Traditional Gate

Entry gate sans aesthetics by D. Bosai, The Arunachal Times, 16 September 2008

ITANAGAR, Sept 15: The entry gate or welcome gate to any place is an important and significant structure. It depicts in brief the culture and identity of the people living in that place. Little wonder then, in depth research is necessary to select proper and right materials and the best architects of the land should be involved to construct such an entry gate.
Opinions and views of social scientists and academicians and thinkers should be sought before creating such an important structure. However, the entry gate to the state capital, Itanagar at Banderdewa is bereft of all aesthetic material that depicts the cultural identity of the tribals of Arunachal Pradesh. An entry or welcome gate must not only be a feast to the eyes of the beholders but must necessarily carry a meaningful message. No doubt, the structure at Banderdewa is huge and stands dominantly towering over the ambience of the place. Surely a huge amount must have been spent and great effort must have been put in to erect it. But the monumental effort apparently seems to be an effort in futility as the gate has little to offer in terms of displaying the spirit and life style of the tribal people of the state. In other words, this huge structure is serving little or no purpose. In fact many feel that in many ways the mithun gate at Itanagar was better than the present entry gate at Banderdewa.
There is no dearth of traditional artifacts in the state for inclusion in such a structure like podum (Nyishi head gear), ngama joan (traditional hat of the Monpas), pasong (spear of the Noctes and Wanchos), kong (gong of the Khamtis, Tangsas and Singphos), Nara (cane bag of the Adis) and traditional cane hat of the Gallos, Tagins, and Idu Mishmis. Inclusion of these traditional articles in the gate will not only enhance the beauty of the gate but will add meaning and substance. Even the exotic animals and birds of the state like mithun, yak, hornbill etc. can also be symbolically used as they are dear to the tribals.
Our engineers and architects need to take a leaf from the book of the Nagas. In Nagaland most private and government buildings and even churches are built with an ethnic touch. The traditional gates there need to be seen to believe. They are so magnificent and depict the Naga way of life very vividly. A casual glance at the entry gate to Kohima located between Dimapur and Kohima will tell you without doubt that you have entered Nagaland. The Nagas may be in news for all the wrong reasons today, but we must admit that they have preserved their tradition jealously and with great success. Sadly, we the Arunachalees do not have even a false pride of being what we are, leave alone genuine pride. Erecting traditional gates depicting the traditional practices of our society can be a small step to show to the world that ‘we love and care for our ethnic traditions’.

(The writer is a DIPRO, Khonsa)