Lekhabu Pahnih Thlirna (A review of two books)

[By Pu L.Keivom*]

To read without reflecting is eating without digesting.
-Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

August 2009 sung hin Watkin Roberts mission phun le a hung inthrang lien dan chanchin suina lekhabu pahnih Saptrongin a hung suok a, lawm a um em em. Pakhat chu Rev. Lalhmuoklien buotsai Gospel Through Darkness: History & Missionary work of the North East India General Mission (EECI) 1910-2004 ti, phek 310-a sa a nih. (Read review by Pu Dr. Lal Dena HERE)

Pahnina chu Jonathan Pudaite-in Master of Theology a lakna dinga a thesis ziek ‘The legacy of Watkin R. Roberts: The Pioneer Missionary who Advocated & Empowered Indigenous Christian Leader’ ti, phek 142-a sa a nih.

Sub-title dangdai
Ei lekhabu thlir dinghai hi a kawma (cover) inthokin ei bi tran ding a nih. Saptrong hre chin tu khom a lekhabu kawma hming tenau (sub-title) inziek fimkhur taka tiemtu le ngaituotu chun hi lekhabu pahnihai hi phèt khom phêt sin loa an sie nawk el a ni khoma inthiem naw ding an ni nawh. A san chu, a bu hmasaa hin History & Missionary work of the North East India General Mission ti sia kuol khum sungah NEIGM sie loa ECCI a sie tlata inthok hin ngaidan tawk nei an ta, ‘Missionary work’ a belsa khom hi a ngaina hre naw bok an ta, an hnàr kîr nghal mei a tih. ‘History of the North East India General Mission 1910-2004’ ti el sien, a fûn khawm hnè èm ém vei leh!

A pahnina sub-title hi a turü khop el. Hi taka inthoka Watkin Roberts rongbawlna kha ei bùk ding ni sien, thlarau inhmang san suok ding ni loin a ram mihai laia mi pakhat chauh (indigenous Christian leader) thruoitua indin suok dinga hung a lo ni lem tlat el! Chu ‘indigenous christian leader’ chu tu tak am ni tang a ta? ti zawna ei indon lem chun a buoithlak deuh deuh. Inchei takin zakuo var hâkin lêng inla, ei zakuo hma tieng ui êk kai si sien, chuong ang leh chun hi sub-title hi tekhi thei ning a tih. ‘A pioneer missionary who advocated empowerment of indigenous Christian leadership’ ti sien chu a hril tum dêng fu lem a tih. Fîr taka ngaituo lem chun ‘empowerment of’ bel khom hi thil trûl a ni nawh.

Sub-title indik chie lo pek hi insukhmu chi a ni naw vei leh, iemani chena inthoka kohran chanchin ziektu taphotin an hung chîng pei el hi thil dangdai tak chu a ni phot el. Kum 2001 khan Rev. Lalthankhum Sinate lekhabu buotsai, phek 500-a sa, Kohran Hring ti a suok a. A phêk hmasa tak sub-title a chun, “A complete history of the development of Mission fields in Manipur South and Northeast India since 1910-2000” tiin an ziek a. Chu lekhabu thlirna tawite ka zieka chun, a ru inlangin, “A bu sung ei hang phêt ruok chun ‘complete history’ ni ta nêkin, kohran chanchin saisa taka bong rem ruma a nuomna naa a thun khawm, a lu le mong khom hriet harsa khopa a rem pol a nih” tiin ka thluoi a. Tu chen hin ‘nâ’ an ti thu mi kuoma an hril, an mi hril sawng, ka la hriet zeuh zeuh zing. ‘Nâ’ an ti chu poi ka ti lai zingin, thudik hril chu Pathien naua inngai tu khomin ei thaw makmaw-ah ka ngai bok si, a buoithlak thei khop el. Tuta lekhabu ei thlir lai sub-title ka thluoina khom hi nâ an lo ti a ni chun anni fei phun ngeia insun bùr an nizie an hriet hmasa phot ka nuom.

