Blogging!!!!!!

Once I had asked a friend what should I do when I’m happy, the reply was that I should blog. So here I’m blogging!!! Today there isn’t any thing in particular that I want to write, no issues, no troubles, no problems. But I just need to write. I just need the feel to tell the world (ok, not the world but who ever reads this) that I’m happy. Happiness is such a nice and warm emotion, isn’t it? Whenever I have been sad, there is a heavy burden on me, something that does not let me smile, and I love smiling.

Goodness me, I don’t really know what I’m writing and who I expect will read this crap, but isn’t blogging about just writing anything? But on a serious note I have learnt the importance of being happy in the past few days. There isn’t anything like smiling and telling yourself that nothing can go wrong in my life. Everytime I’m sad, the motto “think positive and be optimistic” helps me in overcoming sadness. Whatever happens, happens for us to learn a lesson, life always wants to teach us something important and it is our duty to learn these little but significant things.

Well enough of my philosophies!!!!!! It was nice writing something so abstract today!!!!

Om Shanti Om vs. Saawariya

In the past two weeks whenever I opened the television, there was just one thing showing: Om Shanti Om or Saawariya….which one will make it big? I managed to get glimpses of most of the shows. If one channel was promoting Om Shanti Om, than another was promoting Saawariya. Each had their own promises to make. If one was saying it is the most entertaining movie than another spoke all about love. The two movies not only competed between themselves but they also made the various channels compete among themselves. The same channel just would not speak about both the movies at the same time.

I read another very interesting piece on the newspaper about the two movies the other day. It said that as both the movies were Diwali releases, some brokers had started betting on them. The brokers themselves said that this kind of betting happened for the first time and it was mainly because of the hype the two movies had created.

Seeing and hearing all this, today I went to watch both the movies back-to-back. Firstly it was my first attempt at watching two movies back-to-back and that too such “mega movies”. Both were such disasters that I don’t know where I should begin. If “om Shanti Om” made fun of the film industry than “Saawariya” forgot all about a thing called “story”. Farah Khan must have been busy looking into the movies of the 70’s and thinking what should she take from them. As far as Sanjay Leela Bhansali is concerned he must have wanted to create nature in his own way quite forgetting the element of story- telling.

Both the films were such nonsense that I don’t understand what was all the hype for? I m wondering, is media completely sold to these big producers? Can’t they for once be unbiased and not mislead the poor audience? Is it all about money and profits and not really about movie- making? Well I guess I will keep wondering and maybe I will never get any answers to them.

FROM THE HILLS TO STARDOM

India has always been said to be a unique country because of the amalgamation of various people on the same soil. People of different cultures have lived together over many centuries. For this reason India is said to be a country where there is “Unity in Diversity”. In recent times there hasn’t been much opportunity to really witness the true meaning of this phrase. Every other day, there is a report of communal violence in some corner of the country. North east is specially a victim of violence in its various forms. Over the years, the region has just managed to earn a distorted name for itself in the form of a region where there are more militant outfits than ordinary people. Our own Shillong hasn’t been any exclusion to this. For more than two decades, there has always been a tension among the people here. Though this tension has somewhat taken a backseat nowadays, nevertheless it is still there. The tribals and non-tribals seemingly cannot tolerate each other. There is hardly any friendship seen among these two kinds of people.

This year, Shillong saw a kind of revolution, rather a “different” kind of revolution. There was no politician making fake promises nor were there any religious sector uniting people or the likes. There was just the rebirth of the word “music” in the place. Shillong has always been known to be the music centre of North East. Be it the only place celebrating the birthday of Bob Dylan, or international bands like Micheal Learns to Rock, Petra coming here to perform. But somehow music seemed to be dying here. But one person got it alive, Amit Paul.

Amit Paul, a contestant in Indian Idol 3, did not seem to be the best among the contestants in the beginning of the show. One of the judges, Alisha Chinai, was hardly impressed by his voice but other judges like Anu Malik and Javed Akhtar backed him right from the auditions. When he was voted out in the piano rounds that seemed to be the end of his journey in Indian Idol. But after making a terrific come back in the wild card round, there was no looking back for the Shillong Boy. Since then he became a real competitor to the rest. When the gala rounds started his performance stayed consistent and the judges were always impressed by him.
After reaching into the final three of the music show, he came back to Shillong. The response then was phenomenal. Hardly have any other person been welcomed in a similar manner earlier. Old and young, people from different castes and communities came together to catch a glimpse of their “idol”. There wasn’t any difference between a Khasi or a Bengali when they were listening to him sing.

