Thank God, I don't have daughters!
- Part 2 -

S Balakrishnan *

It was an emotional chitchat, with both my wife and Smt. Devi crossing the language barrier and animatedly discussing in a smattering of Hindi, English and their own mother tongue (Tamil and Manipuri) besides sign language. Devi certified that we spoke good Hindi despite coming from South. She dispelled our misconception and assured that the Manipuri people were a friendly lot, which fact we indeed realised during our stay.

Well, even good things have to come to an end and so our historical meeting at the tri junction of Sendra Island too had to come to an end. It was getting darker by the moment and Smt. Devi was tired after a hectic load of work both at home as a house-maker and outside as a micro financier.

'Will you take a share taxi to reach your home?' we asked her. We will drive back, she said; it was then that she pointed out to her husband playing volleyball with other men, and to their car parked nearby. We were really stunned; we did not expect they would own a car.

We wish Devi's elder son got his desired engineering group in the desired institution in Bengaluru and her sister-in-law secured a permanent job in the noble profession of nursing. We will never forget our chance encounter with Smt. T. Premalata Devi @ Leima on the shores of Loktak Lake and the informative as well as interesting interview she granted to us.

Our stay at Sendra was just an overnight stay; early next morning we had to leave for sighting the mystic Sangai deer at the national park. Only if we had time the next day, we would have definitely barged uninvited into Smt Devi's house and, I am sure, she would have definitely welcomed us heartily with a hot cup of chai to continue our charcha. In contrast to Smt Devi's statement, there was Smt Memi Sharma who longed for at least one daughter. We were glad to hear this.

This was again another chance encounter and yet again another instance of Manipuri people voluntarily speaking to us. On the evening of our arrival in Imphal from Loktak and Bishnupur, we had nothing else to do as it was quite late. Our guide Krishna was also tired of the day's trip, so he just dumped us at the hotel and flew to his house to do preparatory works for Yaoshang cultural programme at his Airbam Leikai (area).

So we were loitering and exploring the Chingmeirong area where we were staying in the Classic Grande hotel. Identifying us as South Indians (as I said above, it is very well written on our face), a portly man rushed to us and confirmed if we were from South. On telling him that we were from Chennai, he burst into a happy smile and – to our astonishment – asked 'yenge poringa? ('where are u going?') in Tamil!

Mr Rajen Sharma had not forgotten the Tamil language he picked up some 40 years ago while studying an engineering course in Chennai in 1976. Really great! Coming out of our surprise, we introduced ourselves. It was visible from his face that he was really happy to meet someone from Tamil Nadu, more particularly from Chennai.

He enquired about our schedule in Manipur and volunteered to take us in his car to Lord Govindajee Mandir the next morning for playing Yaoshang (Holi). Not satisfied with our assurance that our tour operator had made all arrangements, he still volunteered to accompany us to the temple, if needed.

Touched by his warmth, we thanked him profusely and went on our exploration. He cautioned us not to loiter around as it was late in the evening, hence not advisable. As his wife was not at home, he invited us to drop in the morning for breakfast or at our convenience.

As we were busy with our other programme, a few evenings later we dropped into his house. Though his wife had not met us earlier, she recognized us as the Chennai guests her husband had met and invited, and so warmly welcomed us into their house.

While exchanging notes about our families, we learnt that the Sharmas had only two sons both working in the aviation sector, one as pilot and the other as ground security officer. Mr Rajen Sharma had taken Voluntary Retirement from the Tribal Development Department.

We were sorry to know that he had unsuccessfully contested for the MLA seat and lost all the three times by minimal margin of 180, 300+ and 485. Naturally, they lost some immovable properties and considerable money in the process. It seems politics is a costly business throughout India! Fearing that it would be an inducement, I did not ask him if he would contest again the next time.

By the by, 'neenga saapittacha?' (have you eaten?), he enquired with concern. ' I love idly & sambar', he admired. With the recent incidents of violence against people of N-E in Delhi and Bengaluru in my mind, I was curious to find out if he faced any such problem back in 1976 in Chennai.

'Absolutely no', was his emphatic answer. 'I used to return to my room after the late night film show (second show), even by midnight 12, but never faced any problem; Tamil Nadu people are good people', he certified. I was relieved to hear that; no negative publicity for our people & state, though I know what sort of people we Tamils are really!

'I too lived in Kodambakkam', he surprised us when we told him that we lived in that part of Chennai. 'I was studying in a Nungambakkam institution and used to commute between my room in Kodambakkam and the institution in Nungambakkam, the immediate next station, by sub-urban train', he remembered nostalgically.

Of late, his health was not okay and might come down to Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, for a checkup, he said, but no information so far. A known gentleman from Manipur was working as a doctor in that hospital, hence the decision, he said. I noticed that people of N-E also had a good opinion and faith about the health services in Chennai, besides its educational standard.

Hope the trust is kept up. A visit to the Apollo Hospital (main) in Chennai would seem like the Biblical Tower of Babel; people from different regions of India as well as from different countries, especially from Arabia and Africa, speaking so many languages and dialects, all at one place! National and international integration!

After a hearty talk and refreshment, we took leave for our hotel room, just opposite. We had our tight schedule for the coming days to cope up with. It was then that Smt. Mimi Sharma expressed her longing for a daughter; she desired a separate photo of our daughter with both of them sitting on either side. 'I wish I had at least one daughter', she remarked earnestly.

If Smt. Devi's voice is the lone voice of a harassed Manipuri Ima, it is understandable; if, on the other hand, it is the representative voice of the female society of Manipur as a whole against having female children, then it has to be viewed seriously and corrective measures taken immediately. As my wife's name also ends with Devi (Banu Devi), both the Devis felt close to each other.

As I write this, it is Imas' (Mothers') Day – May 8 – and how strange that an Ima from Manipur was crying out that she does not want even one daughter while the other was longing for at least one daughter! I suppose this is what is known as "two sides of the same issue!" – 'Thank God! I do not have even one daughter Vs Oh God! Wish I had at least one daughter' syndrome.

Concluded....