Latest Entries »

My photo for Incredible !ndia Campaign

I was genuinely surprised when a representative from Critique Communications called me up while I was in Chiangmai for a meeting. He was interested in my shot of Umiam Lake, near Shillong. He was doing this ad for the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, he said. The catch was to promote Shillong, that it’s as beautiful as Scotland. It would be nice to contribute to the country and the effort to promote tourism, I thought to myself and consented for him to use my photo for the purpose.

This is the result of the effort. Hope you like it.

HERE’s the original

Prologue to “A month in Delhi”

I let the taxi driver know my appreciation and exhilaration at the new look of the Indira Gandhi International Airport.  I’m impressed and even agreed with the ‘Proud to be Indian’ advertisement. Some of the tourists even took out their cameras and clicked away happily at this new scene. He was polite and cheerful, not your usual let-me-fool-and-rip-the-living-daylight-out-of-him taxi driver.  He even used his phone (for free) to call up the cuz with whom we were to lodge for about a month in Dilli.  Things have changed! Or have they, really?  The old skepticism was quick to come back as soon as we merged with the city traffic, away from the airport expressway.  The fear was confirmed as we left the highway and drove inside the crowded and disorderly alleyway.  This was where the real Delhi was tucked away, away from prying touristy eyes.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Whereas the car horn serves as a deterrent and an ‘appendix’ in some other countries, it is necessary as water is to man in this incredible place.  It did not take long to discover that anything that can make noise will make noise and will be employed to the fullest as long as it serves to frighten the living daylight out of a poor pedestrian.  Tiredness put us to sleep inspite of the noise and it was the noise that woke us in the morning long before the body was ready.  It’s full of noise in the city – from the shouts of chanawalla to anywalla the ears have their fill of these Chomskyan colorful noise.

I am not sure if Soniaji or any other netaji ever ventured out to Sarojini Market or any other market for a common Delhiite. And if she did she might get as much shock as I did to discover that the middle of the road was an open garbage pit, and every drain an open sewer.  Maybe they had already been immunised to see all of these.  It’s hard to understand why someone driving a one hundred thousand dollar car would not think for a second to throw out his waste out of the speeding car.

My senses are numbed and incredibly compromised – let’s see if I could get back to this line of thought to make any sense of this incredible city.

Where are you now?

All was quiet in the garden
As the lover passed by
Looking for his love
Who did not want to be found.
He was nowhere to be seen.

The rustling of dry leaves
The crackling of the branches
And the chirping of the birds
Prompted the head to turn
Yet he was nowhere to be seen.

How do you wake someone
Who feigned to be asleep?
How do you find someone
Who hid himself in open view?
He was nowhere to be found.

An agonising cry was heard in the garden
It reverberated across the Universe
All through the ages
Still calling and echoing even now, saying
“Where are you now?”

Rinnaa Mi Hming Thate

(Kum thar lawmna’n thu tlem i han dah ve leh dawn chhin teh ang ka ti a.  January ni 23 kha Chainis ho kum thar, long nian, Year of the Dragon a ni a.  Chainis ho ngaihah chuan Dragon hi ramsa hlauhawm ni lovin vanneihna thlentu a ni zawk a, kum tha kumah an ngai tlangpui. Kei hi Dragon kuma piang ka ni ve leh tlat mai :-) .  Chhiartute Kum Thar chibai thuah hniha bukin malsawmna thuah hnih in dawn ka duh sak che u).

Hong Kong Avenue of Stars

Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Hong Kong-a film star larte kut thla an nem beina hmun chu Avenue of Stars an ti a.  Hong Kong star lar hote kut hnu an dah kim hle a, anmahni ngaisangtute chuan an kut thla ringawt khawih pawh an lawm hle.  Jackie Chan-a kut phah hi rin aiin a lo lian tih te ka hriat phah ve a. America-ah chuan Hollywood leh Rock n Roll leh kawng hrang hranga mi larte ‘arsi’ leh ke hniakte an vawng tha a.  Anmahni theihna zawna mi hmingtha te chauh member nih theihna “Hall of Fame” engemaw zat a awm bawk.  Khawvel hian ‘idol’ a ngaisang a. Mi tam tak chu an mi ngaihsan zawngte chet dan leh nunphungin nasa takin a thunun a, milem biaknain an nun a kaihruai mek a ni.

