Meghalaya – A walk in the clouds with people full of life, in tune with nature and in rhythm with life.
In the East-Khasi hill district of Meghalaya there is a small village called Kongthang which is called as the “Whistling Village”.
Whistling Village sounds musical and sweet. Every body whistles a happy tune in joy. And what bigger joy can it be to a mother than giving birth to her child. It’s a divine feeling. So whenever a child is born a mother in her divine joy “whistles”. This whistle becomes his nickname.
As the child grows he finds himself in a society/village that has everyone around him with nicknames that are sounds like whistle. The whistle of joy that their mother felt when she first saw him. Everyone around call each other with nicknames that are whistle sounds.
Isn’t it so sweet and beautiful to hear it all around yourself? Life is a song probably and whistle is that extra “tadka” that makes it more loveable and liveable amidst all the woes.
Laughing at someone’s way of life shows how much ignorant and racist people have indulged themselves into. Everyone who mocks some tradition or culture or way of life need to introspect into what or which culture or way of life is criticizing something falls into. Wokes who’ve been mocking Mamata Banerjee for referring to the whistled language Jingrwai Iawbei or for wearing traditional headgear kotip, should do some soul-searching. India’s tribal heritage is our pride and we must preserve, protect and celebrate our diversity – rather than sounding like racist bigots.
Whistling involves high frequency sound that travels a long distance than normal sounds. Probably in the hills where the population is far less than dense and people are farther away unlike maddening crowded places like ours the nickname that sounds like whistle can be heard quickly.
Meghalaya – A walk in the clouds with such a “Mega” rich way of living life, how it should be lived.
