Emagi Ebemma' (oh! My beloved daughter)
By Akoijam Kebisana *
(An imaginary write-up from a mother to her daughter who hasn't come back home for more than a decade.)
This is to " Eche Sharmila " who has been representing the spirit of a true Meitei Ningol , and has sacrificed everything for the sake of ' Ema Manipur'.
Emagi Ebemma, another yaoshang is on the way. It's been ten such yaoshang festivals you haven't celebrated with us. Each yaoshang, I visit ' kwairambhand keithel ' to buy your favourite ' fanek '. This yaoshang , I shall again visit the newly built ' Ema keithel ' to buy a beautiful ' feejam fanek ' for you. I shall also buy along lots of ' ngamok ' for you darling. You haven't eaten for years my dear daughter. And I wish to feed you with my own hand like I used to do when you were a child. Emagi Ebemma , I can't wait to see that day when you will come back home and ask me to cook your favourite ' insaang '. Oh! When will that blessed day come?
My dear daughter, all your leikai etas are all married now. They even have kids. Every Ningol Chakouba , they come at their maiden homes. Its good to see them becoming women from those little girls. How I wish I could also see you visiting our humble 'Eromgi abode'as a ' yumnaak saagei honglabi yumgi mou 'on every Ningol Chakouba day? Oh! How my heart aches missing you during every occasion, every day, every month, every year…
Emagi Ebemma , I am getting aged day by day. I cannot foretell how many yaoshangs and chakoubas I can wait for you to turn up at our humble abode. But like every year, I will keep worshipping ' Ema Laimaren and Lainingthou Epa ebungo ' to bring you home again. I am proud of you ' Emagi Ebemma '. But it is also true that my heart wrenches to not have you here at home. With a promise to wait for you till my last respire, your poor mother wishes you much more strength to fight for your noble cause. My blessings are always with you.
* Akoijam Kebisana contributes regularly to e-pao.net. The writer can be contacted at akoijam(dot)kebisana(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was posted on February 11, 2011.
* Comments posted by users in this discussion thread and other parts of this site are opinions of the individuals posting them (whose user ID is displayed alongside) and not the views of e-pao.net. We strongly recommend that users exercise responsibility, sensitivity and caution over language while writing your opinions which will be seen and read by other users. Please read a complete Guideline on using comments on this website.