Empire State of Mind!

He hla hi MTV MVA 2010 nge ka hre ta lo an rawn sa a, a nalh kan ti tlang hle. New York khawpui fakna a nih avangin New York a awm tan chuan sak nuam tak tur a ni. Hemi tluk tho hian Vincy-a pawn “Aizawl” tih a rap ve tho a, a thuril dan han khaikhin hi ka tum a nilo a, “empire state of mind” lai a zawk hi ka thlirna atanga tehin rawn sawifiah ka tum zawk a ni! Zofate hi Israelfate ang deuh hian kan ram ngaih hi kan tin a fu, miramah erawh chuan an ni anglo takin kan ram hla te uar takin kan sa lawi a.

Chu mahni ram bial chhung atang ringawt a khawvel tehna chu ka hrilhfiahna dan a “empire state of mind” chu a ni. Chu kan ram ropui bak chu rilru hian a a ban phalo a, kan changkanna te, kan lehkhathiamna te, kan zaithiamna zawng zawng te chu khawvelah chuan a tham ral zo a, “he lui kam atang hian enge awm?” tih kan ngaihtuah zui peih vaklo. Chu inkhungbing duhna chuan thliarkar rilru min pe a, “Mizo kan ni kan hmel a tha, kan tum a sang bawk si” ti thin mah ila kan tum ram hian chu khawpui bak chu a pel meuhlo! Global khawvel kan ti a, technology in min run hrep hnu-ah pawh kan kut leh thut hmun atang bakin khawvel hmun dang a thil awm chu kan ngaihven peih meuhlo.

Ni e, chu khawpui-ah chuan engang pawn a khawlai vaivut te chu khu mahse kan ngaina tlat, ruah leh tuihawkin min nuai chiam mahse kan thinlung a hlim tlat. Chu hmun chu kan tan chuan “Jerusalem” a ni a, khawizu leh hnute luanna ram a ni. Mahse heta tang ringawt atanga khawvel the ringawt zawng a felhlel ta deuh in kaiharh teh ang. Sorkar hna ringawt hian hetiang zozai thalai te tan hian hna a rawn satchhuak zo dawn reng reng lo. Kan politician mahni dawhkan bak hmu phalo atanga beiseina neih pawh awmzia a nei bawklo. Chhiartu duhtak, khawvel hi han thlirchiang teh chona lian takin a hmachhawn che a ni. I ke i penchhuah rual hian Mizo leh Kristian i nihna ang a mawhphurhna chuan a hmuak che a ni. Ringtu nihna hi khawvel entu nihna a ni, helai thliarkara mahni hlimna tawka rawngbawlna mai a nilo e. “Empire larger state of mind” puin khawvel ngam rawh.

Book Review

Book Review: Indian Diaspora in the Caribbean: History, Culture and Identity (Primus Delhi 2012 pages 175 price Rs 795-00), Author: Rattan Lal Hangloo (My first book review (a part from MA class assignment) which appeared in Daily Excelsior Sunday, 28th October, 2012)

Published by one of the leading international publishing houses and released by Dr. Karan Singh -the most eminent Indian politician and philosopher (on 4th October 2012 in New Delhi) the book Indian Diaspora in the Caribbean: History, Culture and Identity by the leading social scientist, Professor Rattan Lal Hangloo, is much more than the usual book of history . It serves as a great inspiration and support for scholars to take up this new theme for reconstruction of Indian History and culture. This book seeks to explore some aspects of the history of Indian emigration to the Caribbean, which is one of the most significant events in the history of Indian indentured migration that took place to different parts of the world during the second half of the nineteenth century. The Indians faced many hardships in the Caribbean during the initial stage of their migration. However, over the years, despite several adversities, they have become one of the most successful immigrant ethnic groups in the Caribbean. Their success in the fields of business, politics, culture and education has allowed them to retain their ‘Indian’ cultural identity, strengthening their linkages with the homeland, i.e. India, as well as the Indian diaspora across the world.

