AUGUST 5: FRIENDSHIP DAY

Friendship Day History

There is not much literature on Friendship Day history as we celebrate today. However, there are numerous folktales and several instance in mythological legends that shows that friends and friendship have been valued since the beginning of civilized world. As an intrinsically social creature, men love to make friends to further this process of socialization.

History of Friendship Day in US

Considering the valuable role friends play in our life it was deemed to fit to have a day dedicated to friends and friendship. The United States Congress, in 1935, proclaimed first Sunday of August as the National Friendship Day. Since then, celebration of National Friendship Day became an annual event. The noble idea of honoring the beautiful relationship of friendship caught on with the people and soon Friendship Day became a hugely popular festival.

Following the popularity and success of Friendship Day in US, several other countries adopted the tradition of dedicating a day to friends. Today, Friendship Day is enthusiastically celebrated by several countries across the world including India.

In 1997, the United Nations named Winnie - the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship.

Importance of Friendship in Bible

The Bible, the primary text of the western civilization, reflects upon friendship as the bond that forms the foundation to human faith, trust and companionship. Following verses from the bible aptly portray the importance of friends:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Matthew 7:7

“Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13-15

Besides, there are several tales from the Old Testament and the New Testament about the value of friendship and how true friendship is a treasure to unearth. A noticeable point is that, both the versions make a difference between the two broad meanings of friendship- one is a mere acquaintance, the other is a more affectionate relation.

In the Old Testament, Abraham is called the “friend of God” because of the intimacy of his relations. God speaks to Moses face to face “as a man…unto his friend” (Ex 33:11). The romantic friendship of Ruth and Naomi, the devotion of the subordinate Hushai for David, or the mutual relation between David and Jonathan - the Old Testament is replete with these interesting tales of friends and friendship.

In the New Testament, the relationship between Jesus and his disciples clearly depicts how human friendship can constantly grow. From being teacher and disciple, to lord and servant their relationship finally grew to an unparalleled friendship.

Importance of Friendship in Mahabharata

In the famous Hindu epic ‘Mahabharata’, Lord Krishna demonstrates the many colors of friendship - affection, romance, brotherhood, protection, guidance, intimacy and even teasing. Friendship is all about these and much more.
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Quotes

"Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Elbert Hubard

"True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it be lost."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Charles Caleb Colton

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Anais Nin

"My friends are my estate."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Emily Dickinson

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Walter Winchell

"A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Len Wein

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Walk beside me and be my friend."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Albert Camus (also attributed to Maimonidies).

"A hug is worth a thousand words. A friend is worth more."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"Everyone is a friend, until they prove otherwise."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"Every person is a new door to a different world."
Friendship Day Quotes by: from movie "Six Degrees of Seperation"

"It takes a long time to grow an old friend."
Friendship Day Quotes by: John Leonard

"I get by with a little help from my friends."
Friendship Day Quotes by: John Lennon

"Anybody can sympathise with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend's success."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Oscar Wilde

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Bible: Ecclesiastes

"Two may talk together under the same roof for many years, yet never really meet; and two others at first speech are old friends."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Mary Catherwood

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival."
Friendship Day Quotes by: C. S. Lewis

"I might give my life for my friend, but he had better not ask me to do up a parcel."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Logan Pearsall Smith

"Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Abraham Lincoln

"The love of my life is the love between friends."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"One's best friend is oneself."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"A Friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway!!!"
Friendship Day Quotes by: Unknown

"To be depressed is to be lonely; to have a friend is to be happy..."
Friendship Day Quotes by: Guido

Friendship is like a perennial river which flows forever. It may change it's path but will never ever dry up.
Friendship Day Quote Contributed by: Pinaki Prasad Mohanty
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A Prayer for a Friend

Dear Lord,
If I could only be,
Worthy of one wish from Thee.
I would not ask for wealth or fame--
For I have more in Jesus' Name;
I would nor ask for homes and lands--
My treasures lie in Jesus' hands;
I would not ask for health or food--
For thou dost give me all that's good;
But I would that I could see,
Just how the greatest friend to be
To one Thou'st given me to love,
Both here and in our Home above--
That, Lord, the love Thou hast given me
Might fill his life and soul, that he
Will never question, never fear,
My love for him is just veneer--
But man each time I clasp his hand,
Feel friendship true, and understand
That of Thy many gifts I see,
He is a precious one to me.
Amen
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Friendship Day Flowers

Flowers are one of the most sought after gift for Friendship Day! Though people may give any flower to their friends as a Friendship Day greetings, world over Yellow Rose is recognized as the official flowers for Friendship Day.

Symbolism of Yellow Rose

Yellow Rose was chosen as the official flower for Friendship Day festival because it symbolizes joy, friendship, delight, promise of a new beginning, "remember me", and "I care". Florists say, a yellow rose with red tip stands for friendship and falling in love.

Tradition of Gifting Yellow Rose on Friendship Day

Popularity of yellow rose as a Friendship Day flower has grown up tremendously over the years. Every year on Friendship Day florists do extensive marketing for the promotion of Yellow Rose as a friendship flower. The idea seems to have caught up with youth as they exchange bouquets of Yellow Roses with all their friends. Tradition of exchanging single buds of yellow rose is also quite popular amongst youth across the world. No wonder, price of yellow rose escalates sharply on Friendship Day.

In the present technologically advanced age, people find it convenient to order flowers online especially for friends staying in other cities.

Origin of Yellow Roses

It is said that yellow wild roses were discovered growing in the Middle East somewhere in the 18th Century. These wild roses from Afghanistan and Southwest Asia blossomed in colors from pale yellow to deep sulphur. When these pretty looking yellow roses were brought back to Europe they caused a sensation. Soon they were planted and the first attempts at hybridization with yellow roses took place. However, The yellow rose species were not capable of resistance to a dreadful fungal disease called blackspot. Besides, some of them emitted a very foul scent. But with time and patience, the hybridizes began turning out some lovely creations. Today, Yellow roses have come a long way since that first introduction. They demonstrate tremendous vigor both as shrubs and climbers and come in a variety of flower form from single to densely petal packed doubles in many glorious shades of pale lemon creams, deep golds, true yellows, buff yellows, peach yellows and coppery yellows. In addition, the rather undesirable scent characteristics prevalent in the original species roses have been bred out and replaced by more pleasing perfumes!


Source: http://www.friendshipday.org/

NORTHEAST BOOKLET: PUTTING THE MIRROR TO OURSELVES

Thangkhanlal Ngaihte

Enough has been said on the Delhi Police’s booklet for India’s northeast students. It is the first time a book of this nature, meant only for a particular section of the country’s population, was published. At the debating level at least, it sounds like we are winning and the Delhi Police are losing. I didn’t come across even a single piece in support of the Police’s clumsy attempt to play jealous stewards to us and the deep-seated prejudice implicit in it.

I had also read the book. And I, perhaps curiously, didn’t feel like fuming. I actually feel like laughing!! What struck me the first time was the poor, broken English in which it was written, starting right from Robin Hibu’s Introduction. If you read through the 24-paged glossy, it becomes clear that not much thought or care was given while preparing the booklet.

The first six pages seem to be inserted especially for the northeasterners while the rest looks like a cut-and-paste job from a standard travel directory issued from time to time. Some advices simply did not make sense. Like ‘When in rooms, do as Roman does’(Dress Code); ‘Ladies be careful in trial room’ (Shopping). And do you ever heard of any food item, however ‘smelly’ it is, ever creating ‘ruckus’ in the neighborhood? There is any number of expressions like these. If they meant not to be literal expressions, or are attempts at humor, they are still in poor taste.

I am a northeasterner and two encounters I had had with the Delhi Police remained etched in my memory. The first happened on April 17 last year when I visited the Vasant Vihar police station to report theft of my mobile phone. I just needed the police stamp to claim my old number. But it didn’t turn out to be that simple. After ascertaining the place I came from (which is not Vasant Vihar, but Manipur) and whether I know Hindi or not, the man in-charge told me to go to Dwarka station as the theft occurred in a bus which came from Dwarka. No use explaining. It was one of those occasions when the tone and gestures speaks louder than the words. I left and never returned.

The second encounter was, of course, during the rally over landmines at Parliament Street on March 23 this year. Apart from the disproportionate use of force against the student agitators and severe criminal cases brought against them (which are yet to be quashed), the police had rounded up everyone who look like a northeasterner from the area and heaped abuses on them, shouting ‘Go back to China’ etc.

There are other forms of abuse and discrimination, some subtle and some not so subtle, which we face everyday by virtue of our looks. I am of the firm belief that even if the ‘northeast people’ (which itself is an unfair generalization) behaved badly and need some tough lecturing, the Delhi Police should be the last to proffer that advice. And if there is indeed anyone who need to be tutored about decent conduct and sensitivity, it the Delhi Police themselves.

But that was the well trodden path. I am not here to merely join the Delhi Police bashing crowd. The fact that the Delhi Police were the least qualified to preach to us does not mean that what they said in the booklet were wrong. It is really about time we do some soul searching and not simply wallow in a game of denial and complacency. It is about time we put the mirror to our own faces.

With the mushroom growth of private sector jobs, especially in BPO companies, it’s much easier to get jobs now than it used to be before. The northeast population in Delhi–students and job seekers–accordingly increased manifold. Earlier, it used to be mandatory to be under a local guardian, and to register with the local churches. No longer so. There are any number of people from the northeast taking up residence in Delhi and they just live on their own, outside the bounds of family discipline, the church and society organizations.

