Raphael Ch. Marak : Unsung Hero of Garo Music Read more at Suite101: Raphael Ch. Marak : Unsung Hero of Garo Music: Keeping Alive Traditional Folk Music in Garo Hills

Keeping Alive Traditional Folk Music in Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India

A septuagenarian folk artiste is engaged in his lifelong crusade to preserve the rich heritage of Garo folk music and indigenous instruments typical of the region

The Garo tribe, one of the three tribes including Khasis and Jaintias of Meghalaya, the northeastern state of India is known for its rich tradition and culture for centuries. So is their music and the traditional instruments. But with the Western influence, the younger generation is fast losing interest in the roots with the heritage under threat of fizzling into obscurity. But in the thick of this flux of modernity, a musician in his seventies is enduringly making all-out efforts to preserve their age-old traditional music for posterity.

A Maestro of Garo Folk Music

This lone crusader does not find his name in block letters in the pages of history. But his undying endeavour is still keeping alive the legacy of traditional musical instruments integral to the culture and heritage of his tribe.
He is Raphael Ch. Marak, a folk musician who is a maestro of a traditional musical instrument called ‘Chigring’, made from bamboos with strings attached to it. Marak is, in no uncertain terms, the only living legend who can craft this instrument maintaining its traditional and ethnic form explicit with purity and ingenuity.

Tireless Efforts To Preserve Culture

Even today, he is deeply engrossed in his trade of making this instrument, an art which he has inherited from his ancestors. He is also an exponent of few other ethnic musical instruments made out of bamboo. ‘Otekra’ is one among the notable which is a traditional and unique bamboo flute.
Raphael Ch. Marak also has to his credit a rich and timeless collection of folk songs of which he has composed both the lyrics and the music. Till date he has produced around nine CDs which still enjoys immense popularity not only among his community, but in the entire state of Meghalaya.

Career’s Pinnacle

One of the high tides in his illustrious career was composing music for a Garo album, titled "Oe Mo Gasua" meaning "Yes Indeed Its Wonderful" that featured Usha Uthup, India’s pop queen of 80s.
Marak through his ingenuity has also gathered fans from various parts of the globe. The wrinkles on his aging face seems to disappear when he narrates how a German music enthusiast bought his creation, the Chigring from him.
This lone crusader of folk music among the Garos have received accolades and acclaim from several quarters. But in his own words his real victory lies in preserving the heritage and tradition of the unique music of his people.

Passing On The Legacy

A die-hard optimistic, Marak hopes to pass on his rich legacy of folk culture to the young generation. And he definitely has a few enthusiastic takers in his native village. Marak has also performed in several parts of North-east India and also in some parts of the country.
Such endeavours deserve to be saluted from the core of the heart.

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Thousands defy bandh; celebrate RDay in Meghalaya

Shillong, Jan 26 (PTI) Defying a bandh called by an insurgent outfit, thousands joined the Republic Day celebrations in Meghalaya today amid a tight security blanket thrown across the state.

Unfurling the tricolour in the state capital, Governor R S Mooshahary said the state remained peaceful without any "law and order threatening situation".

"Due credit for this must go to our vigilant police as well as to our peace-loving people. The importance of peace and order for the growth and development of an economy cannot be over emphasised," Mooshahary said, hoping that the peace in the state will continue.

While many people turned out for the Republic Day function, shops and business establishment remained closed in the Khasi-Jaintia region in response to the 24-hour bandh call given by the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).

READ MORE - Thousands defy bandh; celebrate RDay in Meghalaya

Meghalaya ready for celebrations

Shillong, Jan. 26 : Amid the 24-hour ritual bandh call given by the Khasi hills-based Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), police today said the existing forces would be enough to guard the Republic Day celebrations.

“We do not foresee any untoward incident and hope that the celebrations will be peaceful,” the superintendent of police, East Khasi Hills, A.R. Mawthoh, said today.

He asked the people not to panic because of the bandh call and come out in large numbers to attend Republic Day celebrations as this was an occasion to celebrate and not to stay indoors. He said the state was alert and the police and the CRPF would be deployed to maintain law and order.

The police have not ruled out the possibility of several militants coming together to create law and order problem as militant groups from other parts of the Northeast, including neighbouring Assam, have also called bandhs.

The BSF has alerted its men to step up vigil along the border because of frequent movement of militants there. Northeast militants often use Garo hills and parts of Ri Bhoi to move tBangladesh.

Governor R.S. Mooshahary will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Polo, in the morning. The district administration has arranged buses for people from different localities to reach the venue.

The governor has allowed the entry of the people to Raj Bhavan for two days from tomorrow as part of the Republic Day celebrations.

