A tribute to the teachers of my department

It was in 2012 that I first got admission into the department of English as a student of the MA programme. God has been kind to me and the place has been my second home ever since, as an MA student, as a research scholar, as a guest teacher and then as a project fellow. I think everybody here will be able to imagine how huge a role the department has played in my life in the last seven years.

All of us gathered here today know our teachers well; they have different personalities, different methods of teaching and different approaches towards different situations in the classrooms. And needless to say, we have all benefitted from each teacher. I believe their different approaches have enriched our lives as human beings and as academics. Where one teacher might have a weakness, another teacher will make up for it. And like that, together, they make an amazing wholesome team. Whether it is Pi Maggie imparting precious knowledge to us with a passion and confidence that is unparalleled, or Pu Baral challenging us to take our intellectual exercise to a whole new level through his lectures, or MLP ma’am being the epitome of sincerity and efficiency and as my best friend Lydia puts it “the most efficient human being ever”, or Miss KC’s soothing collectedness that can calm even the most stressed of souls, or Miss Laltei’s eloquence and expertise as she explores the varied realms of literature, or Dhanajit Sir’s apparent enthusiasm to help us discover magic through words or Miss Kristina’s fresh and unconventional approach towards education and life itself, all our teachers are uniquely the best of teachers.

Now, you may wonder why I have not mentioned Pi Adiki, that is because I have been for saving her for the last and not at all because she is the least. Today, in 2019, more people are talking about the importance of mental health. But Pi Adiki did just that way back in 2012, when tremendous importance was not yet placed on a person’s mental well being. I remember vividly, as though it were yesterday, Pi Adiki telling us to take care of our mental health and that there should be no stigma attached to mental illness. Back then, we were not used to listening to anybody talk about such matters in such a way, and to this day, I remain grateful to Pi Adiki for telling us just what we needed as a group of young adults who still have so much to go through in life. And so, it is with all the confidence that I have ever felt that I proudly assert that all of us who have had the privilege to sit in the classrooms of our teachers are truly blessed.

Growing up in the Mizo community where the church and the YMA are dominant forces, I seldom saw women leaders in the public life. That we have had just about six women MLA in the last 47 years since Mizoram became a Union Territory strengthens the perception that women are usually not seen actively participating as leaders in public. But when I joined as a student in the department, I realised that women can be just as smart as men, and just as capable as leaders. But then I also realised that most of our teachers come from progressive families that did not try to clip the wings of their womenfolk. Alas! Not all women can say that of their families. But today, things are better and more and more women are pursuing their dreams and ambitions, and making significant contributions to the Mizo community.  And I believe our teachers are pioneers who have paved the way for us younger Mizo women.

With the world continuously moving towards creating more spaces and platforms for the sidelined and marginalised members of the world community, our teachers too have not failed in teaching us to be proud of our roots, our cultures and traditions and in doing that, they have given us the gift of pride, pride in our history and culture and that is something nobody can ever take away from us without our will. Through the critical perspectives they have lent us through their lectures, they have also taught us not to just accept things at face value. Whether it has to do with our culture or society or even the way we practise our belief system, our teachers have taught us that it is alright to question the status quo and engage in discourses and debates, and yes, even if we are women.

To conclude this little tribute, I wish to acknowledge God’s grace  and wisdom in placing me in the hands of people who have so much knowledge and wisdom to share. I know that it is not just my life that has been touched, but also the lives of many others as well. Thank you and God bless you.

My Dream Wedding

I don’t know if I’ll marry or not; God is yet to reveal His plan for the rest of my life. I may never marry and that is fine with me but as a woman approaching her thirties, I have thought about marriage and wedding days and what I believe would make a wedding celebration most beautiful for me.

I believe the most important thing for me would be authenticity in the way the wedding celebration is to be conducted. First and foremost, I would not want to spend more money than my family and I can afford to on an event that is not sustainable. I don’t come from a rich family; we have always lived on a budget and we seldom splurge on unnecessary luxuries. That is the life I know. So, I think it would be unauthentic of me and my roots if we focus too heavily on areas where a big budget is required.