And the result shows. The ‘Northeast Nite’, the annual gathering of JNU students from northeast in recent times frequently witnessed ruckus and disturbances, mainly created by fellow northeasterners from outside. Gang type fighting, groupism and drunken brawls among the youth is on the increase. Unfortunately, what Robin Hibu said in his introduction was true. In fact, there was much outrage earlier this year when there were reports that local authorities in Munirka village were considering whether or not to evict ‘northeasterners and negroes’. How many ‘scantily clad’ northeastern girls do you meet when you walk the by-lanes of Munirka? To broad-brush all northeasterners this way is wrong. But the bad apples are, in all cases, always easily marked out.

Why talk only of Delhi? What about back home? How tolerant are we to those who don’t look like us? Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Nagaland. You know how it is better than I do.

In the northeast booklet case, the Delhi Police got the beating they deserved. But I don’t think that’s victory. It’s just that they are the wrong messenger. We will not change people’s impression of us by browbeating them. We will do so only by convincing them. And we will convince them when they see us to be good people. And they will see us to be good people when we become good people, inside and outside.


Source: www.zogam.com

What makes Delhi the divorce capital?

Delhi has emerged as the divorce capital of India with about 8,500 cases of separation filed every year on an average. It has left other metros like Mumbai and Bangalore far behind. DTexplores why so many Delhiites are finding it hard to keep the marriage vows

PALLAVI PASRICHA

They say marriages are made in heaven. But if they have been solemnised in Delhi, we may have a problem. The city has emerged as the de facto divorce capital of the country with about 8,000-9,000 cases filed here every year. The number is almost the double of what was seen four years ago, and what’s more, it is the upwardly mobile 20 and 30-somethings who are finding their way to court rooms. Also, the number of women filing for divorce has seen a steep increase.

And for all those who thought that Delhi was more steeped in tradition than the glittering Mumbai, here’s news. Mumbai sees less than 5,000 divorce cases in one year, and the same holds true for Bangalore.

CAN’T FIT IN, WALK OUT

Lawyers, sociologists and marriage counsellors cite one common reason for the higher divorce rate in Delhi – the rising expectations from marriage.

Divorce lawyer Anita Sheney says, “A lot of women are filing cases for divorce, which was not the trend earlier. If things are not working in a marriage, rather than working on it, couples decide to go their separate ways.”

Accepts marriage counsellor Chandan Gupta, “Marriages are breaking up today because couples can’t see each other’s viewpoint. Couples in their mid-20s and early-30s bring a fixed mindset to marriage and refuse to change it. They feel that marriage is like a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces will just fit in but this obviously does not happen.” He goes on to say that as both partners are working these days, they are left with no time and energy to work on the relationship. “The hectic and demanding schedule of a normal working day leaves couples with no time to understand each other,” he adds.

DELHI’S DUBIOUS STATUS

And why is Delhi seeing such a spurt in divorce cases? Experts feel that is because Delhi is a city of immigrants with no specific beliefs and is far more materialistic than other places. Divorce is no longer considered a social stigma in Delhi, and so if there are discords in a marital relationship, couples would rather break it up than somehow drag the relationship on. Comparatively, people in cities like Chennai and Bangalore have more traditional mindsets.

Lawyer Geeta Luthra who deals in divorce cases explains, “Many couples who apply for a divorce are in their twenties and thirties. It’s easier for people to end a marriage if they don’t have children, otherwise they wait till kids grow up. The main reasons for divorces are adultery and mental incompatibility these days.”

SOCIAL MORES ARE

A-CHANGING

As society accepts divorce, the reasons given for separation are also changing. Says psychologist and marriage counsellor, Madhumati Singh, “Couples are very impatient these days. Earlier marriage was about adjustment and compatibility but now it’s more like a power game where both the husband and wife strive for an equal status. Women are financially independent these days and they don’t want to change that after marriage. Money matters come into play and when things don’t work out, couples file for divorce.” As 28-year-old Seema Singh (name changed), who recently got divorced, says, “Things were just not working out. It was not as if we didn’t try. The decision to part ways was also tough but we knew that we would be happier without each other. It was an end to all the bitter fights we used to have and today we are good friends.”

Adds Madhumati, “These problems also existed earlier but nowadays youngsters have a casual approach. If a woman thinks of getting a divorce, her parents will encourage her saying that she can have a better life without her husband.”


Source: The Times of India

Manipur’s Politicised Police Forces

Anil Bhat, 31 July, 2007

In the light of the United National Liberation Front and its armed wing, the Manipur People’s Army, allegedly having links with the Bangladesh-based Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence and indulging in atrocities like laying mines, commiting mass rape and torturing Hmars and Kukis in Churachandpur and Chandel districts from 2005 to 2007 - not to forget their repeated statements that all these acts had been perpetrated by the Army - it may be pertinent to refer to some earlier media reports.

The Inter Press Service article “Christian Tribals Flee Mines and Rape in Manipur”, datelined Imphal, 27 June 2006, quoted Malini Bhattacharya of the National Council for Women who went to Parbung in Churachandpur and interviewed 21 of the 25 known rape victims, one of whom, a minor, had become pregnant. “At least two of the victims said they could identify some of the rapists,” she stated. The report also mentioned that after the Churachandpur rapes, Hmar associations had been demanding a permanent Army presence in the area. “Once the Army leaves, the insurgents are bound to return and seek further revenge,” said a pastor who asked not to be identified. And that is just what happened.

On 23 March 2007, about 800 Kuki, Hmar, Chin, Mizo and even Naga tribal youths demonstrated in Delhi, shouting slogans against the UNLF, Ibobi Singh and his government. This was the second agitation in March to condemn the harassment, torture, killings, laying of landmines and the abduction and “deportation” of more than 400 Indian Kukis on 13 March 2007 by the UNLF and Myanmar army. The slogans of the first agitation were “UNLF-Rapists… UNLF-Down Down… Launch Immediately-Army Operations… Deactivate Landmines… Rehabilitate Kukis… UNLF-Get Out, Get Out”.

The second agitation was marked by burning effigies of Ibobi Singh and slogans like “Go 2 Hell Manmohan” and “Kick out Ibobi Government”. In “Northeast Echoes” (The Telegraph, 23 April 2007) Patricia Mukhim wrote, “… No one knows this better than the people of Manipur, mainly the Meiteis, who have done everything possible to draw the attention of international human rights organisations to the pernicious clauses of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. But look at the irony of the situation. Today when the Kukis, an ethnic minority within the same state, are oppressed by the UNLF, a Meitei militant group, none of the Imphal Valley-based human rights groups are taking up their cause. This is what erodes the credibility of ‘human rights NGOs’… How could the human rights groups remain silent in the face of atrocities and outrage inflicted by a militant group, which far exceed those of the armed forces? Whereas the cry for removal of the AFSPA is extremely shrill in Imphal Valley it does not seem to resonate with the other tribes.”

L Haokip, general secretary of the Kuki Students’ Organisation, Delhi, told me that the Ibobi government came to power again mainly owing to the UNLF. KSO members also expressed despondency about the future of Kukis in view of the Centre rooting for Ibobi, who is not expected to take any action against the UNLF. As such, the present crisis is being seen by the KSO as one which has the potential of exploding as a Meitei versus tribal confrontation, something which needs to be avoided at all costs by taking effective action. Unfortunately, a very negative fallout of all this is the politicisation of the state’s police forces.

Following earlier incidents, the Assam Rifles at Moreh was replaced by the 4th India Reserve Battalion. Shortly after its deployment, a constable, Jamkholen Haokip, was allegedly shot dead by a colleague on 11 June. Morung Express, datelined 1 July, 2007, Dimapur, reported that Jangmang Haokip, chief of Moreh and president of the Hill Tribal Council, Moreh Hill Town, sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister alleging that “the IRB personnel in a state of semi-mutiny tried to kill their commanding officer on 29 June might and called for a bandh in Moreh. The CO took shelter in an Army camp and reached Imphal the next day. This is what IRB is doing, and the general public has lost confidence completely in the IRB.” Haokip called for the immediate removal of the IRB force and demanded deployment of the Army. This was not acceptable in Moreh for obvious reasons, so it was decided to deploy state forces on a roster system, starting with the 7 Manipur Rifles, which, like the IRB, comprises Meiteis and Manipur-based tribals.

While communally incited mutinous situations in the security forces must be prevented, landmines in the hands of terrorists in Manipur is cause for concern. Landmines are far more dangerous than conventional small arms and no country should be lackadaisical enough to allow non-state actors to acquire these.

(The author is a security analyst and chief editor of WordSword Features & Media.)


Source: The Stateman

The Clogged Space - I, II & III

The Clogged Space - I

By:- David Buhril *


On enquiring the "To Let" board for a friend who is looking for a room in Munirka, New Delhi, the landlady who owned the vacant rooms showered us with too many questions.

The questions left me feeling like we stole the last apple from her garden. But we didn't pluck any apples from her garden. Nor Eden. Most of the questions were unnecessary.

Some were smeared with contempt. Some were interesting. Some were surprising. Some were not easy to tolerate. Some were demeaning. Some were quite digestible. We served her answers after answers to questions like, what's your religion?

Do you eat dog's meat?

Beef?

Do you have girlfriends? Boyfriends?

At last she asked where we belong?

With overflowing pride about our beautiful place, we told her that we are from Manipur. But oh! She told us that she did not want any tenants from Manipur.

