For long we have been entertained by the lives and memoirs of Defence personnel and their kids ("Army/Air Force/Navy Brats") but rarely has someone shed light on the lives of civilians living in similar locations (though not as taxing) in the remote regions of the country.
I have lived a lot of my life (or rather the early part of my life) in the NHPC colonies in locations ranging from the Eastern Himalayas to the Kumaon Himalayas. I am if you would say an "Energy brat!" (borrowing from my brethren who have grown up with the defence background). Now, for those who don't have a clue, NHPC stands for National Hydropower Corporation. In simple terms, these people build dams on water and then generate electricity. If we stop and consider the previous statement for a bit and remember Geography from our Grade IX textbooks, it'll come as no surprise that NHPC's endeavours are centred around the Great Himalayas or "The Storehouse of Water". The thought of the Himalayas will certainly conjure up a beautiful image for you with majestic mountains rising tall, crowned with snow stretching to the zenith as to the endless horizons on both sides. However, for us they mean a little more than that. For, they are a symbol of a life-bond that we share for having spent some of the most beautiful times in them.
While life in remote locations might be tough, we get some of the most amazing opportunities not so easily available to the average Indian. It is one thing to visit the 'exotic north east' once, it is quite another experience to live there for over five years. While a visitor gets to indulge in the local customs and traditions for a bit, we are soaked in this culture. As day to day interactions go, a bond is developed not only with the local populace but with people from all over the country who have joined the organization. There isn't much of entertainment in the modern sense in these areas and the prospects of eating out are nil. So, our fun consists (or did) of the regular get-togethers and picnics by the river side. A big dinner for everyone on a child's birthday held at the club is the highlight of the month. Festivals play a very important role -both regional and the more popular ones. Dressing up in traditional garb (even tribal clothes) and dancing to the melodious tunes from instruments that are alien to the eye is a beautiful episode that we cherish for a really long time.
Life is not all dance and merry-making. Troubles and difficulties abound. Apart from the treacherous routes that one must traverse to reach these locations (in a lot of cases), the connectivity on all fronts is quite poor. I know of an instance when in a location in Arunachal Pradesh, a person had to drive 30 kilometres to reach a point where there was a telephone connection! (this is a story from not so long ago). Not to mention interactions with militants - One incident occurred while we were in Loktak, Manipur. My mother was in-charge of the Project school and there was to be a flag hoisting (as there normally is) on Independence Day. On the 14th of August, militants carrying guns (mom says Big Guns!) arrived at the school and warned her not to go ahead with the flag hoisting the next day. They also paid a visit to our home and warned my father for the same (He was at home in the morning, his shift wasn't till later). The person who was to officiate at the flag hoisting decided to stay away seeing the threats and locked himself up somewhere safe. However,with utter disregard for the warnings the flag was hoisted, sweets were distributed and the children sent home, all at 5 a.m.! and that was that. It was here that several instances of firing between security forces and militants occurred during our stay.
There are many such anecdotes to narrate and one can only reminisce as one lives in the hustle and bustle of the big city. Even though I have grown up now and am moving ahead with my life, I would love to return to a project, preferably in J&K or Himachal to enjoy the simplicity and fun of the life of the people upstream!
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| Nimoo Bazgo HEP , J&K |
Photo credit : Wikipedia
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I haven't been able to attach any photographs as none of them are in digital format and the ones I have are still packed in a carton somewhere in the store.
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