tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66523053786658537142024-03-19T12:55:08.762-07:00Reflections of PassionPostmodernity * Popular Culture * Subalternity * Photography.EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-49550425233848873432010-09-07T11:58:00.000-07:002010-09-07T12:06:44.807-07:00Economic Development VRS History: Rethinking Insurgency in North East India“North East India”, -the first time you heard these three words, I’m sure other unpleasant words “insurgency” or “troubled zone” would follow in your mind. I don’t blame you for being cautious because that is what the media tells you about. What concerns me more is about how any discussion on North East India in media, political circles, NGO’s, and academic circles share similar conclusions by proposing that the problem of North East India is the “economic backwardness” of the region. In recent period, an economic integration with East and Southeast Asia (popularly known as India’s Look East Policy) has been proposed and discussed.<br /><br /><br /> To some extent, this argument seems to be an outsider’s view; such a view has also been generated by some of the North East intellectuals (perhaps the Middle class intelligentsia who don’t even understand the whole complexities of North East India). No doubt, the problem in the North East is linked to development related issues and several illustrations can be pointed out. I would like to raise one question that whether ‘lack of development fuelled insurgency’ or ‘insurgency failed development in the region’? Which comes first, hen or egg? Let’s put aside this issue and ask further questions.<br /><br /><br />What is the insurgency group point of view? What is the main problem according to them? Of course, insurgency groups also talk about economic problem. More importantly, the ideological assumption behind all ethnic groups’ claim is ‘HISTORY’. Here I use history in a very restricted sense, it would mean “ethnic view of their past, constructed or even invented from the memories of the past. For all insurgency outfits in North East India, ‘HISTORY’ has become a site of contesting against the Larger Nation State or other ethnic groups in one way or the other. The Mizo National Front (1966-1986) argues that Mizos in their historical past were never under any foreign control but forcibly taken over by the colonial in the last part of 19th century. Similarly, the Naga insurgency outfit claimed “Greater Nagaland” which was divided during the colonial period. All other outfits, be ULFA (Assam) Kuki (Manipur) or National Liberation Front of Tripura share the same ideological stands basing on their historical past. <br /><br /><br />My argument is thus, historical factor is a shared problem of North East India. Unfortunately, this has been ignored in most of the current discourses. Narratives about the history of ethnic groups give a strong justification of territorial claims, as it does for all insurgency groups of North East India. As long as such ‘justification’ is believed to be true, a particular group’s claim on a territory remains strong. Moreover, constructing ethnic culture area based on ‘history’ for the purpose of fascist political agenda could be equally dangerous. This is exactly what North East India is going through. <br /><br />When we try to determine the problem of North East India, whether development, economic, social or political reason, we should situate them into a larger historical context by placing the larger Nation State and ethnic groups’ projection of history into consideration.EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com76tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-17573506184429816572010-06-08T02:33:00.000-07:002010-06-08T15:48:59.466-07:00BIBLIOTHEQUE<span style="font-weight:bold;">MIZO Tawng</span><br /> <br />Biaksiama, Dr PC; INCHAPCHAR: Mizo nge Israel ?, Mualchin Publication & Paper works, Aizawl, 2004.<br /> <br />Challiana, Pastor; Pi Pu Nun, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1987.<br /> <br />Chawngkunga, C; Mizo Sakhua, T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1997.<br /> <br />Chawngthu, Rozama; English Zirna (5th Edition), Aizawl, 2004.<br /> <br /> ; Zotawng hmandan dik, Mizoram Publication Board, Aizawl, Mizoram , 2000.<br /> <br />Chinzah, L; Lai Tlang, Pawi District Council, lawngtlai, 1972.<br /> <br />Chuauthuama, Revd; Mizo leh Israel , Synod Literature and Publication Board, Aizawl, (First edition 1993) Revised Edition, 2002.<br /> <br />Dahrawka, P.S; Mizo Thawnthu, Chhinga Veng, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1994.<br /> <br />Denghera, Zoram Darthlalang, Tripura, 2001.<br /> <br />Dokhuma, James; Hmanlai Mizo Kalphung, J.D Press Publication, Mizoram, 1992.<br /> ; Zokhaw Nun, Aizawl, 1998.<br /> <br />Hermana, C; Zofate Zinkawng (Culture & Traditions of Mizo), Aizawl, 1995.<br /> <br /> ; Mizo Thawnthu Hlimthla- (Chawngchilhi to Palova), Aizawl, 2001. <br />Khawlhring Thang Dailo; Khawlhring Hnam Chanchin.<br /> <br />Keivom, L; Zoram Khawvel, Aizawl, 1991.<br /> <br />Lalbiaknema, C; Mizote Khawsak Dan, Mizoram Publication Board, 2000.<br /> <br />………………; Mizote leh Politics, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1998.<br /> <br />Lalthanliana, Dr; Mizo Chanchin (Kum 1900 Hma Lam), Vanbuangi Gas Agency, Aizawl Mizoram, 2000.<br /> <br />Lalthangliana, B (ed); Mizo Lal Ropuite Volume-I, T.R.I, Mizoram, 1989.<br /> <br />. ; Pi Pu Chhuahtlang; Hrangbana College Aizawl, 1998.<br /> ; Mizo Literature (Mizo Literacy Centenary special Edition), Khatla, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1993.<br /> ; India, Burma Leh Bangladesh- Mizo Chanchin, R.T.M. Press, Aizawl, Mizoram, 2001. <br /> <br />Lalrinawma, H; Hmasang Zofate Chanchin, Chhinga Veng Aizawl, 2000.<br /> <br />Lalzama Sailo & Brig Ngurliana; Kan Ram, Aizawl, Mizoram. 1987.<br /> <br />Liangkhaia, Rev; Mizo Mi leh Thil Hmingthangte leh Mizo Sakhua, M.A.L, Aizawl, Mizoram. 1973.<br />. ; Mizo Chanchin, M.A.L, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1976.<br /> <br />Lianthanga, C; Hmanlai Mizo Nun, Mizoram Publication Board, Aizawl, Mizoram,1999.<br /> <br />Lunghnema, V; Mizo Chanchin (B.C. 300-1929 A.D), Nongrim Hills Shillong, Meghalaya, 2000.<br /> <br />Lallungmuana, H Dr; Lenkawlni, N.E.H.U Editorial Board Text Book Committee, Aizawl.<br /> <br />Laltluangliana, Khiangte; Mizo Thuziak Thlan Chhuahte, L.T.L Publications, Aizawl, 2001<br /> <br />Lalthanliana, Dr; Mizo Chanchin, (Kum1900 Hmalam) Aizawl, 2000.<br /> <br />Liandala, T.B.C & Liankhuma, J; Nun Hlui, Two-Year Degree Course, N.E.H.U University , Shillong, 1974.<br /> <br />Lunghnema, Col. V; Mizo Chronicles, New Bazar, Churachandpur, Manipur, 1993.<br /> <br />Lalawmpuia, PC; Thu Ngaihnawm Lawrkhawm, Synod Literature and Publication Board, Aizawl, 2000.<br /> <br />Lunghlu, Thakthing Veng Branch YMA Diamond Jubilee (1937-1997) Souvenir.<br /> <br />Malsawma, J; Vanglai (Autobiography), Macdonald Hill, Zarkawt Aizawl, 1995.<br /> <br /> ; Zonun, Aizawl, Mizoram. 1980.<br /> <br />Mekkalath, Dr (Fr) Thomas; Mizoram Thing leh Hnim Damdawia Hmantheihte, Published by Homoepathic Medical Centre, Kolosib, Mizoram, 2000.<br /> <br />Mizo-Te Khawsak Phung, TRI, Directorate of Art & Culture, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1993. p. 67.<br /> <br />Mizo Ramchhuah Dan, TRI, Directorate of Art & Culture, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1993.<br />Mizo Hnam Dan (Customary Law) 1956, Enforced with effect from 1956 vide Mizo Hnam Dan (Operation Order), 1957 as amended in 1960, 1996.<br /> <br />Mizoram District Gazetteers, Published by Art & Culture, Government of Mizoram, Education and Human Resources Department, Aizawl, 1989.<br /> <br />Mizo Sakhua (Kumpinu Rorel Hma); T.R.I, 1983.<br /> <br />Mizo Ziarang; M.A.L, Aizawl, 1975.<br /> <br />Mizo Damdawi, (Upa Thurawn), Published by Mizo Upa Pawl, Head Quarters: Lunglei, 2000. <br /> <br />Nu, Remsangpuii(Buangi Sailo); Mizo Nunhlui leh Tunlai, Aizawl, 2002.<br /> <br />Nu, Ruatfela; Nawhchizawrh leh A Kaihhnawih, Lengchhawn Press, Aizawl, 2004.<br />Pawi Chanchin; T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1988.<br /> <br />Pi Pu Chhuahtlang; Farkawn Souvenir, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1998.<br /> <br />Rongenga, F; Zofate Lo Khawsak Chhoh Dan, Aizawl, Mizoram, 2000.<br /> <br />Rodingliana, V; Mizo tawng puitu, Lunglei, 2004.<br /> <br />Rawsea, Rev. L.H; Tunlai Khawvela Mizote Harsatna (Thalaite Thlirna atangin), Lengchhawn Press, Aizawl,2005.<br /> <br />Ramhmul Damdawite (Medicinal plants), Issued by Agriculture & Minor Irrigation, Mizoram, 2001. This book has recorded 204 medicinal plants.<br /> <br />Sailo, Lalsangzuali; Tlawm Ve Lo Lalnu Ropuiliani, Hnamte Press, Mizoram, 2001.<br /> ; Sakhming Chullo, AJBM Publication, Bungkawn Nursery, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1995.<br /> <br />Sangkhuma, Rev.Z.T.; Mizo Hnam Inneihna, Aizawl, 2002.<br /> ; Missionary Te Hnuhma, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1995.<br /> <br /> ; Mizo Hnam inneihna, Aizawl,2002.<br /> <br />Seletthanga; Pipu Lenlai, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1975.<br /> <br />Siama, V.L; Mizo History, Lengchhawn Press, Aizawl, 1991.<br /> <br />Shalomon, Dr; History of Mizo Israel , Aizawl, Mizoram,1994.<br /> <br />Thanga (Laithangpuia); Hmanlai Mizo Awm Dan, Lalsangpuii, Chandmari Aizawl. Mizoram 1992.<br /> <br />Zairemthanga; Tripura Mizo History, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1992.<br /> <br />Souvenir of Lairam Baptist Church, Centenary Publication, Published by The centenary Committee, Lairam Baptist Church , Lawngtlai, 1994<br /> <br />Zaithanchhungi; Mizo Israel Identity, Benjamin Press, Aizawl, Mizoram,1974.<br /> <br />Zatluanga; Mizo Chanchin, Directorate of Art & Culture, Government of Mizoram, 1996.<br /> <br />Zofate Chanchin, Published by Huango Literature and Cultural Association, Myanmar , 1995<br /> <br />Zawla, K; Mizo Pi Pute leh An Thlahte Chanchin, Aizawl, 1976.<br /> <br />Zo Kalsiam, Mizo Academy of Letters, 1997. RTM Press, Aizawl.<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">English</span><br /> <br />Agriculture handbook of Mizoram, Published by Department of Agriculture, Mizoram, 1999. <br /> <br />Baveja, J.D; The Land Where The Bamboo Flowers, Publication Board, Guwahati, 1970.<br /> <br />Bandyopadhyay, P.K; Leadership Among The Mizos: An emerging Dimension, Delhi, BR Publishing Corporation, 1985<br /> <br />_______________-:The Mizo Leadership, BRPC, New Delhi , 2004.<br /> <br />Bhattacharjee, Chandana; Ethnicity and Autonomy Movement, New Delhi : Vikas Publishing House, 1996.<br /> <br />Balwally, Darshan; Growth of Totalitarianism in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland, Guwahati: Delhi : Spectrum Publications, 2003<br /> <br />Baptist Church of Mizoram Souvenir 1894-1994, <br /> <br />Brijbihari, Kumar ; Kuki Folk-Tales, Nagaland Bhasha Parisshad. Kohima. 1978.<br /> <br />Bonita Aleaz; Emergent Women: Mizo Women's Perspectives, Mittal Publication, Delhi , 2004.<br /> <br />Barua, S; Enchanting Mizoram, North Eastern Affairs, Vol-III, No.I 1974.<br /> <br />Chaube, SK ; Hill Politics in North East India , Digest Longman, 1965.<br /> <br />Chatterjee, N; Puan- The Pride of Mizoram, FKLM on Behalf of TRI, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1979.<br /> <br />. ; Position and Status of Women in the Earlier Mizo Society, TRI, Aizawl, 1975.<br /> <br /> ; Zawlbuk as a Social Institution in the Mizo society, Tribal Research Institute, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1975.<br /> <br /> ; Monoliths & Landmarks of Mizoram, FKLM on behalf of <br />T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1979.<br /> <br />Chatterjee, Suhash; Mizo Chiefs And Chiefdom; M.D. Publication, New Delhi , 1995.<br /> ; Mizoram Under The British Rule, Mittal Publications, Delhi , 1985.<br /> ; History of Mizo economy, Printwell Publishers, Jaipur, 1999.<br /> <br /> ; Making Of Mizoram: Role Of Laldenga, M.D. Publications, New Delhi , 1994.<br /> <br /> ; Mizoram Encyclopaedia, Jaico Publishing House, 1995.<br /> <br />Chawngkunga, C; Important Document of Mizoram, Published by Art And Culture Department, Mizoram, Aizawl, 1998.<br /> <br />Carey, Bertram S and Tuck, H.N; The Chin Hills, Vol-I, Cultural Publishing House, Delhi , 1983.<br /> <br />Chambers, Capt. A.O; Handbook of Lushai Country, Govt Printing Press, Culcutta, 1889.<br /> <br />Coloney, L., Sailo, L. R., Zaihmingthanga, Sailo, Lalthangfala; Mizoram Millennium Souvenir (Mizoram: The Millennium Souvenir Committee).<br /><br />Chaudhuri, Dipak Kumar, (ed)., Administration Report of the Political Agency, Hill Tipperah 1872-1878 Vol. 1 (Agartala: Tripura State Cultural Research Institute & Museum, 1995)<br /><br /> ; Administration Report of the Political Agency, Hill Tipperah 1872-1878 Vol. 11 (Agartala: Tripura State Cultural Research Institute & Museum, 1996)<br /> <br /> <br />Darchhawna; The Tribes of Mizoram, Aizawl, 1994.<br /> <br />Dutta , N.C. , (ed); Politics of Identity and Nation Building in North-East India ( New Delhi : South Asian Press, 1997.<br /><br />Dutta Baruah, P.N. & V.L.T. Bapui.. Hmar Grammar. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages. 1996.