Bollywood flick to project Shillong as India's rock capital

Courtesy: The Hindu

This music-loving city is all set to make its big Bollywood debut, with music of course being the theme of a mainstream Hindi film which is being shot exclusively here. Shillong has been rocking to rock music for years and rock groups which abound here are entertaining fans all over the country. Even foreign rock groups make it a point to inclUde this picturesque city in their India concert tour, the Scorpions and Firehouse being the instances.

The film titled A Major with veteran actor Tinu Anand in the lead will deal with the vigorous rock music culture of the city and deliver the status ob the rock capital of the country. The film, which is being filmed by Symbiosys Movies Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, with Samir Khan in the director's chair is being shot entirely in Shillong and its adjoining areas. It is set for an October release.

On selectaon of Shillong as the location of the narrative, director Khan said, "The film is exploring all possible ways to portray Shillong as the rock music capital of India and its rich natural beauty." He is confident that the film will boost the tourism industry in Meghalaya as it will showcase its scenic beauty to all film lovers across the country. Without divulging the main storyline of the film, the director said, "The film is all about music, passion and 'abhimaan'.

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“Matter of Taste” promotes visual art

Courtesy: Taranga

For the first time in Shillong, a coffee shop has come up that serves as a platform for artists as well as art enthusiasts. Besides its achievement as a music capital of the country, the state is now working towards popularizing visual art. A coffee shop, “Matter of Taste” at Laitumkhrah is providing a platform to the artists and promoting art in the state.

“This place has served as a platform for the budding artists and hidden talents to expose their work out here. It was not and over night outcome of event. We have had discussions casually and serious thinking,” said Raphael Warjri, an artist.

Phindaman Dkhar, a visitor, said, “Artists out here, do not get the chance to exhibit their art that well. So, this kind of display creates a platform for them that people can come and appreciate the art and they can get known because of it.”

The state has been trying to promote art aggressively in recent times. Some influential persons have also supported this trend. Although investment in art is at a nascent stage, there is huge interest about art among the people. Such initiatives will raise awareness and will give a boost to the visual art industry. By D Henpilen

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Silver success for Meghalaya choir

Courtesy: The Telegraph

Meghalaya’s musical tradition has provided the silver lining to India in the grand stage of world music. A Khasi opera, based on a folktale about a young girl who turns into a bird, won over the audience and the judges as the Shillong Chamber Choir earned a silver medal in the folklore category at the World Choir Championships, held from July 7 to 17 in South Korea. The choir, which returned home today, is overjoyed at the feat.

Neil Nongkynrih, director of the 17-member choir, told The Telegraph that they had expected to win the gold medal. “But the silver medal is an inspiration for all of us. This has raised the choir to international standards,” he said. The gold medal went to the former world champion Elfa from Indonesia.

Nongkynrih hoped to win gold medals in all categories in the next competition as they could perform only in the folklore category this time. “It was a great privilege to showcase music written in Khasi, which is now considered one of the dying languages in the world. Winning the silver medal was simply out of the world,” said Damon M. Lyndem, a member of the choir.

The World Choir Championships — also known as Choir Olympics — brings together choir groups from all over the world, including some of the famous bands from Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America. The achievement has now placed the Shillong Chamber Choir as one of the leading choirs, not only in India but also in the international circuit.

The choir later participated in “friendship concerts” in other cities of South Korea. Music lovers here are jubilant over the achievement. “We are happy that the choir won accolades in the World Choir Championships,” said Pauline Warjri, the mentor and trainer of Shillong Chamber Choir. According to Warjri, who is Nongkynrih’s sister, the choir could compete only in the first category of folklore as the World Choir Championships ended abruptly because of the swine flu threat.

The Shillong Chamber Choir went with only 17 members and had to compete with other choirs with a strength of upto 80. “Like the Olympics, the choir championship also had different categories and the Shillong Chamber Choir was the first to start the game with Sohlyngngem as the first entry before an international jury and audience,” Damon M. Lyndem added. Sohlyngngem tells the story of a poor girl who loved a rich boy whose mother preferred to get him married to an affluent lady. The grief-stricken girl finally turns into a bird (Sohlyngngem).

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Northeast heading for drought?

Courtesy : Sindh Today

In India’s northeast it has rained a little, but way too little. The weatherman has no pleasant news for states in the region, saying it may be heading for drought that will affect autumn as well as winter crops. “The rainfall during the current monsoon season in Assam and Meghalaya is scanty (around 50 percent deficit) while in the remaining states – Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh – the rainfall is deficit (roughly a 40 percent shortfall),” said Dilip Saha, director of the Agartala meteorological department.