Since no bandh has been called in Garo hills, a large turnout is expected in all its three districts.

The main militant outfit in Garo hills, the Achik National Volunteers Council, which demands a separate Garoland within the constitutional frame work of India, is currently under ceasefire and has not called any bandh.

READ MORE - Meghalaya ready for celebrations

Police lodges FIR against National Youth Award winner

Shillong, Jan 26 Meghalaya Police today lodged an FIR against National Youth award winner Andreas H Marwein on the charge of having links with an underground militant group for which he worked as an over-ground agent.

"He faces charges of criminal conspiracy, waging a war against nation, extortion and various other sections under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act," DSP Vivek Syiem told reporters today.

Syiem said Andreas had surrendered before police on January 4 last after he was threatened by banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) for failing to account for the money collected by him for the outfit.

Having arrested Andreas after interrogating him for some days, police is likely to seek his custody after producing him in the court on Wednesday.

READ MORE - Police lodges FIR against National Youth Award winner

Fire destroys prime market place in Meghalaya

A devastating fire broke out in a market in Meghalaya’s Jaintia Hills district on Thursday night reducing to ashes almost the entire market place.

Four fire tenders from Shillong and two from Lad Rymbai were pressed into service to douse the blaze at Iawmusiang market that leaped through the area for several hours, police said.

Over 170 shops were gutted in the market - the main market place located in the district headquarters town of Jowai.

Police did not rule out the hand of miscreants but investigations were on.

READ MORE - Fire destroys prime market place in Meghalaya

NGOs to defy agitation ban

Shillong, Jan. 19 : Pressure groups in Meghalaya will defy the state cabinet’s decision to ban bandhs and agitation programmes. The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) today said it would not cow down to the cabinet’s move to ban agitation programmes in the state. KSU general secretary Hamlet Dohling said the decision of the government was not acceptable to the union. “We will agitate against the wrong decisions of the government, come what may,” Dohling said. Banking on both the Supreme Court and the recent Gauhati High Court orders banning bandhs, the state cabinet on January 15 decided to adopt the orders and even brought the media within the ambit of court verdicts. However, Dohling said the government’s move was “vindictive and smacked of an ulterior motive”. “We respect the verdict of the courts, but the manner in which the Meghalaya government is going to implement the same is vindictive,” Dohling said. “The union will not keep quiet if the government continues to carry out the wrong doings.” The pressure groups in the state were critical of the move to mine uranium and the hurried decision of the cabinet before Christmas to hand over power projects to private companies. Michael Syiem, the chairman of a local NGO, Maitshaphrang Movement, pointed out that it was only when the pressure groups resort to protests, the government wakes up to address the grievances of the people. “If we just submit a memorandum to the government to air our grievances on any burning issue, very often the government does not pay heed to them,” he said. Emlang Lyttan, the president of the Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), said it would not adhere to the suppressive rule of the Congress-led government in the state. According to the FKJGP, the cabinet’s decision to put a blanket ban on agitation was a very bad sign for the people who believe in democracy. “We are not afraid of this and will not back out from our agitation programmes against the wrong policies of the government,” Lyttan said. The federation also condemned the decision of the government to put restrictions on the media from publicising news related to bandhs and other forms of agitation. “It appears that the government wants to have free hands to implement the policies according to their whims and fancies,” Lyttan pointed out. Agnes Kharshiing, the chairperson of the Steering Committee against Murder of Democracy, which took up the controversial May 31 jailbreak issue, said protests against bad governance was legitimate and in accordance with the Constitution.

READ MORE - NGOs to defy agitation ban

Lapang begins tour to Garo hills

Three-day visit to bridge regional divide

Shillong, Jan.18 : Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang will lead a delegation of senior ministers and officers to the three districts of Garo hills from Monday in an attempt to bridge the regional divide. There are constant complaints from various pressure groups and people of the region about lack of development in the Garo hills compared to the Khasi hills. A government official today said Lapang would begin the four-day tour to the three districts — East Garo Hills, West Garo Hills and West Garo Hills — tomorrow. The chief minister will hold review meetings with district heads of offices in Williamnagar, Baghmara and Tura to get first-hand knowledge of the progress of developmental work in the Garo hills region. He will also attend the Meghalaya 38th Day celebrations on Thursday in Tura. It was on January 21, 1972, that Meghalaya attained statehood. Lapang is likely to announce some development package for Garo hills. Poor road connectivity, frequent power cuts and lack of healthcare and education opportunities are plaguing Garo hills. The infant and maternity death rates are quite high in the region and there has been a significant rise in malaria deaths as well last year. Audits had also unearthed several loopholes in the implementation of the central initiative, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), in the region. The rural areas of Garo hills are the worst affected because of poor communication facilities. Coupled with poor road connectivity, air connectivity in Garo hills is a distant reality. Baljek Airport, which was inaugurated more than a year ago by President Pratibha Patil, is yet to be made operational. The poor development pattern in the past had even compelled the pressure groups from Garo hills to demand a winter Assembly session in Garo hills. There were also protests by the Garo Students’ Union against the apathy on the part of the government in repairing many roads in the region. The chief minister will be accompanied by deputy chief minister Mukul Sangma from West Garo Hills, urban affairs minister Prestone Tynsong, community and rural development minister M.M. Danggo, chief secretary W.M.S. Pariat and adviser to the chief minister, Anish Gandhi.