<br /><br />Darlong, Letthuama; The Darlongs of Tripura (Agartala: Directorate of Tribal Research Institute, Government of Tripura, 1995)<br /><br />Datta, A. M.; A Study on the Lushais of Jampui Hills in Tripura (Tripura: Directorate of Research, Government of Tripura, 1987)<br /><br />Chaube, S. K; Hill Politics in Northeast India, Patna : Orient Longman Limited, 1973.<br /> <br />Dev, Bimal J & D.K Lahiri; Lushai Customs and Ceremonies, Mittal Publication, Delhi 1983.<br /><br />Das, R Kanti; Tribalism And Beyond: Bodo, Garo, Khasi And Mizo Tribes Of North East India; Punthi Pustak , Calcutta , 2004.<br /> <br />Das, Tarakchandra; The Purums: An Old Kuki Tribe of Manipur, Univ. of Calcutta 1945. <br /> <br />Dad, J.N; A Study of Land System of Mizoram, Law Research Institute, Eastern Region, Guwahati High Court. Sponsored by North Eastern Council, Shillong, 1990.<br /> <br />Dubey, S.M; (edited), North East India, A Sociological Study, published by concept publishing company, Delhi , 1978.<br /> <br />Esqr, Asok Bose; Geological Survey of Hill Tippera 1909-10: A Notes on the Geological and Economic Resources of the Southern Area of Hill Tippera (Tripura: Tripura State Tribal Cultural Research Institute & Museum, 1995)<br /> <br />Foreign Department Report On Chin Lushai Hills September, Purana Books.<br /> <br />Father Vincenzo Sangermano; The Burmese Empire (Westminster: Archibald and Co., 1833; reprinted, Bangkok: White Orchid Press, 1995),<br /> <br />Fachhai Laiu; The Maras : From Warriors to Missionaries, Evangelical Church Of Maraland Mission , Siaha (Saiha), Mizoram, 1994. <br /> <br />Gassah, L. S; Research Priorities in North East India: With Special Reference to Mizoram ( New Delhi : Regency Publications, 2001.<br /><br /> (ed); Autonomous District Council ( New Delhi : Omsons Publications, 1997.<br /><br /> (ed.); Regional Political Parties in North East India ( New Delhi : Guwahati: Omsons Publications,1992. <br /><br />Goswami, Tarun; Kuki Life and Lore , Assam. North Kachar Hill Distt Council. 1985. <br /> <br />Goswami, BB; Kinship System of Lushai, Bulletin of Anthropological Survey of India , 9 (2), 1960.<br /> <br /> ; The Mizo Unrest - A study of the politicisation of culture Jaipur , India : Aalekh Publishers, 1979.<br /><br />Guite C; Politico-Economic Development of the Tribals of Manipur: A Study of the Zomis, Anmol Publications PVT.LTD,1999.<br /><br /> Go, Khup Za. A Critical Historical Study of Bible Translations Among the Zo People in North East India. Churachandpur: Chin Baptist Literature Board, 1996.<br /><br />Gougin, T; Discovery of Zoland, Zomi Press, Churachandpur, Manipur, 1980.<br /> <br />Ghosh G. K; Fables and Folk-Tales of Mizoram, Firma KLM Private Limited , Calcutta ,1998.<br /> <br /> ; Tribals and Their Culture in Assam , Maghalaya and Mizoram, South Asia Books, 1993<br /> <br />Gierson, G; Linguistic Survey of India , Vol III, Part III, Motilal Banarsidass, 1976.<br /> (Ed); Linguistic Survey of India : Specimens of the Kuki-Chin and Burma Groups, Motil Al Banarsidass.<br /> <br /> <br />Hminga, CL; The Life and Witness of the Christian Churches in Mizoram, Serkawn, 1987.<br /> <br />Hazarika, Sanjoy; Strangers of the Mist: Tales of War & Peace from India’s Northeast ( New Delhi : Penguin Books, 1995.<br /> <br />Haokip P.S.; Zale`n-Gam: The Kuki Nation, Kuki National Organisation ,1998.<br /> <br />HUGHES, MAJOR W. GWYNNE; The Hill Tracts of Arakan, Rangoon , 1881. <br /> <br />In search of Identity, Kuki-Chin Baptist Union, Manipur, March 1986. <br /><br /> <br />Israel , Benjamin J; The Jews of India . New Delhi , Mosai Books, 1998.<br /> <br /><br />Jha, L.K (edited); Natural Resources Management Mizoram, A.P.H. Publishing Corporation, New Delhi , 1997.<br /> <br />Kshiren, Roy; Politics of merger in Mizoram, Assam tribune, Feb.3 1974.<br /><br /> : Abortive peace Talk in Mizoram, Assam tribune, April 25, 1974 .<br /> <br />Kipgen, Mangkhosat; Christianity and Mizo culture, The Mizo Theological Conference, Mizoram, On Behalf of the Eastern Theological College , Jorhat, 1996.<br /> <br />Khiangte L; Mizo Drama: Origin, Development, and Themes, Cosmo Publications, Delhi , 1993.<br /> <br /> ; The work of the Holy Spirit among the Mizo Church, Reformed Theological Seminary, 1985.<br /><br />Kyndiah, P. R; Mizo Freedom Fighters, Sanchar Pub. House, 1994.<br /> <br /> ; Pillars of Mizo Society and Thoughts to Share (Mizoram: Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs Department, Government of Mizoram, 1999)<br /><br /><br />Kipgen, M. "Tlawmngaihna And Christianity," Encounter Between Gospel and Tribal Culture. A. Wati Longchar, ed. Jorhat: Tribal Study Centre, 1999. <br /><br /> <br />Katz, Nathan; Who are the Jews of India? Berkeley and Los Angeles : Univ. of California Press, 2000.<br /> <br />Lalrimawia; Mizoram: History and cultural Identity (1890-1947), Spectrum Publication, Delhi , 2000.<br /> <br />Lehman, F.K; The Structure of Chin Society, FKLM on behalf of TRI, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1978.<br /> <br />Lanithanga, P.; State of Our Union: Mizoram, New Delhi : Publication Division, Government of India , 1997.<br /> <br />Lewin, T.H; Wild Races Of South-Eastern India , FKLM on behalf of TRI, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1978.<br /> <br />Lewin, T.H; A Fly on The Wheel, or How I Help to Govern India , 1885.<br /> Lewin, Thomas Herbert (?). 2001(?). Exercises in the Lushai Dialect. Aizwal: Tribal Research Insitite [Reprint]<br /><br />Lianzela; Economic Developments of Mizoram, Spectrum Publication, Guwahati, 1994.<br /> <br />Lianzela; Four Decades of Planning in Mizoram, Khuangkungi Aizawl, Mizoram, 1995.<br /> <br />Lianhmingthanga; Material Culture of The Mizo, TRI, Department of Art and Culture, Government of Mizoram, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1998.<br /> <br />Lloyd, J. M; History of the Church in Mizoram, Synod Publication Board Mizoram, 1993.<br /> <br />Lorrain, James Herbert; Dictionary of the Lushai Language, The Asiatic society, 1975.<br /> <br />Lorrain, R.A; 5 Years in Unknown jungle; Spectrum Publication, on behalf of the TRI, Aizawl, 1988.<br /> <br />Mackenzie, Alexander; The North East Frontier Of India , Mittal Publication, New Delhi , 2003.<br /> <br />McCall, A.G; The Lushai Chrysalis, T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1977. <br /> <br />Malsawma, H.L; Sociology of the Mizos, Spectrum Publication, New Delhi , 2001.<br /> <br />Mizo Women Today; T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1991.<br /> <br />Mizo National Front 9Estd,: October 22, 1961 )Published by Mizo National Front, general headquarter, Mizoram, Aizawl-796001.<br /> <br /><br />Nag, Sajal; Contesting Marginality: Ethnicity, Insurgency and Subnationalism in North-East India ( New Delhi : Manohar, 2002)<br /><br /><br /> ; India and North-East India : Mind, Politics and the Process of Integration 1946-1950 (New Delhi: Regency Publications, 1998)<br /><br /><br />---------------: Pied Pipers in North-East India : Bamboo-Flowers, Rat Famine, and the Politics of Philanthropy, 1881-2007, Manohar Publication, Delhi, 2008.<br /><br /><br />NorthEast India: A Bibliography ( New Delhi : Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, 2002)<br /> <br />Nibedon, Nirmal; Mizoram: The Dagger Brigade, Lancers Publication, New Delhi , 1980.<br /> <br />Nag, Amit Kumar; The Ups and Downs of Mizos polities in North Eastern Affairs, Vol.I, No.1, Jan-March, 1972.<br /><br /> ;Post-Colonial Mizo Politics, Vikas Pub. House, Delhi 1999.<br /> <br /> ; Mizo Polity and Modernization, Vikas Pub. House, Delhi 1998<br /> <br />------------------------;Mizo Polity and Political Modernisation Pre-Colonial and Colonial Institutions, Vikas Publishing House (P) Ltd. , New Delhi,1998.<br /> <br />_______________;Post-Colonial Mizo Politics (1947-1988), Vikas Publishing House (P) Ltd. , New Delhi , 1999.<br /> <br />NEWLAND A.G.E.; Sketches on the Chin Hills, South Asia Books, 1993.<br /> <br />Prasad, R.N. & Agarwal A. K; Modernisation of the Mizo Society: Imperatives and Perspectives,Mittal Publication, New Delhi , 2003.<br /> <br /> ; Administrative Review: Special Issue on Judicial Administration in Mizoram Vol. VI (Mizoram: The Indian Institute of Public Administration Mizoram Regional Branch, 2001.<br /> ;Landmarks: A Study of Public Administration in Mizoram (Aizawl: 1995)<br /> <br />Paken,B; The Biates, in S.Karotemprell (ed), The Tribes of North-East India, Calcutta, Firma K.L.M. Private Ltd, 1984.<br /> <br />Paite in Mizoram; T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1987.<br /> <br />Parry, N.E; A Monograph on Lushai Customs and Ceremonies, R.I. Khasi offset Printers on behalf of T.R.I, Aizawl Mizoram, 1988. (First edition, 1928).<br /> <br />Parry N.E; The Lakhers, T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1976.<br /> <br />Prasad RN & AK Agarwal (edt); Landmarks: A study of Public Administration in Mizoram, Lengchhawn Press, Published by Indian institute of Public administration, Aizawl Local Branch, Mizoram, 1995.<br /> <br />Pachuau, Rintluanga; Geography of Mizoram, R.T Enterprise, Aizawl, 1994.<br /> <br />Prasad, R.N & Agarwal, A.K; Political and Economic Development of Mizoram, Mittal Publications, New Delhi , 1991.<br /> <br /> ; A study of Public Administration in Mizoram, Lengchhawn Press, Published by Indian institute of Public administration, Aizawl Local Branch, Mizoram, 1995.<br /> <br />Pudaite, R; The Education of Hmar People, Navana Printing works Pvt.Ltd, Calcutta , 1963.<br /> <br />Ray, Aminesh; Mizoram, National Book Trust India , Delhi , 1993.<br /> <br /> ; India-The Land and the People: Mizoram (New Delhi: National Book Trust of India, 1993)<br /><br /> <br />Ray, A. C.; States of our Union Mizoram (New Delhi: Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 1972)<br /> <br />Reid A.S; Chin-Lushai Land, FKLM, private Ltd on behalf of T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1976.<br /> <br />Reid, Robert; The Lushai Hills, FKLM on behalf of T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1976. <br /> <br />Reid, Robert Neil; The Lushai Hills Culled From History Of The Frontier Areas Bordering On Assam , From 1883-1941. <br /> <br />Rokhuma, C; Tam Do Pawlin Enge a tih? (The Secret Of Famine Found), Aizawl, 1988.(Note:Heihi Mizo-Duhlian leh English-a ziah a ni) <br /> <br />Rawltawna; The Lushai Hills Cover, aizawl, 1989.<br /> <br />REDUCING VULNERABILITIES OF YOUNG WOMEN TO STI / HIV / AIDS IN Aizawl District, Mizoram: A DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN For THE CHARCA PROJECT, December 2002, Prepared by: The CHARCA Core Group, Aizawl (A multi-stakeholder co-ordination and decision making mechanism)<br /> <br />Roa, V.Venkata; Sociology of Mizo Politics, Seminar Paper, Deptt. Of Sociology, Dibrugarh University , March 12 1975 .<br /> <br />Sangkima; Mizos: Society and Social Change, Spectrum Publication, Guwahati: New Delhi , 2000.<br /><br />Subbarao, Karumuri V. & B. Lalitha Murthy. 1998. Aspects of Mizo Grammar. Delhi: University of Delhi (MS)<br /><br />Sengupta, A.K; The Lushai-Kuki Clan Re-Examined, Eastern Anthropologist, 22 (3), 1969.<br /> <br />Saprawnga, Ch; Factor Contributing to the Mizo Problem, tribal Mirror, Karimgung, Vol.III 1967.<br /> <br />Sailo, D. B; The Short History of Menasseh People (Shinlung) North Eastern India . Aizawl, 1975.<br /> <br />Set on a Hill, Light On The Lushai Hills After Forty Years- Report of Women’s work, Serkawn Today. Baptist Church of Mizoram, Gospel Centenary Edition, 1993.<br /> <br />Shakespear, J; The Lusei -Kuki Clan, Macmillan &Co., Ltd. on behalf of T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1988.<br /> <br />Singh, S.N; Mizoram: Historical, Geographical, Social, Economic, Political and Administrative, Mittal Publication, New Delhi , 1994.<br /><br />Singh, Daman; The Last Frontier: people and forests in Mizoram. Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi. 1996.<br /><br />Syiemlieh, R. David; Survey of Research in History on North-East India 1970-1990 ( New Delhi : Regency Publication, 2000)<br /> <br />Sinha, Surajit; Tribal Polities And State System In Pre-Colonial Eastern And North Eastern India, Published for Center for Studies In Social Science Calcutta by K.P Bagchi & Company, Calcutta , 1987.<br /> <br />Singh, K. S; Tribal Movement In India , Manohar Publications, Delhi , 1982.<br /> <br /> ;People of India : Mizoram Vol. XXXIII (Calcutta: Seagull Books, 1995)<br /> <br />Sing Khaw Khai; Zo People and their Culture: A Historical Study and Critical Analysis of Zo and their ethnic Tribes, Khampu Hatzaw, New Lamka-G, Churachanpur, Manipur.<br /> <br />Shoppitt C.A.: A Short Account Of The Kuki-Laushai Tribes On The North-East Frontier,<br /> <br />Shibani, Roy & Rizvi S.H.M; Kuki-Chin Tribes Of Mizoram And Manipur, 2006.<br /> <br />Sen, Sipra; Tribes of Mizoram; Description, Ethnology and Bibliography, Gian Publishing House, New Delhi , 1992.<br /> <br />Stevenson, H.N.C; The Economics of the Central Chin tribes, TRI, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1986.<br /> <br />S M A W Chishti : Kuki Uprising In Manipur 1919-1920, Spectrum Publications , Guwahati,2004.<br /> <br />S.Gangte, Thangkhomang; The Kukis of Manipur (A Historical Analysis), Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi , 2003.