INPUI: Hmar News & Info

Here are some videos featuring popular Hmar singer Daisy Khobung with Duhaisam Group.

1. Val lai kham lo zuapa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Der thiam mi U

(Thlir nonna)

By Prof (Dr) Lal Dena, Manipur Unversity.

January 6, 2010-a Mizoram Presbyterian Church-in Synod Conference Centre-a Independent Church of India thruoituhai kuta Gospel meiser an inhlan thu Upa Vanlalhuma, Synod Secretary-in report a peka Watkin Roberts-in Senvon a sirna tarik a ziek kha hung tuihni met ka nuom.

Upa Vanlalhuma chun hieng hin a ziek a: “Kum 1909-ah Manipur rama Senvawn khaw lal Kamkholuna chuan Mizoramin chanchintha an dawn dan leh Kohran indin dan a lo hriat chuan mi tirin a rawn ngaihven a. Zosaphluia chu an khuaah chanchintha hril turin a ngen a. Zosaphluia chuan Mizoram pawn lam chu a ngaihsak thei loh avangin Saptlangvala chuan Johana ziak (bu) a thawn a. Kamkholuna chuan chhiar thiam an awm lo vangin a hrilhfiahtu tur a rawn ngen leh a. Saptlangvala hovin Savawma, Taisena, Luaia leh Thangburha te chu kum 1910 February ni 1-ah Zosaphluia’n tawngtaia a thlah hnuin an kal tah a. February ni 9, 1910-ah Senvawn an thleng. Senvawn lal Kamkholuna in atangin Johana 3:16 thu hmangin a sermon hmasa ber a sawi”, tiin.

‘Unau tienami hriet khom a’n ang nawh’ ti angin, Manipura theologian le secular scholar-hai lai khom Watkin Roberts-in Senvon a tlungna tarik thuah ngaidan a’n thrê hrim a. A hmasa takin Upa Vanlalhum-in hi report ziekna ding hin ieng source/document am a hmang ti ka hriet nawh. Chun lal Kamkholun-in Zosaphluia a fiel ti thu dam, Saptlangval-in Savawma, Taisena, Luaia leh Thangbur-hai hung thruoiin February 9, 1910-in Senvon a tlung ti dam le Saptlangval thuhrilna hmuna a hril khom hi ka lo sui bingnaa ka thu hriethai leh an inang naw bok.

Kum 1982 khan Jawaharlal Nehru University-a ka thesis ziek le inzomin ei rama missionary-hai sulhnung sui dingin School of Oriental Studies, London University dam, India Office Library, Blackfair Street, London dam, Baptist Missionary Archives, Gloucester Place, London dam le National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth dam India sorkar thrangpuina le Pathien zarin ka zu sir a. National Library of Wales-a chun Dr. Peter Fraser personal file-ah Saptlangval lekhathon, kuta ziek dam le khawla sut dam tam tak hmu theiin a lo la um a. Chuong document poimawhai chu iemani zat photo-copy thawin ka hung hawn nghe nghe.

Hmar Literature Society, HSA Gen. Hqs le Hmar hnam sunga Kohran po po thruoituhai uopna le huoihotnain Senvon khuo, Chanchin Thra mansapui inbangna hmun ngeiah October 5-8, 1984 khan Seminar an nei a. Chu seminar thutlukna pakhata chun Manipur simthlanga Chanchin Thra hung lut hi hun thara mi hlang kaitu laia poimaw tak a ni leiin, a tarik chie zong suok dingin an mi ruot a. Chu suibingnaa chun Rev D.Lloyd Jones le Watkin Roberts-in February 20, 1914 –a an buotsai Official Statement of the Thado-Kuki Pioneer Mission dam le oral sources hmang a ni a. Chubakah Senvon khuoa Roberts lo hmu phak hai pawlin thu ka’n don bok a, chuonghai chu hmang a ni bok.

Official Statement-ah chun hieng ang hin an ziek a: “Ni khat chu mikhuol pakhat Mizoram puo tienga inthoka hung ni awm tak hi Medical Mission-ah a hung lut a. Roberts chun an ram chanchin le thil dang dang an don vel a. Thado-Kuki a nizie le Manipur ram mi a ni thu chu a hung hriet tah a. Roberts chu mi thar a ni leiin Manipur ram chanchin hriet rak a nei naw a, anni hnam lai mission sin thaw a ni tam ti dam an don vel a. Thaw a la ni naw thu hrilin a um a. Roberts chun a khaw lalin Lusei trong a tiem thei le thei naw an don a; an khaw lal chu Rev.D.E.Jones, Aizawl, sikul naupang hlui a ni thu le Lusei trong khom a tiem thei thu a hung hriet a. Chu phing leh, Chanchin Thra Johan bumal chu a thon ve tah a nih.

“Thla iemani zat a liem a, lekhabu chu hmu a ni le ni naw iengkhom hriet zui a ni naw lai zingin, zantieng trum khat chu Mr Jones-in inkhawmah Manipura inthoka Chanchin Thra Bumal le misawnari hung tir dinga hnina a bu kawma inziek a hmu thu chu a puong a. Chu thu chun Mr. Robert lungril a tawk zok a, Mr. Jones chun ditsak takin an entir a, a kawma thu inziek chu a thla dam Mr. Roberts chun a lak a. Mr Roberts chun Manipur rama ama thon ngei kha a nih ti a hriet nghal a. An thu hung ziek khom chu a lekhabu thontu ngei chu hunga rongbawlna hung tran dinga ngenna a nih. Trongtraina le khun taka an ngaituo hnungin, ringnawtuin lungril inthuk taka a hung fielna chun a lungril a tawk em leiin, a fielna chu sukpuitling ding le Manipur ram hla taka inzin dingin thutlukna a siem a. Mr Jones chun Mr. Roberts chu a tirin fepui a lungril zeta chu hun a nei remchang thei hlol naw thu a hril a.

Kum 1910 January thla tawp trepin Mr Roberts le a thruoi Mizo Kristien mi tlawmte le mi dang threnkhathai chu Manipur panin an suok a. An suok hma Pathienni zan inkhawmah Mr Jones (Rev D.E.Jones, Zosaphluia, Aizawla Welsh missionary), chun a zinga Manipur pana an suok ding thu chu Kohran hriet dingin Biek inah a puong a, Pathien malsawmna donga tluong taka an inzin theina ding le an fena san an hlawtling theina dingin a trongtraipek bok a. An inzin suok tukin Major Cole (Kawlsap) chun leng dingin a fiel leiin, bawi chungchang hrilpui dinga fe Dr Fraser le Mr Jones hai leh an inthrung khawm laiin Major Cole kuomah Manipur ram lut phalna Political Agent kuomah thirhrui thonpek dingin a hni nghe nghe a nih.

Chun, Roberts le a pawlhai an suoka inthoka ni tlawmte hnung February 4, 1910-ah Dr Fraser-in Rev R.J Williams lekha a thon a; chutaka chun ‘Mr Roberts le Kristien sikul naupang iemani zat chu lal fielna dona Aizawla inthoka ni sawmpathum vel fe Thado khuoah an inzin thu a ripawt bok a.

“Manipur-a Roberts inzin chu kum 1910 February thla tawp tieng a hung kir nawk a. Mr Jones-in an hung kir nawk lawmna Aizawlah a siem a, chutaka chun Mr Roberts le a fepui threnkhatin tu khoma rong an la bawl ngai nawna hmunah an inzin thu chu ripawt an pek…”, tiin.

Khi a chunga lekha khi a hmaa ei hril ta ang khan National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth,-a kum 1982-a Dr. P. Fraser le Watkin Roberts personal file-a mi a nih. Hi lekha (unpublished document) hi chik taka an chanchin suibingna dinga thubul (primary source) poimaw tak a nih. Khi lekha ei tar langa khin thu poimaw inphum tam tak a um a, chuonghai chu sukchiengtu thu inhlan sawng (oral evidences) hmangin hei thai lang tum ei tih.

Pakhatna, mikhuol, Mizoram mi ni lo, mission dispensary-a va fe kha Senvon mi a nih. Khang lai hun khan Naga naw phot chu Kuki tia hriet vong ei nih. Khi a chunga ei tar lang tah ang khin Saptlangvalin mikhuol baua inthoka Senvon le Manipur simthlang ram chanchin a hriet hnung chun, Senvon lal ta ding Johan Bumal le lekha a thon tah a nih. Thla iemani zat hnungah kha lekhabu kawma khan Senvon lal chun “Pu, i lekhabu hung thon hi nang ngei hungin, a umzie mi hung hril rawh” tia ziekin Kaikhawhrang le a ruolhai, Senvon mi Aizawla puonthrui inchuk dinga fe hai kutah a thon kir nawk tah a nih.

Pahnina, Roberts le a rawihai kha ieng tik ni am Aizawl suoksanin Senvon an tlung a ti hi zawna poimaw tak chu a nih nawk a. Khi a chunga document-ah khin kum 1910 January thla ni tawp taka Roberts le Mizo Kristienhai chu Manipur pana an suok thu le an suok hma tak Pathienni zan inkhawmnaah Rev. D. E. ones-in a ttongtraipek thu a chuong a. Kum 1910 January Pathienni nuhnung tak chu ni 30 a nih. Chu umzie chu Thawtranni, January 31-in Saptlangval le a rawihai chun Aizawl suoksanin Senvon an pan a nih.

Senvon khuoa Saptlangvalhai hung tlung hun lai hre phak, pa vengva tak el H.L.Thanga (Jamader Khuma-pa) chun hieng ang hin a hril a: “Ka pa H.L.Thangneirum le Kaithang-in Senvawn khuo an tlung tawmin Pu Tlangvalhai an zu tuok a; Inrinni chawhnung nisa inher sokin Senvon khuo an hung lut a. Kawnzara Hrangthangpa Pulamte (Rev Dartinhmangpu) in an inruok a, chu taka chun an riek a. A zing Pathienni chun, Lailak zawlah Saptlangvalin thu a hril a, Johan 3:16 a tiem a, Pathien thu lo ring ta ro uo” ti’n a suktawp. An kir nawk tieng Vangai tlang kaiin Sartuinek-ah an riek. H.L.Thangneirum (Jamadar Khumapu) kha Aizawla lekha lo inchuk ve tah a nih. Thangneirum, Kaithang le Thangngur hai hi Senvona ringtu hmasa tak an ni nghe nghe. H.L.Thanga pa Thangneirum-in a hril danin lampuia Saptlangval le a rawihai riekna khuohai chu Khawrulien, Kepran, Vanbawng, Khawlien, Parvachawm an nih. Rev. R.Pakhuongte chun Saptlangval riekna khuohai chu Nausel, Kepran, Suongpuilawn, Khawlien, Parvachawm ni lem dingin a ring.