READ MORE - Lapang begins tour to Garo hills

Ban on protests irks NCP

Conrad slams Lapang govt for bid to muzzle pressure groups

Shillong, Jan. 16: The Opposition NCP today slammed the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government for imposing a blanket ban on agitations by pressure groups and political parties. Opposition leader Conrad Sangma today said the government was afraid of pressure groups, political parties and the media, which raise “uncomfortable questions” on the “wrong doings” of the government. Conrad said he was not sure why the media should be restricted by the government from disseminating news about agitations and bandhs in a democratic state. “If the government does not allow agitations, which is allowed in a democratic country, then people will be forced to take unfair means to protest which may take an ugly turn given the volatile situation in Meghalaya and elsewhere in the Northeast,” he said. Following the Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court ruling, the MUA cabinet yesterday had decided to curb any form of agitations including bandhs, road blockades and hartals by the pressure groups, political parties, individuals or groups. The MUA also brought the media under the same platform stating that it cannot publish news related to bandhs, hartals, road blockages and other forms of agitations. The government has imposed the sudden restriction on protests in view of the upcoming agitations by pressure groups against the government’s move to go ahead with uranium mining and the power deal with private companies. Criticising the decision of the government, the NCP leader said the government was going against democratic principles of the country. Moreover, restricting the media from publishing news related to bandhs and agitations went against the freedom of the press, he added. This, he said, portrayed the narrow mindset of the present government in Meghalaya. Freedom of speech and expression is part of democracy and no one can take this away, Conrad said. The government, he said, should be thankful to the pressure groups and the media for highlighting the loopholes in governance by resorting to constructive means of protest. The NCP has decided to convene a meeting of party functionaries to discuss the matter and to send a protest note to the government.

READ MORE - Ban on protests irks NCP

Lapang leash on media

Shillong, Jan. 15: The Meghalaya cabinet, facing protests on uranium mining and power deals, this evening decided to restrict the media on reporting bandhs, hartals, road blockades or any other form of protests sponsored by NGOs, political parties or groups of people.

After adopting the recent Gauhati High Court verdict and the Supreme Court ruling banning bandhs, chief minister D.D. Lapang today said in line with the court rulings, the media would also be barred from publicising news about bandhs, hartals and road blockades.

On January 6, Gauhati High Court declared bandhs “illegal and unconstitutional” as these violate the citizens’ fundamental rights.

The order was passed by a division bench of Chief Justice Jasti Chelameswar and Justice Arun Chandra Upadhyay in the light of a 1997 Supreme Court order upholding a Kerala High Court judgment declaring bandhs “illegal”.

Asked whether the court rulings had anywhere mentioned any restriction on the media in reporting bandhs and other forms of agitations, Lapang replied in the negative but added that the cabinet would frame its own rule to restrict the media from publicising bandhs and agitations by pressure groups and political parties.

The decision of the hurriedly-convened cabinet meeting assumes significance in view of the upcoming agitations by pressure groups, including the Khasi Students Union and the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People, against the government’s move to go ahead with uranium mining.

Lapang had said at a recent business summit in Calcutta that the government would be able to start uranium mining by the middle of this year.

READ MORE - Lapang leash on media

Lapang faces dissident heat

Shillong, Jan. 15: The dissident Congress legislators have threatened to seek a change of leadership if Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang failed to remove the three Independents from the Meghalaya United Alliance ministry.

Fed up with the delay on the part of Lapang to drop the Independents, some of the dissidents said they would write to the chief minister soon.

“If he cannot remove the Independents, we will start a signature campaign to oust Lapang,” a senior Congress member said.

The move comes after the meeting of the Congress ministers, including Mukul Sangma and Prestone Tynsong, with AICC leaders in Delhi recently.

The AICC leaders assured the ministers that the current composition would continue with the support of Independents. Independent minister A.T. Mondal was also with Sangma and Tynsong when they met the AICC leaders.

