tharax since 2005

Another blasts - Chidambaram is to blame

2011-07-16T00:24:00.006+05:30

pic courtesy - in.news.yahoo.com

Another blasts - Chidambaram is to blame
- Thara Tlau

Our hon’ble home minister has recently come out with a statement – no incident of terror in last six months. The statement was meant to be a highlight of an incredible achievement by his ministry and the security establishments of India. It indeed was an awesome performance on his part keeping the country free of terror for so many months especially in view of the track record of his predecessor Shivraj Patil. Six months is such a long period to keep terror at bay in a country like ours though it’s a minnow comparing with the American’s where nothing of a terror attack has been heard of again after 9/11 which was a decade ago now. However, in reality the home minister kept terror at bay for the past six months due to some proactive actions and decisions on his part, or it’s just a lull period due to some international events or some other reasons which has nothing to do with our ‘step-up’ vigil is questionable. Whatever be it is, more than keeping terror at bay for so long the recent bomb blasts in Mumbai just after a week of his august declaration of being ‘free of terror’ point fingers at him. He is inexplicably responsible for the blasts. Why did he make such a prompt decision challenging terror when in reality we are so vulnerable to being attacked any time? It’s unwise to challenge terror when we don’t have the guts to root it out. It’s not due to our improved security set-up that terror activity didn’t take place; it’s just a lull period like a few sunny days during monsoon when the rain can arrive again anytime sooner or later. It’s in everyone’s knowledge how we are living at the mercy of terror. Our bazaars are easy a target where anyone can plant bombs anytime unsuspectingly; even easier than riding a bicycle there.

I had been suspecting a terror activity soon after reading newspaper reports on our home minister’s speech. It would have been more appropriate to remain silent if terror activity had not taken place for so long and appreciate the going on than taking credit of the situation and spewing unnecessary challenge on the terrorists as if their wings had been clipped and their activities subdued due to our inordinate security arrangements. The home ministry might claim just after the blasts that there had not been any actionable intelligence input suggesting terror attacks in Mumbai. Where the need for such input if you know how to read what’s written in the wind? Let’s try to reconstruct and analyze here what our security and intelligence establishments failed to read. Firstly, a well-known investigative journalist by name Jyotirmoy Dey was shot dead in broad daylight by bike-borne assailants in a crowded street in Mumbai last month. The underworld gangs were suspected of the murder which put immense pressure on them – on their operations and security. Some gangs even came out with statements denying their involvement and their willingness to help in nabbing the assailants. From the murder alone there’s nothing to read of any bigger consequence. But when Mumbai Police without any constructive lead in their investigation to the murder started intimidating the underworlds of highhanded repercussions if they failed to own up responsibility had brewed an atmosphere which was so charged and need to be defused, otherwise the underworlds’ business was at stake. This condition was already enough to trigger a bomb blast so as to deflect the attention on the underworld dons and their activities. This apart, our self-aggrandizing minister had let loose his tongue to remind the nation of his tremendous achievement meanwhile which could be interpreted as a challenge to someone’s (terrorists’) abilities charging the atmosphere further. So if you know how to read the pulse of the situation prevailing before the blasts, there's an enough evidence of a ‘coming soon’ terror which is stronger than the type of intelligence inputs our central intelligence agencies used to send to the states vaguely warning them of an impending terror during Independence Day which has become routine.

Our country has a distinction of being civilized in treating captured terrorists to give a ‘fair’ trial which ordinary citizens are denied of. How many inmates of petty crimes are languishing in our jails waiting for their days of trial when the government is pretty determined to give a fair trial to Kasab, one of the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai carnage? The need of the hour is not of establishing more and more intelligence agencies with confusing nomenclatures but to set up a special terrorist court to try and dispose of only terrorist cases fast track based on a strong anti-terrorist act. How long are we going to let the public coffer bleed in protecting terrorists during their ‘fair’ trials? If POTO/ POTA of the NDA was found inadequate and susceptible to being misused by states and security forces let the UPA Government come up with a better and stronger bill. It’s a law with a strong teeth which will deal more effectively terrorist activities not the establishments of more and more intelligence and security agencies confusing their role with the already existing ones. The National Investigation Agency which was established after 26/11 incident is a good example in this regard. Moreover, if the UPA Government is so skeptical of the POTA, is there any intention of scrapping the now outdated and enormously misutilized Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act which has victimized more civilians (Indians) than militants which it was supposed to deal with?

There is no ‘too much’ vigilance when we are so prone to terrorist attacks. An awareness and support on part of the general public is needed to let our security and intelligence agencies perform their duties more efficiently. It was a ‘breaking news’ in India when Shah Rukh Khan was frisked at an American airport; frisking a celebrity of such a stature in India, we denounced. This gave a good ingredient for a comedian show there where we were mocked at wondering how Shah Rukh Khan could be frisked at an airport. It’s usual and ritual there where security is of such importance after the 9/11. We heard again of her Excellency, our Ambassador to the United States being given pat down at an airport making our Ministry of External Affairs lodging a formal protest. However, contrarily we recently heard of the President of the United States expressing his willingness to pass through security checking at airports if situation so demand. It is ‘their’ attitude and ‘our’ attitude that played so much a different role in deterring more terror attacks. Our lackadaisical attitude is one factor which can be attributed to the various terror activities in India. Even our high-heeled celebrities are no role model when it comes to following the sanctity of security procedures. The recent episodes of Bipasha Basu and Anushka Sharma trying to circumvent the customs with undeclared goods were good testimonies. If any laxity is to be shown, let it be shown to the President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the three services chiefs. Let the rest of us be subjugated to strict security procedures whenever required but following strict privacy norms with reliable surveillance systems in order to avoid any untoward incidents. We, the citizens, have to be subservient and submissive enough to security procedures if situation calls for in order to protect our ‘fundamental liberty’ which is at stake otherwise. Are we ready for it?

My Experiment with Truth

2011-01-17T00:20:00.004+05:30

pic courtesy: www.indiamart.com

My Experiment with Truth
- Thara Tau

They told me, “You are too thin. Put on more weight.”
She told me, “Thara, you don’t look healthy at all. Take care of your diet please.”
He told me, “You have to take more food. Gain some weight.”

And I decided one conspicuous day to make some drastic changes in my lifestyle. I stopped abruptly my regular morning exercise from the next morning; got up a bit later than usual, by about an hour, because I realized of late that my morning exercise, though not significant in proportion, was one culprit of my Auschwitz survivor-like figure, and a longer duration of sleep would augment well with ‘my tryst with destiny’ (read weight gain). You may claim, just a bedroom floor exercise won’t cost you a kilo, but burning carbs is losing carbs invariably, I strongly believe.

And I also decided to take on more oily foods to supplement my body requirement of “fats” to gain more weight; to sport a new sexy-looking chubby cheeks and double chin. I started initially with outdoor foods; the fried rice, the kebabs, the tandoori chicken, the Gujarati thali, and even at home it became a strict no no to boiled dal and steamed karela. Everything has to have at least a splinter of oil or fats in it. I started ordering for more milk, smeared more butter on bread and put aside the jar of pear jam.

To make the most of my initiative and as a sign of commitment to it I went to the bazaar and bought a trouser with two extra inches from my regular 30-inch waistline trousers. I was determined that it’s going to be 32 in the coming month(s) and will proceed on till 34 when I would only start pulling the brake.

Everything was working fine for some days and it gave me extra confidence to carry forward. A week passed by, I could start feeling a fatty deposit in my tummy. It’s a wow wow!! I told myself, “Your dedication pays off buddy!” Another week set in and I was expecting a better result. Instead, I started realizing that my bowel movement was not ‘up to the mark’. It was irregular and uneven. One fine day I started feeling really uneasy in office. My stomach was just not ok. I went home earlier than usual complaining of my stomach to my boss. When I reached home I already had a high fever as well. I rushed to loo directly and released all the stupid stuff that had hindered my day. Then, I fell down on my bed with excruciating pain on my head and stomach. Two hours later, I was admitted to Seventh Day Adventist Hospital where some Mizo friends were working. I would not have got a bed had not the Mizos there painstakingly requested the administration because it was a flu season and hospital beds were just out of bound that time of the year.

After taking these and those tests, which medical terms I could not remember, in and out of bed for two days they told me it’s acute enteritis. “It’s an inflammation of the intestine” they defined for me. It made me back to square one losing kilos in the process. And I realized once again that it’s best to accept the truth about myself, whatever I was, and that’s another way of doing justice to self.

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Is Suu Kyi’s release just a symbolic gesture?

2010-11-14T15:29:00.011+05:30

Pic courtesy: http://www.eskimofriends.com

Is Suu Kyi’s release just a symbolic gesture?
- Thara Tlau

The military junta in Burma has done once again a maverick political manoeuver by releasing its arch rival and political foe the lady Aung San Suu Kyi from her detention. Though it’s a positive sign and a welcoming signal on reformation the military has promised, it’s too odd a timing the lady has been released, after the general election in which Suu Kyi herself was debarred from contesting.