These states together are called the seven sisters, though strictly speaking, Sikkim is also considered part of the northeast. Saha told IANS: “At the moment we are unable to predict whether the rainfall would be normal during the remaining period of the monsoon.” The monsoon period is from June to September in the hilly region and witnesses early flash floods. The Assam government had last week declared more than half the state – 14 of its 27 districts – as drought-hit, saying agriculture was badly hit due to scanty monsoon rains.

Last month, the Manipur government declared the entire state drought-hit. A drought-like situation has been declared in Nagaland following a 37.15 percent drop in normal rainfall that has adversely affected the cultivation of paddy and other crops. “Northeastern India, where the economy is primarily based on agricultural activities, is normally dependent on the southwest monsoon rain as irrigation facilities on an average have been extended to only 40 percent of cultivable area,” said an official of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Shillong.

“Farmers in most parts of irrigation-deficit northeast have not been able to sow paddy seeds due to lack of sufficient water in the fields,” he said. The worst deficiency of rain was recorded in 2001 between June and August when several parts of the region reeled under a drought-like situation.

“The agriculture and horticulture department officials in close coordination with the ICAR scientists have been monitoring the situation day by day and trying hard to get the maximum benefit from the existing irrigation facilities,” said Subrata Shiv, an agricultural expert working for the Tripura government. He said that the sowing of both autumn and winter crops would be affected by the shortage of rainfall.

“The situation will be alarming if the rains don’t come in the next one week,” Shiv told IANS. The soaring temperatures coupled with high humidity and power cut has thrown life out of gear in most parts of the northeast in the past few days.

“We have been forced to slash power supply because there is a fall in generation and we decided to go in for power cuts as we do not get electricity as per our demand,” said Dipak Ganguly, chairman and managing director of the Tripura power corporation. “The power supply in the entire northeastern region has been reduced due to a fall in generation of the hydro-electric projects in the region,” said Ganguly.

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AIR Shillong forays into internet space

Courtesy: Radio Music

To make its presence felt over the web, All India Radio's Shillong station has launched a website, www.airshillong.org in May 2009. Commenting on the purpose of launching a website, AIR Shillong station director N Shadap says, “The website was launched in the last week of May. This is to enable transparency and enable people to know what our initiatives are. It would keep the listeners updated about programmes on a daily basis and increase our listenership base.”

The website has an updated commercial rate card for advertisers to keep a tab on the advertising rates online. There is a categorisation of programmes for spot buys and sponsorship of in house programmes with rates varying according to the duration. The website also mentions the rate of booking and rates for hiring the AIR studio in the Meghalaya capital.

Airshillong.org has information on the concessions available for different advertisers, like a 15 per cent discount to state and central government departments, 15 per cent to public sector undertakings, 50 per cent for spots on blood donation, leprosy, cancer, AIDS etc.

The website was outsourced and was designed in coordination with the AIR officials. Still working on adding more content to the website, AIR Shillong plans to integrate interactivity with listeners in the near future. AIR Shillong is one of the few stations to have ventured into an individual website for their station after the Information and Broadcast Ministry resolved in late 2008 to create website for each AIR station.

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Daughter of a Shillongite in fray for next year’s Miss America

Courtesy: The Telegraph

Shillong is excited about a success story unfolding in the US. Katherine Joy Putnam Dkhar, a 22-year-old American student born to a Khasi woman from Shillong and already crowned Miss Louisiana 2009, is also in the running for the crown of Miss America 2010 to be held in Las Vegas in January.

No wonder relatives and family friends here are excited about the forthcoming event and consider the Louisiana win of “one of their own” — a proud moment for Meghalaya. Her winning the Miss Shreveport crown was also a huge morale booster for her.

The eldest of the six children born to Louisiana-based Rev. Byron Wayne Putnam and Heather A. Putnam Dkhar, the student of the University of Louisiana in Monroe also won a scholarship of $10,000. Heather, a full-time church musician, is originally from Jaiaw Langsning locality in Shillong and has been visiting Shillong once a year since moving to Louisiana in 1983.

Katherine, who is of mixed parentage (her father is an American), was baptised in Shillong where she also has a house at Kenche’s Trace in the Laban area. The Miss Louisiana contest is primarily a scholarship programme that lays emphasis on scholastic achievement as well as talent and the ability to relate to people from all walks of life.

The secretary of Fashion Society Shillong, Wanisha Lyngdoh, said they were hopeful of Katherine doing well at the mega pageant. “She has a different look among the contestants and the way she answers the judges’ queries and the confidence she exudes are added advantages,” Lyngdoh added.