With a stern look that seem like the coming of a big storm and firm haughty face she closed the door abruptly. In silence we navigate buildings after buildings looking for a sign that says 'To Let'.

The silence was painful. Shameful too. Some rooms were available. But most of the rooms were far from habitable. No windows. No Ventilations. No room for air and light. The rooms were too small. Otherwise the bigger ones are expensive again.

Worst is that they are not taking anyone from Manipur. We speak Hmar and Mizo and could easily slip off by saying we come from Mizoram. But we just did not want to do that. We did not want that to be a trick. Or a lie. Or a password. Our sense of belonging is not to be tested with any of those rotten apples.

Another couple of landlords, again, told us that they are not taking anyone from Manipur. We argued about the fact that everyone is not Adam or Eve. Or Judas.

But it was not making any sense. I asked myself what the hell must have gone wrong with us from Manipur? Is it because of the Armed Forces Special Power Act? Silly. Is it because we are addicted to bandhs, protest and all those past time?

Or is it because they saw our women protesting naked in the street? Some said they are not keeping non-vegetarians. Is PETA winning here? They don't seem to know a thing about PETA. But we don't eat human flesh.

We won't. Besides we won't be sharing any pots or utensils. Not even the kitchen.

Well, we don't look that poor, needy and broke not to be able to pay the monthly rent. Looks are deceptive. But that's not the reason again. They owned TVs to have witnessed the economic boom in China, Japan, Korea and the East.

So what? We look like them. That's what they say. So we must be looking like rich and booming too. That's what I mean.

Otherwise our skins are not that yellow to look like jaundice infested tenants. My friend is healthy. Me too. Besides people from Manipur are sportive and strong. So that's not the reason again.

What then? Oh, my friend is not as ugly as Abraham Lincoln. He could become a model for some Burmese eatables industry anytime. Besides, there are quite a number of girls who likes him.

He's been, rather, facing the problem of choosing the right one. That's not the reason then. Of course we are Christians, but we won't do that conversion mission here. We did not come for that.

That is not what is expected of us too. We don't have time for that. We are not really interested in that mission. At least not now. We don't look dirty too. We do not even smoke.

We are not gays. We are straight. Our inclination is towards the opposite sex, anytime. Despite all that we were compelled to move from door to door. It wasn't fun at all.

Of course Ibomcha drinks and partied. Kimi hangs out everywhere with everyone whose skin is darker than anyone from Manipur. Athuiliu's skirt hangs too low. Chingnu may be overdoing her makeup in the evening.

They actually wonder where she goes. Khuplian seem to find difficulties in opening his eyes. He is getting thinner everyday. I was also told many of the pubs; discos and restaurants are not allowing people from the north east to get inside.

Looks like it is not all about money anymore. So what with all this happenings? True we all are from Manipur. But that is not to say that we all are doing the same thing. I am sorry for what must be taking place, but I am not my brother's sinner. And it is never right to generalize the assumption to a firmer ground.

I have been asking too many questions since then. I cannot answer them all. Is this discrimination? If then, is it racial or regional? Are we the others outside the "mainstream"?

Or are we the outsiders? Is multiculturism dead? Are the hands of diversity paralysed? Is secularism in the grave?

The adhesive, that is, understanding, seem to have waned. Or have we become the untouchables? In the face of differences creating indifferences we were left with few choice. My friend and I find it difficult to maintain that polite gentility. On the other hand we dare not be mean and hot tempered.

Oh Sanaleibak! What is in your name?

In this pallette like multicultural existence we need to negotiate with respect for one another. Cultural pluralism is a quintessentially modern phenomenon As a global pattern, it is a creature of the present century.

Maybe 'we' and 'them' are walking the road trying to learn. But the space is already getting clogged for us.



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The Clogged Space - II


We have been squeezed into a clogged space. That is what it is. But as I am, at least, allow to celebrate my liberty. So I took the opportunity to write about me and my friend's experience, which I believed, has more to do with us as a people than merely the two friends.

I have bought the belief that innocence has no color. I paid a big price for it. So come down here, you won't be spared. Or leave, the leftovers won't be spared either. Otherwise stay and bear it. You will certainly become tougher and tolerant. Patient.

Understanding too. If that is what it takes to identify with the "mainstream", the path is far from right. We ought to have a sight. Maybe for a side. Or a site. Or a sigh. Its OK if we are leaving them today. But its never OK if we still have to live with them till tomorrow.

If this path will lead us to "integrate" with the billion races, the race will be too painful. It is no longer about grazing in the green pasture of conscience and reason. Rather, we are being hurled with the unwanted distortions of conceptions and interpretations.

That's the image. Yours and mine. There is no point complaining that we did not start the fire. The situation is already like reading a bad translation of the Bible. So we failed to deliver the meaning of our existence and us. We are not a mistake.

But we are already mistaken. We are not a blot. But we are already blotted. The slice of unrotten corner is occupied by pretension and their best affordable "goodwill". Of course their financial thirst too. That ground beneath our feet is not safe. We need to negotiate.

We need education to affirm and accept the diversity. Through a designed system we are imposed with thick syllabus that have big chapters on sick caste system and other sicker subjects that were taught in schools and colleges nationwide. Nothing about us. Nothing about our values. There's no trace that reflects about us.

Our coming here and there is a challenge to their domain of understanding. We exist outside them. Outside their geography, history and culture. While our politics is their hands. So the call has been to "integrate" and "assimilate". Our perceived image is that of the man whose frame never seem to relate to any other man they have come across.

We still exist as a big question. Even after paying big money for their caste ridden like small airless and lightless rooms, we were taken in, they said, with "grace", "mercy" and all those sweet butter flabs. I am a little tired already. For I cannot be strong and tough forever. I don't believe in superman.

And my tolerance can no longer be a courage that silently suffers all their ignorance and indifferences. I am tired of putting my rationality's strength to test. Is this a result of our non- affront ability or non- confrontabity?

I must mention another interesting experience where I emerged like the winner after a battle. It was in the hot June of 2005 when I landed in Delhi with my brother and sister for their admission to the University of Delhi. I happen to encounter this good man, Mr.Sharma, who is now the landlord of my folks.

He owned a room that can easily accommodate two people. We paid the security, and the advances. But then he said he wouldn't allow my sister to share the room with my brother. I told him we are brothers and sisters. I even showed him their certificates bearing our dear parents names. He told me his side of the story. He told me that this has been his "practice and tradition".

Besides he told me about "the girls from northeast". I was again in pain and shame. He thought my sister would be just like that too. He narrated stories, news, and all that crass that is designed to deliver the message that our sisters and girls are "cheap". Try to read all the meanings inside that word. That's the picture about our sisters.

That is how we are understood to be. I took my turn to tell him my side of story. I began by telling him that the issue is not about "cheap girls from Manipur or north east". I told him it is rather about the diverse culture and the big gap we are living with. I told him we failed in the negotiation. So we are fed with assumptions that are plastered with deliberate distortions and exaggerations.

I lost my temper in the hours of negotiations for the one room we are looking for. I raised my voice. His sons and daughters thought we were already in the middle of a fight. But he was an old man who has lived enough years to understand.

He was once a student of Hindu College. He is a retired government servant. Besides he owned a house in the heart of the Capital of India. So I told him he ought to be different at least. Not like all the others. So break free. I told him about family.

I told him we are from Manipur, but we come from a family where there are boys and girls, mother and father living together. So my brother and sister have also to stay together again, for all convenience sake too. He asked me silly questions, which I don't think is silly for him and his society. What will my family say? What will my neighbors say? "Actually you know", he said, "I never do that".

In the long heated negotiation, I did not really care for the room anymore. I was taking the pain just to deliver my side of story which seem too new for him. And when the sun has set long ago, unexpectedly, he told me that he is impressed and convinced about my explanations.

So he allowed us to take the room but on a long list of conditions over which I signed my name. Since then, everyday we live to prove and to reveal the immense values of humanity, which we also have been treasuring just like them.

We live everyday to be acceptable and to be accepted like them. We are not supposed to make a mistake. But that's not human. Although that's expected of us. Otherwise we can be down and out anytime.

If this popular belief is what the democratic population is hatching, the whole chapter of democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, secularism, etc., has to be redefined so that we can all come closer to understand its pragmatic aspect.

Culture should act as the filter of our understanding. The present progress did not reflect anything towards that. The myth of superman and his superior culture cannot be a valid standard of acceptance where we are seen as the lesser, weaker, inferior, mortals who are expected to bow to their will.

At such moments, I decried over the artificiality of the collectivity and grow doubtful over the possibility of the diverse unity. We don't seem to be representing ourselves anymore. Rather we represent the fixed image they shaped for us.

This ought to be contested and challenged. With our march into the modern state as "equal citizens", we are bounded by the reality shaping power that is exercised in multiple ways: fixation of the image of a citizen, patterning a popular culture, containment of population movement, etc.

That has been quite successful. Ask anyone if you and I look like one of those from the "mainstream". True, they say we did not look, act, react, or think like them. Mr. Sharma was right.

He is brave enough to say that, " We failed to understand the culture of the people from the north east". There is a missing. There is a gap. These are not isolated examples.

They are everywhere. Worst it lives in their minds. It will not leave.

The space is getting clogged.


-------------------------------------------
The Clogged Space-III


A friend asked what "The Clogged Space" is all about. He is from down south of India. Science has nursed him during his graduation days. So I told him that it is about the need for a big bang when the clash of civilization occurs. That's the easiest explanation I can manage in a sentence.