The army-drafted constitution which automatically provides 25% seats to the military in the parliament was approved in a "referendum" by 92% in which there was a voter turnout of 99%! What on earth could this statistic tell us? With a population of 500 million let us assume conservatively that 200 million are eligible voters and if 99% of 200 million i.e. 198 million voters had cast vote, only 2 million voters had abstained from voting which is just an absurdity. By history, it’s always abnormal when voters’ turnout is more than 80% in an election or referendum of that scale. This is one of the hundred uncanny ways the military government has taken to uphold its prowess in the country. It is under the aegis of this crooked constitution the just concluded general election was held which the military claimed to have received about 80% votes.

The election has been widely disputed and condemned as a sham worldwide; and it has put into limelight the prevailing conditions in Burma and the highhandedness of the military government once again. To re-fashion the faux pas and to divert the focus of the international community the military accepted the “expiry” of Aung San Suu Kyi’s detention on Saturday and released her without “restrictions” on her movements and activities which could have been the other way round as her previous releases from detentions or house arrests have been shrouded with conditions.

The release of Suu Kyi is another wisely crafted political coup of the military which has already disbanded her from contesting elections through the provisions of the new constitution and which has also dissolved Suu Kyi’s party the NLD (National League for Democracy) after boycotting the election. The “unconditional” release is unlikely to have much bearing on the political scene of the country because Suu Kyi’s political activities have been indirectly barred via the constitution. So, by showing the world it has done something sensible to cheer for, the military has done it from the shadow of insensible legislations to demean its true worth.

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Wrong but Right

2010-11-07T13:18:00.003+05:30

- Thara Tlau

One day a prince offered a diamond-studded necklace, vastly expensive in any ordinary and extraordinary valuation or sensation, to his charming fiancée, a princess from a faraway kingdom as a token of love. Unfortunately, the princess’ kingdom was later on befallen by an unimaginable famine, the magnitude not ever known in the history of the kingdom. The princess’ father, the king, had to shell out whatever was there in the royal treasury to sustain the survival of the citizenry of the kingdom. But until any sign of recession of the famine in far sight, the treasury had gone empty. No wherewithal to support procurement any longer or either sight of help, the princess knew she could do something to save lives. She sent a trusted minister in the court to another kingdom to sell the necklace she had been gifted and brought home foods and grains which would endure the lives of the people and the kingdom some more days until help arrived from friendly kingdoms or the famine started withdrawing or, otherwise, until they were starved to death or else reduced to refugees in another kingdoms. The minister brought home foods and grains and cheers to the people as well; and soon after, after few days, helps arrived from other kingdoms. Most pleasantly, there were clear signs of withdrawal of the harrowing famine.

The prince came to know about the necklace. He doubted the love and the commitment of the princess and subsequently “divorced” her. Of course she was wrong to sell the gift of love, no doubt. What would have been the feeling of the prince who had given her the priceless gift? Was it not ironic that she could sell the gift from her lover?

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The Holy Cusec

2010-04-25T13:13:00.006+05:30

Pic source: outdoors.webshots.com

The Holy Cusec
- Thara Tlau

‘Twas a sleepy village, small and indolent, on the border of Karnataka in Tamil Nadu state where Nisha and her parents lived. Indolent all the more so from the past three and a half years since the great Indian Monsoon failed; not only the village but the whole region which depended heavily on the Kaveri River and its irrigated canals. The previous years, the villagers, predominantly farmers could afford minimal harvest with maximum effort. They had tried every possible means available from their traditional practice inherited from generations past to sustain their crop survival. They would channelize the canal water in the form of small nullahs to inundate the agricultural fields. The task of letting the canal water flow down into these nullahs was rather a robust exercise, like a military one, which involved a secretive manoeuvre. They would heighten the level of water in the canal so as to let it overflow into the nullahs. For this, they created an artificial reservoir to store the water, to heighten the level and to let it overflow into the nullahs. They would fill cement sacs and gunny bags with sand and keep them ready in the embankment area whereon there would be an army of volunteers to undertake an exercise at the right time. The right time, according to them, was dusk when the people of the next village wouldn’t venture out in the vicinity of the canal and detect their mischievous plan. Otherwise, sudden decrease in the water level of the canal could ring an alarm in the next village. When the right time arrived, the volunteers would pull down the sand bags into the canal and block its flow. When the canal got filled to the brim it overflowed into the nullahs. This inundated the fields subsequently. This exercise usually lasted till dawn and the volunteers would then hurriedly pull up those sand bags to the embankment area and cover them with wild grass and fallen leaves.

The continued failure of the monsoon for more than three successive years had made life more miserable. All the sinister exercises they had undertaken the previous years had become redundant; redundant because there was not enough water in the canal which could be stored overnight to let it overflow into the nullahs. The water level had come down so drastically that at least three days would be required to fill the brim, which was not possible since that would invite enmity, if not wrath, from the next village whose panchayat members had been measuring the level of water of the canal day in and day out from the past two years to ascertain if there was any increase in the level which they had been praying for with sumptuous offerings to the rain god. Nisha’s village too had been doing these; offerings and prayers to all the gods they could perceive, remember and be aware of. In the afternoon, people would gather near tea stalls or the banyan tree near the village middle school to listen to the radio. They would listen to emphatic, and sometimes emotional, and strong debates and discussions, and at times breaking news about the river water disputes. They would listen intently but with little or no understanding of the technical terms involved. They could not signify the ABC of cusec of water demanded by their hon’ble Chief Minister. The Chief Minister of Karnataka’s contention that he could not release that much cusec of water to the neighbouring state when his own farmers’ requirement of this much cusec could not be adequately met baffled them more.

“What is cusec?” they quizzed among themselves. “Is it the name of the main canal which flows down from Karnataka?” “Is it the name of the inspector of the irrigation canals?” “Is it something sacrosanct, like the holy Gita, whose alteration is a sure blasphemy?” The panchayat members were tightlipped, the village Tamil schoolteacher was an illiterate in this regard, and the menfolk were empty-headed about it. Whatever it might be, although they could not reach at an agreement on the contentious issue, they had one strong common belief – that cusec was a bad omen after all, and a quick decisive action against it was imperative before their village was doomed.

While the first step of action was under consideration in the domain of the village panchayat, Nisha had a dream – a dream which was not ordinary in the true sense of words and which could become the savior of her village, if proven true. In her dream, an angel appeared on the backyard of their house and said, “If the villagers are really searching for cusec, it’s buried under 15 feet deep, 20 feet away on the northern side of the village banyan tree.” The next morning, she told her father Balaji about her dream who relayed forward to the members of the panchayat who crudely dismissed it as incredulous and just another wild dream of a small village girl.

Undeterred by the demotivating response, Balaji and three of his close friends with the support of an elderly Brahmin decided to dig the area which, according to their measurement, was the ground zero as told to Nisha by the angel. They dug the ground with their ploughs and spades; they shattered the layers of soft rocks underneath with their chisels and hammers. They dug, they dug and the work tardily progressed. They reached 12 feet deep by afternoon, but there was nothing peculiar to be seen. And then 14 feet, again they noticed nothing of a cusec. They discovered that the layer beneath the fourteenth feet was crusted with a stratum of hard metamorphic rock. The other three men grumbled. “If nothing is seen till now how can we expect a miracle just a foot below” they said. They then gave up. Balaji wanted to prove his friends wrong, and had to. He determinedly wielded his chisel on his palm once again and dug the ground; his sweats rolling down the hammer and chisel. His exhaustion could be noticed from the gradual declining rhythm of the hammer and chisel. After all his hopes were gone, he gave a last hit to depart from the scene, may be forever, with fuming and furious eyes. And lo! He could not believe his eyes. A spring of silvery water gushed out of the crack. It was in such a sudden and violent outburst that he could hardly have time to clamber up the wall.

An emergency meeting of the village panchayat was summoned that very afternoon. The sole agenda of the meeting was the cusec. “Let’s plaster the wall and three feet circumference of the well, and dig a nullah up to the main irrigation canal to perennially supply water to our stricken crocodile-skinned fields” they decided. “And christen the well THE HOLY CUSEC.”

Why Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus?

2009-08-04T22:17:00.004+05:30

pic courtesy: www.ireference.ca

Why Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus?

- Thara Tlau

The first time I saw Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (acronymed as CST), more than appreciating its grandeur I was overwhelmed by the question: “Why Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus?” I could not reason out the wisdom behind the renaming of Victoria Terminus as Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus. No doubt, Shivaji was a great warrior and king of the Marathas in the 17th Century anno domini. However, the building (station) was built after 200 years of his reign in the later part of the 19th Century and that too not by a ruler of his descendant but ‘foreigners’ who were the rulers at that time under the aegis of the British Indian Empire whose Empress was Queen Victoria.

In the assembly elections of Maharashtra in 1995 the Shiv Sena-BJP combine became victorious and formed a government. The government went on a renaming spree on ‘popular demand’ of which Bombay became the first victim – henceforth to be called Mumbai. Bombay could have retained its old identity had the Bombay Citizens Committee, which had within its ranks industrialists such as JRD Tata and Sir Purushottamdas Thakurdas, been successful with its one-point agenda – to keep Bombay out of the state of Maharashtra when Indian states were reorganized in the 1950s. “The first settlers were Europeans; chief merchants and capitalists Gujaratis and Parsis; the chief philanthropists Parsis. The city was built by non-Maharashtrians. Even among the working class, the Marathi speakers were often outnumbered by north Indians and Christians” quoted Ramachandra Guha, a distinguished historian and political commentator, in his book ‘India After Gandhi’. Even Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was ‘inclined’ to make Bombay city a separate union territory. However, in the end the will of a much larger organization, the Samyukta Maharashtra Parishad, whose leaders had been fighting tooth and nail with almost an ‘unethical tone’ for the inclusion of Bombay in Maharashtra state prevailed. Politics, as you are aware of, is weighed in numbers; truest in case of a fledging democracy like India.

