Chai, garam chai... rented the air woke me up from deep slumber. I was comfortably tucked inside my sleeping bag on a chilly winter morning. My friend, Susan too was fast asleep in the opposite berth and so were the other co-passengers.
Without disturbing anybody, I quietly peeped through the curtains and discovered that our train which was running four hours late had reached Siliguri station. Here the train was scheduled to halt for half-an-hour before proceeding to its destination at Guwahati - roughly around nine hours away. A few platforms away stood the cute little toy train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways (DHR). Listed as a world heritage by the United Nations one can board this train for Darjeeling which passes through the cris-cross valleys and mountains.
Tea workers
Slowly I put on my jacket, sneakers and got down at the railway platform. I waved to a vendor, got two cups of tea and carefully headed to our compartment. Susan was awake by now and was too excited seeing me approaching with the steaming cups of tea in each hand. It was a misty morning, fresh as the due drops and a strange kind of feeling in the air.
As the train chugged off the station we were glued to the window enjoying the picturesque serenity. Susan got into action with her digital camera trying to frame the best shots from the running train. Far away, the majestic Kanchenjunga mountain range's snow-capped peaks glittered like a cake of gold with the first rays of the sun. Inside our compartment a group of hawkers barged in selling curious Chinese products. The region's close proximity to China sees a good chunk of foreign goods smuggled via the Himalayan land-locked country - Nepal. Stacked inside their large shoulder bags and displaying items by hanging it from each fingers was indeed a cool way of passing time.
A hawker selling Chinese items inside the train
From electronics such as swanky caller ID land-line phones with large colour LCD, cordless phones, imitation of world famous Rado wrist watches, remote controlled toys, Casio type synthesiser, cameras, iPod type MP3 and video players, car decors, rechargeable flashlights, CDs, folding umbrellas to track suits, jackets, sneakers, quilts, blankets, lingerie, cosmetics and various kinds of balms can be bought at an unbelievable bargain price. In the entire railway may of India, this route is considered to be a special attraction for tourists or first time traveler who usually falls prey buying these cheap foreign goods. Our train which had been racing at full throttle had suddenly slowed down to a moderate speed. It was passing amidst the ocean of tea gardens, thick evergreen forests, tunnels and bridges over the Teesta-river. We could see local men and women working, plucking leaves and buds, in huge cane baskets. At a distance some of the the British style luxurious bungalows too could be viewed. The slopes of the mountains, which looked like a huge green carpet with exotic flowers added to the beauty. It was a breath-taking scene that gradually took me down through my memory lane.
A Tea Planter's Bungalow
One of our very close family-friend, Robin-uncle was a tea planter. He had a vast knowledge in this field and gained the reputation in the tea industry of reviving sick tea gardens into milch cows! During his career he had worked in the Dooars, Assam and a short stint in the Nilgiri Hills tea gardens. I used to visit him along with my parents during my long winter vacation. One of my significant visits was just after my graduation. I was pretty matured and a plethora of thoughts revolving the tea industry got deep rooted in my mind. Robin-uncle was at that time posted in one of the tea estates in Dooars - a place where tackling the militant labour force had become a Herculean task for his predecessors. But for him, being a unique person who had the natural ability of people management was a cake-walk to solve the most difficult situation. He had a charismatic quality of which the tea workers would swear by his name since he strongly believed that truly respecting others is the bedrock of motivations. As things got settled in his new garden Robin-uncle's vision drifted towards the potential of tapping international tourists into the garden. Already Assam tea for its liquor and Darjeeling tea for its aroma had been creating ripples in the international market. But on the other hand, the growing threat from non-traditional countries entering into the tea manufacturing was silently sending a shiver into the spines of the Indian tea Companies. Robin-uncle along with a few like-minded colleagues started thinking in the same wave length as they believed attracting international tourists would create further awareness and give a boost to the tea industry at large.