Professor R.L.Hangloo is a renowned academician of international repute who has always added purpose to everything he touches. By initiating this volume too he has pointed to both the Indian scholars and policy makers the importance of Indian Diaspora in handling the useful space for strengthening India’s cultural diplomacy abroad. Although the Indian diaspora is emerging as a new subject for scholars to study, Professor Hangloo meticulously cautions that this phenomenon should not be lumped together but appropriately characterized in terms of time, space and regional specificities and dynamics. While doing so Professor R.L.Hangloo brilliantly lays the foundation of a new area of study that would be of great significance and consequence in the future for India’s diplomacy abroad.

The Indian Diaspora in Caribbean: History, Culture and Identity studies through various contributors the key facets of the retention of the Indian ethos. The analysis of religio-cultural transformation, identity reconstruction, political participation and transformations, as well as resistance to enslavement and other oppressions are really fascinating. The volume also examines the mobility and contribution of women and attempts to provide significant insights into the lives of Indians in the Caribbean. The volume is of significant interest to historians, sociologists, anthropologists, policy makers, diplomats and political scientists researching the Indian diaspora-the subject that has not received the attention it deserves. Having stemmed from the ugly policies and ambitious designs of British colonialism, Indians in the Caribbean have shared the suffering in a variety of ways since the beginning of their arrival on the islands. The first generation were not only the victim of poverty and inhuman treatment meted out to them at every level but also of getting uprooted from their soil in the most devastating manner that has ever been witnessed in the history of the Indian diaspora. However, since the middle of the twentieth century, Indo-Caribbean’s have come to play a much more active role in the mainstream cultural, commercial, and political life of their adopted home land that has been so magnificently treated in this book.

The book also seeks to demonstrate that the Ramayana has always been an intrinsic aspect of the life of Trinidadian Hindus and has functioned as both agent and mirror of developments and transformation. Hinduism has become central to the literary, cultural and religious heritage of Indian diaspora in the Caribbean. The Hindu immigrants carried a slice of their society and hence, religion with them; the uprooting from the Indian context necessitated attempts at community and religious reconstruction. In Trinidad, elements of religion were variously truncated, modified, diluted, intensified or excised. This subsequently yielded a form of Hinduism in which some of the more visible and tangible elements were markedly modified. At the same time, however, the Hinduism which emerged was unarguably rooted in the broad philosophy and general tenets of many of the strands of Hinduism practiced in India.

The book critically examines the economic and political crisis that the Caribbean society faced during the years of British imperialism (from the period of indenture to the period of independence) and how this has been overcome by the efforts of one of the charismatic leaders of the Caribbeans, Dr Eric Williams. The volume looks at the trials and tribulations of East Indian female indentured labourers in the Caribbean. After presenting a brief historical overview of the indenture ship experience the book also tries to focus on the experience of East Indian women during the period of indenture ship. The volume discusses the narratives of economic and labour activities of ex-plantation workers, specifically Indian women in Trinidad, and the role of these women in the economic diversification and development of the island. The credit goes to Professor R.L.Hangloo for picking up this subject and for organizing this whole exercise with the assistance of contributors and presenting so wonderfully this vibrant account through which Indian diaspora comes alive.

And Justice for all

'Just' leh 'Unjust' kan tih hi engin nge ramri rawn kham ang le? Justice kan tih hi rilru-a dikna ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion ten ramri an rawn kham tir ni a sawi a ni a.India rama cheng zofate pawh Indian danpui hnuaiah ka kun vek a, nimahsela kan ngaih a justice leh danin justice a tih chu a in ang lo fo bawk thin. Dan a ramri khamna chinah hi chuan a dan siamtu te hian an tum lam ramri rinbial a kan awmloh chuan kal tel ve lohna a ni duh fo bawk. Kohhran thurin a justice hi sorkar dan lam nen a inkuangkuah theilo fo bawk. Mimal leh hnam tin ten justice kan sawi a in anglo bawk thei a. Chuti a nih chuan engber chu nge justice kan tih tak chu le?

