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Manipur finishes 2nd at 34 National Games 2011

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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Manipur has secured second position in the overall position at the 34th National Games held at Jharkhand by bagging 48 gold medals coming after the Services which secure 70 gold medals. The state came down by three gold medals from the 51 gold medals it has secured in the last National Games held at Assam. Haryana comes third with 42 Gold Medal, follow by Maharashtra with 41 Gold. The other northeastern states has performed poorly, only four states has managed to get a gold. Here is the Medals Tally of the overall Top Five and the Northeastern States.


Top Five
STATESGOLDSILVERBRONZETOTAL
Services705042162
Manipur493733118
Haryana423340115
Maharashtra414447132
Jharkhand33263796
Delhi32264199

Nort East

STATESGOLDSILVERBRONZETOTAL
Tripura6219
Assam5111834
Meghalaya1326
Sikkim1214
Arunachal011011
Mizoram0156
Nagaland0022
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Manipur finishes 2nd at 34 National Games 2011

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Manipur has secured second position in the overall position at the 34th National Games held at Jharkhand by bagging 48 gold medals coming after the Services which secure 70 gold medals. The state came down by three gold medals from the 51 gold medals it has secured in the last National Games held at Assam. Haryana comes third with 42 Gold Medal, follow by Maharashtra with 41 Gold. The other northeastern states has performed poorly, only four states has managed to get a gold. Here is the Medals Tally of the overall Top Five and the Northeastern States.

Top Five
STATES G S B TOTAL
Services 70 50 42 162
Manipur 49 37 33 118
Haryana 42 33 40 115
Maharashtra 41 44 47 132
Jharkhand 33 26 37 96
Delhi 32 26 41 99

Nort East

STATES G S B TOTAL
Tripura 6 2 1 9
Assam 5 11 18 34
Meghalaya 1 3 2 6
Sikkim 1 2 1 4
Arunachal 0 1 10 11
Mizoram 0 1 5 6
Nagaland 0 0 2 2

Fulbright-Nehru Scholarships 2012-2013

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Friday, February 25, 2011

United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) invites applications for Fulbright-Nehru Scholarships 2012-2013 from Indian citizens residing in India for Degree Programs, Lecturers and Teachers, Researchand Professionals courses.
For complete details and application material, please visit USIEF’s website www.usief.org.in

Traditional Institutions of Hmar

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

By Prof. Lal Dena

In course of their long migratory movement and sojourn at different places from Sinlung to their present habitat, the Hmars in North East India, had evolved a very stable and time-tested traditional institutions which can withstand the challenges of modernization and globalization. In spite of the many changes that had place in Hmar society during the last few decades in the wake of the introduction of modern education and the coming of Christianity, most of these traditional institutions have remained intact and continued to serve the present needs of Hmar society. Let us highlight some of these institutions briefly.

1. Khawtlang Roreltu (Village Council): One prominent traditional institution which emerged in course of their onward migration was the Khawtlang Roreltu headed by a lal (chief). Every person could not become a chief. Only those persons who had the capacity to lead the people in their struggle for existence and constant anxiety in times of war, ability to command obedience from others, a certain charisma and readiness on the part of his followers to conform to the rules laid down by him, emerged as chiefs. Also such persons who conquered new territories and built new villages were eventually recognized as chiefs

In each chiefdom, there was a village council. The specific character, composition and methods of functioning of the council deferred from clan to clan or from village to village. The chief was the supreme head of the council. Below the chief were the chief councilor (muolkil mitha) and councilors (khawnbawl upas). In the absence of a chief, the chief councilor took the place of the chief and presided over the meetings of the council. The councilors who were selected by the chief himself were normally a wealthy and influential group of persons, kinsmen or close friends of the chief. They were rewarded with the most fertile jhum-land and also exempted from forced labor. Thus, the chiefs and the councilors in a sense constituted a privileged group in a traditional Hmar society. The village council combined in itself both judicial and administrative powers. It settled disputes and cases, both civil and criminal. Before it heard any dispute, the complainant was under obligation to offer rice-beer (zu) to the councilors and if he won the case, the other party was to reimburse his expenditure and was also to give a pig to the village council as salam (a kind of fine). The Hmars have elaborate customary laws. The lal-ship and khawnbawl-ship were hereditary and the right of inheritance went to the youngest son of the family. But certain clans such as the Leiris, the Khawlums and the Changsans give inheritance right to the eldest son. The village council was to administer justice and order according to the customary laws.

During the colonial rule, 1891-1947, the chief and his councilors still constituted, as they did during the pre-colonial period, a privileged group but their authority and power was greatly undermined. This is not to say that their hold over the people was relaxed. It was a colonial strategy to recognize and use them as intermediaries between the people and the colonial government. The traditional authorities were utilized by the British as their agents for holding and administering the hill territory and the government integrated them into the colonial system by giving them some local administrative responsibilities in the village courts. In so far as traditional laws and customs were concerned, the village council assumed dual judicial roles: first as interpreter of customary laws and secondly, as a judge within the chiefdom. The legitimization of only a handful of traditional leaders who constituted a microscopic minority of the population, rendered them negligent of the need to worry much about the support of the people.

Apart from these responsibilities, the chief and his councilors were also assigned the task of collecting hill house tax of Rs. 3 from each household and enforcing the pothang system. The traditional leaders were effectively used against their own people and they collaborated with the colonial authorities in exploiting the people by depriving them of the fruits of their labor and production. The moral basis of leadership was thus more or less destroyed and the leaders tended to lose sight of their obligations to society for the privileges they received from the colonial rulers.

2. Sungkuo le Pahnam (family and lineage segmentation) Like any other human society, the basic unit of Hmar society was the family. The family was patriarchal. The head of family was the sole authority in so far as the family and its relations with other families or clans were concerned. He represented the family and its dependent members in any important public meeting. The mode of production and consumption in a family was elementary in the sense that the whole family had a common jhum land, worked as a single unit and shared the products jointly. In a Hmar society, there was both conjugal and extended family which normally consisted of male members of a lineage of two to three generations. In such a family system, the married males moved out to start a new separate household only when they had marriageable children. However, the stability of the extended family also depended to a great extent upon the nature of relationship and interaction between the male members of the family.

It appears that the emergence of pahnam (clan formation) and pahnam siper (clan segmentation) might have already started before the Hmars left Myanmar for India because their migration was usually undertaken along clan consideration and settlements were made on the basis of clan. Therefore, in every typical Hmar villages, different vengs (segments or localities) like Lungtau Veng, Leiri Veng, etc, had emerged. When the Hmars finally came to settle in different parts of North East India, almost all the villages, particularly in Mizoram, bore the names of Hmar’s clans like Biete, Darngawn, Keivawm, Khawbung, Khawzawl, Zote,etc. There are now  about 22 major pahnams (clans) which are sub-divided into more than 200 hnam siper (sub-clans) and of these, the most numerous ones are Thiek, Zote, Lungtau and Darngawn. As it has been pointed out, the process of clan formation and its segmentation had already started after their settlement in and around Shan state in Myanmar.



3. Buonzawl (Bachelors’ dormitory): One of the most important traditional institution of Hmar was Buonzawl which was also known as Zawlbuk among other kindred tribes of Mizo. Buon means literally wrestling and Zawl an open space which was used for recreation such as wrestling matches and dances.

There were raised platforms on all sides of the wall inside the dormitory. All the male youths of the village who had attained puberty were to sleep in the Buonzawl at night and each tlanglak (a young teen age boy) in the village was under obligation to supply firewood for the Buonzawl. The Valupas would narrate the heroic exploits of their forefathers and folk tales thereby teaching traditional value systems like tlawmngaina, bravery and the likes. In times of emergency like tribal war or natural calamities, Buonzawl served as a mobilizing centre for joint actions and in pre-colonial Hmar traditional society, Buonzawl can also be considered as a defense wing of village administration. It was later developed into a kind of institution where youngsters were given rigorous training in the art of tribal war, wrestling and village administration. In other sense, Buonzawl was an institution where disciplines and moral codes were imparted to the youths of the village.

4. Inneina (Marriage): In a traditional Hmar society, there were four types of marriages: sawngpuia innei (marriage with the parental approval), chawngmolak (a marriage of a girl before she reached maturity. In such case, the girl would not sleep with her would-be husband but only with her in-laws. When she reached marriageable age, the marriage was treated as  sawngpuia innei), arasi hnuoia innei (literally meaning marriage under the witness of stars- an eloped marriage without the parental approval); and intlun (meaning self-offering to the house of man or woman for marriage).

In traditional Hmar society, marriage was not restricted to any clan. The preferred marriage, however, was matrilineal cross-cousin marriage and some people held a prejudice against patrilineal cross-cousin marriage. In the past, the choice of a mate was a matter of strict parental control. But as mentioned before, there were also some instances of eloped marriages and the marriage which could not be separated by the opposing parents or relatives was called ‘pathien samsui.’ One should not ignore the fact that the Hmar society was an open society where there was free-mixing between men and women. What was very common and rather the institutionalized way of approaching a girl was wooing (inleng/nunghak-leng). For instance, the boy, soon after his evening meal, would woo a girl. Boys would sit around a girl gossiping, cracking jokes and discussing topics of common interests till late at night.