'Scotland of the East' - Shillong
With a word of mouth his vision spread to the neighbouring tea estates until it reached the head office in Calcutta where it was overwhelmingly endorsed for his positive and futuristic view. He was given the liberty to convert one of the abandoned British-built bungalows into a luxury lodge which would cater to a selective band of people who would not mind spending lavishly while sipping Champagne of teas (often referred to Darjeeling tea) or Cognac of teas (if it was of Assam variety) amidst the sylvan surroundings.
Kamakhya Temple
With the passing of years, the concept of tea tourism is growing credence among both home and international tourists. For tourists,particularly from the United Kingdom has a special significance. It was the British who started tea plantation in India and stayed here for long until the time of India attained independence. Such connections therefore, causes a natural urge to come to India and spend sometime in the tea gardens to recall their memories. Today the state governments and estate owners cashing in on the tourism potential, one can now find various tea tourism packages offered by tour operators. The packages provide an extensive tour of the tea gardens making you witness the whole process how tea is plucked, processed and finally available for consumption.
Night view of Guwahati's busy Assam Trunk Road
Suddenly I see Susan with her thirty-two teeth laughing to glory and yelling at me to pack up and get ready. This time she offers me a Cognac (Assam tea). Our train was crossing the mighty Brahmaputra-river and within few minutes would be reaching Guwahati - the gateway to the north eastern states. It was dusk, the weather was foggy and residences atop the Kamakhya and Nilachal hills were shining like stars while beneath fast moving vehicle's headlights could be seen in the busy Assam Trunk Road. We had a couple of night's stay at Guwahati and then headed for Shillong - the Scotland of the East and India's nerve centre of international rock concert before finally returning to New Delhi.
Eighteen years ago on 17 November 1994, Professor
S. K. Acharya transcended into the spiritual world but his spirits are still alive.
A pioneer academic, economist and ethnographer, Professor
Acharya’s mission in life was the pursuit of new frontiers. He battled
tremendous odds to establish the Commerce College (The Shillong Commerce College), presented landmark studies
on the economic viability of inland water transport in the North-East and
industrialisation of Meghalaya, analysed trends in education, explored the
ethnic process of North-East India and at the end was engaged in researching
the possibilities of trade between Bangladesh and the North-Eastern states.
During his lifetime as an academic Professor Acharya held
prestigious positions as the first Chairman, Council for Under-Graduate Studies,
North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and as founder Director, Institute of
Economics and Commerce, Shillong.
The Commerce College was founded in 1964 under the aegis of
Late B. P. Chaliha, then Chief Minister of Assam and K. N. Saikia, then Dean of
the Faculty of Commerce, Gauhati University. In line with the recommendation of
the Fifth Five Year Plan, the institution set out to fulfill the need of the
people of United Khasi and Jaintia Hills in the composite state of Assam. The
first governing body of the college of commerce was composed of dignitaries
like Mr. Jor Manick Syiem, then Syiem of Mylliem and a renowned advocate, Late
R. Z. Ahmed, I.A.S. and Late R. M. Parus, I.A.S.
Incredible financial constraints due to lack of any
substantial government grant led to the donation of the entire personal wealth
of both Professor Acharya and his wife Mrs. Shelley Acharya to the college resulting in extreme
economic hardship for the family. Despite this, the personal stature of the
Professor and his ceaseless efforts saw the gradual establishment of the
college as a premier institution of its kind and many of his students are now
luminaries in their own right.
Moreover, the college was accredited as the sixteenth
coaching centre and the only one East of Calcutta for the Institute of Cost and
Works Accounts of India, plans to introduce hitherto unknown faculties of
Banking and Insurance were mooted. Regular symposia with eminent local,
regional and national personalities were held. In effect, Professor Acharya was
a prime moving force in the transformation of Shillong Commerce College from
nascent centre of study into an institution of repute.