The second high profile victim of the renaming tantrum was the most spectacular structure in Bombay along with the Gateway of India – the Victoria Terminus. The station was designed by a British architect, F W Stevens, and it took ten years to complete the construction. It was inaugurated on the date of the Golden Jubilee of the glorious rule of Queen Victoria over the British Empire and so the name Victoria Terminus. The original name, Victoria Terminus, befits well the time, the place, the people and the architecture associated with it. The time because it was opened on the anniversary of Queen Victoria’s fifty years of reign. The place because Bombay was a flourishing port city of the British Empire in the east. The building would serve as, the builders might have imagined, a souvenir of the glorious past had the empire broken up which was so now but with a changed name bearing no resemblance to what it originally was christened as. The people – the people who ruled over India and who were responsible for the construction of the station – were the British whose Queen Empress was Victoria. Also the people because the people of India were ‘subservient’ to the Empire which was represented by the Governor General. And the architecture – as it is a World Heritage Site since 2004, it will be most appropriate to quote the authority i.e. UNESCO. It describes the design as a ‘high Victorian Gothic’. Nevertheless, it also describes as ‘an outstanding example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in India.’ So, where is Chatrapati Shivaji in the picture? Is it not doing injustice to both Shivaji and the British by renaming the station?

Let me make the argument clearer this way. You had a daughter and that’s too your only child. You christened her lovingly after your favourite lady in the Bible as Esther. She grew up under your dedicated upbringing and went to a college. At college she happened to find love in a boy called Babloo Yadav. She confessed to you one day that she fell in love with Babloo and they had decided to get married. You didn’t like the idea; you hated it. That’s absurd for you. Meanwhile, you didn’t want to hurt her because she’s your rose. You had been watching her grow from a young bud to a blossoming flower. Why to spoil the fragrance afterall you decided. So you reluctantly married her off to Shri Babloo Yadav.

They were married and you thought the chapter was closed. You were wrong again. Shri Babloo Yadav felt that since he’s a Hindu it wasn’t appropriate his wife bore a Christian name. He ‘renamed’ her as Laxmi Yadav. Esther became Smt. Laxmi Yadav! You felt cheated but you couldn’t do anything since her ownership had changed hand from ‘you’ to ‘him’. That was when you asked me, “Is it not a kind of injustice?”

Mamuan, ka thiamloh a ni…

2009-05-07T09:54:00.010+05:30

pic source: photos.somd.com

Mamuan, ka thiamloh a ni…
(a short story) - Thara Tlau

Inrinni zan thiante ina “weekend” hmanga ka leng chu nuam hle mah se zan dar 12 a lo rik dawn tawh avangin haw zai ka rel ta a. Bangalore-ah chuan zan dar 12 vel hi weekend-ah chuan “lenghawn ar” khuan hmasak khuan hun a ni reng a. Tichuan Kamanahalli atang chuan ka tlan haw ta vang vang a. Cantonment Railway Station atangin Indian Express Circle ka pan phei a. Chutia ka tlan pah chuan ralkhata Circle sira street light eng hnuaia nula mahnia ding hi ka hmu thei a. Ka’n tlan hnaih zel chuan Mizo nula ni ngeiin ka hria a. A bul hnai ka’n thlen chuan a hmel chu chiang takin ka hmu thei ta a, kan thenawma awm thin Mamuani a lo ni reng mai a.

“Mamuan, zan reiah mahniin hmeichhia lehnghal eng nge i tih? Nghah i nei em ni? Hawh, ka va thlah ang che, rawn chuang rawh.”
“Aw, ka nau a bang har deuha min rawn lam rawh a ti a tah hian ka lo nghak a nih hi. Thlah ka ngai love, ka lawm e.”
“Chuti a nih chuan ka hmanhmawh chuang lova ka lo nghahpui ang che.”
“A ngai lo. A rawn chhuak tep tawh ang. Weekend ah hi chuan an tlai thin a.”
“Hmeichhia mahni chauha zanlaia hetiang hmuna din a him love. Inthlahrun a ngai lo, ka lo nghahpui hrih ang che.”
“A ho mai mai e… Eng ka ti lovang min ngaihtuah duh suh. Min haw san rawh. Mangtha le.”
Chutia nghahpui ka ngai lo a tih talh takah chuan ka tlansan ta a.

Mamuani leh a nau Rintei hi ka unaute tluka ka ngainat an ni a. Bangalore-a an rawn chhukthlak tirh chuan kan thenawm lawkah hian in “one bedroom” luahin an khawsa a. Ka bedroom a lut tlang ngam khawpin kan inah an tlangnel a. Keini chhung paw’n engkima kan tirh ngam an ni. American Idol leh English Premier League phei chu an tel lovin kan en thiam lo tluk a ni. Manchester United tan ulh thak an ni a. Keini lah Chelsea lo chu ti ve ngat kan lo ni bawk si. Manchester leh Chelsea inkhelh chang phei chuan boruak a sa tha ham ham thin hle a ni. Cold drinks bottle lian hi kan inchawi thin a.

An unau hi mi inkiltawih tak, inngaitlawm bawk si an ni a. An chhungkaw chanchin, a pa boral dan leh a pa boral hnua an chunga thil thleng te min hrilh kha ka theihnghilh thei lo. A pa chu city bus driver a ni a. Vanduaithlak takin an veng inkanga naupang pakhat a chhanna lamah a chesual palh a, a thi ta a. Chutia a pa eizawngtu ber a boral takah chuan a nu, lehkha thiamlo, tan chuan an chhungkaw chawmna tur chu a vang hle mai a. Aizawl khawpui daifem a khaw pakhatah a pempui a, zu thlawrin ei an zawng ta a. Tichuan Mamuani te unau chuan sikul an kal chhunzawm a. Mamuani’n Aizawla high school an kal laia an khaw hming sawi a zahthlak thin zia leh an hmuhsit thin zia a sawi kha lainatawm tak a ni. An zirtirtu te takngial paw’n an thlavang hauh ahnekin “naktuk chu fun khat mi rawn ken ta che” fiamthu deusawh takin zu han ti thin a! Chutiang hmuhsitna karah chuan high school chu tha takin a zova, in lamah a nu a pui thin ta a.

Ni khat chu an khuaah chuan vanduaithlak takin Aizawl veng pakhat tlangval hi “eng emaw” vangin a rawn thi a. (A thih chhan hi Mamuani paw’n min hrilh tha duh lo, ka chiang bik lo a ti tlat.) A hnu lawk darkar reiloteah chuan chumi tlangval te veng chu a khawnawtin an rawn thawk thla a, Mamuani te khua chu an rawn suasam chiam a. In te an thiah sak a, huanthlai te an palchhiat sak a. A sawi dan chuan kha tlangval kha drama party pakhata an “office bearer” ni tur a ni. Mamuani te in chu khaw tawntirh deuha awm a nih avangin an tihchhiat hmasak ber pawl a ni a.

He chanchin min hrilh laia a zawhna ho ang reng tak mah se awmze nei tak chu, “U Thar, kha tlangval kha kan veng ni lovin veng dang, Zarkawt emaw Khatlaah emaw khatiang khan lo va thi ta se kan veng an suasam ang khan an suasam ngam ang em?” a tih kha.

Chutia an awmna in ber a sawp vek takah chuan a nu chuan, “Hawh u, i putea te i bel mai ang u” a ti a. Tichuan Kolasib-a a putea chu an han phone a. Ani chuan Aizawla a thianpa punin an rawn lam a. Kolasib lamah chuan an pem phei ta a. Kolasib-ah chuan a putea te inhnuaiah an khawsa a. A nu chu a putea chuan dawr te a tan sak a. Mamuani chuan sam siam a zir a. A nau Rintei paw’n high school a zawm ve leh a.

A nu eizawnna chhawk zangkhai beiseiin Mamuani chu Bangalore-ah hna zawngin a rawn chhuk a. Brigade Road-a beauty parlour lar takah hna a hmu mai a. A nau pawh high school a zawh veleh a chah thla ve a an pahnih chuan an awm dun a. A nau pawh chuan Mamuani thawhna bul lawk restaurant changkang deuh pakhatah hian hna a hmu ve mai a. Tichuan an unau chuan an nu chu an chawm ta a. A nau chuan kum khat vel a thawh hnu chuan a thawhna aia lian leh changkang zawk restaurant, Cunningham Road-ah hna a hmu leh a. Kal velna a buaithlak avangin Cunningham Road hnaih Indian Express Circle atanga hlalo teah an pem phei ta a.