Khi a chung document dungzui chun Saptlangval le a rawihai khan Thawtranni, 31 January, 1910-in Aizawl an suoksan ngei a nih ti a chieng a. Chuong a ni chun a tarik le an riekna khuohai hei tephmeng ei tih: Thawtranni, 31 January, 1910: Aizawl-Khawruhlien/Nausel; Thawleni 1 February,1910: Khawrulien/Nausel-Kepran; Nilai 2 February, 1910: Kepran-Suongpuilawn/Vanbawng; Ningani 3 February, 1910: Suongpuilawn/Vanbawng-Khawlien; Zirtawpni 4 February, 1910: Khawlien - Parvachawm; Inrin 5 February, 1910: Parvachawm- Leisen- Senvon. Rev.Dr Lalthankhum Sinate chun Roberts hai Aizawla inthoka an suok khan Siphir, Nausel an sira, Khawruhliana, Pehlawnah, Keprana, Suongpuilawna, Vanbawng an sir a, Khawlien khuoah an kai a. Chun, Parvachawm, chun Hmunte (Senvon) an tlung a nih. Hi ni hi February 5, 1910 Inrinni a nih (Lalthankhum, 2001:56). Hi ni February 5, 1910 hi Saptlangval le a rawihaiin Senvon an lutna ni a ni ngei ti pom tlak a nina sanhai:

1. Oral sources-in (trongbaua thu inhlan sawng) khi document ei tarlang khin an sukfie lei a nih. Khi thubul (primary sources) pahnihai khi chanchin suina (historical analysis) ah chu sukchiengtu (cross evidences) an nih. Senvon upahai chun Kawnzara Saptlangval riekna in khom an hriet chieng a nih. Chubaka a chunga lekha ei tar lang khi Dr P. Fraser le Watkin Roberts personal file, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth-a inthoka lak dok a ni a, historical term-a chu ruo la thram lo thu bul, lekhabua la chuong hri lo (unpublished primary source) a nih. D. Lloyd Jones le Watkin Roberts-in “Official Statement” ti meuha uluk taka an buotsai a ni leiin pom tlak a nih. Khi document khi, sorkar thu suok “White Paper” tluka poimaw a nih.

2. Thawtran 31 January, 1910-a Aizawla inthoka an suok hin Saptlangval chun Pathienni 6 February, 1910 Senvona hmang ngei dinga inpuocha a nih ti a sukchieng bok.

3. Chanchin ziekna (historical writing)-a poimaw bek bek dang pakhat chu ‘Generalization’ a nih. Generalization chu thil tlung pakhat le thil tlung dang intringmitna hrilna a ni a, a’n nghatna bul (major source) pakhat chu ‘nachang hrietna’ (common sense) a nih. Hi ‘common sense’ hmanga hisap chun, Saptlangval le a rawihai khan Aizawla inthoka Senvon tlungna dingin ni kuo (9) lawm lawm aw loa, ni nga (5) sunga an ban hi a awm lem dai a nih. Khang lai huna khan ni thumin Aizawla inthokin Khawlien ban hlak a nih. Tlangval tha hrat lai ruok an ni leiin, Saptlangval le a rawihai khan harsa lo takin, ni nga sungin, Inrinni, 5 February, 1910-in Senvon an ban a nih ti chu nachang hrietna (common sense) hmanga sùtin a awm tak a nih.

4. Watkin Roberts-in Senvon-a a’n zinpui hai kha Lungpau le Thangkhai an nih. Watkin Roberts ngeiin December 7, 1960-a a lekhathonah hieng ang hin a lo ziek: “Our first two converts from South West Manipur were my beloved Thangkhai and Lungpau (both Vaiphei). I well remembered the place where they accepted the Lord in a house in one of the Hmar villages in Lushai Hills as we returned to Aizawl in February, 1910 after my visit to Senvon and the surrounding villages”. Lungpau hi Maite khaw mi, Thangkhai hi Bualtang khaw mi, Manipur simthlang biela cheng ve ve an nih. Senvon le Aizawl insir pawna lampui hre chiengtu an ni bok. Anni ruolcham hi Dr Fraser chawma Aizawla lekha inchuk lai zing, Roberts le um hmun khat an nih. Savawma, Taisena, Luaia leh Thangburh hai kha Roberts-in Senvona rongbawlna tran dinga a hnunga a tirhai an nih.

Watkin Roberts-in Senvon 5 February, 1910-in a tlung ti hi Hmar Biel Seminar Follow-up Partnership Mission Society office-ah Rev. Lalthankhum Sinate Chairman-na hnuoia inthrungna hmasa takah pek lut a ni a; hi ni hi lunginruol taka pom tlang a nih. Hmar Churches Leaders’ Forum (HCLF), Churachandpur khomin seminar thurel hi inza takin an pom bok.

By Pu L.Keivom*, Inpui Columnist

If we abide by the principles taught by the Bible,

our country will go on prospering.

-Daniel Webster (1782-1852)

Kum sawmli tâl top Mosien thlalera a thruoi le trening a pek hnungin Israelhai chun an tum ram Kanaan ramri an hung tlung a, Jordan vadung suo tieng an inkul khup el a. Mosie chu lut ve thei lo dinga Pathienin a ti leiin Jordan vadung kâna Kanaan ram an hluo phaa an um dan ding chu chipchier takin Israelhai kuoma chun thurosie, thaw ding le thaw lo ding, a pek a. An hmaah darthlalang pahnih a’n thrutpek a. Deuteronomy 28-a ei hmu dan chun pakhat chu thu awina ra (1-14) a ni a, a dang chu thu awi nawna ra (15-68) a nih. A hmasa hi a hlimum a; a nuhnung hi a pangzatum a nih. Hi darthlalang pahni char hi eini Manipur Simthlang Gospel Centenary hmang phak tahai hmaa khom zarin a um a. Chu taka ei hmelhmang inlang dan a thren chauh chu ei bi ding a nih.

Darthlalang-I

Hi darthlalanga hin thu awina ra, malsawmna chi tinreng ei hmu thei. Chuonghai chu a thren chauh, abikin Hmarhai buzawla thil tlunghai, ei hril ding a nih. Ei kawl le kienga ei unau hnam danghai khomin mani seng inbi chiengna darthlalanga an lo hmang pha thei chun thra hleng a tih. Ka thlirna tukvera inthoka ka hmu dan ka hung pholang ding a ni leiin, mi dang hmu dan leh a lo inang naw a ni khomin, chuong chu thil um hlak hrim a nih ti hre hmasa inla. Mitdel ruol sai hmu ang khan, ei them phak le tawk phak chin seng hi ei hril hlak hrim a nih.

Manipur sim thlang tienga inthoka gospel meiser hung lutna hmasa tak chu Senvon khuo a nih ti ei hriet seng. Kum 1910, February 5-in Watkin Roberts chun gospel meiser a hung sit lut a. Chu kum vek May 7-a inthokin tuolser tirko pathum a hung tirhai chun sikul indinin rong an bawl tran a. Ringtu an hung pung pei leiin Mission indin a hung ngai a, a hmingah Thado-Kuki Pioneer Mission a’n buk a. Hi kohran hming hi zieka hmu theia a chuongna hmasa tak chu 1911 a nih. 1914 kum bulah optu dinga Saptlangval hung tir R.Dala chun Senvon a hung tlung a, chu kum December chun Presbytery hmasa tak an nei a, Calcutta inthokin Saptlangval khom a hung thrang a. 1915-ah tirko treningna dingin Baibul sikul an tran a, a trening suokhai chu rongbawl dingin an tir suok zung zung a. 1920 khan Senvon khuoa ringot khom ringtu 500 chuong an tling hman tah a nih.

Senvona inthok chun 1911-ah Leisen le Khawpuibungah, 1912-in Sartuinekah, 1914 in Parbung, Pherzawl le khaw hrang hrangah sikul an indin sap pei a. Kum 1912-a inthokin Rangte Biel le Vaiphei Biel-a khom sikul indinin rongbawlna an tran a, 1915-a inthokin Vuite (Guite) Biel le Haukip Biel an tawn tran bok a. Kum 1929-a mission buoi a hung intran hma, kum sawmhni sung chauin Churachandpur District sunga khuo po po deuthawah ringtu an ngir hman tah bakah Tripura, Chittagong Hill Tracts le Burma tieng Chin Hills le Sagaing Division chen an lut hman a nih. Mizorama kristien ni hmasa tak Khuma Khawzawl, Kros Sipai laia kil le kap sira rongbawlna nei zau taka hril kha Zo hnathlakhai chengna biel hrang hranga Baptistu Johan anga gospel tlang lo insampui hmasatuah a thrang zat zat a nih. Hieng ang khopa tuol kut hmanga rongbawlna hlawk chanchin hi khawvela kohran chanchin zieknaah hmu ding a vâng khop el.

Chu chun ieng am ra thra a hung insuo a? Ra thra tam tak inzawt ding a um laiin, muol thum chauh hang thlûr bing ei tih:

Pakhatna, ram hnienghnar, Tuithraphai ruom po po deuthaw hi gospel semdartu Hmarhai kutah a lut. Hi hi an var le hausak leia an chang an ni dèr nawh; Pathien remruot le malsawmna a nih.

Kum 1911 Chapchar lai khan Letzakai khuo, Khawlien-Phuoibuong-Hmunlêta inthokin in 50 hung inpèmin Khawpuibungah umhmun an khuor a, 1912-ah Saptlangval rawihaiin sikul an indin nghal a. Chu kum chun Saptlangvalin kristmas hmangna dingin Rs. 40 a hung tuok a, chu chun vok an inchawk a, Tuithraphaia kristmas hmasa tak an hmang a nih. Hi trum hin Mizorama ringtu hmasa tak Khuma, June 25, 1899-a baptisma inchang le Hmarhai laia kristien hla phuoktu ropui tak Thangngur hai khom an thrang a nih.

Harsatna tam tak karah Khawpuibunga inthok hin indar zau peiin Tuithraphai ruoma hmun tam tak, Saidana inthoka Ngurte zau chen hi an kutah a hung lut el tah a nih. Chuong lai chun hieng lai ram po po hi Haokip Reserved tia hriet, Haokip lal hrang hrang delna le inlalna hnuoia um vong a nih. Chuong hmun thrahai chu Gospel thè dar manah a thè dartuhai kutah Pathienin a pêk a nih. A hnung kum 40-ah mission hmunpui Sielmat, Hmarveng le Khawmawi khuohai chen hi an hung indin tah pei a nih. A ram le a felna zong hmasatu kuomah chun thil dang khom a pek belsa dingzie Isun a lo hril hi thutak a nizie mi tin hmu theia a tak ngeia tar langna a nih.

Thil mak deuh el chuh, Lower Lamka, sorkar rikawta Bijang Loubuk tia hriet, Churachandpur khawpui bulthrut lo indintu khom hi Chin Hills-a inthoka hung Zenhang Valte, Pangjanga 1905-a pieng, Hmar Varte, Tiddim laia a um leia ‘Valte’ inti tah, ei mi suongvawr H.T.Sangliana laibungpa a nih. Varte dang, pa hmingthang, hi venga cheng pakhat chu tienami ngainuomum ‘Sudden Muanga’ hmanga Zoram khawvel rûntu Lalsangzuala a nih. A tawi zawngin zuk hril inla, Chanchin Thra rong nasa taka Hmarhaiin an lo bawl leia taksa tienga an malsawmna dong chu Tuithraphai ruom le a hausakna hi a nih. Chik lema hi chanchin hre nuomtuhai chun ka lekhabu ziek Zoram Khawvel-2 (1993) tiem dingin ka’n fui.

Tuithraphai chauh a ni le! Sumdawngna hmun thra Tuiruong dung le vai dawrna hmun hnienghnar le khàn thra Lakhipur-Hmarkhawlien khom pekin an um bok a nih. Lakhipur hi Assam ram sunga um, Excluded Areas-in a huop sa ve lo, ram dang mihai khomin khuokhirna um loa tu chen khoma an nuom hun huna an sir thei hmun a ni leiin rongbawlna hmunpuia hmang dingin Watkin Roberts le H.K.Dohnun chun var tak le hmathlir sei tak neiin an lo thlang a. Kha hmaa chìngna chang an lo hriet lo thei pakhat, Rengpui Ram (Tripura) a an ching hlak chu an hung lak lut a, hming a la nei naw leiin Dohnunin, “Rengpui rama inthoka ei lak lut a ni leiin ‘Rengthei’ ti el ei tiu” a ti a, chu chu hmingah a hung put a. Hi thei hi Hmarkhawlien le a se vela chenghai fak hmuna hnâr tak a hung ni tah a nih.

