Meghalaya’s historical buildings need proper maintenance: Sanjoy Hazarika

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: A man of many parts, all of which he has excelled in, noted author Sanjoy Hazarika too felt that the Shillong Literary Festival was a much-needed intervention.

Hazarika, a former journalist, has travelled extensively through the North East and neighbouring countries and felt the fest was an opportunity for people of the North East.

"It gives an opportunity to people from the city, the state, and the region to communicate what they are most interested in, what they write about, and what they believe in. The audience too is not only from Shillong but from other parts of the country. It's important that groups share their views through various media about issues that concern them," informed Hazarika.

Hazarika, who was a part of the first discussion on the listing of historical buildings in the state, felt that it was something that everyone who was concerned about history should be interested in. The fact that some 300-odd buildings, not just in Shillong but in various parts of the state, have been listed as buildings of cultural and historical importance is very significant. He further wished that these buildings should be properly maintained.

"I am privileged to live in one of these listed buildings (an Assam-type bungalow). There are problems in maintaining these structures, as it is difficult to replace parts. People sometimes eschew this maintenance and prefer modern buildings. I feel the government (central or state) should lend a helping hand as many owners need financial help. These can be maintained as a heritage and legacy of their ancestors of Shillong," said Hazarika.

In his writing, he said that his biggest learnings have been while travelling. He said he went to places like Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, among others, as part of his journalistic endeavors and always tried to understand the local nuances.

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