According to the Congress legislators, there were many senior party members who were not accommodated in the ministry and hence, Lapang should provide a berth for them in the cabinet.

They said the Independents had become a liability and “their performance was not satisfactory”.

Senior Congress legislator Sayeedullah Nongrum spoke to The Telegraph from Mumbai today and said it would be ideal for the chief minister to accommodate more Congress legislators in the MUA cabinet. Nongrum is part of the Assembly committee touring various states in the country.

The delegation of MLAs who are on tour said after their visit, they might meet the AICC leaders in Delhi to apprise them of the need to drop the Independents.

“There are many capable and senior Congress legislators who are left out and their induction will add to better governance,” Nongrum said.

He added that though he was not in favour of a change in leadership, he did not know the views of other senior leaders regarding the issue.

According to him, it was high time that the Congress, which has the highest number of 28 legislators in the House of 60, should get maximum cabinet berths. The MUA cabinet, with 12 ministers, comprises six Congress members including the chief minister, two UDP, one KHNAM and three Independents.

The AICC general secretary in-charge of the Northeast, L. Faliero, said the AICC was yet to get any memorandum regarding the demand to drop the Independents.

“We have not come across any such demand and we feel that the current arrangement should continue,” he said.

Earlier, the AICC secretary in-charge Meghalaya, Maj. (retd) Ved Prakash, said there was no harm in discussing the grievances of the Congress legislators, but he added that according to rules, the MUA can have only 12 ministers in the 60-member House.

The senior Congress members feel that once the Independents are dropped, they could be accommodated as chairmen of government bodies and corporations or as parliamentary secretaries.

READ MORE - Lapang faces dissident heat

Project delay to trigger power cut

Shillong, Jan. 17 : The death of five labourers at the Myntdu Leshka hydel project site in Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya in October last year has delayed the commissioning of the first unit of the power project, raising the spectre of power cuts in the state.

The incident took place after incessant rainfall raised the water level of the Myntdu river flowing by the power plant, 100km from here, and flooded the tunnels and the powerhouse of the project.

The flash floods that resulted in the tragedy also partially damaged equipment of the 126-MW power project, delaying its commissioning.

The principal secretary, power, B.K. Dev Verma, said work had begun last month after repair and cleaning of the equipment that were filled with mud, water and boulders.

“The first unit will be commissioned only in April and the remaining two units in June and December,” Verma said.

The first and second units of the project, each of 42MW, were to be commissioned in December last year and the third (also 42MW) at the end of this year.

No extra funds will be required for the completion of the project, being executed by the Meghalaya State Electricity Board.

The deadline to complete the project was five years from the laying of the foundation stone on October 25, 2002 by former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Though Meghalaya has hydropower potential of around 3,000MW, the state now generates only 175MW power, while the demand is over 600MW.

The power department is also exploring the possibility of starting thermal power projects to tide over the power shortage.

READ MORE - Project delay to trigger power cut

Meghalaya constable commits suicide in Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 13 (PTI) A 32-year-old constable of Meghalaya Police deployed in the national capital allegedly committed suicide here due to unknown reasons, police said today.

Kursom Sangma, a resident of West Garo Hills, was found hanging behind the mess of his battalion based in west Delhi's Vikaspuri by his colleagues around 6.50 am, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sharad Aggarwal said.

A senior police official said said Sangma allegedly hanged himself in the night. The reason for which he took the extreme step could not be ascertained as he did not leave a suicide note.

Sangma was earlier deployed in the Lampoor deportation centre where three Pakistani terrorists, who were to be deported escaped from their custody, were put up by authorities. The terrorists escaped from a city hospital.

READ MORE - Meghalaya constable commits suicide in Delhi

Ouster bid stings MLAs

Meghalaya Independents remind govt of support

D.D. Lapang Shillong, Jan. 13 : The three Independent legislators in the Meghalaya government have reminded the Congress of their contribution in the time of need, perturbed by demands by a section of the party to drop them from the ministry. Ministers A.T. Mondal, Ismail Marak and Limison Sangma today said the Congress leadership should be grateful to them for their continued support to the government, especially during the political crisis last year following President’s rule. A few dissident Congress members are camping in Delhi to get an audience from top AICC leaders to push for their removal. The three were accommodated in the ministry for their support when the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) coalition formed an alternative government in May last year after toppling the Nationalist Congress Party-United Democratic Party-led government. “Our intention is to provide stability to the government and from day one after the Assembly elections in 2008, I was associating with the Congress which was the single largest party,” Mondal said. Mondal said he had already met the AICC general secretary in-charge of Northeast, L. Faleiro, in Delhi, over the issue. To the allegation that the Independents had failed to perform, Mondal said only the chief minister can assess and comment on the performance of his ministers. After the Assembly elections in February 2008, Congress legislature party leader D.D. Lapang was sworn in as chief minister on March 10, though he did not get majority support of the coalition members. When Lapang could not prove his majority in the House, the Congress-led MUA government collapsed after nine days, paving the way for the NCP-UDP-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) to form the government on March 19. Despite the change in government, Mondal remained with the Congress. The MPA government continued in power only till May last year when the MUA toppled it with the help of two Independents, Ismail Marak Limison Sangma and KHNAM member Paul Lyngdoh. It was after these three legislators switched their allegiance to the Congress-led MUA coalition that an alternative government was formed by Lapang on May 13 last year.

