THE WAY I SEE IT

-ROTO CHOBIN

We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter. – Denis Diderot

HYPOCRISY AND CHINA-BASHING

We saw many men and women jumping on the bandwagon of anti-china campaign. Amongst the campaigner was the ex-Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton who appealed George Bush to boycott the opening ceremony of Olympic because she is concern about human rights in China as if the human rights are not violated in USA. Shall we forget about the detainee in Guantanamo Bay prison? Shall we forget the invasion of Iraq and the photographic images of prisoner in Abu Ghraib prison? Killing of more than 1.2 million non-combatant Iraqis in the last five years is perhaps insignificant because the killing is taking place in Iraq, not in the land of American, British or Canadian.

Barrack Hussein Obama and John Sidney McCain also joined in a chorus of boos. And it was expected. They had to because the pull of Oval Office demands so. Let’s see if warmonger and Vietnam War veteran John McCain will be able to secure the president chair. I wish he fails as his presence in the white house will remind many to the era of “Baby Killer”, “Napalm Bomb” and “Agent Orange”. Hope that Hollywood star Mia Farrow and Steven Spielberg would now say something about the oppression and mal-treatment of native/marginal ethnic community in US.

On February 28, 2002 in Gujarat Muslims were massacred mercilessly and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) justified the genocide citing Newton’s law of action-reaction. In 2008, BJP is coming out in support of ‘Free Tibet’. They even want to show solidarity with the Spiritual leader of Tibet and the separatist cause. Wow! It indeed sounds great. Or was it just another case of double standard?

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and President Nicholas Sarkozy of France, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have also expressed their intention – not to attend the Olympic. Do they want to turn the Olympic Games into a political arena? As far as I know, French thinker and educator Pierre de Coubertin made the proposition to revive Olympic Games of ancient Greece to promote WORLD PEACE. But in quest of global hegemony and under finger-pointing situation, world peace looks rather unattainable. On the contrary, resurgence of cold war seems more real. After the disintegration of USSR in 1991, it appears that the China being a communist country becomes an obvious target.

All this is not to say that China is unblemished. In fact, the insincerities of Chinese government come to the fore whenever they show their resentment with Japanese officials who pay a visit to the controversial Yasukuni shrine, which is associated with extreme militarism and dedicated to Japan’s war dead whereas they had already exhibited the extreme militarism in Tianenmen Square Protest, where People’s Liberation Army brutally crushed pro-democracy supporters and killed hundreds of their own compatriot. Then there were Tibetan rebels in 1959 Tibetan uprising. In 1980, China had admitted that Tibet has been misgoverned. It’s pointless to say that Tibet has been misgoverned when the Tibetans don’t want to be governed by them.


HYPOCRISY CONTINUES…

Kosovo parliament on 17 February 2008 declared independence from Serbia. And Germany became the first country to recognize Kosovo as sovereign state by renaming its diplomatic office as an embassy. The US, UK, France along with 19 out of 27 European Union states has formally recognized the republic of Kosovo. Why only Kosovo, Tibet and Israel should be supported by west. Why is that separatists like Tamil Eelam, Chechnya, Kashmir and Nagaland do not get equal attention as their counterparts. They too have the right of self-determination. Is it because these separatists would not take part in a puppet play and doesn’t fit in the game plan?


ISRAEL – PALESTINIAN IMBROGLIO

Before the introduction of cable TV, we only read and heard about Israel-Palestinian conflict. Now the bloodbath is taking place right in our drawing room. We see Israeli missiles being thrown at Palestinian. We saw journalist and civilian being killed by it. We see rubble and ruins, destitute and sufferer.

And so much blood and bitter tears had been shed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet there’s no moment of respite. Solution to this maelstrom of skirmishes seems far from imminent considering that both Israeli and Palestinian is hooked in the chicken-and-egg dilemma. Israeli wouldn’t give up the occupied territories because of terrorism and the Palestinian in order to regain their territory would not stop suicide attacks.

One wonder doesn’t the condition of Gaza remind the Israelites of Ghetto or concentration camp and lebensraum concept of Hitler? In the eye of onlooker, it is virtually as similar as holocaust or in Jewish terms – shoah. Palestinian seems to exist in the same condition as Jews in ghettos during Nazi time – appalling living condition, frustration, desolation, hopelessness. If Israelites have any respect for their forefather who perished in the holocaust, they ought to think of a fresh peace talk, which should be based on honest peace process and, more importantly, honoring the peace accord.

As to international peace brokers in the Middle East peace process, they truly need to work as an unadulterated mediator – disallowing bias views and extreme lobbying. If not, we just have to say: Long live Nazism! Long live genocide!


ALL THAT GLITTER IS GOLD

It is absolutely not necessary that one must drink Pepsi and Coca Cola because people will not die if they don’t drink this stuff. A person could manage with plain water. PepsiCo and Coca Cola Co. have often hit the headlines in India for exhausting ground water, which is required for irrigation. Moreover, land swallowed by this kind of redundant industries can be used for growing crops to feed millions and millions of people. We need solid food – not carbonated water – to survive. Turning the farmland into fuel land as in the USA and elsewhere, and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India, China, South East Asia and Middle East, I dare say, has made a great impact on food crisis. And we recently saw the consequent of it when the people in Bolivia, Cameroon, Egypt, Indonesia, Senegal and Uzbekistan had went on the rampage to protest against the scarcity of food and rising food prices.

Again, we don’t need any cheap car like Tata Nano. We could manage with public transport. And it is just that we are being brainwashed and pushed by corporate, and allowed them to inculcate in our mind that we really are desperate for cheap car. Or am I wrong in thinking that food have precedence over luxurious items. Besides, who is going to peer inside your stomach if it is full or empty? It is façade that matter most to the people. Thus, we have a flashy cars and a wanton war to procure oil to keep those flashy cars on the run.


GLOBAL’S CAPITAL

Twenty-five years ago, when I was a kid I used to put out a mug filled with water or milk or black tea at night on the byaggo or uko sembya (unroofed porch) like all other kids at Ziro. And, in the morning, we would find our mug froze from top to bottom. So without the help of refrigerating technology we could make ice creams. And we certainly did take pleasure in those indigenous ice creams. But it’s all gone now. Three inches
thick ice has turned into wafer thin. And the summer is getting unbearable. So we do not need any scientists to tell us that the global warming is not real.

Civil Society Coalition on Climate Change (CSCCC) reports (available at http://www.csccc.info) – which seems to me more like a report on what the rich can do and the poor cannot, rather than climate change – suggests oneself to adapt with climate change instead of doing something to reduce the agent that cause global warming. What else can we do than adapt if the hypocrite is not ready to give up their hypocrite lifestyle? And while going through this report it occurs to me that those collective geniuses at CSCCC almost exhaust the word ‘insurance’ that reminds me and reintroduce me to the year 1997-98 when a large number of bigoted people of Arunachal were struck by fear psychosis because an obsessive scientist from Assam predicted a massive destructive earthquake in Arunachal. I doubted a nexus between that obsessive scientist and insurance company. There never was any investigation. It is an ironic that people believed such whimsical prediction while everyone shelves the topic of global warming.

Furthermore, CSCCC wrote so much about wealth in their report that makes the report virtually farce and unreliable. Believe it or not, according to CSCCC report, the wealth is a cure for all ailments. There’s no doubt; nearly half of the world population or more than that will vindicate that Money makes the world go round.

If money is that much important, then let’s make money. That’s not a big deal. Eh? First, we have to forget about the “GHGs” and “Asian Brown Haze”. Athletes who seem to be concern about their health in a polluted environment, let’s say Beijing, need to adapt with high level pollution of land, air and water. More importantly, the restriction imposed on Arunachal for doing indiscriminate timber business has to be revoked as Arunachal has an abundant supply of Burmese teak and pinewood. After all, it brings in a lot of money. Besides, legions of people who went solvent after the ban may once again become a filthy rich. And when enough money will be made, we can have caviar everyday. And when the sturgeon fish will extinct, we could always devour each other. We seem to be very proficient at that.


THE MORE, THE MERRIER

Very few journals are capable of catching my attention and one such is OUTLOOK magazine. In mid-June 2008, they brought out an issue with special reference to environment. Honestly, it was excellent. But I couldn’t help myself marveling at consideration that outlook group have already six titles in their control and, of late, they had launched one more journal. Hmm… how many trees would that be? Perhaps, this is what we call onslaught on consumer by media.