Jet Li-a kut thla

Bible-ah hian mi hmingthate hming ziak luhna ‘Hall of Fame’ kan nei ve a nih ngai chuan Hebrai bung 11 hi a ni ngei ang.  Hebrai lehkhathawn ziak hun lai hian Juda Kristian, hmun hrang hranga darh mekte chuan an rinna an hransan nasa a.  Kristianna chu thil thar a la ni a.  A zirtirna te a danglamin a mak a.  Dan zawm thinte chuan Krista khawngaihna dan an zawm tawh zawk a ngai a.  Khawvelin nasa takin a au reng bawk a.  Chutianga zirtirna leh thli tin rengin a len mek lai chuan he fuihna thu hi ziak a ni.  Isua Krista chungnunna leh dan leh thiltih ni lova rinna zawk chu a that zawk zia sawifiahin, an entawn tur, rinnaa fak hlawhte chungchang chu he bungah hian ziak khawm a ni.  Khawvel mite mahin an ngaihsan zawngte nun atanga thil hrang hrang an zir a, an zui a nih si chuan keini ho hian heng mite nun atang hian thil tam tak kan zir ngei tur a ni.

“Rinna hi thil beiseite awm ngeia hriatna a ni a, thil hmuh lohte hriatchianna a ni,” a ti a.  ‘Beiseite awm ngeia hriatna’ tih hi ‘ka thil beiseia chu a awm ngei ka ring’ tihna lam ni lovin ‘ka thil beiseia chu a awm ngei tih rinna avangin ka hrechiang a ni’ tihna a ni zawk a. ‘Ka hmuh theih loh pawh chu rinnain a awm ngei a ni tih ka finfiah a ni’ tihna a ni bawk.  Tunlai khawvel hian ‘hmuh hi rinna a ni’ (seeing is believing) a tih tlat avangin mit ngeia Pathian hmuh loh avanga Pathian awm ring lo tam tak an awm mek reng a ni.  Thoma anga ‘Ka hmuh phawt loh chuan ka awih lovang’ ti tam tak te hnenah Isua’n, “Hmu lova ring apiangte chu an eng a thawl e” (John 20:29) a ti a ni.

College-a kan zir laiin khawvel leh universe lo pian dan leh thilnung leh mihring lo insiam tanna scientist hrang hrangte ngaihdan chhiar nasat a ngai a.  Darwin-a leh a thuihruai Evolutionist ho leh mi dang dang ngaihdan leh thuziak han chhiar han chhiar chuan Bible-in “A tirin Pathianin leih leh van a siam a” tih hi rinhlelh mai a awl riau va.  Chu hunah chuan ka tan chuan Hebrai 11:3 hi Pathian hnena mi hruai haw leh tu a ni.  Chutah chuan hetihian kan hmu: “Rinnain a ni khawvelte hi Pathian thua siam a ni tih kan hriat ni, chutichuan thil hmuh theihte hi thil lang theitea siam a ni lo.”

Pathian thu thiam te’n hetihian an hrilhfiahin an pawm em tih ka hre lo.  Mahse, ka rilrua a lo fiah dan chu hetiang deuh hi a ni.  Khawvelin atom a hmelhriat tirh khan enge a chhungah awm tih nasa takin an zir chiang a.  Scientist hmingthang Rutherford-a te, Neils Bohr te leh Einstein-a te an lo lang a.  Atom chhunga electron, neutron leh proton awm te an hmuchhuak zel a.  Chu thil te tak te, mita hmuh tham loh chuan kan universe pum pui hi a luah khat tlat a.  Universe insiamna lungphum leh a laimu chu atom bawk hi a ni.  Chu chu kan mita kan hmuh theih loh avang hian kan ring lo ngawt thei lo.  A chhan chu, chu atom te reuh te chhunga thiltihtheihna nasa tak mai inphum ru chu an a hai chhuak a.  A puak darh chu a na em em a, mi tam takin an thihpui tlat a ni.

Rinna hian nasa takin a thil a ti thei a.  Atom bomb aia chak daih a ni.  Pathiana rinna antam mu fang khat tiat lek pawhin thil a tihtheihzia Isua’n min hrilh. Kan nuna harsatna tlang lian pui pui te pawh hi Pathiana rinna avang chuan kan dah sawn thei a.  Kan hmuh theih loh avang ringawta ringhlel thei kan ni lo, a thiltihtheihna chu phat rual lohvin kan hmu tlat a ni. He rinna avang hian kan hmaa mi huai kaltate khan ‘Pathian fak’ an lo hlawh tawh a.  Chu hmuhtheihlohva an rinna chuan Pathian a tilawm a, rinna tel lo chuan Pathian lawm zawng mi nih rual a ni lo.

Genesis bung 4-ah engvangin nge Pathianin Kaina aia Abela a lawm zawk tih min hrilh lova.  Hebrai ziaktu chuan rinna avangin Pathianin Abela a lawm a ni tih min hrilh a ni. Pathian chu a awm ngei a, ama tan thil tha ber leh theihna sang ber hlan chu a tih tur dik tak a ni tih hriain rinnain Abela’n inthawina man sang a hlan a, chu chu Pathianin a lawm a ni. A hunlai mite sualna leh khawvel nawmchenna zawng zawng hnuchhawnin Enoka chu Pathian nen an leng dun thin a.  Rinnain Pathian nena len dun zawk chu a tha a ni tih a hria a, a thlang a, Pathianin a hnenah a la ta a.