She should know. The Society organises the annual Miss Shillong pageant and looks forward to felicitating Katherine once she comes to Shillong. A. Pathaw, a college student here, said Katherine would be an inspiration for many talented girls from the Northeast and encourage them to dream big. “We look forward to the moment she wins the Miss America crown,” she said.

In an email interview to The Telegraph, Heather said it was a great moment for the family and Katherine’s hard work had paid off. She had been taking training for the Miss Louisiana title for the past three years, Heather added.

“Katherine has the right spirit and apt attitude to represent the state of Louisiana well this coming year in the Miss America pageant, and we feel this is an incredible platform for her to influence the lives of young people everywhere.”

“Her father and I have been her coaches to encourage and inspire her. She has worked extremely hard this past year in every phase of the competition. Katherine had an excellent pageant director and mentor who saw to it that she had everything necessary to prepare for the competition.”

Quoting Katherine after her win, her aunt Bethleen R. Dkhar, who is in Shillong, said: “It’s almost surreal — I can hardly believe it, I worked so hard and had the support of so many wonderful people. I am so thankful to God. Yes, I have been training for the Miss America pageant since I started the Miss Louisiana pageant, so I am ready to go. Let us go to Las Vegas!”

Besides her grace and beauty, Katherine also attracted the attention of the judges with her talent in playing the Halleluja Chorus on the piano.

The Miss Louisiana pageant was telecast live all over the state of Louisiana. Success, according to Katherine, “is not the destination, but finding joy in the journey”. The journey has just begun for Katherine as well as for her relatives and wellwishers back in Shillong.

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75 glorious years of St Anthony’s College

Courtsey: The Shillong Times

St Anthony's College, Shillong is heading for another milestone as it is going to celebrate its platinum jubilee this year. Founded in 1934, the institution has grown from strength to strength for the last 75 years to cater to the educational need of indigenous people of the northeastern region.

The need to set up this prestigious institution was felt during the colonial days since there was no degree-level college in Shillong at the time. There was only Cotton College, Guwahati for students of the whole region. Students had to take admission into Cotton College or colleges in other parts of the country to pursue their higher studies, which was a huge problem.

The Salesians of Don Bosco took note of this problem in 1983. The then Provincial Fr Louis Mathias and Fr Joseph Bacchiarello, who was the Headmaster of St Anthony's High School, took initiative to embark on the venture of starting a new college in the region. They were encouraged by the then DPI GA Small who was also a member of the Senate of Calcutta University which was to give approval for a new college.

Finally, in 1934, Fr Bacchiarello started the first year Intermediate classes in the small classrooms of the wooden-floored Assam-type structure which housed St Anthony's High School. The second year classes started in 1935. Two distinguished teachers who offered their services at a very nominal honorarium helped Fr Bacchiarello. He was also greatly assisted by Theodore Cajee, Assistant Headmaster of the school.

Fr Bacchiarello was transferred in 1935 and Fr Igino Ricaldone SDB took charge as the Principal. He succeeded in getting University affiliation for the college.

Fr Ricaldone built the ground floor of a concrete building, thus beginning the expansion of the college. He opened the Science and Commerce sections, both at the Intermediate and Bachelor's degree levels.

During the World War II the college building was occupied by the military and so the school and the college had to run on a shift basis. The school functioned from 7 am to 11.30 am and the college from 12 noon to 4.30 pm. The BA classes started soon and the number of students increased dramatically. The college was outstanding in athletics. Its football and hockey teams were the usual winners in the tournaments organised by Shillong Sports Association. Fr Ricaldone opened Honours classes in the Arts subjects.

Meanwhile, in 1940, Fr NJ Kenny began his association with the college as English teacher. In 1948 Fr Kenny became the Warden of the College Hostel and occupied that post for 16 years besides being a Professor in English. Fr Ricaldone was transferred in January 1952 and Fr DJ Wollaston succeeded him as the Principal. He added the first floor to the concrete building constructed by Fr Ricaldone. Honours classes in Science began during that time. It was a time of consolidation marked by good discipline and excellent University results. The student strength of the college rose to more than 1200, a period of total harmony and steady growth.

Fr Joseph Arokiaswamy was appointed Principal when Fr Wollaston was transferred in 1958. A man of immense experience in educational matters, he was Principal for nearly 24 years, a period of further expansion of the college. He opened new departments and began the teaching of almost all the Honours subjects. He took personal interest in further improvement of performance of the college, and students of the college began to figure prominently and frequently in the list of the University exam toppers. Fr Joseph built the Boys' Hostel and 10 family cottages for the staff.

