Langmei VA
IMPHAL, May 24: The Langmei (Ritiang/Chiang) VA has decided to take step against any threat to DIET, Tamei Headquarters. A statement issued by the chairman of Langmei VA, P Lungpadbow also appealed the DIET, Tamei and the students to discharge their duty .....
Govt signs MoU with UPPK
IMPHAL, May 24: A home-coming ceremony of UPPK leaders and cadres was held today at 1st MR banquet hall during which a tripartite Me-morandum of Understanding was signed between the outfit, Government of Manipur and Government of India. Chief Minister .....
Muivah states stand to titular king
IMPHAL, May 24: “Nagas and Meiteis should decide for their own future and our future will be the outcome of this de-cision”, stated NSCN-IM Ato Kilonser Thuingaleng Muivah during a meeting with titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba at Hebron, Dimapur. .....
N/East Mt Everest Expedition ends
IMPHAL, May 24: With the successful summit to Mt Eve-rest by Manish Deka from Assam today at 5.45am, the record setting 1st NE India Mt Everest Expedition came to an end. The total number of successful Everesters from the expedition team stands at 11......
Ukhrul protest
UKHRUL, May 24: More than 1500 Anganwadi Workers and Helpers staged sit in protest at Ukhrul Mini Secretariat Complex today demand- ing payment of their pending twelve months honorarium. Later in the afternoon, a memorandum addressed to the Minister o.....
Flaws in Govt's Agri policy
IMPHAL, May 24: At a time when the Government of India is putting in serious effort to develop agriculture and allied sectors by pumping in additional fund, the State Government is currently pain-ting a contrasting picture. According to an official sou.....
KNF officer shot dead
IMPHAL, May 24: Comman-ding officer of KNF’s Ebenezer Camp HS Shanty Kipgen was shot dead by some unidentified persons at around 10 pm of May 23. Some 7/8 unidentified persons came to the house one Bimola located just beside Fo-rest Beat Office near.....
Fund boost to Mary's goal
NEW DELHI, May 24: The sports ministry has given in-principle approval for a grant of Rs 309.56 lakh to Olympic medallist Mary Kom's Regional Boxing Foundation at Imphal for construction of a gymnasium hall and procurement of equipments. The grant, to .....
Parents' body
IMPHAL, May 24: Close on the heels of 15 school children collapsing inside an overcrowded school van yesterday, All Manipur Guardian Stuents Organisation (AMSGO) has demanded that strict instruction be given by Education Minister to van drivers not to cra.....
Cultural prog
IMPHAL, May 24: A one day cultural and musical exchange programme was held today at Senapati Public Ground under the aegis of Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) and Kuki Students’ Organisa-tion, Sadar Hills (KSO-SH). The programme held .....
Centre naive on NH protection force plan
IMPHAL, May 24: Despite continuous demand from va-rious sections for deployment of highway protection force (HPF) to ensure safe passage of vehicle operators and pas-sengers along the national highways connecting Manipur to other parts of the country, the.....
Screening for Cervical Cancer
By Dr BabinaThangjam When Ashangbi Devi (name changed) started having regular bouts of back pain and watery vaginal discharge, she instinctively knew something was not right.She started experiencing all thesemany years after her menopause and at first, s.....
“Go for gospel music”
By Rev L Simon Raomai Rock music is in the air virtually everywhere today. It is a captivate music culture which originated from western world. It is popularized from packed sports arena to advertisements that peddle everything from movie sound tracks an.....
Traditional healing methods with special reference to Manipur
By Dr K Paochunbou (Contd from previous issue) But Scientists know that the bitter taste is caused by a toxin- “tetracyclic trieterpenoid cucurbitacin compound” and such toxin can cause vomiting of blood, severe diarrhoea, severe ulcers, fatal, st.....
School vans : Packed like sardines The wake up call
It did not end in a disaster. A providential escape ? Whatever, the warning cannot and should not be ignored. Packed like sardines in a can. This is perhaps the closest description of school vans all over Imphal and the other towns of Manipur, like Churac.....
KKSDDA warns
IMPHAL, May 24: Highlighting the scores of inconveniences faced by the people of Kasom Khullen Subdivision due to prolonged absence of responsible SDO/BDO and delayed in inauguration of the new office building, the Kasom Khullen Subdivision Development As.....
Successful candidates congratulated
IMPHAL, May 24: The Thoubal Police has congratulated Kshetrimayum Thoithoinganba Meitei s/o Ksh Rajen Singh and Sougrakpam (N) Ksh (O) Nonibala Devi of Thoubal Nongangkhong who secured the 8th position in the HSLC Exam 2013 conducted by the BSEM. A sta.....
KSO reprimands Cdl NRHM
IMPHAL, May 24: Expressing discontentment over the conduct of perfunctory three-day health mela at Joupi village in Khengjoy subdivision from May 17-19 by the NRHM Chandel, the Kuki Students' Organisation played down the health mela saying it was done onl.....
Two UG cadres nabbed
IMPHAL, May 24: A PREPAK cadre reportedly with several criminal records was arrested by a combined team of Thoubal police commandos and 6 Dogra today around 4.10 pm while conducting a search operation at Pallel Bazar. Identifying the arrested PREPAK ca.....
AITSA for change of leadership in Govt
IMPHAL, May 24: The All India Tribal Students’ Association Delhi (AITSA) and the Mongoloid Peoples Forum (MPF), Delhi, expressing apprehension on the virtual lack of sensitivity and the decaying secular character of the State Government, urged the Con.....