Chuong hun laia fak le dawn zongnaa hma lak dan dinga hmathlir an lo nei chu a taka nasa nawk zuola bawzui dan ngaituoin NEC thrangpuinain kum 2003 February khan Hmarkhawlien-ah L.B.Sinate hai leh Seminar kan huoihot a, chu taka chun ‘Lamthruom Poimaw’ ti thupuia hmangin keynote address ka pêk a. Hi truma kan thu chaihai hi thei tawpin L.B.Sinate rawiin an bawzui pei a, fakzongna lampui thra lem dapin damten hma an lak a, Tuithraphai ruom le hmun dang danga sapthei (passion fruit) chìng an hung insukhmu hi a ra suok laia pakhat langsar tak chu a nih. A thawtu mihriem ei ringum a, taima taka hma ei nor pei chun, malsawmna tiem seng lo luong lut dinga Pathienin a tiem sa chu ei la huot trè tak tak ding chauh a nih.

Pahnina, ‘Hmar’ ti hming, inkona hnam hming tlanglawna a hung insiem tung dan le kha hmaa ‘Khawsak Trong’ an ti, Hmar pahnam hrang hrang trong le Dulien trong inchokpola trong thar hung suok, ‘Hmar trong’ tia hriet hung ni tah pei chuh thu le hla trong le lekha tronga hmang a hung ni dan chik taka ei sui chun, hi trong hi gospel puong darna hmangruoa Pathienin a hmang lei a nih ti chieng takin a’n lang. Chuleiin, Hmar hnam le a hnathlakhai laia trong tuollenga Hmar trong indin suoktu chu gospel a nih ti naw ruol a ni nawh. Chu dinga bulsutu le thaw hlawktu tak chu Pastor Thangngur le Dr. Thanglung an nih. Kum 1956 khan ‘Hmar’ chu India Constitution-ah Scheduled Tribes laia hnam pakhata ziek lut a ni a; Hmar trong khom Manipur sorkar hnuoiah Class 12 chena MIL-a hmang phalna kum 2000 khan pek a ni a, B.A chena hmang phalna khom kum 2004-a inthokin pek a lo ni tah bok a nih. Chuonga fe peiin, Assam sorkar khomin Class 10 chena MIL-a Hmar trong hmang phalna chu kum 2005 khan, Class 12 chena hmang phalna kum 2009 khan a lo pek tah a nih.

Chun, Indopui Pahnina lai le a hnung tieng, 1980 vel bawr chena Aizawla inthoka thu le hlaa Zoram khawvel rûntu le hnam tranna lungril (Zo nationalism) Zo hnathlakhai laia tùtu ropui tak chu Rokunga a nih ti inla, ei hril suol ka ring nawh. Kum 2000 bawr tung laia Pathien hlaa Zoram khawvel rûntu langsar laia mihai khom hla phuok thiem Buonglienkung hai, Rûnremthang hai le mi dang dang le hla sak thiem Lalruotmawi le ICI Choir hai an hung ni tung pei a nih. Hi thu ziektu ngei khom hi a lekhabu ‘Zoram Khawvel’ bu hrang hrang hmanga Zo hnathlakhai insuikhawmna thu tlang insampuitu a nih. Chun, a thlawna Baibul sema khawvel huopa Zo hnathlakhai laia rongbawltu la um sun chu Bibles For the World indintu Dr. Rochunga Pudaite a nih. Tungdingna le siem tharna thupuia hmangin nu suongum Lalremsiem khomin Zoram khawvel a sawi hning mek a nih.

Pathumna, gospel a tlungna taphota a paipon amanih a hawn sa ngei ngei chu lekha/laisui a nih. Ei pi le puhai khan thu le hla an lo ser treuh tah a, chuonghai chu zieka siena ding lekha hawrop an nei naw leiin trongbauin an lo inhlan sawng pei a. Gospel a hung tlunga inthokin khawvela lekhabu huoisen tak chu ei lekhabu, ei ta, ei tiem ngei ngei ding a hung ni ta a, chu chu ei tiem ve theina dingin eini tronga inlet a hung ngai a, chu ziekna ding chun Roman hawrop ei hung hmang a, hawrop mit hmang chun hrietna ram ei hung paw ve thei tah a nih. Gospel a lutna khuo taphotah inchukna sikul a hung um a, lekha ei hung tiem ve theia inthokin ei mit le lungril a hung inhong lien pei a, hriet rawn lem nuomnaa dangcharna le phingtramna ei hung nei tran a, chu chun lekha inchuk dingin a mi mor a nih. Thuhriltuin, “Mihriem lungrilah chatuon a sie bok a” (3:11) a ti kha gospel thu hawn sa ngei ngei a ni tlat leiin Pathien thilsiem makzie le Siemtu ropuizie le hnuoi hringnun khela chatuon um dan ding dam a min ngaituotir a, ei ngaituona chun ei taptebul el kîl tah loin, kil le kapah an zin suok tran ve tah a nih.

Hrietna ram pawna ding le sorkara kamdingna ding chun lekha inchuk a ngai ti ei hung hriet vea inthokin sikul dit nachang ei hung hriet a. Chu taka bulsutu chu kohran a nih. Chu zai chu zui peiin, ei mi thiem hmasa H. Thanglora chun thil dang thlu loin kum 1951 khan Pherzawlah High School a’n din a, Manipur tlangrama high school ngir hmasa tak a nih. Hi high school-a hin a se vel ram hrang hranga inthokin Zo hnathlak hnam hrang hrang an hung fuon khawm a, hrietna le thiemna pe suoktu, thiemna sekibusuokah a hung inchang tah a nih. Hi lekha ziektu ngei khom hi Pherzawl High School suok, Manipura pieng le seilien laia Indian Foreign Service (IFS) tling hmasa tak a nih. Chu nêk daia sulsutu ropui, India rama histawri siemtu chu Jamchong Nampui a nih. Ama hi kum 1954 All India Competitive Exam-a India ram pum Scheduled Tribe laia Indian Administrative Service (IAS) tling hmasa tak, mellung inzaum phuntu, a hming rè ngai lo ding chu a nih.

Hieng ei hrilhai hi entirna dinga a poimaw zuola ka ngaihai chauh ka hung thur suok a nih. Hieng ang ngirhmuna chuong kai dinga ei hma khala hnuoi tienga inthoka mi lo domtu le lampui mi satpektu chu tu am a na? A donna chu ei hriet seng: Iengkim LALPA a nih. Chu ngei chu a nih hla phuoktuin, “Ka phu loin i mi domsang a” tia a lo khekpui chuh.

Darthlalang-II

Ringtu hmasahai chun tuoltro kut hmangin, gospel meiser sitin, ei kawl le kieng ramthim an nor a, an nor kaw duok duok a. Senvona inthokin kum sawm 15 vel sung chauin, dodalna tam tak karah sim tieng Chittagong Hill Tracts le Arakan Hills chen; thlang tieng Tripura le Cachar phaizawl le tlangram chen; sak tieng Chin Hills chen; hmar tieng Sagaing Division-a Uyu vadungin Chindwin a zuk finna bula khuo Homalin chen an tlung hman a nih. Hienga hmun hrang hranga mission dangin an paw phak lohai an lo paw theina san hi ramri bik nei loa rongbawl an ni bakah thlarau inhmang mekhai hmangaina le invoina tak tak an nei lien lei a nih ti inhmai ruol a ni nawh.

Buoinain hung nang loin, kum 1923-a thla kaw sung rongbawlna hmun thar ding survey thawa Arakan-a inthoka Naga ram chen Edwin Rowlands (Zosapthara) a’n zin truma rotna a siem ang khan bawzui thei dam chu lo ni hai sien, thlarau tieng thil bakah, Zoram khawvel khom nasa takin zauh pha ngei a tih. Amiruokchu, ‘do dan thiempa’ chun kum 1923-a inthok khan mingo misawnarihai kut hmangin a hung phìn dar tran a, kum 1929 khan a siruk lakin Americaa inthokin Coleman a hung inthok suok a, kohran thatho le hrat tak el chu pawl hniin a hung inthre tah phok a. Hi taka inthoka tu chena hi kohran, hliem tuora inrum sulhnung hi ei sui chun, pawl le pawl indona le inneksawrnain a sip a, ramthim invoina a hung bo tiel tiel a, hnam bing senga insungkhum nuomna lungril a hung lien a, bel koi khit khawm, tui pai thei lo kohranah a hung inchang tah a nih.

Kohran hi Pathien thlarau thienghlim thrang lo khoma business house anga sum le pai le mita hmu thei thila hmasawnna kong hrang hranga mi inhnar tling khopa iemani chen chu hlawtling taka khal thei a nih. Chuong ang chun ieng organisation khom hi a rurel rem fuk phot chun a langa hmu thei thilah a hlawtling thei. Mi lungphurna tieng zawng them dan thiem lem chun mak khopa mi thuhnea thruoi thei a nih. Adolf Hitler kha entirna thra tak a nih. Mi lungril dawi vêt thei khopin thu hril a thiem a, hnam vara ngai a mi German-hai chun a thruoi suol a nih ti khom ngaituo chang loin an zui dul dul a, Indopui pahnina a chok suok a, maktaduoi tamin hringna an chàn pha a, Juda mi ringot khom maktaduoi ruk lai a rawt hman a nih.

Eini khom mingo le mingo inkara inrem nawna le innghirnghona leiin gospel a hung lut phata inthokin, American Baptist Mission (ABM) misawnari William Pettigrew hekna leiin Saptlangval pawlhai chun harsatna namen lo an tuok a. Sienkhom, kohran sungah inthuruolna a um tlat leiin, dodalna a nasa po leh ramthim an lak nasa el a nih. Chu dodalna laka an zalen chauh ti chun Setanin tektik dang hmangin kohran sungah kuo a suot a, America-a inthokin 1929 khan a hung phìn dar a, Coleman Pawl le Watkin Roberts Pawl-in ei hung inthre tah phok a, a por dan chu nasa tak a nih. Chu taka inthoka voisun chen hin inthrena hripui huoisuol chu tuorin ei inrum tlok tlok a nih.

Setan tektik hmang tlangpui chu: (1) Sum hmanga inzawr le beram inrûk (2) Hnam bing hmangaina lungril tu le mani hnam trong senga Pathien inpak le chawimawi thratzie hril mawia inthuruol thei lo dinga sukthre (3) Harna le thlaraua hlimna (revival) hrim hrim thlarau suola ngaina lungril inputtir le dodal (4) Hnam bing senga intekem dinga thrahnemngaina lungril sosang inneitir (5) Mani kea ngir tum neka kutdaw lungril put a, Sap ram suma innghat zing tumna lungril inputtir tlat (6) Mingo le an thil hrim hrim a sie a thra thlier loa ngaisangna lungril inputtir le an kalchar inbiektir tlat.

