Shillong of 1970s Flashback

Festivities at Scotland-of-the-East!

After a hot, humid and torturous months, September signals the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Visibility of

Kans grass

patches of full bloomed kans grass, clear blue skies above and birds chirping around are some of the distinct traits of this festive season. 

The cool misty early mornings and plesant evenings are characterised by unique ambience that tends to fill one’s heart with joy. Sunit Dhar, who grew up and lived in Shillong during his hey days, gets nostalgic and reminiscences the festivals he misses during the 1970s. An engineer by profession who had serviced in overseas organisations, he is currently settled in New Delhi and works at a corporate engineering firm in Gurgaon. Most Shillongites of that era are sure to echo his sentiments! 

Read on…  

  

An old and undated file photograph of Police Bazar (Khandailad), Shillong 

Sunit Dhar

My childhood flashback from Shillong, particularly on the festivities I was accustomed to look forward year after year, in the 1970's:

1. Vishwakarma puja at the French Motor Car Workshop in Laitumkhrah - for a platter full of sweets on the way back from the school on the 17th September every year.

Idols of Lord Vishwakarma

Vishwakarma, the divine hindu god of architect is not only observed by the engineering and architectural community but by artisans, craftsmen, mechanics, smiths, welders, industrial workers, factory workers and others. They pray for a better future, safe working conditions and above all, success in their respective fields. This festival is mainly celebrated in Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkand and Assam.

2. Taking a very early morning walk at Laitumkhrah main

Shillong city

road after listening to All India Radio (AIR) Mahalaya by Birendra Krishna Bhadra. This is the only early morning walk which I partook in the entire year.

3. Passionately watching the making of Durga idol at R.K. Mission (Ram Krishna Mission), Laitumkhrah every day after school. And sometimes giving a helping hand to the artist.

Maa Durga

Ram Krishna Mission, Shillong

4. Eagerly waiting for the pre-promotion exams to end on the day of Shasti puja. Then four days of fun with no books to open. Saddened if it's three days, and merrier if it's five days, which occasionally used to happen. But, the emotional feeling of the whole world falling apart after the Visharjan was unbearable.

5. Kali puja - whole night vigil and hoping from pandal

Maa Kali

to pandal of the town, with occasional bursting of fire-crackers in some strangers doorsteps or gates.

Graveyard at Arbutnotroad, 

Shillong on All Souls Day 

6.Anxiously waiting at the house doorstep to watch the grand colourful and floral procession passing through R.K. Mission Road upto the Arbuthnot Road graveyard, every year on 2nd November, Remembering the Departed on The All Souls Day.

7. Taking an early vantage position to witness an

Annual Eucharistic Procession

uninterrupted complete view of The Annual Eucharistic Procession on the second Sunday of November every year. This grand solemn, colourful and holy procession, with many tableaux with Mother Mary & Jesus and one with Bishop of Shillong, used to start and end at The Cathedral of Mary Help of Christian (Parish), by making one complete round, via Dhankheti, St Edmund's College, Fire Brigade, Laitumkhrah main road & Donbosco. Still partly remember the prayers by the procession participants -  Kublei Maria.....

8. A week or two Christmas Carols going from door to door in the locality every night, with jingle bells all around, until the Christmas Eve. Our favourite Little Santa was Bobby (Robert Garnett) Lyngdoh.

Robert Garnett Lyngdoh is the son of late Peter Garnett Marbaniang, a parliamentarian, legislator and an academician whose residential apartment was just opposite Ram Krishna Mission, Shillong.

An undated rare photograph of late P G Marbaniang with his daughter, Ampareen Lyngdoh and current MLA. Right: Late Purno Sangma, former Lok Sabha speaker and union minister along with spouse and daughter, Agatha Sangma who is the present MP from Tura constituency 

I really miss all those merrier old days of childhood Shillong……

Sunit Dhar can be reached by Email: sunit_dhar@yahoo.com