Hyderabad Diary

Hyderabad, a city that presents a beautiful blend of cultural heritage, historical richness and latest development and modern amenities, is a place worth exploring. The city presents a glimpse into both the world, bygone and the present, Hyderabad allures every travel lover.
I am indeed blessed to be in such wonderful city, grateful to my friend from PRSI who is from Hyderabad, to inform me of ASCI program.

Had the oppurtunity to visit at one of the most famous tourist attractions of Hyderabad, Charminar, an alluring amalgamation of Indo-Islamic architecture. The market nearby was added attraction to my visit.

Another place worth visiting is to one of the largest artificial lakes in Asia, Hussain Sagar Lake.  The visit to lake added  a refreshing touch to my Hyderabad visit. The massive standing statue of Lord Buddha in the middle of the lake had a captivating sight. The Lumbini Park, presented a mesmerizing view of the lake and the Buddha statue.
Just awesome...
As it is said,
Let the mind some relaxation take
To come back to its task
With fresher mind.

Arif Siddiqui A conjurer in the realm of photography

“I am fortunate; I have spent the most glorious years of my life in Arunachal Pradesh, the Land of Rising Sun. Personally this incredible land has bestowed so much that I will always remain in obligation. My devotion for this legendry land is spontaneous. I am always trying to contribute in my own little ways to unveil the shroud from this unexplored and mysterious land, by providing the world the glimpses of amazing Arunachal Pradesh through the lenses of honest confederate. The view of ageless beauty, the sight of rich blue mountains, the naïve tribal people, the fabulous traditional folk dances, the extraordinary customs and cultures of hilly people, the colorful birds, the elegant butterflies, the rare and untamed animals, the wild orchids, the life saving medicinal plants, the mysterious bugs and many more strange flora and fauna……I am out of words to express the unbelievable things about this land of divine dawn.”
  ~Arif Siddiqui


A picture can speak a thousand words. This certainly holds true for all lovers of photography and practicing photographers till date. From the traditional pinhole camera to the sassy digital cameras of today, photography has witnessed a metamorphosis in terms of equipments used and in the style of approach to obtain a good picture.
When you really try to think of some of the most famous photographers from the yesteryears till date, you realize that there is more to photography then just freezing the right frame.
Photography could be a hobby to some, a profession to others or simply an obsession. Photography has inspired and stimulated the minds of many.
As a rule, artists are passionate about their work. Acclaimed photographer Arif Siddiqui goes a step further: He's just as ardent about the mission behind his messages as the images themselves. He traveled extensively around the globe and firmly believed that photography was all about capturing the image at the ‘right’ moment.
Diminutive in size, about 5ft 5 inches, Arif Siddiqui became a giant in the realm of photography and received the Arunachal Pradesh state awards and much recognition, for his in his twilight years, from. Having acquired his first camera Nikon D 70, he started photography as a hobby. He begun clicking, capturing and preserving the most beautiful gifts of nature. His clandestine hobby became his passion. A gadget freak since his early days, Siddiqui was always excited with computers to music system. At his young age, he was already moving against the flow, preferring to be self taught. He had great passion for classical music, being an accomplished and three times winner in North Indian classical music youth meet in Agra during his college days as Hawaiian guitar player and a ‘Sangeet Prabhkar’ in classical instrument music from Prayag Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Allahabad yet he vacillated between music and photography in his early years.
Born on 1st November 1963, in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, this truly revolutionary photographer stood out amongst his peers. An absolute genius when it came to capturing candid moments, he relied on natural light and effective positioning to achieve his distinctive style. There’s no secret formula when it comes to clicking good pictures for him. His camera confines the true essence of the tribal peoples and recites the tale of the incredible Arunachal Pradesh that adorns the prestigious pages of various reputable travel journals of the world and his selfless and countless contribution for the promotion of Eco-Tourism in Changlang district in particular and the state in general has imprinted the district and the state on the atlas of the world.
Serving in the Public Works Department in a small hamlet of Nampong in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, completed his 23 years pompously. He is a civil engineer by profession but of all he is an ardent nature photographer, a social activist, a lepidopterist, an environment enthusiast.  Capturing the bounties of nature – it was not long before he became an avid environmentalists. His love of nature stimulated his interest, to be involved in the Namchik Valley Society for Eco Tourism and Wildlife Conservation, Jairampur (Arunachal Pradesh), and became a member coordinator of this Non Governmental Organization (NGO).
Later in 2008, to find a reason to craft a stage and to unravel the elegance of Arunachal Pradesh to the outside world he with the help of his well wishers launched a website “www.amazingarunachal.com” with a determination to emphasize the exquisiteness of this shrouded paradise through his photographs. Basically the website is a photo based website. The central concept of the website is to display the amazing things god has endowed to this emerald terrain of lively tribes through the nomadic lenses of his. Apparently, the region is benefiting from his hard work as because numerous domestic and international tourists are visiting the area at frequent intervals. Evidently, his foremost contribution to the state has been the Butterfly Conservation Area, which is first and only officially conferred butterfly conservation area in the entire North East of India. In this regard, his marvelous photographs of many uncommon species of Butterflies, not only brought Arunachal but entire North East, in the notice of lepidopterists and eventually he organized a Butterfly India Meet in 2006 to educate the local throng about the importance of environment preservation and wildlife conservation. His active involvement in various social activities is evident sign of his association for social causes. He has motivated numerous youths to toil hard and participate for the betterment of the society. His records of community services are excellent and exceptional.  For his outstanding contribution for the development of local communities, promotion of eco-tourism, encouraging the youth to participate in nation building and generating global attention for the states, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh recognized and applauded his earnest attempts and awarded him with a State Silver Medal – a true tribute to a great man and creative natural photographer.
He is truly a thorough professional who keeps a distance from his subjects who refuses to be overawed to be hero-worshipping. This perhaps distinguishes him from the average photojournalist, who, given his fame and experience, would have been top willing to drop names and claim proximity with the great and the mighty. He produced his good photographs in an effortless and exquisite manner, which always reflect and radiate the ecstatic quality of his soul.

Some of his Published Works –
1. Asian Geography January 2010 issue (Cyclosa Spider: A very tiny spider also known as signature spider).
2. Arunachal Pradesh: The Hidden Land written by Mamang Dai and Published by Penguin Books with a 70% of his photograph coverage.
3. Published photographs in many Coffee table books of South India.
4. Regular photographs/article on Arunachal Tourism in New Horizon, South East Asia, Talk Himalaya, Travel magazines published from Sikkim.
5. Published work in many issues of India Today’s Travel Plus.
6. Published work in many NE based magazines like Eclectic, North East Frontier, NE Window etc.
7. For the last three years many major Governmental Departments of Arunachal Pradesh published calendars with his photographs.
8. Published his photographs in NEC’s official Calendar in the year 2008.
9. www.amazingarunachal.com website with a difference launched by him whose link is also available at www.arunachalipr.gov.in.
His Achievement –
1. Organized Butterfly India Meet in 2006, an initiative to highlight the rare butterflies of the state and because of which many people are regularly visiting Arunachal Pradesh for capturing the Butterflies in sassy digital cameras.
2. State Silver medal Awarded for promoting tourism through his photographs.
3. He has voluntarily given rights to Tourism Department, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh to use all his work for free of cost for tourism publications in the interest of State.