Hieng tektik hin tu chen hin sunhang khat khom inthlak loin eini lai sin a la thaw zing a nih. Anni mingohai inbakkeinaah a phûr phùrin ei lo thrang a, mani pawla mi naw chu unau laihrui inzom khom ei inmalmak thrak el a nih. Hnam bing senga intekemin Presbytery hran sengin ei um hran a, mani trong senga Pathien ei biek chun lawm bik hle dingin ei hung ngai a, kohran pakhata um inti siin ei kàr a hung hla deu deu a, a mi kei khawm theitu ding hming thar ei phuok zing ut a, miin an hriet tran ding chauh leh ei thlak nawk a, sienkhom a upa tak ni ei inchu seng zing tho. Ei diksawnari-ah inzakna le hmai trimna a um ta nawh. A tawpah ei pawl bul tak khom hre ta lo mi ei kat nuk el tah. A tu pawl le hnam khomin ei biek tak chu Pathien ni loin sum le pai a nih. Chu chu nei thei ding chun ieng suol khom thaw ei inhuom a, tu kuoma khom ei inzor nuom vong a nih. Ei Pathien chu ei phing a nih.

Churachandpur Biel hi Zo hnathlak hrang hranghai chengna, Senvona inthoka gospel meiser la vong, trong khom inhre paw vong, kristien inti vong, Krista inlalna hmun ruok chu hmu ding vâng ém èm, hnam le chibing indaidanna banga inhuon sip, hnam tinin hnam sipai chawm seng lo, invot anga dawktu an nei sengna, indikna neka hlemhletnain ro a relna, inthlang huna mithi po po an hung tho nawkna, vote thlak si loa vote a kima a tlak theina, schoolless teachers an invak nuoi nuoina, mani sinthawna hmuna um sorkar thoktuhaiin invet biling ni an hlawna, electricity an inruk tum seng leia kum tluon deuthawa an inruk thimna, berampuhaiin an beramhai chawm loa an beramhaiin an chawm lem an beiseina le chu dinga hmeithaihai le rethei mongtolhai chen khom hla loa an sum nei sun Pathien hminga an rokpekna, Gospel Centenary khom a ni taka hmang tlang thei loa suolin a daidarna ram a nih.

Churachandpur khawpui le a se vel hang fang la, bilding ropui deuh hlek i hmuhai kha indon la, abikin Hmar tamna veng a ni chun kohran bilding, fawren sum hmanga bawl a ni deuh tei. Sikul thraa ngai tam tak chu fawren suma chawm naupang an tamna sikul a ni nuom bok. Chuong ang sikul nei thei kohran chun insuongna takin ei hmang khom a hoi. Ei hang bi chieng ruok chun, chuong ang thilhai chu kutdaw ei hrat lei le mi hlem ei thiem leia ei hlaw suok dam a ni nuom chawk. Chuleiin, kei ka nih inti, kohrana sinthaw taphot chun fawren fe dan ding ei khel ngat ngat a, ei tum tak ruok chu kutdawna ding sum hnar zong a ni nuom khop el. Fawrena lekha inchuk dinga fe ei tam ta a, sor huoi huoi tlak thiemna an hung hawn thu nekin sum hnar dap fu pawlin pawl thar an indin thu ei hriet rawn lem khom a hoi. Sum hnar ei hmu ei tihai khom hi mani inhai bukna ding le beram inruknain ei hmang tlanglawn tak khom a hoi bok. Kutdaw le beram inruka Pathien chawimawi le suklawm tum chu thil dangdai tak a nih.

Ei ngirhmun ei bi chieng chun, kum 1929-a Coleman-in Watkin Roberts a hung suot thlak laia a tektik hmang kha tu chen hin thrahnemngai tak le tha tho takin ei la hmang ngar ngar a, chu chu a ruola Centenary ei hmang thei nawna san tak khom niin a’n lang. Chuleiin, ei chunga Pathien a lawmna san ding a vâng khop el. Ieng leia Arthatzawl pawlitiks le Coleman Factor-in ringtu inti sihai nunah hmun a la khuor nghet tlat am a na? Ieng leia banga kut ziek tiem thei lo dinga thlaraua mitvarna neia inngai sihai mit hi sukdela a la um zing am ning a ta? Ieng leia Pathien neka pawl ei biek lem am a na? Faraw lungril angin ei lungril sukngarin a um ve tam a ni?

Kum 2007 le 2008 khan a zawnin October-ah Senvon khuo, airuo ching lai ve ve ka sir a. Hi khuo, gospel meiser lutna, lungdum taka ‘Chanchin Thra mansapui inbangna’ tia ei ko hi Coleman Factor-in a op khum tlat a nizie mit ngeia ei hang hmu chuh, lung a dong rong rong el a nih. Chu lai thu chu Senvon Diary-5 (Nov 17,2007) ah hieng ang hin ka ziek a:

“Thil pangzatum deu el chu, an kotkhar lu chunga hming an tarah kohran pawl EAC, EFCI, ICI, RPC, UPC le a dang dang an ziek sa kher chu a nih. Veng tina in tin deuthaw chu kohran pawl indaidanna banga inhuon hran seng a nih. Hieng thil hi Delhi tlanga inthoka hung haiin kan hmu voi khatna a ni leiin mak kan ti tawp thei nawh. Hieng ang lawm lawma nasa hin kohran pawla indaidanna bangin ei mi le sahai hi a lo daidang tah ti khom kan hisap phak bok nawh. Mit ngeia kan hang hmu chie chun malsawmna dong tlak ei lo ni nawzie kan hriet chieng zuolin kan ngai a, poi kan ti bek bek a, lung a dong rong rong el a nih. Hieng lawm hin pawl le ei hotuhai hmangruoa hmangin Setanin a mi lo dawi vet tawl a ni maw? A va hang tlawm thlak de aw!

“Tirko Paulan ‘Krista chu threin a um am a ni?’ (1 Kor 1:13) ti zawna a’n don kha ei khawtlanga hai hin threin a lo um takzet a nih. Pawl indaidanna bangin ei khawtlang a sip a, ei sumphukhai hi Krista hang chuong lut ngamna ding a tlawm êm êm. Mita ei hmu zing ei unauhai hman inrempui si loin iengtin am Remna Lal Krista leh inrem tang ei ta? Eini lai Krista cheng dinga ei beisei chun pawl indaidanna bang po po thriek ei tiu. Kotkhar chunga ei hming hnuoia ei ziek khom ‘Remna Lal naupa’ ti ni seng raw se. Chu chu ei lungril phekah mi po po tiem thei dingin inziek bok raw se. Chu chu thaw nuom si loa ‘kristien’ ei inti hi mani le mani inhlêm chauh ei nih” tiin.

Hieng hi hmun tina ei ngirhmun a ni tak leiin thu awi nawna ra ei sik tung mek a. In tieng le ram tieng trongsie phurin ei um a; ei ram a trawl deu deu a, kum tin hi mautam kumah an inchang a; natna chi hrang hrang, ei la hriet ngai lohaiin an mi tlakbuok a; ei kawl le kienga mihai an insang tuol tuol a, eini ei tla hnuoi tiel tiel; inpuktirtu ni loin puktuah, a lu ni loin a meiah, hnetu ni loin mi hnot zamah, intlungtirtu ni loin a tlansie rifiuzi-ah, hnot zamtu ni loin mi hnot lengah ei thrang lem. Hnam sipai ei hau deu deu a, ei him naw deu deu a, ei chung a rik deu deu bok. Thliin hnatrawng a fen ri khom hmelma ke pen ri sawnin ei inthin hawp a, ei mit a âr-intra a, tlansietna lampui ei mel. Sam 23 ui tol inletin ei inlet a, ei chang thlang zing zut a, sienkhom Pathien nekin sipai ei ring a, ei inhnempui lem. Sikul le zirtirtu ei hau deu deu a, naupang chawmna sum ei lak lut tam deu deu a, lekha thiem ei tlawm tiel tiel a, competitive exam-ah ruol ei ban naw deu deu bok. Kohran pawl le piengthar inti ei pung deu deu a, kristien ei tlawm deu deu a, mi depde ei pung deu deu a, kut ei dawn rawn deu deu. Inremna thu ei hril rawn deu deu a, innghirnghona a pung deu deu. A ruola Gospel Centenary hmang poimawzie ei hril rawn po leh a hranga hmang tumtu pawl ei tam deu deu. Sermon ei thiem deu deu a, Pathien thutak hril ei tlawm tiel tiel. Chanchin Thra zara ei dong le nei, ei ram delin pung nekin a ni têlin kiem tieng a pan. Hieng anga a kiem pei chun kum za nawk hnunga chu changa muol nei tah kher nawng ei tih.

Pastor Thangngurin, “Tuta kum za hnung tieng khaw lam um i ta?” tia hla phuok hiela zawna a lo indon khah, thlarau thila ringot ni loin, taksa khawsakna thila khom zawna poimaw, ei don ngei dinga ei hmaa ngir chu a nih. Pathienin nasa taka mal a sawm hlak hnamhai khomin a dit naw zawng an thaw pha chun a luok suok el a nih. Pathien luok suok mi amanih hnam ni hi khawvela thil trium tawp a nih. Kohran chanchin ei sui chun, sukdartu dinga Setanin hmangruoa a hmanghai thilthaw chu hlawtling hlea a’n lang hun um sien khom a mazu mei tiel tiel a, Davidan (Sam 37:35-36),

Mi suol tawrot ka hmu a,

Tuoltro thing ang a’n buk hlup.

A ram vak, a um ta nawh,

Ka zong nawk, ka hmu ta nawh

a lo ti kha a pèl thei naw ni takin a’n lang. Chu chu mi mal, khawtlang, kohran le hnam chunga khom inkhêl loa thil tlung hlak le tlung zing a nih. Khang ang lawma an lo inchu buoi NEIGM kha khaw lai am a um ta a? A hmunpui khom kha siksikrieu inhramna hmun a’n chang tah a ni naw am a ni? IBPM khom kha khaw lai am a um ta a? Sungkuo ripah khumin a um tah a ni naw am a ni? Pathien thu zawma a umna muol poah malsawmna tlung a ta, zawm loa a umna muol po chu trongsiein a zui pei ding a nih. Chu chu Pathien thu, Mosie hmanga a lo hril, Leveticus 26:3-13 le Deuteronomy 7:12-20 & 28:1-68 a inziek a nih.

Hi darthlalang pahnih ei hung tar langa inthok hin ei ngirhmun seng sui non ei tiu. Centenary ei tlung hi lawm a um hle lai zingin, ei nina le ngirhmun enin Pathien lawm zawng dingin ei khawsa si naw chun, a ieng tak am a na Centenary-a ei lawm ding ti hi bawk dom meua ngaituo tham a tling. Gospel ei trangkaipui thu zer far rak khopin ei hril a, eini hi teh Gospel-in a mi trangkaipui ve am? Gospel sukmawitu am ei nih sukhmingsetu lem? Kum 100 tling hiel tah sia kut ei la daw zing hin Pathien chawimawi a tim? Chuonghai le thil dang dang chu hun remchangah ei la hung thlir zui pei ding a nih.

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[*Editor's Note: INPUI columnist Pu Keivom is a retired Indian Foreign Service officer, respected Hmar Mizo litterateur and author of 'Zoram Khawvel' series. This article is dated January 29, 2010, New Delhi].

"Don't chase success, chase dreams and excellence. Success will follow "- Quote from ‘3 Idiots’

By Lalmalsawm Sungte

The Aamir Khan-starred ‘3 Idiots’ is making waves across the country and getting accolades from critics and audience alike. The 2009-superhit Bollywood film talks of the need to pursue one’s dream even if your dad and mummy want you to become an engineer or a doctor.

The topic of this film is as old as one can remember even in the Hmar society. In the pre-Christian era if a boy is born, he was to become the ‘sa kap thiem ding’ (best hunter); and, if a girl was born her role was defined as ‘puon khawng thiem ding’ (expert weaver) or ‘se man ding’ (to be worth the price of a bison). 