Chutia Mamuani ka hawsan chu ka ngaih a tha lo ru riau a. “Engmah a ti em nang” tiin ka mu lui a. A tuk chu Pathianni a ni a. Tlai dar thuma inkhawm tur kan nih avangin dar khatah chaw kan ei a. Chutia kan ei mek lai chuan ka mobile phone message tone chu a rawn ri keuh a. Ka’n en chu Bangalore Mizo Association (BMA) secretary atangin a lo ni a. Committee kohna a nih dawn hi ti a ka’n hawng chu ka phu dawrh a. “Mizo nula ruang char a ni a, post mortem-na tur St. John’s Hospital-ah a thei thei i kal ang u” a lo inti kuau mai. Kan secretary chu ka’n call nghal vat a. Ka hlauh ang ngei ngeiin ani chuan, “Mamuani a ni a. Rawng taka pawngsualin an sawisa hlum a ni. A ruang chu Cantonment Railway Station leh Shifaa Hospital inkara ram ruakah khan tukin zingah an chhar a” a ti ta mai. Chu chu nizana kan intawhna hmun atanga hla lo te a ni si.

St. John’s Hospital pan tura ka insiam mek lai chuan ka mobile chu a rawn ri ret ret a. Mizoram landline number hi a ni a. Ka’n pick up a.
“Thara”
“Aw, tunge?”
“Mamuani nu. I nau Mamuani misual kut tuarin a thi an ti.”
A ngawi vang vang a. Insum harsa ti tak chunga a insut ri chu ka hre thei a. Han chhan mai ngaihna ka hre lova. Ka ngawi ve reng ringawt a.
“Hei chanchin min rawn hrilh ve chauh a, hospital pan turin ka insiam mek. Helampang chu in rawn ngaihtuah a ngai loving. Buaipui tul apiang chu ka lo buaipui ang.”
“Anih leh Mamuani ruang i rawn zui ang em? A nuta neihchhun i ni si.”

Chu tak mai chuan min va han thawng nasa tehlul em! Engtin nge Mamuani ruang chu Kolasib thleng ka zui theih ang? A zahawm lutuk. Keima vang liau liaua kutpalh tuar a ni si. Mamuan, ka thiamloh a ni… i u Thara hian i tlawmngaih thin zia kha engvangin nge nizan khan ka hriatthiam loh. Misual ina an sual rawn lai che khan min rawn hrechhuak ngei dawn si a maw… i mitthla tur pawh ka hrethiam vek e. Mizo tlangvala chhiar tlak pawh ka ni tawh lo, pawnfen feng tlak lek ka nih hi.

“A theih hram chuan rawn zui ka tum ang. Mahse police case leh thil dang neuh neuh hi bawhzui a ngai dawn a. Tin, an unau bungrua te pawh ka lo va fawm phei a ngai dawn a…”

St. John’s Hospital ka va thleng a. Rintein min han hmu chiah chu mi rawn kuah a ka awmah chuan a tap ta vak mai a. Thiam ang tawkin kan han inhnem a.

Rintei hi nizana a u a hmuh zawh loh takah khan United Theological College (UTC) lamah auto-in a lo va phei a. A u a hmuh zawh loh thu leh a phone tlang theih loh thu a sawi bak chu engmah a sawi chhunzawm thei lova. UTC lamin police-ah report te pein an theih chin chinah hma an lo la a. Chuta tang chuan Rintei chuan tumah a lo be tawh lo hrim hrim a. A u ruang an chhar pawh chuan tah pawh a lo tap thei lo niin. An nuta anga an ngaih mi han hmu kha a lo tap thei ta chauh a lo ni a.

Mamuani ruang post mortem chu an han zo fel a. Embalming te an han tih zawh chuan a ruang chu kuangah an han dah a. Bangalore Mizo Christian Fellowship President-in hunserh tawite a hmang a. Chutih lai chuan Mamuani ruang chungah chuan heti hian ka intiam ta a:

“Mamuan, tunah chuan engmah sawi theih ka nei lo. Amaherawhchu, Kolasib-ah i thlan chungah ngei keimah chauhin ngaidam dilin ka la rawn kal ang.”

Ka Mittui A Tla A

2009-04-19T15:17:00.010+05:30

pic courtesy: www.shahnaz-kimi.livejournal.com

Vawikhat chu Champhaiah then leh rual te tlawh pahin tihtur pawimawh thenkhat avangin ka va zin a. Zanah chuan ka thlen in te inpui (common room) ah ka riak a. Zan laiah chuan kawngka chu a rawn in kik ri det det a. Sana ka’n en a, dar 1.00 a lo ri tawh a. Tun ang zan reia kawng rawn in kik chu ti a ngaih tha em em lo chuan kawng chu ka va hawng hram a. Nu rai lian tawh tak leh hmeichhe naupang hi kawngkhar bulah chuan an lo ding a. “Ka pu zanin chauh kan lo riak thei ang em?” tiin mi’n zawt chawt a. Kei chuan in neitu ka nih loh thu ka hrilh a. In neitupa chu ka va kaitho va. Pu Sawma chu a rawn tho chhuak a. “Eng nge ni ta zanlai laiah?” a rawn ti a. Chu nu chuan a thawthu tawi te chu a sawi ta a.

“Nimin tuk khan ka fanu chaw ka barh laiin kan veng thalai ho kan inah an rawn lut thut a. ‘E… nangni kha eng nge in la tih? Hmanhmawhin in thawmthaw in duh duh kha tel ula Burma-a haw turin rawn chhuak vat r’u, motor-in a nghak reng che u a nia’ an ti ta mai a. Kei chuan a chhan leh vang pawh hre chuang lo chuan, ‘Pute u, zahngai ula, kan pa Civil Hospital-ah malaria a nain a awm a. Chu chu kan enkawl dam veleh kan haw ve ang’ ka ti a. Mahse anni chuan engah mah ka thu sawi chu an ngai duh lo va, hmanhmawh em em hian kan bedsheet-in kan bungraw thenkhat min tel tir a min pawt chhuak nghal thawt thawt a. Chutih lai tak chuan kan in neitunu Pi Sangi chu a rawn tlan chhuk a, “Zahngai zahngai, nu nau lakah tal chuan zahngai ta che u. An pa pawh hospital-ah a awm a, tuin nge enkawl ta ang?” a rawn ti a. Anni chuan vin zet hian “Pi Sang, ngawi mai mai rawh. Burma ho in i luah tir thin a, veng mit i ti kham khawp a nia” an ti a. Ti chuan, truck hian tawt em emin Champhai lam panin kan rawn tlan ta vang vang a. Motor-a thu khawchang ka hriat ve dan chuan Burma pa pakhat hian hmeichhe naupang a pawngsual avangin Burma mi tawhphawt chu a nawlpuiin YMA leh VC tangkawpin min lo hnawtchhuak niin. An sawi zel dan phei chuan Champhaiah pawh nikhat aia rei cham min phal lo va. Chutia kan rawn tlan chu Champhai khaw tawntirhah sawn kan motor a chhe ta hlauh a, kein kan rawn phei hlawm a. Thenkhat chuan khaw tawntirhah sawn bawkte khawhin an riak mai a. Mahse kei chu naute nei ka nia, a ril a tam em em bawk si a. Engpawh nise khuaah va lut ila chaw barkhat eina tur leh zankhat riah lailawk na tur chu min khawngaihtu kan hmu mahna tiin kan rawn phei ta zel a. Nameplate hi ka rawn chhiar phei den den a, Upa Lalsawma Khiangte tih hi ka hmu fuh ta hlauh a. ‘E… hei chu ka chipui a ni tlat mai, min khawngaih duh mahna’ tiin kawngka ka rawn kik tawp mai a ni.”

In neitupa chuan an nu chu ei tur siam sak vat turin a ti a, hmeh thing chu a’n lum sawk sawk a. Pu Sawma chu a inngaihtuah vung vung a. “Anih leh i chipui te takngial pawn i thlavang an hauh ngam lo va maw?” a rawn ti chhuak hlawl a. Chu nu chuan, “Ka pu chipui leh chipui lo an sawi lo. Burma rim nam tawh phawt chu an vaihma vek mai” a ti a. Pu Sawma vek chuan,”Anih leh tihian in nufa in awm ve hrih ula, kha i rai lian tawh em em lehnghal a. Kan inah nau tha takin i nei ang a, chuan thil dang chu tlachawpin kan ngaihtuah zel dawn nia” a ti a. Chu nu chuan chaw bar pah chuan, “Ka pu ka duh lo. Mizoram hi chhuahsan vat ka duh. Naktukah a rualin Tiau lui kan kan dawn a. Lo chambang ta ila, Champhaiah pawh eng nge thleng ang a sawi theih hleih nem” a ti a. In neitupa chuan a’n thlem thin a mahse a duh ngang lo va. “A nih leh Burma-ah khawnge in pan ang?” a’n ti a. Chu nu chuan, “Zohmunah kan pa nu hi tar kum 70 mi vel a la dam a, kan va fin ve rawih mai ang” a ti a. An mutna tur chu in neitunu chuan chhuatlaiah chuan a’n phah sak a, kan mu ta hlawm a.