Empowering the young mind: Late DR APJAbdul Kalam

The Former President of India and Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdulkalam was on a two day visit to this beautiful landlocked state of Arunachal Pradesh to attend the 2nd Convocation ceremony of North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology (NERIST) at Nirujuli on 4 August 2010. He was extremely delighted to address and interact with the Students of various schools of Itanagar and Naharlagun at the Governor Residence on 3 August 2010.
Greeting the people, Kalam said that Itanagar is a beautiful city which has been named after the famous Ita Fort which is about 6th centuries old. Itanagar is known to legendary Ganga Lake or the “Gyakar Sinyi” and the Buddha Vihar Temple. It has a rich diversity of natural resources and being situated at the foothills of the Himalayas which is considered as the one of most beautiful city of the nation. I am very happy to be in this atmosphere and be interacting with you. It is the Knowledge that makes you great, he said to the students.
The former President dwelt in length to discuss on the topics with the students of various school on “Empowering the young mind, Criteria for achievement, giving an aim at right age, Birth of Creativity in a difficult situation, Let not thy winged days, be spent in vain, Home library, Birth of a Global Mission: Ten billion trees and what I will be remembered for?”.
To the utter enthusiasm and delight of the students and people present were spell bound and taken aback on the topics raised and discussed by former President.
Kalam while interacting with the students even presented few lines from the famous verses of 13th century Persian Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi’s -Wings to Fly:
Wings to Fly

“You were born with potential.
You were born with goodness and trust.
You were born with ideas and dreams.
You were born with greatness.
You were born with wings.
You are not meant for crawling,
so don’t, you have wings.
Learn to use them to fly.”
-Jalaluddin Rumi
-13th Century Persian Sufi Poet

Kalam translating the famous verses to the students said, ‘My message to you, young friends, is that education gives you wings to fly. Achievement comes out of fire in our sub-conscious mind that “I will win”. So, each one of you assembled here and elsewhere, will have “Wings of Fire”. The Wing of Fire will indeed lead to knowledge which will make you to fly as a doctor, or an engineer, or a scientist, or a teacher, or a political leader, or a bureaucrat or a diplomat or anything you want to be. You all from Itanagar can do it. My special greetings and best wishes to all the students of Itanagar schools assembled here for success in their educational mission, he added.
The Bharat Ratna and the former President Kalam who landed in ITANAGAR from Delhi even composed a small poem for all his little friends of Arunachal Pradesh, the poem captures the beauty of the state and is called    “Message of the Land”

Message of the Land

I stood before the mighty Himalayan Mountain and asked,
O ! Mystic mountains! What message for the children of the state you have?
 The mountain thought and then slowly replied,
“O Kalam! Look at me -  I stood here for millions and millions of years,
I stood the gushing rivers meandering through my core,
I stood through the clouds blinding me in white.
But I had an unflinching aim to reach the skies,
and thus despite all the odds I stood by.
My message to young is thus – Have an aim in life and persevere,
That aim will be a light house to guide all your voyages through the turbulent times.”

I then turned to dense forest which reside in the heart of the hill,
Seeking for a message from them for the young full of courage.
The forest replied “O Kalam! Every season I see a new flavor,
Sometimes I absorb snow, I absorb mist, I absorb sunshine, wind and rain.


Everytime, I learn from the season - I grow stronger,
My message for the youth is to constantly acquire and absorb knowledge,
For knowledge will make you greater than you ever imagined yourself to be,
The ignited mind of the youth is most powerful resource on the earth, above the earth and under it” The forest did see.

Next, I turned to the lovely an Anthurium flower beside me,
It smiled and chuckled and radiated vibrant colors into the life.
It softly said “O Kalam! I too have a message for the young,
The message is, spread joy and smiles to everyone you see,
Giving is my spirit and my mission for life,
And my giving I get happiness of my soul.”
O my friends, let us celebrate the message of the monuments of nature in this land of Arunachal”
-Dr. APJ Abdulkalam

The Missile man of India has truly left behind his magic among the students of Arunachal Pradesh that even today students recite his wonderful poems in memory of his land marked visit to this landlocked beautiful hilly state that talk of wonders of India and empowering the young mind.

DESTINATION ARUNACHAL Trail to the Pinewood Plateau-Ziro

Ever had the feeling on visiting a place so pristine, you are almost afraid to share it with the World? Ziro, the Pinewood Plateau located at an elevation of 1688 meters (5538 feet) to 2438 meters (8000 feet), is one such place.

Ziro awaits you

The most sought and beautiful hill stations of Arunachal Pradesh in the North Eastern Region in the midst of the pine clad mountains is the Hidden plateau-Ziro the headquarter of Lower Subansiri District. It is one of the quaint oldest towns in Arunachal Pradesh with a throbbing pulse. There is always an aura about it that grips every visitor and its cool weather in summer is its major attraction.

Famous for its pine clad gentle hills around it and rice field all around, Ziro is home to the Apatani tribe. The Apatani tribe is a unique Arunachal tribe and one of the rare ones that are not nomadic in nature. They cultivate wet lands and were once famous for their facial tattoos; practice of the latter is stopped recently.

Festival: Colors of Life

In Arunachal Pradesh a festival occurs almost every month. Though times have changed, festivals are firmly blended with the life of the people as occasions to bring kit and kin together, to share food, offer sacrifice and please the gods. Many of the festivals today are celebrated as mega events to showcase the state’s rich legacy of diverse cultures.
Throughout the year festivals are celebrated by one or other of the tribes. The Apatani people, who belief and worship nature God, extend hospitality more so during festivals like Myoko, Murung and Dree as these celebrations reawaken the collective memory of the tribe.

Myoko Festival: This festival is celebrated during the month of March every year amongst three villages namely Diibo-Hija, Hari-Bulla and Hong of Apatani plateau on rotational basis with traditional gaiety and festivity. The festival is celebrated by the whole villager for well being of society in which people from other villages are invited for local beer ‘OHO’ and meat, besides, merry making like BUSHII and AYU (traditional song). Each individual sacrifices the pigs during the festival.
MURUNG FESTIVAL: This festival is celebrated during the month of January by individual in which all the villagers participate. The festival is celebrated for well being of individual and immediate kit and kin. In this, Mithuns and cows are sacrificed that are distributed to the whole villagers of Apatani before “PENII SOLIN DU” traditional festivities in which young and old goes to other villages of Apatani plateau by chanting “HO-HO” in a queue.
DREE FESTIVAL: This Agricultural festival is celebrated during the month of July, centrally on 5th July every year at Nenchaleya, Old Ziro to propitiate the Dree God to protect the agriculture crops from pests and diseases. In this festival traditional songs and dances are also performed. The people of all villages of Apatani take part, besides people from other areas are also invited for community feast at festival ground.

Delectable delights

The people of the region have wide variety of food. Some of the mouth-watering delicacies are Paro & hikhu (chicken cooked with dried bamboo shoot) Alyi yo & hikhu (pork cooked with dried bamboo shoot), Sudu cooking (steamed items) like Ngyi panii (fish steamed in bamboo vessel), Papu & Paro panii (egg and chicken cooked in bamboo) etc. But the most preferred food item that lingers the taste buds of everyone is the Pikey Pila literally it translates as the ash-juice filtered from piyu (ash) is a specialty and whereas Tapyo is a popular condiment of the Apatanis. However, making of alcoholic beverage from rice is common trait among the Apatani tribe. Men and women consume it with relish and it is offered as an essential element that binds friend and relatives together and makes people happy and it goes by name ‘O’ (millet & rice beer extracted with addition of water).

