TODAY -

An advent Christmas with them
Kanglatongbi Orphange Home on 9th December 2012
- Part 1 -

Louriyam Bebica *

An advent Christmas with them at Kanglatongbi Orphange Home on 9th December 2012
An advent Christmas with them at Kanglatongbi Orphange Home on 9th December 2012



I was very upset that I could n't celebrate Ningol Chakkouba with them despite Nganba requested me to come there and pick him up. In a way I was selfish or my mom's word won over my thought. Two days ahead of Ningol Chakouba I told mom that I wanna celebrate it in orphanage .Mom replied me in an unexpected way with unhappy tone

-"Nao you must be kidding. Your sis and unties are coming home. Its their day honey".

-"Yeah I know....For them you all are here to attend on their needs".

-"Nao its not about attending on their needs but it's a way of celebrating love between us and them".

-"Humm..."

-"Nao honestly ,your easy way of response irritate me .Do you understand what m I really trying to tell you?"

-"Ah!...I do ,no doubt on that but I promise Nganba that I will come there".

-"Nao, I understand your feeling for them .What about your sis and niece? How will they feel? Specially your niece who search for none than you once she is here. Don't you think it won't be fair on them ? After all its Ningol Chakouba day for nignol. Above all your sis comes home only once in a year. Apart from those kids you also got something call responsibility towards your own sibling and your near ones. It's your duty to spend with us on such occasion".

-"Humm..."I said nothing but my mom sees me .she knew well I was trying not to listen longer bcoz tears gonna fall from my eyes in form of rebel.

-"Nao....?"Looking at me curiously yet don't know how to deal with me.

-"Hao".

-"At times I don't know why you are not like the rest of the kids .Why can't you be like your friends? Why can't you be normal" .My mom's word bang on me. I don't know why she said that I am not normal. Whatever she must 've got her own reason on saying that.

-"Humm..."

-"Again humm....?Ah...Nao please go to your room. You are really irritating me now, go".

I moved into my room saying nothing to mom. Though I said yes to her she knew well that I was n't happy after all she is my mom. She knows every moves of my breath. She might 've called up my sister ,she rang me up at night of that day

-"Nao mom told me that you were upset" .Before I could response my sis ask me this question. I know I can't hide things from her. If my mom can read my breath my sis can read my heart even without hearing the beats of my heart. So I try to calm on my trembling voice and replied

-"Ah!...Che..."

-"Haha its ok. I understand your feeling. If you think you should go there then its alright I won mind at all . Alright?" Though my sis said she won mind my absence on Ningol Chakouba I know she won be happy too bcoz like my niece she gonna lift up her tiny neck at every sound at the gate to find out if its me. So I decided to quit from my thought.

-"No che I will be home".

-"Hey I really mean it ,its alright. We can wait you till you come back home".

-"No its ok che...if I go I will be late so.....I will be home".

-"Ah! Or I got one suggestion. Why don't you celebrate Christmas come Ningol Chakouba with them?"

-"Oh yeah I can do that. Thanks che ". Suddenly my low voice raised up giving a relief smile.

-"Alright....now chill k". She knew her little sis is happy now.

My sis's suggestion lighten my heart. I can be available for both sides, that's what matters to me. I 've not much of idea how Ningol Chakouba began and all. But the thing I know was its about celebrating the unique form of love that flows between brothers and sisters and parents. My aunt often told me about our grandma who goes to Ningol Chakouba and teased my grandpa of not returning home . It seems it was all about love and care. The first question their neighbor asked them once they are back home from Chakouba will be "hey how is your brothers, your family and parents ". Then they will ask you "what she had there (curry)' .

So basically its about asking and assuring that your family is in good health and well. But in present days Chakouba I see a very different type of celebration. The Ningols were demanding what they want for gift. If their brothers are not with enough money in thier pocket , they threaten not to come . Hello guys......Are you trying to measure the love of your brothers through the price tag of his gift? Then I must say you are the most stupid fellow on this earth.

And the neighbors, what's there for you to be so eager to know what she gets? How dare you ask and tell what other gets, "oh you are gifted only with this ? You know Sheeta/Geeta got a tv/gas bla bla" For them its my word....'cool down and get lost.....".We should be happy and glad that we are bless with this beautiful day to celebrate . Why you wanna turn it into some kind of fashion brand or business out of this?

I was busy running for my own stuffs to be completed after I came back from Kannyakumari and Moses's eyes' treatment so I was almost on off season of my mood . I easily got annoyed at silly things. If my family is my backbone of what I am doing than my friends specially Priyo, Amit and Ranita are my strength . I 'm sure there must be times my temper hurt them . But they always flow with the breeze of calmness and support me. I ' ve never heard Priyo saying no on anything I ask him to for help.

No matters how busy he might be the only answer I will get was 'yes, don't worry we will do it'. Not only him but the rest of them too. It says you get such type of friends when you did all the good deeds in your last incarnation but I use to think they are my friends bcoz they were big sinner in last birth so they got me as a punishment haha.

In this winter the first thing I wanted to do for them was giving them warm cloths to cover their poor bodies .No doubt I 've not a paise to effort for them .So I asked my surrounding to give me their unused cloths .Luckily some people responded to my plea. I started collecting their cloths . I wanted to give them the cloths on the day we celebrate advent Christmas .So that a poor Santa can deliver them their tiny gifts. After I was done collecting cloths, the only duty I need to do was washing and stitching those cloths .Mom was very worried over that issue.

-"Nao I will wash them. You don't need to do that much".

-"No mamaa ,its almost over. I will do it".

To be continued ...




* Louriyam Bebica wrote this for e-pao.net
The writer can be contacted at bebicalouriyam708(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was webcasted on December 14 2012.


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