Sûra favang bu thlirin
Ei lekhabu thlir dinghai kawm hmanga a khulâng khàngnaa ei hang thur suok met hin thil pahni inpersan dai nghong a nei thei a. Pakhat chu, ngaituona hmanga lekha tiem hlakhai chun a sungah ieng thu chie am a um ti hriet fie nuomin an tiem châkna sukpung a tih. Chu chu mi puitlinghai mizie a ni tlângpui. Mi dang, samphuola lekha tiem hlakhai chun, “A khulang khangna hman hieng hi a ni chun, a sung thu lem chu fak tlâka muol um naw nih” tia ngaiin an tiem naw pha thei bok. Hi hi mi tam lem ngirhmun a ni nuom hle. Chuong mihai chu mi titi an lo hriet rei ruoi besana, a lekhabu tiem si loa mani lung tluk zawng zawnga ngaidan inpawtpui rak pawl an ni nuom hle. Kum 2008-a India le USA inkara Nuclear Deal thuthlung ei ziek ding thua nasa taka pawlitisian-hai an insel laia a trong hrat hrat kha a Text tiem lo deuh vong niin an hrilh. Chuong ang bokin, 2004 laia Dan Brown ziek Da Vinci Code thua kristien khawvela soiselna khekpui nasa sahai kha a lekhabu tiem lo an ni bok. Hi thil hi eini lai chauh khom ni loin, ram hmasawn khawthlang rama khom a ni tho. Kum 1988-a Salman Rusdie lekhabu ziek ‘Satanic Verses’ an khuokhir truma Muslim turu pawl a trong hrat hrat kha a lekhabu hmel khom hmu lo, mi titina ko tlanga thrunga an chil inper lo inruipui vong an nih. An khuokhir hma khan Bangkok-ah a kawpi ka’n chawk a, tiem pei um lo deuh lekhabu a ni leiin ka tiem zo pei nawh. Muslim turu pawlin ri sukse naw hai sien chu kha lekhabu khan tiem a hlaw rak ka ring nawh. Hang ‘ban-na’ ding san awm umin ka hriet nawh. Chu char chu tu laia BJP/RSS hai rawiin an buoipui Jaswant Singh lekhabu hi a nih.

Lekha ei tiem hin a ziektu hril le inkei mat, a bebawmhai ei hriet naw chun ei inhnik tak tak thei naw bakah ei hriet fie thei naw leiin ei trangkaipui ding angin ei trangkaipui thei nawh. Chuleiin, hi lekhabu pahnia an thu chai, ei kohran chanchin khom hi inhnik taka ei tiem ding chun a chanchin tlangpui hriet hmasa phot a ngai leiin, chu chu Sura favang bu thlirin ei thlir thuok thuok ding a nih. Chun, lekhabu chai tlak le chai khop ziektuhai hi mi taima le mi naran chunga mi an nih ti hriet zing a thra bok. Ieng khom thaw loa um mei meihai thu le hla tu khomin khukpuiin an chai ngai nawh. Tu khom hin taima taka ramsuok pasalthrahai sulhnung a nih ei sui ding.

Welsh tlangval, pa dangdai le tumru tak el, a hming Watkin R. Roberts a um a. Ama chu thiemna tieng Chemist a nih. Mizorama medical mission hmasa tak tran dinga hung Dr. Peter Fraser chun ama sum sengin, a thrangpuitu dingin Watkin Roberts hi a hung thruoi a, 1908 December khan Aizawl an hung lut a. Dispensary an indin nghal a, chu chu Watkin Roberts-in a enkol a. Ama thrangpuitu dinga a ram mi an sorhai laia pakhat chu R.Dala a nih. Khaw hrang hranga inthoka damdawi pana hunghai chu Pathien thu an lo hril a, an lalhai lo tiem dingin Pathien thu inziekna thu tawi té te an inchawitir bakah Johan bu mal an thon bok a.

