Save Mother Country Manipur

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E-Pao! Essay - Save Mother Country "Manipur"

Save Mother Country "Manipur"

By: Konjengbam Candle *

Manipur has a proud heritage and rich culture. Europeans who visited the Manipur in the last few centuries has not left without words of appreciation of the beautiful land and the civilization that existed. 'Switzerland of the East' to Lord Irwin, 'A pretty place more beautiful than many of the show places in the World' to Ethel S.C. Grimwood, 'A flower on the lofty heights' to the Japanese.

C.J. Lyall wrote: "It was my fortune to visit Manipur only once ( in February, 1888) during my service in Assam, and I am thus acquainted with the subject chiefly by hearsay. But I have always taken a lively interest in this singular oasis of comparative civilization and organized society, set in the midst of a congeries of barbarous people, over whom its rulers exercise an authority which, if scarcely approaching the settled policy of more advanced communities, is at least in the direction of peace and order" (His Introduction to the Meitheis by T.C. Hodson, 1908.)

When I was very young everyone in our Manipur looked very happy in their own way of life style. I didn't heard any kind of problem and unfortunate incident. Now, when I look into their face they don't look happy. They feel something like worried and they feel something like which I could not know how to express. But, one thing is certain that they are facing difficulties to survive in the present situation of our Manipur.

Now-a-days people of our society has started working for the sake of money. Like people in the developing cities in India. In the developing cities of India they don't have any kind of relationship and they just work for the money. "No money No work". Incidentally, one day, I heard a person close to me and who is a resident of Bangalore asking his younger brother 'to give back some money'.

And I said, "why you are asking money to your younger brother. Forget the money. It's your duty or responsibility to look after your younger one's and after all its your own younger brother". You know what did he reply, " Forget about relation, Money first then relations. There is no relationship in front of Money".

Then, when I asked How much is the Money? He said, "It doesn't matter whether the amount is big or small. Money is Money". What does it mean? Whether the amount is big or small? They don't have the value of any kind of relationship. In the field of earning money they don't care about any kind of relationship.

It might be some where around in April/May 1996. That time also MP election was also coming near. I don't remember exactly that day also, that 12 class exam was finish or not, I and my local friends and brothers went to Sekmai by an ambassadar car. There resided some relatives of our friends. We reached in the evening. As soon as we reached there. We started arranging the things needed for that day. And started as usual as you know. That time I didn't wear watch but I can feel it was very late.

While coming back from Sekmai, on the midway itself we were out of fuel. It was very dark and drizzling too. So, I don't know the exact place where we were out. We all get down except one from the car and started pushing. After some distance every one was feeling exausted and little bit scared because it was very late and time was not good.

As we were getting closer to the Korengei BSF Camp we all saw a light signal given behind from the far distant place. As soon as we saw the signal we started pushing little bit faster than before. We all thought that the signal had been given to the Korengei BSF camp as we all were pushing the car from the far distance.

And atlast we reached Korengei bazaar and parked the car by the side of the road. As soon as we reached Korengei I feel everyone was feeling happy because we all hoped that from there we would be getting petrol. But unfortunately all the money had been finish there itself. Then we knocked one of the shops in the corner and asked for petrol.

We frankly said, we came back from Sekmai, on the road we finished our petrol, at moment we didn't have even a single Paise. Could we come and give the money tomorrow. The shop keeper said, Oh! Yes no problem. From there we reached our home safely and happily.

I am telling this story because I want to show the kind nature towards the strangers of the shop keeper. Who never knows whether we will come back and give the money by the next day or not. That much of love, trust, respect vice versa and good relation between one human being and another we have. That was the kind of good society we have before. But now-a-days I find all these kind of human nature vanishing.

Before I don't find people of Manipur work for the money. There is a good relationship between one human being and another human. Each and every people in our society respect each other except some well educated uncivilized people. I don't say people doesn't work for money. They do work for the money but only for living. Not this much like the people in other Indian society. Everyone is liberal and co-operative. People can negotiate about the money. We have that much goodness in our society.

Now-a-days, I find people of our society have changed a lot. I find the relationship between one human being and another human being vanishing. In any situation or case, I find people not working if we don't pay. And I find some people who can do anything for the money. This kind of people are very dangerous. Not only this, there are many more. Everywhere, in our Manipur, a lot of changes can be observed for survival in the day-to-day life.

Why the relationships are being broken up day-by-day? In the name of civilization or in the name of development we break all the relations, even if we are very much civilized or developed; Is it not possible to keep all the relations?

If this kind of situation goes on, after some time there will be no relation between parents and their children, brother and brother, sister and sister, brother and sister and vice versa. There will be relationship only for the name sake. There will be no relationship of hearts. Once the relationship of the hearts vanish from human beings, there will be no longer, it will be difficult to live in this world.

What could be the exact reason, day-by-day it is becoming very difficult for us to survive in our lovely Manipur which has a proud heritage and rich culture?

Now is the time for youngsters to get involved in the process of change in this lovely place called Manipur. If you look at the history of any country that has witnessed dramatic change sweeping over it, you will realize that the spark for that change rose from amongst the youth of that country - in their colleges and universities.

How many of us can forget the brave youngsters at the Tiananmen Square in China? Hope swells when the youth of the country gets involved in the warp and weave of a country.

Otherwise, we will forever be a underdeveloped society. Analyze, revolt, protest (minus the violence), and stand up for your rights and those of others even as you enjoy all the other pursuits that are the privileges of youth.

Now is not the time for us to get intimidated.

Now is the time to exercise our rights, right to choose, to participate, to question, to answer and to be answered.

Konjengbam Candle regularly contributes to e-pao.net
The writer can be contacted at [email protected]
This article was webcasted on April 17th, 2006

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