Places of Interest

The destination has some of the well known attractions such as sanctuaries, temples, orchards, farms, national parks and many places of interest which will surely lighten our senses and brighten our day to chill and relax amidst the ever smiling hospitability of Ziro.

KILE PAKHO: A ridge located at 7 km. from old Ziro. In a fine morning, one can have clear bird’s views of Ziro plateau on one side and snow range of Himalayas called “NYIME PEMBU” in the other.
PADDY CUM FISH CULTURE: This practice of rearing fish in the paddy field is one unique feature for which Ziro is known all over, but more than that the hallmark of Apatani agriculture is its traditional irrigation system which has made the paddy cum fish culture possible. After transplanting of paddy from the nursery in wet rice cultivation field (W.R.C.), the fish fingerlings are put in Pakho/Hetey (channels in paddy field for drainage of water) at knee-deep height that are kept for 2–3 months before harvesting of fish. Though there is hardly any gap in the agriculture calendar of the Apatanis but the main activities i.e., sowing starts in February with harvesting in October. The rearing of fish in the paddy field starts from May and its harvesting is done from July to September.
ZIRO PUTU: Also called as Army Putu by the localites is a Hillock at old Ziro where first administrative centre was set up after India’s independence and ARMY cantonment was located in sixties. From this hillock one can have bird’s eye view of Apatani plateau. The Airport is also located beneath this hillock in the midst of the scenic paddy field.
Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary:  It has diverse flora and fauna ranging from sub-tropical to alpine forests. It is covered with impenetrable vegetations marked by giant silver fir trees, a variety of rhododendron, orchids, ferns and varieties of bamboo. This biodiversity hot spot is approximately 32 km north east of Ziro and makes a perfect route for trekking.
MIDEY: A place famous for gigantic SAT-NII PIISHA and SAMENII, a Blue pine tree (Pinus wallichina) being biggest and tallest tree in the Apatani valley measuring about 7 (seven) metre at GBH (girth at breast height). One can trek through bamboo groove beneath the paddy field to see this gigantic blue pine trees which is 2 Km from old Ziro.
PAAPU: First administrative centre established before independence in 1944-45 by a foreigner Mr. F. Heimendrof famous anthropologist, author of “Himalayan Barbary”, “Apatani and their Neighbours” and “A Himalayan Tribe: From cattle to cash”, as a Special Officer appointed by British Administration.
BAMBOO GROOVE: One stem monopodium Bamboo, (Phyllotachys bamboos ides) grown with blue clad pine, is one of expert practices of farm forestry followed in this part of the world. One will appreciate their expertise when one venture inside in this groove in conjunction with hiking and picnic.
Shiva Linga at Kardo: It is about 4 km away from Hapoli town. The height of Shiva Lingam is 25 ft height with 22 ft width. Large number of devotees visits it every day.
ORCHID AND FLOWERS: Ziro is famous for rare orchids and other flowers like Rhododendron arboreum (SANJI APU), Hedychium ellipticum (PAPPI APU), Hedychium densiflorum, etc. The climate of the area is congenial for cultivation of orchids and varieties of flowers. At present one local entrepreneur has developed an orchid farm in which large variety of rare and exotic orchids are cultivated for sale and research purpose. The farm, M/s Nanakoo Orchid Farm, half a kilometre from Hapoli on Hapoli-Talley Valley road is a place worth visiting.

Best time to visit

The climate in Ziro is mild through the year, making it comfortable to travel all year round. Summer starts from the months of April through June, temperatures ranging from 20o - 30o Celsius. This season, just before the monsoon, is considered a good time to travel to Ziro. Monsoon is from July to September and the winter season lasts from November to February.

The Fine cool climate, well conserved community forests, cluster of old villages, rich social and cultural heritage provide the right ingredients to give everyone a unique experience of the eco-cultural landscape and true flavor of the way of life of the Apatanis which allures everyone to turn up to visit this places again and again.