When the boy or the boy’s parents made their choice, this choice was first made known to the girl’s parents. This pre-negotiation stage was a very important period because decision as to whether marriage was possible or not had to be taken. Once this stage was over, the boy’s parents would call their laibung (kinsmen) and here affinal kinsmen played a crucial role in working out the details of the marriage. Some selected kinsmen and the boy’s sisters’ husbands (makpas) would act as the go-between (palai) and go to the girl’s parents with a white cloth (inhawn), which was regarded as an instrument of peace and rice-beer (zu) and after the makpa served rice beer to the girl’s parents and their kinsmen, formal negotiations followed and the bride-price (nuhmei man) was decided. The amount of bride-price differed from clan to clan and this bride-price cannot be interpreted as a commercial transaction. The bride-price was normally classified into various shares: (1) manpui-(if received in kind, it consisted of mithun, gong etc.) and this went to the bride’s parents; (2) panghak (some portion of the bride-price given to the bride’s parent’s kinsmen); (3) pusum (a portion given to the bride’s maternal uncle (pu); (4) nisum (a portion given to the bride’s father’s sister); and (5) zuorman (a small portion given to the bride’s friends and cousins).

The bond of matrimony was extremely loose; a boy seeking divorce should simply give sekhat amounting to Rs.40 only which is called makman to the girl’s parents. If a wife initiated divorce, she had to return the bride-price and this practice of returning the bride-price is called suminsuo. The Hmars practiced monogamy and there were very few instances of polygamy. Pre-marital or extra-marital sex was not uncommon. A child born of an unregulated relationship was called sawn and the boy was to pay fine called zawllei man to the girl’s parents and salam (a fine of a pig) to the village council. If he married the girl, he would be exempted from these fines and only had to pay the usual brideprice as fixed by the girl’s parents and their kinsmen.

5. Sakhuona (Religious institution): The traditional religion of Hmars can best be characterized as animistic. Lack of consciousness and also the inability to comprehend the objective forces of nature made them develop certain superstitious ways of beliefs and worship. They worshipped some peculiar objects or supernatural beings, which exercised tremendous influence over their behaviors. The mode of worship and sacrifices were determined by the objects to which sacrifices were to be made. There were various complicated methods of sacrifices and the person who could master all these methods eventually emerged as a priest (thiempu). The source of the authority of the priest was the assumption that he could control certain natural phenomena - epidemics, floods, droughts, famines, diseases, etc. all of which loomed large and affected the means of their livelihood and production.

The Hmars believed in the existence of a benevolent and supreme one called pathien (god). Surprisingly enough, almost all their prayers and sacrifices were offered to other evil spirits and not to the supreme god. Because the Hmars believed that evil spirits were the main cause of their illness and sufferings. According to Hmars, there were various spirits which were known by different names: (1) khawchawm (which used to kill domestic animals); (2) khuovang (name of a guardian spirit); (3) zasam (a dreadful spirit which lived in the forest); (4) phung or khawhring (which caused sudden dizziness and miserable sickness) and (5) lasi (good feminine spirit which blessed the hunters and often married them). The priest was supposed to know which spirit was causing trouble and illness and what type of sacrifice was necessary. The most important duty of the priest was thus to perform sacrifices for sanctification of the village from the influence of these evil spirits.

Another interesting feature of the Hmar traditional religion was the belief in life after death. It was a popular belief among them that the soul passed through different stages. First, immediately after death, the soul hovered either over the village or in the firmament for some time. The soul of a man who died an unnatural death used to disturb those members of the bereaved family and the people who were involved in the death of such a person and this phenomenal reappearance of the deceased in spirit was called ‘thlahrang’. The dead men’s abode (mithikhuo) was believed to be underground. The Hmars believed that children’s souls found it extremely difficult to adapt to mithikuo and their parents had to prepare special meals which were placed by the priest on the grave for a fixed period and this rite was called pakhuo. In the case of a grown-up soul, the priest performed thitin (dead-departing rite) accompanied by a feast and placed colorful clothes, skirts and feathers of birds over the grave and only then, the soul finally entered the mithikhuo.

The third stage was pielral which was considered to be the ‘abode of bliss.’ Only the soul of a thangsuo, a person who performed heroic deeds, for instance, by killing certain dangerous animals or who cultivated and harvested an exceptional quantity of rice/paddy (silai zawn or kak zawn- measurement of the height of bupang where paddy was temporarily stored at the farm hut) and who celebrated the occasion by throwing a feast of inchawng with one or two mithuns, could reach pielral. So those persons were publicly honored with tawnlairang (special head gear) and puondum on the great occasion. The distinction between man and man, that is, between the slave and his master still persisted and the former continued to serve his master in this spirit world. There was perhaps no prescribed length of period each departed soul had to spend in each of the three stages. It would, however, appear that the soul of the wicked man could not pass beyond the mithikhuo, but the souls of a thangsuo and those who suffered in life for no fault of theirs were entitled to enter pielral.

5. Lawmpui (Community labor): Another striking traditional institution of Hmar society was the practice of lawmpui ( something like community labor and mutual assistance). Various stages of food-production which normally involved community labor were the following: clearing forest/jungle tracts for cultivation; digging and sowing of seeds; weeding, harvesting, thrashing and storing. In all these stages, the Hmars would either join in community labor or help one another. The most popular form of community labor among the Hmars was butukhuonglawm which was organized at the time of sowing. There were times when as many as a hundred persons would work together. They would start from the furthest fields and move gradually to other fields one after another. They sang as they sowed and made a festival out of it:
Thinga ka tuk, thingah ka thlak,

Lunga ka tuk, lungah ka thlak;

Ka chung khuongruo sur a ta,

Ama’n khurbi zawng de ni.

Hit I on tree’s root, drop it I on it,

Hit I a stone, drop it I on it;

When rain falls from above,

Find will it its own roots.



The functions of lawmpui were mainly concerned with the economic activities of the village. Compulsorily, all the able-bodied unmarried persons of the village joined this lawmpui, irrespective of age and sex. Any household or even the chief could requisition the services of the lawmpui. In return for such services, the lawm members were given food and drink. This organization served a training ground for young men and young women to learn a sense of duty and dignity of labor. Along with this lawmpui, there was also inlawm consisting of few close friends, young women and young men. In turn, the lawm members would go to their jhum fields and this kind of inlawm was usually practiced during weeding or harvesting. This inlawm was one of the happy occasions in the life of young people. The lawm members would wait for their lawms at tinhmun (a place at the outskirt of a village) and then they would go together to the jhum fields. Sometimes romance developed among the lawm members leading to their marriage.

Concluding remarks: No human society is static and Hmar society is no exception. As a result of contact with external forces like contact with colonial administration accompanied with the coming of Christianity and modern education, many of Hmar traditional values were being replaced by modern values in the form materialism and consumerism. Though the institution of Buonzawl was being replaced by modern educational institutions, the Val Upas still play a dominant role In Hmar society today. Against the challenges posed by modernism and globalization, the institutions of khawtlang roreltu, now called Village Authority, man le muol (bride price), customary laws, clan structure, and laibung inpui (kinship institution) have still continued to serve the increasing needs of present Hmar society.

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This paper is based on ‘Socio-political institutions’ Chapter III, In Search of Identity: Hmars of North East India by Lal Dena, Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi, 2007, pp.18-34.

Sikpui Ruoi (Sikpui Festival) A festival with a difference

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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Lal Dena & Zothanchhingi Khiangte

There are innumerable festivals and ceremonies among the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes of North-east India. Of these, Sikpui Ruoi/Kut celebrated by the Hmar tribe is unique. There are several reasons for its uniqueness and we shall attempt to discuss only some of them:

1.  Among the many festivals of the ethnic groups of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo, Sikpui Ruoi is a festival celebrated by the Hmar community, the descendants of Nelachal, the youngest of Manmasi’s three sons. No particular date for the festival is fixed. It is celebrated at a convenient time during December (Mimtuk thla) and January (Tuolbuol thla). In the olden days, celebration of Sikpui Ruoi would extend to several days and sometimes even a month. But usually, the celebration lasts for seven days.

2. Another noteworthy feature about the Sikpui Ruoi is that it is not celebrated every year. In fact, it is celebrated only in the year of abundant harvest. Such a year is said to be a year of ‘fapang ralinsan’, when the granary is still left with the previous year’s yield at the arrival of the new harvest. Young men and women take out this previous year’s yield and winnow the grain two or three months ahead of Sikpui Ruoi. They then distribute the rice to every household in the village for brewing. This locally brewed drink is called rice beer or zu.. On the day of the Sikpui Ruoi, every family in the village would bring their own share of zu, drink and eat together with wild abandon. Thus the name Sikpui Ruoi. The term ‘Sikpui Ruoi’ can also literally mean ‘winter feast’, ‘sikpui’ meaning winter and ‘ruoi’ meaning feast.