Lawmna a khat

Mihringte kan hlutna ber hi chu lungngai thei, lawm thei kan nih hi niin ka hria. He khawvel kan damchhung hi a reiloh tehreng nen lungngaihna in min tuam vel a, nitin tha zawk beiseiin kan hmanhlel thin. Hmanlai khan chu mihring-a famkimlo chu hrilhfiah thei zawngin Buddha chuan sakhua pakhat a rawn hmuchhuak a chu a zirtirna-ah chuan “khawvel a kan tawrhna zawng zawng hi kan ih leh awh vang a lo ni” tih hi a ni. Hemi hnu hian Economist Adam Smith chuan “hringmi hian duhkhawp reng a neilo” a lo ti bawk. Ni e, duhkhawplohna ramah hian kan awh ber pawh nei ila a dang a lo awm zel mai. Enge lungawina chu nit a le?

Kan naupanlai chuan hla mawi tak pakhat kan sa that that thin “lawmna a khat rilru thianghlim, a mawi tuktin par aiin”. Lawmna a khah hi a lo har ngang mai kei tak hian ka theihloh ber pakhat a ni. Thesis thehlut turin ram lum eltiang an sawi Hyderabad-ah ka chhuk a. Khawlum te, vaiho dawr a min ngaihsak thamanglo te chuan thinrim a ti puntir a, mahni hriat tawk lekin kan phun kan phun mai. Ka thil tih zawhah Vellore lam a kaputea te chhungkua kal thlak ngai awm ka zuk tlawh ve thung a. Chutah! Khawvel a mak ka tih ka hmu ta, lawmna a khat rilru thianghlim chu! Missionary in an kal a, hmanlai tlangval sport thei tak zuan zang tak kha stroke avangin a lo kal bai nasa mai a. Damlo chaklo thisen laksak chhen leh rihna hlauh reng mai an ni a, a hmel a chau tih pawh a hai theihloh. Damdawi inah chuan ka zui ve a, khua pawh a lum an phun ve ngai reng reng lo! Tlai lam chhung inkhawm kan neih chuan “Lawmthu sawina tur” ringawt hi an chhakchhuak a. Chhung inkhawm chu hun an renlo mahni a lawmna an tawn theuh te an sawi hlawm a. Kei a lungawilo thei tak pawh mak tihna in ka khat a a tawpah chuan ka nun a pawimawh em em tur pakhat ka ngaihtuah chhuak ta.

Thinlungin thil engpawh a pawm hi chuan harsatna tawrh a awlsam a, a nih loh chuan harsatna hian a zui mai thin tih hi. Khawlum te pawh thinlung hian a pawm tlat chuan taksa lam chuan a lo tuar thei mai a. Inngaihzawn chungchangah te thinlung in a pawm zan loh chuan harsatna neuh neuhin a zawm duh, thinlung a pawm chuan ngaihdamna pawh a lo sang mai thin. Chu thinlung a pawm theihna chu neih ngawt theih a nilo a, harsatna kar a lo lawm viau pawh chu mi a nihna te pawh a ang lek lek thei bawk. Mahse khawvelin a pek theihloh chu harsatna zawng zawng phurzo tu Lal Isua hian a lo pe thei reng mai. Chu thinlung atang chauh chuan lawmna in a khah theih.

FAPA TLANBO LEH NGAIDAMTU CHUNNU!

Gandhi-an tharum thawhlo a India zallenna a lo sual chhuah tawhna ram ngeiah chuan ni 23. Jan 1999 zing vartianah khan tharumthawhna rapthlak tak thu in min barakhaih a! “Jai Bajrang bali ( Hindu pawl pakhat dam reng rawhse)” ti a au rual dual dualin Hindu firfiak te chuan Graham Staines leh a fate mutna Jeep chu an rawn hal alh pup mai a, a hnu-ah tribal khua-a awm te chuan kang chu thelh tum mahse a tlai lu ta; Krista tan a pasaltha te taksa chu meivapah anlo chang hman tawh si a. Karleh mai a “Martar Pathianni” lo thleng turah hian Krista tana an tuarna te a thlawnlohnan leh India ram zauzawk a kan rawngbawlna ti chaktu a tan te an chanchin hi i ngaithlanawn leh teh ang.