Dr. Fraser chun misawnari danghai la thaw ngai lo thil ropui tak a thaw a. Ama sum sêng bokin a ram mi, hmang tlak dinga a hriethai chu lekha inchuktirin, ramthim nortu dingin ‘Kraws sipai’ a’n din a. Chuonghai chu ramthim nornaa sulsutu le tirko hmasahai kha an nih. Chuong kraws sipaihai chu thruoiin kum 1910 February khan Watkin Roberts chun lal Kamkhawlun fielna donin Aizawla inthokin Senvonah a hang fe a, Chanchin Thra a hang hril a. A rongbawlna chu bawzui dingin, kraws sipai laia mi pathum Senvon-ah a tir a, 1910 May thla bulah an tlung a, sikul indinin Pathien thu an hril a. Ringtu an hung pung pei leiin 1914 khan anni optu dingin R. Dala a tir nawk a. Ama hi Zo hnathlakhai laia Mizoram puo tienga misawnari puitlinga pen suok hmasa tak a nih. An Mission hmingah Thado-Kuki Pioneer Mission (TKPM) an inbuk a. Kum 1914 December khan Presbytery hmasa tak Senvon-ah an hmang a, chu taka chun Watkin Roberts khom Calcutta inthokin a hang thrang nghe nghe a nih.

A ram mihai ngei hmanga ramthim sut an ni leiin an kaw duok duok a. Hun sawt nawte sungin Manipur puo tieng Assam (Cachar & North Cachar Hills), Tripura, Chittagong Hills Tract, Kawlram tontir Chin Hills le Sagaing Division, Homalin chenin an rongbawlna a’n dar hman a nih. Chuleiin, hming huop lien lem nei a lo ngai tah leiin TKPM chu North East India General Mission (NEIGM) tiin 1923 khan an hung thlak a. Chuong ang chun tluong tak le hrat takin kum 1928 chen khan an inthrang hlut hlut a. Watkin Roberts chun sum dawltu dingin British Council (London) a’n din a, a hnungah American Council (Philadelphia) a’n din sa nawk a, sum khom a lut thra êm êm.

Vangduoi thlak takin, an fe hrat lai takin, kum 1929 khan buoina a hung suok a. A mission phuntu le keidingtu Watkin Roberts chu American Council-a thoktua a sor H.H.Coleman-in a hung suot thlak a, buoina nasa tak a hung um a. NEIG Mission chu Coleman-in a chang a. Manipura Watkin Roberts tran pawlhai chun Independent Church, mania inenkol tiin hming thar hnuoiah kohran chu an fepui pei a. Ama zuituhai aia thawlawm khontu dingin Watkin Roberts chun Indo-Burma Pioneer Mission (IBPM) chu 1930 kum vekin a’n din a, hmunpuiah Lakhipur (Hmarkhawlien) a hmang a. Coleman thruoi NEIGM chun Lakhipur suoksanin Churachandpur (Suongpi) ah hmunpui an rem a.

Hi taka inthoka kohran histawri inphir chu kei kop tumin Watkin Roberts-in ama thlaktu dinga a ruot Rochunga Pudaite huoihotna hnuoiah 1956 khan thrang an hung lak a, Sielmatah hmunpui remin an inthrang hlut hlut a. A huop lien zawng ngaituoin Independent Church ti ringot ni hlak kha Independent Church of India (ICI) tia thlak a hung ni a. Sienkhom buoina bul pakhat, Watkin Roberts pawl indin IBPM kha ram puo tienga ICI hminga sum dawltu dingin an som pei a. Hi sum hnâr enkoltu lu nina le ICI kohrana lu tak nina cheltu Rochunga Pudaite le ICI Assembly inkarah chadan a hung um leiin, 1968 khan a koi dar nawk a. Chu taka inthok chun 1972 khan Evangelical Free Church of India (EFCI) a hung pieng a. Anni hin buoina bu IBPM kha an som pei a, a hnungah Partnership Mission Society (PMS) tiin an thlak a, sungkuo mi tlawmte taneina hnuoiah a lut tah a nih.

