Tribute film

This is  a compilation of some of the photos that I took through my journeys to the corners of the state. A few pics have have been adapted.

The background score is a beautiful rendition of the very popular song that we all grow up learning at school. Its sad that most of today’s schools don’t have music classes. Anyway the song is performed by Hari on vocals, Tarunkanta on Guitar , Mickey on guitars and Shankar on drums.

This short film is my tribute to the “Spirit of Manipur”, that undying will to fight on, to live another day with hope of a better tomorrow, despite trying circumstances at every step…

Sekta Mound

During my last visit to Imphal, I thought of visiting some of the historical places which are not so well known but do have great significance. One such place is the Mound at Sekta. The Sekta mound is important not only from an archaeological point of view but also because it reveals deep insight of the way of life prevailing at that point of time in history.

Sekta is a small village located some 18 kms from Imphal on the Imphal-Ukhrul highway, roughly halfway between Sawombung and Lamlai. One has to take a short

History of Scientific Management of the Forests of Manipur

Manipur has a rich history of written chronicles which record in detail the different aspects of life prevailing during the time of different kings that ruled the state. Such detailed royal chronicles or “puyas” date back to the time of King Pakhangba who ruled during 33 AD. Forest and Wildlife have always been recognized as an important resource however, there is no mention of any form of management of forests in any of the puyas. The only form of conservation of forest in prehistoric and early part of recorded history was the practice of worshipping local deities known as “Umang lais” which formed important aspect of the religious customary practice. Since the Ukmang lais, as the name itself suggest, reside in a forest it was sacrosanct to protect the forest which stand in the name of the god residing therein. Similar practices are also seen in other parts of India and such forests are known as

Water water

We have been living outside Manipur for some 15 years now but visit home whenever we find an opportunity from our busy schedules and call of duty, which unfortunately turns out to be after gaps of some one and half to two years. Living in a highly developed and fastly changing place like Punjab and Chandigarh, one cannot but hope that there would be some sort of development in Manipur whenever we visit home. I also make it a point to tour extensively and touch the distant corners of the state every time I visit home and observe how people are living, the condition of the local environment etc, but unfortunately, there is very little development to talk about.

There are many difficulties besetting the state and I would just like to focus on some of the basic problems faced by common people on a day to day basis. There is no study done, no serious observations made, this is simply plain experience that we underwent that also reflects the basic problems of the state.

One such problem is the shortage of potable water. In a place considered to be rich in biodiversity, in the tropics, surrounded by

Irom Sharmila and the AFSPA, 1958

Irom Sharmila – the name has become synonymous with defiance, with struggle, with steely resolve.Seeing the frail but resoulte frame of irom Sharmila, one can’t help but salute her with all humility.

Sharmila has been on a fast unto death since November 2000. Born and brought up in a simple village family, life took a strange and irreversible turn on 2nd November, 2000 when literally before her very eyes, 10 innocent villagers were gunned down by jawans of the Assam Rifles in Malom, some 6 kms from Imphal city as a retalitary action against armed militants who attacked their convoy. As if the brutal carnage was not enough, the security forces cordoned off the area and conducted a “combing operation” to nab the militants. And for any person living in the troubled areas of the North East or Jammu and kashmir, it leaves little to the imagination what they have to endure during such “combing operations.” Anyway, Sharmila has been “under custody” ever since as the law in India says taking or attempting to take your own life is a crime. For a brief period of time she was lodged in the Shajiwa jail but after her health deteriorated due to lack of nutrition, she was taken to the J.N. Hospital in Porompat and has been nose fed ever since. Another twist of the legal system also meant that Sharmila has been undergoing an annual ritual as well – every year she is “released” as the maximum period for punishment lapses, but she is immediately arrested “afresh” as the threat pose by her continues…In september 2006 a small group of close confidantes including her supporters and human rights activists manage to smuggle her out of Manipur on one of her such “freedom” days past the high security Tulihal Airport to the national capital Delhi. Ironically, a minister of the state government was also on the same plane, although on a separate mission. Since then the focus of Sharmila’s protests has shifted to Delhi where she spent a few days in Jantar Mantar, the symbol of modern India’s civil protests, but as her health again deteriorates, she was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where again she is being detained and forcibly nose-fed. The world recognised her efforts when she was nominated as one of the 1000 women worldwide, working for human security and a liveable and just future , for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize.