He completed the Science Block of the new college building on the new campus and nearly completed the Arts Block. However, it was his ill health which compelled Fr Joseph to relinquish his post by the end of 1981.

In 1982, Fr Paul Petta became the Principal of the college. He completed the Arts Block in a few months and shifted the entire college to the new premises during the winter of the same year. The college celebrated its golden jubilee in 1984-85.

In 1986, Fr Stephen Mavely SDB was appointed Principal of the college and was in that position for sixteen years during which the college witnessed further expansion and development in many fields.

In the filed of studies, the college continued its tradition of excellence with visibly improved results in the various University examinations. Fr Stephen started pisciculture as a Graduate Programme up to the Honours level. Computer Science was introduced as a Graduate Programme up to Honours level and also as a Post-Graduate Diploma programme.

He took on himself an intense improvement programme and the college campus received a total face-lift. The botanical garden was set up.

Facilities in the college and the campus further increased and improved. Fr Stephen computerised the college administration and furnished and equipped the college conference hall.

The Diamond Jubilee Annex, an imposing and elegant multi-storeyed structure which houses the college's chapel, auditorium, library, canteen and Counselling Centre, was completed in 1994.

The introduction of the first Post-Graduate Programme, MSc in Biotechnology, in 2005 under the leadership of the present Principal of the college Fr Ioannis Warpakma further strengthened the effort of the college to relevantly serve the need of people of the North- East, Meghalaya in particular. It was for the first time that a college affiliated to the North Eastern Hill University was allowed to open PG courses.

With the aim of cultivating and nurturing the innate love for music that is woven into the fabric of life and culture of the people of the North-East, the Department of Music was created in 2005. The course was designed to empower the people through a process of discovering, documenting and preserving the rich but less known musical traditions.

In the same year, career-oriented courses, approved by the UGC, were introduced with the aim of adding employable skills to students.

The pressing need to prepare young people for the booming IT industry and self-employment prompted the college to introduce the MCA programme in 2007.

At present (2009), St Anthony's College has 28 Honours Departments along with other career and employment-oriented courses like PGDCA, CCNA, OCA, DCA, DOEACC "O" level, RHCT, RHCE, 9 UGC-approved courses and 11 certificate computer courses. Among the Degree courses 10 programmes are professional in nature. St Anthony's College is the only College in Meghalaya to have de-linked the Plus Two.

From its humble beginning in a makeshift wooden structure near Don Bosco Square to its present enviable stature of imposing infrastructure and outstanding output, St Anthony's College has managed to produce many stalwarts who are the pride of the region.

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Songs on the move

Courtesy: Screen India

Blues band Soulmate’s new album muses on the everydayness of life and love Guitarist Rudy Wallang and singer Tipriti ‘Tips’ Kharbangar have just come home to the hills of Shillong. The core of the blues band, Soulmate, they have been living out of their suitcases for a while now, as they hopped across cities promoting blues and their new album, Moving On. “Throughout the country there are many Blues’ fans but not many bands are playing it. But with our new album, we hope to reach out to a larger audience- even those who are not able to make it to our live concerts,” says Wallang.

There can be no better ambassador for the Blues than Soulmate, one of the most original music acts in the English music scene in the country. Since the time they began doing gigs outside Shillong three years ago, the band has found a niche, appreciative audience. They perform regularly at The Haze Blues and Jazz Bar in Delhi and in Kolkata, Pune, Goa, Darjeeling, Mumbai and Hyderabad. In 2007, they became the first band to represent India at the 23rd International Blues Challenge, organised by The Blues Foundation of America in Memphis, Tennessee, in February 2007.

Moving On, their second album, continues the goodwork. I’m getting older, a little bolder/building up my confidence, sings Kharbangar, surely one of the finest female Western music vocalists in the country, in the title- track. That confidence is the tenor of the 12-track compilation that released early this month on the Blue Frog records. “The songs are the med around moving on in life, something that we have done as a band and even as people. The songs are about feelings and evolving with every new day,” says Wallang. The album, which was recorded and produced in the guitarist’s home studio in Shillong, muses on the everydayness of life and love. “Blues is about life. Every human being has the blues one time or the other in their lives. In the days of slavery in America, the only way a black person could vent out his or her anger and frustrations was through a song. That was how it got its name,” says Wallang.

But it isn’t just in lyrics that Soulmate is talking evolution. The sound on their album has also moved closer to the energy of their gigs. “Our audiences always told us that the live sound of our gigs should find its way into our studio recordings. That is why we wanted our musical and lyrical content to have that vibe,” says Kharbangar. While Wallang’s guitar and vocals evoke the classic blues sound in the track Come’ round my house, Kharbangar is all power and sweetness in Set me free and Your sweet loving.