A tawi zawngin, Watkin Roberts mission phun le chu taka inthoka peng peihai ngirhmun chu hieng ang hi a nih: TKPM: 1912-1923; NEIGM: 1923-1985; ICI: 1930-; IBPM: 1930-1968; EFCI 1972-. Hienghai laia tu chena dam sawt tak chu Independent Church a nih. NEIGM chu kum 1984 khan America tienga inthoka chawmtu kohran Evangelical Congregational Church (ECC) hnuoiah sung lutin a um a, a kum nawk September 23-26, 1985-a Emmau khuo, Pennsylvaniaa ECC General Conference-ah kha hmaa India rama an kohran enkolhai po kha NEIGM ni ta loa Evangelical Congregational Church of India (ECCI) inti lem tah dingin thu an sukthluk a, NEIGM chu kum 62 a tling trèpin vui liemin a um tah a nih. Hienga tuoltro kohran ni ta loa ram dang mi sa phuna an hming chen an thlak tak lei hin, Rev. Lalhmuoklien lekhabu kawma thu ziek ei tar lang tah kha a hring suok a nih. Identity crisis lei a nih.

Gospel Through Darkness
Rev. Lalhmuoklien lekhabu Gospel Through Darkness hi ka tupa, ei mi thiem filor Dr. Lal Dena-in kar hmasa khan a riviu a ziek tah leiin a tlangpui chauh thuol ka tum a nih. Taima taka kum tam tak buoipui a, thu hmangruo hrang hrang khon khawma a ziek a ni leiin hi lekhabu hi a hlu a, abikin Coleman thruoi NEIGM chanchin, kohran chanchin ziektu dangin an la thur suok ngai lo iemani zat hmu ding a um a, chu chun nasa takin a lekhabu hlutna hi a sukpung a nih. Kha hmaa ka lekhabu ziek Zoram Khawvel 5 & 6 le artikul hrang hranga Coleman Factor-in ei khawvel a chokchawrawi dan ka ziekhai kha hi lekhabu ka tiem lai hin ka hriet suok a. Chu thlalak chu hi lekhabua hin chieng zuolin ei hmuh. Kohran inpumkhat thei loa hnam bil zawnga Presbytery tum tuma an hung inthre dan dam, an inkhawmpui zat deuthawa hming thleng an uor dan le a nghong suok dang danghai chanchin, a ziektuin thuthup taka a hrila inthok hin histawrian mit puthai chun fie takin Coleman Factor sinthaw dan hmu thei an tih. Lekhabu tam tak hi an ziek lang nek hmanin an ziek lang chie naw hai hi ngainuom a um lem hrim a nih.

Lekhabu ziektu hrim hrimin thil tum bik a nei hlak a. Hi lekhabu ziektu khom hin a thil tum ruongam chu a bula thu tlangbana a bung a rem dana inthokin a tlangpuiin hmu thei a nih. Tuta china Hmar trong le Saptronga ei kohran chanchin ziektuhai laia chu Rev. Lalhmuoklien lekhabu ruongam rel dan hi a la mumal deuh takin ka hriet. A buoithlakna ruok chu, tuta chena kohran chanchin ziektu ei thiempuhai hin, anni kohran le mani tranghma en rànin, an ngirhmun inphet theina dinga ngai hrim hrim chu, ieng anga thudik le poimaw khom ni sien, hril hmaih an chìng hi a nih. Chu chu natna chi khat, Saptrong chun ‘selective amnesia’ an tih. Chu laka chun hi lekhabu ziektu khom hi a fihlim vong bik nawh. Hi lei hi ni naw nim hnam changkang lemhaiin secular literature hi religious literature neka inlâi lem ding le thudik fun lem dinga an lo ngai rop hlak hi! Telefawna Dr. Lal Dena le kan inbiekin, “Eini putu naw chu a huot paw phaka kohran inlumlet dan chanchin ziek ngam an um naw khom a hoi ie!” ka ta. Ama khomin, “A ni ngei” tiin hniek phawi loin a hung amen.