3. The all-embracing mood of the festival where everyone, rich or poor, young or old can take part without any social inhibition is another distinctive feature of the Sikpui Ruoi. On this auspicious occasion, everyone whether young or old, rich or poor dance in blissful harmony on a common platform. The wealthier ones did not hesitate to part with their fineries and they used to readily give away their best clothes to their less fortunate fellow men. We, the so-called ‘enlightened’ ones in spite of all our learning have a great lesson to learn from these pre-literate societies, where a harmonious relationship co-existed among all the people in times of their festivities. More often than not, we fail to spare a thought for our poorer brethrens even in our Christmas celebrations.

4. Sikpui Ruoi is a festival of all the Hmars in general. Unlike the other public-feasts and ceremonies like inchawng (a public feast given by a single individual or a family to ensure entrance to paradise), sahrang lumeng (a feast held when a large and dangerous wild beast is killed), ral lumeng (a feast held in celebration of a hero’s successful return with the head of an enemy) and bu inei (a feast given to mark an individual’s abundant harvest), Sikpui Ruoi does not signify an individual’s achievements but signifies the general prosperity as a whole. It is a community festival in which all people from the youngest child to the oldest member of the tribe participate and it is because of this all-inclusive nature of the festival that everyone, irrespective of his/her social standing is given importance on the occasion and it is this unique feature that makes Sikpui Ruoi an important cultural heritage, to be remembered and treasured for generations to come.

5. Remarkably, unlike the other feasts and festivals, Sikpui Ruoi has nothing to do with religion. The only faint connection with religious beliefs is in the part played by the village priest. A village priest is employed to augur whether it would be an auspicious time to celebrate Sikpui Ruoi. No animal sacrifice is needed for this purpose. The priest hangs a drum all night in the right-hand corner of the Chief’s porch. He strains his ears all night for any sound of the drum beat. If he hears any drum beat, it is considered inauspicious to celebrate Sikpui Ruoi but if he does not hear any drum beat for the whole night, Sikpui Ruoi may be held with great enthusiasm with lots of singing, dancing and community feasting. Thus, Sikpui Ruoi is not a feast given to appease any evil spirit. Rather it is a celebration of nature’s bountiful blessings, expressing a tribe’s dependence on the earth for sustenance.

6. Sikpui Ruoi is also unique because of the songs and dances that accompany the feast. There are nine different Sikpui dances and the songs accompanying these dances are collectively known as Sikpui Hla. They are: (1). Buontlaw Hla, (2). Hlapui (Hla Ser), (3). Hranthli Hla, (4) Lamtluong Hla (4) Saia Ketet lam Hla, (5) Simsak Hla (6).Tangkawngvailak Hla, (7). Inran Hla (8) Trinna Hla and (9). Hla Vuina (Hla Phumna). Of these, Sikpui Hlapui (Hla Ser) is held most sacred and the Sikpui dance can not begin until this song is sung. It has also aroused much interest among scholars, historians, theologians and anthropologists. It is still the subject of an endless debate. There are two interpretations of the possible meaning of the song. Some lines from the first interpretation may be translated thus:
While we are preparing for the Sikpui feast,
The big red sea becomes divided.
As we are marching forward fighting our foes,
We are being led by a cloud during day;
And by pillar of fire during night.
Our enemies, ye folk are thick with fury,
Come out with your shields and spears.
Fighting our foes all day,
We march along as cloud-fire goes afore.
The enemies we fight all day,
The big sea swallowed them like beast.
Collect the quails,
Drink the water that gushes out of the rock.
In this interpretation, the song is reminiscent of the Biblical account of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt led by Moses. This has led or misled some sections of the Kuki- Mizo in Manipur and Mizoram into believing and claiming that they are the descendants of one of the lost tribes of Israel. Attempts have been made to ascertain the truth of the claim and several DNA samples of people belonging to some clans like Thiek, Zote (Hmar), Kom, Huolngo (Mizo) etc have been collected and tested at Haifa Technion, Israel. However, preliminary results of the test have shown that they are all within normal Tibeto-Burman parameters. Whatever may be the truth, there is no denying the fact that no other song has ever prompted so much research and investigation as Sikpui Hlapui.

The second interpretation seems to refer to the ancestors’ stay in Mizoram.
As we prepare for the Sikpui feast,
The Tuichang River miraculously parts,
On foot we fight our foes
Crouching, like clouds at day time
And like țau torches at night.
Seething with the intensity
of their fury, our foes bluster
Come out with your spears and shields!
We fought them all day
Till at last they succumbed
Into their watery grave.
The Tuichang River swallowed them all.
Marry the maidens,
Quench your thirst with their wine
placed on the rock.
7. The other name for Sikpui Ruoi is “Inremna Ruoi” which literally means “A feast of Peace”. In the olden days, it was considered taboo to partake in the feast with a grudge against your fellowmen. In case any person harboured a grudge or had enmity with anyone, he must first rid himself of all those ill-feelings before the Sikpui feast. Thus, the feast brought a sense of harmony among all the people and it was this harmonious relationship that made the feast so unique. All the people used to join in the Sikpui dance, men and women placed alternately, holding each other’s hands from the back, signifying their mutual acceptance and exhibited their exuberance and joy. Now in the contemporary world of discontent, we are witnessing the erosion of these long-cherished values which were held so dearly by our ancestors and one can only look back in nostalgia at what has been lost. Even in our Christmas celebration, the day that marks the birth of Jesus, the ‘Prince of peace’, we can hardly be said to be in peaceful co-existence with our fellowmen. It seems that our ancestors, with their simple and uncorrupted way of life were in many ways the true followers of the Messiah although they did not yet know Him.

In order to maintain proper decorum during the feast, a thick coir of rope (made of the vaiza plant ie., Hibiscus macrophyllus) was kept at the parade ground for tying up any over- intoxicated merry-maker who could prove a nuisance. Such drunkards were kept at bay until they came to their senses. This shows our ancestors’ remarkable sense of law and order and their insistence on proper social conduct, although we have often branded them as a band of savages who did not yet learn the virtues of civilization.

Now the question arises: When did the Sikpui Ruoi originate? There are various opinions in this regard.

1. Darthangluoi Faihriem in his book Sikpui Ruoi, suggests that Sikpui Ruoi celebration dates back to 900 A.D, after our ancestors had left Sinlung (China) and were living in the Shan state of Thailand (Siam). This conclusion stems out from his claim that there is a certain tribe in that part of the country whose general mode of life is quite in keeping with the Hmars.

2. A second opinion is that Sikpui Ruoi had its roots in the Shan state of Burma. Some of the oldest songs, particularly Hranglam (songs of heroes) songs are indicative of our ancestors’ sojourn in Shan. Butukhuonglawm (a ceremony marking the beginning of cultivation in which the whole community assist one another in seed sowing) is also believed to have started in Burma. In the Sikpui Hlapui, there is a line which mentions Durlai village. Durlai was one of the Hmar villages in Burma (L. Keivom, Hmar Hla Suina, 1980: 18). According to C.A Soppit, the Hmars left Burma between 800-1100 A.D. but G.H. Luce, a professor of Rangoon University gives 400-800 A.D as the probable date of the Hmars’ migration from Burma. In this case, Sikpui Ruoi must have probably begun to be celebrated before 1100 A.D.

This stone was used for celebration of Sikpui Festival by the Hmars and we occupied it since the 28th Feb, 1918.- Zahula Sailo


3. There is a third opinion that holds the view that Sikpui Ruoi must have been observed since the time when our ancestors had lived between Run and Trieu rivers. This is evident from H.V Vara’s collection of 47 verses of the Sikpui Hla, in which places like Buolkhuo, Run, Tieu, Sizawl, Kelchal, Hmuifang, Tlangzawl, Kawlchem and Khuothlo have been mentioned. Tlangzawl is the name of a place between Falam and Tieu and it is at a distance of 20 miles from Falam (B. Lalthangliana: 2001,p.31). From these songs, it may be probable that Sikpui Ruoi began to be celebrated after our ancestors had crossed the Tieu River and with all probability, they must have composed different Sikpui songs all along their route of migration till they reached the present state of Mizoram. This view seems to be the most agreeable and it would explain why the second interpretation of the Sikpui Hla (which has been referred to above) seems to speak mostly about the people’s experience in Mizoram. One of the Sikpui stones can still be seen at the Zote village near Champhai in Mizoram.

Conclusion: In conclusion, we may say that our ancestors used to celebrate Sikpui Ruoi with much enthusiasm and bonhomie anywhere they had lived. Till today, old Sikpui stones are to be seen  in Mizoram, Manipur and N.C. Hills. The N.C. Hills and Karbi Anglong districts of Assam have declared 5th December as a Sikpui Festival Holiday and this is a milestone in the history of the Hmars. But we must not forget the spirit with which our ancestors celebrated Sikpui Ruoi. They celebrated it with a sense of love and understanding, never forgetting the long-cherished value of ‘tlawmngaina’ which has no equivalent in any other language and can at best be explained as a noble quality of keeping the others first and the self second. Sikpui Ruoi must be celebrated in its true essence- as ‘a feast of peace’. We are indeed fortunate to have such a unique festival and it is our duty to preserve and promote it as our cultural heritage.