Woman of the year Ane Talyang Shanti A woman called Hope

She is an extraordinary woman from Arunachal Pradesh who is popularly known as ‘Ane’ (mother) among the inmates of 'Mothers’ Home', a place which has of late gained the centre of attraction and goodwill for sheltering the ‘children of lesser god’. She has not only created a niche for herself but for others by achieving the incredible and refused to give up despite hardship, tragedy and appalling odds. She is not a Padmashree winner or a popular figure but the lady is an apostle of practical religion and her works aligns with calling in life, which is to contribute to the development of the disadvantaged and vulnerable human race.
The most sought and beautiful hill stations of Arunachal Pradesh in the North Eastern Region in the midst of the pine clad mountains is the Hidden plateau-Ziro the headquarter of Lower Subansiri District. It is one of the quaint oldest towns in Arunachal Pradesh with a throbbing pulse and is filled with many extraordinary people achieving the incredible and they refused to give up despite hardship, tragedy and appalling odds.
Such extraordinary people with extraordinary powers to do yeomen service in a world where success is measured in terms of money and muscle power, comes as a refreshing change when someone like Talyang Shanti stands up from the crowd and dedicates herself, without seeking personal glory or rewards, to a service that has gone unattended by those who have the resources to do it but do not exercise that choice.
Recipient of the Anita Sen memorial award, Talyang Shanti is one such face in the crowd – a mother figure to all who know her, and a woman who knows the strength of dignified perseverance in the face of apparently insurmountable odds.
Her journey began when, shaken by the tears on the faces of orphans, the wails of poor abused women and the society’s apathy towards the physically and mentally challenged, Shanti along with likeminded fellows floated a voluntary group Achukuru Welfare Society dedicated to taking care of the economically deprived and socially despised. The AWS established Mother’s Home in 2005. Today it serves orphans, widows, the mentally challenged, the destitute and the aged, expecting nothing in return but their prayers and good wishes.
We live in a world where people don’t have time to take care of their near and dear ones. However, there are some who not only think about their own families but also about others. Shanti who always wanted to serve the downtrodden humankind, fulfilled her long cherished childhood dream by establishing the Mother’s Home in 2005. Shanti is not alone in her cause; her entire family supports her noble endeavour. “I don’t have money, but it never became a reason to stop me from doing the job. Whatever I am doing is from the bottom of my heart,” says Shanti. “During my childhood days I had a desire to help the poor and destitute people and am fulfilling my childhood dream now,” she adds. Relegated from the society and with nowhere else to go, the home is a source of food, shelter and solace to these inmates. The main source of income is the ‘fish pond’ above which is housed the home.
''With no help forthcoming easily, our only source of income is the fish pond from which we earn some money to keep the kitchen running,'' informs Shanti.
Explaining the modus-operandi, she tells that visitors and patrons are allowed to fish in the pond for which a modest fee of fifty rupees is levied per hour. ''There are many visitors during the peak season which is from June to September. However, during the off season it is difficult for us,'' she added.
Shanti says she never received help from the GoAP: “Whatever funds we have are earned from ecotourism and from the fees we charge on anglers who come to fish in our pond. Sometimes people voluntarily give us money.” Speaking about Yaba Muda, a young woman whom she found about six years back in a garbage dump in Ziro, Shanti says Muda has improved a lot and now helps in the activities of Mother’s Home. “These people don’t need much, what they need is love and affection. Our behavior can change their lives,” Shanti says.
Located at idyllic and lush green remote corner of Ziro the home, conceptualized and founded by Shanti, is truly ‘a home away from home’ to those deserted inmates coming from various places of  the state. Mother’s Home provides vocational training in bamboo basket making and cultivation to the inmates.
However, as other rehabilitation centers in the state, the home is facing accommodation and financial problems. But despite this, Talyang Shanti who started the Home few years back is devotedly offering her services and undertakes numbers of recreational activities within the home to raise fund for the children and development of the home. Now, the home is successfully providing facilities in boating, angling, tailoring training and a small museum is also in under construction.
Of late, many dignitaries both from within and outside the state are making it a point to visit the home to have a glimpse of the famous abode.
With a mission to establish a Mother’s Home unit in State Capital for destitute women and mentally challenged children, Mother’s Home recently branched out its yeoman activities by establishing another Mother’s Home in Lekhi village, Naharlagun in Papum Pare district. It was a natural progression as needy folks exist in other parts of the state too,” she says.
However, though she tries her utmost to provide care and compassion to the inmates on a daily basis, Mother’s Home has hit a dead-end in the matter of financing the setting up of more shelter and rooms for those in need. Left with no other choice, Shanti has appealed to our sense of humaneness to contribute in cash or kind towards providing food and shelter to the inmates of Mother’s Home.
The move of the chairperson to open its Mother’s Home branch unit in state capital is indeed an admirable step as there is no any home for mentally challenged women and children in the state capital. The state government or the concerned authority needs to think seriously for the well-being of the mentally challenged children and women particularly within state capital, or extend a helping help to any recognized NGO that is willing to take care of mentally ill people in state capital.
Mother’s Home in Lekhi Village, Naharlagun adopted three mentally challenged women from the Capital Complex recently. Till now Shanti has managed all by herself the expenses towards feeding and clothing them. Those among us, the fortunate ones, who wish to step up to the plate and lend a helping hand, may donate to SBI bank account number 11450014474.
Mother’s Home also wholeheartedly invites queries, and it can be reached at these numbers: 09436692986 and 09615170002.
We can do our bit, if we want to.
Here, we had a talk with Talyang Shanti to get her views on her mission and life.
CBN:  Why did you choose to serve the society selflessly?
TS: During my childhood days I had a desire to help the poor and destitute people and am fulfilling my childhood dream now. I love to deal with personal and social problems in a variety of settings. In the course of my profession I have been privileged to work in a variety of settings.
CBN:  Do you enjoy your job? What is your future plan?
TS: Whatever I am doing is from the bottom of my heart. The job I do involves working with disadvantaged and vulnerable people who are going through a difficult period in their lives. My future plan is to extend my service to all the other districts of the state in a near future, but due to financial problem the Home is not in position to gear up its activities in other districts.
CBN: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
TS: I don’t have money, but it never became a reason to stop me from doing the job. The most rewarding part is when I know I have made a positive difference in somebody’s life.
CBN: What advice would you give to people considering getting involved to this work?
TS: The most important advice is that this is not a profession for those seeking a big income and you have to be willing to work with the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in our community. The job requires a commitment to serve with compassion while determining how to advance the best interest of individuals without compromising their basic rights to fairness and justice.
Caption:
1. Ane with one of the inmates.
2. Disadvantaged people of Mother’s Home at Lekhi village, Naharlagun.
3. Ane with her 6 disadvantaged people at newly opened Mother’s Home.
4. Ane interacting with the media people at her Mother’s Home.
5. Ane shows how to be self confident in life to one of the inmates.
6. Ane in her forties.
7. Ane with her 6 disadvantaged people at Mother’s Home.
8. Media team accompanied by Shanti with her 6 disadvantaged people at Mother’s Home.

Bob Marley festival 2013 Celebrating Bob Marley- A tribute to the legend

Out of Jamaica came a star singing hellfire, revolution and biblical beginnings. Bob Marley is a hero for many reggae fans around the globe which also engulf generations of Arunachalee youngsters who grew up listening to the Reggae legends biggest hit numbers. Everyone loves Bob Marley, which may be why so many singers claim him as an inspiration. With his superb songs and arrangements, his rapt appearance and charismatic stage personality, Bob Marley and his group, the Wailers, won audiences for reggae all over the world, and influenced countless other musicians.  Marley is regarded as one of the greatest musicians of the world and has the great ability to inspire people in every race and culture. His songs are great way to inspire people to come together. Generations of Arunachalee youngsters too have grown up listening to the music of reggae legend.

And to commemorate “Revolutionary artist” and “Rasta Prophet” birthday (Revolutionary artist” and “Rasta Prophet” are just a few names that people all over the world would recognize Bob Marley with) Phoenix Rising, an event management group based in Itanagar headed by Bobby Hano a diehard fan of Bob Marley organized a great music festival on March 2, 2013 with the theme “music for peace and brotherhood” as a tribute to legendary revolutionary and to celebrate his birthday in Itanagar & Naharlagun-the twin capital city of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Arunachalees Tribute to the Reggae Legends-Bob Marley Festival featured the biggest and brightest stars from the NE region. Jengging Vibes, Daniel and Soul Rebels, Lone Stallion and Roots Reggae band and Taba Chake, an independent acoustic solo guitar artist are just some of the artists who performed for Arunachal tribute to “Rasta Prophet” Bob Marley. 

The Dree ground, located at Papu Nallah in between Itanagar and Naharlagun on March 2nd wore a festive look. Hundreds of Bob Marley enthusiasts descended there to toast to great musician who managed to inspire generations of youth across the globe. Organized by Phoenix Rising event management group, the festival witnessed scintillating performances from many bands of the region.

All the bands paid tribute to the legendary musician by playing his numbers as the whole arena stood and swayed to the insinuating rhythms and reiterated chants of the different bands with their hours-long, almost mystical performances playing the hit numbers of Bob Marley. However, the evening belonged to Roots Reggae Band from Shillong. The beautiful sisters’ duo of Elaine Wallang and Andrea Tariang won hearts of all present at the ground with their mystic performance. Adding to the spice, Gino Thangkiew, a talented youngster, spruced up the evening with some breathtaking performance.

The air was filled with reggae atmosphere and crowd for the moment went to the era of 70’s as a documentary on late Marley was played. The event organizer, Bobby Hano expressed joy over the successful conduct of festival and exuded hope to make it an annual feature.

A documentary film on Ziro Festival of Music held last year was also screened during the festival. Food court, tarot card reader, photo display of renowned photographers of the state such as Arif Siddique, Jummar Basar, Dewan Gamlin, Luvjoy Choker and etc were other added attraction of the festival. This was one festival which you should have not afforded to miss.

Many people came to this festival because they love Marley’s music so much. One of diehard fans of Bob Marley says that BOB wasn’t just a singer; he was a man who changed my life and taught me many things about my life, even though I didn’t know him. When I listen to his songs I feel like I’m in another place, His songs always make me happy. I highly recommend listening to his songs and getting to know his amazing world!