Fapa tlanbo: “Ka fapa hi mi nunrawng a nilo, rannung tak ngial pawh ala that ngailo” ti tu Dara Singh-a nu chuan afapa thiltih rapthlak tak chu awih theilo in a lu a thing mat mat a. Ni e, India ram mipui maktaduai tamtak mai awmna-ah hian mit han len vel la Rabindra Pal (Dara Singh) ti a an koh hi mit han la zawr khawp tur a koham hmel chu a pu biklo. Mahse hetih lai hian a thinlung a thinrim alh hluah hluah chu Orissa-a Kristian missionary te’n an chhem mek a ni tih tuman an hre bik lo mai a ni. Amah hi Kakor Bujurag UP lam chhuak mi zirna bansana hausak tum a ni! An in atang chuan khawvel zau zawkah hausak tumin a chhungte hriatloh in a tlanbo ta ngei a, Orissa hmun hi a rawn thleng ta a ni. Orissa a thlen hma hian Delhi hmunah te pheikhawk a siam thin ni in an sawi bawk. Orissa, Tribal hmun a missionary te hnathawh chuan a thin a khei em em a, a theihtawp a beihlet chauh chu a thinlungdamna a ni.

Krista avangin India ramah: Graham Staines hi India ramah Lalpa chanchin tha fehchhuahpui a, Isua’n a damlai a a tih thianghlim thin pharte hnen a rawngbawl turin kum 1965 khan Mayurbhanj (Orissa) ah hian a rawn thleng a. A enkawl-a te chuan “unaupa-Dada” tiin an ko mai thin a. “Mi tawngtam lo tak leh mi serious thei tak a ni” tih chu an sawina thin a ni. Khawtlang tan an nun an leihbua a, a hlawkna chang tribal-ho chuan an nunah Krista anlo hmu a, Kristianah an inlet ruih ruih mai.January ni 20, 1999 chuan tribal mi 30 lai mai chu kristianah an inlet ta puk mai a, Dara Singh-a leh a pawlte an awm mai mai thei talo ti chimih hmiah tumin ruahmanna an siam tan ta a ni.

India mi leh sa kan ni e: An rawngbawlna-ah hian chhungkua in an tangho nasa hle a. Afapa te Phillip kum sawm mi leh Timothy kum ruk mi lek te chuan India mi te kawr hak ang te hi hak an phur em em a, mite tanpui a a pa lo puih ve chu an hna ve ber a ni.

Piancham lawmna hnuhnung: Shantanu Satpathy, Kristian pakhat chuan Staines nen hian piancham an intawm a, Keonjhar-a rawngbawlna a an kal hma hian Birthday an lawmthu a sawi nghe nghe. Mahse chu an piancham lawmna ni chu an hun tawp an thlengtep tih an hre der silo, an lawmna ni atang a ni 5 hnu-ah chuan Staines-a te fapa taksa chu mei vapah a chang ta mai si a.

Ngaidamtu Chunnu:

Gladys Staines chuan a pasal leh a fapa te’n mual liam san tawh mahse a fanu Esther nen chuan an pa hnathawh te anla chhunzawm ta zel a, hindu firfiak tak tak te kar a an inthlamuanna chu an banga Pathian thu tar “ Pathian chu kan inhumhimna leh kan chakna, mangan lai atanpui vartu hnai reng a ni” (Sam 46:1) tih kha a ni. A pasal thattu misual tak Dara Singh (Fapa tlanbo-a) pawh chu Krista avangin a ngaidam thei a. A hnen a Pathian thu lo thleng chu “Pathianin a pe a, Pathianin a la leh mai a ni” tih kha a ni. India ramah kum 2004 thleng khan hna a thawk a, an ram Australia-ah a let leh ta a. Pharte hnen a a thawhthat avang hian chawimawina sang Padmashree hlan a ni nghe nghe. Gladys thuziah hi a ngai ngaiin: "The Lord God is always with me to guide me and help me to try to accomplish the work of Graham, but I sometimes wonder why Graham was killed and also what made his assassins to behave in such a brutal manner on the night of 22nd/23rd January 1999. It is far from my mind to punish the persons who were responsible for the death of my husband Graham and my two children. But it is my desire and hope that they would repent and would be reformed."