The writers can be contacted at the following emails laldenas@rediffmail.com & zothanikhiangte@yahoo.com

Rev. Thattinlien Risang Muol liem

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

~By Ramthienghlim Varte, VIRTHLI Columnist

Tarik Ni 16 (Tuesday) zing dar 8:15am khan Rev. Thattinlien Sungte (k89) chun a khawvel silpuon chu sie hrein rawng a i bawl pek a Lalpa kuoma alo chawl hadam tah. Ama hi kohran a chauh niloin khawthlanga in hmang mi, a thisen zungzam achang at at thei sunga HSA Shillong Jt. Hqrs., Hmar Inpui, Shillong Region a Senior Adviser nilai HNAM PASALTHA a nih. Chuong anga hnam ta ding thahnemngai mi ani leiin hnam khawm ei chan ropui hle tiin, Shillong Val-Upa, HYA le Hmar Inpui hai inrawn tlangin khawtlang inthuoidana a thini a vuiliem el lo dingin rel a ni a, chuleiin, a ruong chun zankhat nunghak-tlangval le nupui-papui in anla cheltang a nih.

A nau Delhi a um, pa ruong hnawta hung hai khawm an rengin an hung tlung hman a. Tarik Ni 17 February, 2010 (Wednesday) dar 10:30am khan vuina programe siemin Shillong Hmar thlanmuolah a sakruong buonlei chang dingin vuiliem alo ni tah.

Ama hi an sumtuol (a pieng le murna) chuh Tuolbung, Churachandpur District, Manipur ana, chutaka inthawk chun Sartuinek inpemin, a pa Chawngneithang (Chawnga) le Sartuinek Lalpa chu thisen inzawm ang ela in ngaina em em a um hlak ana; hi khuo a an um lai hi a nih Mizo Union party thlifim hrattaka a hranglai. Mizo Union boruok chun Lal thuneina suktlawma mipui rorelna kha an dit ani leiin mipui kha a khukin an khu chum chum el a, Sartuinek Lal Pu HB Sela khawm a him bik chuong naw a, Pu Chawnga chen khawma lal tienga thang ti a ring hla leiin a chunga harsatna tamtak mipuiin an siempeka, hieng hun lai a inthawk a Pathien rawngbawl nuomna lien tak neiin Rev. Thattinlien Sungte chun tu khawm tan neilo Pathien rawng ka bawl ding a nih, tiin a lungril a sukthluk a. Hieng hun lai hin missionary sinthaw dinga Pathien kona ruok chu ala hmu nawh. Kum 1953 in Sartuinek khuo a hin Pathien le in tuokna an nei a, tukhawm tan bik neilo Pathien rawngbawl chu tumin February 2, 1960 khan Bhutan a ringnaw tuhai laia rawngbawlna nei dinga kona chu a hriet ta a nih.

A nuhmei chu Pi Lalnguri Sailo, Lunglei, Mizoram tieng mi ana, hieng anga missionary lungril put mi alo ni ve a, Rev. Thattinlien chanchin alo hrieta hlak a, a ngaisang em em a, lekhathawna chanchin inhriltuoin an inhmu na hmasatak kum 1966 Silchar, Assam ana, hi taka hin Rev. M. Houghstad Minister na hnuoi Lutherian Church, EFI a ‘Tiem tlat e’ tiin kut-insuina annei nghal ta a nih. Hi kum vek March 6, 1966 hin Ngurte, Manipur a Rev. HL Sela Minister na hnuoi a Pastor Ordination pek ani bawk a. Bhutan rama missionary sinthawin pension chen a um in, kum 1995 khan Kangreng, Manipur a EAC Assembly chun pension alo pek ta a nih. Missionary sin a chu pension ah an ngai chuong naw a, a sunzawm zing tho a nih. Chu hnung hun sawtnawteah ama aiaw tu ding Kohranin missionary dang a hung sie a, chun a sunghai Shillong tieng hung siehre in ama chun a sin ala sunzawm pei a nih. Hnam pasaltha ani bakah Pathien mihrang pasaltha a nih. Ar nghal ei that chun a ai aw tu ding an hung suok kha tie, ama ang hi iengtik am ei nei nawk ta ding. A pam ngawtel.

Nau pasal-1 le Nuhmei-3 a nei a, a Upatak 1) Grace Pathien rawl, 2) Mr. Richard Sungte, 3) Ms. Pricilla Sungte le Ms. Dorcas Sungte an nih.

Hun iemani chen a inthawk taksa alo hrat tawk tanaw leiin Shillong tieng bukhuor lem kha a tul taa, kum 1993-2007 Shillong a EAC kohran indin a inthawk Pastor sinthawin a um a, a kohran bikhai chauh Pastor ni a tum nawh. Kohran dang dang hieng Mizo Presbyterian, Baptist kohran, tawng dang hmanghai lai khawm rawngbawlna a tulna tieng tieng a nei hlak.

HSA, Shillong Jt.Hqrs in nikum 2009 a Fresher’s meet hmang tum khan Lifetime Achievement Award anpek dawng dingin Motor in anhung thuoi tuma students haiin an chel bat a, a thuhril mipui laia a nei kha a nuhnungtak an tah. Chutaka students le mipui hai kuoma a thucha nuhnungtak chuh HMAR NAU HAI HI VANRAMA A TAMTAK NI TUM EI TIU ti hi a nih. Tuhin chu a taksa Lalpaa thuphmang ta, hmuding a um ta nawh. A rawngbawlna le a kuthnung hi thangthar haiin chipchier deua suithlak Pathien mi, Hnam pa ni bawk a nih. A vuiliem ni a puon inkhumtu le raltu mipui tam zie kha chu hmu seng inla nuom a um.A chanchin hre a hmun hrang hranga kohran le khawthlang hunser lo hmanghai chu damten la hung insuo tum ei tih.

A mi thienghlim hai thina chuh Lalpa ngai a chun thil ropui tak ani sia.

Mizoram Band Boomerang wins "Nokia Lords of Music Contest"

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Monday, February 21, 2011

Boomerang, a band from Aizawl emerged as winner in the ‘Nokia Lords of Music’ contest participated by eight finalists from the four north-eastern states held in the music capital of Northeast-Shillong





About Boomerang:
Boomarang is a Rock band from Aizwal, Mizoram, formed in 2005. The band started out performing covers before moving on to original material. Soon the band released a debut EP titled 'Rhythm of A Revolution'. Their song 'War' was featured on the Stupid Ditties 3 compilation. The band from Aizwal of the Great Indian Rock Fest and The Hornbill Rock Contest is one of the premier and great entertainer amongst the upcoming band of the nation. The band of four has a blend of blues and hip hop spiced up with a lot of nu-age metal leanings in their sounds which they liked to brand as ‘junk rock’. Irrespective of the genre they are in, the band is all out to entertain the rock denizenz and a give them one helluva great time. Boomarang needs no further introduction as best put by the nation’s premier rock mag. RSJ – “when the fire of boomerang has been ignited, its for all to experience and feel it”.

~The Shillong Times and Indian Bands Hub


Hmar Literature: Its Growth and Development

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By Prof.  Lal Dena, VIRTHLI Columnist


For the sake of convenience, the Hmar literature can be broadly divided into two: Oral and written literature. Oral literatures are by nature pre-Christian in origin and content. Written literatures are the product of Christianity and modern education. The first half of this paper deals with Hmar oral literatures in pre-christian era and the second half with the growth of written literature after the introduction of Christianity and modern education among the Hmars since 1910.

1. Hmar Oral Literatures: Hmars traced their earliest settlement at Sinlung in China. They are known to have descended from the Tibeto-Burman group of family. Though devoid of letters to express their feelings and impressions of life, they had a poetic bent of mind and employed verses to narrate their likes and dislikes, their joys and sorrows, their memorable adventures and experiences in course of their wanderings from China to their present habitats in different parts of North East India. These verses were treasured in the store-rooms of their memory and were orally transmitted from generation to generation. In this connection, L. Ruoivel Pangamte, in his ‘The Hmar Literature: A Critical Review’, observes thus: “The fact that the Hmars had a poetic bent of mind is clearly signified by the store-rooms of their memory. They employed verses to narrate their experiences, to express their feelings, to communicate their thoughts and to describe what they had seen and done in life. They also prayed and worshipped their god or gods in the language of poetry. It was this same language which was applied to tell what they valued and held high esteem in their social, economic, cultural and political life. As verses played the most important vehicle to convey the mind of the Hmars, it became the most important and only source from which the social, cultural, religious and economic history of the Hmars could be reconstructed.” For instance, the first known settlement of Hmars is proven by the four line narrative verse which is used to describe the manner and circumstances under which the Hmars left Sinlung. The lines go as below:
Khaw Singlungah,
Kawt Siel ang ka zawng suok a;
Mi le nel lo tama e,
Hriemmi hrai a.

