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| Ayano Nakamura in Puri. Picture by Sarat Patra |
The ongoing election campaign in the state has amazed me. I have never witnessed such a lively campaign. Though I had already voted twice in the polls in Japan, the election here has generated much fervour. It must be the same in other parts of India.
Being the daughter of a farmer, I had never dreamt of coming to Odisha, which is rich in its culture and ethos. After I passed in sociology from Chiba Meji University three years ago, I decided to teach more students on the usage of Japanese language, which is dear to my heart.
At that time, I was only 22. Later, I got in touch with the Indo-Japanese Friendship Centre. President of the centre Srikant Das offered me a job in Odisha to teach Japanese language to students. I agreed and am doing the job voluntarily without taking any remuneration.
Leaving my lucrative career in trading, I moved to Odisha six months ago and started teaching students at Chandresekhar Academy, which has been set up by Das. What I had never expected was to witness the dance of democracy in one of the biggest democracies of the world.
Compared to Japan, it seems more money is spent on poll campaign in Odisha. The scene of bikes, autos and cars being used by candidates for campaigning is a far cry from what we see in Japan.
However, the blaring sound systems is a pain. It is fine to campaign during day, but it should end with sunset.
As Puri is a tourist place, tourists should get to enjoy the serenity of the beach in the evening
However, what attracts me is the huge hoardings and billboards dotting the Puri skyline. In Japan, the government funds the expenses of campaign through hoardings. They are usually put up at major squares of the city. Though I am unable to read what is written on them, I believe that people here want to display their strength.
I don’t understand why even before winning a candidate is being greeted with huge garlands and flower petals. During my stay, I have witnessed people gathering at various points and being fed with sumptuous meals as they are taking part in the campaign. I don’t agree to that. As Internet has reached each and every nook and corner of the world, more emphasis should be given on campaigning on social media.
Tomorrow, I will certainly go to one of the booths to see people standing in queue and casting their votes. I have also heard about booth capturing, something I could not believe.