A tuk zingah chuan, Pu Lalsawma nen chuan border thlengin kan va thlah a. Cheng zanga hi a hum tir a. Kei pawh chuan ka wallet ka phawrh a cheng zahnih ka hum tir ve a. Chu nu chuan mittui far det det chung hian, “Ka pu, kan pa kha min lo va ngaihven hram r’u aw?” a ti a. Ti chuan, an nufa chuan bedsheet-a an thil fun nen chuan mi dang thenkhat nen an in zui phei hnak hnak a. Tah tak chuan kei pa awmkhauh ve angreng tak pawh chu ka mittui a far ve fak fak a. Ngaihtuahna chu a kal thui duh khawp mai. Pu Sawma chuan ka darah mi’n beng thauh a, “Thara, tirawh Aizawlah i phei vat teh ang. A sawi ang khan an pa chu kan va ngaihven loh te chuan” a ti a. In kan thleng a kan insiam ta sawk sawk a, Aizawl lam pan tur chuan kan chhuak ta a. Thil pakhat ka theihnghilh theih miah loh chu Pu Sawma’n border atanga in lam pana kan kal laia min zawh kha a ni, “Thara, Mizo te hi eng sakhaw bia nge kan nih tak?” a tih kha. Ka chhang ta lo reng a.

(This short story in Mizo was written a few years ago to show my solidarity with the Mizos of “Burmese origin” who crossed the border as economic and political refugees – Thara Tlau)

Michael Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi – The Unfailing Love Story

2009-03-22T12:47:00.004+05:30

pic courtesy: www.pbase.com

Michael Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi – The Unfailing Love Story

- Thara Tlau

"Dr. Aris's perseverance and dedication to his wife and family, and to the cause of human rights and democracy in Burma, earned him the respect and admiration of citizens around the world." – Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States.

Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate, was a born politician. She was the only daughter of the most revered politician and freedom fighter of Burma, General Aung San who was also credited as the founder of modern Burmese military. He was assassinated in 1947, the same year Burma attained independence, when Aung San Suu Kyi was only two years old. After independence and after the death of her father, her mother became a prominent politician of Burma and was later on appointed as the ambassador to India. Suu Kyi followed her mother to India and graduated from Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi.

Suu Kyi proceeded to UK to continue her studies at Oxford where she met her to-be husband Michael Aris. Dr. Michael Aris was a scholar and a leading Western authority on Bhutanese, Tibetan, and Himalayan culture and taught Asian history at Oxford. He was born in Havana, Cuba. His father was an officer with the British Council. He was educated at Worth School and graduated from Durham University. After graduation from Durham, he spent six years as the private tutor of the children of the royal family of the Kingdom of Bhutan. He married Suu Kyi on New Year's Day 1972 and the couple spent a year in Bhutan.

After their return to UK, Michael continued with his postgraduate studies at the University of London and obtained PhD in Tibetan Studies. Suu Kyi returned to Burma in 1988 to nurse her dying mother who had suffered a severe stroke. It was at this time that her inborn political intuition surfaced out and that she entered Burmese politics unwittingly. General Ne Win stepped down and there were nationwide demonstrations for democratization of Burma. She had been overwhelmingly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of nonviolence. So she founded National League for Democracy to fight for Burmese democracy by nonviolent means. Consequently, she was kept under house arrest by the military junta but offered freedom if she so desired to leave the country which she refused.

Michael described the episode leading to their separation as: "It was a quiet evening in Oxford, like many others, the last day of March 1988. Our sons were in bed and we were reading when the telephone rang. Suu picked up the phone to learn that her mother had suffered a severe stroke. She put the phone down at once and started to pack. I had a premonition that our lives would change for ever." During the years of separation Michael continued his teaching and research at Oxford while raising the couple's sons and also lobbying hard for the cause of Burmese democracy in the West. St John's College, where he was teaching, was also supportive to Michael and Suu Kyi for their fight for democracy. Michael was provided with an extended leave of absence as a fellow on full stipend so that he could lobby for his wife's cause.

In 1997, Michael was diagnosed with prostate cancer which was found to be terminal. His last wish was to see his wife before his death. However, the Burmese regime denied him visa stating that they didn’t have facilities to care for him. Several countries and prominent leaders including Pope John Paul II and Kofi Annan appealed the Burmese authority on behalf of the separated couple, on humanitarian ground, to grant Michael a visa to visit his wife in Burma. However, the Burmese authority didn’t pay heed to any of those appeals.

Michael Aris died in 1999 without realising his wish to see his wife one last time. He died unattended by the one whom he loved so dearly and for whose cause he was fighting for. The last time he saw her was during Christmas in 1995.

``I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful husband who has always given me the understanding I needed. Nothing can take that away from me.'' - Aung San Suu Kyi, March 27, 1999.

WARLORD ROPUI – AHMED SHAH MASOOD

2009-01-27T16:25:00.002+05:30

pic courtesy: albphabetcity.blogspot.com

(He article hi October 10, 2007 a Bangalore Mizo website a ka pholan tawh mah ni se, ka blog ah hian kan chhuah nawn ve leh a ni e – Thara Tlau)

Ahmed Shah Masood-a pawimawh zia chu a thih hun pawh khan a hril chiang khawp mai. September 11, 2001 a World Trade Center leh Pentagon bombing hma September 9, 2001 khan thah (assassinate) a ni a. Masood-a thah tumna “plot” kha lo tlawlh palh se WTC leh Pentagon kha an bomb kher lo ang a tih theih. Afghanistan Northern Alliance hruaitu, Taliban beilettu pawl hotu, Taliban leh Al Qaeda ten an huat rawn a ni. America ram hruaitute kha khatiang 9/11 ang thil thleng tur kha a lo warn lawk daih tawh a ni. Warlord mah ni se, kum 2002 khan French Parliamentarian rual chuan Nobel Peace Prize dawng turin Norway-based Nobel Peace Prize committee-ah nomination an thehlut a ni. He thil hian khawvel a nghawng a nih kha. Tualthattu leh hriamhrei lek hmang khatia Nobel Peace Prize, Pu Gandhi-a paw’n tun thlenga (posthumously) a la dawn loh, remna atana hma latu ropui te tana pek chhuah thin dawng tura a hming an ri ve kha.

Ahmed Shah Masood-a hi Afghanistan ethnic Tajik mi a ni a, Afghanistan atanga Soviet army hnawtchhuaktu a nih avangin Lion of Panjshir ("Shir-e-Panjshir") tia koh hial a ni a. Soviet army a beih dan tactic kha Afghan ho indo dan leh guerilla warfare Mao Zedong-a leh Che Guevara te lehkhabu atanga a zir chhawn a ni a. Mahse commentator pakhat chuan “it was considered as the most effective of all the resistance movements” a ti hial a ni. Tribal sipai tlem te hmangin Soviet army ralthuam tha tak hmang kha an hneh tlat mai a ni.

Kum 1992 khan President Burhanuddin Rabbani hnuaiah Defence Minister a ni a. Mahse, khatia Taliban ho an lo chak tak zela Rabbani sorkar a tluk chhiat khan United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan chu warlord thenkhatte nen dinin military leader a ni a. Hei hi Northern Alliance tia hriat lar tak kha an ni a. Taliban khan Afghanistan ram 90% vel an awp chhova. Northern Alliance hi khawthlang lam sorkar (read as US) tan chuan beiseina awm chhun a ni. Central Asia chungchanga khawthlang sorkar policy leh hmalakna tamtak kha Masood-a influence kan ti lo thei lo. April 2001, a thih hma thla nga, khan European Parliament President Nicole Fontaine chuan European Parliament address turin a sawm a. Hetah hian khawthlang sorkar te hriatah Taliban leh Al Qaeda te inlaichinna chu chiang takin a sawi lang nghe nghe a. Tin, terrorist attack lian tham tak an duang mek a ni tih ngenngawl takin a sawi a. Mahse, US leh European sorkar te chuan a “warning” chu eng lua ah an ngaih sak lo a.

September 11, 2001 ah US chuan Pearl Harbour Japan ina an beih tih lova hmelma beihna nasa ber mai a tawk ta. A ram ropuina tilangtu a military headquarters Pentagon leh sumdawnna hmunpui World Trade Center chu terrorist te kutah nasa taka tihchhiat an ni a. Hemi avang hian Afghanistan Northern Alliance te hmang pahfawmin Kabul a rorel lai Taliban sorkar chu a bei ta vak mai a, kar lovah an hneh ta reng a. Mahse, thla nga lek kalta a Masood-a “warning” kha menah lo thlak se chuan mi tam takin an nunna an chan lo tur. Tichuan, US tanpuinain Afghanistan chuan sorkar lailawk President Hamid Karzai kaihhruaina hnuaiah a lo nei ta a. Hamid Karzai-a hian president a nih kum vek 2001 khan Ahmeh Shah Masood-a chu "Hero of the Afghan Nation" title a hlan a ni. Hei hi India rama “Father of the Nation” kan tih ang hi a ni.

The Dilemma which is Mumbai

2009-01-05T15:45:00.013+05:30

pic source: www.goindiaholidays.com

The Dilemma which is Mumbai
- Thara Tlau

The 26/11 carnage of Mumbai has exposed the serious lapses in the administration of our cities. It has expounded the loopholes in the hierarchical functioning of the government in India – local, state and central. Unlike the aftermath of 9/11 where the Mayor of New York city was all-in-all in the hierarchy of administration taking charge of coordinating the rescue operations, rehabilitations and civil administration without any stupendous intervention from the governor of the state or the president of the country there was no one who could take up the “ownership” role for Mumbai when it was burning. On 26/11 and the following few days Mumbai was an orphan injured heavily by miscreants and bleeding profusely with no one to adopt her and bandage her wounds. Who is to blame? Where is her parent? Who is her parent – the mayor, the chief minister or the prime minister?