Secondly, I desire to marry in a puanchei or any other puan that has been weaved in my homeland. Our local weavers are extremely skilled and it would be a privilege to be married in one of their creations. As somebody who believes in promoting local artisans and small businesses, I would also be playing a small minor role in doing that on one of the most important days of my life.

Thirdly, I would rather do without a make-up artist on my wedding day. This is not because I have something against make-up. In fact, I use at least one item of make-up every day. And I believe that when make-up artists enhance the beauty of their clients, it is a work of art that deserves respect and recognition. But when it comes to me, I’d really prefer to work on my look on my own. This is not because I am a make-up expert but because I do not want to hide or disguise the blemishes on my skin or the imperfections of my physical appearance. I learnt early on in life that physical beauty is not to be my greatest attribute. No man is going to fall in love with me just because of the way I look. I am not saying this with rue or discontentment in the way God has created me, but with an accepting heart. So if I am to marry, I hope the man I marry and his family will accept me just as I am, flawed in and out, even on the wedding day.

I normally am not very fond of big crowds, so I must admit I am not a very big fan of going to weddings. It also helps that I do not have too many friends. So I don’t really expect a huge crowd at my wedding. I don’t think it is the number of people, or gifts, or the feast, or flowers (though I love flowers) or any other material thing that make a wedding beautiful.  That two people would want to commit to each other for their whole lives and that two families would approve of and bless their desire to commit is in itself already beautiful, and nothing short of a miracle. So, for me to have the people I love and care about as witnesses of my promise would be enough for me. I really do not need a big crowd.

Now, having said all these, it takes two parties for a wedding to happen. And I am fully aware that everything cannot /will probably not work out as I desire. Several people are involved in the process and it is usually the elders in the family who make decisions. Besides, it would not be fair on the man I am to marry if I make crucial decisions all on my own. So, ...

She wore a yellow dress that flattered her figure
Her smile was real and gorgeous
Everybody she walked pass took a second glance
Just to make sure she was real.


She could have been a beauty queen
Her looks could have earned her crores
Surely she knows that
She must have heard a hundred times how beautiful she was.


But that wasn't enough for her
She wanted more, worked hard for it.
All her spare time went into it
The one compliment that would really mean something to her.


She walked into the small dark room
Greeted the old man sitting there
He sounded pleased to have her by his side
She was here, she would take care of his needs.


He couldn't see for he was blind but he could hear
Her encouragements, her soft voice
He could feel the love she had for everybody
There at the nursing home.


Today, he told her
That he thought she was the most beautiful woman ever
He couldn't see her with his eyes
But she had a beauty he could feel.


She finally got what she wanted
Somebody who really saw her.


Note : I wrote this several years ago, and in retrospection, I think I could have portrayed the "old man" who was blind more positively by not emphasizing just on his blindness and supposed helplessness.

Beautiful Woman

Beautiful woman,

It torments me deep inside to know that I cannot call you by your name because people would then know of the secret that has been gnawing at your heart for so long. It breaks my heart that yours is a story of a six year old girl violated by a man when he should have been protecting her instead.

It bothers my conscience to no end knowing I am a part of a society that imposes silence on victims; silence imposed through prejudices and judgments. We are taught of the dignity of silence, but what good is silence if it does not bring justice? What good is silence if a victim has to live alone with memories that haunt her every day, forcing her to live a life of shame and sense of worthlessness?

Sometimes I wonder how different things might have been for you had you spoken out against him. Perhaps you would have found freedom from the clutches of your past. But how were you supposed to know that you did not have to be silent? How were you supposed to know you were not to be touched by a grown man the way you were? How were you to know no man’s hands have the passport to travel across your body without your consent? For me to claim to understand what you have been through would be an injustice to you. I was not there when you were terrorized over and over again. Nobody was there when you felt alone and frightened. Nobody was there to tell you that not all men are like him, and that you need not fear all men.

But I do wish I have words that could make you accept that what he did to you does not make you all the horrible names you call yourself. You are not defined by what somebody else does to you. Your future is not destroyed; you do not have to let it be. You are not in any way a lesser woman or a human being. You are still the beautiful woman God created you to be, as pure as any woman could be. You can only be defined by the strength, wisdom and grace with which you face every new day, and for that you are a beautiful woman.

