Amit Paul and social changes

Sir,

"Why do all good things come to an end?" - Perhaps Nelly Furtado, the singer, meant it more than what it signifies. Very aptly this interpretation could be well poised with what has happened in Shillong a few days ago: well I meant the exhilaration about Amit Paul and definitely not the change in weather…

Shillong witnessed uproar, a galore of madness; men, women, the aged the infirm and the 'destitute' as well, notwithstanding caste, religion and community difference came out to the streets to epitomize a social change.

That this social change has transgressed all kinds of artificial or even natural barriers is remarkably splendid!

Remote from this social fact is the interaction between the so called 'Dakhars' with the rest, for all we know and for all we care, this same boy must have been forced to obscurity in the past should he dare to raise his eye brow at Mr. He-Man.

And now like a phoenix rising from the ashes (not referring to his talent) this lad has captured not only our one-hour of TV time but more than that… he couldn't have looked any less handsome when he was dressed in the 'riam shad -shynrang' - the attire for men. We all attempted to redeem ourselves from our own social and economic tribulation to only support this "inheritance of talent."

It was a spectacle for a self-appointed social critic like me to witness: this 'pyaar' has become so strong that it didn't matter anymore if households played Hindi songs or even if the young and vigorous Khasi fundamentalists shouted like an old gramophone, "Vote for Amit" or even like a rehearsed concoction of some 'street-play' children relished with delight to only articulate the infamous phrase - "We Love You Amit"… or even Amit Paul's rendition in Khasi - that couldn't garner much votes though!

I'm pretty much sure that no one would agree with the French when they say, "plus ca change plus c'est la meme chose" that means "the more it changes, the more it remains the same."

And this same 'pyaar' didn't leave our politicians behind nonetheless: without any inhibitions they emptied their coffers (MLA scheme that is) to try and make this man win.

PCOs mushroomed in every nook and corner, the same nook and corner that were once termed 'hyper-sensitive areas'.

Few of the readers may be wondering that I'm jaundiced to this social phenomenon, well to those deluded personalities who think so, there's much more space for them to devote in this newspaper. And in the words of Bernard Shaw, "If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."

Apart from this, the government under the indomitable DD Lapang bequeaths upon Amit Paul the 'honorary ambassador of peace' - no doubts about that.

But the googly to this whole abundance of love and affection could be that elections time are nearing…

I just hope and pray that we don't see Amit Paul campaigning for some aspiring MLA or some political party.

Even then there will always be those who will pontificate the much wiser notion of social change. I mean what's immoral if culture diversify at the expense of social order and, yet again, social change.

It's not weird if we retract our stance to inculcate reformation and it won't be bad either if we have ever over-dominated on the 'dakhars', robbed the 'chana-walla', or walked out without paying in a tea-dhaba to harvest brotherhood and fraternity howsoever staged in flimsy grounds.

And definitely this social experience, as they like to call it could not be adjudged Social Hypocrisy- absolute or relative.

Who says that we are averse to change? We are ready to it as much as a chain smoker is to non-smoking. It'll take time but it'll happen.

However, beyond my insensible rhetoric, ' tis true that as much as I'm surprised to see this I'm also more than skeptical for what lies ahead of us. Often and on I'm being posed with a big question: Is this short-lived?

But to simplify my misgiving, here's an excerpt from the Taitreya Upanishad:

"Sahana vavatu Sahanau bhunaktu

Saha Viryam kara va vahai

Tejas vina maditha vastu

Ma vidh visha vahai

Om Shanti! Shanti Shanti"

When translated in English it means: Let us come together. Let us enjoy together. Let our strengths come together. Let us move from darkness to light. Let us avoid the twin danger of the poison of misunderstanding and hatred. That way exists real progress.

Yours etc.,
Albert W.Lanong
Pune