SHINGKHAR LAURI? IS IT RENOWNED FOR REMOTENESS? OH YES IT IS....

Shingkhar Lauri? Is it renowned for the remoteness?  Oh yes it is. Extreme in the east, totally cut off from rest of the country: To the east by Indian state of Arunatual Pradesh, to the south by Assam and to the north by great snow capped mountains towards Tashigang. People live their lives deprived of all modern amenities starting from basic necessity like roads and electricity. For ages people had struggled and still in present days our parents are living in dark with sooty kerosene lamps and have to walk for days for reach to nearest road point. Well from here on there will be change. road is eching up slowly and electrical equipments are almost transported. 

Followings are pictures that I took during my visits to home during my college days. The qualities of pictures are not worth posting but the contents I believe are.

The rays of happiness filtering through the clouds over looking the village. Majestic Zangdok Pelri built under the Guidance of his eminence Buli Trulku Rimpochoe at Zangthi Tshothang. Today this majestic building hosts around 60 monks.

Transporting to home on back. 

Winter Semester of 2011 “make as many hay as possible while the sun shines” collecting the firewood to be stored for the monsoon season like squirrels gathering its stock for summer.

When we were in primary schools we are taught scores of lines about environmental conservation, the adverse effect of cutting down the trees and lot more. But what option do we have? We don’t have the electric current to cook our meals. We are resort to collect firewood’s to keep warm and as a fuel for every day meals.

Distillation of local wine(Ara) in process and my brother is a caretaker today. No branded wines and costly beers but locally brewed alcohol that locals take to obliterate the pain in evening for their tiresome day. 

Dinner time! And in process of pounding the rice which results in flowers of blisters on palm. Exhausted emotionally and physically but the taste are worth it: delicious. 

 .....And My mom segregating the rice from chaff.

Nurturing the maize siblings, so that it grows strong and bold for autumn harvest. Maize is the staple food at home, summer of 2010.

Video games or Tom and Jerry are never part of them. But can spade up to help their mom. His counterpart friends and even younger than him in urban places are already in daycare centers learning alphabets and numbers, this little boy dreams to turn six to get admission in school.

They have turn six, with uniform this little kids goes to school. But the school is one hour walk. 

 Farmers grow plenty of vegetables including potatoes but there is no market to sell. For want of roads these cash crops had never been able to make to market.

Winds of changes are on the way with rural electrification. As per the noble objectives of government’s plan of lighting whole nation by 2013, the works are speeding up. Every string of problems could have been solved if the constructions of roads made its way. It’s hilarious even to think, that even after decades of works the snail pace farm road didn’t even reach to the Gewogs. No one knows what took so long. 

Heavy electric poles over weak shoulders to Lauri Gewog.

 All is well for they have sweated a lot for our own good cause by carrying such heavy materials, but i pray that the contractors donot fails to pay for the  service these common man have rendered.

Horses with back breaking load. Imagining that one day we too will have the blessings to free these horses

These little brooks swell up in summer, making life more miserable.

 No potholes and no complain of bumpy high ways, but jagged foot path you cannot escape along the way. These are our stories traversing through winding foot paths along meandering rivers whistling to the horses with back breaking load on ones shoulder.

On my way to college from home under tattered umbrella most unforgettable journey in the summer of 2011. Temporary bridges are built but it’s scary even to look at. 

All will be a history tommorrow. our people will never have to walk for days and days. And come 17th of December, my lovely hamlet will shine bright and brighter. 

when i go home next time, i will go on my own car reminiscing these bygone days.

Life is indeed full of stories, sad, joy, broken, pain…………… and a share of fun and frolic....