It doesn't make much sense to him, but I deliberately did that for the need of brevity. Brevity is essential. That's what I have been realising from the clogged space. Explanation is never always an answer. Sometimes I felt like an old whore. I cannot sell (explain) anymore.

Worst they won't but it anymore too. Unfortunately, the old whore did not believe in delivering anything free. That's me, I suppose. So I was not very ready to repeat the long story for my friend that might go like another uncatched raindrops. This is not about a dwell in the island or the village.

If anyone thinks it is about that, their sight can be the prodigal sons and daughters of the view from the pond. If not they must be racist. Otherwise, they thought that we are the unreasonable tribe who deserves this clogged space. But I must assert again that we are not lesser than anyone.

We are a little fortunate not to be grouped into the class of 'untouchables'. Our food culture, they say, could have granted us that membership anytime for free. With our taste buds wetted and wedded to unique smells of 'Imagi Ngari' (fermented fish), fermented pork lard (sathu in Hmar) and fermented soybeans, they just cannot imagine any civilized palatable dish out of those smells.

These are Home's signature smell for us. They are one thing that comes closest to defining Home for us. However the absence of understanding, of the need and importance of these smells, have been another big reason of our step into the clogged space. The smell is no longer about good or bad for us. It is already rooted to our historic culture.

They already flow in our blood. We are eating them not in celebration of the glorious inheritance. But just because of the simple fact that we like them too much. If they expect us to omit the smell from our food, this is a big asking. How can we live chopping our tongue?

The inheritance is from the past where we cherish the smell as the stamp of our popular food culture. They are one thing we dearly share in Manipur. Who knows, they might be the bonds that keeps us faithfully together in Manipur. Imagine Manipur without 'Imagi Ngari'.The picture of differences pops us with the people sharing just indifferences and really nothing. Maybe that is where our "unique history" begins.

I remember the first day in Delhi's kitchen where I was told by my uncle to be very careful when burning the treasured fish I brought from Home. I burnt the fish feeling like I was doing something sinful. Something sexy …you know that kind of thing. Something not acceptable.

Just because they set and said that it is not the right time and the right place anymore. But can it be like that? Should I allow it? Or should I let them win? I was hoping to feed myself with Home's food and then slumber off to dream about home. I was too sick for Home then. "Imagi Ngari" was supposed to be some sort of panacea.

But I was feeling like Judas, for the silly reason that our landlady who lives in the first floor did not allow us to burn anything with those "dirty smells". She would call us "dirty children" which we used to miraculously tolerate.

I must confess now that I succeeded in seducing her son to like the wonderful foods from Manipur with that smell for which he still dearly remember me. The poor boy has grown up. But he hasn't grown out to like what he likes. I remember giving a long lecture to his mother about the importance of what comes out than what goes in.

She was right. She said that it is not their practice. They stuffed butter and sweets inside that is converted into flab. What come out are the thorns of evil caste and narrow class that we are confronting. Unfortunately it seeps inside Manipur too. They never seem to leave them and us free.

Sir Charles J.Lyall, an Englishman and a scholar, seem to be in a very sorry state when he wrote in May 1908, that "… while Burma has accepted the mild and gentle religion of Buddha, and thus profoundly modified the original animistic cult, Manipur has been taken into the pale of Hinduism, and has imposed itself burdensome restrictions of caste and ritual from which its greater neighbor is happily free".

The clutches clogged us in every way. Not the religion. But the sub-culture that has borne out of it. And out here, the foods that we so much love have become an instrument to corner us to that exotic group. I must tell you this again.

When I joined JNU in the year 2000 for my masters programme, I was told of this beautiful and painful true story that took place in one of the hostels in JNU.The monotonous menu of the hostel was designed to suit the taste buds of the democratic population whose culture and every other thing is closely interrelated to it.

For a relief, as well as to eat what he likes, Ibungo was burning his treasured Ngari, which he managed to export with great difficulty from Sanaleibak Manipur. To his surprise, his neighbor and floor mate knocked on his door to complain about the "foul smell." I was told they had a heated argument.

But the dry fish was never save from further burning. So this man went to the warden to complaint about the fortunate smell. The warden and a good gang knock on Ibungo's door again. After another argument, Ibungo told them that he is already tired with the imposed "food imperialism".

His final question to the warden will always remain beautiful. He asked, " Sir, now tell me, what smell is allowed in the hostel and what smell is not allowed?" If I were in the authority, I would have nominated him for receiving the bravery award in the coming Republic day.

If popular culture is supposed to be hatched by the larger population who are always up to defining what not to do for the others, there should be enough space where the others could also draw their own line. The knock is a burst of the pride that apes superman and his belief that "might is right".

I make no apology for such obsession with a pride in the multiplying boom. A million or billion boom it could be. That's not blooming .If this is democracy, I am not to pretend that democracy represents the collectivity. Our presences are drawn on blank blur lines.

We actually did not deserve this. As I am writing this piece, I was told of the appalling news that was aired on the All India Radio, Aizawl. The sad news is that thousands of innocent Hmar villagers from Tipaimukh area of Churachandpur district have been displaced by the valley-based militants who are occupying their villages.

They are fleeing towards Mizoram leaving their hearths and homes. They are called refugees in another state. No Home for us anymore.

Another big chapter of the clogged space.

I only have to hope for the dawn where we may wake with no fear for any clogged space. Otherwise, it is clogged here now.

Clogged there too.
------------------------------

David Buhril,a research scholar in JNU, contributes regularly to e-pao.net.
The writer can be contacted at davidbuhril@yahoo.com
This article was webcasted on January 11th, 2006

A Manipuri in New Delhi - Nine years of friends, fun and little bit of study

Alberto Mangsatabam *


This is the story of a young man who left home for New Delhi some fourteen years back looking for big things to happen. I have to confess that young man was none other than me. With already the status of high school dropout, troublemaker, I was in late teens then, I hit off on the road all alone to see the world outside home, family and relatives.

As usual with strong opposed from my mother, I won the battle with my usual freewheeling one-sided stubborn decision, I have to go. I took some advice from a friend who already had some pretty good experience from his early schooling from Delhi. As he told me, I reached Calcutta by air, now Kolkata, and landed at Manipur Bhavan and met Mr. Benerjee whose job was mainly booking ticket with some extra perks from the travelers. I asked him for a ticket for Rajdhani Express to New Delhi. Some hour later he came back with the ticket but instead of Rajdahni Express he got me a Toofan Express. I was a little bit confused but Toofan sounded quite fast too so I agreed with it and proceeded with the journey next day. Later I realized that was the slowest train I ever board; it took me almost four days to reach Delhi.
And so I landed up at Delhi.

First day itself I had the opportunity to witness the historic Red Ford for the first time, crossing Chandni Chowk, the India Gate on way between old Delhi railway station to the place I was supposed to be landing, where a far relative lived there. I reached the room without much problem. It was just the size of a modern day bathroom, a little bit bigger and to my surprise some eight guys were already sharing the room. With me the room was almost bursting open at the seams. Every morning to defecate or to take a bath I have to wait in a long queue for more than an hour or so. First few weeks; I started learning the basics of cooking and picked up some pretty good Hindi specially names of the vegetables. I didn't move out much other than some few nearby places: Defence Colony, South Extension and little bit far area like Central Market, Lajpat Nagar.
While doing some evening walks in these areas, I sometimes lose direction and it used to take me hours to find the place I was staying. I also got admitted to a private school as a private candidate so that I don't have to attend classes regularly as I didn't take much interest on those matters, as usual.

So, first few months other than those guys in that room, most of whom were senior to me, I didn't make much acquaintances. Most of the time, I was alone. Eventually I met an old friend, Johny, he too was fresher in Delhi at that time. He was there for his admission at Delhi University for his graduation. Somehow he got admitted inbto a college in South Campus. His subject: English honours.
In fact, his books on English literature and a few American writers were my first interest in reading novel. In my leisure time I started giving a try at his books. I remembered reading Jane Austin's Mansfield Park, David Copperfield, The Adventure of Hukleberry Finn and one of my all time favourite Emily Bronte's The Wuthering Heights, the novel that stills fascinated me.

After a few weeks of our meeting, we have decided to take a new room and so we shifted in a new room at South Extension Part-II. Since then we made a very good combination. We were both painfully thin, he was tall six footer, with carefree attitude, aiming high, enthusiastic and both of us are into music very much, hard rock, heavy metal and so on. We never missed any rock concerts and festival in and around Delhi, campus rock, IIT festival and all.

For the next few three years we lived together changing our room many times at many places in and around New Delhi. Also his hindi was far better than mine as he did his schooling from a hindi oriented background. Most of the dealing especially with the house owners; he did it all the time.

During this time we encountered some of the funniest, stingiest and typical house owners at Delhi.
I can still remember that old lady, standing four feet and nothing tall, the owner of the South Extension flat. She resembled popular yesteryear's hindi film bad lady Lalita Pawar. From a hundred feet away, I could see her front tooth stained with years of chewing tobacco which she kept on munching all the time. Every time the post man came for us she just pops up from nowhere and this she manage to do despite her old age weakness and losing agility to move fast. Whenever she saw the money order form she was happier than us for she knew she is getting her monthly rent.

Another case is Mr Aggarwal, owner of the flat at Arjun Nagar. He was quite impressive the first few week. He pretended to be an English speaking gentleman, who doesn't bother much about rent, money and all. He kept on enquiring about our studies and welfare and all. His limited English vocabulary with lots of 'OK' and 'NO PROBLEM' within each sentence as he spoke.
We were so comfortable with him that Johny even agreed to give tuition to his obese daughter. He was a banker working for the State Bank of India.

