WATKIN R.ROBERTS-IN SENVON A SIRNA NI

(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.