All Indian metropolitan cities have mayors with very limited administrative powers which too are confined mainly on sanitary and civic ones but pathetically unable to discharge even those – we are all authentic eyewitnesses, needless to delve deeper in that. Then comes the question in whose hands the major administrative power of the cities are confined to. The Prime Minister of India is definitely out of the scene. If so, the most convincing answer would be the chief ministers of the states. The chief minister of a state in India combines the dual functions akin to the Mayor of New York city and the Governor of New York state. If you are living in Bangalore the locality you live in and the locality of your friend in Tumkur have the same administrative head in the Chief Minister of Karnataka. Similarly, if you are living in Mumbai the locality you live in and a far flung locality in Solapur have the same administrative head in the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The people of Siliguri in northern West Bengal protested against frequent power-cuts in the city but they petitioned their grievances to the Chief Minister in Kolkata who lives a thousand miles away! A trade union representing labourers of fire-cracker industry in Sivakasi urged the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in Chennai to look into the working conditions of workers in the factories. In the meantime, captains of industries representing the IT industry were discussing with the same Chief Minister in his office chamber in Chennai ways and means to make the city of Chennai more competitive and attractive to foreign investors. Is it not a wonder that our chief ministers could bear so much of responsibilities? They are the monoliths in the states’ administration. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has ‘mayoral’ responsibilities for cities like Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, etc!!

The need of the hour for better administration of our cities is delegation of more power to the mayors whatever be the means of their election – direct or indirect. A mayor will be the guardian of the city which will work in tandem with the city police commissioner in running the administration of the city. This will require a complete overhaul of the prevailing system with an enactment of legislation in this regard not from the state assemblies but the Parliament so as to give more fillips as well as equal impetus in its functioning throughout the country. This is the most urgent ‘change’ we need so badly at the moment.

Cities are the drivers of economic progress since the time of industrial revolution in Europe and all the more so in the present computer era. Ironically, they are also the most viable targets of terrorists with the kind of publicity they can generate and economic and political consequences they can attribute to. At the worldwide parlance New York, Madrid, Bali and London have seen it. At home, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Guwahati have seen it. The most disdainful thought but most unavoidable one which pop up in your mind constantly is which city is next. Our prayer, not the answer, is ‘none’. But, with the kind of security and intelligence at our disposal compounded by the porous international borders (sea and land) it is not awkward to guess ‘when’ and ‘where’. We, the citizens, may say ‘enough is enough’ but the echo will end into oblivion if it is not resounded by the political establishment with a sound strategy at hand to prevent, counter and pursue any kind of terrorism in Indian soil. Otherwise, our cities will continue to be as vulnerable as they have been. As a source of economic progress of the country, our cities deserve better care from the authority which has eluded them for so long to regain sense of security.

Mumbai, yes Mumbai, is the epicenter of India’s financial activities. It has rightly been accorded, though not officially, the ‘financial capital’ of India. The central bank of India – the Reserve Bank of India - is headquartered in Mumbai not New Delhi; the two largest stock exchanges - BSE and NSE - are located in Mumbai; the market and banking regulator - SEBI - is also headquartered in Mumbai. In short, Mumbai controls the financial nerves of India. When someone says THE stock exchange in India, he invariably means the Bombay Stock Exchange. Nevertheless, majority of the public and private sector banks, finance and insurance companies are headquartered in Mumbai. It is a colourful cosmopolitan city whose colours represent the colours of India’s diversity not that of the Marathis alone. ‘Bombay dream’ has enchanted many an ambitious soul to take up the challenges before the challenges of success to become great entrepreneurs, film personalities, hoteliers, bankers and even beggars. The first city an Indian child can pronounce is Bombay whether he is from the corner-most northeast India or the southernmost Kanyakumari. Mumbai is so dear to Indians that when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena claims ownership and spread hatred towards north Indians, even the south Indian Malayalese could not justify their actions. When Mumbai was attacked on 26/11, people in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar watched their television sets gloomily with tears forgetting how much they have been victimized by the short-sighted MNS. The people of India irrespective of their religion and region prayed in unison so that Mumbai can stand tall and spectacular again on its feet.

Though I have proposed about the strengthening of the mayors of the cities, Mumbai is a special case – class apart from other Indian cities taking into cognizance its status as the financial capital and its sheer size of being the largest Indian city. Strengthening of the mayor of Mumbai will be a welcome development indeed, but according a union territory status similar to that of Delhi or creating a city-state i.e. statehood for Mumbai will be a more enviable option. If a union territory status or statehood is given to Mumbai, Mumbai will look after itself. The Chief Minister of Mumbai with all its glories and powers will solely be responsible for Mumbai. Here the Chief Minister will be wielding the functions of the Mayor of New York city and the Governor of New York state combined, but not as described earlier, to take responsibilities of far flung towns and cities but for the welfare of the city of Mumbai alone. This will make the city more vibrant economically and competitive vis-à-vis other cities of the world like London, New York, Honk Kong and Singapore. It will be more accommodative in outlook and also will regain its lost ground in the hearts of a billion strong Indians as a city of dreams.

Salaam Bombay!!!

Can a true Christian be a secularist?

2008-10-15T12:20:00.013+05:30

Pic courtesy: www.longwood.edu

This is the question that has been haunting me for months. I have tried to answer the question myself with utmost integrity, without any tendency of being bias but have not been successful until lately. I slept with the question, I woke up with the question, I went to office with the question, etc etc. I have enquired indirectly to friends and acquaintances their viewpoints without letting them know what I actually intend to. I have prayed enough prayers to God to forgive me if I have intruded on to where I should not as a believer. I was perturbed all the more so with the rise of intolerance among religions and violence in the name of religion the past few months. As a Christian, I was hurt, deeply hurt, by the persecution being perpetrated against Christians in some parts of our country. Why have we become the “unwanted” in our neighbourhood? Is it due to a political propaganda of a particular group to gain political mileage or due to our own fault? Obviously so, it is due to the former if not the latter or both together.

Communal politics have played a significant role in the rise of politicians and political parties. India was partitioned due to the shortsighted vision of a communally inclined leader who had preached chauvinistically about his religion and the need for a separate homeland, a republic based on the teaching of the religion. The consequence of the movement spearheaded by him and the political party he founded was his rise as a tall leader with an impeccable control of the community on the one hand; on the other hand, it had not only caused lost of thousands of precious lives but a scar of hatred among two communities that will no longer vanish in totality years and years to come. The scar of the partition was responsible for all the complications that arose after four decades among the two communities in Ayodhya which otherwise could have been solved amicably through dialogue not the violent way it had been. Ironically, the Ayodhya dispute has catapulted a communal political party as one of the most prominent forces in national politics today.

Christianity as a religion has its foundation laid on the teachings of Jesus Christ. It’s a religion of “love” and to love alone is its ethic based. It is this love which propels us and gives us the zeal to serve and reach out to those who need to be “served”. However, let’s have a closer introspection on “how” we have carried on this. Have we not created unnecessary ripples of suspicion among other religions due to our aggressive “missionary” works? Has not “numbers” become more important than “saved” in the minds of the church leaders which reciprocally implanted “whatever” mindset in the minds of the missionaries to yield a “good harvest”? Is it the purpose of the “call” to allure someone with worldly benefits just to let him embrace Christianity but not accept it? Let us once again be clear that we are not called to “baptise” people with water alone but to let them receive and accept the gospel. It is those people who has been allured not with the gospel but with “benefits” and has been “reconverted” to their previous religion that has spoilt the image of Christianity. It is none other than the deplorable actions of the Christians which has led to the introduction of anti-conversion bills in some states. Let us understand that there has to be a paradigm shift in our approach. We need to broaden our outlook and cultivate a better understanding with other religions by showing respect and concerns to their beliefs and teachings. Let us not chase a soul just to be dumped but earn it through goodwill and work of mercy. Let us not be the examiner to tell them what is “right” just to hurt the sentiments of the community but let them examine us and come to our fold if they find anything convincingly worthy. This will not be against any law as the person is taking his own decision and liberty in exercise of “the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution” and also will pose a greater challenge among Christians, not only the missionaries, in defining Christianity as a way of life not just as a religion.

The founding fathers of our country, India, were enlightened people with deep respect for all religions unlike the leaders of the breakaway fraction which became an Islamic republic. Although Pakistan was created by and for the Muslims, our leaders were not disturbed at all by the fissure that had been created by the Muslim fundamentalists in breaking the country and did not declare India as a Hindu republic although more than 80% of the populations were Hindus. The people of India were given freedom to profess, practice and propagate the religion of their choice. However, the most beautiful word in the constitution appeared only after the 42nd amendment in 1976 with the insertion of “secularism” in the “preamble” of the constitution. In the western concept, secularism is narrowly interpreted as separation between religion and state but in the Indian context, it is broadly interpreted as equality of all religions or Sarva Dharma Sambhav. Secularism acts as the balancing fulcrum between religious intolerance and fundamentalism on one side and state patronisation of a religion on the other. That means that it is the responsibility of all religions to maintain peaceful atmosphere and cordial relationship among themselves to let the state machinery function effectively. This is in consonance with the teaching of the Bible - to love our neighbour as we love ourselves - not giving due importance to self alone. As I have said, Christian ethic is based on love but not on hatred. We cannot be the source of hatred nor be the perpetrator of hatred and misunderstanding.