Few months later his true colour came out; he was a man who thought nothing else but money. Next to his wife and children it was money all the way. I realized later that from the first time we entered his house, he had been seeing us not as human being but rather some sort of human check or draft.
Since meeting him, I have never been able to keep faith on any Aggarwal I have met till date.

And then, the last but, mind you, not the least, the owner at Satya Niketan flat. That was the room I stayed longest at, sharing the room with Johny. He was the type of owner we have never encountered. A persion with attitude. At that time he was running a private detective firm. He resembled the famous fiction detective character Sherlock Holmes. Rain, sunshine or chill of the winter he was always wearing a black overcoat. He seem to carry a gun all the time although I have never seen it once. He didn't talk to us that much. Once in a while he did talk to us, he never spoke in hindi but always in English though I never heard him saying a complete sentence in english - two or three words, thats all. Anyways he was the best house owner we have ever encountered.

And so life goes on like that. Apart from all these happenings and incidents, we lived through many interesting and unforgettable moments. Many times we were in the habits of blowing up our pocket money at the start of every month. The taste of hot and fresh sausage burgers at Kent Fast Food corner is still fresh with me. Going out for late night movies at Priya cinema complex and Chanakya hall, hanging out at the popular hangouts spots. Sometimes when we came back home late at night the gate has already been closed and locked and we had no choice but climbing up to our room through the toilet pipeline.
At the end of every month we were completely broke and we just stayed inside the room bored and sometimes even without food or taking solace at some few friend's places who were more economical, studious and managed well at that time.

During this period of complete footloose eventually I made lots of new friends from all over India, especially from North-East states and particularly from Manipur. Most of them were sons and daughters of big shots; they went to or were passed out from the finest schools and colleges of India in and around Delhi. Some of them even with their own bikes and cars. Some even have their own flat at Delhi. And so, late night party, discotheque, girlfriends, group fighting, lots of happenings. In fact, during this period I have experienced the real taste of youthful hypocrites, boys and girls of my age really acting smart and cocky, specially girls from North-East and particularly from Manipur, complete vanity fair, boys like me are snubbed most of the time. But in reality they were so naïve and credulous. Nothing much in them accept some good accented hindi and english. Anyway that was all part of the fun.
So, after all those years of complete footloose and freewheeling, I somehow started getting sober.

And then one fine evening at Priya Cinema complex I met one of my old schoolmate. He already knew I was in Delhi and my conditions so he told me, "you were not that bad in schooldays, even better than me, why waste your time, do something, it's already late but not too late, what about giving a try on computers." At that time he had just completed a course on software and all. With these few words of encouragement from him the next few days I started mulling over it and rejuvenated somehow. For the first time, after all those years of chaos, I did make good firm decision, a positive one.

I joined an institute for a course on computers and software. I got along with the course very well. Next few months I spent most of the time at the labs. Day and night, sometimes even without food, developing software, designing database, programming using C, C++ then Java, Applets, Socket programming and so on. With full concentration I excelled in most of those stuffs; I even topped most of the subjects.
At the end of the course, some good software firms at that time offered me to join them but I declined. I still don't know why I did that, might be some hangover of my old stubborn habits still hanging on, at that time. Next few months and years, I didn't do anything much other than some freelance software development. Some times I am in Delhi and some back home at Imphal. Eventually I settled down back home at Imphal.

Most of my earlier friends during those period are settled down at home in Imphal, some went abroad, some were working at MNC in and around Delhi and other major cities, few of them joined government service and to my surprise some remained in Delhi doing the same activities and routine we did all those years. I still wonder how they manage this long.

I have been to Delhi again recently thinking if I could start something new and fresh. After all it's home away from home, but due to some health problem I came back home again at Imphal. During my stay there I had some opportunity to revisit most of the places I had stayed and the old hangouts - all alone - like a mad man doing his routine walks looking blankly at those places sometimes for hours. Some even gave me goose bumps.
The meaning of life, youths, friendship, humanity, love, hatred and so on, all jumbled up in my mind.

So here I am back home at square number one eventually becoming a writer with a hole in my pocket. Still single I spend most of the time alone at my room writing the songs of life with my cheap overused pen with nothing or no one accept my old V.I.P briefcase which is my only constant companion of all these years, with stickers of capital letters 'A' and 'M', short form of my name on it, old and dirty with cracks on it. Inside it, some of my credentials remained, though not worth that much. I am still surviving with few assets inherited from my late father and two square meals a day luckily still sponsored by my old mother. For most of you the general saying goes that 'life begins at thirty' but for me, thirty years seem too long.
Yes! too long.

I am signing off for now as usual with these few lines from the American/British singer/poet and social activist Bob Dylan:
"Mama, take these badge off me
I can't use it anymore
It's getting dark, too dark to see
Feels like I am knocking on heaven's door
Knock, knock, knocking on heaven's door."

Alberto M: This write-up is dedicated to my late friend Thokchom Ramesh ('Yambi' or 'Yamba' to friends and family). He was such a fun loving person with extreme sense of humour, easy going type of guy. Together we did some of the most interesting and daring things in life. May his soul rest in peace.




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Alberto Mangsatabam, a resident of New Delhi, writes regularly to e-pao.net
You can email the writer at amangsatabam@yahoo.com
This article was webcasted on 10th December 2005.

On discrimination in Mainland India

By Hahat Melchior *


This is especially for those who live outside the NE India but within India and perpetually feel sidelined and discriminated for being perceived as so 'different'.

I spent almost 12 years in Delhi for various reasons - student, non-student preparing for various national exams, working woman and finally a married woman and a mother before we moved to Zurich, Switzerland early last year.

During most part of my stay there, I had a lot of reasons to not like mainland Indians. I hated the word 'chinkies' in reference to us. I hated having to face harrassments when having some work at DU main campus, especially upon seeing the clerk not giving me attention.

Maybe the clerks are lazy in general but to a naive student, it was easy to infer that it is an act of racism. I hated it when our girls in particular are perceived as immoral because of what we wear and our outspoken independent nature.

Well, wearing shorts, sleeveless shirts, minis etc were not new to us. We've worn them for ages. And now if you go to nightclubs in Delhi, you think you're wearing too many clothes cos' Delhi girls wear almost nothing. These are the same people who pointed fingers at us over a decade ago.

O! how I also hated being touched or pinched at in public buses and at Pragati maidan during trade fairs. But the most overrated insult is when I would be asked where I am from, and then I'd say 'from manipur' and they'd implore 'where is Manipur?

Is it in China?' or 'Are you a Nepali?'. Aarrgghhhh!!!

I just wanted to scream 'which school did you go to? In Manipur we know so much about your place, your little towns, your dams, et al.'

I like Nepalis and I respect them for their humility and independence of willing to work as house helpers, drivers etc. but when mainland Indians refer to us as Nepalis, it is usually in a derogatory term.

Fast forward that to today, in Europe, in Zurich in particular. I have this gift of people, that people love to come and chat up with me (maybe I look friendly and maybe out of curiosity).

My church in Zurich is very international, people from around 100 nations so I get to meet alot of them. When they come down to the point of asking me my native land, I always wished I had a camera with me to capture their expressions of "What!!!! you're from India?!!.

You're too nice to be an indian. Your English is too good to be an Indian. No! its not possible" and so on....

It sounds like a compliment to me but its not. I feel sad that people are surprised to know that I am an Indian. I am very much an Indian.

So now, can you clearly sense that the Indian govt is doing nothing much to let the world know about us unlike Malaysia or Singapore who clearly let the world know that they have people of Indian origin there too.

Isn't it sad? Maybe and maybe not.

I just have no regrets about being from Manipur and the NE India. Maybe we're not loved in India as we have wished but the world over loves us which is a more comforting feeling. And one of the things I am really proud about our uniqueness is that people identify us more as south east Asian but with good communication skills because of our fluency in English (majority of SE Asians are still poor with their English spoken skills).

At the same time, we can also dwell in the glory and greatness of India because thats what we actually are - Indians. I am just so happy to have belonged to where I belong.

On a light hearted note, I am also proud to admit that much before MTV came to India, we were already so updated with the latest bands and best selling albums (one of the many things we excel in).

My husband who is a Swiss also have deep respect for our modern yet traditional cultures. And he is so proud to tell people "My wife is from the north east India. They're very unique, friendly and different".

So now, whenever you feel you are being discriminated or harrassed by a Mainland Indian, dont get mad.

Just smile and remind yourself of how much the rest of the world embrace you.

And also that there are many good Indians who love us very much too.

PS: Can anyone of you tell our local politicians that I am willing to continue speading the goodwill work for our region as long as they also give the world and the country a good impression about us all.

Have fun.

Go look into the mirror and say "Thank you God for being from the NE India".

God bless you all.

If anyone of you knows someone from our place living in Switzerland, please do let me know.




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Hahat Melchior contributes for the first time to e-pao.net
She can be contacted at itshahat@yahoo.com
This article was webcasted on 06th June 2005.

Dress Code In Delhi University?? Heee!!Haaa!!

By: Hopson Sapam *


As it is admission times, it seems 'All roads lead to Delhi'. Is it something stupid to have this notion these days? Stupid or sane....

Who cares anyway.

But true to the facts, the numbers of students from North East who sail for Delhi to study is on the rise for every year by the time now. Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata are favorite destinations. But if Statistics is to believe, Delhi takes the lead.

