বেহাল সড়কপথে ‘আত্মহত্যা’ লাউয়ের—নীরব শিলচর, নীরব প্রশাসন!

By Raju Das

In the heart of Silchar’s Meherpur locality, a bottle gourd dangling from a bamboo pole has sparked conversation, concern, and more than a few raised eyebrows. Tied with a rope, suspended above a pile of garbage, branches, and construction debris—this gourd wasn’t just hanging there for show. It was a symbol. A silent scream. A protest. Locals claim the gourd “committed suicide”—driven to despair by the deplorable condition of the road beneath it.

Next to this grim but clever installation fluttered a political party’s flag, driving the message home: what may seem like a joke is, in fact, a biting social commentary.

The road in question isn’t a forgotten bylane. It’s a critical lifeline connecting the town to major institutions: Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Assam University, and the National Institute of Technology (NIT). And yet, for years, it has remained battered and broken, riddled with potholes, waterlogged during rains, and dust-choked during dry months.

Every single day, thousands of people—students, patients, office-goers, and even ambulances—struggle to navigate this treacherous stretch. But despite countless complaints and pleas, the response from authorities has been consistent: silence.

A local resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, summed up the frustration: “We’ve raised our voices so many times, but no one listens. That’s why we staged this symbolic protest. The hanging gourd reflects our reality—our roads are dying, and so are we, slowly, with every journey.”

Since the protest, photos of the gourd have flooded social media and made their way into drawing-room discussions. Citizens are pointing out the stark irony: political banners and posters promising development are seen everywhere, but the roads beneath them are literally crumbling.

So far, no official statement has been released by the administration. But residents warn that if the road isn’t repaired immediately, this creative protest may be just the beginning. A louder, larger movement could soon follow.

Because when even vegetables start protesting, perhaps it’s time for those in power to take notice.

[Translated from Raju Das’s piece in Bengali]

(Raju Das is a freelance reporter, scriptwriter, poet, and playwright based in Silchar. He has four years of independent experience in news reporting, along with writing analytical articles for various newspapers and publications in Silchar.)