<br /><br />Sanajaoba, Naorem; Manipur: Past and Present, The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization Vol. 3. Nagas and Kuki-Chins, 1998-2004. <br /> <br />Stirn, Aglaja & Van Ham, Peter; Primitive Passions: The Seven Sisters of India : Tribals World Between Tibet and Burma , Mapin Publishing, Ahmedbad, 2000.<br /> <br />Strom, Donna. Wind Through the Bamboo: The Story of Transformed Mizos. Madras: Evangelical Literature Service, 1991.<br /><br />Thanga, L.B: The Mizos. (A study in racial Personality), United publishers, Gawahati, 1978.<br /> <br />Tiwari, R.P. and Jha, L.K. (1995), Morphometric Analysis of Watersheds of Mizoram for Estimation of Burn-off and Sediment Yield in Natural Resource Management in Mizoram, Vol. 1, APP Publications, New Delhi .<br /> <br />The Ministry of Finance, Economics Division (1994), Economic Survey 1993-94, Government of India Press, New Delhi .<br /> <br />The Lushais (1878-1889), FKLM on behalf of T.R.I, 1978.<br /> <br />Thanzawna, RL; On the Union Territory , Amrita Bazar PAtricas, Mizoram Supplement, 21 January, 1973 .<br />Thomas, E.J. ; Mizo Bamboo Hills Murmur Change Mizo Society Before and After Independence , Intellectual Publishing House, 1997, New Delhi .<br /> <br />Varman, S. B. K. Dev; The Tribes of Tripura: A dissertation (Agartala: Directorate of Research, Government of Tripura, 1986)<br /> <br />Vumson; Zo History, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1987.<br /> <br />Venkata, V. Roa; Thansanga, H; Hazarika, Niru; A Century of Government And Politics in North-East India, Volume III, Mizoram, S. Chand &Company PVT LTD, New Delhi, 1987. <br /><br />Wolfenden, Stuart N; Outlines of Tibeto-Burman Linguistic Morphology. With special reference to the Prefixes, Infixes and Suffixes of Classical Tibetan and the Languages of the Kachin, Bodo, N?? Kuki-Chin and Burma Groups. London , The Royal Asiatic Society, 1929.<br /> <br />Woodthorpe, R.G, The Lushai Expedition 1871-1872, FKPL on behalf of T.R.I, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1978.<br /><br />Weidert, Alfons. 1975. Componential Analysis of Lushai Phonology. Amsterdam: Benjamins<br /><br />White, A.B.; Routes in Upper Burma: Including the Chin Hills and Shan States , Manas Publications, 1996.<br /> <br />Zairema; God’s miracle in Mizoram (Mizoram: Synod Press & Bookworm, 1978)<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="font-weight:bold;"> Essays and Articles</span><br /> <br />Periodical Journals, Souvenirs, Magazines, Government Records, internet Website, Project Works and Proceedings<br /> <br />Avichail, Eliahu; The Tribes of Israel : The Lost and the Dispersed? Jerusalem : Amishav.1988.<br /> <br />Andrew Miller, Roy ; "Research on Tibeto-Burman Languages", Language, Vol.60, No.3 Sep 1984.<br /> <br />Bhaumik, Subhir and Silver, Eric;"Author claims to have found remnant of Lost Tribes of Israel in F.S Ancient Mysteries News, March 1, 1999 .<br /> <br />Bhaskararao, Peri. 1996. “A Computerized Lexical Database of Tiddim Chin and Lushai.” Tsuyoshi Nara & Kazuhiko Machida (eds.). A Computer-Assisted Study of South-Asian Languages. Report No. 6. Tokyo: ILCAA. 27-143 <br />Bhardwaj, Sujata and S. K. Gakhar; Ethnomedicinal plants used by the tribals of Mizoram to cure cuts and wounds, Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 4, 1, 75—80, 2005.<br /><br />Bhattacharjee, Sukalpa; "Feminizing the Civic Space: The Mizo Women’s Federation and the Naga Mothers Association, Proceedings of N.E.I.H.A, 20th Session, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam, 2000.<br /> <br /> <br />Benjamin, V. L. and Yisrael; "Mongoloid Israels of Manipur State ", Manipur: Manipur Jewish Organisation.1975.<br /> <br /><br />Campbell, A.; "On the Looshais" The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland , Vol.3 1974.<br /> <br />Chatterjee, Suhash; Early History of the Mizos? Proceeding of North East India History Association, Ninth Session, Guwahati, 1988.<br /><br />Chhangte, Thangi. 1989. “Complementation in Mizo (Lushai).” Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 12.1:133-55<br /><br />Chaturvedi HK, Phukan RK, Zoramthanga K, Hazarika NC, Mahanta J; Tobacco use in Mizoram, India: socio-demographic differences in pattern” Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Med Public Health. March, 29. 1998.<br /> <br />Changli, Zhu Prof; “A Study of the Ethnic Origin and Customs of the Nationalities in Northeastern Area in India- A Comparison between them and some of the nationalities in Yunnan and Xixang, China and Northern Burma?Studies on Minority Nationalities of North Eastern India- The Mizos, International Seminar-1992, The Seminars Committee, Higher and Technical Education, Aizawl, Mizoram.<br /> <br />Claus-Dieter Brauns; “The Peaceful Mrus of Bangladesh? National Geographic, February, Vol.143, No.2, 1973.<br /><br />Chakraborty , AS; Emergence of Women from ‘Private’to ‘Public’: A Narrative of Power Politics from Mizoram, Journal of International Women’s Studies, 2008.<br /><br />Chaturvedi HK, Phukan RK, Zoramtharga K, Hazarika NC, Mahanta J; "Tobacco use in Mizoram, India: sociodemographic differences in pattern" Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1998 Mar;29.<br /> <br /><br />David Klinghoffer (review);"Lost ?and Found??- Across the Sabbath River : In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel " National Review, Nov 25, 2002 . <br /> <br />Edmund Leach; " Kachin and Haka Chin: A rejoinder to Levi-Strauss? Man, New Series, Vol. 4 (June 1969).<br /> <br /><br />Eugenie J.A Hendenson; "Componential Analysis of Lushai Phonology" Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London , Vol. 39.No. 2, 1976.<br /> <br /> <br />Fuchs, Steven; Messianic Movements in Tribal India .?Journal of The Anthropological Society of<br />Bombay . 12.1966.<br /> <br />Freud, Michael; “Long Lost Jews, The Jerusalem Post Magazine, March 27, 2002 .<br /> <br />Fathers, Michael; “Lost Tribe of Israe? in Times Asia , Vol-154, No. 9, September 9, 2000 .<br /> <br />Goswami, B. B; “By-Product of Christianity Among the Hill-Tribesmen of North East India ? Review of Ethnology, 7: 42 -46.1980.<br /><br />Goswaini, RB; 'By-product of Christianity iii the Hill Tribesman North East India', Review of Ethnology, Vol. 7, 1-9. No. 2 (July) 1980.<br /><br />Hluna, JV; “Role of women in the Politics of Mizoram?3rd Annual Magazines 2001-2002, T. Romana College, Malsawm Publication, Aizawl, Mizoram. <br /><br />Hillard, Edward. 1992. “Whistle and Fontanel: Two Mizo (Lushai) texts with commentary.” Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 15.2:127-49<br /><br />H.N.C.Stevenson; "Feasting and Meat Division Among the Zahau Chins of Burma : A preliminary Analsis" The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland , Vol.67 (Jan-June, 1937).<br /> <br />Hrangkhuma NL; Church in Dialogue with Women in Mizo Society, 2002 - Fuller Theological Seminary.<br /> <br />Hluna, J.V; Pre- Christian Religion of the Mizos? Studies on Minority Nationalities of North Eastern India-The Mizos. International Seminar-1992, The Seminars Committee, Higher and Technical Education, Aizawl, Mizoram.<br /> <br />“India’s Turbulent Northeast? SOUTH ASIA MONITOR,No.35, JULY 5, 2001 .<br /> <br /> <br />Katz, Nathan and Ellen, Goldberg; "The Last Jews in India and Burma " Jerusalem Letter. 101.1988.<br /> <br />Kamkhenthang, Dr. H.; "Grouping For Identity" In search of Identity, Kuki-Chin Baptist Union, Imphal, March 1986.<br /> <br /> Kipgen, M. "Tlawmngaihna And Christianity," Encounter Between Gospel and Tribal Culture. A. Wati Longchar, ed. Jorhat: Tribal Study Centre, 1999. <br /><br />J.Shakespear, JLM; "Notes on Some Tribal and Family Names Employed in Speaking of the Inhabitants of the Lushai Hills" The Journal of the Anthropological Institure of Great Britain And Ireland , Vil.30, 1990.<br /> <br />Joshi, H & Kar, K; Environmental impact of shifting cultivation and its management: A case study of Mizoram, India, Journal of Environmental Systems [J. ENVIRON. SYST.]. Vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 249-267. 1992. <br /><br />Lyman, Stanford M; :The Lost Tribes of Israel as a Problem in History and Sociology?International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society, 12(1): 7-42, 1998.<br /> <br />Lalremsiama, F: “The traditional religious belief of the Mizos” in Historical Journal Mizoram, Vol-1, Issue-1, M.H.A, July 2000.<br /><br />Lalramnghinglova, J.H; Food plants, fruit plants and medicinal plants of Mizoram, Environment and Forest Department, Mizoram, 1992.<br /><br /> Lalitha Murthy, B. & Karumuri V. Subbarao. 1999. “Lexical anaphors and pronouns in Mizo.” In: Barbara Lust, Kashi Wali, James Gair & Karumuri V. Subbarao (eds.): Lexical Anaphors and Pronouns in Selected South Asian Languages: A Principled Typology. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter<br />Lalbiaktluanga, Rev., 'Theological Trend in Mizoram,' in Towards a Tribal Theology: The Mizo Perspective, K. Thangzauva (ed), Mizoram, Mizo Theological College, Jorhat, Assam, 1989.<br /><br />Laldena Intoate Hmar; Tribalism Or Detribalization?www.e-pao.net. <br /> <br />Lehman, F.K (Review); "Componential Analysis of Lushai Phonology" Language, Vol.54, No.3 Sept., 1978.<br /> <br />Leach, ER; Kachin and Haka Chin, A rejoinder to Levi-Strauss? Man.n.s 1969.<br /> <br /> ; "Aspects of Bridewealth and Marriage Stability Among the Kachin and Lakher", Man, Vol.57, 1975.<br /> <br /> (Review);. “The Structure of Chin Society by F.K Lehman , Illinois , 1963.?Man, Vol.64 (Jan-Feb), 1964<br /> <br />Levi-Strauss, Claude; Miscellaneous Notes on The Kuki of the Chittangong Hill Tracts, Pakistan", Man, Vol. 51, Dec 1951.<br /> <br />Lianzela; "Effects of Shifting Cultivation on the environtment with special Reference to Mizoram" International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 24 No. 7/8/9 , 1997.<br /> <br />Lallianthanga RK; Medicinal plants of Mizoram (A project report), Mizoram Council of Science, Technology and Environment, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1990.<br /><br />Lalrimawia; Lushai Risingin proceedings of N.E.I.H.A, Sixth Session, Agartala, 1985.<br />Lalrinawmi Ralte; Land Holding Systems in Mizoram, A Feminist Critique Chhinlung, The Annual Journal of Bangalore Mizo Association 2006-2007, Vol.XVIII, Bangalore Mizo Association, 2007. <br /><br />Mohan Ram HY; "Some Observations on the flowering of bamboos in Mizoram? Current Science, 50, 1981. <br /> <br />Major MacDonald, Caption Tanner & Caption Badley; "The Lushai Expedition" Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London , Vol.17, No.1, 1872-1873)<br /> <br />“Mizo song irks women’s organization” The Telegraph, Kolkata, March 11, 2004 .<br /> <br />Mizo children vow not to hunt wildlife, Date: July 13, 2004 By: David Thangliana Source: The Telegraph, Kolkata<br /> <br />Mills, J.P; " Notes on (i) An Obsolute Kuki Metal Vessel (ii) Fire-Making By men and women of the Old Kuki Clans of Cachar" Man, Vol.30, Jan 1930.<br /> <br />McGIRK, TIM; "Chosen people found in India ", Independent, The ( London ), Sep 24, 1995 .<br /> <br />Matthew S.Dryer; Word Order in Tibeto-Burman Languages, Sunny Boffaloo, 2000.<br /> <br />Nithsdale. F.M.; "Migrations of the Lost Tribes of Israel "<br /> <br />Nag, Sajal; “Bamboo, Rats and Famines: Famine Relief and Perceptions of British Paternalism in the Mizo Hills ( India )? Environment and History 5(1999): 245-252.<br /> <br />Nabakumar Singh, The Anal: A study on Their Village Polity?lt;/I> in Man and Life, (A Journal of Institute of Social Research and applied Anthropology, Lake town, Calcutta ) Vol. 19, Nos 1&2, January-June, 1993.<br /> <br />Pierre Bassaignet; "Tribesmen of The Chittangong Hill Tracts, Dacca ?(Asiatic Society of Pakistan ) 1958.<br /> <br />Pachuau L; Mizo" Sakhua" in Transition: Change and Continuity from Primal Religion to Christianity -MISSIOLOGY, 2006 - AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MISSIOLOGY.<br /> <br />Paul S. Chhakchhuak; "Chittangong Hill Tracts: Stating and Resolving the issues Within the Mountains?American international School, Dhaka , Senior Project 2004.<br /> <br />Re-Unification of the Chin People: Memorandum Submitted by the Paite National Council to Prime Minister of India for Re-unification of Chin People of India and Burma under One Country (Imphal, Manipur: Azad Printing, 1960). The memorandum was signed by T. Goukhenpa, President, and S. Vungkhom, Chief Secretary, Paite National Council.<br /> <br />Rai RN; Perceived Parental Rearing Style Among Mizo Boys and Girls,INDIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW, 2000 - AGRA PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH CELL.<br /><br />Ralte, Lalrinawmi. "Dance Theology", Ann Wansbrough, ed., In God's Image: Doing Tribal Women's Theology, Vol. 19, No. 4. Bangalore: December, 2000.<br /><br /> <br />Robert Shafer; " Annamese and Tibeto-Burmic" Harvard Jounral of Asicatic Studies, Vol. 6, No. 6, No.3/4 (Feb., 1942).<br /> <br />Robert Reid; "The Excluded Areas of Assam ", The Geographical Journal, Vol.103, No.1/2 January-Feb, 1944.<br /> <br />Rodney Needham; "Chawte Social Structure", American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol.62, No.2, April, 1960.<br /> <br />Rangaswami, Amrita: "Mizoram - a Tragedy of Our Own Making", Economic & Political Weekly, July 1990.<br /><br />Robbins Burling; The Additional of Final Stops in the History of Maru (Tibeto-Burman)? Language, Vol.42, No.3, Part 1 (Sep,1966).