Harsatna Hmachhawn

Harsatna kan tih hian kan duhdan leh beisei dan nilova thil a thlen a, kan kal zelna tur leh hmalak tum dan tiharsa zawnga rokhawlhna kan tawh hi a kawk ber awm e. Harsatna tawk ngai lo mihring kan awm a rinawm loh a, harsatna kan tawh dan kawng erawh a inang lo ang. Harsatna kan tawh hian kan taksa, rilru leh thlarau a nghawng thin a; heng thil pathumte hi thil hran theuh ni mahse thuk taka inzawm vek an ni thung.  Taksa a hrisel loh chuan rilru leh thlarau nun thlengin a nghawng thei a, rilru lamah dam lohna a awm chuan taksa leh thlarau nun thlengin a nghawng thin a ni. Taksa hrisel lohna, sum leh pai mamawhna, mihring leh mihring inlaichinna kawnga buaina leh ruihhlo ngaihna te hi harsatna kan tawh chhan langsar zualte an ni. A tuartu thiam loh vang ni miah loa harsatna tawh chang awm bawk mahse, harsatna thenkhat hi chu mihringin kan insiam chawp tepawh niin a lang.


Harsatna hmachhawn tur chuan engkim paltlang thei turin mihring tinah theihna Pathianin a dah tih hriatchian phawt a tul awm e. He harsatna hi huaisen taka ka hmachhawn chuan ka hneh ngei ang tia mahni infuih reng chunga kan harsatnate sukiang tura theihtawp kan chhuah chuan, hneh theih loh nun nei kan nihzia kan hrechhuak fo ang. Harsatna kan hmachhawn dawn chuan harsatna kan tawh nachhan tak kan hriatchian a ngai a, chu chu sukiang tura hma lak dan tur ngun taka ngaihtuah chhunzawm a tul bawk a ni. Entirnan, leiba ngah lutuk vanga harsatna kan tawk a nih chuan, leiba kan ngah nachhan ngaihtuah hmasak a tul a, kan sum thawhchhuah mil loa pawisa kan hman vang a nih chuan kan nunphung thlak danglam tura rilru kan siam a tul dawn a ni. Kan hatsatnate mahni chauha hmachhawn theih loh chang a awm thei, chung hunah chuan midang thurawn lak hreh loh tepawh a tha a ni. Harsatna hrang hrang mitinin kan nei vek tih hre rengin, zah avang emaw, inthlahrun lutuk avanga mahnia tuar tlawk tlawk lovin midang hnena inphawrhruah te hian min chhawk zangkhai thei a ni tih hriat a tha awm e. A pawimawh berah chuan rilru nghet taka siam a, hawikir lova hmasawn tum rana hmalam pan tlat a tul a, kan tumna chu kan theihna chochhuaktu tha tak a ni dawn a ni.


Harsatna leh tawrhna phena malsawmna awm hmu thiamtute tluka nun duhawm nei an awm awm lo ve. Mahni inkhawngaihna leh vanduai bik intihna hian min hnuk hniam thin a ni tih hriain, malsawmna chhiar thiam tura rilru buatsaih hi a tha a ni. Vanduai intih chang a lo awm anih pawhin, kan chhehvela mite nun chik takin thlir ila, keini aia nasa zawk maha tuar tawh te leh tuar mek te an ni fo thin. Vanduai bik emaw intih hi malsawmna chhiar thiam loh vang a ni fo bawk. Harsatna kan tawhte hi min tichhetu niloin, min tichaktuah kan hman thiam a ngai a, kan hlawhtling a nih ngat chuan harsatna phena malsawmna chuan mi ropui zawkah min chher dawn a ni. Harsatna kan tawhte hi keimahni tan chauha malsawmna ni mai lovin, harsatna tawk ve te hrethiam chunga tanpuitu dinhmun ropui taka min hlangkai theitu a ni bawk awm e.