Fled I out of Sinlung,
Like a mithun from his shed;
Met I innumerable people,
The children of men.

On another occasion, there is another reference to the settlement at Sinlung which the Hmars longed to call back and this is again expressed in poetic lines as follows:
Kan siengna Sinlung ram hmingthang,
Ka nu ram ngai, ka pa ram ngai;
Chawngzil ang ko kir thei chang sien,
Ka nu ram ngai, ka pa ram ngai.

Famous Sinlung, my ancestral home,
The land of my ancestors loved;
How I wish to call her back,
The land of my ancestors loved.

Poetry has been the foundation of the Hmar oral literatures. Any important happenings, epoch-making events, natural calamities like famine and war in their life were recorded with beautiful and meaningful verses which are easy to remember and easily passed down orally from generation to generation. Let us briefly refer to some popular folk songs sung at different occasions of Hmar’s life in pre-Christian era.

2:1. Sikpui Lam (Sikpui Dance): From time immemorial, the Hmars used to celebrate a festival called Sikpui Ruoi (Winter Festival). Even after their settlement at their present habitats in Manipur and Mizoram, the Hmars continued to celebrate this festival. The monumental stones used for this celebration can still be seen at some villages at Zote (in Mizoram) and Senvon (in Manipur). Let us quote the Sikpui song which is perhaps the oldest Hmar folk song:
Sikpui inthang kan ur laia,
Chang tuipui aw, senma hrili kang intang.

Kera lâwn a, ka leido aw
Sunah sum ang, zânah mei lâwn invâk e.

Ân tûr a sa, thlu a ruol aw,
In phawsiel le in râl feite zuong thaw ro.

Sûnra zûla, ka leido aw,
Ke ra lâwn a, meisûm ang lâwn invâk e

Sun ra zula, ka leido aw,
Laimi sa ang chang tuipuiin lem zova

A varuol aw la ta che,
Suonglung chunga tuizuong put kha la ta che.

While we are preparing for the Sikpui festival,
The big red sea becomes divided.
As we march forward fighting our foes.
We are being led by a cloud during day
And by a fire during night.
Our enemies, O ye folks, are thick with fury,
Come out with your shields and spears.
Fighting our foes all day, we march along
As cloud-fire goes afore.
The enemies we fight all day,
The big sea swallowed them like beasts.
Collect the quails, and fetch the water
That springs out of the rock.

This Sikpui song makes a vivid reference to some happenings on the unknown distant past which bears some similarity with the experiences of the Israelites at the time of their liberation from the Egyptian bondage under the leadership of Moses and the events that followed after they crossed the Red Sea. Many a time, this song has been quoted and sometimes misquoted to prove the so-called Jewish origin of the Kuki-Mizo. Leaving aside this hypothesis, it may be pointed out here that the Sikpui Hla touches upon a war (tribal war) in which Hmars were involved.

2:2. Hranglam Hla (Song of the Valient Feats): What the Hmars admired most in the past were successful accomplishments in tribal wars and huntings. The heads of wild animals and enemies they killed were big trophies. This Hranglam Hla contains 44 verses. Just to quote one verse:
Shan khaw thlangfa pu thling thleng e,
I do thlunglu ba ken sal;
Ka sawmfa thlaw, ka laimi tha,
Thal khatin lan ei de ning.

Ye children of Shan look loveable,
Proud are ye of the heads hanging with ropes;
But celebrate I must one season
My abundant harvest and heads of my enemies.

Other folk songs which were sung on specific important occasions are – Darlam Hla (Songs of Gong Dance), Loneina Hla (Songs of agricultural activities), Lohma Hla (Songs of Jhum-field work), Lenglai Hla (Songs of youths), Semruk Hla (A special song of youths), Sakhuo Hla (Religious songs), Hlado (Songs of victory), Inhnelna Hla (Songs of games), etc. Suffice it say that all these songs graphically depicted the different stages of life which the Hmars had passed through in their long sojourn from China to their present habitats. To quote Lalruoivel Pangamte again, “the songs tell many things with few words. The words used are simple but effective. The simile applied is also very appropriate and the reading of it instantly strikes our interest. As it is short and rhythmical, it enables one to memorize and chant with least efforts. In short, these folk songs reflect the Hmar’s attitude towards life, his aspirations, his happiness and sorrows, his religious beliefs and practices and, above all, the values that he cherished.

3. Growth of written Hmar Literature in post-Christian era: With the advent of Christianity coupled with the introduction of modern education, the Hmars also began to reduce their language to writing. The first publication in Hmar language was the Gospel according to St. John (Chanchintha Johan Bumal) and Independent Church Hymn book (Independent Hlabu) in 1921 and 1923 respectively. The next books were Buhmasa, Inchukphut Bu; Sierkawp Bu, Thuthlungthar (New Testament Bible) between 1927-1946. Hmasawnna (Hmar monthly news magazine),1941, Sikhawvar (Morning Star-news magazine) and Inchuklainun (News magazine for students) 1952.

3:1 Religion Songs (Sakhuo Hla): Even after the introduction of Christian faith among the Hmars, their inherent poetic bent of mind came to the surface again. Modern poets emerged among the Hmars after 1917 who played a remarkable role in the development of Hmar modern literature. The lead in this endeavour was taken by Thangngur who may be called the “Father of Hmar poetry”. Thangngur, in his life time, composed about 80 odd hymns of high literary quality. These hymns are a continuous source of spiritual inspirations to Hmars and other neighboring tribes. Thangngur died on 20 Dec.1943. In deep appreciation of Thangngur’s works, L.Keivom succinctly comments thus: “Thangngur never dies. He left behind an imperishable monument built not of bricks and stones but by the tip of his spiritually inspired and powerful pen. Every of his 80-odd hymns is a classic by itself.” Let us quote only some verses of his famous poems.
Thina khurpui, thina khur thim,
Hnein a tho nawk tah;
Thina leia an rienghai chun,
Hringna that par ang an lawm;
Mihrang tlanta zarin;
Hringna khawpui ram mawi an hluo tah ie

He conquered death’s deep and dark grave,
And rose again in triumph;
For the hero Saviour’s victory,
Death’s condemned miserable soul
Celebrated new life,
And gained the beautiful city of life.

Pielral nisa ka lungrilah a hung var tah.
Ka thla muongleia kal chawiin;
Ka ringumna lawmnan a hung par,
Pathununna ka tuor muolsuo zovin

Heavenly sunshine has dawned on my darkened life,
Walking now with peace in my soul;
My sorrows turn into joyfulness,
As I overcame my Father’s chastening trial.

Ka ta dinga ka hring laiin ka lawm ngai nawh,
Ka Lal Krista kona anga;
Isak maichama ka inhlan chun,
Malsawmna tuikhur lawmnan a hung luong.

Never have I been happy to live for my own,
The moment I answered Christ’s call;
And sacrificed on Isaac’s altar,
Streams of blessings and joy flowed mingled down,

L. Keivom again in his paper on ‘Pastor Thangngur. A poet with a thousand tongues’, pays his glowing tribute to Thangngur thus; “Thangngur ever lives. In death he continues to serve God through his powerful hymn as he did during his life time. His works have been translated into many languages; they transcend all geographical and communal barriers as the love of the Master he served faithfully till his death. On all important occasions -Christmas, Good Friday, congregational singing sessions, in the house of the berieved and also of celebrations- Thangngur ever presents. For he is a poet with a thousand tongues.” Other poets who also contributed to the development and enrichment of Hmar poetry are V.T. Kappu, Thangler, Lienrum, Ngama, Pautinkhup, Hrangkapchin, Hranglien, Lalneisawi, Ngulsang, Sawikhawlien, Thanher, Zosanglien, Hranglamthang, Thattinlien, Khuonga, woman poets like Runchawng, Rosiem and many others.

3:2 Patriotic Songs (Hnam Hla): With the dawn of political consciousness among the Hmars after the Second World War, some educated Hmar poets began to compose patriotic songs. Initially the Hmars identified themselves as Mizo and joined the Mizo integration movement during 1946 – 1949 for integration of Hmar inhabited areas in Tipaimukh with the proposed Mizo Hills District on the recommendation of Bardoloi Sub-Committee. The Hmars who supported this movement, joined in the composition of many patriotic songs both in Mizo and Hmar. But when the Mizo district was formed, not a single word was uttered for inclusion of Hmars. The Hmars felt betrayed and became disillusioned with the Mizo leadership in Mizoram. Since then the search for identity centered around the concept of ‘Hmarization’ and began to think only in terms of narrow Hmar community’s interests. The Hmars poets of this period could not cross the boundaries set in their hearts. T. Khuma, a noted poet, sang thus;
Sak le thlang, sim le hmar, ramtinah,
Phung le chang chi le hmang chu tam sienkhawm;
Eichh- em- A- ar HMAR hi a lo nih
Pi le pu chen khawma an lo sak sa.