<br /><br /> Rev.Khuanga; “Relevance of Customary Law and Justice in the Changing socio-Economic context of Mizoram” in R.N Prasad & P.Chakraborty (edt); Administration of Justice in Mizoram, Mittal Publication, New Delhi, 2006. <br /><br />Samra, Myer; Judaism in Manipur and Mizoram: By-Product of Christian Mission?The Australian Journal of Jewish Studies, 6(1): 8.1992.<br /><br />Saptawna. H.S; Medicinal plants and selected traditional medicines, Pu Bawlkunga, Tahan-Kalemyo (1990),<br /> <br />Singh LN ; Marital Adjustment in Mizo Society: A Psychological Analysis, INDIAN PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW, 2005 - AGRA PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH CELL.<br /><br /> Solnit, David B. 1979. “Proto-Tibeto-Burman *r in Tiddim Chin and Lushai.” Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 4.2:111.21<br />Sangkima; “Bawi and Sal as an Important Economic Factor in Early Mizo Society with Special Reference to Chief” Historical Journal of Mizoram, Vol-II, Issue-II, M.H.A. July 2001.<br /><br />Sangkima (2002); ‘Impact of Ramayana upon the Mizo’ in Sujit K. Ghosh (Ed) Ramayana in the North-East India: Proceedings of the National Seminar Organised by Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Samiti, Silchar.<br /><br />Sujit K. Ghosh ; ‘Elective Affinities: The Influence of "Ramayan" on Mizo Religion & Culture’, in International Conference on Revisiting Indus-Sarasvati Age & Ancient India, October, 4 (Friday) - 6 (Sunday), 1996 Atlanta (Georgia), U.S.A. Laura Dudley Jenkins; Another "People of India" Project: Colonial and National Anthropology, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 62, No. 4. (Nov., 2003), pp. 1143-1170.<br /><br />Shankar Raman, T.R; " Effects of Slash-and-Burn Shifting Cultivation on Rainforest Birds in Mizoram, Northeast India ", Conservation Biology, Vol.15, No.3, june 2001.<br /> <br />Sinha DN, Gupta PC & Pednekar MS; "Tobacco use among Students in the Eight North-Eastern States of India " Indian Journal of Cancer | April - June 2003 | Volume 40 | Issue 2.<br /> <br />Stonor, C.R & Edgar Anderson; "Maize Among the Hill Peoples of Assam", Annals of the Missiouri Botanical Graden, Vol. 36, No.3, sep 1949.<br /> <br />Samra, Myer; ‘The Tribes of Manasseh: ‘Judaism?in the Hills of Manipur and Mizoram,?in Man and Life, (QJA) Vol-71, No. 1, Special Issue, March 1991.<br /> <br />Sinha DN, Gupta PC, Pednekar M; "Tobacco water: a special form of tobacco use in the Mizoram and Manipur states of India "Natl Med J India. 2004 Sep-OctNatl Med J India . 2004 Sep-Oct, Vol.17, No.5.<br /><br /> <br />Simon Denyer; "India's 'lost tribe of Israel ' awaits a second exodus" Independent, The ( London ), Apr 25, 2005 .<br /> <br />Sangkima, Position and Status of Women in the Traditional Mizo Society?in proceedings of N.E.I.H.A, 9th Session, Guwahati, 1988.<br /> <br /> , Women and politics in Mizoram? proceedings of N.E.I.H.A, 19th Session, Nagaland University , Kohima, 1999.<br /> <br />Shalva Weil; "Dual Conversion Among the Shinlung of North-East India ", Stud. Tribes Tribals, Vol.1. No.1, 2004.<br /> <br /> ; Double Conversion among the Children of Menasse.?in G. Pfeffer and D.K. Behera (eds.): Contemporary Society Tribal Studies. New Delhi : Concept, 1996.<br /><br /> T.R.S Raman, G.S Rawat, and A.J.T John singh; “Recovery of tropical rainforest avifauna in relation to vegetation succession following shifting cultivation in Mizoram, north-east India” in Journal of Applied Ecology 35, 1998.<br /><br />T.R.S Raman; “Effect of slash-and-burn shifting cultivation on rainforest birds in Mizoram, northeast India”, Conservation Biology 15, 2001.<br /><br /><br /> <br />Thangchungnunga Dr ; "Agrarian Change and Social transformation among the Mizo (The Tribal State in North-East India ), International Journal of Social Economics, Vol.25. No.2/3/4 1998.<br /> <br />Thakuria, Nava; "Aizawl Conference clings to democratic mission in Burma " North East Press Service, Tuesday, December 28, 2004 <br /> <br />Thangruma, D. 1974. Memorandum to the Prime Minister of Israel . Aizawl: Mizoram Israel Zionist Organisation.<br /> <br />Thanga TH; Analysis of the Value of Myth and Story Among the Mizo People in Myanmar ,1993 - Reformed Theological Seminary.<br /> <br />Tibor Krausz; "Zionism Revisited" Jerusalem Report, The, Nov 17, 2003 <br /> <br /> ; "Are They or Aren't They?" Jerusalem Report, The, Nov 17, 2003 by <br /> <br /> ; "Zion on the Myanmar Border? Jerusalem Report, The, Nov 17, 2003.<br /> <br />US beckons nurses from Mizoram, Date: August 13, 2004 , The Telegraph, Kolkata.<br /> <br /> <br />Van Schendel, Willem; "A politics of Nudity: Photographs of the 'Naked Mru' of Bangladesh ", Modern Asian Studies Vol.36, No.2, 2002.<br /> <br />"Waiting to Wed (Again)" Jerusalem Report, The, Dec 29, 2003.<br /> <br />Zohra, K; The Marriage Customs of the Maras before the advent of the British in the Maralands?Studies on Minority Nationalities of North Eastern India, The Mizos. International Seminar-1992, The Seminars Committee, Higher and Technical Education, Aizawl, Mizoram.<br /> <br />Zochungnunga; Survey of the Pre- Colonial Mizo Economy?in Pialral, A Historical Journal of Mizoram, M.H.A, Vol-V, December 1995.<br /> <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> <br />In Mizo: Periodical Journals, News Paper, Magazines, Government Records and Proceedings:</span><br /> <br /> <br />Environment and Forest Tlangau, Vol. I. Conservator of Forest , Southern Circle, Mizoram, 1996.<br /> <br />Lalthangliana, B; Mizo Identity, Sabereka Khuangkaih, February 1998, Aizawl.<br /> <br />Ralte, Lalrinawmi Dr; "Chawngtinleri?in Chhinlung Magazine, Vol X, Bangalore Mizo Association, 1996- 97. <br /> <br />Sangkhuma, Z.T, Rev; "Mizo Hmeichhiate leh Inneihna?Hmeichhiate leh Mizo Hnam Dan (Seminar Papers on Women and Mizo customary Law), Valcolm Publication, Aizawl, Mizoram, 2000. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Gender/Women Studies </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mizo</span><br /> <br />1. "Women and their Legal Status, J.Malsawma; Vanglai (Autobiography), Aizawl 1995.<br /> <br />2. Lalrinliana Colney; "Mizote leh Hmeichhia, Sabereka Khuangkaih, March,1998.<br /> <br />3. Sangzuala Pa; Kan Mizo hmeichhiate hi?, Thlipui, July 2002.<br /> <br />4. Vanrengpuia Chinzah; "Hmeichhia” Sabereka Khuangkaih, September 1998.<br /> <br />5. V.Lalnunmawia; “Hmeichhia nge Minu?” Zunzam, Vol. I Issue. No.2 March 2000.<br /> <br />6. Upa C.Remmmawii; “Kohhran Hmeichhe Rawngbawlna? Chawnhu Centenary (1891-2006) Souvenir, Central Committee. Chawnhu Centenary.<br /> <br />7. Lalsangzuali; Thuthlungthar Hmeichhiate, Synod Publication Board, 1991.<br /> <br />8. MHIP dan Bu siam thu rawtna, Vanglaini, Thu, Nov, 9, 2006<br /> <br />9. Lalzuia Colney; “Mizo Society leh Hmeichhe dinhmun, Vanglaini Nov 22, 2006<br /> <br />10. Lianhrima, (Public Prosecutor); "India dan hnuaia Hmeichhe Hamthatna, Zozam Times, Feb 9, 2007.<br /> <br />11. Hmingthanzuali; "Patriarchy in Mizoram, Vulmawi, Jan 23, 2007.<br /> <br />12. Rev C. Rosiama; Chhungkaw tha din tura Hmeichhiate tha tihchak dan tur, Zozam Times, Jan 26, 2007<br /> <br />13. ZH Ropuia’n MLA turin MHIP member-te a sawm, Vanglaini, Thursday, Feb 22, 2007.<br /> <br />14. Rev K Lungmuana; “Kohhrana Hmeichhiate Rawngbawlna (The role of Women in the Church)” Seminar on Hmeichhe hamthatna, Organized by All India Sunday School Association, AISSA leh Mizoram Presbyterian Kohhran Hmeichhe Central Committee. November, 18, 2006.<br /> <br />15. F. Lawmzuali; "Women Empowerment Year 2001: (Hmeichhiate tihchakna hian Mizo hmeichhiate tan kawngro a su dawn em?, Zoram Kal chhet chhet, Youth Club, Aizawl, 2002. <br /> <br />16. H.Vanlalhruaia; “Hmeichhia VRS Minu, Lunglei Tribune, 8 August, 2006.<br /> <br />17. H.Vanlalhruaia; "Feminism leh Mizo Hmeichhiate; Lunglei Tribune, 22nd April, 2006.<br /> <br />18.H.Vanlalhruaia; India rama Hmeichhe dinhmun thenkhat, 27.July, 2006 www.zawkbuk.net.<br /> <br />19.H.Vanlalhruaia; Mizo Hmeichhiate leh Kohhran Dan” Unpublished.<br /> <br />20. Bianca Son; "Hmeichhiate leh Mipate inkara Inlaichinna Tha? Romei (News paper, Aizawl), September, 23, 2006. Mizo Express (news paper, Aizawl), October, 21, 2006.<br /> <br />21. Ruatfela Nu; "Engvanginnge Mizo Hmeichhiate tihchak an tul. The Aizawl Post, 25th February 2005.<br /> <br />22. Remsangpuii Nu (Buangi Sailo); Mizo Nunhlui leh Tunlai, Aizawl, 2001.<br /> <br />23. T.C Zonunsanga; Mizo Mipate U……., YMA Chanchinbu, August, 2004.<br /><br />24. E. C. Thomas; Hmeichhiate Dikna humhalh, <br /> http://www.pibaizawl.nic.in/feature/mizo/mar06/oct3.htm<br />25. Lalruatfela Nu (2004); Nawhchizawrhna leh a Kaihnawih, Lengchhawn Press, Aizawl 2004.<br /><br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> <br />English</span><br /> <br />1. Upa C.Remmawii; "Women Ministry?Compendium, Baptist Church of Mizoram , Serkawn, Lunglei, 2003.<br /> <br />2. T.Sailo; The Mizo Women and their Weaving? Mizoram Today, 15th August, 1974.<br /> <br />3. Lalnghakthuami; Quest for Women’s Identity From A Mizo Women’s Perspective, Mizoram Theological Journal, Vol.VI. Jan- March 2005. Durtlang Aizawl, ATC 2005<br />4. JV.Hluna; "Role of women in the Politics of Mizoram, 3rd Annual Magazines 2001-2002, T. Romana College, Malsawm Publication, Aizawl, Mizoram.<br />5. Linda Chhakchhuak; Women of God Want A Place in Church, Janmanch. http://www.boloji.com/wfs/wfs047.htm, June 12.<br />6. Mizo Women Today; Tribal Research Institute, Aizawl, Mizoram, 1991.<br />7. N.Chatterjee; Position and Status of Women in the Earlier Mizo Society, TRI, Aizawl, 1975.<br />8. R. L. Hnuni; "Feminist Theology", "History, Meaning and Concem", in R.L Hnuni, (ed); Transforming Theology for Empowering Women, Jorhat: Women's Studies, Eastem Theological College , 1996. <br />9. Sangkima; Women and politics in Mizoram? in proceedings of N.E.I.H.A, 19th Session, Nagaland University , Kohima, 1999.<br />10. Sumi Krishna; Gender Analysis: Case Study of Mizoram, - CASE STUDY OF GENDER DIMENTIONS IN BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT? INDIA . (Report Submitted to FAO Regional office For ASIA and The Pacific, Bangkok , THAILAND . June 1997.<br />11. Laldena, Status of Mizo Women, www.manipuronline.com, Feb 8, 2003. The Sangai Express, 2003.<br />12. Sukhendu Bhattacharya; Women at a disadvantage in Mizoram, www.rediff.com, November 15, 2003. <br />13. Non Governmental organisation, Mizo Hmeichhe Insuikhawm Pawl, .www. Mizoram.com,<br />14. Linda Chhakchhuak; “Unholy Trinity rules Mizoram?lt; Grassroots Option,<br />16. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> <br />Dissertation/Thesis: </span><br /> <br />1. PS Lalhmingthangi; The Status and Role of Women Under the Baptist Church of Mizoram, (BD thesis) Serampore College (University) Jorhat , Assam . Feb 2006.<br />2. Rawna; Women in Mizo Society, B.D thesis, Jorhat.<br />3. B.Lalrinchhani (1998); Christianity and Women in Mizoram, unpublished M.Phil Dissertation, North Eastern Hill University .<br />4. Chhangte, Lalnunthangi. 1986. A Preliminary Grammar of the Mizo Language. Master’s thesis, University of Texas, Arlington<br />5. Fanai, Lalrindiki T. 1989. Some Aspects of the Autosegmental Phonology of English and Mizo. M. Litt. dissertation, CIEFL: Hyderabad, India<br />6. Fanai, Lalrindiki T. 1992. Some Aspects of the Lexical Phonology of Mizo and English: An Autosegmental Approach. PhD dissertation, CIEFL: Hyderabad, India.<br />7. Weidert, Alfons. 1975. Componential Analysis of the Lushai Grammar. John Benjamins Publishing Company: Amsterdam.<br />8. Raman, T.R. Shankar. (1995). SHIFTING CULTIVATION AND CONSERVATION OF TROPICAL FOREST BIRD COMMUNITIES IN MIZORAM, NORTH-EAST INDIA. M.Sc. Thesis/Dissertation, Saurashtra University, Gujarat. : 56p.<br />9. Lalramnghinglova, J. H. Studies on plants of ethnobotanical importance in the tropical wet evergreen forests of Mizoram, Ph.D. thesis, North-Eastern Hill University, Aizawl.1998.<br />10. Lloyd, J.M; The life of the people of North Mizoram prior to and subsequent to the advent of Christianity, up to the year of the Mizo Church's Jubilee in 1944, M.Th., Wales, Aberystwyth, 39-22. 1986.<br />11. Lian H Sakhong; Religion and Politics among the Chin People in Burma , 1896-1949 ( Uppsala University : 2000).<br /><br />12. Tlau RS; Intercultural exchange: transformation of Mizo society by Christianity & quot 1982 - Howard University .<br />13.Unpublished M.A, M.Phil dissertations and Ph.D Thesis Papers<br /><br />Jackson, Kyle, Mizos, Missionaries, and Medicine: Religious and Medical Contact in Lushai Hills, M.A dissertation, School of Oriental and African studies, University of London, 15 September 2009. <br /><br />Lalzarzoa, Traditional Religious belief and Practices of the Lusei in pre-modern period, Unpublished M.Phil Dissertation, Department of History, University of Hyderabad, 2008. <br /><br />Lalpekhlua, L.H, A study of Christology from A tribal Perspective with special reference to Mizoram, Northeast India, Unpublished thesis, Doctor of Philosophy in Theology, The University of Auckland, 2005.