized. 

The representative Sardarni Milan Kaur from one of the youngest religion of the world, Sikhism gave a power point presentation. The Vice president of Meghalaya Sikh Youth socio welfare organisation emphasized the importance of Langars or community kitchen in Sikhism to promote unity, equality and brotherhood amongst people of all religion, race or community.

“In the Langars food is cooked and everyone partakes the offering irrespective of religion, caste, creed or community. Sikhism promotes such qualities amongst mankind,” she said.

Uggen Tshewang from Bhutan and a practitioner of the Buddhist faith said, Lord Buddha said if we want others to be kind and loving to us we must exhibit similar qualities to others.

Prof. MSN Hahman from North Eastern Hill University’s history department and Abdi Rahman Ali Issak from Kenya spoke on behalf of Islam religion.  “The sufis saints brought Hindus and Muslims closer with their doctrine of equality and brotherhood. Jalaladdin Rumi, Amir Khusro, Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti and others constantly preached about love and brotherhood between mankind,” Hahman said.

Swami Jnanalokanandaji Maharaj said that in Hinduism tolerance, love and forgiveness are very important aspects. “We must respect and tolerate  the other persons view for peace and unity,” the monk said. 

Earlier, prayers service were of all the religions and verses from Bhagwat Gita (Hinduism), Tripitika (Bhuddhism), Guru Grant Sahib (Sikhism) Koran (Islam), Seng Khasi and Kalpa Sutra (Jainism) were read out.