Kum za kristien ei tlingna ding thla li chauh a ni tah. Chu sunga ei rongbawlna ra suok hi bawmah thun khawm inla, ei paipèr ieng angin am sip dingin ei ring a? Ringtu hmasa, a ram mihai khan dodalna tam tak karah, hlaw mumal nei lo le ke lawnga hma norin ei kawl le kieng kil le kap an rùn a, thlang tieng Chittagong Hills Tract le sak tieng Homalin chen an dai darh hman a nih. Chu chu buoinain kum 1929-a a mi hung tuom hma poa ei kal chawi dan, khawvel po po hmaa khom, suongum tak le inzaum tak chu a nih. Kha hnung khan khaw lai ramthim am sut kuoka muol ei nei a? Ei ramthim rikawt hi a taktling a vang tah khop el. Kohran chanchin suinaah a thu el ni loa a tak ngeia ei thaw leh hlen suok tah hai le ei thaw hlawk naw a ni chun, a sanhai dapa sui chik a hun tah. Hi lekhabua ramthim ei bawhai a ziek hi ei sum dawlna dinghai tiem ding chun a thra el thei; a taka ei thaw suok hmu theihai ruok chu a kawrong deuh vong a nih.
Lekhabu ziektu hin a thu lakna hnàr a tar lang rawn èm ém a, sentence tawp zat deuthawin hmu ding a um. A tiem rawn a nih ti inhmai ruol a ni nawh. Reference a pek rawn lei hin a umzie tak hre phak lo a Guide hai inpak khom a hlaw pha hle ka ring. Amiruokchu, a thu lakna hnâr tam tak hin bi chieng a dawl naw el thei. Reference pek tam hi a thrat lai zingin, a si le a tak thlier loa thaw chu a hnunga research la hung thaw dinghai lu sukhaina a ni thei. Chuong ang chu lekhabu hmu ding a tam el. Iemani kong zawnga chu ‘deceptive practice’ a ngai thei a nina lai a um bok. Chu chu miin an hung hmu suok pha leh a lekhabu hlutnain a tuor pha hlak.

Hi lekhabu hi Hmar-Saptrong le ama Grammar dan hmanga zalen taka a ziek a ni leiin chuong ang taka tiem chi chu a nih. Ngun tak le fimkhur taka editing thaw chun tiem tlak tak lekhabua siem thei a ni leiin, an sut nawk pha chu chuong ang chun a thaw tah ngei beisei inla. Chun, endnotes nekin reference po po hi footnote-in fe vong sien, tiem puma en nghal thei a ni leiin a fel lemin ka hriet. Trul rak loa mi ziek a ni ang anga a lak sawnghai hi tawi fel taka ziek thei a tam a, chuonga thaw chun a sei tawpah a chenvea mawi taka zo thei a nih. Reference poimaw zuola ngaihai chu Appendix-a sie a thra lem. Chuonga thaw chun a thu luong lai a kei buoi naw a, tiem a sukhoi bok.