<br /><br />Ralte, Lalrinawmi, Crab theology: a Critique of patriarchy: cultural degradation and empowerment of Mizo women. Episcopal Divinity School, UMI Dissertation Services, A. Bell & Howell Company, Michigan, U.S.A, 1993. <br />Ramnghinglova, J.H, Studies on Plants of Ethnobotanical Importance in The tropical Wet Evergreen Forest of Mizoram, Unpublished Ph.D paper, submitted to Dept of Forestry, NEHU, 1998.EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-52928392612340122792010-05-13T07:29:00.000-07:002010-05-13T07:31:14.092-07:00Reading Insurgency from below: The Works of C.Zama(Draft for comments only — Not to be cited except in www.misual.com)<br />Mizo political insurgency came to an end in 1986. However, to many people; this was not just the end. Rather, another painful journey way ahead. The memory of the trauma lingers on in many individual lives. With the ongoing reconstruction of the state of Mizoram in post-insurgency period, vast literatures on insurgency has been produced in academic institutions across India. Unfortunately, such literatures rarely touch how an ethnic individual reads the history of insurgency ‘from below’. Once, conflict, battle and war constituted an important theme in Mizo oral tradition that Mizo heroes were the protagonists, their antagonists were the other ethnic groups, the British colonial power and the postcolonial nation state of India. Such narratives formed an important theme in the local construction of their past. C.Zama has a unique place in the recollection of ethnic memories and history of insurgency in Mizoram.<br /><br /> C.Zama was born in the village of Samlukhai (Northern part of Mizoram) in 1949. To pursue his education, he moved to Aizawl (present capital) in 1952 and completed his primary and middle education. This period witnessed a critical condition in the Mizo hills. In 1946, the district ruling party, Mizo Union agreed to merge with the Indian Union. On 29 October 1958, the Mizo District Council passed a resolution cautioning the government (Assam) to sanction relief funds for the impending famine. However, the government rejected the request on the grounds that such predictions of famine were only tribal superstition. In 1959, standing crops were devastated by millions of rats. Majority of the people who were fully dependent on jhum agriculture for their subsistence were subjected to starvation. It was nearly too late when the government forced to admit her mistake. The famine became worse in almost every part of Mizo Hills. The Mizo National Famine Front offering social service to the people in time of famine was ultimately transformed into a new political party called “Mizo National Front” (MNF) on 22nd October 1961 with the aim of contesting their marginality against the government. <br /><br />“During the fifteen years of close contact and association with India, Mizo people have not been able to feel at home with India or in India, nor have they been able to feel that their joys and sorrow have really ever been shared by India. They do not, therefore feel Indian” <br /> <br />In February, 1966, Mizo National Front (MNF) overran the entire State in a series of simultaneous and surprise attacks. The Indian army quickly responded with brutality which was in fact seldom seen in the subcontinent and little report to the outside world. It was under this critical situation that C.Zama attended his second year in Government high School at Aizawl. As a young man, he was strongly inspired by the idea of ethnic-nationalism; he immediately left the school and joined insurgency group (Mizo National Front) in 1966.<br /><br /> His experience in the insurgency war (the central theme of his work) was a mixture of ethnic heroism and hardship. Many times, he had been arrested by Indian army and managed to escape several times as well. <br />“Ka rammut lai hian India sipai nena inkahnaah vawi engemawzat ka tel a. Mihring ngaiha thihna ngei turah tum 4 Pathianin min chhanchhuak a ni.” - “During the course of insurgency, I experienced many encounters with the Indian army. I was supposed to die, but GOD help me to escape those deaths”. <br />In June 1975, he was arrested for the last time and bailed out of jail the next year. Constant talk between India and Mizo National Front took place. When, the chapter of insurgency was about to close, C.Zama wished to continue with a normal life and continued his studies as a dedicated citizen of India. In 1982, he graduated from Pachhunga University College.<br /><br /> When peace was restored in 1986, he dedicated his time for the recollection of ethnic memory during insurgency period. His first Mizo book “Mizo pasalthate Part-I” (Mizo warrier) was published in 1989. Based on his experience in the insurgency group, he focused on recollection of insurgent army life during the course of war in Mizoram. Their hardships as well as their aspiration for the future Mizo society are highlighted from counter perspective point of view. His second book “Mizo pasalthate Part II”-(Mizo Worrier) was published in 1990. His extensive reading on archive as well as oral interview of the ex-Mizo National Army was remarkable. He successfully uncovered the many lost voices of the people who are in the insurgency war. Another book titled “Chhim keite a fam ta, Thangrehlova chanchin” (The death of southern leopard: Biography of Thangrehlova) was released in the same year of 1990. In the next year, another autobiographical work, “Mi huaisen Capt. Lalhleia chanchin” (Ethnic worrier: Biography of Capt.Lalhleia)(1991) was released in Mizoram. Both books traced/follows the two individual lives of their achievement and self-dedication in the struggle for independent movement in Mizoram. In the post insurgency period, both Thangrehlova and Capt. Lalhleia hold a very high esteemed and their ethnic patriotism and experiences in gorilla warfare are repeatedly narrated by local people. In 2002, another book “Escape” (although titled in English, narrate in Mizo) which was more or less the same theme with the previous books was released in 2002. <br /><br /> Prior to Insurgency movement in Mizoram, songs have served as a rich source of inspiration for communities in Mizoram. Most of these songs portray ethnic identity, ethnic nationalism, and impact of insurgency on local and individual lives. Such songs were scattered in books, news papers, magazines and personal diaries. Many were in oral forms which were sung occasionally by community and individual. C.Zama soon realized the need to preserve these songs for future generation. Hence, a collection of ethnic songs composed between 1961-1986, “Mizo Hnam Hla” (Mizo Nationalist songs) was published in 2005. Three more books “Zinkawng thui” (Long Journey), “Zoram hmangaih vangin maw” (For the love of Mizoram) and “Chhanchhuahna mak leh ropui” (The Great Escape) was released in 2006. <br /><br /> More extensively, the author rigorously explores insurgency in the larger context by realizing the nature of many government records which are often filling with biasness and how ordinary people’s narratives are excluded in insurgency texts generated in India and abroad. In the author words “Many events, ethnic memories, hardship and community feeling in time of war, ordinary people’s lives are not found in standard historical text. If we don’t preserve it, there are chances of getting lost forever.” <br /><br /> Three more books “Chengrang a au e” (The bullet cry), Hmarchhak Mi Ropui Pahnih (Two great people of The North East) and Zoram a tap (Mizoram weeps) were published in 2008. ‘Two great people of the North East’ is a narrative and comparison of two individual and the most charismatic figure of insurgency politics in North east India. During the course of ethnic identity reconstruction, the call for ‘ethno-hero’ from the past went hand in hand with the revival of ethnic consciousness. Both emerged in the same critical situation and share the same burden in the construction of ethnic nationalism in Mizoram and Nagaland respectively. Laldenga led insurgency in Mizoram whereas Nagaland insurgency was shaped under A.Z Phizo. Though brought up in different regions, Laldenga and A.Z Phizo had been good friend, motivated and inspired each others. The book enriched our understanding of individual role in ethnic politics and ethnic identity formation.<br /><br /> Zoram a tap (Mizoram weeps) has earned a big name in Mizo literature circle and selected by Mizo Academy of Letters as top-3 books of Mizoram in 2009. The book is empirically rich and highly original in its interpretations, and provides demonstration of how the integration of social movement and individual approaches to the problems of resistance to authoritarianism and the transition from ethnic nationalism to Indian democracy. Unlike many book generally author male writers in Mizoram, gender perspective had been successfully incorporated in the book. <br /><br /> Besides his dedication to insurgency history, he has made a number of documentaries (based on true story) depicting people’s lives during in the insurgency period. He has four credited documentaries Zoram, ka hmangaih che, (Mizoram, I love you), An nun an hlan ta ram daiah (They died for you in a lonely place), ‘V’Battalion, Thian chhan thih ngam (willingness to die for your friend). Currently, the author has four upcoming books, two already in the press, another two in the progress of writing. <br /><br /> It is no doubt, the richest academic literature on North East India is on insurgency and ethnic conflict because it is very much relevant in the conflict prone situation like the region. However, C.Zama works are confined to Mizo readers and remains inaccessible to any other languages of India. If these texts could be made available to wider readers, perhaps it will change, the way we see, the way we perceive and the way we discuss the various complexities of North East India. It also reminds us how ordinary people’s narratives can be a part and parcel of nation building process in North East India.EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-35394951436691173642010-01-21T11:48:00.000-08:002010-01-21T11:51:02.406-08:00Contextualizing “Insurgency” in North East India: In search of Women’s Perspective.It is without a doubt that the study on insurgency and the ethnic conflict situation is the richest literature produced in the history of North East India in recent times. While a number of frameworks exist in the examination of insurgency, very little attention has been directed toward its conceptualization in relation to women. Relatively, studies on women connected to the insurgency and ethnic conflict in North East India by social scientists is a recent phenomenon. This is mainly due to the fact that the history of insurgency in North East India has always been dominated by the ‘official’ history or the history of ethnic patriarchy so to speak, who lead various political movements. The categories “insurgency” and “ethnic nationalism” requires unpacking because each constitutes ‘patriarchy’ without acknowledging ‘women space’. Most of the current studies are generally confined to the impact of insurgency violence on women in which they are portrayed as victims (trauma, rape, restriction of women movement and hardship). Yet, there are some studies which do lay focus on armed militant women in insurgency war. Other perspectives limit women to the role of a “peacemaker.” These approaches narrow down the woman’s purpose to just that of the need to bargain between ethnic insurgency groups and the Nation State. Such studies leave us with only a partial picture of women's experiences in insurgency wars. Few that do mention women’s participation in ethnic movements have largely dismissed their contributions. The gap is still made wider by the fact that a good proportion of issues are far from being meant to address the real condition of women in the region mainly because there is hardly any literary work that covers insurgency history from a feminine perspective. This evidently raises serious questions in regards to what the roles of women in the formation of ethnic nationalism are. How exactly does ethnic nationalism impact the gender relations in the region? Can ethnic nationalism mean ‘gender equality’ (at least in terms of equal opportunities)? How do ethnic groups place their women? What do ‘ethnic nationalism’ and ‘insurgency’ mean to a woman? <br /><br /><br />The term ‘insurgency’ etymologically comes from a Latin word ‘insurgere’ which means to ‘rise up’. In English lexicon, the word can refer to either a ‘rebel’ or a ‘revolutionary’. Academically, Bard O’Neil defined insurgency "as a struggle between a non-ranking group and ruling authorities in which the former consciously employs political resources and instruments of violence to establish legitimacy for some aspect of the political system it considers illegitimate. In the context of North East India, several terms have been applied such as “ethnic insurgency”, “political insurgency”, “arms insurgency” so on and so forth. Moreover, there is hardly any work that covered insurgency from the ethnic perspective. For instance, the insurgency movement from 1966-1986 has been locally referred as “zalenna sual” which literally means freedom movement. Apparently, in the North East context, the term has been generated and applied mainly from two perspectives such as Secessionist and “Revolutionary”, whereas other forms of insurgencies such “Restorational”, “Reactionary”, “Conservative” and “Reformist” may also be present. There is a general agreement among scholars that insurgency is a form of political