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.

Lessons from Students

5th September. Teachers' Day.


Growing up, I wanted to be different things - a teacher, a monkey, a teacher, a journalist, a teacher, a sports writer, a teacher, Victoria Beckham, a teacher. Today, I am convinced that a teacher is indeed what I should strive to be. I have been blessed with opportunities to teach students of different age groups - from 4th standard to MA students. And I have thoroughly enjoyed the enriching moments in the different classrooms.

I was 19 when I first ventured to become a teacher. Fresh out of higher secondary school, I left home to teach in a school in Khelmati, a small village in Assam. Most of our students were from nearby tea gardens. Harchurah Tea Estate, in particular, was home to most of our students.

When I arrived at Khelmati, I realised how different things were from home. For instance, back home (Aizawl), my formal clothes mostly consisted of knee length dresses and skirts. But it did not take long for me to figure out that most of the clothes I had brought from home would be considered inappropriate for a teacher at my new home. Khelmati is about 20 kilometres away from Tezpur, a beautiful town in Assam and is surrounded by several tea gardens.

A few weeks after my arrival, I developed heat rashes all over my body. My body needed time to adjust from the moderate climate back home to the hot and humid Khelmati climate. And since we did not exactly have luxurious lodgings with air conditioned rooms, we suffered in the heat all day long.

I was the class teacher of class 4. There were 6 students in my class. Ashish. Shiva. Savdhan. Suman. Ashif. Sarita. Ours was the class with the least number of students but the students were good friends with each other, so they enjoyed coming to school every day. If my memory serves me right, there were about 140 students in the school.

This was a long time ago. Many of the experiences I had there have escaped my memory. However, one particular afternoon I have not been able to forget was the day a snake crawled into our classroom through the ceiling. I was telling the students a story from their English textbook when I heard Shiva's shrill cry, "Miss, snake...". Sure enough, teacher and students alike ran out of the classroom with a speed just a little slower than light's. Once the snake got killed by other teachers, we had a hearty laugh at ourselves. What was initially a frightening experience turned out to be one of our favourite stories in the next few days.

In some renditions of the incident, the snake was 14 feet long and was just about to swallow Sarita's head off when the boys heroically intervened and fought a long and hard battle with it before finally helping Sarita escape. Meanwhile, in some retellings, the brave and courageous teacher single handedly strangled the snake to death, saving the lives of her precious students.

On the days we were not saving each other from snakes, lions, wild elephants and the occasional dragons, we would learn action songs and sing and dance happily. Some lazy afternoons would also find us practising short skits to be performed during school assembly.

It was a simple life. The students did not come from rich families. Their parents earned just enough for the most basic of needs. Their books and uniforms were mostly second hand, passed down from elder siblings or neighbours. But despite their poverty, they were happy, as happy as children in their condition could be. Being malnourished and underweight did not stop them from running around cheerfully in the fields, and in spite of their yellowish anemic tinge, their eyes always sparkled mischievously.

I used to think I was the only one doing the teaching, but I have now realized that I learnt more from them than they did from me. In their own childish ways, they taught me to embrace life and the different experiences life brings us. They taught me to be content with what I am and what I have. In spite of their poverty, they did not complain. They accepted things as they were. They were quick to smile and laugh as though they have the best of what life has to offer. Little did I know then that the lessons I learnt from them prepared me in ways uncountable for the ups and downs of life.

When teaching there eventually took too much of a toll on my studies, I had to leave them with a heavy heart. I do not have much hope of ever meeting them again in person but I have been most pleasantly surprised to receive friend requests from them on Facebook for the last couple of years. I am happy that they have access to the Internet, and more importantly, that they can afford it - a blessing most of us take for granted. It fills my heart with pride to see that they have passed their HSLC exams and have joined junior colleges. I hope to see them graduate in a few years, and I pray graduation will not be the end of their academic pursuits.

The reason why I have decided, rather out of the blue, to write this piece is because this year's teachers' day reminded me of a gift long forgotten. It was gifted to me on 5th September by Ashif from Harchurah Tea Estate. I received many gifts from my students that day; gifts that were humble in that they did not cost much, but also gifts that were the most precious I have been and probably will ever be given. The students must have saved up for several weeks to buy me those gifts. Only Ashif's gift - a red frame with a picture of Jesus Christ - remains with me today. The frame gifted to me on a teachers' day has a greeting printed on it which goes, "May the Holy family fill you [sic] heart with Love and grant you Health and Happiness in the New Year. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!"