Soulmate came together seven years ago when Wallang was recording a Gospel album in his studio. Kharbangar was one of the singers. “I heard her and was hooked. I found similarities in the way she sang and in the way I played my guitar. And that’s when Soulmate happened,” says Wallang, who was a part of popular acts including The Great Society and Mojo before he started the band.

Wallang found his influences in The Beatles, The Shadows, Tom Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, BB King and Lou Majaw while Kharbangar grewup listening to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Over a period of time their musical sensibilities got bound by acommonthread of blues-rock, souland funk. The band played their first concert inUmiam, around 16 km from Shillong, in 2003.The name Soulmate was taken from a song Wallang had written, The blues is my soulmate.

In a few years, they started looking for an audience outside their beautiful hill town. Kharbangar remembers it was anything but easy. “People were sceptical about us singing the blues and they said we would never make it,” says Wallang, who a part from being a musician is also a full-time single parent.” No one was willing to pay for flight tickets for us to travel. We used to travel by train,” he says.

Their first album, Shillong, was released in 2005 but it never took off. They eventually had to shelve most of their launch plans. “We had a lot of problems with the release of Shillong. I guess no one was willing to take chances with a blues band from India at the time,” says Wallang, who is now planning to re-release the album, with Blue Frog.

Though they have built up quite a following in the country now, one of Soulmate’s best moments came at the International Blues Challenge two years ago.” We were the surprise element of the competition,” Wallang says. “I don’t think any one there expected a Blues band from India. India to the world is still the sitar, tabla and Pandit Ravi Shankar,” he says.

The band competed with over 150 bands from across the globe and made it to the semi-finals with their original compositions. The next version of the challenge, to be held in January 2010, is what they have set their sights on. “It was our first attempt then and we were just happy being there. Next year, we know what we have to do and are ready for it,” says Kharbangar.That’s one journey we’ll be tracking.

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Shillong - A new Bollywood destination

Courtesy: Meri News

A - MAJOR, a film based on the rock music culture of Shillong is being filmed by Symbiosys Movies Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, in Meghalaya. The complete film is being shot in Shillong and its adjoining areas. The film is exploring the region to its best. It will put Shillong and Meghalaya in a Bollywood map.
The Director of the film Samir Khan in an exclusive interview said, "The film is exploring all possible ways to portray Shillong as the rock music capital of India and its rich natural beauty". He is confident that the film will boost the tourism industry in Meghalaya as it will show its scenic beauty to all the film lovers across the country”. He also said, "The film is all about passion and self respect, an internal journey which reciprocates the love and hate where music stands as catalyst".

The story of the film has been written by Rajorshre Das and Produced by Mayur Patil. The local talent from the region is being given an opportunity to associate in the movie in different production works. Journalist cum Film Maker Saidul Khan from Meghalaya is coordinating the film in association with Sangma Entertainment and Communication Pvt Ltd, Shillong. Most of the local artist and freshers are being used in the film. Renowned Bollwood Actor-Director, Tinu Anand, Ayub Khan, Bollywood actor and a popular TV star, Farida Dadi, TV artist are also acting in the movie. Sachin Gupta, who made his mark with his debut film as a music composer in Dil Kabaddi, and got into limelight with superhit song of Atif Aslam’s Doorie is playing one of the lead role in the movie.

He has composed the music for the film and has sung few songs himself. “Composing for me is not only about making melodies. My music is inspired by life’s realities,” says Gupta, who is also the lyricist for Ehsaan, a Bollywood film. Gupta’s tryst with Bollywood began when he made promotional tracks for the Jimmy Shergill- Kay Kay starrer Strangers, released last year, but he really plunged into films with the five-track album Dil Kabaddi.

“The good thing about films is that it lets a musician put together a variety of sounds under one crown,” Gupta said.

He is a former member of Delhi’s fusion band Mrigya. At only 27 years of age, he is the in-house music producer for Tips Films and has already become a name to reckon with. Apart from having produced albums for artists such as Apache Indian and Alisha Chinoy, he sky-rocketed singer Atif Aslam's musical career by creating the runaway hit compilation Doorie. Termed by international media as the "Flying Finger Melodies", Sachin's tryst with music began at the age of 10 when his mother gifted him a guitar. Within six years of being introduced to the instrument, he went on to win the Best Asian Guitar Player.

"I have played a lot of shows world across but I have always wanted to go mainstream with films since there is so much space for experimentation that a composer can do which the masses are also supportive of. All of this broadens the creative parameters of a musician," feels Sachin.

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