Nitini beiseina thar kan neih a pawimawh a, beiseina nei lo tan chuan hmasawn a har thin. Harsatna kan tawhte hneh tur chuan beiseina nung nen, hmalam thlir chung zelin ke kan pen a ngai a ni. Beiseina nung nei tur erawh chuan engkimtithei Pathian ropui tak kan hnenah a awm reng a ni tih hriat a ngai thung. Kan chhungte leh thiante ngei pawhin min kalsan ta nia kan hriat chang tepawh a awm thei, duh leh hmangaih taka min siamtu erawh kan kiangah a awm reng a,  a hnenah thinlung leh tih takzeta kan tlukluh hun a lo nghak reng a ni tih hre tharin, beiseina thar nen harsatna kan hmachhawn chuan min tichaktu Krista vangin hnehna kan chang ngei dawn  a ni.


Note : He article hi kan Branch KTP in Article Inziahsiak a huaihawt tuma ka ziah a ni a, thupui awmsa pali zingah he thupui hi ka thlang. 

Bible leh hnam dang nupui pasal neih

Bible-in hnam dang nupui pasal neih a phal lo ti kan awm a, a phal tho e ti kan awm bawk a. Thu inchuh mek a nih avangin ngaihtuah chian a ngai hle a ni. Theologian ka ni lova, Bible thu ka hriatthiam dan pawh a ril lo hle. Ka thuziakah hian pawmawm loh leh pawm tlak loh a awm anih chuan, ka thlirdan a famkim loh nachhan mumal taka min hrilh tur pawh ka mamawh hle mai. Engpawhnise, thupuiah lut tawh ila.

A hmasa berah chuan, Adam leh Evi thlahte vek kan ni a, Tirhkohte Thiltih 17:26 ah chuan Pathianin bul hmun khat vekin hnam tin a siam thu kan hmu a. He thu avang pawh hian inla hrang lutuk thei kan nilo tih ngaihdan awm thei a ni a, tin, Philippi buah khan ringtute chu “van khua leh tui” kan nih thu a inziak a. “Van khua leh tui” kan nihna kan pawm a nih chuan khawvela chi leh hnam lak vung lutuk vanga inthliarhrante, inhuatte hi ringtute tihtur a ni lo mai thei.

Pathianin Israel fate kha hnamdang nupui pasal neih a phal loh thu kan hre theuh awm e. Deuteronomy 7: 3 -4 ah chuan Hit-ho te, Girgas-ho te, Amor-ho te, Kanaan-ho te, Peirz-ho te, Hiv-ho te, Jebus-ho te chungchangah heti hian a inziak a,

*3 nupui pasalah in nei tur a ni hek lo … 4 In fapate, mi zui lai hi pathian dangte biakna lamah an hruai kawi mai ang a.*

(Exodus 34 : 10 -17 chhiar tel chuan he thu hi a chiang lehzual)
He thua thil chiang tak hmuh tur awm chu Pathianin Israel fate hnamdang nupui pasala neih a phal loh thu hi  a ni. A phal loh nachhan chu chang 4-naah a rawn lang leh nghal a, pathian dang an biak mai a hlauh vang  a ni. Pathianin hnamdang nupui pasala nei lo tura a duh chhan ber nia lang chu hnamdang an nih vang ngawr ngawr nilovin, Israel fate anga Pathian nung pakhat betute an nih loh vang ti ila kan sawisual tam awm lo ve. Heta Pathian rilru niawma lang hi 2 Korinth 6:14 ah a rawn lang leh a, Tirhkoh Paula chuan Korinth khaw mite chu ringlomite nen rual lo taka nghawngkawl bat dun lo turin a hrilh  a ni. Pathian nung betute tan ringlomi neih a rem lo tiin ngaihdan a siam theih awm e. (hemi chungchangah pawh hian ngaihdan dang a awm thin a, 1 Korinth 7:12 – 16 thu kan dawnsawn dan a inang vek lo)