Then comes the IAS-craze era when every Hmar child, boy or girl, was expected to become an IAS officer, regardless of his or her personal interest. Even when a girl was not educated she must find a way to capture the heart of an IAS officer or government babu.

It was not only the parents who encouraged the child to be an IAS babu or government servant. The Hmar community as a whole wanted the child to fulfill its dream, little caring for the tender child’s own aspirations.

The IAS mentality lingers on even to this day and this attitude of parents instead of being beneficial for the young mind has done more harm to the child and in turn to our society. The by-product is such that we have churned out many drop-outs, who otherwise, had they pursued their own dreams, could have made a decent living in their area of expertise.

If a straight question is put  forth to a straight thinking man or woman as to whether Hmars need more ‘idiots’ who can defy their parents and the society with regard to their choice of career, the answer will be a definite ‘Yes!’ 

To remove the social evils and dark veil of hypocrisy in our society, we need; if not one, but hundreds of ‘idiots’. These ‘idiots’ with their exemplary courage and guts will bring overall social harmony and happiness. 

It is a sad fact that many people are seating in chairs they never really loved. These people lacked the passion to change things and do things out of the box. The end product and their actions are, therefore, sub-standard after all; their career is ‘just another job’ for them.

However, it is also important to note that one should not debunk all those Hmars in the IAS or holding government jobs. There are few people who have changed the lives of many with their work. What is more important is to finally accept the correct definition of ‘officers’ as anybody who work in an office setup. Public figures while speaking during HSA functions must now remember that there are also ‘Finance Officers’, Account Officers, in ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Infosys, and even in our very own NEREFS Bank.

Now, let’s see if we have an answer to these questions: 

1. As parents, are you ready set your child free from the clutches of your own aspirations? 

2. As a student, do you have the courage to follow your own dream?

If your answers are ‘YES’, it will be only a matter of few years when there will be first class Hmar writers, comedians, entertainers, engineers, scientists, artists, models, beauticians, designers, web developers and so forth.

Set Hmar children free!

[Inpui Feature]

Awarded DHWA’s ‘Men of the Century’ posthumously for his path-breaking achievement in being the first Indian Administrative Service officer from the Scheduled Tribes in all India competitive exams and for his visionary role in the recognition and settlement of his people in the north-east States of India.

Pu Jamchong Nampui (NA-1989)

Kum 1954 IAS etc exam-a tling, India rama Scheduled Tribe laia IAS tling hmasa tak, tlangmihai thaw thei ruol loa ngai hlak suthongtu, sulsutu ropui tak a nih. Assam cadre a hmu leiin hmun hrang hrangah sin poimaw chelin a um a. Kum 1960-63 a Silchara borsapa a ni laiin tlangmihaiin zalen taka khuo sata an hluo theina dinga jhumland permission ngaituopektu a nih.

Mizo District-a Zo hnathlak borsap ni hmasa tak a ni bok. May 13, 1980-August 26, 1983 le July 1, 1985- February 13, 1986 sung Meghalaya State-ah Chief Secretary a nih. A penson hnung sawtnawteah 1989 khan muol a lo liem tah a nih.

 

Hypocrisy is the most difficult and nerve-racking vice

that any man can pursue; it needs an unceasing vigilance

and a rare detachment of spirit. It cannot, like adultery

and gluttony, be practised at spare moments:

it is a whole time job.

-W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)

By Pu L. Keivom*, Inpui columnist

Lengmaser chen khom sawmapakhat pe hlak Farisaihai kha an felin ngaisang an um vei leh, Isu mita chu tirdak an va hang um de aw! Matthai 23:13-36 a lem khan chu a ràwn intàm tawl kher el. Mi lemder ruol, van rama mihai lut ding dangtu, hmeithaihai fa tlarantu, thruoitu mitdel le invet, zawlneihai thattu, rûl thlahai tia a ko tawl bakah, “Nangni Dan hretuhai le Farisai lemderhai, in chung a rik ie! Pudina dam, lengmaser dam le pardi dam chenin sawma pakhat in pek hlak a; Dan thu poimaw lem indikna dam, zangaina dam, ringumna dam hi in ngaitha bok si a; nisienlakhom a nuhnung lem hi annawm in thaw ding chu, a danghai khom ngaitha chuong loin. Thruoitu mitdelhai, thohmite dawn sa inlauin in thlit fai a, sanghawngsei in dol lem si hlak! Nangni Dan hretuhai le Farisai lemderhai, in chung a rik ie! No le thleng puo tieng in sawp fai hlak a, a sung tieng ruok chu duâmna le insûmnawnain a sip si a. Nang Farisai mitdel, no le thleng sung tieng chu sawp fai hmasa rawh, a puo tieng khom hung fai el a tih. Nangni Dan hretuhai le Farisai lemderhai, in chung a rik ie! Thlân nâl vâr, a puo tienga mawi taka inlang, a sung ruok chu mithi ru le porche tinrenga sip ang chu in nih” a ti top a ni kha.

Hieng ang khopa sartifiket thra naw hi ieng leia Isun a pek tawl el am a na? Hmaithinghawng an inbel lei a nih. Kong danga hril chun, an lemder lei a nih. Lemderna (hypocrisy) chu mani nina hmel tak suklang ngam loa, mi hlemna dinga mani nina tak thup a, a puoa mawi taka inlang theina dinga lem inchang tina a nih. Sakhaw mi ni awm taka um a, a langa ser le sang zawm a, iengkimah sawmapakhat pe a, sienkhom lungril ruok chu suol bu khuornaa an hmang si lei a nih. Chu nun chu Isu theida zawng tak a ni leiin, anni rawi kawkna dingin trong hoihawm a hmang naw a, a ru inlangin a kawk hrep tawl a nih. Sienkhom, hmangaitu rawl a nih ti hriet nekin an theida èm ém a, a tawpah kros-ah an hemde a ni kha.

Eini khom ei chuong liem bik nawh ti hi ei hriet tlat nuom a um. Kum sawmli hiel liem tah khan thu le hla tienga ei mi suongtawlol J. Malsawma chun thusep tawite, sienkhom rangkachak hlir anga khìn, KAN MIZIA ti a ziek a. Hi thusep hi thumal 495 chaua sei ni sienkhom a tluka hril hlaw hi Zoram khawvelah thusep dang a um ka ring nawh. Chutaka chun ei sakhaw mi ni dan hieng ang hin a lepse a: Kristian inti si, Krista mizia rêng rêng zir duh lo mi. Pathian thu hriltu inti si a, sual lawm mi, rilru taka sakhaw hmang lo va, vantlang ngaiha mawi tur chauhva sakhaw ngaihsak mi, a tawi zawngin, rilru fai si lova puan chang tivar te kan ni….Taksa, rilru leh thlarauva hausa inti hle si a, a eng kima pachhe ngawih ngawih zawk kan ni. Tichuan, a suak vek kan ni a, hmaithinghawng kan vuah theuh a ni” tiin (ZO NUN, 1971 p.133-134).

Hmaithinghawng inbel ei ching hle el hi a san ding awm voi tam tak ka ngaituo ta hlak a. Hi hi Kristien ei ni hnung, abikin sungrilah thar si loa puo tienga piengthar ei hung uor hnunga ei tran ni loin, ei khawtlang nunin a phur suok ve hrim laia pakhat, piengthar tehlem ei hung chîng hnunga ei hung uor zuol ta lem chauh niin an lang.

Ei sawsaiti hi tu chen khom hin sungkuo tlawmte um khawm le insir paw zing zing, a thlum a al faa dawn tlang ei la ni a, a chin a lien, pasie hausa ei inpolsop vong a, ei inleng tuo a, mani sungkuo chaua umna hun khom ei nei tlawm khop el. Ei inah mi an hung lêng charin, ei inlenghai hmua mawia khawsak ei tum leiin lem ei inchang tran nghal a. Mi inah ei va leng khomin, ei thaw dan ang charin, ei mitmei vengin, ei hmua mawi dingin lem an inchang ve nghal hlak a nih. Chuong ang chun mi hmu hoiah um ei tum seng leiin, khawtlangin nun dan mawi le dituma a ngai angin khawsak ei tum tlat hlak a nih.

Hi hin thil thra tak a hring suok thei a, hmang thiem chun hnam zie mawi tak le nghet tak a siem thei. Khawthlang mi, kristien ram, hnam changkang ei tihai hi entirna thra tak an nih. Kristien sakhuo inzirtirna le chu sakhuoin a hlut thilhai anga khawsa dinga inzirtirna chu an nunah tunghetin a um a, indikna, ringumna, tlawmngaina le nungchang mawi hrim hrim chu an nunah an lak lut a, ni tin khawsakah a takin an hung par suok a, an kalchar a hung ni tah a nih. Eini sawsaitia ngei khom tlawmngaina nunin inthuk taka zung a kei nghetna taphot chu nasa taka an inzirtirna khawtlang a ni zat zat a nih. Tlawmngaina hi ei piengpui hrim ni loin ei nuna a tua ei intu a ni lem. Zo hnathlakhai lai seng seng khom, tlawmngaina an intu nawna hmuna chun tlawmngai umzie an hriet nawh.

Ei pi le pu hai hun laia khawtlang ngaisang mi le chawimawina tonlairang an intontirhai chu mi huoisen, mi taima le mi tlawmngai thei hai an nih. Mi dawikawlok, mi thabo le tlawmngaina nei nawhai chu mi endong an ni leiin nuhmei pasal ding takngiel khom an invai pha hiel hlak a nih. Chun, pielrala faisa ringa khawsa thei dinga an pass mark lem chu an sang em em a, in le ram tienga thangsuohai chauh an nih. In tienga thangsuohai chu bu le bal thlo suok rawn a, chu chu in-ei a, khawtlang hraia inchong thei hai chu an nih. Ram tienga thangsuohai chu sa lu kip that a, in-eia inchong theihai an nih. Chu chu thil hautak a ni leiin khaw khatah a thaw thei mi tlawmte chauh an ni hlak. Chuong mihai chun tlang inza an phur a, an thu khom miin an ngai.

Kristien ei hung ni hnungin, a bingbiletin ei khawvel a hung inthlak a. Pielral kai theina chu mi tin ta dingin a hung inhong a, a kualifikeson chu mi tinin ei thaw thei Isu Krista RING a nih. Chuong ang ringna nei hai chu thangsuo ti loin ‘PIENGTHAR’ ei hung ti ta thung a. Nuhmei pasal ei inzong khomin kualifikeson laia ei dit tak chu ‘mi piengthar’ a hung ni ve ta thung a nih. Chuleiin, a ram le a felna zong hmasa zet a, piengthar a, thil dang chu buoipui chau dingin ei inzirtir hlak a nih. Chuong chu a ni leiin, khawtlanga tla tlum ding le hmai man ding chun bawka sa that rawn sartifiket bel nekin piengtharna kros bel chu thaw makmaw a hung ngai tah a nih. Hi kotsuo hi ei tlung charin hmaithinghawng hi a hung inlàr zuol tah em em niin an lang.