Kawngka zim

“Kan buante hi tisa leh thisen an ni si lo, lalnate leh, thuneihnate leh, he thim chunga khawvel roreltute leh, van hmunahte thlarau sualho awmte an ni zawk e. Chuvangin ni tha lovah chuan in do zawhna tur leh, in tih zawh vek hnu pawha in din theihna turin, Pathian ralthuam famkim chu la rawh u.”( Ephesi 6:12-13)

Kan van in kawng pan na ah hian kan penna turin kawng peng thuam tam tak a awm. Kawng pakhat chauh hian vanram a pawh si a, chu kawng chu Krista chauh hi a ni. Chu kawng zawh chu tihmai mai mi a nilo a, ti takzet te kal kawng a ni. Bible phei chuan thahnemngai takin “Kawngka zimah chuan luh tum HRAM rawh u” (Luka 13:24b)a ti hial a ni. He kawng ata kan penna turin hmelma pa chuan thang tamtak a kam a, “Mi hmang hria chuan thil thalo chu a hmuhin a biru thin a, Mi mawl erawh chuan a tawn mai thin a, a tuar phah thin” (Thufingte 22:3). Biak in a sermon tha tak tak Greek tawng meuh ruai a kan in fah lai hian, a lem nuam zawk, kan hmuh leh hriat mawlh mawlh te hmanrua a hmangin thalai te hremhmunah a hnuk mek a. Chu thil thalo chu mi a chuan atana thalo a ni tih hrelo in a dai mai thin a, a tuarphah fo thin a ni. Krista kohhran te thawhharh a hun takzet. Setana hmanrua hrang hrang te hi kan do let ve theihnan i han bih thuak ang hmiang.

Music: Grammy Award emaw Billboard chart-a langte kan thalaite’n an ngaisang a, an thlalak an khawnkhawm a, an room bangah te an tar cheichuai a! Thalai te hian kan ngaihsan leh an thawmhnaw leh nundan thleng a kan entawn ho nun hi kan bihchiang tak tak ngai em? An hlawhtlinnan hian an thisenin hmelma pa hma ah an thlarau hralhin an lo inthawi thin a lo ni! Setana chuan larna namenlo in mal a sawm let thung a. Amaherawhchu Setana hian phutlet a nei ve a, an music video ah emaw, an hla thu emaw amah fakna tur thil engemaw an zep tel ngei tur a ni a. Chuti chuan zaithiam a thunun te chu puithiamah chang in an hla emaw lo ngaithla a lo entu hnenah setana thuchah chu an puang thin a ni. He setana biakna hi milarte hian an intih hmuh hle a, amaherawhchu thenkhat talchhuah duh tal chhuak theilo mi tamtak te pawh an awm bawk. Heng an biakna leh an hla a chhinchhiahna lo lang te lanna Youtube ah hian entur tamtak a awm a, chu biakna chu hmanlai secret society pakhat hming chawi a “Illuminati” tih a ni. Han en ve mah teh i rinloh deuh deuh zaithiamte kha an lo awm nual ang. Chu’ng an hlasak hmang chuan nitin zantin kan thalaite roomah a ri chhuak ta vel a. “Lalpa chenna run” tih in tar chhungah setana fakna leh sawimawina a ri chuai(h) chuai(h) mai, ava rapthlak em!