Happy teacher's day to students who teach their teachers how to count blessings and how to be graceful through tough times. 

Midnight Match Meander

English Premier League 2017 – 2018 finally started for me too, tonight. Top of the table with 6 points, 8 goals and none conceded, we have been having a promising season unlike Arsenal and Chelsea who have been defeated in 50% of their matches this season.  I had to miss the last two Manchester United matches for absolutely unavoidable reasons, adding to my anxiety this morning when I found out that our TV set top box was not working. I guess my brother was even more anxious as he immediately reached for his phone to call the cable guys to request them to come to our home for repairs. His biggest fear was that he might not be able to watch the “bigly” (to borrow from Donald Trump’s vocabulary) anticipated Mayweather  vs McGregor match tomorrow. But thankfully, the repairmen were able to fix our box. 

One thing I love about being a Mizo is that, even this morning when I realized that I might not be able to watch our match with Leicester on our TV, I knew there were many homes in our neighbourhood I could go to for the match. In fact, I have done that several times - watched football matches at neighbours’ homes because in almost every home, there is at least (at least) one football fan whose eyes would be glued to the TV to watch the greatest club in the world in action. Of course, nobody needs to be reminded that “the greatest club in the world” is a reference to Manchester United. 

By 9.30pm, I was getting fidgety because I was still stuck in a special training session I had expected to be over by 9.15 or so. The desire to go home was so fierce that I rushed home refusing, uncharacteristically, tea and biscuits served to us as soon as the session got over. I reached home just in time to see the starting lineup of both sides. I did not have time to change so I ended up watching the first half in my puan and boots making me feel like Victoria Beckham. Victoria without a David, Victoria without four adorable kids, Victoria without an endless supply of make-up, clothes, shoes, Victoria without flawless skin, and Victoria without a successful career in the music and fashion industry. Yeah, I felt like Victoria Beckham - but a poorer, plainer version – all because I wore high heeled boots during a football match.

In spite of a few regrettable missed chances, the first half was encouraging. It felt amazing to see United in great shape and it was easy for my eyes to adjust to the sight of fresh faces in United jerseys. Though I am by no means a football expert, I was hopeful of a third win because of our motivated game. Sure enough, Rashford and Fellaini delivered in the second half. 8 of the 10 goals that have been scored by United have been scored in the second half, with 4 being scored by substitutes. 

Despite the happy win, I could not help but have my mood a little dampened by the absence of Rooney. Though I do understand that he did what he had to do, a part of me still wishes that he had stayed. A bit old school, it always makes me immensely sad to see faces that have become familiar and loved and cherished leaving us. Rooney, especially, has been an intrinsic part of my journey and growth with United. But I wish him good health, happiness, success and contentment at Goodison Park. 

With our formidable squad, I am expectant of several more wins and a great season ahead. I hope the first two matches that I had to miss will also be the last two missed matches this season. 10pm IST is the most convenient time for me and most of the other Indians, I assume, when it comes to football matches. By this time, it is easy to escape from other engagements, and there are few distractions to worry about.  

Well, signing off now with the knowledge that the next big thing of consequence that awaits me is my phone alarm which will rudely awaken me from bliss tomorrow morning. So, thanks, if anyone has been wasting precious minutes reading this juvenile piece. 😁

The Magic Trunk

Ashish must have been nine or so. He had skin so deeply tanned that it glowed to match the sparkle in his eyes which complimented his smile which was as genuine as the poverty he had to live with. Eighty seven rupees a day for a family of five is no handsome sum. 

One humid afternoon, in anticipation of an upcoming teachers’ day celebration, a small group of young boys discussed what they’d wear to their fancy dress parade. The well-fed ones who slept on expensive mattresses eagerly shared the details of what they were planning to wear. “I will wear the spiderman suit gifted to me on my birthday.” “I will come decked as a cowboy. I even have a pistol to complete my look.” “I will dress up like a professional cricketer. I will be all geared up in my cricket kit.” And so on. 

Ashish sat in a corner, listening intently, with an expression that was hard to read. There was just a slight hint of the smile that usually sat on his face. He wasn’t his cheerful self. He did not escape notice for long. One of the boys eventually quipped, “Oye, Ashish, what will you wear?”

With his eyes lowered, he replied, “All my fancy clothes are locked away in a trunk, and I don’t have the key.”

HEELS

Every time I see my mother
Steal wistful glances
At seductive heels
She can no longer wear
My heart breaks a little.