With that, the writer rests.

THE WAY I SEE IT

-ROTO CHOBIN

We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter. – Denis Diderot

HYPOCRISY AND CHINA-BASHING

We saw many men and women jumping on the bandwagon of anti-china campaign. Amongst the campaigner was the ex-Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton who appealed George Bush to boycott the opening ceremony of Olympic because she is concern about human rights in China as if the human rights are not violated in USA. Shall we forget about the detainee in Guantanamo Bay prison? Shall we forget the invasion of Iraq and the photographic images of prisoner in Abu Ghraib prison? Killing of more than 1.2 million non-combatant Iraqis in the last five years is perhaps insignificant because the killing is taking place in Iraq, not in the land of American, British or Canadian.

Barrack Hussein Obama and John Sidney McCain also joined in a chorus of boos. And it was expected. They had to because the pull of Oval Office demands so. Let’s see if warmonger and Vietnam War veteran John McCain will be able to secure the president chair. I wish he fails as his presence in the white house will remind many to the era of “Baby Killer”, “Napalm Bomb” and “Agent Orange”. Hope that Hollywood star Mia Farrow and Steven Spielberg would now say something about the oppression and mal-treatment of native/marginal ethnic community in US.

On February 28, 2002 in Gujarat Muslims were massacred mercilessly and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) justified the genocide citing Newton’s law of action-reaction. In 2008, BJP is coming out in support of ‘Free Tibet’. They even want to show solidarity with the Spiritual leader of Tibet and the separatist cause. Wow! It indeed sounds great. Or was it just another case of double standard?

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and President Nicholas Sarkozy of France, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have also expressed their intention – not to attend the Olympic. Do they want to turn the Olympic Games into a political arena? As far as I know, French thinker and educator Pierre de Coubertin made the proposition to revive Olympic Games of ancient Greece to promote WORLD PEACE. But in quest of global hegemony and under finger-pointing situation, world peace looks rather unattainable. On the contrary, resurgence of cold war seems more real. After the disintegration of USSR in 1991, it appears that the China being a communist country becomes an obvious target.

All this is not to say that China is unblemished. In fact, the insincerities of Chinese government come to the fore whenever they show their resentment with Japanese officials who pay a visit to the controversial Yasukuni shrine, which is associated with extreme militarism and dedicated to Japan’s war dead whereas they had already exhibited the extreme militarism in Tianenmen Square Protest, where People’s Liberation Army brutally crushed pro-democracy supporters and killed hundreds of their own compatriot. Then there were Tibetan rebels in 1959 Tibetan uprising. In 1980, China had admitted that Tibet has been misgoverned. It’s pointless to say that Tibet has been misgoverned when the Tibetans don’t want to be governed by them.


HYPOCRISY CONTINUES…

Kosovo parliament on 17 February 2008 declared independence from Serbia. And Germany became the first country to recognize Kosovo as sovereign state by renaming its diplomatic office as an embassy. The US, UK, France along with 19 out of 27 European Union states has formally recognized the republic of Kosovo. Why only Kosovo, Tibet and Israel should be supported by west. Why is that separatists like Tamil Eelam, Chechnya, Kashmir and Nagaland do not get equal attention as their counterparts. They too have the right of self-determination. Is it because these separatists would not take part in a puppet play and doesn’t fit in the game plan?


ISRAEL – PALESTINIAN IMBROGLIO

Before the introduction of cable TV, we only read and heard about Israel-Palestinian conflict. Now the bloodbath is taking place right in our drawing room. We see Israeli missiles being thrown at Palestinian. We saw journalist and civilian being killed by it. We see rubble and ruins, destitute and sufferer.

And so much blood and bitter tears had been shed in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet there’s no moment of respite. Solution to this maelstrom of skirmishes seems far from imminent considering that both Israeli and Palestinian is hooked in the chicken-and-egg dilemma. Israeli wouldn’t give up the occupied territories because of terrorism and the Palestinian in order to regain their territory would not stop suicide attacks.

One wonder doesn’t the condition of Gaza remind the Israelites of Ghetto or concentration camp and lebensraum concept of Hitler? In the eye of onlooker, it is virtually as similar as holocaust or in Jewish terms – shoah. Palestinian seems to exist in the same condition as Jews in ghettos during Nazi time – appalling living condition, frustration, desolation, hopelessness. If Israelites have any respect for their forefather who perished in the holocaust, they ought to think of a fresh peace talk, which should be based on honest peace process and, more importantly, honoring the peace accord.

As to international peace brokers in the Middle East peace process, they truly need to work as an unadulterated mediator – disallowing bias views and extreme lobbying. If not, we just have to say: Long live Nazism! Long live genocide!


ALL THAT GLITTER IS GOLD

It is absolutely not necessary that one must drink Pepsi and Coca Cola because people will not die if they don’t drink this stuff. A person could manage with plain water. PepsiCo and Coca Cola Co. have often hit the headlines in India for exhausting ground water, which is required for irrigation. Moreover, land swallowed by this kind of redundant industries can be used for growing crops to feed millions and millions of people. We need solid food – not carbonated water – to survive. Turning the farmland into fuel land as in the USA and elsewhere, and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India, China, South East Asia and Middle East, I dare say, has made a great impact on food crisis. And we recently saw the consequent of it when the people in Bolivia, Cameroon, Egypt, Indonesia, Senegal and Uzbekistan had went on the rampage to protest against the scarcity of food and rising food prices.

Again, we don’t need any cheap car like Tata Nano. We could manage with public transport. And it is just that we are being brainwashed and pushed by corporate, and allowed them to inculcate in our mind that we really are desperate for cheap car. Or am I wrong in thinking that food have precedence over luxurious items. Besides, who is going to peer inside your stomach if it is full or empty? It is façade that matter most to the people. Thus, we have a flashy cars and a wanton war to procure oil to keep those flashy cars on the run.


GLOBAL’S CAPITAL

Twenty-five years ago, when I was a kid I used to put out a mug filled with water or milk or black tea at night on the byaggo or uko sembya (unroofed porch) like all other kids at Ziro. And, in the morning, we would find our mug froze from top to bottom. So without the help of refrigerating technology we could make ice creams. And we certainly did take pleasure in those indigenous ice creams. But it’s all gone now. Three inches thick ice has turned into wafer thin. And the summer is getting unbearable. So we do not need any scientists to tell us that the global warming is not real.

Civil Society Coalition on Climate Change (CSCCC) reports (available at http://www.csccc.info) – which seems to me more like a report on what the rich can do and the poor cannot, rather than climate change – suggests oneself to adapt with climate change instead of doing something to reduce the agent that cause global warming. What else can we do than adapt if the hypocrite is not ready to give up their hypocrite lifestyle? And while going through this report it occurs to me that those collective geniuses at CSCCC almost exhaust the word ‘insurance’ that reminds me and reintroduce me to the year 1997-98 when a large number of bigoted people of Arunachal were struck by fear psychosis because an obsessive scientist from Assam predicted a massive destructive earthquake in Arunachal. I doubted a nexus between that obsessive scientist and insurance company. There never was any investigation. It is an ironic that people believed such whimsical prediction while everyone shelves the topic of global warming.

Furthermore, CSCCC wrote so much about wealth in their report that makes the report virtually farce and unreliable. Believe it or not, according to CSCCC report, the wealth is a cure for all ailments. There’s no doubt; nearly half of the world population or more than that will vindicate that Money makes the world go round.

If money is that much important, then let’s make money. That’s not a big deal. Eh? First, we have to forget about the “GHGs” and “Asian Brown Haze”. Athletes who seem to be concern about their health in a polluted environment, let’s say Beijing, need to adapt with high level pollution of land, air and water. More importantly, the restriction imposed on Arunachal for doing indiscriminate timber business has to be revoked as Arunachal has an abundant supply of Burmese teak and pinewood. After all, it brings in a lot of money. Besides, legions of people who went solvent after the ban may once again become a filthy rich. And when enough money will be made, we can have caviar everyday. And when the sturgeon fish will extinct, we could always devour each other. We seem to be very proficient at that.


THE MORE, THE MERRIER

Very few journals are capable of catching my attention and one such is OUTLOOK magazine. In mid-June 2008, they brought out an issue with special reference to environment. Honestly, it was excellent. But I couldn’t help myself marveling at consideration that outlook group have already six titles in their control and, of late, they had launched one more journal. Hmm… how many trees would that be? Perhaps, this is what we call onslaught on consumer by media.

