Travel: From Shillong With Khublei!

From Shillong Peak

Shillong---a city of the North Eastern India we have grown up with. Because, this beautiful hill station had been the capital of Assam till January, 1972 when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state. And because the music legend of Assam, Bhupen Hazarika composed beautiful songs on Shillong and Meghalaya during the 50s, 60s and 70s. These songs have been our great favorites from our childhood days. So it hardly mattered that I visited the city only twice—once in my childhood days with memories getting blurred and one very brief visit in the 90s. When Shillong suddenly became my workplace I went there with all familiarity and with an unspoken bond of love.

Ward's Lake

I must mention the three evergreen Assamese numbers by Bhupen Hazarika on Shillong that always haunted me. ‘Shillongore Godhuli’ (Evening in Shillong), ‘Shillongore Monalisa Lyngdoh’ (‘Hello, Monalisa Lyngdoh from Shillong’ with Jayanta Hazarika) and his Assamese-Khasi movie ‘Pratidhawani’(1964) duet ‘Lieng Makau’ with none other than Talat Mahmood. Lieng Makauis the imaginary name of a Khasi girl from the hills and the song describes her beauty in conformity with incredible nature giving details of culture and ethos of Meghalaya.

Umiam Lake

Shillong is an enchanting city with nature endowing her full attention and with narrow hilly roads winding through the peaks and plateaus of the city. With concrete buildings constantly on the rise at some lanes two vehicles could hardly cross and there have been traffic jams nowadays for similar reasons. Shilling has a altitude of nearly 5000 feet above sea level. Shillong Peak encompassing the Laitkor Peak has a height of about 6400 feet offering breathtaking views of the city and having sub-zero temperatures during December-January while in 

the city average temperatures range from 25 maximum (rarely up to 28) to 3 minimum throughout the year. Here you will never see ceiling fans or air-conditioners anywhere, but will find only room heaters in all office and residences. Khasi community forms the majority in the city with sizeable sections of Garo, Manipuri, Nepali, Mizo, Bengali and Assamese people apart from other Indians who mostly come on transfers. In Meghalaya 70 percent of the population are Christians which reflects in Shillong too.

Elephant Falls

Thanks to the cool climate you will find markets for woolens, wine outlets and fish-meat (mainly pork) shops almost everywhere in the city. In most of the activities you will find women in the forefront thanks to the matriarchal society of Meghalaya. Meghalaya has 11 districts including 5 in the disturbed Garo Hill region and the population is more than 30 million.

The cosmopolitan nature of the city is reflected in the workforce of most of the offices, organizations and corporations. Shillong Doordarshan, being a Government of India organization, has a workforce covering almost all parts of India including the major chunk from North East and East.

Doordarshan Shillong, Lailtkor Peak

This writer has the privilege of working now with a multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious team. And there is absolute harmony and bond as if all are bound by soothing Mother Nature. Inside, the inner chords of human hearts speak eloquently to you and outside, the descending clouds often have a dialogue with you. Sunlight is something in considerable scarcity here, but the warmth of human hearts make up for that.

English is the official language here, however of late efforts are underway for the inclusion of Khasi language in the 8^thSchedule of the Indian Constitution. As I communicate in mostly English or in Hindi or in Assamese or in Bengali every member of the team endearingly asks about how I am doing or how I am finding the city. I say to them, ‘Shillong is breathlessly beautiful. It is of course very cold, but you people are very warm.’ Khublei (meaning Namaskar or thanks) to all of you! Khublei Shibun…thanks very much indeed! 

Television: Why Doordarshan Is Always On Peoples Radar!

When private channels break a news that has no factual basis and withdraws it after sometime or make some obvious mistakes people just laugh it off or make a mention about it to friends. The matter ends there. When Doordarshan, run by India’s Public Service Broadcaster Prasar Bharati and the electronic media of the Government of India, does so the matter begins there. If Doordarshan (DD) makes a mistake or shows something or does not show something, big or small, there is a nationwide outrage with people from all age groups decrying mocking and what not. The universal dictum of ‘to err is human’ gets entirely forgotten in such outburst of genuine feelings or derisive pleasure against the national broadcaster. It is also a curious fact that newspapers always highlight high ad revenue generating glitzy and glamorous shows of private channels, but criticize DD without end if the latter missed to show an event or a news of the people. Why?

People from all possible communities of all possible cultural or social or religious or linguistic lines expect DD to represent them and showcase events or news related to them most positively and without fail. This expectation is irrespective of what DD could be trying to do at that particular time—maybe it is planning an excellent coverage of a very big national or regional event or trying to launch a serial of huge national or regional dimensions. Nope! Their news must go. Else face a national outrage again. Why?

People get easily impressed by the all techno innovations and gimmicky shows done by the private channels and go gaga over it helping the channels to earn huge ad revenues. And they expect the same from DD failing to understand the responsibilities of a Public Service Broadcaster and the consequent constraints of resources or generating revenues. Not getting it, people indulge in deriding decrying demeaning DD. Why?

Because, Doordarshan that celebrated its 50^th Anniversary on 15^th September, 2009 still runs in the bloodstream of every Indian—old, middle aged, young or child. Irrespective of what they tend to utter about it. They just cannot ignore this huge reserve of quintessential Indianness—the cultural or social or religious or linguistic bond of unity that is India. It is because of this bond that they expect the world from DD at any eventuality, at any cost. If DD does very well about something they take it granted and do not bother about appreciating, but if DD happens to make an error they cannot take it or tolerate it. On DD News they take every news as word of God once it is shown and at the same time castigates it for being slow failing to understand the pains it takes to confirm every possible news first. Similarly, if one particular community does not find a news that it considers to be of paramount importance they go berserk.

Basically, it all plus for the Public Service Broadcaster and it is something only to be proud of. The pains or efforts that go into the process of setting things right are just part and parcel of being Doordarshan. In short Doordarshan is of the people, for the people and by the people.

Doordarshan Zindabad!

Celebrating 50 Years of Doordarshan!

Door-darshan means tele-vision literally. Doordarshan is the national public broadcaster of India, nominated by the Government of India as Prasar Bharati.

On this day of 15th September in the year 1959 Doordarshan started its telecasts with a makeshift studio and a small transmitter. Its regular daily telecasts started in 1965 and by 1972 some of Indian major cities were covered.

In 1982 Doordarshan began its national network and it penetrated every home in nook and corner of India. That same year color television was also introduced.

Doordarshan--the first to introduce soap opera, the first to start film based programs, the first take games like football and cricket to every home of India, the first to continue committed entertainment. The only television channel to give truth and only truth to the people.

We are celebrating 50 years today. With the colors and vibrancy of the country. A very colorful musical program was organized and recorded today in Mumbai which will be telecast soon.

Doordarshan