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My Camera

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 When I began working as a correspondent ( back in late 2000s) for a print publication, I did not have a camera. Since my reporting did not really require many pictures, I managed without one. Somehow, after years of saving, I managed to buy a Canon camera. To be honest, I had very little idea about the technology. I took the help of a few friends in choosing one, and we went all the way to Connaught Place in New Delhi to buy it. It was such a wonderful feeling—a sense of pride. After the purchase, as I began carrying the camera around, I remember a friend—not really a friend anymore—saying, “Why don’t you buy a good mobile phone? You can use the camera on it as well.” Indeed, the camera had cost me around ₹35,000. That was a lot of money for me at the time. But that particular friend did not realise, nor could she understand, what it meant to own a camera as a struggling journalist. I don’t blame her. In fact, eventually, I too began using my mobile phone to take pictures. Slowly,...
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The North-East Festival

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  #ThinkingLoud #NortheastFestival Recently, the repeated mention of the "Northeast Festival" in the news reminded me of events from a decade ago. The years when Northeast youths in Delhi were frequently out in the streets, calling out against racism, discrimination, assault, abuse, and even murder and rape by mainland Indians. Northeast people were attacked on the streets, in the workplace, and even inside their rented accommodations. It was during the 2000s. There were frequent reports of attacks on Northeast people in Delhi and a few other cities. Delhi is the worst. Most of the victims and survivors were young women and men. They were working in private sectors and were living to support themselves and their siblings. Several discussions, meetings, and interactions were held with Northeast representatives and key officials in the government, media, and NGOs. On what to do about this frequent crime against the northeast population in the city of Delhi (to be specific). T...
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Teacher (s)

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As a someone who grew up in a small town Lamka ( South Manipur) during the 80s and 90s , life is not so complicated or complex. School life , particularly till 10th class is the most memorable in one's life , as far as I am concern. Besides memory of classmates , events and incidents, anecdotes, one interesting memory would be the variety of teachers for each subjects we have. I would admit, some teachers are real fun, some are real 'scary', some really do impact your life. Punishment was common, like beating with use of stick and writing a sentence a thousand times etc. I have had it all !! I don't like Maths, so I don't like the Maths teacher. And I think most mathematics teachers don't like me ! In the sense they would focus mostly on those who are good in Maths in the class. Yes, english class is nice. But history is boring ( perhaps i would have had some inclination or interest had those history books have some history about Manipur or my own land and it...
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MoM

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It’s been five months I still have no words, no lines, no sentences to write about you, of you or to you. I tried , but failed Oh, writing is such a hard thing, a difficult one --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Is Gandhi Still Relevant ?

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On October 2nd 2016, I happened to visit Sabarmati Ashram (Gandhi Ashram) in Ahmedabad. I was feeling a sort of anxious, not sure of what it would be like to see the place where Gandhiji, the father of the Nation had actually lived, ‘practice what he preach’, and carry out one of the greatest revolution in history. The three wheeler that took me stopped at an entrance. I had expected a symbolic ‘gate’ or at least some ‘guard’ or a huge entrance sort of. I even thought there would be some kind of a frisking / checking ?   If one did not know the place there is no indication that it an important historical place. It was on roadside like any other recreational spaces. Anyone, people, visitors just went in. There was no formality. I went around, like any other ‘tourist’ or a visitor, though there are very few actual ‘foreign tourist’. There were a few children gathering in one of the space for prayer and bhajan. It was in the afternoon,  people started gat...
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Are You Alone ?

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This is a repeated question that has been asked again and again. The question doesn’t come once or from people who meet you for the first time. The question is more often repeated by people whom I met every now and then. You start a conversation, after a few pleasantries ..the same line follows..  you live alone? My own neighbor(s) would ask .. are you alone ? or you go and visit neighbor(s) for a chat or some work –the same line pop ups in between. At times the question may come in a different form. Like you start a conversation , gossip or small day to day conversations , about food, about a new lipstick or a new tops or even about current affairs… .. oh, you are alone, that's why !! If I get up late, the reason is .. you are alone ..so.. You don’t feel like having a big meal ..the remark would be .. oh..you are alone so…  You do something , or you share some-thing ..the remark is .. you are alone..that's why  Everything seems to happen because...
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11 transfers in 4 district in 37 years of service under Manipur government.

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Anecdotes of Vialzakham Hanghal ( my father) as told to me through verbal/ oral  recollections and hand written notes.  The Job hunt ! It was after election in 1967 , I went down to Lamka ( Churachanpur district headquarter ) from my village – Phaitong khua ( Thanlon Sub – Division) , to check out for any available employment. On the way between Songtal and Hanship, at Gelkhawlmun – a wayside resting place in between villages, I met the village postman. A s we sat down and exchanged pleasantries, we checked if there is any letters for Phaitong khua. The postman a popular person those days, took out a bundle of envelops from his Sakhaupi (traditionally woven bag ) . I was particularly curious and nervous, impatient as he checked the names on the envelopes. Lo ! finally, he took out a brown envelop with my name written clearly on it. I hurriedly opened and saw that it was letter from the office of employment exchange in Imphal. The contents says “ I hereby informe...
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