A day long celebration not only featured musical personalities and their performances from neighboring state. Besides, on the sideline painting, calligraphy, face paint etc were the few activities which enthralled the Reggae Fans who Got Up, Stood Up for his Birthday.

Know your Reggae Legend: Bob Marley-

Bob Marley was the most popular Reggae singer in the world. He was born in Jamaica on February 6, 1945. He started to learn music and write songs when he was 17 years old. When he grew up he established a band called “The Wailers.”  Around that time he joined the Rastafarian Movement and started to grow his hallmark – his dreadlocks.

Bob started writing many famous songs, like: “One Love,” “Three little birds,” and “Redemption Song.” Almost all his songs talk about love, politics and freedom.

On May 11, 1981 Bob Marley died from cancer. His last words to his son were: “money can’t buy life.”

Nesta Robert "Bob" Marley, (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rock steady and reggae bands The Wailers (1963-1974) and Bob Marley & The Wailers (1974–1981). Marley remains the most widely known and revered performer of reggae music, and is credited with helping spread both Jamaican music and the Rastafari movement to a worldwide audience.

Marley's music was heavily influenced by the social issues of his homeland, and he is
considered to have given voice to the specific political and cultural nexus of Jamaica.

His best-known hits include "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman, No Cry", "Could You Be Loved", "Stir It Up", "Get Up Stand Up", "Jamming", "Redemption Song", "One Love" and, "Three Little Birds", as well as the posthumous releases "Buffalo Soldier" and "Iron Lion Zion". The compilation album Legend (1984), released three years after his death, is reggae's best-selling album, going ten times Platinum which is also known as one Diamond in the U.S., and selling 25 million copies worldwide.

An Autobiography A Soldier’s General Gen J.J.Singh

An autobiography is said to be a window into a person's past life. Writing an autobiography for the man who was variously nicknamed as the ‘Tiger’, the ‘Ferocious Fighter’, the ‘Soldiers General’ and the ‘People’s Governor’ (for his concern, involvement and vision for the State of Arunachal has earned him the sobriquet of People’s Governor) of a General J.J Singh has been an interesting journey taken to his past. It must have given him an opportunity to relive the best moments from his life. A Soldier's General, published by Harper-Collins India, which is part of the India Today Group, is an account of General J.J. Singh's life as a third generation soldier who had a fine record in combat in different sectors rose to become the 22nd chief of the Indian Army. He puts down his life and work in his memoirs for posterity.
The book written by General Joginder Jaswant Singh is an example of influential, brilliant and charismatic individual whose autobiography runs to nearly 400 pages. There's a wealth of detail about his family, the army tradition, days in the NDA/IMA and the highlights of his army career. This book is not just about his life's journey but is also about his inferences out of the experiences that he has had in this journey so far.
Former army Chief Joginder Jaswant Singh popularly known as Gneral JJ, has been one of the more colorful ones the country has seen. General JJ, the first officer of the famed Maratha Light Infantry to have risen to the rank of the chief of staff and also the first Sikh in the post, was a soldier par excellence.
The book is a fine read for a young officer who has just been initiated as a military leader. The language is plain and lucid. The chapters have been kept very short. It will provoke thought on various aspects of soldiering and how things should be handled. The chapter on Kargil, to take an example, is a nice insider’s view from General JJ, who was at that time posted as ADG military operations in Military Operations Directorate in the army headquarters. It gives a from-the-cockpit view of operational direction and policy-making in modern short campaigns.

Especially interesting are the parts where he talks about how he led his men in operations. As a battalion commander, he led his men to destroy a major insurgent camp in the difficult north- eastern region. As a brigade commander, he got injured while leading an operation. He was also able to contribute intellectually to the future operational concepts and doctrine of the Indian Army as a commander of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC).
Throughout his career, he always advocated a judicious mix of the iron hand and the velvet glove. Case in point: his “khopdi drill”. While his men used to comb the village of the terrorists, he used to exhort the people to come out of the clutches of the conspirators. He used to motivate the locals in Urdu and used to apprise them of the bluff they were part of. He writes, “I considered targeting and influencing the minds of the people more important than catching or killing a few terrorists.” He adds: “Winning their hearts and minds with the velvet-glove approach and a humane touch was an important facet of counter-insurgency operations.” His tears when he got the post were perhaps a run-off of the humane touch.
However, being the autobiography of a man who has been handling very important appointments at Military Operations Directorate to commanding Strike Corps, 1 Corps, ARTRAC and Western Army Command, the book seems a tad docile, especially given his antics during his career. A “play safe” strategy is apparent and a little disappointing.
It is a light read at best, being neither contemporary history nor having the details to qualify as a guide to national security. He has touched upon every aspect, right from deficiency in arms and equipment to higher defense management to national internal security but has left all of them at the introductory phase.
The writing is simple and unremarkable, which is what one expects from a soldier. The book is welcome because so few chiefs (for that matter so few army officers) write about their experiences. It may not change the perception of those who served with or under the General and it's a fact he has many critics.
Indeed, the autobiography is an accurate reflection of Gen. Singh’s personality, putting him not only at the centre of the book but at the centre of every event in it. In that respect, both the book and the author have been extremely faithful to one another. It’s another matter that Khushwant Singh, whose advice Gen. Singh sought before embarking on this literary journey — recently wrote that he’d advised the former chief not to praise himself too much. People get put-off by that, he’d said. But the General obviously didn’t take that hint.
Gen. Singh is currently the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh. The General was appointed as Governor of the State of Arunachal Pradesh in January 2008 by Her Excellency the President of India Pratibha Devi Patel Singh and was sworn in on 27 January 2008. Arunachal Pradesh is strategically located in the North East of India, and has common borders with China, Myanmar and Bhutan.  Immediately after taking over as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Gen JJ Singh hosted Prime Minister of India on 31st January 2008 during his maiden visit to Arunachal Pradesh. The Governor is taking keen interest and is monitoring all the developmental activities and security of the State, as well as taking care of his special constitutional obligation with regard to maintenance of law and order in the State. In fact, with his presence the pace of development has multiplied manifold. 
His autobiography A Soldier’s General, published by Harper Collins, has already been released three-times over. It was released in Delhi on June 9, by the Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh; in Mumbai on June 23, by the Governor of Maharashtra K. Sankaranarayanan; and in London on June 25, by a British member of parliament Paul Uppal and the Shaheed Nanak Singh Foundation.
He is married to Mrs Anupama Singh and they have a son and a daughter. A multi linguist who speaks fluent French and some Arabic among other languages, General Singh is widely considered to be a thinking and perceptive soldier who is a thorough professional. His distinguished and dedicated service of forty six years to the Nation and his current assignment is reflective of his avant-garde leadership, professional excellence, vision and humanitarian values in his memoirs.
On the day of releasing his book proud General JJ Singh said, "I am a secular son of India. I never considered myself as the first Sikh to become the army chief". But the retired general added in the same breath he is proud to be a Sikh and a Maratha. He admitted that writing an autobiography was not very easy and he realized why very few former chiefs have entered this territory. But whatever he put in came straight from the heart.
Many of his well wishers like of Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam former President of India, Arjan Singh the Marshal of the Indian Air Force, Colonel Viscount John Slim, OBE former British Indian Army Officer (Gorkha Riffles), T.S.R Subramanian former cabinet secretary and many others had a wholesome praise for him.
In his remark, the former President of India Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam said that the book is the story of a third generation soldier, who works with integrity to reach the highest position in the Indian army. I liked the message given to Gen JJ Singh by his grandfather, Sepoy Atma Singh, that “Good leaders command respect and not demand it; respect has to be earned.” I am sure the book will become a benchmark for soldiers and inspire the youth, he added.
 Arjan Singh, the Marshal of the Indian Air Force has also said that the book is a brilliant account by one of our foremost soldiers in recent times. In this candid and straightforward memoir JJ Singh has recounted many interesting events of his life in uniform and as the governor of a sensitive state.
Although writing an autobiography for him, must have been a challenging job presenting all the details concisely, it must have proved to be a rewarding experience in the end for the Soldier’s General.
The book which is a non-fiction autobiography was gifted to me on 7th February 2013 by General JJ Singh himself with a message “Dear Chow Bilaseng Namchoom, with my best wishes and warm regards”.
The book is an enjoyable read till the last 400 page and has been written with great care and responsibility. One can draw inspiration from the determination and grit showed in tough times of the past and move on with a positive attitude. This book is a few examples of autobiographies you can read and get inspired from.
The book is available in all leading book stores across India and can be grabbed for Rs 799 only but one must not expect it to give a paradigm changing insight into the security and military organizations of the country.