In the meantime, let’s not be confused with the terms “pluralism” and “secularism”. Pluralism stands for one god taking cognizance of all religions in equal footing with an emphasis on the goal i.e. god whatever religion may be the means. In that case, pluralism is out of the purview of Christianity and is emphatically against the teaching of the Bible. In other words, Christianity and pluralism are poles apart. However, secularism vis-a-vis Indian secularism does not talk about god. It pays emphasis on the peaceful coexistence of all religions with mutual respect and understanding. It underlines the importance of congeniality among men to profess the faith of their belief(s). This doesn’t bar a man from changing his faith at all. He can convert or reconvert to a religion according to his will and conscience without any act of intimidation from any party. It is here that Christianity as a way of life has to play a great role in winning souls without causing dissent among other communities. So, Christianity and secularism can go together hand in hand as much as the head and tail of the same coin. To be a secularist doesn’t necessarily mean not to be a true Christian.

(This article is written from a layman’s point of view. So, it may be futile to argue theologically – Thara Tlau)

Safe Environment, Safe Tomorrow

2008-08-16T22:25:00.014+05:30

*(This article was originally written to be posted on the 5th of June 2008 – World Environment day but could not do so due to disallowance of pendrive usage in cyber cafes nearby my “second” home in Salt Lake, Kolkata. I could post only after a short sojourn at Bangalore.)

Fifth of June is significant to me meaningfully in two ways. One, it is the World Environment Day – a day dedicated to Mother Earth to protect her fast deteriorating environment and to safeguard it from further destruction. It’s the day we pledge our allegiance to Mother Earth showing concerns to her “wellbeing.”

Two, it’s the day I was born – born to be subjugated by the “fineries” and “maladies” of the world. Being born on 5th of June may prove instrumental in instilling in me a “soft corner” when it comes to issues related to the environment. I can claim that I was a born “environmentalist” though environment is not my line of studies or profession. Since my childhood, years before I was aware that 5th of June is World Environment Day, I have an inner consciousness, or an intuition, for love of nature. The mountains and the green hills in our surroundings and the streams that meander down from those mountains and hills were those which enchanted me the most. I used to be perturbed by the way jhum cultivations were practiced in the hills causing large scale destruction to the forest and the environment.

I had the opportunity to visit the largest backwaters of Kerala near Allapuzha in February this year. I was amazed at the vastness of the water body, the way tourism industry prospers and thrives in Kerala and the politeness and friendliness of the Malus (or the Malayalis – the people of Kerala). Spending the days boating in the vast lake strikingly similar to a sea, enjoying the foods served in the boat house and drinking the local “todi” in the boat, enjoying the beautiful night in the boat house and the breezy atmosphere of the night were inexplicably an awesome experience. However, I was a little bit alarmed at seeing so many plastic wastes, not easily degradable materials, whenever rowing out of the main lake to its channels. The channels are largely covered by the fast growing water hyacinths which play a very important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the lake. However, the hyacinths are dotted with plastic bottles, plastic cups and other kind of plastic wastes which are unpleasant sights to see. The tourism department of Kerala has a long way to go in educating the masses especially those who are directly involved in the tourism industry the harm that plastic wastes can cause the environment. I particularly mean those people who have a stake in the tourism industry because they are the first line of people who are responsible for the pollution of the lake. I was not glad at all being served tea with a plastic cup in the boat nor did I when served food in a plastic plate. The boatmen need to be more environment friendly in their dealings with the business so as to maintain the ecology of the lake so as to sustain the business not only for themselves but for the next generation as well. Moreover, they are the most appropriate people who can instruct the tourists proper disposal of plastic wastes.

An uninhabited island in the middle of the lake, Pathiramanlal Island, which was home to migratory birds in springs and autumns, was no different when it comes to plastic wastes. The signboard at the entrance of the island prominently display that it’s a plastic free island but just 3 to 4 meters away from the gate was heavily dumped with plastic wastes and even the swamps in the interior of the island were not spared either. Such a proliferation may cause dear to the regular migration of birds and the also the health of the ecology of the beautiful island.

After moving to Kolkata, my greatest concern is with the intensity of air pollution caused by motor vehicles, especially the public transport system. Majority of the buses and taxis are plying on diesel fuel which emission of greenhouse gases is absolutely high in comparison with other fuels like CNG and LPG. Kolkata should have taken a lesson or two from the big brother New Delhi whose introduction of CNG as the only fuel for public buses make a huge difference in the level of air pollution. I was told by a good friend that introduction of CNG is a dream away in Kolkata since this will create another Nandigram like situation which will eventually erode the vote bank of the ruling CPM. So, that indirectly implies that the ruling party has to choose between the “environment” and “power” if the air pollution level of Kolkata is to be reduced or put under control. You can bet on the latter looking at the track record of the CPM in West Bengal. Not only this, I have learnt about the disturbances caused by man to the ecology of the Sunderbans– a home of the world famous Bengal Tigers. It is one of my endeavours during my stay in West Bengal to visit the delta, and I’m optimistically looking forward that it will happen this year.

The disappearance of tigers and the fast depleting numbers of wild animals from some of our wildlife sanctuaries and parks are things to ponder upon by the government and citizens alike. Forests and wildlife are national assets and should be taken care of today for the next generation and generations to come. Project formulation is not the only solution but the implementation at the grass-root level. Project Tiger is a living testimony of the failure of the government in implementing wildlife projects effectively. In other words, we need a paradigm shift in our policy towards forests and wildlife to realize a meaningful and successful conservation as well as preservation of forests and wildlife.

Yes, on this auspicious day of the 5th of June, let’s put our hands together to save our environment from total destruction so that we will give our next generation a future to live with.

Let There be Peace in Manipur

2008-03-23T01:11:00.007+05:30

The recent killings of 15 Hindi speaking migrant workers in Manipur within a few days have underlined once again the urgent necessity to curb insurgency in Manipur. My first reaction at reading the news from Times of India Bangalore edition was “what the hell is going on.” Yes, it’s hell out there – a hell created out of greed and divisive mindset of the people. Any killing of innocent people anywhere on earth deserves the severest punishment to the perpetrator. Life is equally important; from a beggar to a minister. What could be the reason behind the killing of such numbers of innocent civilians? Didn’t they think about the lives of the wives and children of the victims? Is it just for the sake of publicity due to the dying nature of public support and media attention to the insurgency movement in Manipur? Public support to insurgency is dwindling but nowhere to zero. However, the struggle doesn’t earn much attention of the national media. Whatever may be the reason, one thing is clear – it’s a cowardly act. No insurgent group has claimed responsibility so far nevertheless the motives.

The people of Manipur have to condemn this type of barbaric act in the strongest term. Bloodshed in Manipur causing a life, whether a Manipuri or a non-Manipuri, deserves utmost condemnation. However, seeing the nature of condemnation of the incidents it could be inferred that it’s not even a fraction of the condemnation when a Manipuri died in the hands of the army. This corrupt mindset of the people gives breeding ground for the terrorists (insurgents in Manipur are befittingly terrorists) who live royally under the guise of fighting for Manipuri cause. I was expecting tens of “Sharmila Chanus” to spring up in the aftermath of the incidents but was totally wrong. Sharmila Chanu has been fasting for years since 10 innocent Manipuris were killed at Malom by the military after being ambushed in a broad daylight in civilian area by unknown militants. She has been demanding the removal of Armed Forces Special Power Act (in short AFSPA) from Manipur since it’s “draconian” in nature that the armed forces have special power to deal with activities pertaining to militancy. The “Sharmila Chanus” which I was expecting were not for the AFSPA but who were determined to fast unto death for ending of any kind of public support to the insurgent groups. This doesn’t mean that I belittle the untiring effort of “iche” Sharmila – I have been following closely any news related to her and have great respect for her love for Manipur – but I am in support of what could be the other side of the same coin. I don’t want removal of the AFSPA until the militants come to a negotiating table for serious discussion. Some may reason why my stand could be the “other side of the same coin” as that of Sharmila Chanu. It’s because both of them are for return of normalcy in Manipur - to let the Manipuris lives a peaceful live once again which has eluded them decades.

Insurgency in Manipur is nothing more than a business. Can anyone tell me the definite aim – independence, self-rule, more autonomy? None of them. They are not earning the admiration of any nations for their struggle not to speak of fellow Indians. Don’t blame unemployment for the rise of insurgency. It will be stupid to do so since none of the groups even spoke about unemployment as their reason for struggle. The words out of their mouth say “independence” or “self-rule” which they themselves don’t know the meaning. It is “extortion” and “easy money” they are fighting for. They will not easily give up their “job” since there is no better way of earning handsomely than what they are doing. Hence, the reason for removing AFSPA from Manipur is “null” or “void” since there is no other way to “chase” those people away other than a strict military rule. Just to quote, I was told that there is not, not even one, a government department in Manipur which is not under the “taxation umbrella” of the terrorists which indirectly means even the Police Department. You are not wrong if your understanding goes this way – the terrorists in Manipur are funded by the government.