Poor infrastructure, present political scenario may be considered as some very noteworthy reasons why students from these trouble-torn states of North-East India headed to study here in Delhi. No Discos, No fiscos, No nightlife, infact no life after dark (read night) as terror reigns the towns of North East (NE).

And LO!! In Delhi, it takes a complete U-turn from these blessings. It's not a matter of the grass looks greener on the other side here, but talking about the freedom, the hassle free life, the joy of being forever young, the celebration of being a youth, infact the care free attitude as students which we missed so badly growing up there in the wilderness of our hometowns where chaos and confusions reigns for decades are displayed vividly here.

The story of the girl from North East being gang raped at Dhaula Kuan in Delhi is really very unfortunate. How the girl and her family must be coping with life after that incident is hard to imagine. May God be with them.

Even though there are arguments saying that the girls should not go for the walk that fateful night late at night, served no purpose.

Sometime back when a police constable at Marine Drive in Mumbai raped a girl and Shiv Sainiks fired girls' dresses provoke sexual harassment.

Oh!! Really?? Lets see... Now who is this coordinator of Delhi University's cell for North East students at Kirorimal College who says the only way to ward off sexual harassment is by " dressing right".

In The Times of India ( Dt june 10, 2005). he wrote "Living in delhi is very different from living in the north east. Here the ethos dictates that women dresses or jeans can invite comment".

Mr Coordinator, you must be joking. Can you really pick ten 'behanjees' rather than the teachers in 'salwaar-kameez', that too in a campus college, say your KMC.

Jokes apart. Do we imagine Mallika Serawat clad with a salwaar kameez in that song " Bheege hoot tere, pyasa dil mera" or that sizzling 'hawas' girl Meghna Naidu in the same costume. Thanks Heaven !!!!! Malika Serawat is not a north eastern girl. ha! ha!

No doubt, that NE girls paint the town red with their lovely, mesmerizing, flamboyant dresses. If some darling is of the idea that the mainland girls (Yes!! Behanjees) did not flaunt these stuffs, he/she better be ignore as a psychic.

All those spaghetti tops, strings, dangerously low waist Levi's jeans or say slouchy boots, flirt skirts, chunky knits, maxi dresses are not marketed in Delhi for North Eastern girls only.

Say for instance Shoppers' Stop or Malls at Gurgaon like Metropolitan, Sahara or DT which are selling stuffs like sexy Capri paints, jeweled top, plaid skirt, Buckled Skirt, Denim Jacket, Belted corduroy skirt, Ankle boot, fitted jacket are all meant for womankind without any bar on caste colour and creed . Had these Malls and shopping Arcade aim only to those handful NE customers, they would have their businesses close down long time back.

Everyone is in a metrosexy trend these days. Not only the girls, the boys are too not left far behind. Honestly, I wish I too had a Frank Muller Watch, infact almost all the youngsters seem to be a complete fashion freak only with the exception of a very few. And Dahling!! Whats wrong with that???

Visiting any popular discotheque in the capital would definitely help to know how the world is taking its stride in the present metrosexy trend. Crowds at " DUBLIN" or say at "DJINNS" are definitely decent with girls in Lindsay Lohan dresses performing LIVE!!! And My God!!

The Ashok Hotel 'Disco' "CAPITOL" is really a heaven buddy!! If you don't mind being a Peeping Tom for a moment.....Eeekss!!! Do you think all the sexy things, beautiful people and the girls scantily clad in these bars and discos are all from the north east??

Ask yourself Honey!! Now, take a look at the cheaper discs or should I rather say affordable ones for students like "pegs n pines" at Chanakyapuri or the popular "Fareinheit", one is sure to encounter only a few chingky faces or NE faces while almost all of them are Delhi Urban tribes.

Once during the carefree college days, we manage to check out Taj Palace celebrated Dicso, "My kind of Palace" where every Wednesday a party with the theme ' Chingky Night' was honoured ( don't know, they still have that theme) we thought of finding cocktails termed as Bloody 'Naga' Mary, 'Mizo' Vodka on the rock or say 'Meitei' Sex on the Beach, similar to those cocktails like Karisma Lagoon, Aishwarya Virgin Mary or a Sharukh Delight on themes like Bollywood night in any hi-fi bar of town.

However what we experienced was really contradictory.

Honey!! There were only bhaiyas, bahanjees and of course some firangees with a few chingky faces like our group that night. But still people here in Delhi thought NE girls are like this... they did that...they are so... and bla bla . Is it like ' a rotten apple spoils the basket' still works here, Nah!!

Whenever Mom visited Delhi, she never flaunts her "Moirang Phi" " Mapan Naiba" " Muka Phanek" "Wangkhei Phi" or whatsoever, she switch on a saree rather than a salwaar kameez as she finds it more comfortable. Infact she might have the idea of ' while in Rome, do as the Romans did'.

Even when my favourite Angelina Jolie (on TV) visited Afghan border and Peshawar as an UN Ambassador for Refugees, she was clad with a traditional Afghan dress ( but the curves are still there... oooohhhhh!!! Sorry!!) Infact everyone, everywhere is aware of the way they dresses up and very sure of the way they carry themselves very confidently. So why make a fuss on people dresses ,my dear.

During those college days, my roommate Jim(name changed) in hostel was dating two girls at a time, one at Miranda and the other at LSR. He was so persuasive that he always made me accompany him to meet his girls only to end up making a fool of myself holding the helmets and guarding his bikes at the girls' hostel gates.

Now thanks Jim. Had I not gone there with him, I would have never experience how girls in those hostels dressed up.

Now, lately after meeting her and knowing that she too was at LSR hostel, I really miss watching her those days on any given Sunday when I accompany my friend to meet his girlfriends. That's really absurd, huh?? I never knew she was there nor did she thinks that I came there to often at their hostel gates.

Sounds some Bollywood flick right ?? ha!! Hah!! Just Kidding, But for heavens sake please do not think that those girls in college hostel who dressed up rather interestingly or attractively (sexy) are only NE girls.

When people talk about love, its lovely but when the same people talk about having a dress code for the girls who knew too little about the way of the world just after completing school with the hope that they will be going college and dress up for classes like the way they show in movies, its really absurd.

Seems like a reign of Taliban in this country. As for my kid sisters ( though I have none) I would never love to dress up them in a way that they might feel really uncomfortable, this never mean that my kid sister should go for classes at Delhi University with a bikini or say a provoking dress (as they claim).

It's agreed here that if the land of salwaar kameez make all their behanjees in colleges and university to wear a uniform dress code rather than the sexy tops and low waist paints, I would definitely try to convince my kid sister to follow the norms.

Else, mind your language. Any Tom, Dick, and Harry Knows how to have fun, make merry, follow fashion and definitely dressing up very decently and not like the Bollywood hotties like Udita Goswami, Neha Dhupia, Bipasa or a la Mallika Serawat.

Have I talk too much honey?? Or haven't I ??? C'mon, lets do business.




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Hopson Sapam writes regularly to e-pao.net
The writer can be contacted at prince_hobs@rediffmail.com
This article was webcasted on June 13th, 2005.

A Foreigner In Own Country

By: The Third Eye / Jimmy Wahengbam *


" Patriotism cannot be judged by the looks, the color of the skin or religion.
It's all about the love you have for your country "

You cannot say a Delhitte is more patriotic than a north-easterner just because of their looks. Looks don't define patriotism. It's all about the love you have for your country and the willingness to defend it. A north-easterner celebrates as much as any Indian does, when the Indian cricket team wins and cries when they lose. When Pakistan attacked Kargil, the wave of patriotism could be felt through out the northeastern states of India.

Many brave soldiers from the northeastern part of the country lost their lives in the war. The northeasterners are as patriotic as any Indian can be. But in the mainland India, there is a big misconception about the northeasterners. Because of their Mongoloid features they are mostly seen as foreigners but hardly as Indian.

The step-motherly treatment meted out to the NE-ers (Northeasterners) doesn't stop in the mainland India but continues throughout the northeastern states. The states are being ignored by the centre for quite a long time. Unemployment is on the rise. The youths are compelled to take up arms. Instead of solving the insurgency problem through peaceful negotiation, the centre is trying to curb it with brutal force.

The entire area has become a war zone with security forces everywhere. And the atrocities committed by them are innumerable. The centre is turning a blind eye to the whole situations. Because of the prevailing situation in the NE states, most parents prefer sending their children to the metropolitan cities; particularly Delhi. Who would have thought that the capital city, which is supposed to be the safest city in the country, would turn out to be so unsafe? Every day is a struggle for the NE-ers in Delhi. The problem starts from the railway station when they arrive in the city and continues on.

Right from the porters to the auto drivers, fleece them to the hilt. The melee doesn't stop here. Searching for a house to stay is another headache. The property dealers who are always on the lookout for an easy prey find them as free fodder for exploitation. The landlords are more concern about the rents than the safety of tenants. The rents are hiked on a regular basis. There is no system or organization to check the ever-increasing rent, which the students find it hard to cope up with.

One of the biggest problems the N-E students face is the language problem. Most of the people in the capital try to take advantage of it, be it the landlord, the shopkeepers, the auto drivers or sometimes-even people whom the NE-ers consider friends. It's hard for them to trust anyone in the city. There are instances in which even the police are not willing to help the students.