In the north and the west, the south and north everywhere,
Kin and kindred, class and clan may abound;
It’s Eichh- em- A- ar HMAR and nothing else
Which even the forefathers did already sing about.

Of the many patriotic poets, mention may be made of the following persons- like T. Khuma, L. Keivom, Lalkhum, Dr. Thanglung, H.L. Sela, Rev. Hrilrokhum, etc. One of Lalkhum’s immortal verse may be quoted here.
Aw kan Hmar ram inthim tlang dum duoi,
I sunga Hmar kan leng;
I hming hung mawina dingin,
Nughak tlangval kan theitawp kan suo
I parmawi min suo rawh.

Oh, our Hmar land dark and verdant hills,
In thee, we the Hmars live,
For thy good name and glory,
We all tirelessly strive and struggle,
Reward us with the bloom.

All these poets thought mainly in terms of the protection of Hmar’s identity and even dreamt of integrating all the Hmars who scattered all over the North East India, saying:
Cachar, Haflong, Aizawl, Manipur
Inphumkhata ngirin,
Ei ram lungmawl indar hi,
Keikhawm tuma varna tha zawngin
Hmatieng ke pen ei tiu.

Cachar, Haflong, Aizawl, Manipur
Let us stand united;
Striving to seek good wisdom,
To bring together our scattered tribe ;
Onward marching we go.

3:3. Keilet Hla & Sai Hla (Romantic songs): Closely accompanying these patriotic songs and poems are the Keilet Hla and Sai Hla (Romantic songs). The difference between Keilet Hla and Sai Hla is that the former adopted the tune of religious songs and the latter had its own tune which was made in the context of Hmar’s cultural ethos and values. Most prominent composers of these romantic songs are L. Keivom, Darkamlo, Lalruotthang, Sawnglienthuom, etc. The Keilet and Sai Hlas, as usual, express the ardent, intense and burning feelings of young lovers and, as in English literature, they form the foundation of modern Hmar literature.

3:4 Prose, Essay, Short story, Novel, Drama, Grammer and Poem: Deeply influenced by English writers and poets, men of letters among the Hmars also began to write proses, essays, short stories, novels, dramas, grammer and poems on English model. S.N. Ngurte (Retired Director, Adult Education, Government of Manipur) alone wrote more than 12 novels in Hmar. L. Keivom, (Retired I.F.S) also wrote several novels, dozens of short stories and more than 100 essays. With the introduction of Hmar vernacular paper from class X to degree level, the Hmar writers also began to write dramas of high quality based on the changing values of Hmar’s society through the ages. Modern poems like those of English poems also increase by leaps and bounds.

3:5 Translated Literary Works: One important trend in the development of Hmar literature is the increase in translated works of high literary quality mainly from English or other languages into Hmar. Two Manipuri novels:- Dr. Kamal’s Madhavi and the Khamba – Thoibi’s immortal love story were translated into Hmar with the assistance from the Manipur State Kala Akedami, Imphal. The author of this paper has recently translated two Manipuri short stories, namely, Keisham Priyokumar’s- ‘Hanubi Amagi Ishei,’ and R.K. Mani’s – ‘Ajukki Singarei’ into Hmar. Likewise, some outstanding pieces of Hmar literary works or folk stories may also be translated into Manipuri and this will not only create better understanding but also bring about emotional integration among the people of the state.

Conclusion:
From what has been indicated above, it may be concluded that though the Hmars have a rich oral literatures in the form of folklores and folk songs, lyrics and chants, written literary work worth the name had only started among them by the beginning of the 20th century. For letters to represent their spoken language was introduced only by then. While Christianity and modern education had brought about remarkable changes in their life, their outlooks, visions and thinking also tend to be saturated with Christian beliefs and philosophy. What is, therefore, urgently important is that a clear distinction between literary pursuit and religious faith needs to be made. The Hmar Literature society which produces text books and also coordinates the literary activities of Hmar writers should also be made independent of Church influences. Only then, secular literature of high quality can flourish.

References:

1. Grierson, G.A, Linguistic Survy of India, Vol.III, Part 3, 1926.
2. Keivom, L., Hmar Hla Suina (History of Hmar Literary Poems). Churachandpur,1980.
3. Keivom, L., Pastor Thangngur: A Poet with a thousand tongues (Unpublished article).
4. Lalruoivel Pangamte, The Hmar Literature: A Critical Review (Unpublished article).
5. Lenruol Club, Lenruol Hlabu, Churachandpur.
6. L.Chongtho Hmar, Hmar Tobul Hlabu (Songs of Hmar Origin).
7. Liangkhaia, Mizo Chanchin (Mizo History), Aizawl, 1978.
8. Songate, Hranglien, Hmar Chanchin (Hmar History), Churachandpur, 3rd Edt.1995.
9. Vara, H.V., Hmar Hla Hlui (The Hmar Folk Songs, Lyrics, and Chants), Churachandpur, 1985.

PIELRAL THEORY: FAISA RING

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Sunday, February 20, 2011


~ Lalhmingthang Songate

Ei ram in chanchintha a dawng hma a ei pi le pu haiin tuolto sakhuo an mi lo zawm pui thu le pathien khawvel siemtu le khawvel chunga thuneitu um dinga an lo ring hlak chu ei hriet seng ring a um. Hi tuolto sakhuo inchuktirna a an beisei insangtak chu pielral ah um a, sin thaw lo a faisa ring a ni a. Hi pielral tlungna theina dinga lampui chi dang dang um hai hraw suok ngei kha an damsunga an thiltum laia ropuitak a lo ni hlak. Ei pi le pu hai huna inthawka ei lo thaw tah; kum bula ram lien tak tak vat a, fur nisa le ruo hnuoiah thangtham le invawt karah hlo thlo a kum khat fak ding zawnga lo inlap buoi rak rak hlak ei ni a. Chu lei chu ni ngei a tih faisa ring an lo thlakhla em em nasan khah. Faisa ringa khawsak theina hmun umsun chu pielral chau um dinga an ring leiin pielral ngai ngawi ngawiin an in rum vel hlak.

Ei pi le pu hai sakhuo zui hi ei bansanna hun khawm kum za a tling ta a. Chu sakhuo a ringna hai po po khawm ei zawm ta naw vawng ei ti hnung hin “Faisa ring theory’ ruok hin chu a mi la maksan tak tak naw ni sien a hawi. Ei nu le pa haiin harsa takin thei le thei lovin lekha an min chuktir senga. Lekha tiem dinga an min fui zata an tawngbau pakhat thangsa tei chuh, “Lekha I tiem pei naw chun, sin I thaw ding a nih” ti hi a nih. Lekha ei thiem a eiin chuk zo chun sinthaw lo a faisa ring ding ang deu inngaina ei nei tlat leiin ‘Faisa ring theory’ hin a mi la maksan tak tak naw ni in an lang. Hi theory ei lan thla thei tak tak nawna hi ei society thangmawbawk pakhat a nih. Ei thangmawbawk a nina san tlawm a zawng hang tarlang ei tih.

Ei hnam sunga hin lekha thiem tak tak le inchuk sang tak tak ei tam tah. State sawrkar hnuoia sinthaw khawm ei thahnem fut. Hieng sawrkar sinthaw haiin eiin chuk laia inthawka ei beisei chu sawrkar sin neia, sin tlawmte thaw a hlaw tam deu lak a ni deu vawng. Hi hih nu le pa le mi dang dang haiin ‘Faisa ring theory’ an mi lo inchuk tir nasa taluo lei a nih. Mani sinthaw le hlaw an mil am ti khawm ngaisak lo a sawrkar hlaw lak ei tum seng leiin ei sikul hai ah zirtirtu an um naw a, ei damdawiin haiah nurse le doctor an um naw a, ei SDO officeah staff reng reng hmu ding an um ngai naw a nih. Ei Hmarram ngei khawm rausan ram ang hielin a um el chu an ta hih. Tlawma office kai pei deu hai khawm darkar khat sunga an hlaw zat sut ding ni inla chuh hlaw rawn hleng an tih. Ei ram enkawltu chuh sawrkar a ni a, sawrkar mi haiin an sin an thaw tha naw tlat chun an ram enkawl chu that ngaina a um nawh ti inla inkhel bek bek naw nih. Ei Bible in ei kut sinthaw ra fa dinga a mi ti hre kur zing siin hi theory hih ei sirsan a, ei ni le ei ni eiin thiem fawm a. Thawlawmah tlawmte ei pek lem chun ei lung a awi hlie hlie a nih. Hieng ang mi haiin ‘Faisa ring theory’ an apply hi a chang phak ve naw mi tam takin eiin hnar em em a. A then tam tak lem chun awlsam deu a pawisa lam dawk tumna an hung nei a. Khel hrila pawisa lam dawk tum dam, inruka fakzawng tumna dam le tharum hmanga sawrkar pawisa khel dawk tumna hai chen dam mi tamtak lungrilah an pieng dawk tir hlak a nih.