A san iem ning a ta? Ei hlutsak tak piengtharna chu nu sula luta pieng non nawkna ni loin, Isu Krista ei ringna leia ei mihriem hlui thlak a, mihriem thara inthuomna a nih. Bawsietna leia suolin ei thlarau a sukhlum tahnung chu Isu Krista mi’n tlanna ei ring le pomna leia ei thlarau thi tah chu chatuona dinga sukhringa a umna chu a nih. Chu chu a hrieta hriet khela a ringa ringna le a thawa thaawna ram a nih. Isun rong a bawl lai khan, a zirtirhai chen khom khan Isu kha Krista (Messia) a nizie an hriet intak khop el. Ramhuoihai khan an hriet lem dai a, rala inthok khomin a nina takin an ko chat chat a, an inthin hawp el a nih. Amiruokchu, an hrietna chun a sandam tawl nawh, an hrietna leiin an ramhuoi nina khom a bo chuong nawh. A sandamna ringtuhai chauh a nih a sandam hlak.

Eini rawi khom hi Isu Krista hretu vong ei nih. A ringtu nia insâl, piengthar inti khom ei tam. Beiruol ei nei zata piengtharhai hi bel khawm inla, ei population nek hmanin ei tam ta lem hiel ring a um. Manipura hnam threnkhatin a mihriem tak um zat neka voter an hau lem ang hi ni thei ei tih. Sienkhom, mi tam tak hi sungrila siemtharna chang si loa piengthara insal, piengtharna hmai kawr, hmaithinghawng inbel ei tam niin a’n lang. Pu Malsawma hril dana “a suak vek kan ni a, hmaithinghawng kan vuah theuh a ni” a ti hi a’n dik lem chun pangzatum deu ei nih.

December 12, 2003 khan Muolvaiphei Diamond Jubilee ropui takin kan lawm a. Lungphun lien le mawi tak taka ziek, mi lienhai inhongtir ding pathum kan siem a. Pakhat chu Pu Phungzathang, Power Minister hong ding a na, a hming khom ker sain a um a. Trulna leia Delhi tieng an zin thut leiin a hung thei naw a, a aia hong dingin Minister dang kan ruot a, Pu Phungzathang hming chunga chun lekha khonga mawi taka ziekin kan bel khum a. Chu Minister khom chu a hong hunah a hung tlung naw leiin, Minister of State pakhat hming kan bel thuo nawk a, ama chun a hong ta lem a. Chu thil chun, tuta ka thu ziek hi nasa takin a mi’n ngaituotir a. Piengtharna hmaithinghawng thuo tam ei inbel tahai hi hawk dingin Assembly nei inla, ahmatiemin hawkpek ta pei inla, ei hawk zo pha chu nghatna tieng tieng Nambar 666 a de fuk el dim aw? ti zawna chu ka lungkhampui a nih.

A chunga Somerset Maugham ziek (Cakes and Ale ch.1) ei tar lang tah ang khin, hmaithinghawng inbela lemchang hi sun le zan sin “wholetime job” a ni leiin nghok a umin ningintel a um a, amiruokchu thaw ta laklaw chun pei naw sa saa thaw zing a ngai hlak. Kei chu ka thaw pei nawna a sawt tah. Pathien chu ei taksa bung tin, ei mûr (cell) tinah a um a, a hriet suok a, ei ngaituona po po khom a hmu fai vong leiin (Sam 139) hmaithinghawng inbela hlem thei chi a ni nawh. Pathien hlem tum chu mani inhlem chauh ei nih. Chuleiin, lemchanga buoi buoi nekin piengthar fel law law amanih, fel naw law law amanih, mani ninaa chieng hi a hadam thlak takin ka hriet. Pathien le ei inzomna sukfel hi ningintel bona damdawi thra tak a na, chu inremna chu Kalvari thisen hmanga Iengkimthawtheiin mihriemhai damna dinga a buotsai a nih. Chu Kalvari tui dawn taphot sungrila chun chatuon khoma kang thei lo hringna tui an chik suok hlak a nih.

Thaw ro, tu kum, Gospel Centenary kum bek hi chu, ran thata inri bung bung a, van ko thla thei khopa nasa sermon thlak a, lem inchang zing nekin, hmaithinghawng hlipna kumin hmang ei tiu khai.

[*Editor's Note: INPUI columnist Pu Keivom is a retired Indian Foreign Service officer, respected Hmar Mizo litterateur and author of 'Zoram Khawvel' series.]

[Inpui Feature]

Pu Dr Rochunga Pudaite, is one of the recipients of DHWA’s ‘Men of the Century Award’  for his “global mission to distribute Bible to all telephone owners of the globe through Bibles for the World which he founded and his many distinguished contributions to the welfare of his people”.

Dr. Rochunga Pudaite

December 4, 1927-ah Senvon khuoah a pieng. Nasupang a ni lain a pa Chawnga Pudaite le a nu Zadailovi hai chun Phulpui, Vangai tlangah an inpempui a. Hum hrang hrangah lekha an chuk hnungin kum 1949 khan Jorhat Christian High School-a inthokin Matriculation a tling a. Calcuttah Intermediate of Arts a zo hnungin Allahabad University-a inthokin kum 1954 khan B.A a zo. Chu kum vek chun Glasgow, Scotl-and-ah Bible inchukin a fe a, kum khat a um hnungin 1955 khan Wheaton College Graduate School of Theology, Illinois-ah a fe a. Kum 1956 khan Watkin Roberts-in IBHPM enkolpui dingin a fiel a, chu chu bawzuiin kum 1958-ah IBPM Board of Directors an indin a, chu taka Executive Director a ni a. A kum nawk May 1959-ah Lalrimawi leh an innei a. Kum 1961 Northern Illinois University hnuoiah Master of Science in Education a hmuh.

Kum 1972 khan Bibles for the World an din a, an thiltum chu khawvela telephone nei po po kuoma a thlawna Thuthlung Thar sem a nih. Kum 2009 chen hin khawvel hmun hrang hrangah Baibul kawpi 19,000,000 an sem suok tah nia hriet a nih. Ama anga hieng tienga khawvela huopa hma latu hi mi mal amanih kohran pawl khom India rqama lem chu an la um nawh.

By Pu L.Keivom* Inpui.com columnist.

God said of Paul, “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name.” Paul’s life was a living testimony to the truth of this divine declaration and he continues to bear till this day and beyond the name of his Mentor in the four corners of the world through his writings which formed more than half of the books of the New Testament.

Likewise, the world has seen men and women who, by their noble and selfless contributions to the enrichment of human lives, have clearly demonstrated that they, in their respective fields, belonged to the category adumbrated by the famous Scottish historian, essayist and sage Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) in his collected lectures entitled On Heroes, Hero Worship and the Heroic in History (1841). Thangngura undoubtedly belongs to these chosen few. Preordained to be the chosen one, his name given at birth means a Famous (Thang) King or Chief (Ngur). Famous king or chief he definitely was not. He is much more than that: the author of more than 80 popular spiritual hymns in Hmar.

Thangngur was born at Lailen, a small village in Mizoram then called Lushai Hills in the eventful year of 1891 which ushered in the British rule in the region to stop the ferocious hillmen from further head hunting expeditions into the British-held tea gardens. Later, Thangngur’s family migrated to Senvon, the gateway to the first entry of Christianity in the region and the biggest village in Manipur lying in the south-west on the border of Mizoram. Thangngur was already 19 when the village received an unusual visitor, a white man named Watkin Roberts who came on foot all the way from Lushai Hill’s capital Aizawl to preach a new religion. A ‘pale face’ carrying a foreign religion.

Roberts came to the village at the invitation of the then Chief Kamkhawlun. It was in early February, 1910 when the region was on the verge of being hit by a cyclical flowering and dying of bamboos called Mautam that caused sudden explosion of rat population which invaded jhums and devoured all the standing rice crops at harvest time, thereby leaving little grain or nothing for the villagers. Mautam normally takes place every 48-50 years. It is perhaps nature’s way of rejuvenating the soil where bamboos are grown. But the word ‘mautam’ is associated with famine and death as it inevitably leads to a severe famine and starvation death.

Roberts however did not come to fight the rat menace. He came to save the people from the bondage of sin and the menace of the Devil. He carried nothing with him except his Bible and his unrelenting faith in the power of the Gospel to make the impossible possible. Though his faith did not physically move mountains, it moved the hearts of some who listened to his sermon, perhaps the shortest and simplest sermon on earth in broken Lushai: FROM NOW ON, BELIEVE IN THE WORDS OF GOD (Tun atrang chuan Pathian Thu lo awi tawh rawh u).

I could visualize Thangngur watching and listening the sermon of the white man with a glimmer of hope in his sunken eyes. The degree and intensity of his curiosity could be seen from his gaping mouth. Soon after Roberts returned to Aizawl, he sent three teacher-evangelists to Senvon to start a school and preach the Good News. Thangngur was one among the first three converts. He then joined the basic school started by the evangelists and soon learnt reading and writing. But he could not attend regular classes, as he had to work in the jhum from sunrise to sunset. Undaunted, he continued to pursue his studies, toiling hard till dead of night in the glow of the dying embers. Lanterns and candles were then unheard of in the village and electricity was many unknown cosmic miles away.

Roberts’ maverick escapade into Senvon paid rich dividends. Soon converts grew by leaps and bounds and churches came to be planted in and around Senvon necessitating the establishment of a Mission in 1913-14 which he called Thado-Kuki Pioneer Mission (TKPM) with Senvon as its headquarters headed by R. Dala from Aizawl, the first-ever full-fledged missionary among the Mizo people. R. Dala organised an impromptu Bible training school to cater to the urgent needs of the local converts and young teacher-evangelists. Thangngur was one of its first products. After he got married in 1917, Thangngur passed what was then called Middle School Certificate examination roughly equivalent to Class VI. It was then the ultimate qualification one could dream of achieving through a Mission School in the area.

Later, Thangngur was employed as teacher-evangelist at Senvon for two years at a monthly salary of Rs. 10 and then transferred to Tinsuong in 1920 when the Mission moved its headquarters from Senvon. As the Mission grew bigger across the neighbouring States, the name was also changed into North-East India General Mission (NEIGM) with Lakhipur in Cachar District of Assam as its headquarters and Tinsuong as sub-headquarters for Manipur. By then Thangngur’s poetic talent and spiritual gift had become widely known and recognised.

Then came a split in the NEIG Mission when its Pasadena-based General Secretary H. H. Coleman staged a kind of coup and dislodged the founding father Watkin Roberts on some flimsy but calculated charges. Coleman tried to inveigle Thangngur into joining him and accepting the post of Field Superintendent. It was a very tempting offer with a big responsibility and an assured comfortable income. After much praying and inner debates, Thangngur listened to his inner voice and declined the offer. Instead, he backed Watkin Roberts and with few others remaining loyal to the pioneer of the wounded church, they subsequently formed an Independent Church.

Coleman was furious. He did everything humanly possible, apparently with an official backing, to discredit Watkin Roberts and his followers. Waves after waves of trials and tribulations followed. Coleman obtained official sanction to incarcerate the Independent Church. Roberts’s men were not allowed to build and own church or conduct any Church activities. Their leaders were expelled from Manipur. Roberts himself was banished not only from India but also from the United States. Some of the shepherds and their flocks who had earlier professed allegiance to Roberts soon deserted him for greener pastures. The Independent Church dwindled to a mere skeletal seven workers by October 1930. Thangngur had more than his share of the burden of the conflict. He lost his teaching job and virtually became a pauper. But he never flinched an inch from his resolution. He would not lay down his cross, whatever the cost. Many of his hymns were born out of this travail.

Deprived of his teaching position, Thangngur migrated to Phulpui village in Vangai Range in 1932. There, he had a daily rendezvous with God in a cave about a furlong from the village where he prayed regularly. It was here in Phulpui that angels reportedly visited him several times and introduced him the spiritual world beyond the realm of material consciousness. He vividly depicted some of his enthralling experiences in his crystal choral piece JORDAN RAL (BEYOND JORDAN) which we will deal in greater detail later. Major bulk of his works flowed out from here making this insignificant village a preponderant place in the Church history. He achieved his spiritual as well as poetic heights from this humble place.