With that, the writer rests.

Myoko-A Perspective

-by Roto Chobin

Being an essential festival of Apatani community, the Myoko is perhaps one of the most protracted and intricate festival in the world, wherein entire Apatanis take some part in the festivities while the substantial role are played by the host of Myoko, and which induce one to question and contemplate, extol and assess its significance relating to the present day.

The preparation for Myoko begins as early as November – starting with hunting of bi ding (monkey). And the activities goes on until the Empii Koniin ceremony is performed to signify the end of the festival where the priest give a final offering of roasted ‘eared rice’ to deity near the doorstep of both front and backdoor, and which usually happen in the second week of April month. From the groundwork to the end of the Myoko festival, it takes almost six months.

Another aspect of Myoko is that it comprises of so many complex rituals that makes it awfully intricate and very difficult to practice it. For instance, a person who goes out to hunt biding need to take a particular care when shooting a monkey because … not to sacrifice a biding of particular species would be sacrilegious to Siiki. At the time of Siiro Cheniin, every male member has to put up a twig of cane leaves at Nago (shrine). With cane becoming rare, you never know when the ritual will become nullified. And Pigyan Huniin ceremony tests the degree of one’s physical strength and endurance – seizing of pigs and swine from pigsty, taking it to Yugyang (altar) and bringing it back to a house for sacrifice. Subsequently, the swine are killed and delicately prepared to be given away to uncles and great uncles. And preparation or to be precise separation of chest from bacon requires a hand of high skill because recipient may turn down the offer to accept it if found any slip-up. Phew! One of the nasty part is when we grab the swine by its leg so that it could stay still whilst the eldest male member of a clan is plucking off the heart and when we clean down the coating of hair from swine by burning and scraping out the hair with steel tumbler as soon as it is taken down from a bonfire.

Throughout the ceremonial processes of Myoko, loads of unfamiliar things (no doubt, it may be relatively recognizable for some but for inexperience individual it could be a headache) like Sama Anii, Kiira Anii (leaves) et al are used to make Agyang (altar). Moreover, to make things such as byodung, chukha, roobing, etc. to adorn the Agyang calls for great dexterity and fortitude. Furthermore, to look bluntly at Babo (ritual pole) may not seem that it involves effort in any way. On the contrary, it stipulates teamwork as each clan has to select a high and straight tree for babo that are fell and brought at the village by dragging, then erecting it. In a way, it does seem futile to fell a huge tree and erecting it seeing that boha behniin (acrobatic feats) is no longer perform on it and also that huge babo can give away to undersized and manageable babo without being blasphemous to custom. Paradoxically, activities are going in opposite direction.

O Tante La, in fact this is the occasion when guests usually visit the house of the Myoko host and the guests are served with O (rice beer), Tapyo (black salt) and Kaji (meat). In compliance with other ritual this occasion continues for a period of two and a half days – beginning just after Sama Piniin (first day) till Taper Liila Siiro Cheniin (third day of Myoko) – which seem fair enough. But rules are rules, made to be bent and broken. Thus, nowadays, the host could still be seen throwing a Myoko party till the wee hours even after the Pigyan Huniin ceremony was concluded. In such parties, one may notice that both the guests and host will not hesitate to belt out series of Bollywood numbers. Sadly, Bollywood numbers is slowly replacing Ayu (rhythmic folklore handed down from the past).

In terms of money and material spent during this festival, I dare say, goes beyond what is necessary. Over the last few years, the operating cost of Myoko has hemorrhaged. And the respite from this outflow of money and material is not on the horizon. Besides, the people tend to spend more money during this time, possibly, to impress – encouraging others to follow suit. The Yalang or Ala Rita Naniin (portion of beef given to a booniin ajing) is turning out to be bigger and bigger in size. As a result, a whole lot of beef in addition to poultry, pork and cartons of egg is not sufficient enough to last long until the end of Myoko month. If luck favors, the foot and mouth disease of cattle and bird flu at this crucial time will play havoc to entire plan – creating an environment of scarcity and pushing the price of basic items beyond affordable and what’s more the cost of firewood and rice have yet to be added to the gross expenditure. Under such circumstances, to have a second thought about Myoko is apparently justifiable.

Regardless of the fact, the significance and contribution of Myoko principally in renewing ties with friends and relatives and binding the community in a collective unit cannot be neglected. However, the question remains: Will the essence of Myoko last? What if the poor people cannot afford to celebrate it? With the augmentation in the gap between rich and poor, the Myoko is bound to lose its vitality in course of time. So, with due respect to Myoko, amendment in certain custom is inevitable. For instance, the quantity of Yalang could be reduced to a large extent, which is a give-away to booniin ajing. And bestowing other gifts like a packet of tea leaves and milk powder, sugar, etc. to booniin ajing should be altogether stopped. Furthermore, many a thing could be shunned that is not absolutely mandatory during Myoko. To sum up, a public debate need to be conducted to form a consensus to amend in some of our recent habit if not amended, it is sure to do more harm than good in near future. Moreover, it is not that the Myoko never have borne the brunt of reformation. In olden times, the Myoko used to be celebrated in a joint way. Later it was converted into triennial event. Again, in the early eighties, the Apatani Youth Association (AYA) decided to fix the date of inaugural day of Myoko on 20th of March month. As to people’s occasional discu
ssion about holding the festival once in a five year by dividing Talyang-Hao, Niichi-Niitii and Tinii-Diibo into five groups. That, in my opinion, seems fairly reasonable if it could be implemented.

Suppose the expenditure in Myoko keeps escalating and the people remains obstinate about relaxation in certain formal procedure, another horde of people would not hesitate to turn to Hinduism, Christianity and Meder Nello as the tendency of escapism in people is greater than the will to fight to the finish. Besides, the missionaries of all denominations at all times are ready to pounce and put a shackle on them. Eventually, there will be neither Lapang nor Babo; only the flag of Meder Nello, Hindu and Christian will stay.

Myoko-A Perspective

-by Roto Chobin

Being an essential festival of Apatani community, the Myoko is perhaps one of the most protracted and intricate festival in the world, wherein entire Apatanis take some part in the festivities while the substantial role are played by the host of Myoko, and which induce one to question and contemplate, extol and assess its significance relating to the present day.

The preparation for Myoko begins as early as November – starting with hunting of bi ding (monkey). And the activities goes on until the Empii Koniin ceremony is performed to signify the end of the festival where the priest give a final offering of roasted ‘eared rice’ to deity near the doorstep of both front and backdoor, and which usually happen in the second week of April month. From the groundwork to the end of the Myoko festival, it takes almost six months.

Another aspect of Myoko is that it comprises of so many complex rituals that makes it awfully intricate and very difficult to practice it. For instance, a person who goes out to hunt biding need to take a particular care when shooting a monkey because … not to sacrifice a biding of particular species would be sacrilegious to Siiki. At the time of Siiro Cheniin, every male member has to put up a twig of cane leaves at Nago (shrine). With cane becoming rare, you never know when the ritual will become nullified. And Pigyan Huniin ceremony tests the degree of one’s physical strength and endurance – seizing of pigs and swine from pigsty, taking it to Yugyang (altar) and bringing it back to a house for sacrifice. Subsequently, the swine are killed and delicately prepared to be given away to uncles and great uncles. And preparation or to be precise separation of chest from bacon requires a hand of high skill because recipient may turn down the offer to accept it if found any slip-up. Phew! One of the nasty part is when we grab the swine by its leg so that it could stay still whilst the eldest male member of a clan is plucking off the heart and when we clean down the coating of hair from swine by burning and scraping out the hair with steel tumbler as soon as it is taken down from a bonfire.

Throughout the ceremonial processes of Myoko, loads of unfamiliar things (no doubt, it may be relatively recognizable for some but for inexperience individual it could be a headache) like Sama Anii, Kiira Anii (leaves) et al are used to make Agyang (altar). Moreover, to make things such as byodung, chukha, roobing, etc. to adorn the Agyang calls for great dexterity and fortitude. Furthermore, to look bluntly at Babo (ritual pole) may not seem that it involves effort in any way. On the contrary, it stipulates teamwork as each clan has to select a high and straight tree for babo that are fell and brought at the village by dragging, then erecting it. In a way, it does seem futile to fell a huge tree and erecting it seeing that boha behniin (acrobatic feats) is no longer perform on it and also that huge babo can give away to undersized and manageable babo without being blasphemous to custom. Paradoxically, activities are going in opposite direction.