The gorgeous and versatile Noyomi Riba

The glamorous and glittering fashion world of Arunachal Pradesh has certainly moved in a great way ahead, as it is warmly welcoming the new talent and new faces. Many leading fashion designers want to showcase their collections with the faces that are powerful enough to gain audiences’ attention and undoubtedly fashion models from Arunachal Pradesh are surely the greatest new discoveries in the fashion world.
There are many out there who are struggling to enter the limelight. Some succeed, while others have to wait till their stars turn lucky for them. Among those who are climbing up the ladder of success rapidly, Noyomi Riba, with her killing looks stands out. With a huge passion for fashion coupled with her open, smiling, and clever personality, Noyomi Riba is definitely at the beginning of a very bright future.
Having charm & chic, Noyomi Riba is magnificently establishing her name as a versatile lady; by working in different fields at a time. Noyomi Riba has adopted Marketing Manager as a full time career, yet she seeks to learn more in everything she adopts or plans to adopt in future. Besides firming her steps in the world of fashion, Noyomi has made her career and future brighter entering as a Marketing Manager for Guwahati based Business North East Group, and recently she established her business in Itanagar. Her skills as a freelance has surely made her gained much bigger heights of success as compared to modeling.
She possesses an attitude that is bold and mesmerizing. She enjoys the features that are sharp and alluring, which makes her stand out of the crowd. It is her true efforts and her devotion towards her profession that Noyomi has been one of the emerging models of Arunachal Pradesh that are mostly seen in every single fashion show and event by renowned designers.
Fashion model, Noyomi still has a long way to go, but she is undoubtedly one of the best models of the future. Though, she showed some great modeling stints in the past too, but as a matter of fact, Noyomi has gained height of recognition and fame from the past one year. In the year 2011, Noyomi started her career as a professional model. The beautiful and gorgeous Noyomi was introduced in the world of fashion and modeling by her friend Rahul Basumatary who later introduced her to C.E.O of 31st Telegraph show night Medha Saikia. Though, she was stepping on professional ramp for the first time in 2011, but her talent and hard work made her touch the sky limits of success and fame.
Though the transition from modeling world to freelance required Noyomi Riba to be more hard working and devoted, but she didn’t gave up. Whether it is the glittering and glamorous ramps of the fashion shows or the demanding work of a freelance, Noyomi has certainly proved herself a passionate and dedicated professional. With her beauty, elegance and enthusiasm, Noyomi has achieved the heights of fame in a short span of time.
If Noyomi Riba had not opted for modeling then she would have opted for being a designer. Designing is her second best interest.
So, there is no doubting of her talents as a model and also as a freelance. Sky is the limit, but for Noyomi Riba, the limit is beyond it!
Noyomi Riba’s Profile
Full Name: NOYOMI RIBA
Date of Birth: 25th July 1988
Height: 5'5
Nationality: Indian
Agencies: Freelance

Fashion model Noymi Riba shares her experience and motivational source for being a model in this exclusive interview with Chow Bilaseng Namchoom (CBN).
CBN : Can u please share your biography with me. Give me some basic information about yourself. Where are you from?
Noyomi Riba (NR) : Its my pleasure and honor that you choice me for the article. I am basically from Baasar (Pagi) Village but settled down in Dibang Valley Roing with my four sibling and parents.

CBN : Where do/did you go to high school/college?
NR : I did my schooling from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Roing and pursued my secondary education from Roing Higher Secondary School. I am pursuing my graduation in Arts from Raid Laban College Shillong (B.A Final year).

CBN : What are some of your main interests and hobbies?
NR : I like listening song, dancing, exploring things, meeting new people and the list is long.

CBN: How would you describe your professional interests?
NR: Well if you talk about my professional interest then it is no doubt the fashion industry, this had been an interest of mine from my childhood days.

CBN: What's your background in modeling?
NR: There is a blur picture of my starting but as I said earlier since this profession had been a passion and dream of mine I had always been looking for such opportunities.


CBN: When and why did you get started?
NR: In the initial stages I participated in the fashion shows organize in the school and the colleges . Because of my modeling skills I was very popular in my college and amongst my friends. That is for this reason one of my friend (Rahul Basumatary) offered me a chance to walk in the professional ramp for the first time in year 2011. This was in Guwahati for 31st Telegraph show night whose C.E.O was Medha Saikia Mam.

CBN: Was it for the glamour? The money? Pure kicks?
NR: Hope being honest won’t cost me a thing.........yes I yearn all for the three the glamour, money and of course the "heights".

CBN: Who are some of your favorite models and designers, and why?
NR: If you ask favorite model then I will say for me its Cindy Crawford, and Naomi Campbell because this two models were my icons and an inspirations to become like that. Designers I would say its Jemjum Gadi, Bonnie Darang, Tonu Riba, Yana Ngoba because they work on fusion giving a traditional touch to our rich cultural mosaic.

CBN: What's your fashion mantra?
NR: My fashion mantra is hard work....... hard work....... hard work...... !!!!!

CBN: How would you describe your style?
NR: I don't have to describe any style, I myself is a style.

CBN: What is fun and rewarding about modeling?
NR: Modeling is an honorable job actually.........

CBN: What do you dislike about modeling?
NR: I wont say that I dislike anything about modeling but yes I have problem with the big mouth people.

CBN: How do you prepare for a modeling shoot?
NR: Before the shoot I keep my mind calm & constant and try focusing on the shoot and make sure that I am comfortable and happy with my work.

CBN: How would you describe working with the photographer?
NR: I enjoy working with photographer and the designer both. Before going for a shot I do a little homework by finding out the nature & need of the photographer.

CBN: What makes a stylish lady or man? Is there a difference?
NR: Sorry I’m not a very good judge to comment difference on stylish lady or a man...... everybody have their own taste, style n judgment.

CBN: What comments do you have about frugal fashion--smart or petty?
NR: I'd say that frugal fashion is smart as well as petty , it depends on the person (wearer) how you carry the dress, need to be smart and need to have good sense of dressing. Any fashion is not cheap unless wearer wear it nicely.

