Keivom Nite on December 16 with book release of 'Impressions on L. Keivom'

David Buhril

 

Hungtlung ding tarik December 16, 2011 (Friday) khin Happy Heart School Auditorium, Bethel, Churachandpur (Manipur) ah Pu Lalthlamuong Keivom chawimawina hun KEIVOM NITE chu nei ning a tih.
Hi hun a hin Pu L. Keivom a ram ngai hla hai chu Choir-in sak an ta, a hla lenglawng hai chu Solo Artiste dang dangin sak bawk an tih.
Chun, hi ni hin Pu L. Keivom puol lieu a siem lekhabu phek 300 chuonga sa IMPRESSIONS ON L.KEIVOM ti chu tlangzar ni bawk a tih.

IMPRESSIONS ON L.KEIVOM PREFACE 
“The hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray.”
- Mother Teresa.

I could not figure out the head or tail of an appropriate term to describe a living legend who plays many roles. Diplomat. Poet. Writer. Author. Composer. Translator. Traveller. Historian. Critique. Many more. Friend and father to me. That's L. Keivom. His journey from his cradle village – Pherzawl, tucked deep away in Manipur's Churachandpur district border – to everywhere and everything outside as India's diplomat is evidently an unending journey of harvest. The story of the legend cannot seem to stop.

Many a times I wonder how Keivom has discovered so much of the world and man and we failed to do a trifle about him and his abundant works. He often told me about the big distance between Pherzawl and his diplomatic life; that it is hundreds of civilizations apart. I have to forgive myself as I have encountered too many people who still could not believe that our planet Earth is round. These are people who cannot read or cannot afford to read, or have nothing to read. Meanwhile, there are people who have no time to read. There are also people who read little. There are people who read the printed words but do not understand the meaning. There are also people who are still trying to read. If anyone happens to belong to any of the above categories, there is not much chance to encounter the man, his world, his words and his songs. There is a price for everything. It’s not just about the paper money. Efforts. That's more of it. Nothing is for free. Not even salvation, even though it is born out of love. Without any effort, the man will ever be invisible.

Slowly but certainly, we are getting closer to resemble the tribe of blind-men who encountered an elephant. One touch and supposedly a know-it- all converts. We are not ashamed to lose our humility. Yet, Keivom is the host of humility. None would be able to rob that away from him. That must be one of the reasons why he has so much to give.

Keivom has given us so much. Yet we continue to miss his gifts. However, we cannot continue to allow ourselves to afford this comfortable numbness. That is one of the many reasons why “Keivom Nite” (A discourse with his songs and words) was conceived: to acknowledge to the man how blessed we are and how thankful we are to him. Moreover, this book – Impressions- is conceived to be a vehicle for expressing our unwritten words and unexpressed thoughts for the man we collectively love to contradict, debate, hate, treasure, celebrate, dread and fear. There is not much word from those who hate or dread him since blissful ignorance is never productive. Fear and dread only dwells in blank silence for they tend to be fed by hearsay. That's very un-Keivom.

‘Impressions’ is a collection of an array of memoirs. We made this book a tri-lingual because of the diversity of people that matters to Keivom. We actually had to compel ourselves to restrict only to three languages purely for the sake of convenience. We are glad to have more than enough memoirs for the book despite the short notice given. We profusely thank all of them for their gracious considerations. At the same time, we are sorry to say that we have to leave out many articles since we must rush to the press. For the same reason, we also have to reluctantly abandon the original plan to include brief details of all the contributors with photographs to make the book a valuable source of information for connectivity.
I am sure the use of 'Tr' in this book (Mizo section [Hmar/Lushai]) would receive its usual share of inevitable debate. The debate cannot be nipped by any man. However, 'Tr' is used in this book for the simple reason that it is not only more convenient but meets the international standard.

With “Keivom Nite” and the “Impressions”, it is my unhidden desire that we gather our little efforts together to say “Thank You” to L. Keivom who has given selflessly. Many of his works remain untranslatable, particularly his poems and songs in Hmar. They resemble the work of supreme culture. Yet, they speak of everything so common that they almost lick the soil of Pherzawl and the dews of Saidan. It is my desire that Keivom continues to spark an unbroken tradition and an undying culture.