O Tante La, in fact this is the occasion when guests usually visit the house of the Myoko host and the guests are served with O (rice beer), Tapyo (black salt) and Kaji (meat). In compliance with other ritual this occasion continues for a period of two and a half days – beginning just after Sama Piniin (first day) till Taper Liila Siiro Cheniin (third day of Myoko) – which seem fair enough. But rules are rules, made to be bent and broken. Thus, nowadays, the host could still be seen throwing a Myoko party till the wee hours even after the Pigyan Huniin ceremony was concluded. In such parties, one may notice that both the guests and host will not hesitate to belt out series of Bollywood numbers. Sadly, Bollywood numbers is slowly replacing Ayu (rhythmic folklore handed down from the past).

In terms of money and material spent during this festival, I dare say, goes beyond what is necessary. Over the last few years, the operating cost of Myoko has hemorrhaged. And the respite from this outflow of money and material is not on the horizon. Besides, the people tend to spend more money during this time, possibly, to impress – encouraging others to follow suit. The Yalang or Ala Rita Naniin (portion of beef given to a booniin ajing) is turning out to be bigger and bigger in size. As a result, a whole lot of beef in addition to poultry, pork and cartons of egg is not sufficient enough to last long until the end of Myoko month. If luck favors, the foot and mouth disease of cattle and bird flu at this crucial time will play havoc to entire plan – creating an environment of scarcity and pushing the price of basic items beyond affordable and what’s more the cost of firewood and rice have yet to be added to the gross expenditure. Under such circumstances, to have a second thought about Myoko is apparently justifiable.

Regardless of the fact, the significance and contribution of Myoko principally in renewing ties with friends and relatives and binding the community in a collective unit cannot be neglected. However, the question remains: Will the essence of Myoko last? What if the poor people cannot afford to celebrate it? With the augmentation in the gap between rich and poor, the Myoko is bound to lose its vitality in course of time. So, with due respect to Myoko, amendment in certain custom is inevitable. For instance, the quantity of Yalang could be reduced to a large extent, which is a give-away to booniin ajing. And bestowing other gifts like a packet of tea leaves and milk powder, sugar, etc. to booniin ajing should be altogether stopped. Furthermore, many a thing could be shunned that is not absolutely mandatory during Myoko. To sum up, a public debate need to be conducted to form a consensus to amend in some of our recent habit if not amended, it is sure to do more harm than good in near future. Moreover, it is not that the Myoko never have borne the brunt of reformation. In olden times, the Myoko used to be celebrated in a joint way. Later it was converted into triennial event. Again, in the early eighties, the Apatani Youth Association (AYA) decided to fix the date of inaugural day of Myoko on 20th of March month. As to people’s occasional discussion about holding the festival once in a five year by dividing Talyang-Hao, Niichi-Niitii and Tinii-Diibo into five groups. That, in my opinion, seems fairly reasonable if it could be implemented.

Suppose the expenditure in Myoko keeps escalating and the people remains obstinate about relaxation in certain formal procedure, another horde of people would not hesitate to turn to Hinduism, Christianity and Meder Nello as the tendency of escapism in people is greater than the will to fight to the finish. Besides, the missionaries of all denominations at all times are ready to pounce and put a shackle on them. Eventually, there will be neither Lapang nor Babo; only the flag of Meder Nello, Hindu and Christian will stay.

COLLATERAL DAMAGES

-by Roto Chobin

You may have seen this advertisement in a newspaper or magazine or on TV. What was your first reaction? …Remarkable? …Splendid?

Let’s see what happens to this ad if we tweak it a little bit to suit the real McCoy.

“They really perform a lot of miracles.

And they play a big part

in choking drains.

Each time a consumer throw an empty bottle

they don’t give a damn,

‘Cos they can produce a thousand bottles

to replace it.

I’m terrified of rising junk – each moment.

And it’s going to give us,

a lifetime of headache.

No doubt, they are magicians.

As they can sell their cold drinks - even to Eskimos.

And they can even create a mountain...

…a mountain made up of cans & bottles.

For one little second…

… Can you drop the idea of making monies?”

Now, see this…




Is it awful?…Or is it artistic?

Epilogue

The motive of posting this piece is to sensitize the entire Food and Beverage Company that polythene and plastic wrappers and containers are doing more harm than good to eco-system. If they cannot use bio-degradable materials to pack their products, then they need to provide an alternative to the consumer to dispose these unsafe things in a proper way. To give alms in charity and cleaning up a few places where the Chief Executives usually hold meetings doesn’t imply that they had fulfilled their CSR – they really need to become socially responsible corporation. The mounting of non-biodegradable garbage at every loci attest that FCMG Company has lot to do concerning environment.

COLLATERAL DAMAGES

-by Roto Chobin

You may have seen this advertisement in a newspaper or magazine or on TV. What was your first reaction? …Remarkable? …Splendid?

Let’s see what happens to this ad if we tweak it a little bit to suit the real McCoy.

“They really perform a lot of miracles.

And they play a big part

in choking drains.

Each time a consumer throw an empty bottle

they don’t give a damn,

‘Cos they can produce a thousand bottles

to replace it.

I’m terrified of rising junk – each moment.

And it’s going to give us,

a lifetime of headache.

No doubt, they are magicians.

As they can sell their cold drinks - even to Eskimos.

And they can even create a mountain...

…a mountain made up of cans & bottles.

For one little second…

… Can you drop the idea of making monies?”

Now, see this…




Is it awful?…Or is it artistic?

Epilogue

The motive of posting this piece is to sensitize the entire Food and Beverage Company that polythene and plastic wrappers and containers are doing more harm than good to eco-system. If they cannot use bio-degradable materials to pack their products, then they need to provide an alternative to the consumer to dispose these unsafe things in a proper way. To give alms in charity and cleaning up a few places where the Chief Executives usually hold meetings doesn’t imply that they had fulfilled their CSR – they really need to become socially responsible corporation. The mounting of non-biodegradable garbage at every loci attest that FCMG Company has lot to do concerning environment.

AIDS in Arunachal

Is our state safe from AIDS and how much aware are our people to this dreadful virus? Here's Cho's Take on the AIDS in Arunachal. This article was supposed to be featured coinciding with the World AIDS Day on December 1^st, but for the delay in obtaining data on AIDS in Arunachal.

THE DREADFUL GRIP

AIDS in Arunachal is like a balloon that is being inflated stealthily and is getting ready to burst out.

by Roto Chobin

Not long ago, I watched a movie “Philadelphia” on HBO channel for second time in which actor Tom Hanks portrayed the character of a lawyer who was sacked from his law firm because he had an AIDS. I don’t know how much weight he had to lose to look like an AIDS patient but he indeed looked sick. No doubt, he delivered an excellent performance. That’s why he is one of my favorite actors. And his appearance in this movie reminds me of a startling photograph in ‘TIME ASIA’ magazine which was taken by John Stanmeyer. The picture depicts a HIV-positive man, lying at a care center in the southern Indian city of Pondicherry, staring not at the camera lens but somewhere far away and his mind preoccupied with thoughts - may be, considering everything that he had built but falling into pieces and not knowing if he could ever put them back together. And at the background, his wife (also HIV-positive) was sleeping on the floor with their son. It was a horrifying moment for me to observe the photograph quite closely and I felt as if I am looking at the picture of a corpse.

Despite many AIDS awareness campaigns, the number of infected HIV cases keeps rising year on year in the developing countries. Last year, According to UNAIDS report, India topped the list with over 400,000 AIDS death in 2005 and 5.7 million people were HIV-positive leaving the Africa behind the race who has 5.5 million HIV infected people. And it indicates that the people are not paying any heed to the awareness campaigns which also coerce me to think that they are turning a blind eye to the warning for sake of lust or a couple of hours of ecstasy. Hence, they pass this deadly virus to their spouses. Eventually, the children who in place of getting the care and love of their parent, they shoulder the burden of taking care of their terminally-ill parents. It may sound somewhat reassuring that the virus can hole up in the body for up to 10 years before triggering symptoms or developing into a full-blown life threatening disease provided the patient maintains healthy diet and put on an Anti-retro viral treatment. However, this is just a flicker of hope only as there is no medicine so far that can cure this terrible disease.