CBN: What does fashion mean to you?
NR: Fashion means the ' World To Me'

CBN: What distinguishes a good model from a bad one?
NR: The good model is the one who after being successful doesn't show attitude, stay humble, kind & generous n help grooming aspiring models, good model is the one who is a " Designer's Muse " , " Photographer's Len's " .

CBN: What distinguishes a good photograph from a bad one?
NR: I have never worked with a bad photographer till date so no idea...

CBN: What are some things you dislike/hate about the fashion industry?
NR: I don't hate or dislike fashion industry I only hate the Hypocrite people of this industry.

CBN: How has modeling changed other aspects of your life?
NR: Modeling instilled discipline in me, it give me a reason to love myself.

CBN: What are some of the main differences between runway and photographic modeling?
NR: I believe runway and photographic modeling are both same unless they present the right style and the fashion & at the same unless one's bring out the best from you.

CBN: Describe the atmosphere when you're on a shoot.
NR: I prefer to do the outdoor shooting instead of indoor and the atmosphere it's cozy & glamorous where I lost to the fashion.

CBN: What advice do you have for other aspiring models?
NR: For other aspiring models I just have to say that " Be proud of who you are, be proud to be a woman", & work hard and live up-to your dreams.

A guiding star of tomorrow A conversation with ‘The Crossing Bridges’ director Sangee Dorjee Thongdok