Hi theory hin ei kohran khawm a hel bik naw ni in lang. Kohran mission a thawk tam tak khawmin an apply mek a nih. Mission hlak chuh a hausa bek bek si naw a, apply tum phet phet pawl ei um bawk leiin ‘kutdaw lungril’ a min nei tir a. Thil pawi tak a nih. Hi theory lei hi a ni dim chuh; Pastor thenkhat, thuhril ding inbuoitsaina a buoi ni lo, office kai naw changa mi rethei hai thangpui annawleh an insung tadinga sinthaw bawk lo, kawtthlera um thawveng mei mei hmu ding an um zeu zeu el ta hih.
Ieng sin khawm thaw inla, ei thaw zat le ei hlaw annawleh ei lam suok hi an mil naw chun mani sin ah lungawina tak tak a um ngai nawh. Hi hih ei Pathien thu’n a min chuktir dan khawm a ni reng a nih. Sin nasa deu a thaw pa khah a hlaw/lam suok tlawm sien khawm a lung a awi a, a thaw ra lieu lieu a fak hlak leiin. Sin thaw rak lova hlaw teu pa annawleh lamdawk pa khah a khawsak lo inhawi deu sien khawm, a thil lamdawk/ hlaw dawk khah a hlutzie a hriet naw leiin lawmna tak tak a nei ngai kher nawh. Chullein, mani sinthaw seng ringum taka thaw hih a tha in lungawina lampui a nih. ‘Faisa ring theory’ hi maksan hmak thei inla chuh ei hnam khawma Pathien malsawmna ei dawng ring a um ngei.

HIV+ woman had sex with 100 men to take revenge

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MUMBAI: A doctor treating HIV-positive patients has claimed that one of his patients has indulged in sexual relations with more than 100 partners "to take revenge" for her condition.

Dr I S Gilada, who heads an AIDS clinic at Grant Road, told TOI that a 29-year-old woman from the Western suburbs has been visiting him since the past two months.

While counselling her, the doctor learnt that she not only has multiple partners, but hunts for them with a vengeance to spread the virus she contracted through her husband.

"She was brought to us by her sister, who herself is HIV positive," said Gilada. "We found out that she had learnt of her husband's HIV-positive status in 2005, and that he had transmitted the disease to her as well. Although she divorced him, she couldn't come to terms with the fact that he had knowingly passed on the virus to her," he said.

Gilada said that during the counselling sessions, the woman, who works as a maid, claimed she has had more than 300 sexual encounters with 100 men over the past three years.

"She admitted to frequent encounters with men ranging from her employers and their relatives, to the liftman and students - all of whom have had unprotected sex with her," said Gilada.

When asked about the case, Dr S S Kudalkar, president at the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society ( MDACS), said the organization would investigate the matter.

"We will talk to the clinic and investigate the case. If it is true, then we will counsel the woman," he said. "HIV is not just a disease of the virus, it is also a disease of human behaviour. The National AIDS Control Organisation ( NACO) has mandated pre-test and post-test counselling to curb patients from forging sexual contacts with multiple partners," said Dr Kudalkar.

~TNN

Extra Marks for good behaviour in Class IX: CBSE

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Chennai: The Central Board of Secondary Education has said Class IX students can score higher marks in maths or science by showing they have a healthy attitude or adequate life skills.

In a recent circular, CBSE has asked schools to award higher grades in subjects under the scholastic category, which includes English, mathematics, science or social science, to students who get exceptionally good scores in coscholastic areas where they are tested attitude towards the teacher, discipline, or leadership qualities.

All school heads are advised to explain this promotion policy for Class IX in detail to parents, teachers and students to create awareness and avoid unnecessary inconvenience at a later stage the CBSE circular said. School heads consider this directive as a reminder to schools that have failed to take assessment in co-scholastic areas.

While considering co-scholastic areas for promotion of a student from one class to the next, CBSE has said that after converting grades into grade points, a student who scores in the highest range may be upgraded to the next higher level in two scholastic subjects, and those in the second highest range may be upgraded to the next higher grade in one scholastic subject.

For instance, a child is good at debating, which reveals leadership qualities, then scores obtained in this activity could be added to the student's English scores. ''Some schools have been following this. The CBSE directive is a call for others to keep up with these proactive schools,'' said Satish.

Senior principal of Chennai's RMK Group of Schools, C Satish said that some schools still consider only academic skills for promotion. This circular is expected to be a wake-up call for such schools to take note of the importance that the CBSE places on developing life skills, and attitudes and values of children.

~ NNE

ITBP Recruitment of SI,ASI (Staff Nurse,Lab,Pharmacist,Radiographer)

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Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) invites application for the for the recruitment of Sub-Inspector(Staff Nurse) and Assistant Sub-Inspector Pharmacist and Radiographer)134 various vacancies. 1. Sub Inspector (Staff Nurse Group ‘B’(Non Gazette): 36 vacancies Qualification: 10+2, having passed General Nursing and Mid-Wifery, registered in Nursing Councils 2. Assistant Sub Inspector (Pharmacist Group ‘C)’: 48 vacancies Qualification: Matriculation, Diploma in Pharmacy, registered as Pharmacist 3. Assistant Sub Inspector (Laboratory Technician Group ‘C’): 39 vacancies Qualification: Matriculation, Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology 4. Assistant Sub Inspector (Radio Grapher Group ‘C’): 02 vacancies Qualification: Matriculation, Diploma in Radio Diagnosis 5. Head Constable (Mid Wife Group ‘C’): 09 vacancies Qualification: Matriculation, Diploma in RaAuxiliary Midwifery course Selection procedure: The selection will be based on written test/ physical measurement/ physical efficiency test/ practical test/ interview /medical test How to apply: The interested candidates should send the application in prescribed format along with attested copies of necessary certificates, two latest passport size photos, one pasted on application form and Demand draft to the respective address, on or before, 15-03-2011 (For far flung areas 22-03-2011). Last date: 15-03-2011 (For far flung areas 22-03-2011). For more details please CLICK HERE

AIIMS MBBS Entrance Examaniation 2011-2012

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Saturday, February 19, 2011

All India Instiute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) invites applications  in the prescribed format for admission to MBBS Course commencing on 1st August, 2011. Entrance Examination will be held on 01.06.2011 (Wednesday).

Eligibility Criteria:
(i) Candidates who have passed 12th class examination under 10+2 system or an equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English securing a minimum of 60% marks (50% in case of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe candidates) aggregate in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English or whose results of Class-XI I are likely to be declared by 7th July, 2011 are eligible to apply,

(ii) The candidate should have attained the age of 17 (seventeen) years as on 31st December, 2011.

Application Fee: Rs 1000/- (Rs 800/- in case of SC/ST candidates
How To Apply:
The Prospectus-cum-Application Form can be obtained in the following manner:

• On-line Application: A candidate can submit application On-Line through Internet. Visit www.aiimsexams.org read the prospectus, Help manual, other details carefully and follow the instructions given therein. The candidate can pay the application fee through a challan form (downloaded from internet while applying on-line) in any branch of State Bank of India. Transaction Processing Fee (as applicable) will be payable by the applicant to the Bank. The Candidates are required to bring AIIMS copy of challan form at the time of Entrance Examination on 01.06.2011 along with admit card and handover the same to the Invigilator failing which they will not be allowed to enter.
• Off-line: The Prospectus-cum-Application Form can also be obtained by Speed Post/Registered Post by sending a crossed Bank Draft for Rs 1050/- For General/OBC and Rs. 850/- for SC/ST category drawn in favour of the "ACCOUNTS OFFICER (EXAMS), AIIMS - MBBS-2011". The Bank Draft should be payable at New Delhi and should be valid up to six months (upto July/August 2011). The request must reach the Assistant Controller of Examinations, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi-110 608 on or before 10.03.2011. The address at which Application Form is required should be written clearly in CAPITAL LETTERS and with PIN code. The words "REQUEST FOR APPLICATION FORM FOR MBBS ENTRANCE EXAMINATION 2011" should be written on the envelope containing request for application form, and also on fop of the request letter. AIIMS will not be responsible for delay in/non-receipt of Application Form caused by illegible or incomplete address. Prospectus can also be obtained by hand from the Reception Counter of Examination Section, AIIMS against Bank Draft for Rs. 1000/- for General/OBC and Rs 800/- for SC/ST category drawn in favour of the "ACCOUNTS OFFICER (EXAMS), AIIMS - MBBS - 2011" as specified above.

Note: Indian Postal Orders, money orders, cheques or cash will NOT be accepted for postal/counter sale.

Last Date: Application forms, complete in all respects, must reach AIIMS, New Delhi latest by 5.00 PM on 15.03.2011.