The recent rape incident, which occurred in Dhaula Kuan, was just a tip of the iceberg. More than 95% of the incidents that happened in the capital city went unreported. Snide remarks are made everywhere the NE-ers go. Girls are often teased or molested and guys are intimidated which often leads to fight. And when a fight takes place the locals are likely to side with the intimidator. They hardly see who is at fault. What they see is a foreigner fighting an Indian. The NE-ers are always seemed to be at the receiving ends.

The northeasterners have been labeled as uncommunicative and reticent by some section of the public, which is utterly wrong. The truth is, we are as friendly as anyone can be, but when people starts taking advantage of your friendship you stay away from him or her. That's what most of the northeasterners are doing.

Some of the NE-ers have had very bad experiences regarding being friendly with other people. For instance, a northeast student had a Delhitte friend from college. He used to confide almost everything to him until one day when his so-called friend's true intention came to light. His Delhitte friend wanted him to be introduced to N-E girls. Not only his friend had dirty intentions but also he was talking bad things about the northeasterners to his local friends.

This is just one example; there are several similar stories. This is the reason why the NE-ers prefer staying in their own circle. The locals also perceive them as party animals, which is totally baseless. It may be true with some students but it will be completely wrong to generalize the whole community. "Every tree has some bad leaves and you don't cut down a tree just because of some bad leaves".

The NE-ers treat women with utmost respect. Cases like molestation and rape hardly take place in the northeastern states. There are several outsiders residing in the NE states and they are treated with equal respect. Incidents of rape or molestation of non-NE women are unheard of. Women are treated equally, no matter from where they come. On the contrary, the northeast women are mostly seen with contempt, elsewhere.

The media should play an important role in bridging the gap between the locals and the northeasterners. The misconception and misunderstanding should be cleared. There should be unity among the student unions. Help line should be established to aid the students in distress on time.

Better cohesion with powerful, responsible NGOs and human right agencies is a must. Strong tie-ups with concerned government bodies and lawmaking units will be another big boost to them. Last but not the least the students themselves should be wise and aware enough to avoid such kind of social malice.




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Jimmy Wahengbam / The Third Eye is a Management Student in New Dehli , writes regularly to e-pao.net
The writer can be reached at third_eye_blind0x0@yahoo.com
This article was webcasted on June 1st , 2005.

Dress code of northeast girls for capital cops’ failures

By: Oken Jeet Sandham *


The recent statement of Virender Kumar, Vice Principal of the Kirori Mal College, New Delhi that salwar kameez should be a "dress code" for the northeast girls in Delhi to avoid sexual harassment is ridiculous and racial discriminatory. It is rubbing salt into the wound.

The gang rape of a northeast girl by 4 car borne miscreants last month in Delhi had sent shock waves through the whole northeast people in capital and back home. There were wide spread protests in the capital and even the Parliament was rocked not because she belongs to the northeast but the nature of the crime committed and the very behavioral attitude shown by the capital cops.

Had the cops taken prompt action as soon as the 2 friends of the victim informed them, she could have been rescued before the miscreants made any further advance to rape her.

The northeasterners are waiting for the dust to settle and they are yet to recover from the shocks of the highly sensationalized gang rape. But Kumar’s thoughtless statement to have a separate dress code for the northeast girls living in the national capital to avoid "sexual harassment" will have far reaching ramifications towards building up a common national character.

What about those thousands of mainlanders who are staying in the northeast region? Should the mainland girls staying in the northeast region wear local dresses to avoid sexual harassment? This will in no way prevent criminals from harming them.

Where is the guarantee that they are saved even if they use local dresses? Criminals are criminals and we are not arguing that rapes are not taking place on other communities or other places in the country including northeast.

The miscreants after gang rapping the girl had even come back and dumped her to the place from where she was initially abducted after about 2 hours. This had clearly shown the complete insensitiveness of the Delhi cops to the gravity of the crime. And this very attitude of the cops had inflamed the northeasterners and the northeast MPs had to rock the Parliament to question the motives of the cops’ attitudes that made a mockery of the laws of the land.

Violence against women is prevalent everywhere in this country. There are law enforcement agencies to prevent such crimes but they alone will not be able to solve this scourge. The people’s cooperation is crucial in eradicating this menace.

We have seen how the Naga people have quickly reacted when a Keralite lady teacher was brutally raped and murdered. It was the youth of the Mezoma village of Nagaland who had caught the rapist and handed over to the Police.

The Naga people, in a huge public rally organized in protest against the rape and murder, had expressed their solidarity with the Malayalee community living in Nagaland. Powerful Naga Students Federation, Naga Mothers Association, Angami Women Organization are among others which had come out strongly against the heinous crime committed to the Keralite lady teacher.

We believe that unless people come forward in rooting out such social evils, only law enforcing agencies will not do. And when the people are active in their drive against the crimes, the Police cannot remain a mute spectator though they are supposed to be the protectors of the citizens. They will be forced to dispense their bounden duties.

In Manipur, rapes happened but it has reduced drastically over the years because underground people used to award harsh punishment to the rapists. The local populace has taken stern actions against those involved in raping.

The nation had witnessed how the Manipur people put up unprecedented violent protests when the Assam Rifles jawans raped and murdered a Manipuri lady, Th Manorama.

The people, wherever they are, should change their mindset. If any crime is perpetrated to the people of the northeast in other parts of the country, the support of the local populace is essential. They (northeast people) should not be taken as outsiders.

The people irrespective of their caste, creed, and religion should collectively fight against the ineffectiveness of the law enforcement agencies. And for the failure of the law enforcement agencies, the northeastern girls should not be made a scapegoat and imposed to wear "slawar kameez" as a dress code to avoid "sexual harassment."

This kind of social segregation on racial lines will rather bring serious implication towards building up national character and undermine the very beauty of this country---"Unity in Diversity."

Such imposition is also against the very basic secular credentials of our democratic set up.

Besides this will alienate the northeast people further from the mainstream.




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Oken Jeet Sandham, founder and editor for NEPS contributes regularly to e-pao.net
The writer can be reached at okenjeet@rediffmail.com
This article was webcasted on June 13th , 2005.

The Chinky Syndrome

Courtesy: The Sangai Express 16th July, 2007


If you have Mongoloid features, are one among the 45,000 odd students from the North East studying at Delhi University or any other institute at the National capital, loves the cuisine of the region and likes to wear jeans and T Shirt, then you are in danger zone.

This is precisely the message that Delhi police tried to convey when it came out with its dos and don'ts for North East students studying at the National capital and what is more there is a clause in the code of conduct which states that the girls from the region should not move around in flimsy or revealing dresses and avoid lonely roads when thus dressed.

The message that rings out loud from the do's and don'ts or social profiling drawn up by some fertile minds in Delhi police is that people from this region virtually go to Delhi to have a party, get high on drugs and drinks and move around in revealing dresses.

On the other hand, there is also the explicit point that the food relished by the people of this region is poison to the people in North India or the term which has come to be widely known as mainstream India while, trying to draw the line between the people from the North East region and the people staying to the west of the Chicken Neck.

When in Rome do as the Romans do, so as to avoid being groped or molested or even raped and not to disturb the neighbours and the landlords with pungent food such as Ngari or Hawaijar is the core message behind the suggestions put forward by Delhi police.

Understandably, the stand of Delhi police has met with strong criticisms from a number of social organisations in the North East, notably from Meghalaya. It is only right that the Governments of the North East States should jointly take up the matter with the Government of Delhi.

We really do not know what Delhi police meant by wearing revealing or flimsy dress, but this point by itself exposes the mindset of the police that so and so woman was raped because she wore provocative dresses !

Such line of thinking can come from only a warped mind and it provides the perfect leeway to the would be rapists or eve teasers, for which Delhi is infamous for.

There were reports of some girls from the North East either being raped or molested in the past few years, but were then so many other girls who were not from this region.

Does this then mean that the girls from the other places were also provocatively dressed, as per the standard laid down by Delhi police ?
Was the Swiss diplomate raped because she was in provocative dresses ?

Stereotyping the students from the North East is not a new phenomenon and it has existed at the National capital ever since a large number of students from this region went for their higher studies at Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia and JNU.

Coming as they do from a region far removed from the consciousness of mainstream India, it is not surprising to see how easily the stereotype description of the students from NE can become entrenched.

As for the food habit of the North East people, no one seems to care that each region in India has it own taste bud. So while the tandoori chicken, with the blood still fresh in the bone marrow is a delicacy in North India then the unpeeled potatoes is accepted as staple diet in Bihar.

So too the curd rice with a dash of pickles in South India and mind you, not every one agrees with the manner in which the curd rice is eaten.

And how about the raw onions with all its pungency with chappatis or rotis and green chillies that one finds being eaten inside a train compartment in North India, that may be very irritating to the passenger sitting next ?


So

Mauna Ngen - Zou Paupu

The Great Pemberton Divide

By TUANKHAM KIAMLOU

“Captain Pemberton, in his report, dated 19th April 1834 says that the Namsaulung River appeared to have been always considered by the Burmese as the northern limit of the Kule Rajah’s territory in that direction. This accounts for the Namsaulung forming the southern boundary of the northern divisions of the Kubo valley. Captain Pemberton does not however, explain why the line was extended from the sources of the Namsaulung due west to the Manipur River passes through the northern portion of the country at present inhabitated by the Sooties. Thus according to the boundary laid down by Captain Pemberton, contained in the Treaty of 1834, part of the Sootie tribe, at present live in Manipur and part in the Burmese or independent territory”, (Pp 171-172 Alexander Mackenzie’s ‘The North -East Frontier of Bengal).