It is a measure of his ability that despite this total
dedication to the establishment of an institute of learning, he still found the
time to enhance the reputation that he had gained as a scholar. In the 1950s at
the behest of the Chief Minister of Assam he completed an exhaustive report on
the economic viability of inland water transport systems of the world for the
government of Assam, entitled ‘Inland Water Transport in North Eastern India’.
In the 1970s, following the formation of the State of
Meghalaya, he prepared ‘A Blueprint for Industrialisation of Meghalaya’and a
study of ‘Agriculture in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Mikir & North Cachar
Hills’. Insight of the academic scenario was provided by articles like
‘Professional Education in Degree Colleges’.
Commissioned by the Government of India, he conducted an
extensive survey of indigenous handicraft of the Khasi and Jaintia people.
Construction of the the building of Commerce College, Shillong
He had also began his interest in social studies that was
ultimately to dominate the rest of his life. Thus, from a modest beginning in
articles like ‘Language of the Khasis’ (1971), he began delving into the
ethno-social revolution of the Indian people in relation to world-wide
evolutionary and migratory trends. This resulted in penetrating research papers
like ‘The National Question in India Today’ and ‘Trends in the Evolution of
Ethnoses in North East India’ and culminated in the definitive paper entitled
‘Ethnic Processes in North Eastern India’.
Staff of the Commerce College, Shillong in 1970s
The final years of his life were impaired by debilitating
illnesses that weakened him physically but his mind never faltered and until
the end, he was deeply involved in the establishment of a Centre for Ethno
Social Studies (CESS) in Calcutta with the encouragement and support of
Professor B. B. Dutta, then Member of Parliament. His scope of research under
the Applied Economics Division of CESS was ‘Problems and Prospects of Mutual Economic
Cooperation between Bangladesh and Eastern and North Eastern States of India’.
It is to be hoped that the research work done by Professor
Acharya on this subject will not be allowed to go a waste.
Commerce College students on the fresher socials day in 1970s
A multi-faceted personality, Professor Acharya had an
abiding interest in the creative arts. In addition to an extensive knowledge of
great Indian literature, he was a staunch admirer of George Bernard Shaw and
Shakespeare while T. S. Eliot was his favourite muse. No mean poet himself, it
was his intricate sketches that were a joy to behold for the minutiae.
In conclusion it may be said that Professor Salil Krishna
Acharya was a man with a mission and if the mission outlives the man, his soul
will rest in peace.
AIR Shillong News Broadcast on 17 November 1994
Some of his sketches
A couple of his letters
One of the many condolence letters from the Governor of Mizoram
A relationship that started with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose,
solidified with the partnership between Tata Motors and Daimler-Benz in 1954,
deepened further with the establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology,
Madras in 1956, is now seeing an unprecedented growth. Numerous German products
have established a strong presence in India, so much so that in 2008, the
Indo-German Science and Technology Centre was established in New Delhi.
Over the past 9 days, the Indo-German Urban Mela has
provided a platform to celebrate and foster 60 years of ties between Germany
and India in the fields of business, politics, science, culture and education.
The mela came to Delhi after successful runs in Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore.
German companies showed, through various models, how
technology could play an important role in sustainable development. Some of the
highlights were Deutsche Bank’s initiatives in Window Farming, Dream House for
$300 and Solar Impulse (a revolutionary aircraft powered by a combination of
sun and lithium polymer batteries), Bosch’s power tools and Siemens’s latest
technologies to build better cities for the future (can make a developing
nation like India a better place to live in).
Other companies which made their presence felt at the mela
included Airbus, BASF, Volkswagen, Daimler, Lanxess, Lapp India and Bajaj
Allianz.
The event was graced by luminaries such as former Miss
Universe and bollywood actor Sushmita Sen, German Ambassador Michael Steiner
and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Tejendra Khanna and many others.