READ MORE - Ouster bid stings MLAs

Site selection delays Meghalaya Assembly building

The Meghalaya Assembly building up in flames in Shillong. File picture

Shillong, Jan. 11 : Years after the Meghalaya Assembly heritage building was gutted on January 9, 2001, a new Assembly building is yet to be constructed.

The construction was delayed because successive Speakers of the Assembly repeatedly changed the site of the building.

In the absence of a permanent building, the Assembly is functioning at the Art and Culture building at Rilbong.

Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope said efforts were on to expedite the construction and that designs for the building had been solicited from experts.

He admitted that there had been an undue delay in the construction in the past.

The high-powered committee of the state Assembly had approved the construction of the building at Taraghar, opposite the picturesque Ward’s Lake in June last year, with the cabinet’s approval.

The six-acre plot at Taraghar acted as the official residential area of the state’s chief ministers.

Former chief minister J.D. Rymbai is currently residing at Taraghar.

Prior to the decision to construct the building at Taraghar, Bindo Lanong, who was the Assembly Speaker under the erstwhile Meghayala Progressive Alliance government in July 2008, decided to construct the Assembly at the old site at Police Bazar.

The then Meghalaya Speaker E.D. Marak had also decided to construct the Assembly on the old site, after consulting the high-powered committee.

In 2002, the contract for the construction was allotted to one C. Pala, without calling a tender.

The construction of the building could not continue, as there were objections from certain quarters after the work was allotted without calling a tender.

After the Congress-led coalition government came into power in 2003, there were several attempts to find another site.

After three years, the then Speaker M.M. Danggo decided to construct the Assembly building in Upper Shillong with the approval of the committee. Governor M.M. Jacob laid the foundation stone for the Assembly building in Upper Shillong in 2007.

Former legislator P.M. Syiem recently petitioned President Pratibha Patil, seeking her intervention to construct the Assembly in Upper Shillong.

Syiem is the former MLA from Mylliem, which also forms part of Upper Shillong.

Opposition leader Conrad Sangma said it was a matter of great concern that the legislators could not construct their own House even after nine years.

“If we cannot construct our own House, what will be the fate of other government constructions?” Sangma asked.

He, however, hoped that the Speaker, who assumed office last year, would be able to push through the pending matter.

READ MORE - Site selection delays Meghalaya Assembly building

NGO gets data on jailbreak

Shillong, Jan. 6: Meghalaya police today provided information on Shillong jailbreak to RTI applicant Agnes Kharshiing.

On December 30 last year, Meghalaya police defended the filing of an appeal before the division bench of Gauhati High Court against its Shillong bench’s order that had asked them to provide detailed information on the jailbreak under the RTI Act, 2005.

After consulting legal experts, the police came to know that the division bench will not entertain their petition.

The RTI documents were handed over today to Kharshiing who is also the chairperson of Steering Committee against Murder of Democracy.

The documents have many discrepancies. Kharshiing said there was no video recor-ding of the post-mortem of Full Moon Dhar who was the mastermind of the jailbreak.

There were allegations of a fake encounter soon after Full Moon was shot dead. Karshiing said as the police did not carry out a videography of the post-mortem, it amounted to violation of human rights.

According to the documents provided under RTI Act, 2005, there are four exit and four entry wounds in the body of Full Moon. According to the inquest report, there are 11 entry wounds and one exit wound in his body. The post-mortem report says that only two bullets were found in his body. The RTI documents provided to Kharshiing by the police said altogether 178 rounds of ammunition were fired during the search operations to arrest the escapees.

Congress politician Thomas Nongtdu had stated that one Bring Biang of Umkiang village claiming to be his childhood friend had asked him to provide money to Full Moon’s girlfriend Evatiplang Kharkongor and it was used for the jailbreak on May 31 last year.

READ MORE - NGO gets data on jailbreak