It is said that music knows no boundary and Shillong proved it. Music, in every sense made the people here come together. The years of distrust was washed away in an instance. Hindi songs could be heard in every nook and corner of the city. The Khasi version of “Yaad Aa rahi hai”, sung by Amit became a kind of an anthem here. Everyone, right from a toddler to an eighty year old knew the song by heart. Not only this song, but any song sung by him was immediately learnt by everyone.

Before this, Shillong had never had any one going to the national level in such a big way. Thus Amit has become an icon who symbolises similar dreams dreamt by many. He has made youngsters believe in them and in the fact that they too can do it. People have realised that music has the power to make dreams come true and also to bind people together. Amit Paul has symbolised the aspirations of the people here that the North East
neglected for years, they be to call someone their own. Today any Shillongite going outside proudly says that “I too live in Shillong, where Amit lives”.

Meaning of fan following to Me

FAN FOLLOWING GETS A NEW MEANING

Staying in a small city, I had always heard or seen in the television what following a “star” is. Sometimes I used to think that the media portrays things in an exaggerated manner. I wondered how can people go crazy about any one, that to for a person who is quite unreachable, a “star”. But when the Amit Paul craze hit our quite city of Shillong I started realising that media wasn’t after all wrong. They showed the reality. There are people who are “die- hard” fans of these stars.

In Shillong, Amit Paul has broken the barriers of age among many other things. Old and young love him, adore him ad even fantasise him. Everyday I hear strange stories about what people did to meet him either from my mom, my friends, or else where. But in the last two days I have witnessed such a die hard fan. She is my classmate and a good friend. She just can’t stop talking about Amit. Yesterday, she went about telling everyone in our class, individually, how she had managed to touch him!

It was quite amazing to see and hear her. People were making fun of her, some others were being jealous at her luck. But when I came back home and thought about it I realised that she wasn’t just another fan of the singer. She signified (atleast for me) what fan –following really means. People really do get crazy and can go up to any extent to get a glimpse of their star.

Before this, Shillong had never had any one going to the national level in such a big way. Thus Amit has become an icon who symbolises similar dreams dreamt by many. He has made youngsters believe in them and in the fact that they too can do it. and as far as fan- following goes, for me, it also symbolises the need of the people to call someone their own. Today any Shillongite going outside proudly says that “I too live in Shillong, where Amit lives”.

Shillong Opens Up To The Rest Of The country

Shillong tucked away in the mountains of the north east hardly seemed to attract people from the “mainland India”. The people lived here among themselves, quite happy fighting and loving one another. But as the word “global village” has slowly creeped into every corner of Shillong, we have opened up to the rest of the country. Rather, the rest of the country is getting to know this place.

Over the last few years, there have been many such instances which proof that Shillong is no longer a long forgotten hill station. Music bands like Micheal Learns to Rock, Petra and the likes have chosen Shillong as the only place to perform against the rest of the country. Why talk about a few years back, jus this month Channel V came to the city in lieu of their programme called “My India Report”.

“My India Report” is an initiative by the channel to find out what the youth think about their nation. The programme is all about the youth, their thoughts, their ideas, ideologies and observations of the growing nation. The programme is conducted by six bloggers who have been chosen having varied background and each with a different approach to life. MIR as they call the programme is covering 8 cities around India, namely Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Varanasi, Kolkata, Shillong, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Cochin. Their idea is not to go to only the metros but to penetrate into the other cities which also have a very strong youth population and capture their thoughts and opinions. In each city they are focussing on a different issue varying from religion to love and marriage, entertainment, sex, politics, environment, future of India, social issues.

For Shillong the MIR team settled with the topic of entertainment. This was a conscious decision on their part knowing fully well the strong musical influence the city has. they of course haven’t been disappointed in any way. After a little chit chat with them anyone would guess how much they have liked the musical scenario here. We found music in every corner of Shillong, that’s what they say. They also felt that not only are there numerous bands here but also there is a strong awareness of different genres of music both national and international, here.

In Shillong they visited a lot of places, like Tattoo Artist Christopher who also has a band called “Project Blend Limited”, St. Anthony’s School and College, Swish Café, NGO’s like Impulse, Kripa Foundation,Don Bosco Youth Centre, Chilli Breeze Graphic Service and local filmmakers and music directors. Through this varied blend of people they tried to find the answers the nation is seeking. Most importantly they felt entertainment plays a major role here.

When they were asked about what they felt about the city they quickly agreed that they have not come across a more hospitable environment in their tour yet. However they felt that there is more potential in the area but due to lack of knowledge, interest of “mainstream India” it hasn’t come to the forefront yet. They felt to a certain extent the media of the country is to be blamed as they haven’t showcased the region properly.

Their coming to Shillong is a strong indication of the changing times. People from around the country have started accepting us and taking utmost interest in our city. Not only are they aware of the name of the town but also what it has to offer to others. There exploration to the unexplored places will definitely take India to a better future tomorrow.