The Legacy of Watkin R. Roberts
Hi lekhabu hi kum 1910-1947 sunga Watkin Roberts le a mission phun TKPM, NEIGM le IBPM rongbawlna chanchin tlangpui suina a nih. Ziektu dangin an sui ngai mang lo a hung seilien dan, abikin Pathien thu tieng le sumdawngna tienga a hung inhmang dan dam, rongbawl dinga an buotsai dan dam, nuhmei a nei dan dam le a sungkuo chanchin dam chik taka suiin a tar lang a. A tawp tieng, a thupui tak, Watkin Roberts sulhnung enton tlak le hriet zing tlaka a ngaihai chu a tar lang a. Chuonghai laia threnkhat chu: mingo misawnari opna hnuoiah ringtharhai chu up khum lo a, an thruoitu dinga a ram mihai ngei ser puitling dam; an kalchar, an nunphung inza a, an taptebula ngei Bethlehem le Kalvari inthrut a, an pil hànga ngei Chanchin Thra tu a, introtir le inthranglientir dinga hma a lak dam; a ram mihai ngei hmanga Zo hnathlakhai chengna ramthim a tawn dam; ramthim lâkna chunga inpakna le chawimawina chu mingo misawnarihai chauh inkhumtir loa a ram mihai khom an phu anga inkhumtir a nuomna dam; nuhmei ngirhmun a domsangna dam; a ram mihai kal pèn dan dungzuia Chanchin Thra kalchawi khom infetir thei dan le thaw dan thar thraa a hriethai chu huoisen taka a hmang nghal zung zung dam; a ram mihai chu lekha inchuktir a, an trong ngeia an hriet thiem thei zawng dinga ziek lekhabute sut le sem dar rongbawlnaa a kul a taia hma a lak dam; le fakzongna tienga an intodel theina ding lampui chi hrang hrang a dappui dam chu a nih.

Amiruokchu, Watkin Roberts khan thil dangdai tak tak, dan fe le hmang lai bawsiea thaw a hau a. Chu thil lei chun a ram mi ringthar tam takin sorkar khuokhirna le hremna an tuor pha bakah kohran kalchawi nasa takin a khak buoi a. A ram mihai kuta thruoitu nina le inrelbawlna sie a dit thu a hril laiin, entirnan, kohran inrelbawl dan changtlung lem le him lem ngaituoa H.K.Bawisuok rawia kum 1943-a Independent Church Constitution an duong chu a pompui nuom tlat nawh. Hi thil nghong pei chu kum 1968-a kohrana inthrena hung suok kha a nih. Chun, kohran dang laka tla tlum lo mingo thoktu ruoi a chîng a, a buoina tam tak kha chu kakhawk chu a nih. Thlaraua mit varna nei a ni si chun, ieng leia khâng khopa ama le ama inawk buoina ding thil a thaw am a na? Ieng leia Senvon a lut ni le a cham sunga rong a bawl dan ieng khom zieka a maksan naw tlat? Hieng naw khom hi a huot paw chi thil tam tak chai tham a um a, sienkhom hi lekhabu ziektu khom hin hril hmai a’n chù ve niin a’n lang. Hieng ang thu, huot paw phak khel ding tam tak chu Zoram Khawvel-6 ah ka phor lang a, sienkhom ei thiempuhai hin tiem hmai an inchu vong a ni naw khoma hril hmai an inchu deuh vong niin a’n lang. Thu herkhinga umni kham le tui hlim cheng an thlang lem vong. Kohran puitlinga ei inthranglien tum a ni chun, hieng thilhai hi sui le chai ngam a hun tah.

Hi lekhabu huop sung hi kum 37 sung chauh a ni laiin, a ziektuin chîk deuh taka a bi chu kum 20 sung, 1910-1930 chauh a nih. Hmar-Saptrong khêla ziek a ni bakah a thu lâkna hnârhai khom a hulhala thur suok el loa a laktawi a ni leiin tiem a hadam. Lak tawi a nuomna luota technical term dengkhong tak tak iemani zat a hmanghai ruok hin chu a thu luong lai a khak buoi deu a nih. Chun, Senvona Watkin Roberts hung lutna ni, a cham hun sung le chu sunga thil tlung ni awm hrilna, mi thu ziek sei tak a lak, ring tlak a ni le ni naw thu sui chieng si loa a sie mop el hin hi lekhabu takna hi nasa takin a pol da pha el thei. Thu threnkhat, tienami tieng pawl lem, a remchang dan ang peia thlak danglam thei chi hi chu historical record-ah khum sap pei naw inla nuom a um. Chuong ang thu, ‘thu laiking’ chu ei histawria hin ei mi hmasahaiin an mi lo thunpek rawn taluo leiin, phuokfawm histawri-ah a hnam pumin ei intàl buoi phà a nih.