Thiamna: Khawvelah thiamna a lo sang a, kan thurin Bible meuh pawh keuh thluk an rawn tum ta. Pathian thuzir te zingah Pluralism a lo lar a, sakhua hrang hrang te hian vanram kan thleng thei vek a lawm an tih hnu-ah ngaihdan pakhat dang a lo chhuak leh ta! Postmodernism ngaihdan hmangin bible in a huat em em “Tuai” leh “Patil” te an rawn sawimawi a. Khawthlang thurin lairil kristianna hmanga “diklo” an tih chu science leh linguistic hmangin “a dik” an rawn ti a. Kan ram ngaihsan US ah te phei chuan mipa/mipa, hmeichhia/hmeichhia inneih pawh an phal tawh nia! Sodom leh Gomorrah hunlai ai khan kan sualna hi a sang tawh zawk, Lalpa thinrimna hi kanla tawng baw ngei dawn e! Tv a enawm Oprah Winfrey Talk show-ah chuan thlirtu mitamtak zingah Oprah chuan, “Isua lo pawh hi kawng dang a awm ang, thil tha chu a awm vek a ni engkimah hian” tiin a ngaihdan a rawn vawrh a. Chu ngaihdan tilar tur chuan “New Age Church” tih an din a, ringtu nghetlo deuh lakah ram an la duai duai mai.

T-Shirt leh Tattoo: Milar zaithiam, movie star zingah hian thil tihhmuh thalo tak mai an mahni ngaisangtu t e hnenah an tilar a chu chu vun a chhinchhiahna (tattoo) chhut hi a ni. Heng chhinchhiahna chhut tu te hian Setana chhinchhiahna an hriatlohin a pu hlawm a, chu a chhutu chu khawi hmunah pawh kalse chu rau thalo chuan a umzui thin. Ramhuai man tamtak hnawhchhuah an tum a, chhuak theilo te hi an chhinchhiahna lo inchhut vang a ni fo nia! Chumai bakah chuan T-Shirt-ah hian setana betu leh lu ruhro a ther fer fur a, a ha tu hian a hma mi te ang bawkin rau thalo chu an rawn chang nghal a. Kan thil hak leh kan bang a kan tar hmang te hian nitin thim lal chibai kanlo buk thei reng a lo ni. Nu leh pa te’n kan fate music ngaithlak leh an room bang a intar te hi kan enfelpui a va ngai em. Biak In lam a kan koh eih theihloh nachhan pawh hi heng thil te hian a lo pawtbet a lo ni mahna.

Tunlaina ?: Tunlai thalai zing a in tih hmuh chu “Zau” hi a ni. Hei hi American khawthlang culture ah phei chuan a lar lehzual a hei hi kan thalaite’n an entawn mek a ni. Kan bible hi a phungthlu hranlo, kawngka zim min kawhhmuhtu a nih avangin chu kawng chu a zau ve huau lo. Intih changkan duh leh rual pawl loh hlauh vangin Kristian te’n kan ban loh tur kan ban fo. Heng te hi itawm taka setana rawn tawktarh te a ni e, a pawn lamah chuan mawihnai tak angin lang mahse a chhung chu “Tur” a ni. Thlarau rah zingah khan enge awm kha “Insumtheihna” hei hi kan mamawh em em a ni. Lal Isua tun hma leh tun hnu chatuan thleng pawh a danglam ngai lo hi a thing ngailo, amah zui hi kan tim tur a nilo.

A thui lutuk dawn heng a chung a kan tarlan tlem te chauh nilo thil dang tamtak kan sawisen loh te’n hmelma pa hian theihtawpin min beireng thin a. Thalai Kristian nun hi nun boring a ni miahlo, Isua nen chuan engkim hi a nuam a, chatuan thleng a hlimna a ni. Krista avang hian hasatna hlir kan kawngah a awmlo a, khawvel mite neih veloh nunthuhruk chu Amah ah kan nei zawk a ni.Leviticus bung 19 pumpui hi han chhiar ve mah teh.