Mosia chanchin kan hria a, Midian mi Zipori nupuiah a nei a, hnamdang nupuia a neih hnuah Pathianin a mite Aigupta ram ata hruai chhuak turin a ko a, hnamdang nupui nei a ni chungin chanvo pawimawh tak a pe. Tin, Mosia avang hian Zipori pa Jethroa pawhin Israel te Pathian chu pathian dang zawng zawng te aia a ropui zawk thu a puangchhuak hial a ni (Exodus 18 : 11). Tin, Numbers 12: 1 – 10 kan chhiar chuan, Miriami leh Arona ten Mosian Kus hmeichhia nupuia a neih avanga an sawichhiat thu a lang a, a chhiahhlawh Mosia an sawichhiat avangin an pahniha  a hrem thu kan hmu. Mosian hnamdang nupui  a neih avanga Pathianin a zilhhau emaw a hrem thu kan hmu lova, Mosia sawichhetute erawh a hrem thung.

Bible-a mi ropui kan hmuh Lal Davida te, Lal Solomona te pawhin hnamdang nupui an neih thu kan hmu a. Lal Davida leh a hnamdang nupui Bathsebi te karah lal ropui tak Solomona  a piang a, Pathianin nasa takin mal a sawm tih kan hre theuh awm e.

Tin, Bible-a hmeichhia kan ngaihsan zingah pawh hnamdang pasal nei langsar tak, Ruthi leh Lalnu Estheri te chanchin kan hria a, Pathian awmpuina an dawn zia pawh Bible-ah kan hmu. Juda nula Estheri chuan hnamdang lal ropui tak pasalah a nei a, lalnu  a nih hnuah amah kaltlangin Pathianin Juda mite ringlo mite lak atangin a chhanhim a ni.
Isua thlahtute zing ami Ruthi pawh Moab mi  a ni a, Israel mi pasalah a nei a, hnamdang nupui pasal an neih avanga Pathianin a hrem emaw, a zilh thu kan hmu lo.

Thlirna tihzauh belh turin hnamdang nupui nei Pathianin a hrem te chanchin han chhui leh thuak ila. Samsona khan Philistia hmeichhia Delili a ngaizawng a, hmel leh taksa mawina avanga a it hmeichhia hian Samsona, piantirh ata Pathian rawngbawl tura serhhran chu a tluktir ta a. Tin, kan lo ziahlan tawh Lal Davida pawhin Bathsebi a uire avangin Pathianin a hrem a, an fatir a tihhlum sak  a ni. Amaherawhchu hnamdang mi an neih vanga hrem tawk an nih thu erawh Bible-ah kan hmu lo. Lal Davida kha uirena sualah a tlu mai niloin, Bathsebi pasal Uria lakah rawng taka a chet avangin Pathianin a hrem  a ni. Samsona erawh chuan a rinna leh serhhran a nihna tawmpui lo mi nupuia a neih avangin a tuar ta a ni. Chutih rualin Israel mi hnamdang nupui nei Pathianin a awmpui tlat Mosia leh Boaza te kan en chuan, an nupuite khan an pasalte rinna an tawmpui tlat a ni.

Engpawhnise, heng kan han ziahlan takte hi hnamdang nupui pasala neih sawimawi tumna emaw, hetiang tura midang fuihna a ni lem lo.

Amaherawhchu, Bible tanchhana midang thil tisual leh Pathian duh lo dana nung anga puh hi thil namai  a ni lova, nghawng thui tak nei thei a ni. Bible kan tanchhan dawn anih chuan kan zirchian a, thlirdan hrang hrang awm thei kan ngaihtuah a pawimawh hle. Entirna hrang hrang kan pekah khian Israel fate leh hnamdang mi innei pawlh te kan hmu a, chhui theih chinah Pathianin a hrem dan leh mal a sawm dan kan hmu bawk a.

Ngaihdan dang nei te rilru thlak hi ka tum ber  a ni lova; ka duhthusam zawk chu ngaihtuahna zau zawk hmang chungin kan tanchhan Bible hi zirchiang ila tih hi  a ni. Chu chuan tawngkam mawi lo leh belhchian dawl lo tak taka inhnialna boruak atangin min kaichhuak anga, awmze nei zawkin he thu hi kan sawi ho thei dawn a ni.