violence and is a means to achieve any of the above mentioned ends. Insurgency may break out against a particular regime, particular persons of a regime, particular structures and salient values a regime upholds, or particular policies or biases of a regime. In all such possible cases, the prime objective of insurgents would be to capture power and replace the political community. <br /><br /><br />What then, does ethnic insurgency means from a woman’s perspective? Warfare and military service have played key roles in national histories and mythologies and in the fashioning of gender identities. Despite the fact that women, war and conflict are very rich in recent feminist scholarship, ‘political insurgency’ remains marginal in feminist theory. The works of Ranajit Guha and Gayatri Spivak focus on ‘insurgency’ as a crucial point of departure in the rethinking of women exclusion in insurgency politics of colonial India. Ranajit Guha attempted to understand “insurgency” from the peasant point of view in the context of the colonial Indian. He theorised insurgency as the “site where the two mutually contradictory tendencies within this still imperfect, almost embryonic, theoretical consciousness -- that is, a conservative tendency made up of the inherited and uncritically absorbed material of the ruling culture and a radical one oriented towards a practical transformation of the rebel’s conditions of existence -- met for a decisive trial of strength”. Ranajit Guha eventually used “the word "insurgency" in his text as a name of that consciousness which informs the activity of the rural masses known as revolt, uprising, etc or to use their Indian designation – “dhing”, “bidroha”, “ulgulan”, “hool”, “fitura” and so on. However, such generalisations do not cover the entire complexity of the subaltern struggle in colonial India. Gayatri Spivak critically challenged Guha’s over-generalisation of peasant insurgency that obscures the subaltern women’s voice. She argued that the subaltern women's insurgency is rarely accompanied by any substantial historical research mainly because of colonial archive and historical records of subaltern insurgency keeps male dominant. Further, she argued that subaltern women were subjected to three main domination systems - class, ethnicity and gender. Spivak’s study thus provided how insurgency has been problematic because it equates with a masculine story of political evolution, marginalizing aspects of women in history. <br /><br /><br /> In case of Mizo hills, insurgency broke out after the first women’s movement was initiated in the post-colonial period. Ethnic nationalism can at times be emancipating; at other times it is a reactionary force of the subjugation of women. Since its inception, Insurgency organisation (Mizo National Front) was entirely dominated by men. Despite these, many women embraced ethnic nationalism and participated in the insurgency movements, though the actual practice of ethno-nationalism is reserved for men. Women are manipulated, and they themselves internalize patriarchal thinking within a politics of over-determined ethnic nationalism. Recent history of insurgency movements has largely dismissed their contributions. Insurgency in Mizo hill thus, appears as a patriarchal war against the larger National State for the restoration of ethnic patriarchal order in the society. Women were subsuming under the category of ‘Mizo Nationalism’; it had ambiguous effects on not only the status of women by confining them as mothers in the home, but also seldom acknowledged women's issues as significant. It also reaffirmed the boundaries of culturally acceptable feminine conduct and exerted pressure on women to articulate their gender interests within the terms of reference set by ethnic nationalist discourse.EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-39154151082990122192010-01-17T10:24:00.000-08:002010-01-17T10:32:16.375-08:00A historian wins Infosys award: Isn't that crazy?She is none other than our present Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s daughter. Professionally she is a Professor of History in Delhi University. Recently, she was honoured with Infosys Prize for her contribution as a historian of Ancient and Medieval history. I am very surprised that a historian was awarded by infosys. Isn't that crazy? I’m really curious as to why infosys stated its interest in history!<br /><br /> Since, my college days, history students such as myself have been branded as people who are interested in simple facts and figures of the past. Others may also think that a historian's main interest is nothing but things like what Akbar was doing during the Mughal period. If you think the same way as these people, my answer to you is quite simple and clear. You are ignorant on the subject of history as much as I am ignorant in engineering studies. Ok let me stop defending my position as a student of history.<br /><br /><br /><br />There was a time when the growth of globalization with multi national companies had an impact on the education of history. History has almost become an unwanted subject in many colleges and universities since more and more students have started joining technical courses. However, the last few years have witnessed a revival of the history subject in many technical universities like IIT, medical institutes etc. When more and more multinational companies are expanding their businesses, understanding history is pertinent for successful entrepreneurship in many countries.For instance, India has a strong historical culture which even globalization cannot change. This scenario pushed many technical universities to expand their perspectives in their fields of business. Even infosys has also taken its step in this direction.<br /><br />I congratulate Ms. Singh on her success and wish her a great future ahead. I hope one day she will be interested in the history of Mizoram just as sister Daman Singh did a very significant research on the forest history of Mizoram (The Last Frontier: People and Forests in Mizoram).EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-42902921843919665042009-10-16T16:28:00.001-07:002009-10-16T16:28:59.351-07:00Insurgency in Mizoram: An Army officer’s reminiscences(reproduced in Lalkhama, 2006. A Mizo Civil Servant’s Random Reflections. Ghazaibad: Express Print House, pp.177-180).<br /><br />Darzo (Mizoram) was one of the richest villages I have ever seen in this part of the world. There were ample stores of paddy, fowl and pigs. The villagers appeared well-fed and well-clad and most of them had some money in cash. We arrived in the village about ten in the morning. My orders were to get the villagers to collect whatever moveable property they could, and to set their own village on fire at seven in the evening. I also had orders to burn all the paddy and other grain that could not be carried away by the villagers to the new centre so as to keep food out of reach of the insurgents…. I somehow couldn’t do it. I called the Village Council President and told him that in three hours his men could hide all the excess paddy and other food grains in the caves and return for it after a few days under army escort. They concealed everything most efficiently.<br /><br />Night fell, and I had to persuade the villagers to come out and set fire to their homes. Nobody came out. Then I had to order my soldiers to enter every house and force the people out. Every man, woman and child who could walk came out with as much of his or her belongings and food as they could. But they wouldn’t set fire to their homes. Ultimately, I lit a torch myself and set fire to one of the houses. I knew I was carrying out orders, and would hate to do such a thing if I had my way. My soldiers also started torching other buildings, and the whole place was soon ablaze. There was absolute confusion everywhere. Women were wailing and shouting and cursing. Children were frightened and cried. Young boys and girls held hands and looked at their burning village with a stupefied expression on their faces. But the grown men were silent; not a whimper or a whisper from them. Pigs were running about, mithuns were bellowing, dogs were barking, and fowls setting up a racket with their fluttering and cracking. One little girl ran into her burning house and soon darted out holding a kitten in her hands. When it was time for the world to sleep, we marched out of Darzo – soldiers in front, with the Mizos following, and the rear brought up by more soldiers…<br /><br />We walked fifteen miles through the night along the jungle and the morning saw us in Hnahthial. I tell you, I hated myself that night. I had done the job of an executioner. The night when I saw children as young as three years carrying huge loads on their heads for fifteen miles with very few stops for rest, their noses running, their little feet faltering..for the first time in my life as a solider I did not feel the burden of the fifty pound haversack on my own back. But there was something more to be carried out. I called the Darzo Village Council President and his village elders and ordered them to sign a document saying that they had voluntarily asked to be resettled in Hnahthial PPV (Protected and Progressive Village) under the protection of the Security Forces as they were being harassed by the insurgents, and because their own village did not have communications, educational, medical and other facilities. Another document stated that they had burnt down their own village, and that no force or coercion was used by the Security Forces. They refused to sign. So I sent them out and after an hour called them in again, this time one man at a time. On my table was a loaded revolver, and in the corner stood two NCOs with loaded sten-guns. This frightened them, and one by one they signed both the documents.EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-87389526161293933762009-04-29T00:59:00.000-07:002009-04-29T01:14:34.509-07:00Tunlai khawvel celebrity lar thar Susan Boyle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01386/SusanBoyle_1386592c.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 460px; height: 288px;" src="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01386/SusanBoyle_1386592c.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />A hmel tha hran lem lo hle, mipa hmel a an mai bakah a sam kir buk deuh luih dan hian tunlai fashion mil a ni mawlh lo. A hmelah ngaihno bei hmel a lang lo. A chezia hrim hrim pawh mipangai a ang meuh lo. Hetih chung hian kum 2009 Britain's Got Talent show-ah first edition turin a rawn lut ve a. Judge pathum Simon a, Amanda, Piers-te mai bakah mipui zawng zawng hmelah nuihzatna leh hmusit hmel a lang a. Simona pawhin tiel zawng deuh deuhin zawhna a han zawt a. Kum 47 lai a ni bawk si, thingtlang khaw lian deuh chhuak mai a ni bawk si...! A han zai ta chiah mai chu, a mak a makin mipuiin leh Judges ten hmel a danglam nghal vek mai a ni. He nu hian khawvel a deng chhuak ta tlat si.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY<br /> <br />Khawvel pum huap a mipui hlut show ropui tak tak (American idol, X factor etc) a awm fo tawh. First Audition atang lar nghal hi an awm meuh lo. Mahse, Susan Boyle lar dan hi sawi thiam mai piah lam a ni. Youtube-ah hian hit sang ber pawl Barack Obama’s inauguration speech kha a khum chiang hle. (A hit zat hi youtube ah lo en mai ula). TV show lian ber berin an bawr luih luih tawh a, Larry King Live -ah alang tawh a, Opray chuan kawm ngei tumin a hel mek bawk a. Hollywood director lar in an beisei nghal em em mai bawk a, a chanchin hi movie in siam ngei an tum bawk a. Tunlai khawvel a lar dan hi hrechiang duh chuan han google mai teh u. India ram kan chanchinbu lian ber ber pawhin an ranw tarlang chuai chuai mek a ni. <br /><br /> Kohhran zaipawl member hlun niin Pathian a chawimawi thin a. A hun takah Pathianin chawimawina a hlan niin ka hria. Tin, tunlai celebrity ho, atak aia alem a nung, fashion leh thil chi hrang hrang nen chawhpawlh ho ai hian he nu hi a "real" zawkin ka hria. Tunlai media ho ten a lem hmanga mipui min bawl nuai nuaina karah hian khawvel mipui ten milem kan ning tan a, mahni nihna ang taka lang ngam hi kan ngaisang thar hle dawn niin a lang. He nu hian media ho ten image an siam mai bakah khawvel mipui ten inner beauty an hlut thar leh dawn niin alang tiin chanchinbu pakhat chuan a tarlang a ni.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Photo courtesy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01386/SusanBoyle_1386592c.jpgEPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-36783268244116831022009-04-18T11:27:00.000-07:002009-04-18T11:33:39.219-07:00Some Challenges for India: When will India become a developed nation?<div style="text-align: justify;">India has managed to hold the ‘topmost’ position in many spheres, both positive and negative, when we compared to other countries of the world. This article briefly looks at the some of the social challenges for the Indian nation.<br /> <br />1. India from former times has a very different cultural set up in comparison to the western world. Not only does the society disagree in people of different classes living together but it also opposes to shaking of hands and even walking together on the same path. Female infanticide, dowry and sati were once a social problem, which is still practiced even today in some parts of India. One of India’s most eminent magazine the Outlook recent survey reveals evidences of the killing of the female child in the states of Haryana, U.P, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat. The ratio between male and female child in many villages of Punjab is 10:5 and the abortion rate in India is around 10 million a year. This clearly shows the social condition of our times.