In Africa, HIV is mainly transmitted by sex while Asia is receiving a double whammy of sexual transmission and infection among intravenous drug users (IVDUs). The highest HIV prevalence rates are found in Maharashtra in the west; Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in the south; Manipur and Nagaland in the North-east. And when zeroed in on our state; the official figures of HIV+ case may, at a glance, seem miniscule which reported 76 number of HIV infected cases including 14 AIDS cases a year ago. However, we must not take it for granted the list of individual with HIV positive – because only six districts were surveyed last year. Besides, the figure could deceive as the number of people who actually visit clinic for the HIV test alone is literally negligible. And, in many situations, the cause of AIDS death might attribute to an opportunistic infection, such as tuberculosis. As a result, the HIV+ person may remain unknown of having this terrible disease until they accidentally screen their blood and apprised of the result. Therefore, the AIDS in Arunachal is like a balloon that is being inflated stealthily and is getting ready to burst out in a decade or two if people keep ignoring the admonition.

Aside from benighted people, what disturbs me most is the sex trade that is gaining ground in Arunachal. It has become a cause for concern (for few people I believe, as a matter of fact) as, unlike Manipur and Nagaland, the HIV in Arunachal is contracted mostly through sexual activity. Thus, this sex trade which is often executed in clandestine will not help to control the menace of HIV. On the contrary, the virus will keep proliferating for years until it devours everyone like some horrible leviathan. Secondly, I have a good reason to believe that this illegality is something all parents should be afraid of. For instance, two years ago, I happened to see almost half a dozen of teenage girls were being holed in a police car. I wondered what wrong they could have done - prompting the cops to arrest them. I soon found out the reason behind their arrest when an acquaintance told me if I heard anything about the female sex workers who were arrested and sent back to their hometown. This incident came as a jolt. I’ve never expected our state with all its glory and naiveté could stoop so low as to become a land of pedophilia.

I wondered how these girls were made to fall into the trap of flesh trade and what incites them? I presume the lure of money alone in such a tender age is unwarranted. Is it because our society had made out the glitterati to be more reigning over the literati? And the beauty contests and its price money are given more priorities than the literary competition? Where is the need to reward the beauty queen when we all know inner beauty that counts ultimately? Don’t these things introduce promiscuity to the children at an early age? Is it the girl herself or the parents or the pimps or the society that motivate the girls to opt for sex trade? More importantly, do these girls know how the AIDS virus spread? If we assume the hearsay, then the persons who are already engaged in this profession act as a recruiting agent – enticing the young girls to a wild party and selling them
to clients who usually hunt for fresh product. It pains me to put forward this question: do these clients think they’re doing the right thing by sharing a bed with minor? And there are pimps who again take advantage of their reputation and exploit them to make easy money. Then again, we cannot hold the prostitutes and pimps responsible for entire businesses, though they play a pivotal role. There are some affluent people also who is equally responsible and foster this profession by seeking their services. As for the solution, it doesn’t lie in overlooking the reality or locking up the female child in a closed door room. And the police, I fear, will fail to stop the prostitutes from carrying out their covert operation as long as the recruiting agent looms large and go unpunished. Until then, no one’s daughter is safe from harm as there’s no telling where or when your daughter will be invited to a party. And who knows, those who are hunting for pleasure and seek fresh product might end up introducing himself to his own daughter.

To conclude, it clearly manifests itself from the fact that the AIDS and sex is complimentary to each other. And, in Arunachal, HIV is definitely going to create a wanton havoc as the awareness of this smoldering threat is very low. I am not suggesting in any subtle way that there never was an AIDS awareness campaign. In fact, a lot of half-hearted awareness campaigns were conducted which addressed to a handful of audiences. However, it is not enough. They need to deliver this message to the people who are most vulnerable, not to the Gaon Buras and Buris (village elders). And the people who are assigned to propagate the AIDS awareness should help out spontaneously. Their work should not be cynic and to show off or to extract a fund from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The so-called “cultured elite” of Arunachal may sleep through the perilous hours.

So, wake up Genex!

AIDS in Arunachal

Is our state safe from AIDS and how much aware are our people to this dreadful virus? Here's Cho's Take on the AIDS in Arunachal. This article was supposed to be featured coinciding with the World AIDS Day on December 1^st, but for the delay in obtaining data on AIDS in Arunachal.

THE DREADFUL GRIP

AIDS in Arunachal is like a balloon that is being inflated stealthily and is getting ready to burst out.

by Roto Chobin

Not long ago, I watched a movie “Philadelphia” on HBO channel for second time in which actor Tom Hanks portrayed the character of a lawyer who was sacked from his law firm because he had an AIDS. I don’t know how much weight he had to lose to look like an AIDS patient but he indeed looked sick. No doubt, he delivered an excellent performance. That’s why he is one of my favorite actors. And his appearance in this movie reminds me of a startling photograph in ‘TIME ASIA’ magazine which was taken by John Stanmeyer. The picture depicts a HIV-positive man, lying at a care center in the southern Indian city of Pondicherry, staring not at the camera lens but somewhere far away and his mind preoccupied with thoughts - may be, considering everything that he had built but falling into pieces and not knowing if he could ever put them back together. And at the background, his wife (also HIV-positive) was sleeping on the floor with their son. It was a horrifying moment for me to observe the photograph quite closely and I felt as if I am looking at the picture of a corpse.

Despite many AIDS awareness campaigns, the number of infected HIV cases keeps rising year on year in the developing countries. Last year, According to UNAIDS report, India topped the list with over 400,000 AIDS death in 2005 and 5.7 million people were HIV-positive leaving the Africa behind the race who has 5.5 million HIV infected people. And it indicates that the people are not paying any heed to the awareness campaigns which also coerce me to think that they are turning a blind eye to the warning for sake of lust or a couple of hours of ecstasy. Hence, they pass this deadly virus to their spouses. Eventually, the children who in place of getting the care and love of their parent, they shoulder the burden of taking care of their terminally-ill parents. It may sound somewhat reassuring that the virus can hole up in the body for up to 10 years before triggering symptoms or developing into a full-blown life threatening disease provided the patient maintains healthy diet and put on an Anti-retro viral treatment. However, this is just a flicker of hope only as there is no medicine so far that can cure this terrible disease.

In Africa, HIV is mainly transmitted by sex while Asia is receiving a double whammy of sexual transmission and infection among intravenous drug users (IVDUs). The highest HIV prevalence rates are found in Maharashtra in the west; Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in the south; Manipur and Nagaland in the North-east. And when zeroed in on our state; the official figures of HIV+ case may, at a glance, seem miniscule which reported 76 number of HIV infected cases including 14 AIDS cases a year ago. However, we must not take it for granted the list of individual with HIV positive – because only six districts were surveyed last year. Besides, the figure could deceive as the number of people who actually visit clinic for the HIV test alone is literally negligible. And, in many situations, the cause of AIDS death might attribute to an opportunistic infection, such as tuberculosis. As a result, the HIV+ person may remain unknown of having this terrible disease until they accidentally screen their blood and apprised of the result. Therefore, the AIDS in Arunachal is like a balloon that is being inflated stealthily and is getting ready to burst out in a decade or two if people keep ignoring the admonition.

Aside from benighted people, what disturbs me most is the sex trade that is gaining ground in Arunachal. It has become a cause for concern (for few people I believe, as a matter of fact) as, unlike Manipur and Nagaland, the HIV in Arunachal is contracted mostly through sexual activity. Thus, this sex trade which is often executed in clandestine will not help to control the menace of HIV. On the contrary, the virus will keep proliferating for years until it devours everyone like some horrible leviathan. Secondly, I have a good reason to believe that this illegality is something all parents should be afraid of. For instance, two years ago, I happened to see almost half a dozen of teenage girls were being holed in a police car. I wondered what wrong they could have done - prompting the cops to arrest them. I soon found out the reason behind their arrest when an acquaintance told me if I heard anything about the female sex workers who were arrested and sent back to their hometown. This incident came as a jolt. I’ve never expected our state with all its glory and naiveté could stoop so low as to become a land of pedophilia.