Abrahama chu thlarau mi, mihring ropui bik tawp khawk a nih avangin Pathianin a lawm a ni lova.  Pathianin a hnena thu a sawi chu thudik a ni tih a ring a.  A thu zawmin a khaw lam ata leh a laichinteho zing ata leh a pa in ata rinnain a pen chhuak a, a kalna tur hmun pawh a hre lo.  Chu chu Pathianin a lawm a, thildang vang ni lovin Amah a rinna avang chuan Pathianin mi felah a pawm a ni.

Heng rinna-a fak hlawh, mi hmingthate zawng zawng hian thil intawm an nei a.  Pathian thu zawmin hmalam panin harsatna leh manganna hrang hrang karah pawh chawl lovin an kal zel a.  An vai hian Pathian hnen atangin thutiam an dawng vek a ni.  Amaherawhchu, thutiam hmu zawng zawngte hian tiam an nih angin thiltiam chu an dam chhungin a hlawhtlinna an dawng vek lo.

Tunlai khawvelah Pathian rinna hi hlawkna anga ngai a, sum leh pai leh tisaa malsawm dawnna anga ngai mi tam tak an awm mek.  Pathian an rinna avanga taksa damna te, tisa malsawmna te an hmuh loh chuan Pathian phatsan mai inpeih reng mi tam tak an awm a ni.  Zoramah pawh engtik emaw lai khan ‘rinna thlai chi’ te kan buaipui viau a.  Rinnaa Pathian hnena thil kan pek chuan khawvel sum leh pai leh nawmsakna te dawng turin kan inbeisei a ni.  Mahse, chu chu Pathian thuin rinna a sawi dan a ni lo.

Abela chuan rinnain inthawina man to leh tha ber a hlan a.  Chu chuan Pathian a tilawm a ni.  Amaherawhchu, he khawvela amah mimalin chu a rinna avanga a dawn (result) chu a unaupa itsikna leh a laka tualthihna a ni. Khawvel ngaihah chuan hlawk thlak lo tak a ni.  Abrahama chu Pathianin a thlahte tuipui kama tiau vut leh vana arsi zat anga tam pek a tiam a.  Pathian thutiam tihlanna turin Isaka a hmu hman hram a.  Chu thutiam fa chu Pathianin a hnen atangin a phut let leh bawk a ni.  Thutiam tihpuitlinna zawng zawng hmu lo mahse an Pathian chu an ring a, rinnain an ding nghet a.  Hemi avang hian ram tha leh zual chak an ni tih kan hria a ni.

An chhuahsan Ur khuaah vawi tam tak kir lehna remchang an hmu ngei tur a ni.  Mahse, chutah chuan vawi khat mah an kir leh tawh lo.  Pathianin min kohna leh min tirhna atanga kir lehna remchang hi a awm ve nual mai.  Lunglenna leh lungngaihna te, harsatna leh nekchepna te, damchhung khawsak ngaihtuahna te, fapa, fanu nih avanga mawhphurhna avang te leh Setana beihna hrang hrang avang te pawh hian kir leh mai chakna a awm fo thin.  Mahni ramah thlamuang zawk leh hahdam deuh zawk leh mite ngaiha hna tha zawk thawk tura sawmna te pawh a lo awm ve leh zeuh thin.  Mahse, rinnain kan dam chhung hun Pathian hnenah pek zel kan duh a ni, kir thei kan ni love.

Kan rawngbawlpuite nen ‘kirlehna remchang’ kan neih chungchang leh kir lova hma lam pana kan kal zelna chhante kan sawi hova.  Nu pakhat, kum 60 chuang tawh, pasal nei lova rawngbawlna tulpui mektu chuan tap chungin, “Ka hmangaih em em ka bialpa ka kalsan a. Nitin kraws pu turin Pathianin min ko thar zel a.  Chu chuan chawl lovin hmalam min pan tir a ni,” a ti.

Chu rinna avang chuan kan hnathawh leh ke pen ve bei tham tak hian ‘chatuan lukhawng’ a nei dawn a ni tih kan hria a.  Mi tam tak Pathian hnenah lokal ruih ruih rih lo mahse vawiina ringlotu nena hun ka hman hian Pathianah awmzia a nei a ni tih rinnain kan hria a ni.  Paula chuan, “Hmu theia kal lovin, rinnain kan kal zawk si a,” a ti a (II Kor. 5:7).  Hei hi “Kan hmuh theih thil te avang chauh hian kan nung lova, rinnain kan nung zawk a ni” a tihna a ni.  Mite hmuhah kan rinna avang hian tisaah a hlawkna tel nghal ur ur lo mah ila, rinnain thutiam chu kan hmu a.  Mi thenkhat chuan kan damchhungin chu thutiam chu kan dawng kher lo a ni thei.  Mahse, kan hmaa mi huai kal ta te ang khan hla tak atanga chibai lo bukin chu ram tiam lam chu kan pan zel tur a ni ang.

