P Ganguly
A Jubilee (in a manner, Ape West) is not so common in the plains. Not sure if 4 decades in a wild tract could primarily call for a celebration. As Nagaland would observe a formal Golden Jubilee, I ‘ll heave a sigh of relief for completion of 40 years here in one piece.
A two third was spent in Nagaland proper. I’ve been lucky to know many leading lights from a reasonable distance as a rank outsider. My maternal uncle visited Imphal Vaishnav centre (April 1941)on a Manipuri bullock cart via Kohima passing 8 days on one side eating Khichri (no dry fish – WB connection). A college mate (Sylhet) used to describe American beauties of an obscure place called Mokokchung where his uncle worked and a “Burmese footballer“ (as known at Calcutta along with East Bengal Capt Pugsley, a Burmese) T. Ao was a neighbour as an MB student in Carmichael (RG Kar)college. Naga was unknown.
In retrospect indeed I ne’er wanted to come here. “What’s lotted can’t be blotted” (Anglo-Indian). Calcutta- Dimapur was served by Dakota. My co-passenger was a Rourkela Engineering Rengma student,
with destination beyond Kohima. He certified Naga hospitality with warmth. On alternate days the flight touched Gauhati, otherwise one run. IA would weigh a passenger with luggage. A Naga “ball of fat” (Maughm) is rare. I came across one, a Delhi product. There 40 days fast and daily Marathon won’t help. Beggars look better fed. Once a European told that in the train from Delhi he identified WB when at dawn he saw a procession of skeletons. An average Bengali food costs more yet. 1911 photo of all Bengali barefoot team at Capt Bhaduri’s home which lifted IFA Shield against an all booted European combine looked healthy and even T. Ao barefoot team losing to Yugoslavia (4-2) at 1948 London Olympics same. The foreigner hated Red rule in WB.Zu – Naga were twins. Those days it was clean water, supply rice, biscuit (yeast) and women of all ages. Indians classified fair sex in 4 groups – elephant, deer, conch shell and mare (body details not parliamentary). British found Naga girls minus waist due to carriage of heavy load. They were not Americans. Good looks of joint girls meant bad Zu and vice versa. Zu was not contaminated with substances.
After 4 Hi (mug) paka (pucca) Ruhi I crept back home. Only locals had that stamina. I ne’er tasted alcohol before. Ginger, chilli, salt and (forbidden) meat decorated the menu. By 2 PM the brew was ready. Today it is 24x7commerce. Those were our intellectual (Antel) coffee houses with musician, singer, mourner, lover (chronic reject) and fighter in attendance.
On the first morning at Kohima my Zeliang (my alphabets ran from Z to A as my wife is Angami) lady house owner presented a newborn cat. 5 were born on my false ceiling. Its father (customary law) belonged to a matronly Angami who chose 1st pair, landlady 2nd and the emaciated
last mine. As I declined all were surprised. Next day while coming home at midnight on HH Bhagya Chandra road a group was singing loud “Michael Dada daru pike” (Hindi cinema). Suddenly a Naga officer interviewed me “What made you come here?” after catching my tie. The 3 units MLT being odd, I was nonplussed. He clarified “It is not India so”. I explained that without a god father (or maternal uncle in Bengali) one had no choice. “How do you find us?” I assured him “Naga rice is good and us unaccustomed with quality”. He complimented (left handed) me as the best e’er Indian who spoke truth. He requested my company at Mission Compound for a drink. When he urinated below Cemetery, his bladder was Zu filled I escaped. Multitasking was not possible so a handicap.
I metamorphosed in the atmosphere. Then liars, cheats etc were less.
Our upcountry forefather reached Bengal 1000 years back for establishing Hinduism. He set up a school with an agri farm and cowshed. He maintained a company of armed men for royal requisition.
We up kept our northern ethnicity till refugees arrived. The great Bengali culture deluged us. My wife is a true Angami with a fair lozenge like face and built. The tilt to Mongolian is like marrying a Bengali as our ethnicity almost equally differed. These subjects are now obsolete. Mother Earth is overloaded with bipeds. The resurgent Malayali and fossilized Bengali are blood brothers even after 5000 years of parting at the Vindhyas for East-West ghats. It is yet news to almost all.
Indo-Naga problem is known so whosoever comes here under compulsion is briefed. The Gwalior school teacher and Hindi poet appreciated Unique History. Past entered Present. What is in Future! Phizo tried. Adinno in the circumstances is silent. Silence is golden. In this madhouse each male is a freedom fighter and faction (raised to infinity) supporter. An early morning, I was rudely stopped at UBC Lane behind local ground by a Poumai (claimed Boro Bosti as usual) who asked me to buy Muivah’s SIM card for 1200/- only. He finally came down to 200/-.
I asked “But who’s Muivah?” It makes me laugh even today. Commoners do not know that he escaped killing by Burma Army (1980) as on seeing a white cloth covered Pvt. O. Muivah and mourners they inferred that he was no more. He has got 9 lives.
Physical violence against outsiders is common. I’d my share. In school I learnt prelim boxing. Later on Japanese mat I picked up unarmed combat. Chennai girls developed anti- rape undergarment (no crude Bobbit). Bravo! In the past males were males, not drug driven gymnasts. Here the boys who punch helpless Sandbags (us) could be Mr.Mary Kom provided they learn Defence. Defence then Offence fortrainees -I was sent out for hitting my instructor in violation – a Chinese Catholic giant at Wellington Square in Calcutta.
Too many years among Nagas gave an insight in Nagaism. The word was coined by Huska whose primary introduction is he was a Sumi and reportedly son-in-law of legendary Kaito of 50P fine fame for a misfire. Are not Nagas conveniently bartering Nagaism with adulteration? I saw a variety but honestly couldn’t locate an Inhuman Naga. Perhaps humanity is inherent in tribal people. Even before Good News reached Dikhu they believed in “Service to mankind”. Then no NGO or BW money or Decibel was involved. I saw former Santhal Pargana.
Ao or Aor, Ping Pong or Ding Dong, Siila or Shala (brother in law), Aser or Asur (demon), tough Konyak or soft Cognac, Ketsa or kutcha – inhumanity is not imported. Naga possess a universal disqualification (Mammon) – an Ao lady wrote” Fisheries sanctioned to individuals could not be accommodated in the tiny state”. The sarcasm is understood.
Human errors are present but inhumanity not. Alert “Christian soldiers” discovered Satan here. Hindus lack the concept of Satan or born sinner. I was born a Brahmin, baptized at 9 years of age in the Ganges and adopted Khalsa (best Hindu) philosophy in youth. On 40thyear approaching (unlucky 13 Feb) I may be allowed to hold on to my finding (with or without a First Aid Box) that Naga is wild and eccentric but a good human being. Any exception may be an “International compromise” (Hippy) or “a mixture of 36 ethnicities”
(Bengali) and not British India’s Reserved Indian Christian(IC) community. In the vast plains inhumans are found but somewhat uncommon like Jubilees. There “Weakness is a sin” (Vivekanand). A metropolitan call girl by virtue of her rich clients is more powerful than Morarji Desai’s “glorified clerk” (IAS officer). Without a comparison anywhere that is how the collected data of 4 decades is summarized.