I wondered how these girls were made to fall into the trap of flesh trade and what incites them? I presume the lure of money alone in such a tender age is unwarranted. Is it because our society had made out the glitterati to be more reigning over the literati? And the beauty contests and its price money are given more priorities than the literary competition? Where is the need to reward the beauty queen when we all know inner beauty that counts ultimately? Don’t these things introduce promiscuity to the children at an early age? Is it the girl herself or the parents or the pimps or the society that motivate the girls to opt for sex trade? More importantly, do these girls know how the AIDS virus spread? If we assume the hearsay, then the persons who are already engaged in this profession act as a recruiting agent – enticing the young girls to a wild party and selling them to clients who usually hunt for fresh product. It pains me to put forward this question: do these clients think they’re doing the right thing by sharing a bed with minor? And there are pimps who again take advantage of their reputation and exploit them to make easy money. Then again, we cannot hold the prostitutes and pimps responsible for entire businesses, though they play a pivotal role. There are some affluent people also who is equally responsible and foster this profession by seeking their services. As for the solution, it doesn’t lie in overlooking the reality or locking up the female child in a closed door room. And the police, I fear, will fail to stop the prostitutes from carrying out their covert operation as long as the recruiting agent looms large and go unpunished. Until then, no one’s daughter is safe from harm as there’s no telling where or when your daughter will be invited to a party. And who knows, those who are hunting for pleasure and seek fresh product might end up introducing himself to his own daughter.

To conclude, it clearly manifests itself from the fact that the AIDS and sex is complimentary to each other. And, in Arunachal, HIV is definitely going to create a wanton havoc as the awareness of this smoldering threat is very low. I am not suggesting in any subtle way that there never was an AIDS awareness campaign. In fact, a lot of half-hearted awareness campaigns were conducted which addressed to a handful of audiences. However, it is not enough. They need to deliver this message to the people who are most vulnerable, not to the Gaon Buras and Buris (village elders). And the people who are assigned to propagate the AIDS awareness should help out spontaneously. Their work should not be cynic and to show off or to extract a fund from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The so-called “cultured elite” of Arunachal may sleep through the perilous hours.

So, wake up Genex!

TREADING ON A TREADMILL

A high dose of adrenalin has been injected into the veins of commoner by religious fanatics. Is it justifiable? Where do we go from there?

-by Roto Chobin

The otherwise silent and sleepy town ziro was converted into discotheque by the aficionado of Krishna on the eve of Janmasthami as they were playing songs on stereo till the wee hours and the loud speaker they were using was blaring at full volume which forced the inhabitant of the town to stay awake. On the major day of janmasthami, I spotted one of the many loud speakers that hung outside the temple was facing my residence. Hence, the stereo was hurling the sound exactly at my bedroom. It seemed rather impossible to be able to endure the brouhaha; and to spend another wakeful night was out of question. So I move out of my place and stayed at my parent’s home. But it didn’t help actually as the resonance was coming seemingly from every nook and corner. It was later on I learnt that the festival was celebrated at two temples – one within the compound of ITBP force which is not far from my parent’s home and the other in close proximity to my residence – less than 40 or 50 meters from my den. Two days of fitful sleep was really taking a heavy toll on my soma. I felt as if I had been drugged, and I had become a bit irate too. Parenthetically, what prompt the temple to use loud speakers? Why do they use those annoyances things? I inferred that the bhagwan must be deaf causing the devotee to fall back on loud speakers. It’s kind of funny to me as I always argued in my sociology class at college that science is incompatible with religion as science, almost always, opposed to religion. I guess I was wrong as I failed to notice at all times the fine example of amalgamation of science and religion which I had always neglected – stereos, speakers and temple.

The good thing was: no one said a malevolent word about the two days pandemonium at Hao po lyang. In retrospect, I am proud of our folk as they have shown an unprecedented tolerance towards the religion and their rituals. Had it been us – celebrating the janmasthami with such fanfare instead of them, we might have been taunted. Or else, the central government is always there to draft a law that such festivities in disturbed area should end before dusk. Any Hindu would surely doubt if I was proper to use the ‘taunt’ word. Yes. I think I choose a correct word because in Hindi speaking belt taunting comes easily to them like taking candy from a baby. Moreover, most of them will get furious if anybody says anything against their way of life whereas they will never stop commenting on others. So we have to behave like a good White man who pops in from England or U.S.A that pops up in T.V. or magazine and says: Ooo! I love India. I love Indian curry. Indian girls are beautiful. We could also say those lines for one or two years, but not throughout our entire lives. During my sophomore year at college, one of my Tangkhul Naga friends invited me to his church to see how it looks. We were checking out the musical instruments when some drunkard Delhite, who seems to be coming from wedding party, entered into church and started poking around. I am not a Christian by religion but the whole tribulations really disturbed my mind. As I was about to rebuke them, my friend asked me to stay calm. If this incident was not taunting. Then what was it?

Two days after the Janmasthami, when all the excitement of festival perished, I felt a little relief. But two more temples that occupy the same area with the one I mentioned earlier have yet to celebrate their festival. In Arunachal, you may not see any significant infrastructure but the numbers of temple is slowly outnumbering human habitation. The Border Road Organization (BRO) is taking a painstaking job to build temple at every turn of the road. In late eighties, when I was very young I used to accompany my father in his occasional trip to Itanagar. It was during one of those trips that I visited Ganga town. It looked very neat with the broad road and its safety zone, and the hedges in it. A decade later, I saw a small makeshift temple inside the safety zone. Earlier there was some sort of figurine in it. Now the makeshift temple has changed into a colossal structure which housed a number of Hindu gods and is totally camouflaging the other part of the Ganga market. I wondered do we really need the house of worship in the heart of commercial hub. Can’t it be shifted to somewhere else? I thought we are badly in need of parking places for ever growing vehicles in the town.

If you are, by any chance, visiting Along (West Siang district) and you have some work to do at Basar before proceeding to Along. And you have no idea how you would recognize Basar. I suggest, don’t panic. You cannot miss Basar at all because as soon as you see a giant serpent looping equally giant Shivlingam, you would know you have arrived at Basar. Two years ago, there was a great commotion when a woodcutter found a rock, perhaps, resembling an organ of Shiv Shankar at Kardo (Ziro). Most of the visitors believe it is true lingam but the educated Hindu thinks that its shape and structure is due to weathering and erosion. Believe it or not, it is doing a roaring business. Last year, the priest who also was a caretaker of that lingam took all the offering money and the gold serpent proffered by a devotee and fled away. Seeing the brisk business of the find, my friend once proposed that we also install a lingam in our compound. I hoped he was not being serious about the proposal. As a matter of fact, I would have appreciated if they could contribute money to build hospital, orphanage, etc. in place of spending on building so many temples. People of Arunachal would felt eternal gratitude to Hindu missionaries.

Talking of the missionaries in Arunachal, they are really a potent threat, particularly to indigenous faith. Until a few years ago, the people of Arunachal had not known so many religions. But now, the Arunachalese are painted either with a black or cyan color, magenta or green. Hence; the missionaries has slashed Donyi-Poloism, Christian, Islam and Hindu from the flesh of Indigenous faith. Besides, the missionaries are helping to a large extent to create a rift among these religiou
s sect. A couple of months back; I saw a pamphlet, most probably circulated by Hindu fanatics which gives instruction to use the trick of money and lure for proselytize and if it failed, then to resort to manhandle. I wonder if they were referring to people like us who still believe in indigenous faith.

Personally, I do not abhor any religion as it is an important agent of social control. But I detest it when it breeds communal tension. And in immature society like India, the fear of communal disharmony between any two religious groups is always there because even unintentional brush can also generate a spark. However, it will be wrong to blame entirely the religion itself. In truth, it is the follower of religions who corrodes the essence of religion, and tarnishes and bends it beyond recognition for one’s own benefit. And the politicians are the vanguard of the movement. They can stoop so low so as to gain political mileage and extra vote. Extra vote is a windfall for them as it may fetch them a V.I.P. chair ultimately. And the people are simply allowing themselves to go with the tide without a second thought. When they raise their voice against Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, even some Arunachalese protested in unison without understanding how it is going to be detriment to India (particularly South India) and its people. Then again, everyone understands the modus operandi of organization in Arunachal. Unless the parent organization will not pump a lot of money, the remonstration just won’t stir. Yea! We all smelled the aroma of crisp notes when they came out to remonstrate against the demolition of Adam’s bridge/ Ram Sethu. It is indeed unfortunate that the name of Ram has been dragged around once again by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to be maligned in the court, just because the election is round the corner. Besides, it is really hard to understand the political party of India. On one hand, they want to keep pace with the world economy and on the other, they would not tolerate the change. I am afraid they cannot kill two birds with one stone all the time. To me; Ram, as I gather, is a mighty icon that cannot be easily vilified with affidavit or the demolition of Sethu / Adam’s bridge. I believe he would not bother so much about the Setu whether it should be demolished or not, unless the partisans follow his principle. As for Ram’s principle, I reckon even a hardcore RSS/VHP will run away a mile from his principle. To sum it up: I would just say that it is an era of: “Muh mein Ram-Ram, vagal mein churi”.