The 61st National Film Awards ceremony held on May 3 saw the spotlight turning on the northeast with the region picking up five awards in both feature and non-feature film categories.
This is the first time ever that any feature film from Arunachal Pradesh was awarded with the prestigious Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus Award).
The film industry is not that prosperous and has been going through a rough phase in the state of Arunachal Pradesh as compared to the sister states of Assam and Manipur or the mainland India where film industry has flourished well and doing great job in terms of tourism development.  Prestigious Award like of Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus Award) at this juncture for the film fraternity of the state is convivial, encouraging and a dawn of new era for film industry to prosper more in days to come in a state without any film development corporation.
Sange Dorjee who belongs to the Sherdukpen tribe of West Kameng district is the first person of his state to pass out of a film school, the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute at Kolkatta. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Delhi University.
‘The Crossing Bridges’ is his first feature film based on his own people. It is also the first feature film in Sherdukpen, a dialect and tribal community living in East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, and the first feature film to be produced and directed by a native of the state. The film has been shot in the director’s own village of Shergaon in Arunachal Pradesh.
Prior to this film, he has made two short films-Pratyabartan and Evening Café.
Congratulating the young filmmaker of the state, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Nabam Tuki has said that this is just the tip of the iceberg and the film world could expect many breakthroughs in times to come.
“That is why the state government has decided to encourage and promote state's budding filmmakers to be part of the global film industry that could ensure name, fame and money," Tuki added.
Joining with CM to congratulate the filmmaker, Secretary IPR, Dani Salu, said that the filmmaker has showed as to how Arunachalees maintain their rich culture and tradition despite leading a very strenuous hard life is commendable and needs appreciation from all quarters.
Thongdok, who graduated from Kolkata-based Satyajit Ray Film Institute in 2008, made the best use of his caliber by venturing into new arena and succeeded in his maiden attempt, Salu said and wished him success in all his future attempts.
Thongdok should be emulated by the budding filmmakers, who are being promoted by the state government through its various steps including organizing Film Festival for the second consecutive year and proposed a Film Development Corporation.
 The film, “The Crossing Bridges” is a well-crafted over two and half hour film that tells the tale of a young man who comes back from Mumbai to his remote village in Arunachal Pradesh to find his roots.
This film was awarded and chosen under ‘Best Feature Film’ in the language specified other than Schedule-VIII of the Constitution’.
Here, Chow Bilaseng Namchoom (CBN) using the medium of Facebook, has had a conversation with the budding multi-talented filmmaker and this is what Sangee Dorjee Thongdok (SDT) has to say….
CBN: Dorjee, tell me about yourself. Where did you grow up? What's your background? When and what made you get into filmmaking? (of course you realize that this is one question)
SDT: I belong to the small village of Jigaon in the western part of Arunachal Pradesh although I was born in the picturesque town of Ziro. My dad was a government servant posted there. I have beautiful memories of our house surrounded with flowers situated on top of a small hill overlooking the town. Most of my childhood was spent in different boarding schools around the country. I graduated from Hindu college, Delhi University with honours in Sociology but at that point in time I really wasn’t sure what to do with my life. One thing I was certain of, that I didn’t want to end up in a 9 to 5 job. But I did want to do something for my community and so took off time from studies after college and started recording songs and stories of my tribe. I had been fiddling with video cameras which my dad bought since childhood and I found out as I recorded my tribes stories that I enjoyed shooting with the camera and editing the footage, essentially telling a story. It occurred to me that film would be a powerful medium to preserve and tell stories of my people to the outside world. I applied at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata and got through and that’s how it all started.
CBN:  How did your parents take to your desire to becoming a filmmaker?
SDT:  My parents wanted me to go for the civil services and get a government job. Like all concerned parents they wanted me to have a safe and secure life. But a safe and secure life makes you complacent and blind to the wonder and potential your life can offer if you just stretch yourself a little more. I was resolute in my mind that I wasn’t going to go for a desk job. So without telling anyone in the family I quietly went to Guwahati and gave my all India exams for the film school. I only told my parents once I got through. But once they realised I wasn’t about to change my mind, my parents came around and gave me their full support. In fact my film wouldn’t have been made if it wasn’t for my family’s support and help. My parents really encouraged me during the shoot and made sure everyone in my family and all my relatives chipped in with their time and effort. This film is dedicated to them.
CBN: Filmmaking in Arunachal Pradesh is a tough job; do you agree or disagree?
SDT: Film as an industry doesn’t yet exist in Arunachal Pradesh. There are a lot of talent but right now there is severe lack of resources and infrastructure for films as an industry. This can be gauged by the fact that we do not have a single film theatre out here. So naturally filmmaking would be an uphill task. Also my state doesn’t have any trained professional DOP or an editor or a sound engineer or other professionals and artists needed for a film crew. So any sort of trained manpower or skill that I need along with all the necessary equipment’s to shoot a film has to be bought from outside the state. I look forward to that day when I have a trained crew from my own state in my shoot. Having said that, the state government has now seriously started thinking along those lines and hopefully thing will get better soon. The Arunachal film festival is a right step in that direction.
CBN: Please describe your movie, The Crossing Bridges.
SDT: Crossing Bridges is about a man who loses his job in Mumbai and is forced to come back and stay home to his remote village in Arunachal Pradesh. He thus slowly begins experiencing the life and culture of his people. I wanted to showcase my community to the outside world which has little knowledge about my people so I put in bits and pieces of our dance and our myth and legends into the film. The protagonist here acts as a vehicle to draw the audience into the community as he comes home and the audience gets to experience the life of his community through his eyes. I therefore went with a simple narrative of a man coming back home to find his roots. That way I had an open canvas to showcase my people and a little of our way of life to the outside world. We shot a major portion of the film in my village of Shergaon, and a few places around it in West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh. Since this film was to be shot in my Tribal dialect I had to source actors from my community itself. So I ended up calling all my friends and my relations and made them act in my film. But everyone was very enthusiastic about it. Some of the actors were a last minute addition, like just a day before the shoot. We needed to have snowfall so we shot in the month of December and January. It was bitterly cold and a lot of the crew struggled with the weather and the terrain. I made my crew climb mountains and cross freezing rivers to reach the shoot locations, but being such professionals they never complained. In fact the name Crossing Bridges came about during one such excursion to a location when we were crossing a river on foot and my DOP Pooja Gupte suddenly said ‘how many rivers are you making us cross Sange?’ And I suddenly thought hey, that’s a nice name right there, Crossing Rivers, and she and I talk about it and it eventually became Crossing Bridges. It sounded just right for the story of the film and about what the film meant to me.
CBN: In which festivals you have screened the film and which ones are coming up?
SDT: We started off at the Work in Progress Lab at IFFI (International film festival of India) at Goa and premiered our film at MAMI(Mumbai Academy of Moving Images) and then at DIFF(Dharamsala International Film Festival), KIFF(Kerala International Film Festival), IFFM(Indian film festival Melbourne). It will soon be shown at the Indian Habitat film festival in New Delhi and we have also been invited to a few other international film festival and are in talks with them.
CBN: Describe your state of mind just before your very first screening.
SDT:  . I was quiet nervous before the premiere at MAMI. This was the first time an audience was about to see my film, and that too my first film. But I was also eager to know the audience reaction and get their feedback. But it was great to see that they loved the film and had very encouraging things to say about the film at the interaction session and my crew and I were pleasantly surprised. It really proves that good cinema can crossover any barriers of language, region or geography.
CBN: Any interesting comments from the audience members during a screening?
SDT: Well one thing interesting was that as the audience began to leave after the second screening at MAMI my crew and I heard a man say out loud just ahead of us ‘this was the best film I saw in the festival, maza aa gaya!’ My crew and I looked at each other with such broad smiles.
CBN: What was the budget of the film? Sorry, I couldn't resist.
SDT: This was a small independent film and I knew from the start money was going to be a constraint so I deliberately chose to use my village for shoots as that way the crew could be accommodated at my house and we wouldn’t need to pay any money for locations and food. Also the crew being my batch mates and friends from film school worked for very less pay. We burrowed vehicles from relatives, shot in my uncle’s house, and basically used whatever resources we could borrow from our friends, family and relatives in the village. This helped to keep the production cost down. All in all the film cost us around thirty five lakhs to make.
CBN: What did you learn from this project? Both the positives and negatives. Remember this will be read by a lot of first-time filmmakers, so you can get really detailed if you'd like.
SDT: Well my biggest learning was that I actually got to know how to shoot a film! You know more about a road by walking on it than by consulting all the maps of the world. So this being my first feature film, I got to learn a lot of things. It’s really important that you surround yourself with professionals who know their job, that way you can concentrate on yours. The devil is in the details. Cinema is meant for the big screen and in a darkened hall with a hundred people watching on such a large screen, you can’t hide your mistakes or shortcomings. If you get lax in a certain area, it will definitely show up on the big screen. The screen doesn’t lie. This being my first film, I made a lot of mistakes and it showed up on the screen. There’s no special effects out there that can mask your slip-ups.
CBN: Did you make this film for yourself or for an audience in mind while writing it?
SDT: Every artist creates art because he feels the need to do so. It’s an extension and an expression of himself. It’s who he or she is. I make films because I feel I need to say something, not sell something. I make films because I feel the need to express myself but I need the audience to complete that experience. Once an audience sees my film, it goes away from me and becomes theirs. They put in their experiences and their life stories onto the film and relate with it accordingly and thus it becomes their film.
CBN: Who are your biggest film influences?
SDT: There have been so many great filmmakers that have influenced me over the years that it would be a really long list. But the filmmakers that really inspire me are the ones from Iran. Filmmakers such as Kirostami, Makhmalbaf, Jafar Panahi, Majid Majidi and others. In spite of very strong censorship and such limitations, the kind of films that have been made there is amazing and some of the best of world cinema. Creativity will always find a means of expression no matter how much one tries to stifle it.
CBN: Anshu Jamsempa, the great Everester of our state, has once again proved her mettle in acting in your film beside mountain climbing, what have you to say about her? Also please tell us about the lead actor of your movie.
SDT: . Anshu Jamsenpa was a revelation. Her dedication toward her work is remarkable. It was an honour and a great privilege to work with her. We became friendly through the shoot of the film and I was amazed to listen to her life story and the struggles she went through to achieve her dream of climbing Everest. What is remarkable is that despite almost no one believing in her and facing so many obstacles she never gave up on her dream. That speaks volumes about her character and determination. She came to the shoot with that same positive attitude to do the best that she could and she gave a remarkable performance in spite of facing the camera for the first time in her life. She has absolutely no airs about her and did exactly as she was instructed on the shoot. She also has a keen mind and wanted to learn a lot on the process of filmmaking. It was wonderful to have her as the female lead, she has a great screen presence and she fitted the character perfectly.
CBN: What's your next project?
SDT: I have a couple of scripts ready and hope to start work soon on one. They are all issue based stories on my state as I believe we have a lot of stories which needs to be told and which needs to be heard. As filmmakers I also believe we have a certain social responsibility, film being such a powerful medium. My idea has always been to showcase my state and the northeast region to the outside world in order to bridge the gap between people, so to speak. So I would like to make films based on the northeast region itself.
CBN: How has your life changed from becoming a filmmaker?
SDT: One great thing about being in this field is that you get to meet some truly remarkable people which you probably would not have otherwise. I had the privilege of meeting some wonderful artists, writers, and filmmakers from around the world as I went places with my film. And it was really an experience getting to know and learn from these people. They inspire you to do better. I don’t think I would had the privilege of knowing these people had I not been a filmmaker.
CBN: In tourism perspective, what major role can your film play to highlight the hidden potential of our state to the world?
SDT: Film as a medium is one of the most powerful tools out there to promote a region. It’s no wonder that countries like Switzerland courts Indian cinema to come shoot there as they know it has a direct bearing on the tourism sector of that country. I think the northeast region as a whole is truly beautiful and any film shot here would look beautiful on the big screen. Every audience member that saw my film was touched by the scenic beauty depicted in the film. This encouraged a lot of dialogue between me and the audience where I could tell them about the northeast region and our way of life. This created a lot of interest amongst the audience about our region and many were curious to know more. Generating interest of this kind amongst the audience about a region has a direct effect on the tourism of that place.
CBN: Please give one piece of advice for someone who also wants to make it in the movie business?
SDT: I really wouldn’t have any advice for getting into the film business because I really have no experience on the business end of it, but yes for any aspiring filmmaker who wants to make meaningful cinema my best advice is to just go out there and shoot. Making films is easy. As Kiarostamy said ‘strip away all the bells and whistles and what you have is a subject and a camera.’ These are the only things you need to shoot a film really. The rest are all etcetera. These days, every camera on the market shoots great video. Even mobiles phones shoot wonderful videos. So just sit down, write a good story, get your hands on any camera that you can, call your friends and start shooting. You’re a filmmaker. It’s that simple. Hope these answers suffice.
CBN: Dorjee, thanks for your valuable time to answer my long list of question. I pray and hope that your heights of success shine upon you all the time. Thank you so much.