In a Different Society: a Personal Observation on East Garo Hills

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]pending my academic life for more than seven years away from home, I found myself bored staying at home when I came back to stay for a year. So after a small interview at Phesama, St. Paul institute, in December 2013, by the Principal and the Vice-Principal of Loyola College, I went to teach in the said college at William Nagar, the centre of East Garo Hills District for the year 2014. It was an event full year, worth to reminisce. East Garo Hills District is possibly one of the most undeveloped areas in Meghalaya. Law and order problems were often published in the regional news papers because of the underground activities for Garoland statehood and other varied reasons. People back home often asked about the situation, giving advices of ‘be careful’. However it was comforting that the undergrounds kept their business away from the college. I am quite sure if Loyola College is disturb, the people of the district and some of its neighbouring districts will suffer greatly. Academic losses will be immense. Government Colleges seems no better than most of our government colleges in Nagaland, but many sincere people were also there. The society is completely in contrast to the Naga society. It is a strongly matriarchal society where property belongs to the female members of the society, and this system will not be easily wished away for generations to come. People of the region gets married early and I ponder because of the family system, people look for a life partner at an early age, young boys and girls (even standard eleven) of my students tends to sit together in the class with slight display of affections. I and my colleagues were often amused when we asked our students the reason behind them seating together, the reply often was, “We are best friend”. The undergraduates being older behave with maturity and stays apart. However with better education this will one day certainly change. I was told that it is only in recent years that the first and the second generations of the people are receiving proper education. Social life of the Nagas is possibly stronger than the people of the region. The houses of the Garo’s in villages are quite often far apart from each other, and so social unit is not very strong. Economically because of coal mining (thousands of trucks ply on the highway daily to Assam and Bangladesh carrying coal), there were people who were many times richer than the Nagas, with palatial buildings, living luxurious life, however the majority were not so. Possibly Garo’s of Nagaland are far economically better than their fellow tribal brethrens there. I just hope they are not discriminated in this so called Christian state, if we want to be treated well in other places. Some of the houses I visits were virtually empty accept their day today requirements. However every houses were well neat and clean, much cleaner than many well to do Naga houses, dishes are rubbed, clean and dried on the kitchen rack. My students agreed with me when I told them that their men folk do not work so hard. Naga women folk may take comfort with this. Almost daily I observe groups of boys and men sitting at many places along the roadside to have small drinking party, while some of them play cards leisurely. Back in the classroom I saw an image of my own, during my student life. Because of their poor academic background, many of them were quite difficult to discipline and there were students who are so smart to answer. “Understand?” I asked. A chorus of “Yes Sir!” will be heard, “What did you understand?” a chorus of laughter and giggling will be the answer. But I can see a people with a prosperous future there; their town whatever may be, have some sort of planning. Our two premier towns Kohima and Dimapur do not have any. They have planned for an academic area where the college I thought reside. The college infrastructure is developing at a full speed, a majestic college building with four stories will be completed by the next two or three months, since its foundation last February (besides the old college building), the football ground was dug in just two weeks in November, the teachers quarter where I stays was just at its foundation when I reached there, was stay-able (in the ground floor) in three months. The college is in safe hands, run by the Roman Catholic’s Jesuit Society that administered some of the finest institutions in the world. Many places in Nagaland lost that opportunity. Right now the college does not have enough infrastructures to sustain the many students who wanted to flock there. In the mean time, the four lane highway from Guwahati to Shillong is developing at a full speed. Train to Meghalaya had just been inaugurated two months ago. Meghalaya as a state is much, much younger than Nagaland. When will the four lane highway from Dimapur to Kohima start? Will our government gave us the answer? It is high time we stop behave or give grand speeches. Do what should be done, I am sure New Delhi is observing. Dr. Petevilie Chasie Assistant Professor Loyola College William Nagar, East Garo Hills Meghalaya, 794111