Major F.J. Grant and Captain R.B.Pemberton were appointed Commissioners to meet the Burmese authorities in accordance with the principles enunciated by the Government of India in 1827 consequent upon the signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo in February 1826.

Accordingly, the Commissioners met on the banks of the Ningthee or Kyendwen River for the first time in April 1828. The proposed subsequent meeting could not take place due to the Burmese side’s claim that the Ningthee was not Kyendwen but another river to the west of the Kubo Valley. Lieutenant Pemberton scouted the idea that the Ningthee had been mistaken for another smaller river as stated by the Burmese and the fact of which was reported by him to the Commissioner in Sylhet . Major General Sir A.Campbell, Comissioner of Sylhet was then directed by the Government of India to inform the Court of Ava that the British Commissioners were prepared to prove that the Ningthee and Kyendwen were the same river. In January 1830, Major Burney was appointed Resident at Ava in pursuance to the provisions of Article 7 of the Treaty of Yandaboo stipulating for the permanent residence of a British Officer at the Court of Ava. He was also instructed to convey the determination of the Government to fix the boundary line between Manipur and Ava as laid down by Grant and Pemberton. After protracted negotiations and clarifications from both sides, the Commissioners of both the Goverment, met in January 1830. The Burmese acknowledged the incorrectness of their map, and the boundary was fixed though the Burmese Commissioners would not consent to the renunciation of the territory.

The Government of India in a letter dated 16th March 1833 directed the Resident at Ava to announce to the King that the Supreme Government still adhere to the opinion that the Ningthee formed the proper boundary between Ava and Manipur , but in consideration for His Majesty’s feelings and wishes, and in the spirit of amity and goodwill subsisting between the two countries, the Supreme Government consented to the restoration of the Kubo valley to Ava and to the establishment of the boundary line at the foot of the Yome Doung / Maring Hills.The exact line was to be established by the British Commissioners. The Burmese Government were also informed by the Government of India, in November 1833 to depute two officers of rank to meet the two British Officers, who would deliver over to the Burmese the towns of Khambat, Tummoo, Thoungthuot & c, “and fix and point out the line of hills which may be selected as the future boundary between Ava and Manipur”. The boundary was thus laid down and the agreement defining the boundaries was signed as originally prepared, with some trifling alterations on 24th April 1834.

So that was how Gumbheer Singh of Manipur had consolidated his kingdom under the tutelage and protection of the British Government of India albeit ceding the Kubo valley to Ava. Captain Pemberton ‘s map published in 1835 thus contained the Northern portion of the Kamhow’s territory inhabitated mainly by the Nwite (Guite) and Yo tribes who occupied some portion of the southern boundary of Manipur. In November 1872, Colonel Mowbray Thomson, the officiating Political Agent of Manipur, reported that , from an examination of Pemberton’s map and Treaty of 1834, he considered that the country inhabited by the Sooties ( Suktes ) clearly belonged to Burma, and that in his opinion, the Manipuris had no right to make war in that direction, but if threatened or injured by the Sooties, they should refer their grievances to the Burmese Government through the Government of India. In the orders passed by the Government of India in Foreign Department Letter No.216P., dated 30th January 1873 addressed to the Governor of Bengal, it was mentioned that His Excellency the Viceroy and the Governor General in Council approved of the endeavours made by him to effect an amicable settlement of the quarrel between Manipur and the Sooties and it was desired that both parties should surrender prisoners and captives to bring about a good understanding. His Excellency in Council also desired that the frontier posts and stockades erected by the Maharaja of Manipur should act as defensive posts and not vex the tribes beyond the border, or give provocation to attack Manipur.

As per the records of the Government of India, the Burmese Government never appears to have exercised control over the Sooties to the South of the Manipur boundary line. The whole tribe seemed to be practically independent and not at all effected by the Treaty of 1834. Though a line was drawn westwards from source of the Namsaulung to Kathe’Khyong, no mention was made about the territory south of this line having made over to Burma. It was only the Kubo Valley which the Burmese Government asked for, and that was all that was made over. Evidently, the Kamhow country used to be free from the jurisdiction of either the Manipuri or the Burmese kingdom. But at the time of demarcation of the boundaries between these two powers under the aegis of the Supreme British Government of India, the Sooties were never consulted nor was their interest taken into account. Even Captain Pemberton had admitted that he had never been able to go far south while demarcating the boundary line. In 1856, Colonel Mc Culloch said that the south-eastern portion of Manipur territory had never been explored, and the Manipur authorities had never tried to bring the tribes inhabiting it into subjection.

The Pemberton Line was the basis on which the Chin Hills-Manipur Boundary Commission of 1894 was settled this time also without consulting the Sooties and other Zo tribes inhabiting the areas. Soon after the Lushai expedition in 1872 stones were set up by the Manipuri contingent at the Chiboo salt well with the pictures of Maharaja Gambhir Singh and general Nuthall, Political agent of Manipur engraved upon them. How much clever and foresight were the Maipuris? Thus, the Zo people who were never subjugated by neither the Manipuris nor the Burmese got divided unknowingly and without ever being consulted.

In the nineteenth century the British policy was to consolidate the control over the tribals in the borders of Burma and Cachar through the King of Manipur. It was in this process the Sooties, to be precise the Zo people have been divided and their lands got included under the territory of Manipur. Reversal of this predicament can made possible through unification of the Zomis into one administrative set-up either under Burma or India. This is the cornerstone of the Zomi politics and should serve as a springboard for achieving our political goal- be it UT, Statehood or unification. It may also be mentioned that the Guite, Manlun or Sukte Chiefs were never subjugated nor conquered by the Manipuri Maharajas. Unlike Thahdous, Tangkhuls, Marings, Kom, and other smaller tribes, they never were subjects of Manipur. In fact, the Kamhows used to be the most dreaded tribes in the southern boundaries of Manipur and to come to terms in order to achieve peace the Maharajas of Manipur desisted from interfering in their country and the boundaries were never strictly defined till today. Even the present Churachandpur area was given for settlement to the Guite chief Sumkam son of Goukhothang (Kokatung) who was treacherously captured by Tikendrajit led Manipuri contingent on their return from the Lushai expedition.

Today the Zomis continued to remain divided by the imaginary boundary line of Pemberton and the mistake has to be corrected through political process and the blessings of the benign India Government and the co-operation of Burma should also be sought to determine a lasting solution for the Zo people. It is high time for the Zo politicians and freedom fighters to concentrate on this issue rather than vaguely harping about unification or the like.


[www.zogam.com]

Politics and Religion : Preach Politicis in the Church

According to common perception,a huge gulf exists between politics and religion.Apparently,no doubt,politics deal with things which is generally a conglomeration of untruth,power,and crafty manoeuvres,ethic, which acording to me,means faith in the higher impulse of life,in necessary. Where as religion is based upon abstract ideals and truth. Politics implies plan/strategy,religion involves faith. Religion is basically a matter of instinct and politics that of reason. But these are the broad characteristics of politics and religion which have meeting places also- and the first meeting places is in the human mind and nature themselves. It is the human mind which proves facts,make plan and start believing in them and it is the mind which nurtures faiths. So,it is necessary to make their co-existence feasible.

However,we consider politics as involving the recognition and conciliation of opposing interest within a given unit of rule,and religions as the root of most of the profound and permanebt values of life,we cannot quiet dismiss the idea of the relationship between politics and religion out of hand. Indeed, our problem today arises because we are possing the wrong questions. The question should not be wheather religion and politics are related to each other,but what should be their precise relationship.?

The Bible deals in politics,there is a fight for supremacy between two nations,in the New testament there is the roman politics politics and the divided jewes politics. Even God involves in election means appointed the king and leaders,give law and command the people to obey the law. It is clear from the Bible that without good politics no nation prosper,no religion expands. Englighten and respected political leaders- Gandhi or Maulana Azad-claimed to draw inspiration from religion,and demande separate homeland for it. Gandhi considered the ethical values imbuing every religion to be an important part of politics; that was what he means when he said that politics divourced from religion becomes debasing. Religion to Gandhi did not mean sectarianism. It omplied a belief in ordered moral government of the universe. In this sense,religion is much more than a matter between man and his maker ; It is apart from a mode of worship,also a set of ideas and values.

In the west much blood has been shed on account of theoligical differences which automatically engaged the politician and the state. Europe has a history of domination of Pope over the state and even now Christian political parties exist in many countries. When the woest and European countries politics and religion so much and when the Bible contain many political gladiator or nation politics and deals so much in politics,why do our church leaders kept aloof from politics ? The church leaders failed the people here,they divided politics and religion in the church/pulpit. Neglecting politics they strikes to win the human mind where politics and religion meet each other, without politics, its like neglecting half side of the human body.And,neglecting ideas and values.

To awaked our generation/community,preachers must preach politics in the church.Withoout reforming our politics,religion influence in us will go nowhere and our community would debase in the future.

Thus partial merger of institutionalised religion and instutionalised politics into a monolithic forum is necessary in our society,it would create a transition situation and would filled that vaccum created between us by those orthodox different denomination. In practice member/preacher of every church need to associate with those of other to promote/uplift their peoples,class,professional and interest through,say,organisation of workers,occupational groups,writers,etc etc.. Why should not the church apply politics and religion in the interest of intellectual freedom of the members and of more abiding basis of its unity. They can be merged into a single monolithic entity without emasculating the church itself….

Bye, God bless…..

Hausienmuan Munluo