The evenings were marked by live concerts by internationally
acclaimed musicians such as Asad Khan and Fusion Messengers, Ska Vengers,
Indian Ocean, Ayaan Ali Khan, Mardi Gras, B.L.O.T.! and Berlin based electronic
act Jahcoozi among others.
Visitors got a taste of ethnic delicacies such as Pretzels,
German Sausages, Spaetzle Noodles, Black Forest Cake and Apple Strudels at the
German Beer Garden in the venue.
Markus Heindorff
The mela included a set of modern multipurpose pavilions
which were designed by renowned German installation artist, Markus Heindorff.
His design combines India’s rich textile legacy with state-of-the-art
technology. Geometric shapes of varying sizes including hexagons, decagons,
circles and squares were adopted to create the framework of the 16 pavilions.
“The objective of my design for these pavilions has been to
retain the traditional aspects of Indian design and mould them into sustainable
architectural solutions. Technology is not limited to machines. The intricacy
and rigour that go into weaving fabric, as I see it in India is also in that
sense – high technology and this is part of my architectural construct as
well.”, Markus said.
Below are the stills
and video clips.
The Volkswagen pavilion where it showcased a single seat efficient urban car, Nils
Volkswagen future single seat car, Nils at display
Rear view of Nils
The Airbus pavilion
Mardi Gras.BB at the centre stage of the Indo-German Urban Mela
Bass guitarist Rahul Ram and drummer Amit Kilan of the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean live at the centre stage of Indo-German Urban Mela
Lead guitarist Sushmit Sen of the Indian Ocean
Amit Kilan of the Indian Ocean
Special lights beamed on the tomb of Humayan depicting the flags of Germany and India
Special lights beamed on the tomb of Humayan depicting the flags of Germany and India
Indian Ocean at performing at the Indo-German Urban Mela in Delhi
Indian Ocean at performing at the Indo-German Urban Mela in Delhi
Indian Ocean at performing at the Indo-German Urban Mela in Delhi
An owl spotted at the Indo-German Urban Mela
Cluster of lights erected on bamboo poles with inverted plastic vases as shades
Cluster of lights erected on bamboo poles with inverted plastic vases as shades
Cluster of lights erected on bamboo poles with inverted plastic vases as shades
Ayaan Ali Khan playing the sarod at the centre stage
The Ska Vengers a Delhi based band who ska rhythms with elements of dub, punk, jazz and rap at the mela
Cluster of lights erected on bamboo poles with inverted plastic vases as shades
The Ska Vengers a Delhi based band who ska rhythms with elements of dub, punk, jazz and rap at the mela
Delhi based audiovisual collective BLOT and Berlin based Jahcoozi at the centre stage
Delhi based audiovisual collective BLOT and Berlin based Jahcoozi at the centre stage
Former Miss Universe and Bollywood actor Sushmita Sen at the mela
German Ambassador Michel Steiner flanked in the left by Delhi Governor Tajendra Khanna and in right by former Miss Universe and Bollywood actor Sushmita Sen
As things got settled in his new garden Robin-uncle's vision drifted towards the potential of tapping international tourists into the garden. Already Assam tea for its liquor and Darjeeling tea for its aroma had been creating ripples in the international market. But on the other hand, the growing threat from non-traditional countries entering into the tea manufacturing was silently sending a shiver into the spines of the Indian tea Companies. Robin-uncle along with a few like-minded colleagues started thinking in the same wave length as they believed attracting international tourists would create further awareness and give a boost to the tea industry at large.
As things got settled in his new garden Robin-uncle's vision drifted towards the potential of tapping international tourists into the garden. Already Assam tea for its liquor and Darjeeling tea for its aroma had been creating ripples in the international market. But on the other hand, the growing threat from non-traditional countries entering into the tea manufacturing was silently sending a shiver into the spines of the Indian tea Companies. Robin-uncle along with a few like-minded colleagues started thinking in the same wave length as they believed attracting international tourists would create further awareness and give a boost to the tea industry at large.
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