Manipur Masala
By : Sanatombi Angomcha
An odd ode to a few innocent memories!
Knowledge has its own pros and cons. Meanwhile ignorance is bliss. Ignorance and innocence, in my view, are almost synonymous. An ignorant fellow is unlikely to be found guilty on many aspects and hence his innocence remains intact.
At times, I do wish to be ignorant about many social, political and historical aspects about our society. What seemed so picture perfect in the past somehow becomes a reason for introspection at present. This introspection has many side effects. To relate a simple example, the ongoing festive season leaves many deliberations open on my mind.
When we were kids, Puja vacation was one of the most awaited breaks from school. We used to contribute our pocket money to adorn the Dol for Goddess Durga. We would also spend our last rupee buying bamboola of all sorts — Alu bomb, Kabok chaibi, Rocket paibi, Uru-ru ungbi and others. And on the Bali day (the third day of the celebration), we would relish a sumptuous curry together.
As for Wangkheilites, Durga Puja means one such festival that lasts for five days. Besides the worshipping part of the Goddess, Puja vacation also means five days of merry-making. Leela, cassette dance, tambola games etc. are events exclusively meant for late evenings. The best part is however the series of live Shumaang Leela played by as many parties.
We would rush to Puja Lampak with moraah in our hand eager enough to watch the plays. Everything seemed quite picture perfect then. We grew up with many memorable celebrations of Durga Puja and of many other festivals. I have missed this vacation for quite a long time and was eagerly looking forward to it until reality intervenes.
Here’s the part of my absence, where I would particularly prefer to be ignorant and innocent. It’s more or less like a transition of a colour television to a black-and-white set. What was once so flamboyant suddenly seems so unoriginal and plain now.
This mindset, regarding the change of heart, is perhaps because of a few results related to our history and origin. It’s like an absurd discovery — something one had never expected about but is accurately true. It would perhaps be not fallacious to state that we are standing at the threshold of an age of awakening ready to step out from the confused era. Once we step in, we have to pay odd odes to many flamboyant memories of those innocent days. And if we don’t, we are prone to become more restless and frustrated by our own choice and action in the near future.
We can never withstand the fact that we would be called the mindless generation without any root if we do not make this move now. And if we do, we are equally aware of what we are going to lose forever. The recoil has however many ill effects than demolishing a few memories. If things are meant to change in the future, this is perhaps the transitional phase. And if they are not meant to, everything will be the same as before. We will live with a false identity, follow a faith that we were forcibly lured to.
I do not abhor any particular religion. What I cannot digest is how we were forced to follow a faith that was never ours. I do not question the spirit of secularism but I have questions a many for abolishing an already established faith and culture that we once had. Perhaps one can say that colonialism found its new meanings then with religion as one of the easiest tools. We have been the dumb, moronic and mute spectators for all these decades. And when the age of awakening finally comes we find it tough to bid adieu to many precious memories and habits. Baah! What an absurd confusion indeed!
Naocha
well-nice article, but I feel we should refrain from commenting on religion. Abraham Lincoln said-"Religion is just like underwear...Everyone should have one but no need to show it off nor discuss it....." Manipur is a small state with many communities & religions and its just a fine thread that binds or rather is trying to bind them. A small blunder either in word or in print may disrupt this sensitive harmony...! We may have become Hindus by force or by choice, but lets all concentrate more on issues like unemployment, roads, bridges etc...etc... Using a Tata salt or Annapurna salt in Chagem pomba or ooti doesnt necessarily make them lesser or un-authentic Manipuri dishes. We are all Manipuris-come what may & lets all prove we are inferior to none instead of pondering over past. Lets march ahead with our unique culture of never-say die attitude
Soten Laishram
Dear Sanatombi, very thought-provoking. Good to know I ain't the only one with such thoughts. I am, maybe, li'l bit extreme though. Condemn me but I gotta be honest. I don't like being called a manipuri(prefer to be called meitei). I got rid of the singh surname, sigh.. how I hated it. I don't revere or wear pheijom...to death I will refuse it's our ethnic clothing. Religion-wise I'm agnostic but I tell my friends, I follow sanamahism, though there are traces of influences here and there. These are just my personal opinion, which lie dormant most of the time, unless provoked, and I don't intend to hurt anyone. In short I am forever craving to create an identity, an identity devoid of confusion, with, of course, my usual daily chores. Thanks for provoking me.
Momocha
I am very happy that we are not confused anymore, at least we are trying not to. Some may say we are too much into it but I think they too want to know their identity. I want to know who am I, who my ancestors were, how they live, their culture, their legacies etc. So thank you Sanatombi for your thought provoking article. We do love those memories, which we experience with fake identities but whats ours is our. Lets leave those memories behind march toward a true and beautiful awakening. Lets face its. Its high time that we have something of our own. Keep up the good work. Keep writing.
Robert
This kind of confusion exist everywhere and has existed in all societies throught the ages . We may all feel pain and anguish in the way our religion was so cruelly subjugated . What has happened has happened and cannot be undone. What has helped me in terms of establishing my identity, at least to myself, is to separate my faith with my ethnicity. I am a Chirstian by faith and a Meitei by ethnicity. I see all the Meities practicing Vaishnavism as Meiteis, those prcaticing Sanamahi as Meiteis and so forth. For those who wish to celebrate Hindu festivals or Christian festivals or Sanamahi festivals, let them do so. It does not in anyways,make them less Meitei or more Meitei.