For further details CLICK HERE

Employees’ Staff Insurance Corporation(ESIC) - Paramedical Post 2011

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Employees’ Staff Insurance Corporation(ESIC) invites applications in the prescribed format for filling up of various vacancies of Para Medical Staff(like Nurse, Technician, Lab Assistant, Radiographer, Pharmacist, Operator etc) in different ESIC Hospitals at various places across in various states:

• Andhra Pradesh: 131
• Assam: 15
• Bihar: 36
• Chandigarh(UT): 05
• Gujarat: 193
• Haryana: 02
• Jharkhand: 28
• Kerala: 307
• Madhya Pradesh: 65
• Orissa: 39
• Punjab: 44
• Rajasthan: 01

How to Apply: Duly filled application in English or Hindi language, in the prescribed application format, duly supported with clean/legible attested copies of the relevant certificates and marks statements(in English or Hindi) should be sent by Registered post/Speed post on or before 31/03/2011(07/03/2011 for the candidates of far-flung areas) to the Medical Superintendent of the ESIC Hospital in different states as the addresses are given in the detailed advt.

Application Fee: Rs.125/- or Rs.75/- depending upon the pay scale of the post. SC/ST/PH/Ex Servicemen/ Women candidates are exempted from the fee.

For further details CLICK HERE

Mobile phones don't up brain cancer risk

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London: Mobile phone use doesn't seem to increase the risk of developing brain cancers by any significant amount.

Researchers from the University of Manchester used publicly available data from the UK Office of National Statistics to look at trends in the rates of newly diagnosed brain cancers in England between 1998 and 2007.

The study, published in the journal Bioelectromagnetics, reported no statistically significant change in the incidence of brain cancers in men or women during the nine-year period under observation.

Mobile phones don't up brain cancer risk

"Cell phone use in the United Kingdom and other countries has risen steeply since the early 1990s when the first digital cell phones were introduced," said lead researcher Frank de Vocht, an expert in occupational and environmental health at Manchester.

"There is an ongoing controversy about whether radio frequency exposure from cell phones increases the risk of brain cancer," according to a Manchester University statement.

"Our findings indicate that a causal link between cell phone use and cancer is unlikely because there is no evidence of any significant increase in the disease since their introduction and rapid proliferation.

~IANS

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination 2011

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will hold the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2011 on 12/06/2011 for recruitment of nearly 880 various posts of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and certain other Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ Central Services / Posts


Eligibility:


Age : Not less than 21 years and not more than 30 years as on 01/08/2011. The upper age is relaxable for SC/ST/OBC and certain other categories of candidates to the extent specified in the Notice.

Educational Qualification: Degree of a recognised university or an equivalent qualification.
Physical Standards: Candidates must be physically fit according to the Regulations given in notice.

Number of Attempts: The maximum number of attempts permissible to different categories of aspirants, who are otherwise eligible will be as follows:

• General Category : Four
• Physical Handicapped : Seven
• OBC : Seven
• SC / ST : No Limit


Offline Application Form: The candidates must apply in the Common Application Form devised by the Commission for its examinations, which can be purchased from the designated Head Post Offices/ Post offices throughout the country against cash payment of Rs. 30/- only. OR published in the Employment News.

Online Application Submission: Candidates can apply Online also at http://upsconline.nic.in/ upto 21/03/2011.

Fee: Rs.100/- through Central Recruitment Fee Stamp only. SC/ST/PH/Female candidates are exempted from payment (OBC candidates required to pay full fee) for the candidates applying offline. Those who are applying Online need to deposit Rs.50/- in any branch of SBI

How To Apply Offline : All Offline applications must reach the “Controller of Examination, Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House, Shahjahan Road, New Delhi-110069” either by hand or by Post/Speed Post or by courier on or before the 21/03/2011. [Candidates from far-flung areas can send application through post/speed post upto 28/03/2011]

Candidates can obtain details of the examination and other information on the website of the UPSC at http://upsc.gov.in/ or in the Employment News dated 19/02/2011.

For more details please CLICK HERE

VIRTHLI site Update!!!!!

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You must have been noticing that VIRTHLI site have been down for a while, well the reason being we are changing the design and added few more features and topics .
The new template has got more features than the previous one, it just took a couple of days for us to set up.

Some features that we have included in this update:
• New Comment system “Disqus’ have been installed, which allows visitors to login through their social networking account.
• Topic wise column, Editor’s Pick and Featured Slider
• Forum
• Apart from Jobs and Career related news, we have added new topics like News(Chanchin Lawrkhawm) Science& Technology, Lifestyle and Entertainment
• More features are to be added in the coming days
(Below is the sreenshoot)

We request our esteemed visitors/readers to give feedback to help us grow and improve .

Admn,VIRTHLI

HIV+ woman had sex with 100 men to take revenge

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MUMBAI: A doctor treating HIV-positive patients has claimed that one of his patients has indulged in sexual relations with more than 100 partners "to take revenge" for her condition.

Dr I S Gilada, who heads an AIDS clinic at Grant Road, told TOI that a 29-year-old woman from the Western suburbs has been visiting him since the past two months.

While counselling her, the doctor learnt that she not only has multiple partners, but hunts for them with a vengeance to spread the virus she contracted through her husband.

"She was brought to us by her sister, who herself is HIV positive," said Gilada. "We found out that she had learnt of her husband's HIV-positive status in 2005, and that he had transmitted the disease to her as well. Although she divorced him, she couldn't come to terms with the fact that he had knowingly passed on the virus to her," he said.

Gilada said that during the counselling sessions, the woman, who works as a maid, claimed she has had more than 300 sexual encounters with 100 men over the past three years.

"She admitted to frequent encounters with men ranging from her employers and their relatives, to the liftman and students - all of whom have had unprotected sex with her," said Gilada.

When asked about the case, Dr S S Kudalkar, president at the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society ( MDACS), said the organization would investigate the matter.

"We will talk to the clinic and investigate the case. If it is true, then we will counsel the woman," he said. "HIV is not just a disease of the virus, it is also a disease of human behaviour. The National AIDS Control Organisation ( NACO) has mandated pre-test and post-test counselling to curb patients from forging sexual contacts with multiple partners," said Dr Kudalkar.

~TNN

Scientists develop 'Healthy White Rice'

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London, Feb 18: Scientists have developed a new rice variety which they say tastes like white rice but has all the health benefits of the brown.

Researchers who refined the milling process to create the special rice said the new variety is good for the heart, helping keep a lid on blood pressure and protecting the arteries from narrowing.

And those who find brown rice tough and chewy will be glad to know that the taste is said to be indistinguishable from white rice, they said.

In white rice, the subaleurone layer -- the thin skin responsible the heart benefits -- is shaved off at the end of the process, when the milled grain is polished to a shine.

But it is left intact in the "healthy" white rice, which is sold under the brand Kinme Mai in Japan, the Daily Mail reported.

Satoru Eguchi, a heart expert at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, tested this layer in his lab and found that it could be good for the heart.

His study focused on a hormone called angiotensin II, which raises blood pressure by contracting the arteries. It also plays a role in hardening of the arteries by making the cells that line the inside of blood vessels grow.

Dr Eguchi's study showed that the subaleurone layer blocked angiotensin II s harmful effects in blood vessel cells in a dish.

Working out just how the subaleurone layer does this could lead to new drugs to combat high blood pressure and heart disease, the researchers said.

Dr Eguchi said: "Our research suggests that there is a potential ingredient in rice that may be a good starting point for looking into preventive medicine for cardiovascular diseases."

He now plans to do tests on animals and then people, to check whether the rice -- or a drug that contains its key chemicals in concentrated form -- can actually improve cardiac health.

In the meantime, he advised those who find brown rice too chewy to try the healthier variety.

He said: "Kinme Mai tastes the same as white rice. The company says that it smells and tastes better but, to me, it is indistinguishable from white rice.

"It is slightly more expensive but it taste better than brown rice."

The findings were published in the American Journal of Hypertension. PTI SKP KIM SKP

~PTI

Now robots chefs in Chinese restaurant

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Shanghai, Feb 18: Visitors to a fast-food restaurant in Shanghai may be pleasantly surprised when they are served food cooked by two robot chefs.



The robot chefs at the Wishdoing restaurant on Shanghai's Nanjing Road can cook delicious Chinese cuisine within three minutes. They can serve customers eight popular dishes, including "crowd-puller dishes" like Kung Pao chicken, spicy diced chicken with peanuts and Mapo Tofu, bean curd with chilli sauce.

The workers only have to press buttons on the robots to choose a dish and they will display the name of the ingredients and their quantities, the Shanghai Daily reported.

In appearance, the robots look like huge kitchen surfaces equipped with iron pots.

It only takes three minutes for a robot to clean the pot from a previous meal, stir the ingredients, finish cooking and then move the food onto a plate for serving.

Although the robots cost 200,000 yuan ($ 30,350) each, the fast food chain is planning to install them in all of its 100 outlets across the country, said an official surnamed Ma, working with the restaurant's parent company, Shanghai Qi Ding Food Development Co.

The robots were earlier displayed at the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 and attracted a lot of attention, Ma said.

"We believe the cooking robots will become a trend in the future for the fast food industry as they guarantee low-carbon emission, food safety and standard tastes that don't change from one outlet to another."

The coming of the robots has, however, raised concerns among some chefs, who are worried they could lose the jobs.

But Ma said the concern was totally unnecessary.

"The robot chefs will be one part of the restaurant, but it doesn't mean that we would abandon traditional cooking methods."


~IANS
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