Thu khârna
Thla li hnungah Gospel Centenary kum ei lut el ding a ni tah. Amiruokchu, ei kohran intran dan le a kalchawi dan, mingo sap, misawnari le nari lo, Pathien dottu ang hiela ei lo ngaihai le tu chen khoma mi tam takin ei la ngaihai inbakkeina leia eini rawi khawvel an chokchawrawi dan chanchin bulbal hre chieng chu mi tlawmte chauh ei ni ka ring. Uong thu loah, a sungril tak tak sîr tina inthoka kum sawmli chuong liem taa inthoka histawrian tarmit hmanga bi chiengtu chu ka tupa Dr. Lal Dena le kei hi kan ni el thei. Ei bi chieng po leh pangzat a um zuol. Ei kohran chanchin ziektu thiempu a tu khom hi, ka hmu dan chun, mani thrangna pawl ril rem zawnga research thaw le thu ziek vong an nih. An thu ziek tam tak hi seminar neiin chai inla, thu herkhing (khingphel, khingbai, pangkhing) an nizie fiena dingin zawna khirh tak tak, an hril suok ngam lo le chai ngam lo, thudik le inzom ni sihai chu indon inla, an buoi nghal ka ring.

Sienkhom, inthiem naw ringot thei khom an ni bik nawh. Mingo misawnarihai dawi sa ei fak, ei inruipui zing lei a nih. An Pathien thu mi hril chu a thra; anni kara inngei nawna chi eini lai tu a, unau inngei diel diela tla khawm dinghai mi dawi vêt a, insase le inchemhâr an mi’n thawtir ruok hi chu thangtlawmah la a, theida a, bansan a hun tah. Chu chu ei thaw theina dinga thil poimaw hmasa tak chu, mingo an ni lei ela Pathien ang thawthanga ei ngaina hi sie hmang (demystified) a, ei lungril an mi bawina (slavic mentality) laka inthoka intâl suok a ngai. Mingo misawnari an ni leia an indik nawna chen khom hum le hril mawi trêp tumna hi bawi lungril a nih. Thil tlereu taphot hi rangkachak a ni nawh uo.

Ei in sunga ei hmunhnok kolhai hi pei hawn si loin, mi hmua fai deua ei inlang theina dingin ieng zat hiel am ei zampher hnuoiah ei phit lut ta a? Ei phit lut leiin ei hmunhnok kha ei pindana inthokin bo el dingin ei ring a ni? Bo teuh naw nih. Sun le zanin a mi ur zing a nih. Chuleiin, ei buoina bul, ei hmunhnok po po hi la suok a, pei hawn a, ei inpui ei inthiel fai a hun tah. Chuonga ei thaw hma chun ei in rimsie le pengtrawngah Remna Lal hung cheng dingin beisei nawng ei tiu. Thim le varin inzawlna an nei si nawh.

Lekhabu thlirna le inzoma ei ram kohran ngirhmun tlangpui, mingohaiin an hrivoi benvon an mi kai leia a huoisuol tu chena ei la tuor thu ka tar lang hin hieng lekhabu pahnihai hlutna hi suknêp neka nasa taka a sukpung lem ka beisei. Ei natna san le bul ei hriet chieng naw chun inenkol dam a harsa hlak. Chu chu hre ding chun, Saptrong hre phot chun hieng lekhabu pahnihai hi chîk taka tiem ngei ding le a sung thuhai hi dawnkhawl dingin ka’n fui.
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[*Editor's Note: INPUI columnist Pu Keivom is a retired Indian foreign diplomat and a respected Hmar Mizo litterateur. This article was written by him on Sept 3, 2009, New Delhi.]