<br /><br />2. From the day of our independence, there has been continual bloodshed in India in the name of Gods. Conflicts between the two largest religious communities in India—Muslims and Hindus has not subsided even in the era of globalization. The situation is just like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment. Other religious minority groups are immensely suppressed at the same time. We also witness caste politics, ethnic conflicts, insurgencies and identity crisis in many parts of India.<br /><br />3. India is constantly at feud with Pakistan and a time will come when it is impossible to settle things with words and we shall have to use the best weapons we have so far preserved.<br /><br />4. In the current budget (2006-7) India increased 6% for education but this is still very little compared to other countries like Singapore which uses 18% and USA which uses 24% of its budget for educational purposes while the number of students in India would surely exceed the number of students in these two countries. Despite this, it is wonderful that we can still have people who succeed extraordinarily and are internationally recognized even though the country contributes a very nominal amount for their education. There is no doubt that countries like Singapore and USA which give such importance to education, by putting aside huge sums of money, would be more advanced and developed than countries like India. Out of the total population of the world, 17% reside in India. 350 million Indians are still illiterate.<br /><br />5. In many parts of India, people are being fuelled by communal feelings and they strive only for their own benefits. Globalization took over capitalism; privatization is practiced more and more. The rich become richer but the poor in the slums are still neglected.<br /><br />6. Cricket players and film stars are worshipped as Gods and since people are influenced by them entry into the political field comes with great ease for such celebrities. The most prominent politicians are usually former film stars but unlike other countries, these stars are not concern<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8867/22839173qv9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 229px;" src="http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/8867/22839173qv9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>ed about the welfare of the people as such. They earn both profit and fame. Soon, they build up hotels, restaurant and beauty parlors and compete among themselves to build the best only to fill their pockets. The people who give funds and charities to the poor are not usually our Indian celebrities but celebrities from abroad that are handling social work through whatever possible sources they have to help the poor. An Australian cricketer Steve Waugh opened a coaching centre in a slum area to help the poor people in the slums to learn cricket. Still the hearts of the Indian cricketers are not yet shaken even when he said that the truth of Indian cricket lies in the hand of the slum folks. A very famous writer Dominique Lapier gave a huge sum of charity to the poor people of Kolkota. He said that the money he earned from his book should reach the people he wrote about. People from other countries are concerned about our nation even before the people living in it have started to do so and this is an immense disgrace.<br /><br />7. People are so full of fanaticism that some commit suicide just because they do not get tickets for Hindi movies or because the Indian cricket team lost a match. A well known star Amitabh Bachan donated jewelries worth 10 crores to a deity at the Tirupathi temple after finding out that he was not ailed by Cancer. Has he given at least this much of money for the poor? The valuables collected in temples could have been so much more useful to uplift the conditions of the poor. Unless our celebrities know how to care about the poor, they are just curses who steal money from people for their own benefits.<br /><br />8. The major problem in India is politics. The Indian parliament members are filled with religious priests, criminals, sadhus, pundits, industrialists, former film stars etc and they sit together and brood over matters not more serious than the matters in a children’s play. Adult politicians fight in the house, securities are busy trying to take out MP’s who try to create trouble in the house. Our politicians are not more than the generation ‘X’ dudes as rough as they come. As long as the criminals occupy the best places/seats in the parliament, we shall face great difficulty in proceeding towards development. The differences in number of seats reserved in the parliament (LS) also affect the growth and development of states. Some states have about 40-80 seats reserved while others have only 1 seat.<br /><br />9. The North East states are still downtrodden and the negligence of the central government has been regularly declared by scholars. Since, independence there is paradigm shift in Indian government’s policy toward the North East; Exotic cultural paradigm, security paradigm, join the mainstream paradigm and economic package paradigm and so on. Despite these efforts, why are problems still acute in India’s North East? How many more experiments do we need? <br /> <br />The things (I have) stated above are the unpleasant conditions of the Indian nation. Although, problems may still be acute, India has a potential if we consider these challenges and give more attention to them. At the same time, India is aiming to become a developed nation by the year of 2020. Some Indian thinkers believe that, if India take immediate steps to develop the country, it is still capable of improvement. After all, these problems could be wiped out only if all the citizens of India work together as one.<br /><br />We the Mizos, being an Indian citizen and entirely depending on the central Government also have to try our best. The best way for Mizoram to become developed is to ‘contribute’ as much as possible to the Indian state. This is the only way to get into a good relationship with the central Government. We do not have much hope for but this relationship to be in full bloom. So, instead of making our land and our identity nameless, let us try our best to have a state of mutual understanding with the central government.<br /><br /><br />References:<br /><br />1. The Week, March 19, 2006.<br />2. The Week, March 5, 2006.<br />3. Outlook, February 27, 2006.<br /></div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-15385678464957110952009-03-29T04:50:00.000-07:002009-03-29T05:26:05.221-07:00Factual Errors on North East India's discourse<div style="text-align: justify;">The colonial ethnographers and Christian missionaries were the earliest scholars who represented tribal culture with their European terms and pronunciations. Numerous literatures on tribal cultural history were produced by colonial ethnographers and Christian Missionaries like A.Z Makenzie, JH Hutto<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.travelmadeeasy.in/northeast-main.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 115px;" src="http://www.travelmadeeasy.in/northeast-main.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>n, J.Shakepear, N.E Parry, J.H Mills, J.M Lloyd, J.H Lorrain. Habitually, colonial and missionary’ terms/terminologies were ethnocentric in nature.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />In recent period, some scholars (trained indigenous) feel the burden of these ethnocentric terms and various efforts have been made on the decolonization of these local names/ terminologies.In case of Mizoram, colonial names have been changed - Lusei, instead of Lushai, Maras instead of Lakher and Aizawl instead of Aijal. However, in many of the recent discourses (including official discourse) made by non locals both at the national and international levels are extremely ignorant on local language/terminologies. The capital of Mizoram, Aizawl is misspelt as Aizwal in news papers, academic discourses and even at airports. There has been repeated failure to run a correction, even after being asked.<br /><br />This is also evident in the academic field. For instance, one of the most popular referee’s journals of Modern Asian Studies in 1987 writes “The Negroids, who came from south<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.angloindiago.com/gifs/map-north-east.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 318px;" src="http://www.angloindiago.com/gifs/map-north-east.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a> and south-west China, are the present Nagas of Nagaland.” (B. P. Singh; North-East India: Demography, Culture and Identity Crisis, Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 21, No. 2. (1987), pp. 257-282.) Surprisingly, the editorial boards (including some Indian professor) has failed to notice that the Naga tribes belong to the mongoloid group of Tibeto-Burman. No correction was made even in the continuous issues. Such an ignorance has for a long time dominated the North East discourse scenario which damages image of the people and their culture. Naga Students’ Federation (not the insurgency groups) who had forbidden a non-Naga to write on Naga history without their prior approval clearly indicates how people contested against such academic imperialism. (Prabhakara, 2003).<br /><br />it <em>would be nice to hear</em> your responses regarding this issue. What we can do to make it better for accurate representation? etc...<br /><br /><br />Photos:<br />http://www.travelmadeeasy.in/northeast-main.jpg<br />http://www.angloindiago.com/gifs/map-north-east.gif<br /></div><br /></div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-54031597593352373912009-03-18T12:55:00.000-07:002009-03-18T15:46:23.136-07:00My School Days<div style="text-align: justify;">Many children in Mizoram do not have the opportunity to go to good schools. I was one of those kids. The school I attended was located in a small village called S.Vanlaiphai in the Hnahthial district of south Mizoram. As you see, lack of proper infrastructure is obviously visible, but i think it has opened many doors for me in my career. I'm<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4b4SC0u8wCU9ODiWChVsvyoOVhESfPu5tJl1xYdHhFRHJJ0v932Xvp1ookR5ANgs50Md0DoC1bb3gELSynlpRQE9K3G0zpE_brxekrmLgiKcWB1I5aTebYGDNQSrfiN68-vDGg1Ied2r/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4b4SC0u8wCU9ODiWChVsvyoOVhESfPu5tJl1xYdHhFRHJJ0v932Xvp1ookR5ANgs50Md0DoC1bb3gELSynlpRQE9K3G0zpE_brxekrmLgiKcWB1I5aTebYGDNQSrfiN68-vDGg1Ied2r/s400/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314620528687817810" border="0" /></a> fortunate enough to be able to continue my studies while most of my classmates were not able to do so.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />I miss my school days sometimes. I had a lots of fun and also bad experiences at the same time. I can clearly recollect two unforgettable incidents. The first incident was “school naupang bal berah” min thlang kha a ni”. I felt really ashamed. The whole class laughed at me, including my best friend. I guess its hard to imagine that a boy of that age could feel shame.<br /><br />Pahnihna chu - Mizorama kan MLA Pakhat ( a thi tawh a, a hming sawi lo mai ang) in kan school hi a rawn tlawh dawn a, kan lo inbuatsaih nasa hle a. Chal mawm hlarh in tel rimtui kan inchulh a, kan in khuih pial ve zan a. A rawn thleng a, class room chhungah thaw dep depin kan lo thu ve a, min en vang vang a, ka pa hming min zawt a. Ka pu “Pa ka nei lo” tiin ka ch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgcJVebsxcFClHb6xiWSzk_BmEpHdJneo1UyPaCuCSouX0HSeQENZDiOGjq-1ru3-u9B_SNkZ6JDRVUha-UqaC2_uGk4AQdAxaoEBY9zTUeamoQqIvzXwA6eL_MKeSJaYQ0dbGHsPrWBS/s1600-h/IMG_1440.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgcJVebsxcFClHb6xiWSzk_BmEpHdJneo1UyPaCuCSouX0HSeQENZDiOGjq-1ru3-u9B_SNkZ6JDRVUha-UqaC2_uGk4AQdAxaoEBY9zTUeamoQqIvzXwA6eL_MKeSJaYQ0dbGHsPrWBS/s320/IMG_1440.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314626010862954034" border="0" /></a>hang a. “Pa nei lovin, i piang thei dawn em ni” tiin an thuihruai te nen chuan an nui ta chiam a. Vawikhat mah khatiang khan min chhang mai mai tawh suh min ti zui bawk. Ka chhang duhdah emaw a ti a, mahse a tisual chiang khawp mai. Eng boruak nge ka kaltlang reng a hre lo. I don't think that he showed much concern for me. So far, this was the worst insult that had ever occurred in my whole life.<em></em><br /><br />Earlier, I was a bit shy to talk about my academic background. Sometimes I felt uncomfortable when I compare my background with others. Some friends often tell me that they did their schooling in Monfort or other prestigious schools in Mizoram or outside Mizoram. I always thought that I could have done better if I had atten<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzM29LncgrtDQX_qixuXVLs35x_eJLNQ78yM41sDqHH_KU_FT-8bRjHMz5ze4SM1KxKWMnmC6lW8xZQo-a6q-_dnnZQCiviiDl8xlXJP4vouAEDnkvz9EFWH1yE1FUrut1x5bdU3IkXiFG/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzM29LncgrtDQX_qixuXVLs35x_eJLNQ78yM41sDqHH_KU_FT-8bRjHMz5ze4SM1KxKWMnmC6lW8xZQo-a6q-_dnnZQCiviiDl8xlXJP4vouAEDnkvz9EFWH1yE1FUrut1x5bdU3IkXiFG/s400/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314623991587024002" border="0" /></a>ded good schools in my younger days.