We all know that India is known for its staggering diversity as we all have been writing essay on this topic since school times. And because of this staggering diversity, our people and politician always choose to resort to middle path. Hence, India remained unified in one piece. There’s no denying the fact the Hindus are in majority which forms perhaps about eighty percent of the total population. So there is no need of maiming people here and there to prove the supremacy of Hindus? The reins of nation are fine and safe in their hands. Let’s give peace a chance.

TREADING ON A TREADMILL

A high dose of adrenalin has been injected into the veins of commoner by religious fanatics. Is it justifiable? Where do we go from there?

-by Roto Chobin

The otherwise silent and sleepy town ziro was converted into discotheque by the aficionado of Krishna on the eve of Janmasthami as they were playing songs on stereo till the wee hours and the loud speaker they were using was blaring at full volume which forced the inhabitant of the town to stay awake. On the major day of janmasthami, I spotted one of the many loud speakers that hung outside the temple was facing my residence. Hence, the stereo was hurling the sound exactly at my bedroom. It seemed rather impossible to be able to endure the brouhaha; and to spend another wakeful night was out of question. So I move out of my place and stayed at my parent’s home. But it didn’t help actually as the resonance was coming seemingly from every nook and corner. It was later on I learnt that the festival was celebrated at two temples – one within the compound of ITBP force which is not far from my parent’s home and the other in close proximity to my residence – less than 40 or 50 meters from my den. Two days of fitful sleep was really taking a heavy toll on my soma. I felt as if I had been drugged, and I had become a bit irate too. Parenthetically, what prompt the temple to use loud speakers? Why do they use those annoyances things? I inferred that the bhagwan must be deaf causing the devotee to fall back on loud speakers. It’s kind of funny to me as I always argued in my sociology class at college that science is incompatible with religion as science, almost always, opposed to religion. I guess I was wrong as I failed to notice at all times the fine example of amalgamation of science and religion which I had always neglected – stereos, speakers and temple.

The good thing was: no one said a malevolent word about the two days pandemonium at Hao po lyang. In retrospect, I am proud of our folk as they have shown an unprecedented tolerance towards the religion and their rituals. Had it been us – celebrating the janmasthami with such fanfare instead of them, we might have been taunted. Or else, the central government is always there to draft a law that such festivities in disturbed area should end before dusk. Any Hindu would surely doubt if I was proper to use the ‘taunt’ word. Yes. I think I choose a correct word because in Hindi speaking belt taunting comes easily to them like taking candy from a baby. Moreover, most of them will get furious if anybody says anything against their way of life whereas they will never stop commenting on others. So we have to behave like a good White man who pops in from England or U.S.A that pops up in T.V. or magazine and says: Ooo! I love India. I love Indian curry. Indian girls are beautiful. We could also say those lines for one or two years, but not throughout our entire lives. During my sophomore year at college, one of my Tangkhul Naga friends invited me to his church to see how it looks. We were checking out the musical instruments when some drunkard Delhite, who seems to be coming from wedding party, entered into church and started poking around. I am not a Christian by religion but the whole tribulations really disturbed my mind. As I was about to rebuke them, my friend asked me to stay calm. If this incident was not taunting. Then what was it?

Two days after the Janmasthami, when all the excitement of festival perished, I felt a little relief. But two more temples that occupy the same area with the one I mentioned earlier have yet to celebrate their festival. In Arunachal, you may not see any significant infrastructure but the numbers of temple is slowly outnumbering human habitation. The Border Road Organization (BRO) is taking a painstaking job to build temple at every turn of the road. In late eighties, when I was very young I used to accompany my father in his occasional trip to Itanagar. It was during one of those trips that I visited Ganga town. It looked very neat with the broad road and its safety zone, and the hedges in it. A decade later, I saw a small makeshift temple inside the safety zone. Earlier there was some sort of figurine in it. Now the makeshift temple has changed into a colossal structure which housed a number of Hindu gods and is totally camouflaging the other part of the Ganga market. I wondered do we really need the house of worship in the heart of commercial hub. Can’t it be shifted to somewhere else? I thought we are badly in need of parking places for ever growing vehicles in the town.

If you are, by any chance, visiting Along (West Siang district) and you have some work to do at Basar before proceeding to Along. And you have no idea how you would recognize Basar. I suggest, don’t panic. You cannot miss Basar at all because as soon as you see a giant serpent looping equally giant Shivlingam, you would know you have arrived at Basar. Two years ago, there was a great commotion when a woodcutter found a rock, perhaps, resembling an organ of Shiv Shankar at Kardo (Ziro). Most of the visitors believe it is true lingam but the educated Hindu thinks that its shape and structure is due to weathering and erosion. Believe it or not, it is doing a roaring business. Last year, the priest who also was a caretaker of that lingam took all the offering money and the gold serpent proffered by a devotee and fled away. Seeing the brisk business of the find, my friend once proposed that we also install a lingam in our compound. I hoped he was not being serious about the proposal. As a matter of fact, I would have appreciated if they could contribute money to build hospital, orphanage, etc. in place of spending on building so many temples. People of Arunachal would felt eternal gratitude to Hindu missionaries.

Talking of the missionaries in Arunachal, they are really a potent threat, particularly to indigenous faith. Until a few years ago, the people of Arunachal had not known so many religions. But now, the Arunachalese are painted either with a black or cyan color, magenta or green. Hence; the missionaries has slashed Donyi-Poloism, Christian, Islam and Hindu from the flesh of Indigenous faith. Besides, the missionaries are helping to a large extent to create a rift among these religious sect. A couple of months back; I saw a pamphlet, most probably circulated by Hindu fanatics which gives instruction to use the trick of money and lure for proselytize and if it failed, then to resort to manhandle. I wonder if they were referring to people like us who still believe in indigenous faith.

Personally, I do not abhor any religion as it is an important agent of social control. But I detest it when it breeds communal tension. And in immature society like India, the fear of communal disharmony between any two religious groups is always there because even unintentional brush can also generate a spark. However, it will be wrong to blame entirely the religion itself. In truth, it is the follower of religions who corrodes the essence of religion, and tarnishes and bends it beyond recognition for one’s own benefit. And the politicians are the vanguard of the movement. They can stoop so low so as to gain political mileage and extra vote. Extra vote is a windfall for them as it may fetch them a V.I.P. chair ultimately. And the people are simply allowing themselves to go with the tide without a second thought. When they raise their voice against Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, even some Arunachalese protested in unison without understanding how it is going to be detriment to India (particularly South India) and its people. Then again, everyone understands the modus operandi of organization in Arunachal. Unless the parent organization will not pump a lot of money, the remonstration just won’t stir. Yea! We all smelled the aroma of crisp notes when they came out to remonstrate against the demolition of Adam’s bridge/ Ram Sethu. It is indeed unfortunate that the name of Ram has been dragged around once again by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to be maligned in the court, just because the election is round the corner. Besides, it is really hard to understand the political party of India. On one hand, they want to keep pace with the world economy and on the other, they would not tolerate the change. I am afraid they cannot kill two birds with one stone all the time. To me; Ram, as I gather, is a mighty icon that cannot be easily vilified with affidavit or the demolition of Sethu / Adam’s bridge. I believe he would not bother so much about the Setu whether it should be demolished or not, unless the partisans follow his principle. As for Ram’s principle, I reckon even a hardcore RSS/VHP will run away a mile from his principle. To sum it up: I would just say that it is an era of: “Muh mein Ram-Ram, vagal mein churi”.