It’s time now the Manipuris wake up to make Manipur as Rabindranath Tagore rightly quoted "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high."

My salute to the departed.

Life of the fishermen

2008-02-13T11:10:00.002+05:30

The first stanza of the poem "Coromandel Fishers" by Sarojini Naidu goes:
"Rise, brothers, rise; the wakening skies pray to the morning light,
The wind lies asleep in the arms of the dawn like a child that has cried all night.
Come, let us gather our nets from the shore and set our catamarans free,
To capture the leaping wealth of the tide, for we are the kings of the sea!"

The life of the fishermen has inspired many a poet and writers. What quality of their life has been so inspiring? Is it their simple lifestyle or their hard work? Could it be their enduring spirit of courage and strength or the joy they display out of their catch? There may be many assumptions and more reasons than you could guess. However, one thing is clear – they earn happiness out of their profession. How important it is to be content with what we are doing and be content to what we are. In Philippians 4:11 Paul said, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am in therewith to be content". In his book, The Virtue in the Vice, Robin Meyers, a congregational minister, writes: "Contentment is not just an 'peaceful, easy feeling' or a way to rationalize laziness. It is a deep, easy-breathing wisdom that knows what can and can't be changed, and more important, knows when to do and when to wait. The contented person watches the world closely, but does not stare it down. She enjoys things, rather than trying to possess them or straighten them out."

No wonder why Jesus Christ chooses Peter, James, John and Andrew who are all fishermen to be his disciples. "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." The apostles left everything when Jesus called (Mark 1:18, 20). If Jesus has called upon a rich merchant will he leave everything unconditionally to follow him? Here lies the "spirit" of the fishermen which is so inspirational.

Hard Rock Cafe

2008-01-21T01:42:00.001+05:30

**** Hei chu Sap tawng lo deuhin, chhiar lo tur turin an lo chhiar keng kung palh ang :-) ****

Ka naupan lai, han ti ve khanglang ila, sande sikul ah chuan junior department vel ka nih lai a niang chu, ka nu'n secondhand dawr ah t-shirt min thin sak a. Chu t-shirt chu nainawk rawng a ni a. A hmaah hian "Hard Rock Cafe Chicago" hi a in ziak kuau mai a. Chu t-shirt chu ka ngaina em em a. Hard rock ka ngainat vang emaw a restaurant chain ka ngaihsan vang phei chu a ni hauh lo, Hard Rock Cafe hi engnge a nih pawh ka la hre lo. T-shirt tha dang ka neih lem loh avangin t-shirt hakna hun awm ah chuan ka ha deuh zel a. Kha t-shirt kha mithenkhat tan chuan min chhinchhiahna remchang tak a ni ta ve ang. Zah nachang pawh ka hre hran lo, t-shirt mi zinga infiamna ni lem lova han hak chi ka neih chhun a nih avang khan ka ha kual ka ha kual a.

Ka theihnghilh theih miah loh pakhat chu, vawikhat chu ka nu hian in unauin photography studio ah thla i va la ang u a tia. Kan uite Puia chu kan hruai phei a, uite pawm chung chuan kan unau thum chuan thla chu kan la a. Chu thlalakna ah chuan ka Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt leh ka jean dum, ka thulkhung, chu ka ha a. Thlalak chu a lo chhuak a, kan unau chuan nalh hi kan inti ve em em a. Kha t-shirt kha a nghawng a pawr chuap thleng, a rawng a dak rak thleng khan ka nei a ni.

Hmanni ka inkhawm tur motor te a ka tlan chu MG Road (Bangalore) thlen dawn chiahah tunhmaa Barista awmna thin ah khan Hard Rock Cafe Bengaluru ka hmu nawlh mai a. Ka t-shirt leh thil tam tak min hriatchhuah tir a. Ka ui ka duh em em Puia te ka mitthla rum rum a. Hei chu ka hman hmasak berah a thla ka va la ngei ngei ang ka tia. Tichuan, ka hman hmasak berah a thla chu ka va hmet ve ta chuaih chuaih mai ringawt a.

Colour of India

2007-12-18T04:27:00.002+05:30

If you want to taste a true flavour of Indian culture a distance travel by train is my suggestion. From beggars to acrobats, singers to eunuchs – they are undeniably a part of the “railway” system. They may throng the boogies in shoal like the arrival of the unpredictable Indian Monsoon; or they may also appear singly in their capacity as “independent artistes” to entertain and soothe the weary souls of the travelers. Occasionally you may also hear a cry of a seasonal salesman followed by a chaiwallah with his “gharam chai” and “nescoffee”.

On the other side, the person sitting on your left side could be a military personnel on furlough eagerly awaiting to reach home to see his wife after a lull of 13 months. The aunty sitting on your right could be on her way home after visiting her son who has recently been recruited by a reputed software company. The guy opposite to you may claim to be a manager of an unfamiliar hotel chain returning from his head office after a viva for promotion. You may hear clanking sounds similar to that of utensils in your kitchen from the next cabin. It’s none other than a Marwari family traveling with their kitchen – a ration enough to support a family during the whole journey. They desist from taking foods from railway caterers for reason unknown to you and me.

2007-10-22T23:57:00.000+05:30

Peace... oh peace of mind. The depth of truth about peace of mind is unfathomable. Is peace a truth? Let me say peace of mind is just an idea and peace just a connotation. A connotation whose definition lies in humanity itself. Man will not understand peace from humanity concept as long as want and desire are a part of life.

Want and desire are without borders. They are like the blue sky over the horizon. King Solomon rightly spoke about vanity. Yes, everything is vanity... worthless. Life is like a bubble... an illusion; a mirage. Oh desire... you are the soul of vanity. But you gave me dreams to make my life journey enchanting. Want, desire, vanity... peace. What a stupidity. No, it's not a stupidity. If they are of stupidity then life will be worthless. Dilemma, dilemma, dilemma... dilemma galores. Yes, dilemma, you are the truth about life. You are the torchbearer of the cycle of life. Life is dilemma, but dilemma is not life. Life is about dilemma.

2007-10-21T22:48:00.001+05:30

"What are you doing here with all of those children?" asked a disciple. "We came in hopes that Jesus will bless our children," replied a father. "You must go away now," insisted the disciple. "Jesus does not have time for children. He is very busy talking with important people." The parents sadly turned away, and started to leave. But suddenly a gentle voice could be heard saying "DO NOT TURN THE CHILDREN AWAY." It was the voice of Jesus. He had heard what the disciple had told the parents. "Bring the children to Me," Jesus continued. The crowd moved back to let the children through to Jesus. The parents followed behind. Jesus held out His arms and hugged each one of the little children. He gently touched each one, from the youngest to the oldest child. The children made Jesus smile and laugh. "I wish everyone were like little children, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these," Jesus said, and then He placed His hands on each child and blessed them.

2007-08-31T17:44:00.000+05:30

Man is enslaved to religious-mindedness
His foresight is clouded by his faithfulness
His ritual obligation limits his happiness
And confines him to a realm of worthlessness.
(A stanza from the poem Man's Religion written by me)

2007-08-23T10:01:00.000+05:30

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world

- John Lennon

2007-08-21T00:41:00.000+05:30

When I clicked this photograph, the first thing that sprang up in my mind was "diversity makes life colourful." The blue sky, the unevenly sprikled clouds, the green green grass and randomly walking people... life, oh life...

2007-08-21T00:14:00.000+05:30

Myself in Kotagiri. As I'm very particular about photography, I did all the angle adjustment. You can see the weed flowers in the grass as well. However, a car is seen in the picture which was not included originally when I adjusted the camera. It could be that my friend has moved the camera a bit rightway and the car came to the picture.

2007-08-20T23:57:00.000+05:30

This picture was taken from a moving van. It comes out better than my expectation. It's a morning sunrise in the Niligiri Hills not far from Ooty town.

2007-08-15T22:58:00.000+05:30

My friend Sangtei being "manhandled" by an aborigine in Australia... She's not afraid of him but the "click"... hehe

2007-08-15T22:25:00.000+05:30

This picture was taken by me on 15 July 2007 at Wesley Church during a Mizo Service. Both Blondie and Lana are my good buddies. Blondie has a thrilling voice and is a good stage performer. She only lacks a "promoter". Lana is born talented. His style of strumming the guitar is "satrianic". He was a runner-up in a talent search conducted by Radio One in 2006.

2007-07-30T21:14:00.000+05:30

To see Aerosmith perform live in Bangalore was a wonderful experience. It's been a long time since I have known the band but never and ever had a dream or an imagination that I will ever watch them perform live.

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2005-11-29T23:41:00.000+05:30

The controversy surrounding the conversion of some Mizos of northeastern India into the Jewish religion has been politicalized with the involvement of the respective governments of India and Israel. What could be the reasons or motives behind this conversion? These people have made claims of being the descendent of Bnei Menashe and regarded themselves as one of the lost tribes of Israel. They even have synagogues and schools in Manipur and Mizoram which are mostly funded from Israel.

Can anyone tell me why should the govt. of India get involve in such a matter which does not have much to do with its internal or external security? India with a democratic system of government and secularism as one of its guiding factors has not seen much about such involvement of the govt. in religious matter. What does this have to do with the bilateral relations between India and Israel?