Ibudhou Mongba Hanba & Hanuman Ji

Free Thinker *

For centuries Manipur has been a melting pot for multifarious cultures, costumes, customs, cants, communities and so on and so forth. So, we are so confused and confounded and sometimes we have become quarrelsome and violent. Quite often interest groups try to divide us further and take advantage for their own purpose. We, the people, became easy victims to the conspirators.

An unfortunate issue is looming large to disturb the harmony again between the Vaishnavites Meiteis and Sanamahi Meiteis. The gap is being created in ‘Mahabali’ . How many times will we be divided ?Already we were willfully divided by the Colonial Masters as Hills and Valley. In fact they wanted to divide and rule and they did it successfully.

This is extremely unfortunate that still we could not understand the interference from outside which is creating more trouble for all of us. We became puppets in their hands. The Might of the outside-world which includes the Deep States have enough resources and network to put us in topsy-turvy.

It is now clear that all are indigenous or local people who have arrived in the State of Manipur before 1961. The State government had already taken this decision. In Assam it is 1971 and the Apex Court also reaffirmed it a few days back.

In fact we are a collective group of about 34 ethnic communities professing different belief systems – Vaishnavism, Sanamahism, Christianity, Islamism and others. Anybody who came to Manipur before 1961 are Manipuris. This includes Nagas , Kukis, Meities, Biharis, Marwaris, Punjabis , Tamils and even new Kukis .They are now part and parcel of Manipur.

Interestingly the Britishers who were the rulers of the world were treated as polluted ( Amangba ) by the Vaisnavite Manipuris. The dresses and the iron trunks given to my great Uncle (1940s) were not allowed to be brought inside the House. All the materials from the Britishers were kept outside. Even the books given by them were kept in the ‘Sangoi’. So they made the gullible hill tribes Christians to bring to their fold.

I was listening to Lancha – he made a good speech on ‘Mera Hao Chongba’ – conveying the message of age-old legacy, tradition, common-history etc. The crux of the message was we all belong to the same stock of people. We are now deeply divided by religion, politics and policies .Remedy lies only with us.

Religion particularly divides us more than anything else. We never thought of burning or destroying temples or Churches or Mosques. These are happening at the drop of a hat. The amount of hate and hatred pumped in our society is so venomous. Ultimately we start killing one another.

My reading and analysis may be different from others, I mean - the scholars , intellectuals, security experts , military strategists or diplomats and security advisors. My simple assessment is that we have been so fragmentedly divided by religion, language/dialect, bad-politics, drug-business, manifold-rebels (insurgents), militias etc. So, it becomes easy for any player to join the scenario and take advantage.

The next door big brother does not want us to proceed further in our Act East policy (particularly by land and rail ). At the same time Myanmar Military Junta fails to control their rebels and instead they push them out from their territory (with the help from the Dragon ) towards Bharat.

The Dragon is playing a twin game – helping the Burmese insurgents as well as the Junta -what a policy!. This will keep Myanmar unstable and block the Eastward journey of the Elephant.

The Champion of World’s democracy takes interest in the region – perhaps to form a Country of a particular religion in Southeast Asia ( today or tomorrow ). The Britishers were planning to do the same in the 1940’s . The Coupland plan of a Crown Colony was initiated in 1941 - the concept of a Crown Colony for Northeast India with some areas from Burma – to have another phase of British Raj in the region.

I may be utterly wrong to say that the unfinished dream of creating a Christian country in Northeast-India could be still in the minds of the ‘Whites’ – now inherited by Uncle Sam. So the global powers are taking interest in this region.

Drug lords, Arms dealers, Chhota-netas and insurgent groups, newly generated militias have become the pawns of the ‘Big players’. Our tiny land has been made a hell just like the Middle East by the global masters. We need to learn fast and act wisely.

Patriots who love the State are deeply worried about the people who are now fighting among themselves due to instigations and sponsorship from both inside & outside. In addition to competitive drugs-trade, illegal intrusion, ST demand, Separate Administration demand - now we have the contesting abode of Hanumanji and Ibudhou Mongba Hanba – these are enough ammunition to destabilize us. Let us think coolly to survive together.

Hanumanji (immortal energy of Lord Shiva) and Ibudhou Mongba Hanba (Lord Mongpa Hanpa – god of great healing power) can live side by side in Mahabali Umang. By consensus please !