We all know that India is known for its staggering diversity as we all have been writing essay on this topic since school times. And because of this staggering diversity, our people and politician always choose to resort to middle path. Hence, India remained unified in one piece. There’s no denying the fact the Hindus are in majority which forms perhaps about eighty percent of the total population. So there is no need of maiming people here and there to prove the supremacy of Hindus? The reins of nation are fine and safe in their hands. Let’s give peace a chance.

Who the hell cares?

a quick glimpse at corruption in Arunachal

-by Roto Chobin

Until a few years ago, corruption particularly in the job market is unheard of. But by the end of twentieth century, it has taken a shape of epidemic form in Arunachal. And the rot is so deep-rooted that I can see no way out. As of now, according to BBC report, Arunachal is most corrupted state in Indian subcontinent. If we look for the reasons that engender the corruption, the first and foremost thing that comes to mind is the absence of industrial development and private enterprise. For most of the people in the state, enterprise means retail shop - to rent a premise and pile it up with couple of stuff here and some more stuff there. Lo and behold! You have become an entrepreneur in hinterland called Arunachal Pradesh. And having said that I cannot disaffirm the Hobson’s choice we have been offered. Even if one wishes to make a foray as an entrepreneur, there’s virtually no fund at all to help the person with perfect credentials except “the deficient Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) fund”. Who gets the PMRY loan and how the beneficiary uses it - is another story. Under the PMRY scheme, a person is granted a loan of Rs. 100, 000/- (1 lakh) through State Bank of India for which a person has to produce more than a dozen document. Earlier a person could take a loan up to Rs. 200, 000/- (2 lakhs), but this provision had been scrapped from this scheme since long. So when everything is attained, we think and assume that the beneficiary will get a sum of Rs. 100,000 and would start a new career. But it wasn’t so as one of the PMRY beneficiaries told me that the bank staffs normally deduct some money for processing the loan. My head spun. So, I asked, “How much did you get then?” “Around 80 grand if I don’t subtract the travel and other expenses” he told me and added “with this amount one cannot even think of starting a business properly. I don’t want to add up another grocery store to existed multitudes of grocery shop. I regretted taking this loan.” I told him that at least he was lucky to get it. I reminded him of hundreds and hundreds of graduates and post graduates student who is languishing without aid. I believe, most of us don’t ever hear of any other fund aside from PMRY if any. If the politician of our state had any concern for young generation, they could have arranged and set aside a fund from Apex Bank of Arunachal. But what they did was – to swindle the depositor and approving a grant of loan (since the dealings in Arunachal do not materialize until the minister nod in agreement) to their relatives and henchmen, and ultimately they made the bank defunct. Moreover, instead of recovering the bad loan from defaulter, they begged money to revive Apex Bank. The NHPC provided two hundred and twenty five crores of rupees to state government for this purpose (see also Revival Package for Apex Bank…… ) which seemed to me as the NHPC with this money has put a yoke on Arunachal. With no option opened to educated class, the scores of people rushed and still rushing towards service sector to join government job.

As a result, the demand for the government job has soared very high. Now, for every vacant post, there are uncountable candidate who vie for job. Paradoxically; in past years, circa 1951, I’m told that there used to be plethora of job but the workforce were so scarce that the people from Apatani villages were coerced to work for government against their will as it happened while leveling a land for an airfield at Old Ziro. Even in the eighties, jobs were given merely by seeing the pass certificate from high school and it lasted until around 1996. Then, before one could say Jack Robinson, the picture of job scenario started to look grim and entire job opportunities went into hibernation. And it instantly appears as the economic liberalization of 1990s was the cause, but it wasn’t. The liberalization, privatization and globalization of economy have little to do with Arunachal, its government and their machinery. I was in the final year at college when Arunachal Pradesh Civil Services (APCS) advertised some administrative job in 1996 which was to resurface after a lapse of six years in 2001. I dare not to apply for second time - for fear of parting with my hard earned pocket-money. Later on, I heard so many malicious tales about the exam that I thanked God profusely for sparing me the exam. Whatever the fact may be, they (APCS) still owe me my money that I sent to them during my college days in the form of Indian Postal Order (IPO). Similarly, three years ago, I applied for the vacant post that was advertised by Civil Secretariat in the local daily. I remitted my entire photocopied academic certificate with attestation (attestation of your certificate by gazette officer [sic] is a must in Arunachal if, by any chance, you’re applying for a job in Arunachal) from first class officer, passport size photograph and the fee as well. But I was never intimated regarding the interview they were supposed to conduct nor did I hear anything about rescheduling or cancellation of that interview. It seemed to me as if they had duped me again. Not only me, but thousand of candidates out there. I possibly had gave Rs. 45/- as examination fee. And perhaps there were more than thousand aspirants who applied for that post. So if we multiply 1000 by 45, the figure we get is 45,000 which mean we have been robbed of Rs. 45,000 before our very eyes. There could be many more such scam that had managed to give my eyes a slip. Besides, no one opposed, and life goes on.

At present, working in a government department is being seen as part of privileged and fortunate class. Hence, everyone wants to have a share of cake. Why? I suppose, the security of monthly salary in government job is secondary things for most. The government job is so tempting because of the power that comes with government job. With prestige and power comes a helluva lot of money in Arunachal, especially for engineering department. But the nepotism (sifarish, as they say in Hindustani language) plays a pivotal role in the process of gobbling up the jobs. And the deserving candidature often lay off in this process which, I think, will affect the functioning of administration sooner or later in the entire state. I am least worried about the brilliant and talented student; as they will find a niche for themselves one way or other. So what should the not-so-deserving candidature do? Grease the palm of bureaucrat at top echelon and politician, of course. Thus, the people are ready to cough up a huge amount of money even for some lowly position. In doing so, they prompt corruption and take it to a new height, and they themselves sink deep down in the quagmire of corruption - become a part of vicious circle - where they in turn want to regain their money manifold and quickly by resorting to fradulent, easy and corrupt means. I came across quite a few people who pawn their little belongings for money - to pass on as kickbacks to authorities. The kickbacks could be anywhere from Rs. 300,000 (three lakhs) to Rs.1, 200,000 (twelve lakhs). I'm afraid the demand and supply of kickbacks will go higher and higher in near future.

Everyone including our politician is aware of the rot and unequivocally speaks of curbing and eliminating it. Even Mr. Dorjee Khandu, chief minister of Arunachal, has been speaking of corruption-free state and abolishing the corruption in the state. I don’t know how. He didn’t say how. If he really apprehends the rot around him, he himself had to come clean and set an example for his ministers, and then incarcerates (Has the proposed jail been built? Maybe, Arunachal is the only state in India that doesn’t have a jail) all those from clerk to top bureaucrat and politician who is gorging themselves on fund meant for infrastructural development. To preach is easy – nowadays, even a five year old kid can give a lecture on corruption and how it affects our lives. Moreover, the ministers (politicians) are in no position to preach to us about corruption. Do you think the central government should be allowed to wash their hands from these sordid businesses? I don’t think so. I have accused the central government in my previous article (What is the cost of Arunachal?) for fattening the coffer of ministers and their enforcement arms. And I will accuse them over again and again as long as they will not monitor how the money (remnants, though), pumped from central government, is used in Arunachal Pradesh. Doesn’t it indicate that the politicians are being allowed to plunder freely? And then, there is ‘us’ who instead of opposing these mal-practices take refuge in oft-repeated phrase – “corruption is a way of life.” And ‘some’ would go too far to show admiration and respect as if the bribe-takers are not a criminal but a hero. In a way, we are becoming more and more reconciled to the corrupt state of affairs. As a result, there’s no more fear, and ghastly deeds are committed openly albeit a little shamefacedly. Let me cite an instance; last year, in November, I went to DIPRO office to collect the temporary permission to publish ZIRO MIRROR. A lady who was holding my letter asked me for largesse. It stunned me for a moment. I asked her, “Didn’t you get a salary?” After a while, I told her that letter she had in her hand is a permission to write and report the public of irregularity. And I could write about her and the incident. She went red in the face and handed me my permit.

The corruption in job-market is just the tip of the iceberg but as massive as other bureaucratic and political corruption. The menace of corruption is here to stay unless people at all level stop glorifying bribe-takers as a hero. Moreover, if we ceased to be dependent wholly on the government, and if trained personnel like engineer and doctor would start their own workshops and business. That may not bring an end to the menace of corruption, but that could certainly break the immunity of the people at the top echelon. Who knows! It may bring the corruption to an end in the long run. The future (to build or ruin the society) is in our hands.