I have
travelled in time and to flaunt I shy
Yet for
reasons the legs to wander they try
For all the
questions I wonder why
Yes even
through the Sun and dry
The routes they multiply
Beneath the starlit sky
Yet I walk on till I fry
But for home my heart it
cry
Poetry in motion as we gasp through the
art book of the artist who created heaven on earth, just mesmerized and
energized by the sheer beauty and freshness of the country sides en route to
Ziro.
Ziro greeted us with her cold embrace
and warm fire lit homes. Dinner at Bobby Hano’s place. (Phoenix Rising event
Management group). Bon fire, people, food, drinks and kids. Yes kids with only
2nd standard degree, kids who wants to listen to death metal, kids
who would break dance for an Alien Gods cd and autograph, cute little kids with
horns and mean faces.
Leaving behind a memory is hard but
leaving behind a great one is enigmatic. Perhaps enigma was to be my partner
for the next destination, Daporijo. A life time of secrets hid in this town.
Visited my late father’s grave, met my grandparents, uncles, brothers, sisters
and relative after almost 27 years. Yes these are my biological relatives, the
‘Dulom’ clan, and the truth that evade me all these years. The sense of
betrayal is always there but heart ache and tears too. Culminating all these
emotions and drama, it felt that I had to do something extra special for the
crowd here. Ironically the whole concert was something that we will never forget.
Usually a Rock/ Metal concert is better
held at night, but the tour being a government program based on HIV and AIDS
campaign the officials thought it would be better to organize the event around
11:00 am. So they did, the chief guest arrived, but the audience forgot to do
their duty, there was not a soul in the auditorium. However our team leader Mr.
Tashor Pali, being a very persistent character managed to pack the hall to the
brim in the evening. Alien Gods started off with a bang to the charged up crowd
and half way to the set the hall lights went off. For the sound we had a
generator that followed us throughout the tour, but the hall light was supplied
from the district power supply and we all know what the situation is like in
the districts. So we are playing in complete darkness, we didn’t want to stop
neither the crowd, so they lit up their flash lights and aimed at us. Anyone
who had a torch could pick their favorite band member and flash the light at
him or shift from one to the other as quickly as possible, some even did the
job of light engineer by creating light effect by shaking the torches as fast
as possible, switching the torch on and off and even focusing at the fingers
and fret board of the guitarist. I guess the crew members thought that they had
to do something about the situation too, so they came up with an idea- they
brought two small half burnt candles to light up the stage.
To every one’s relief the power came
back after a short while and everyone in Daporijo; felt the extra special
moment that we all shared together that night. Good bye Mr. Enigma, all the
puzzles are sorted out now.
Aalo was a blur; we played during the
day to students from two different schools and few diehard fans. Then we met up
with old friends and helped one of them to strip down the hut he had built. He
had built that hut in front of his beautiful three storied building right at
the entrance, just so he can sit with friends and smoke up. We were good enough
to discourage him to do such a stupid thing and enjoyed stripping down the Adda
hut.
Later the friend of mine said to us,
“You guys are doing very good, keep on rocking. By the way do you know the
difference between ‘Rock’ and ‘pop’?
We said, “No, what is it”
Friend: “You can’t eat ‘Rock’, coz it’s
strong and solid, but ‘pop’, you can eat, coz you get it in the bakery. So be
strong like rock not eatable like pop.”
Alien Gods:?????????????
Being an Arunachalee one always finds a
place, either to stay or in someone’s heart, anywhere in the state. Well we get
both when we visit our own village. Next destination, Yinkiong, upper Siang
district, my mother’s home district. This time I was very excited but at the
same time doubtful of whether my band mates will like the place, no doubt it is
located in one of the most beautiful places, but there was one thing that I was
very amused as well as nervous to show them.
What if they wanted to use the toilet?
A believe goes in the Adi tribe that,
the pig that eats human shit/excrement, tastes the best. So we keep pigs under
our bamboo toilets. The waste is dumped right at the swine’s platter, voila no
stinky dumps and better pork.
Yeah yeah the mates liked the whole
concept, in a giggly way tough, they even took pictures of it, the drummer even
used it and we even savored the delicious pork ha ha.
Well that was my village Komkar, after
the stomach churning experience we reached Yinkiong, well this is the place
that had me fingers crossed. Of all the places I know, this was the last place
that I expected for us to get past even one song. Culture makes people to
tolerate acceptance and this is one race of people that has for ages been self
sufficient, proud and doubtful of foreign interference and influences, one damn
hard people to please.
Local
lady shop keeper: “Hey kids, are you
all gonna dance tonight”
Amused
Alien Gods: “no maam”
Local
lady Shop keeper (angrily): “Then why
the hell are you all walking around freely in these stupid getups” referring to
my Mohawk, a bald drummer and two long haired guitarists.
A panicked Alien Gods walked away half smiling and sweating................to be continued...
SOME WEIRD BUT interesting CROWD
FOR MORE PICTURES GOT TO --- http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150617708728057.407042.706788056&type=3
