Khutang Ghari
(From a small part of “Punshi Khongchat” Novel)
- A Short Story -

Dr. Moirangthem Jiban Singh *

12th June, 1998 ta thokhiba thoudok amagi warini.

Mama-Mapa animak nongmagi chara tannaba hotnaringeida nongmatasu machasinga awa-nungai paomennabagi matam fangjade. Ateigidi khangde, machanipa atomba lei. Mahak nongmatasu chak-lammi lamde, hao-i haode, firon leibi-leibide karigumba amatagi ningai amata toude. Masagi, imung manungi toufamthokpa mathou khudingmak meena hainabasu ngaide. Mana touge ningkhiba adumadi kananasu thingba ngamde. Ahan lamanna ngangba munna tasilli. Ngarang-gi punsina yumfam thollaga, hayeng-gi punsibu ujaba ngamba, ngasigi khongthang-na laona thanglina angang-ni. HSLC pariksha hek loibaga PUC tamnabagi mama-mapa na peisa pibiba ngamloi ubadagi, pariksha mamangda poinugi lou jeiba yaoduna peisa tansilli. Pariksha loiragasu chingda kaduna sing chanba chatli. Mahak-ki suba-nomba kanba, kharaba maringjen, hotnaba kanba & masana masabu thadajaba angakpani. Karigumba, khongfam lanna thangkhrabadi oktaba mee oirakkani. Karigumba, chumna thangkhrabadi ………………..! Nongma numidang ama…………

- Mama,
- Keino Haiyune.
- Debate ngangbada prize oina fanglak-khiba peisa-singdo leiriba natra?
- Lei-lei, piyura?
- Se! lupa 600 sisu thamjinbiyo?
- Heima! Asina amuk kaidagi peisano, ngasisu sheireng thirubra?
- Kaidagi sheireng thibano, pariksha heidoklamdaisida.
- Adudi kana-na piriba?
- Aduro! Che Meejao (Tilotama) na lupa 20-20, hullaga marup ama toudra, aduda eina nakhoi khanghandana lotna yaobane. Ngasi faore.
- Ha! Lupa 20-20 dudi kaidagi peisana hulluriba?
- Baba-na, Nang-na, achapot chanaba piba peisa-singdo semfuda loina thadei. Marble sanaba-da fanglakpa peisasu semfuda thadei. Ei achapot amata chade!
- Oh!
- Se, thambiyu.
- Se, lupa 10-se semfuda thadaru aduga lupa 1-sina achapot charu ngasidi.
- Talle! achapot-su chaningde! Hayeng Nachou-da coaching chatpagi bara oinarage.
- Hoi-hoi, nangna apambado toururo.
- Mama! eigi prize oina fanglakpadune, marup faorakpadune, lou jeiba yaorubagi fanglakpadune, sing yonbagidune, loina punsillaga mathang-gi ‘ming chanbagi & Uniform leibagi’ oina thamlasi.
- Hoi-hoi.
- Yen yonbagi peisaduna, mama-gi oijaro.
- Loinamak eechagi ngaktanida.

Metrix (HSLC) pariksha heidokle, 1st class-ta yaorak-i. Jonhstone Higher Secondary School da ming chanduna School kaba houre. Mahak keba-mouba-da mapukning changde. Adubu matam yengnaba ‘Khutang-Ghari’ amadi leningbani, peisa leitabana leidre. Konna…….

- Mama,
- Haiyo, kari awatpa leirage?
- Khutang-Ghari amatanga leining-e.
- Kaya pibano?
- 250/-
- Tha 1-muk leiraga leiba yaroidro?
- Mama, eigi class 10th gi amanba lairiksingse yonkhrage?
- Sijinnadradi nangna thokpa toukhro.
Uchin nachinna, magi class 10th da sijinnaramba amanba lairiksingdo khaibok tabida yonthoklaga afangba peisaduna Khutang-Ghari leinaba thourangle. Adubu, mana leiningliba ghari-du leinaba lupa 50 watle.

Yumthangnabada mache (Mapa-mapa machin-manaoni, mapa leikhidre) ama mapuroibado ya-ong ilhanduna leiminei. Mabai-do sarkargi thabak tou-i, fougei-chengei awatpa leite. Nungai-yaifana, inak-keirak khunna leiribani. Makhoigi awa-ana, khudongthiba, inkhol-sambal khajinba, yenakha-ingkhul sit-sengba khudingmakse lairaba Mapa-duna (leikhidraba Mapa-gi mayamba) loina hotnaribani. Lou khaoba-yeiba khudingmakta lairaba mama-mapa, mchin-manao ama-ta khaktana khongthang khudingmakta mateng pangduna laklibani. Mateng pangba haibasitabu peisa hainade. Adubu, nongmata cheng chara ama thongthuna chao haiduna pirak-khiba leite. Kwa chao haiduna ana angangbi amafaoba pikhiba natte. Maupwa-manaonupi-singna charam-chadatnaduna leirafaobada onsillaga nokrem-haikremnaduna yengba ngamliba kangbuni.

Sathiribadi! Masigi angangse, fana aram khourangbana charam chadatnarabasu, nongmata meegi mayumda chak-ti lairadana eeshing marik ama-faoba thakte. Nonjabasu heide. Adubu mayum-mareikai thadoktuna mahak Imphal da makha tana lairik tamba chatlamdaida…………….

- Eeche.
- Karino Ayuk ngantasida?
- Ei Imphal da lairik tamba chatpa tare.
- Fare-fare.
- Ming chanba, uniform, laiba, lairik leibada leijaba peisa loina changkhre. College kabada matam yengna-naba khutang ghari amatangdi leining-i. Amanba lairiksingsu loina yonthok-le. Adubu, lupa 50 watle, loina pidrasu lupa 30 khakta happiyuba.
- Kari! Nama-na adumaina hairucho haina thoujil-lakliba?v - Mama-di leite.
- Kari naran-nathum leiduna nangna Imphal-daka larik tamba chatningliba?