DIMAPUR — The Thanamir Village Council (TVC), Thanamir Village Citizenship (TVC) and Thanamir Village Students’ Union (TVSU) have strongly opposed the claim of Saramati as the land of Tikhir community as mentioned in Tikhir Students’ Union (TSU) anthem.
Signatories of the different organisations pointed out that in the fourth line of the first stanza of Tikhir Students’ Union anthem mentioned “Langkong-Shamator, tong Saramati vong kyan,” which when translated means “from Langkong-Shamator to Saramati Mountain” as Tikhir’s land.
In a letter to the president of Tikhir Students’ Union (TSU), the organisations have urged to repel the claim by omitting the word ‘Saramati’ from its anthem before commencing their 43rd session scheduled from January 11 to the 14th in Pokphur village.
It pointed out that Saramati (ancestral name as Meramkhanvong in Chirr dialect) particularly falls under the jurisdiction of Thanamir village, which is the inhabitant land of Chirr speaking populace of Yimkhiung Naga tribe, who are the sole land owner and custodian.
It stated that historically, Mt. Saramati was named as Meramkhanvong in Chirr dialect by their ancestors who discovered the peak, which was later renamed as Mt. Saramati.
While stating that any Naga tribe could use the name of Mt. Saramati in common nomenclature, the organisations have strongly opposed to using the name in encroaching of the jurisdiction/ territory or claiming it particularly through any means of writings and compositions.
It further cautioned that failing to omit the word ‘Saramati’ from the anthem would invite strong repercussion from the land owners and the Yimkhiung tribe in general.