Mizorama missionary hmasa te khan Zoram lei lung an rah tirh khan kum za hnua a hnam pum puia Pathian kan lo hre ta hi an hmu nghal lo.  Mahse, chu chu a lo thleng thei a ni tih hriain rinnain chibai an buk a.  A tirtu leh a kotu thu zawmin rinawm takin a Chanchin Tha chu an lo puang a ni.

Mosia chuan khawvel nawmna leh lal ropuina zawng zawngte aiin Pathian mite nena tihduhdahna chu a thlang zawk a.  Cricket khel thiam leh mi hausa tak chhungkua atanga lokal CT Studd-a chuan khawvel thil zawng zawng kalsanin China leh Africa-ah te Pathian rawng a bawl a.  Cambridge University-a khawvel ropuina um tuma inbuatsaih mek Henry Martyn-a chuan a kohna chhangin Pathian a zui a. India ram leh Turkey-ah te rawng bawlin a vak a.  Kum 31 mi chauh a nih laiin Turkey rama Tokat khuaah khawsik tlun hluah hluahin a awm a.  A pang sa tidai tura Black Sea tuipui kam a panna lamah dawm hlumtu pawh nei lovin rinnaa a vahvaihpui Chanchin Tha avangin a tlu hlum a. Heng mite leh mi huaisen tam tak, rinnaa fak hlawhte chuan thutiam chu an dawng a, thiltiamte erawh he khawvelah chang lovin rinnain an thi a ni.

Daniela thian pathum te chuan, “Kan Pathian, a rawng kan bawl thina chuan rawhtuina meipui ata min chhan chhuak thei si a, i kut ata pawh, aw lalber, min chhanchhuak mai ang.  Chutilo pawh ni sela, aw lalber, i pathiante rawng chu kan bawl dawn lo va, i rangkachak milim din pawh chu chibai kan buk hek lovang, tih hi hria ang che,” an ti a (Daniela 3:17-18). Pathian hian kan harsatnate, damlohna leh kan rumna zawng zawng atang hian min chhanchhuak thei na meuh mai.  Min chhanchhuah loh leh kan tawngtaina leh kan dilna ang te min pek loh hian “Engatinge?” tih a awl khawp bawk. Amaherawhchu, “Min chhanchhuak lo mah la, i rawng chauh kan bawl ang” tih zel kan duh a ni. Khawvel milem (idol) ho mai mai uma tlan lo hian Pathian tak chauh rawng chu bawl zelin, ngaihsan tur dik, kan hmaa mi huai kalta te nun kha zirin an hnu rinawm takin i chhui zel ang u.

Krismas Chibai Ule!

Ka zirpuite hi ram hrang hrang atanga lokalte an ni ve hlawm a.  A then ram lum tak, a then ram vawt tak atanga lokal te an ni. October thla atanga thlasik thuam famkima inthuam te an awm laiin a then kekawr bul leh kawr ban bul nena vei thuak thuak an la awm bawk. December a lo thlen meuh chuan hrut rualin kan awm a, -10′C velah kan awm tlang pui a, a vawt ve phian, kan vaiin kan in ha lum ta.

Kum engemawzat kaltaah khan thlasik laiin Kolkata airport-ah zanlaiah kan tum a. A temperature chu 10′C vel a ni awm a.  Mahse, airport hna thawk ho kha lukhum lum, kutkawr leh kawrlum chhah chi nen an inthuam a, an bei nasa mai a. Kan vawt tih a inthlau angreng viau mai.  Mahse, vawt leh lum hi awmna a zir leh tawrh than ang zel a lo ni awm e.

Vur kan la ngah vak lo, kumin chu.  Tun hma zawka mi hi kan tarlang ve mai mai ang e.

Uni Campus - blanketed in white!

Bikes

Flying statues

Image

view from the top

A solitary girl playing in the snow

Enge in awmna hmun te a vawt ve hlawm em? Krismas te in urlawk nasa tawh bawk em aw? Mi maktaduai chuang chenna khawpuiah Mizo Krismas ruai theh ve ila kan ti a, kan tam lutuk lem lo. Seki te pafa sawm ila kan han ti dawn a, mel 3,000 vel kal a ngai bawk si.

Hmmm, in zavaiin Krismas chibai vek ule!

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.