In 1935, the Independent Church, in defiance of the temporal ban on its activities, started again building churches and in May of that year even had a Conference at Parbung to elect its leaders. Taisen became Superintendent with Thangngur as Assistant Superintendent. As Taisen was soon banished from Manipur for violating the official ban, Manipur area had come under the direct charge of Thangngur. Finally, in 1942, the unholy sword of Damocles hanging on the neck of the Independent Church was removed and the day of freedom had dawned. The following year, Thangngur was elected Field Superintendent to be based at Senvon, the original home of the Mission. Before he could move to his new headquarters, he left for his permanent home on December 20, 1943. Mother Hmar lost her great son!

But Thangngur never dies. He left behind an imperishable monument built not on bricks and stones but by the tip of his spiritually inspired and powerful pen. Any soul capable of delving deep into the meanings of his hymns will find that every of his 80-odd hymns is a classic by itself. Once General Wolfe, the famous hero of Quebec said he would rather have written Thomas Gray’s ELEGY than taking Quebec. I have no doubt he would have said the same thing if he had come across any of Thangngur’s powerful and majestic hymns.

Thangngur’s works tell you about the meaning of life with or without Christ and life after life. His own life was a true testimony of what he preached and practised. Storms of life, he braved through many. Extreme poverty remained his constant companion all through his service life. He knew the true meaning of thirst and hunger, elation and depression, suppression and deception, hopes and fears, aspirations and despairs, successes and failures, physical and mental agonies, hate and love; he had experienced them all in real life drama. The thorns of life mercilessly pricked him like Paul. He bled from head to foot like his fellow traveler poet P. B. Shelley. These experiences however enriched his life. He learnt the secret of contentment in extreme want; faith when nothing is left to hope for; love where deception and ill-will concentrate.

Once George Bernard Shaw rightly said, “Very few people can afford to be poor.” Thangngur belongs to that category: materially poor but spiritually rich. Though materially a pauper, Thangngur never stopped counting the blessings of God while the earthly rich bathing in the comforts of their opulence completely not only ceased to count but instead murmured for having less than their heart’s desire. For he knew he was spiritually a multi billionaire, an inheritor of God’s immensities.

Once Thangngur faced one of the severest challenges in life: sharing when almost nothing is left to share. On arrival from a long preaching tour, he found that his family was left with only a tinful of paddy which, when husked, would provide hardly a day’s supply. He had no money and nobody to turn to. He looked around the empty house. Hunger and silence reigned supreme within its four-corners. Even the normally playful and mischievous house rats had deserted it, as there were no more leftovers to hang on.

Thangngur’s neighbour was in no better position. In fact, he was even worse. He came to Thangngur with a begging bowl to ask if he had any food provision to share with. Thangngur gave him half of what he had and praised God for lifting him up to a position where he could help others in need. What a test and a victory! Even in much less extreme circumstance, most people choose not to share especially when it hurts. It takes more than an ordinary heart and faith to face such a situation as this incidence with magnanimity. Thangngur literally hangs on the words of Jesus Christ that above everything else one should first seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. He reflects this position in one of his works thus-

I aw Lalpa i malsawmna hi chu,

Nang nekin tam tak chun an ngaihlu lem;

Tlaksam leia mitthli a hnâi lai khom,

I ram le i felna min hlat naw la.

O Lord, thy blessings, rich and bountiful,

Many attach more importance than Thou;

Even when poverty drives me to tears,

Deny not Thy kingdom and righteousness.

Thangngur’s spiritual experiences read like an epic poem. His first piece was written in a state of trance. It was immediately after the great revival of 1917 which hit the area like a hurricane. Thangngur was on his way to Tinsuong from Senvon on a preaching tour and had to pass through three big villages on the way. On nearing the outskirts of the first village Lungthulien, he stopped by to pray at Vompalung, a rocky precipice which one has to negotiate precariously through a narrow cut. Any misstep means a kilometer fall down under. While praying here, Thangngur saw Jesus Christ standing before him with a loving smile. When he finished praying, he looked up but the apparition had vanished. On the spot, he wrote in Lushai his first piece entitled ‘Nunna thianghlim siamtu, an duhlo Zaiawnah’ (Creator of life divine, they despised Him at Zion). The hymn is an emotional parade on the sufferings of Christ on the night of his arrest till his crucifixion and the tune is strikingly direful. It has become one the most sung hymns on sacramental occasions.

On another occasion, Thangngura was on his way to attend a conference in Mizoram. The Tuivai river was in spate and there was no way he could cross the raging current. Even good swimmers and rafters by this time would scarcely dare to try to cross it. Thangngura was no swimmer. But go he must. Helplessly but confidently, he kneeled down and prayed. When he finished praying, he looked around in wonder and found himself on the other side of the bank! It was definitely faster than the speed at which Israelites crossed the Red Sea.

To a rational mind, such a story as this sounds weird belonging to a realm beyond the grasp of human logic. Those who were very close to him however, held that his experiences were not the product of a flight of his imaginations. Thangngur himself was never shy of relating his spiritual encounters. He used to be in a trance many times during which he would forget his daily chores. On such occasions, when his wife entrusted him to cooking while she was out working, he would burn his cooking because, as he himself said, he had visitors from the other world. In JORDAN RAL (BEYOND JORDAN), he describes the beauty of the world beyond Jordan which reads like a faithful re-run of the book of Revelation. He begins this choral with the most unorthodox lines:

I long for the land beyond Jordan,

Look at the land beyond Jordan;

Once men of paradise came to visit me,

And told me about how holy, beautiful

And peaceful is the land beyond Jordan.

Jordan ralin lung a mi’n lên,

Jordan ral tieng hei thlir ta u;

Voi khat ka inah pielral mi an hung leng;

Jordan ral chanchin, a mawizie, a thienghlimzie le

A thlamuongumzie an mi hung hril.

It is often said, poets are born and not made. This is an over-simplification. To just born is definitely not enough. A person blessed with poetic imagination and power of concentration may lack in the art and means of delivery. He needs an effective instrument to translate his thoughts into some concrete form. One most needed tool is vocabulary. Next is how effectively he can handle the medium, arrange word blocks in sequential order to express innermost thoughts with verve and beauty. Thangngur possesses a treasure house of vocabulary and uses them with such finesse that he turns every word into a magic wand. His powerful lines enchant you, penetrate you, capture you and imprison you. The beauty and subtlety of his expressions oust the crude, the ugly, the banal and the commonplace. Casts on the cultural setting, his works bring home the new religion to the doorsteps of the hill people and they readily could accept it as their own. The tunes are also typically traditional laced with a thin dash of Welsh’s.

I have rarely come across a poet who could deliver with such panache the message of the nativity, crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ as Thangngur does. For instance, his depiction of the episode leading to the crucifixion of Christ is so dramatic and moving that you sob with him unawares. But you shout with joy when he tells you the victory on the cross. The height of his poetic talent could be seen in KA HRENGKOL BUN (THE CHAIN I BEAR), and KANAAN PHAI ZAWL SARON PAR MAWI (THE BEAUTIFUL SHARON IN THE VALLEY OF CANAAN). In the two hymns, he describes the sufferings of Christ and the victory on the cross and over death by his resurrection. But his treatment of the cross of one from the other is so different that many people do not even realize that he talks of the same thing.

In the first hymn, he depicts the episode in the context of the society of the head hunting days and likens Jesus as the hunted victim whose chopped head is celebrated with barbaric abandon. The scene is so shuddering and his presentation so heart-rending that your hair stands, your stomach crams with repulsion and your body shrivels at the thought of the gruesomeness until you are overcome by tearful feelings for the hunted. But that is not yet the finale. And when it comes, you dry up your tears and shout with the hunter’s cry

He conquered death’s deep and dark grave,

And rose again in triumph;

For the hero Saviour’s victory

Death’s condemned miserable souls

Celebrated new life,

And gained the beautiful city of life.

Thina khurpui, thina khur thim,

Hnein a tho nawk tah;

Thina leia an rienghai chun,

Hringna thar par angin an lawm,

Mihrâng Tlantu zarin;

Hringna khawpui ra mawi an hluo ta ie.

Thangngur dwells on the same theme in the second hymn but his treatment is completely different. Here, the hunted victim becomes the rose of Sharon and the lily in the Canaan valley deflowered by the Romans. The rugged cross turns into a Pole of Truce (Inremna Thing) between God and man. Listen how he begins:

The Sharon in Canaan Valley

Maimed by the Romans in days of old;

Earth in mourning garb for the broken Sharon,

The hapless kindreds bereft of protection,

For they deflowered the life-giving Sharon.

Kanaan phai zawl, saron par mawi,

Tiena Romhaiin an lo sukthliek;

Tlângkhuo a ngûi ie, saron an thliekna chu,

Nunau an inrieng, hliekhutu nei lovin,

An damna saron par an thliek leiin.

His presentation is so romantic that the element of horror in the first hymn has completely disappeared and instead sentimental feeling for the deflowered Sharon overwhelms you. In the same tone, he describes the risen Saviour and the joys of those who have received him thus:

In the hearts of those who love Him,

The bruised, broken, beautiful Sharon

Comes to bloom again like beautiful lily,

And shines over their heads as a morning star:

The smells of joy pervade all around them.

Saron par mawi an thliek hnung kha,

Ama lungkhamtuhai kuoma chun,

Lili’n a hung par, an lungril inthimah,

An lu chung zawnah zing arsi’n a hung var,

An sirah lawmna rimtui an zâm vel.

Thangngur’s relationship with God as reflected from his works is a classic story of love and affection, confidence and faith, and doubts and assurances. Like Job, he is put to severe trials to test the strength of his faith. There are times when he would cry out like the tormented Christ on the cross: My God, why has thou forsaken me! Derided and mocked by those who turned against him, deserted by his friends and consumed by utter poverty, he many a time had no one but God to turn to for shelter. He never ceased praying. But there were times when his prayers seemed to melt away in thin air like a vapour. No answer. No relief to his agonies. Doubts engulfed him. Temptations stalked him. No silver lining on the horizon. Still, he kept trusting, hoping, and praying. At last, the soft, loving whisper of God would lift up his sagging spirit with eternal assurance and he would cry out,

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.

Pielral nisa ka lungrilah a hung var tah,

Ka thla muongleia kal chawiin,

Ka rinumna lawmna’n a hung par,

Pa thununna ka tuor muolsuo zovin.

Not only that. He found the source of the fountain of blessings and happiness at the rugged Calvary’s mountain. He discovered the infinite message of Christ on the cross: self sacrifice for loved ones. He says,

Never had 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.

Ka ta dinga ka hring laiin ka lawm ngai nawh:

Ka Lal Krista kona anga,

Isaak maichama ka inhlan chun,

Malsawmna tuikhur lawmnan a hung luong.

Sadly, Thangngur did not live long. The year 1943 came with the Japanese penetration of Burma and into Chin Hills. The lethal and noisy big birds and their deafening roars rent through the enchanting blue and tranquil skies of the north-east India. Smokes of gunpowder filled the air with putrified bodies strewn all over the muddy combat areas, much to the delight of the already overfed vultures. It was a year of death that also claimed the life of Thangngur. Apparently, he had foreknowledge of the coming final call for him. Towards the close of the year, he visited all the churches under his charge to bid them the last farewell. To everyone he shook hands with to bid goodbye, he would say he would not meet him or her again. And to all that he wrote on return from tour, he would unfailingly insert the following lines:

O Time, roll on; Zion’s children

Long to see the Great Land;

This barren land, my earthly home,

I’m soon leaving behind.