The security forces have been given such powers to act with such impunity under theArmed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 or AFSPA in short. The Act can be enforced in any part of India after declaring it as “disturbed”, under provisions of the Act. The Act gives tremendous powers to anyone of any rank in the army or a paramilitary force under its operational command to shoot, arrest or search without warrant; and to kill on suspicion alone. Furthermore, there is little scope for judicial remedy. Manipur has been under this law since 1980.

Even though the AFSPA has been in force in the state for more than 25 years now and many incidents of violation of human rights have been reported and well cronicled, the Malom incident left an undelible impact on the young mind of Sharmila and she began undertaking a protest against the violation of human rights in general and for the removal of the AFSPA in particular, because it is the very instrument through which some scrupulous elements in the security forces are using to terrorise innocent people.

The AFSPA as with any anti terror law has a big role to play in fighting the menace of insurgency, militancy and terrorism. Sometimes, we need to sacrifice certain freedoms to overcome difficulties for the common good. One can also understand the harsh and difficult conditions under which the personnel of the security forces have to operate – far away from home, family, near and dear ones, in a strange land where the food, language, culture, people…all are so different. However, all said and done, one can never justify irresponsible and unaccountable manner in which some of the security personnel behaves leading to violation of fundamental and basic human rights. The security forces also need to improve their relation with the civil population, afterall, whatever they are doing is for the betterment of the common public. They need to be more transparent, seen to deal quickly, firmly and decisively against any delinquent personnel in order to win the confidence of the public and most importantly adopt a zero-tolerance principle for all human rights violaters, afterall, what is the difference between them and the militants if this were not so…

Some links relating to Irom sharmila:

http://www.countercurrents.org/hr-gatade171006.htm

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=Cr032506_Iroms_iron.asp

Some links relating to AFSPA:

http://www.hrdc.net/sahrdc/resources/armed_forces.htm

http://manipurfreedom.org/review-afa

I AM NOT AFRAID

It has been a sad turn of events back home in Manipur. Despite all the evils that plague our native land, women and children and religious overtones had seldom been the target of violence. The dastardly act, wherein a number of people gathered during a religious festival attended mostly by the elderly, the women and children had been the subject of a bomb attack is unthinkable and unforgivable.

On the fateful day, I had gone to the Sec 23 ISKCON Temple in the morning here in Chandigarh which is very near to where I live. I had taken along my two kids, decked in brand new clothes, freshly bathed with chandan on their foreheads and stories of my childhood experience of “Krishna janma” ringing in their ears, wide eyed, expectant…They are too young to understand the intricacies of the religion or the “adventures” of Krishna…,however they are overjoyed to go out with the family where many people would be gathered and there would be fun and celebrations and toys and ladoos and sweet scented incenses and colourful flowers and…I shudder to think what the scene would be like if a blast were to happen then and there and god forbid my sons were to lay before me in a pool of blood…

As usual, I make it a point to call up all my friends on special occasions like this and this time it was to enquire whether everything was allright…All of them, without exception were highly critical and condemned the dastardly act, and most of them, even though none of their near and dear ones are affected, were moved to tears.

I CONDEMN and I condemn publicly this horrendous act of violence. And I AM NOT AFRAID.

Jhullon

The Jhulon festival started yesterday and will be over by the 9th. Jhulon of course is the festival which commemorates the love relationship of Radha and Krishna. It is said that on this day Radha and Krishna sat side-by-side in a swing of flowers prepared under a Kadamb tree and unfolded their tales of love, thus the name jhulon. This romantic festivity is a special occasion for the young lovers around the world.( read – desi version of St Valentine’s Day!!!)

I still have vivid memories of childhood when we went to the local bamon mandops and occasionally to the Govindajee Temple to watch the celebrations. In the early days the kirtans used to be sung in Bengali with most of the pala/choir consisting of elderly ladies ( read – nupi pala). However, in the later years, younger artistes came along with “adhunik” style songs using relative non traditional instruments like the harmonium, tabla, guitar etc instead of the more traditional pung, kartal, and invariably they sing in manipuri. I don’t know what the scene is like these days, it is more than 10 years now since I last saw such celebrations at home…

Anyway, to all you lovers, have a gerat festive season!!