blog article on debojit

And what's with the Hawaiian shirt?


Two weeks in Assam and I had Debojit coming out of my pores. Who is Debojit? Exactly. Who is Debojit!!! And can we just get over him?

But let's start from the beginning. Before I even left DC, I received a mysterious email asking me to vote for Debojit in Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa contest as he has promised to "take the state to a new high." Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa happens to be a popular music contest, an Indian version of American Idol, although there is another more-popular Indian Idol also on television. Pressing the delete button, I reasoned that this had to be a joke. Besides the slight technical detail that I live across the globe and have no access to the show, I couldn't imagine that winning a music contest could solve the problems of the region unless the aforementioned "high" was of another kind…

Of course, the joke was on me. Not only Debojit, but all the participants seem to be invoking their particular village/state/region while asking people to vote for them. But Debojit's case is different. One of the five finalists, he is the first one from Assam to be on the show and has been so good at garnering support, conflict and controversy that he could definitely run for political office. To be fair, he hasn't really solicited these but the chap is just always in the thick of things…

So everyone was talking about the small-town homeboy who is trying to "make it" in Bombay. The all-powerful All Assam Students Union (AASU), which has single-handedly brought down governments, had given its blessings and on Bihu (the main Assamese festival), my dad got a text from the AASU chief (probably sent to the whole state) wishing him a very happy Bihu and now, could he just send a bloody text-vote for Debojit?

As is custom, some controversy had to be generated like:

Tyranny of the majority: When the cell phones lines were down, it was the "Bombay lobby" (read Bombay-based cell phone company VSNL) doing it on purpose to restrict Debojit's vote and thus, subjugate Assamese souls forever under the tyranny of the majority. No matter that with Rs 6 for a vote (a normal text costs around Rs 2), cell companies were the ones laughing to the bank… tyranny can just go this far when serious money is involved.

Parochialism: If Debojit is Assamese (and please note he has subtly moved from invoking his hometown to the whole of north-east with its seven states), why does he speak in Bengali not Assamese? It was pointed out that he is from a Bengali-speaking region of Assam whereupon it was suggested that maybe he should also say a few words in all the other NE languages.

Threats: Supposedly an outlawed insurgent group (ULFA) has threatened all the other contestants forcing them to quit the show. All I can say is that if after demands for a separate country, ULFA is now gunning for participants in music shows, all the military operations have worked.
.
To be honest, I had started resenting this chap until one fine day I told my sis to turn down the television and she whispered the magic words "its Debojit."

BOOM.

That was me, plonking in front of the television, a warm cup of chai and snacks in hand, and telling my folks that I will be unavailable for the next couple of hours. The show was as expected: melodrama, tears, laughter, walkouts, cheesiness and some cringingly embarrassing moments. Does he sing well? Yes. Better than the rest? I don't know.

But. The equation has changed. You see, it wasn't about what I can do for Debojit but what he can do for me. I realized that seeing the show gave me unrestricted access to living-room conversations. You just had to let slip that yes, you had seen the last show. Take it from me, most people haven't. And then you keep them transfixed with the minutest details about what happened to Debojit. They are hooked. Want to know more. You are the fix. You have arrived.

lalit1, thanks....btw, who wrote this article (ee article evaru raasaaru?)???

some assamese nri wrote this blog taikoo