Bah Best Bha no more

Leslie Harding Pde, a former Meghalaya bureaucrat and renowned artist passed away at a city hospital on Tuesday following a brief illness. Lovingly known as ‘Bah Best Bha’ 79 years old Pde was a dramatist playwright writer and humorist, had authored more than 20 books and translated the “Bhagavad Gita”, Ramayana’, ‘Mahabharat’ and ‘Upanishad’ into Khasi language.

He had also revolutionised the concept of Khasi serial in Meghalaya with his humorous yet satirical message filled drama ‘U Bah Besbha’ and other dramas in Doordarshan Kendra Shillong. In his novels, Pde boldly expresses the changing face of Khasi society and depicted women in their struggles and suffering. He also brings in the socio-economic, political, and religious factors that shape modem Khasi society and also depicts the good as well as the bad influence of the way of life of people from other communities.

 Pde, who was also founder member of Seng Biria U Khasi Humourists’ Society, had received many awards in recognition of his novels. Pde was born on 13th April, 1938 at Mawngap village in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district and he will be laid to rest on January 18 at Laitumkhrah Catholic cemetery.