Huna, kal rawh, Zaiawn faten

Ram ropui kan nghakhlel;

Ka lenna ram thlaler a ni,

Ka kalsan thuai dawn e.

His rendezvous with death came on the night of December 20, 1943. On that evening, though too weak to stand up, he dragged himself to the church building and circumambulated it by humming in Lushai

The chain of time is holding me back

To see Zion I’ve gained through the blood,

Where my Saviour reigns, sun never sets;

Oh, how I long I would soon be there!

Hun engin nge maw tunah min dâl,

Thisen zara ka tan Zaiawn tlang;

Aw engtikah nge ka han hmu ang,

Chhandamtu leh ram ni tla ngai lo.

Returning to the house completely exhausted, he lay on the wooden frame of the hearth overcame by thirst. He asked for water and when they gave him a cupful he was not satisfied and asked for more. They gave him in a bamboo container and he drank straight from it with a great gusto. Though the ‘chain of time’ had not yet released him, no more sinews of life were left with him. His wife, unable to bear any longer the sight of her husband’s plight, finally gave him an eternal sent-off by commending him to Abraham’s bosom. Thangngur peacefully passed away as the last words from the trembling lips of his wife vanished into thin air to mingle with the departed soul in the ocean of eternal bliss.

Home is the sailor, home from the sea,

And the hunter home from the hill.

Thangngur died but ever lives. In death he continues to serve God through his powerful hymns as he did during his lifetime. His works have been translated in many other dialects; they transcend all geographical and communal barriers as the love of the Master he served faithfully till his last breath. On important occasions like Christmas, Good Friday, congregational singing sessions, in the house of the bereaved and also of celebrations, Thangngur ever presents. For he is a poet with a thousand tongues.

Note: I offer due apologies to Thangngura for massacring the beauty and depth of his works by my translation of a few of his lines from Hmar into English. Because of cultural barrier, I am sure that no matter how much one knows the English language, it is never possible to give a translation that meets the original meaning and beauty of his works

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[*Editor's Note: INPUI columnist Pu Keivom is a retired Indian Foreign Service officer, respected Hmar Mizo litterateur and author of 'Zoram Khawvel' series. This article is dated June 13, 1985, Wellington, New Zealand, and mostly written aboard an aircraft between between Auckland and Apia, the capital of Western Samoa and revised version].

Many Hmars and the people of Mizoram are still in the dark about the main demand of the Hmar People's Convention (Democratic) rebels. HPC(D) president Pu Hmingchunghnung told Lenmawia in this 2008 interview that the Hmars in Mizoram are fighting for an Autonomous District Council. Source: smzlln

[Inpui Feature]

Dr HS Thanglung was also one of the four recipient of the Delhi Hmar Welfare Association’s ‘Men of the Century’ award posthumously, for “pioneering translation of the Holy Bible in Hmar and for laying the foundation of primary education in Hmar through textbooks authored and published by him.”

Life of Dr. H.S.Thanglung (1905-1962)

November 1905-ah Senvon khuoah a pieng a, 1920-in Pawlruk a tling a, 1924-26 inkar Silchar-ah mission chawmin a um a. Kum 1927-in mission-a Inspector of Schools sin thaw dinga ko suok a ni a. 1930-ah Matric Second Division-ah private kandidet-in a tling a, Manipur Hmar lai chu Matric tling hmasa tak a nih. Chu kum vel chun Tripura Reng chawmin Dibrugarh-ah LMP a, kum 1936-ah a hung zo a. NEIGM hmunpui Churachandpur-ah Medical Incharge a ni a, thingtlanga Dispensary 5 an neihai chu a enkol a. Kum 1937 March ah Pastor Taisen naunu Vanlalbuoli leh an innei a. Indopui Pahnina leiin Lungthulienah an raltlan a, 1045 khan Private Junior High School a hong a. Chu ruol chun Baibul inlet a thaw zing a, kum 1946 khan Hmar trongin Thuthlung Thar chu sut a nih.

Indopui Pahnina a hung inkieng charin Churachandpur tieng a kir nawk a. Kum 1954-in Pastor-a namdet a nih. Amiruokchu, a hriselna a hung chau pei leiin 1955 khan a chawlsan a, sienkhom Baibul inlet sin ruok chu a sunzom pei a. Kum 1956-in Rochung Pudaite fielin an rongbawlna a hung zom a, Field Superintendent sin a thaw a. Chu sin chu kum 1960 khan a maksan a, Nehru Marg-ah umhmun a khuor a, chu taka chun March 31, 1962 khan muol a lo liem tah a nih.

Dr. Thanglung hi Hmar tronga Baibul inlettu hmasa tak a ni a, Baibul pumpui chu a thi hnung kum rukna, 1968 khan sut a ni a, Hmar tronga Holy Bible sut hmasa tak a nih. Hmar tronga lekha inchukna bul trantu le chu tranna dinga zirtirbu le pawl ruk chen inchuk theina textbook hrang hrang siema suttu a ni leiin, ama hi chuong tienga sulsutu ropui le hriet zing tlak a nih. Kum 1951-a English-Hmar dictionary a siem le sut chu Dr. Thanglung Dictionary ti a nih. Ama inrawina hnuoia Kristien Hlabu le Hla Thar Lawrkhawm an buotsai chu 1952-in sut a ni bok.

Hmarkhawlien, Jan 18, 2010: The newly constituted Assam Hmar Literature (AHLS) leaders will meet on January 23 here to chalk out ways for having a single Hmar literary body in Assam.

At present there are three literary bodies, viz, Hmar Literature Society Barak Valley, Hmar Literature Society Assam and Hmar Literature NC Hills, in the state.

An agreement has already been reached among these three parties for establishing a single society under the initiative taken by the Hmar Students Association last year.

The new organization will be named ‘Assam Hmar Literature Society’ and the leaders have already been elected.

According to HSA officials, two Hmar MIL books — Ruongtui Reader (Class IX) le Manmasi Reader (Class X)— will be released on the occasion.

AHLS Leaders Elect:

Chairman: Pu Thangnuntluong Ralsun

Secretary: Pu SK Khawbung

Jan 19, 2010: The following are the universities which are to be stripped of their deemed status: Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology and Research, Guntur; Andhra Pradesh; Lingaya’s University, Faridabad; St Peter’s Institute of Higher Education and Research,Chennai; Noorul Islam Centre for Higher Education, Kanyakumari; Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida.

Sohobhit Institute of Engineering and Technology, Meerut; Sumandeep Vidyapeet, Vadodara, Gujarat; Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Satara, Maharashtra; D Y Patil Medical College, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai.

Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Kanchipuram; HIHT University,Dehradun; Santosh University, Ghaziabad; Maharshi Markandeshwar University, Ambala, Haryana; Manav Rachna International University, Faridabad; Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune; Siksha “O” Anusandha, Bhubaneswar; Janardan Rai Nagar, Udaipur, Rajasthan; Institute of Advanced Studies in Education of Gandhi Vidya Mandir, Sardarshahr, Rajasthan; Mody Institute of Technology, Sikar, Rajasthan; Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute, Chennai; Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai; Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Virdhunagar, Tamil Nadu.

Rev Thangngur was recently awarded Delhi Hmar Welfare Association’s ‘Men of the Century’ posthumously for his “indelible contributions to the birth of Hmar hymns and his enduring impact on the evolution of music, literature and language and the spiritual growth of his people.”

LIfe of Pastor Thangngur (1891-1943)

Mizoram Lailen khuoah 1891-in a pieng a, a pa hming chu Thanghlun a nih. Naupang chite a ni lain Senvon-ah an inpem a. Kum 1910-a Watkin Roberts-in Chanchin Thra a hril hnunga ringthara inpe hmasa tak laia pakhat a nih. Senvon-ah Pawlruk a zo hnungin 1918 khan Mission sikulah Headmaster sin a thaw nghal. Kum 1921 khan Mission hmunpui chu Tinsuonga son a ni leiin ama khom son a ni a. Kum 1929-a mission sunga buoina a hung tlung hnungin Watkin Roberts thloptu pawlah a thrang a. Coleman pawlin a mission chu an chang tah leiin a suoksan a, Phulpui khuo, Vangai tlangah an pem a. Kum 1935 khan Independent Church a Assistant Field Superintendent sin a chel a. Kum 1939-ah Pastor-a namnghet a ni a. Kum 1943 khan Field Superintendent sina hlangkai a ni a, sienkhom chel sawt hman loin December 20, 1943 khan muol a lo liem tah a nih.

Pastor Thangngur hi Pathien tri mi, thlarau mi tak el le hla phuok thiem a nih. A hla phuok 80 chuong nia hriet lai hin sak lar naw pakhat khom a um nawh ti khopin a hlawtling a nih. Ama tluka mani kalchar thleka hlutna inril tak nei sakhaw hla phuoktu tu khom an la suok ngai nawh. A hlaa inthokin ‘Hmar trong’ ei ti khom hin zung a hung kei a, a hung inthrang lien pei a nih. A thi chun ‘Hmar Bungpui a tliek’ an lo ti hiel a nih.

Imphal, Jan. 14, 2010: The handing over of a 160km state highway in Churachandpur district to the BRO rocked the Manipur Assembly today forcing chief minister Ibobi Singh to intervene and assure that he would soon convene a meeting.

The issue was raised by two Opposition members from the district, T. Hangkhanpao and V. Hangkhanlian, who demanded that Guite Road, which connects the Churachandpur district headquarters and Mizoram, be handed over to the BRO, charging that the government had neglected the road for long.

The two MLAs informed the Assembly that a few days back around 20,000 residents carried out a “protest social service” along the road to improve its condition as a part of their efforts to highlight the government’s apathy.

“The condition of the road is so bad that a vehicle carrying the protesters to the social service area met with an accident and three of them were seriously injured. They are now in two Imphal hospitals,” Hangkhanlian told the House.

Works minister K. Ranjit Singh said the NEC gave Rs 82 crore for this road and the government spent Rs 50 crore on the improvement projects.

But student bodies and other NGOs did not allow the work to continue.

He said the cabinet already took the decision to hand over the work to the BRO, but it could not be done before the NEC-funded project was completed. The minister said the work would be handed over to the BRO after the entire fund provided by the council was spent. The minister’s reply evoked sharp reactions from the two members who said the government wanted to spend the money itself. This remark forced Ibobi Singh to intervene saying if the BRO was ready to take over, he would hand over the work along with remaining amount provided by the council.

After his repeated assurances failed to calm down the two members, Ibobi Singh proposed to convene a meeting of officials of the BRO, MLAs and leaders of the NGOs from Churachandpur to thrash out the issue. The two legislators accepted the proposal.

Courtesy: The Telegraph

We at Inpui were surprised to see the new videos from Haire Hai 3 on Youtube.com despite the singer’s reluctance to make it available on Hmar websites for public viewing.

The following music videos prepared by popular Hmar singer Tv Lalsanglien Zote is taken from one Youtube user named ‘Fulertal’ and  Raju Deb of Silchar on Ibibo.com.

Mr Deb has uploaded four videos from the recenty released ‘Job Card Hlaw Lak Pha Leh’. We don’t know yet if the videos were authorized version.

 The four videos are given below:

1. Ka D’ Thuompui

2. Thanghar a hun

3. Job card Hlaw Lak Pha Leh

4. Darling nuor naw la