<br /><br />Recently I’ve started realizing that merely a good background doesn't make good people. There are times when I excel and do much better in academics or in any other field than compared to those friends. I do achieve many things beyond my dreams. I never thought I would reach this point. I Thank God for all his blessings. God always knows what is best for me. Now, I no longer hesitate to talk about wonderful experienc<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z5LHVOY-L-y0KE794RPkpghVBOx5W0YlTocw-UR8-tP88tyJut_2XoyM4us0rFnfOFvRcUevJdB3B_KKJZuGkRfe5uEmhvRZ3MROF6ubU5stB5IeI6uAhPXCtljL-y1zgu9TFVTTqYHt/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z5LHVOY-L-y0KE794RPkpghVBOx5W0YlTocw-UR8-tP88tyJut_2XoyM4us0rFnfOFvRcUevJdB3B_KKJZuGkRfe5uEmhvRZ3MROF6ubU5stB5IeI6uAhPXCtljL-y1zgu9TFVTTqYHt/s400/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314619943408727746" border="0" /></a>es that i had during my school days. I will always cherish those experiences for the rest of my life.<br /><br />Education is not just about getting degrees, but it is a continuous process of learning. If you don't grow or if your progress is slow, one day some people (poor backgrounds) will do better than you. If you have a good background, why don't you try harder? Else you might end up being referred to as “an empty drum that only makes loud noises.”<br /></div><br /><br /><br /><em>(Notes: These photos</em> are kind of the story of my life. Each <em>photo</em> has a great memory attached to it.)EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-38415572480288503172009-03-03T08:49:00.000-08:002009-03-04T04:04:43.850-08:00Lush Green Meadow<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify">I am really honoured that one of my photographs was selected and published in Smart photography magazine. (please see image.No.3)<br /><br />Photo caption: <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,102)">Lush Green Meadow</span><br />Location: <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,102)">S.Vanlaiphai, Mizoram</span><br />Camera: <span style="COLOR: rgb(255,102,102)">Cannon EOS 1000D</span><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynPbDAj55wRNHiIlfsg6eDCQgKY_GHjA2Bo66MkDF33oXxXQGejsVG4BEOMp1UKj69r3zfIY7JjVkFQlY4mqYtwHCz-lPnZv0r15gKqmOooVxTm-ax-ANKNXFOqPdhE7OT4UWl0sRf6wF/s1600-h/IMG_4679.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309005289452188978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 272px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynPbDAj55wRNHiIlfsg6eDCQgKY_GHjA2Bo66MkDF33oXxXQGejsVG4BEOMp1UKj69r3zfIY7JjVkFQlY4mqYtwHCz-lPnZv0r15gKqmOooVxTm-ax-ANKNXFOqPdhE7OT4UWl0sRf6wF/s400/IMG_4679.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfAUVH_SMywSSqHNJEcPjZUt-K9immDxjsE0Qk-W16T9fyTKLf4EABA5b99-dXUb22y8vkx6pCBaNa9s6PRZXxJRxLmtSpRufx25IF6ast5l0f_DXfPaUsW-Wln_buaJwp97woWt8GMez/s1600-h/IMG_4684.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309005617551289554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfAUVH_SMywSSqHNJEcPjZUt-K9immDxjsE0Qk-W16T9fyTKLf4EABA5b99-dXUb22y8vkx6pCBaNa9s6PRZXxJRxLmtSpRufx25IF6ast5l0f_DXfPaUsW-Wln_buaJwp97woWt8GMez/s400/IMG_4684.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzXK5_lVAMb3cx_7qHhEQAkDiSAzMZsf8IQ9BxOVGf-VSFRVvk0RyecGMjD7Nzx_3Yy0FL3rJCunLbR7NjLzEDOD5jrzbpP_08Y6mVVjiblyVEF-jkeKjxpgI6as8e4J9e6u2wgBdzOO7/s1600-h/IMG_4687.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309005774012440978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 253px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzXK5_lVAMb3cx_7qHhEQAkDiSAzMZsf8IQ9BxOVGf-VSFRVvk0RyecGMjD7Nzx_3Yy0FL3rJCunLbR7NjLzEDOD5jrzbpP_08Y6mVVjiblyVEF-jkeKjxpgI6as8e4J9e6u2wgBdzOO7/s400/IMG_4687.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-34349699710882349992009-02-13T11:17:00.000-08:002009-03-18T00:51:54.524-07:00The voice of an Angel<div align="justify">These days, I’m focusing on my research work though mostly in fits and stunts. It’s hard to stay focused all the time considering “life” which is becoming more and more complicated day by day. I believe I can do some great stuff for the world but the problem is that I don’t have enough guts and I’m a little lazy. Well, adulthood- I guess it just crept up on me and all the schooling in the world could not have prepared me for the bulk of contradictory emotions within me!! .<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGItqdLSXqBQFQNUsZ8fVrAu1Q9byo3I0qW8L6OfcsXRuU63xBirvN1NVMJa1G4-ejxXSvEPM5jHyCKrEa1wKGRVnw8PfpMjZkB0IFvZ5JPChqdvwbxRhIKiopsNe6NXo1Wv0MmoWgi87/s200/SNF3136B-180_497730a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302365708791371490" border="0" />I’m sure, you all know the song called Angel by Sarah McLachlan which originally appeared on her 1997 album ‘Surfacing’. The song (posted below) is an opera version performed by Faryl Smith in the semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent 2008. It is hard to believe she is just 12 years old. She has signed the most valuable contract ever awarded to such a young artist - a multi-album deal worth £2.3 million.<br /><br />I'm not a big fan of opera, but I really like this song. Every time I listen to this song, I am deeply touched and it takes me to a different place.“I believe this song addresses the moment we all have felt when we wish we had a second chance, when we find ourselves in the depths of regret for something we never did and things we did do”. (Sarah Lisle)<br /><br />Check out the song below and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!</div><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nq0upOjTJMQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nq0upOjTJMQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><object width="425" height="344"></object>(<a href="http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=7157">http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=7157</a>)EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-70541418230677451522009-02-11T04:57:00.000-08:002009-02-11T21:35:40.024-08:00Crossing the Hill River<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Location:</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Tuipui D, Hnahthial District, Mizoram.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Lack of means of communication is one of the main drawbacks in the development of a hilly region like Mizoram. During the bamboo famine of 1958-59, (which eventually led to the Mizo insurgency movement against India in 1966) the only possible means through which access could be gained was by Jeep. Awakened by the insurgency movement, several roads have been constructed by the Government. However, mode of transportation is still inadequate in many parts of Mizoram. Due to extensive landslides and floods in the river valleys, travelling becomes very difficult. Many villages are situated far beyond the river valleys. Since modern bridges are not available in many parts of Mizoram, even simple tasks like crossing of rivers becomes a big challenge especially during the rainy seasons.<br /><br />My recent visit to my native place in Mizoram proved to be a great eye opener in this matter. I’ve captured an interesting occasion that shows how travelers in some parts of Mizoram cross the rivers. A local boat called Marboat equipped with truck engine run by the Public Work Department, Government of Mizoram is commonly used. The boat usually stands still during rainy seasons, when water current is strong.For safety reasons, bridges have been constructed for use by travelers as shown in the image No.7.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No.1: A Boat is ready to collect travelers and their vehicles.</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOUDstgpS3IYnn_3bP6xJ7WvFXtat6FoDGi5WLIDH1jxxp0ylJYqj-V_87E237yAcJA3CkEDhxAmKw6asR7g7PYSwFVyW4qWDdfFKEJaqMSbdIt3AClA_SnbeHU7le_r678mqwQecDVtb/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOUDstgpS3IYnn_3bP6xJ7WvFXtat6FoDGi5WLIDH1jxxp0ylJYqj-V_87E237yAcJA3CkEDhxAmKw6asR7g7PYSwFVyW4qWDdfFKEJaqMSbdIt3AClA_SnbeHU7le_r678mqwQecDVtb/s320/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301524211882438338" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No.2 & 3: A Boat set sail towards another side of the river.</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBbiVUUrxDKNfBmHVnys2vvEvPQSY8GP86mGkgtcPnuhEx7GJl7AeD5_n6Cjn4xi-uUYKDm1Zcj8qFIBy6qZKpYF-VjVVfrOme2MN7Su7-JM_TB9RefQEObIacuOenLTe_9qDEbPgvG1q/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBbiVUUrxDKNfBmHVnys2vvEvPQSY8GP86mGkgtcPnuhEx7GJl7AeD5_n6Cjn4xi-uUYKDm1Zcj8qFIBy6qZKpYF-VjVVfrOme2MN7Su7-JM_TB9RefQEObIacuOenLTe_9qDEbPgvG1q/s320/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301524666039875986" border="0" /></a><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8dIe_k67a5lLBxxaavjKvxiQrny8hLJdaX_V-NNICBhtDGQjfgVntkP3caCaRTWMLe7mnx2K2MptdVZke0CDkXA2QJXVDVJIkn3_iCQmTFGTPn2l0PRUVWycPg-641i3ClUlEJEPR2YE/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8dIe_k67a5lLBxxaavjKvxiQrny8hLJdaX_V-NNICBhtDGQjfgVntkP3caCaRTWMLe7mnx2K2MptdVZke0CDkXA2QJXVDVJIkn3_iCQmTFGTPn2l0PRUVWycPg-641i3ClUlEJEPR2YE/s320/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301524840117691026" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No.4: A Boat is ready to deposit passengers & vehicles on the riverbank.</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTVBEAySaJe-G_sSejwis1qsHAmb6lQHNCiKVpvKfh3592xCC0ewAjhyphenhyphenmX1T2xyBc1uUZoDNkOw1BGJyp8256TtW9wahJaJbtbcGzFqrzhLgM-zX1N81t23c0dS77ecduG-znBrZgTgkM/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTVBEAySaJe-G_sSejwis1qsHAmb6lQHNCiKVpvKfh3592xCC0ewAjhyphenhyphenmX1T2xyBc1uUZoDNkOw1BGJyp8256TtW9wahJaJbtbcGzFqrzhLgM-zX1N81t23c0dS77ecduG-znBrZgTgkM/s320/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301525058129798178" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No.5 & 6: Passengers and their vehicles are ready to leave the boat.</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKIjUbMRvsHCz_2rV3GqKJ5Jrv1v8m62EBVGZzkwY0bPer9pG3A4IfGfEnWXjuZdHBATmselN0lVnEcMk_3rATpC65FNw7vPuKU62ciJhzVNEhapCd9BZYr3X6Sco2dorsrEvLxWXjedF/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKIjUbMRvsHCz_2rV3GqKJ5Jrv1v8m62EBVGZzkwY0bPer9pG3A4IfGfEnWXjuZdHBATmselN0lVnEcMk_3rATpC65FNw7vPuKU62ciJhzVNEhapCd9BZYr3X6Sco2dorsrEvLxWXjedF/s320/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301525313711112338" border="0" /></a><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XGyxRraW_l6u3A6PxYywBWNVGbZxqPQBS9S4ON5dqMT5W65AB_95JjYpiwYKUeFhNIo3Ilactbo4LN4KrDzuanfagUVtbrSsElnEgtIz547HoRJNmWtjoUy88pPuHoa4asg8kbSgXy2o/s1600-h/6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XGyxRraW_l6u3A6PxYywBWNVGbZxqPQBS9S4ON5dqMT5W65AB_95JjYpiwYKUeFhNIo3Ilactbo4LN4KrDzuanfagUVtbrSsElnEgtIz547HoRJNmWtjoUy88pPuHoa4asg8kbSgXy2o/s320/6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301525506231449186" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No.7 A walkable bridge alternative to a boat especially during rainy seasons.</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPC5emYlnXXfzqgTcWyEFkOkLf2t_XcI4h_gJ-LpwsUggh3QbDmIctRgPwWbT__iyOuMO0sAa5PIaLRXc06LJyLfUhWLKyHTNfYddAXpWezLUr8kybyVmKhdbbaaLfBG2IRs25furRQ7F/s1600-h/7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPC5emYlnXXfzqgTcWyEFkOkLf2t_XcI4h_gJ-LpwsUggh3QbDmIctRgPwWbT__iyOuMO0sAa5PIaLRXc06LJyLfUhWLKyHTNfYddAXpWezLUr8kybyVmKhdbbaaLfBG2IRs25furRQ7F/s320/7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301525788482971394" border="0" /></a><br /></div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-91492190297568422142009-01-16T09:25:00.000-08:002009-01-20T03:04:24.293-08:00Recurring Dreams<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzyTvSaDLMgpACmJ5QQqEeHrc21htNqBLRyTOPXa36DTd-jOrj3Tg4lDUeyFCGIti4eOhIyrpVK090dSHRi5IS8FoSliFszeAfTWQvToQBiiL3NF9N9E0sOShYlOTFT3fxvkveeWqi5lB/s1600-h/dream.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzyTvSaDLMgpACmJ5QQqEeHrc21htNqBLRyTOPXa36DTd-jOrj3Tg4lDUeyFCGIti4eOhIyrpVK090dSHRi5IS8FoSliFszeAfTWQvToQBiiL3NF9N9E0sOShYlOTFT3fxvkveeWqi5lB/s200/dream.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293314499626159186" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm sure most of us have had sleepless nights at some point in our lives. You suddenly wake up in the middle of the night feeling a great sense of panic and can't even go back to sleep. What could be the reason? I guess that's probably not a good sign. Have you ever dreamt of the same person over and over again for a number of nights? Yes, recurrent bad dreams are as disturbing as other problems in real life. It can really ruin your life even though you know that it is not real. It makes one think, ‘what have i done wrong’ or ‘why do I keep having these recurrent nightmares?’.<br /><br /><br />But, not to worry. I too have been having a recurrent nightmare for the past few days.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mASfRrApVT6ljDo5Zlt-TFJTsSIPrZOA7_FLZB5yWizzzlx-SJaMMxEM4fl_uTOWBXpnRsuU4Ig6r0kcVkpIM24BLwcosP6Qmhath9ckt94D4IbAW6-3pU1ORRuPq6BNcBgBtP2KbGIz/s1600-h/Gothic_Girl_by_the2slayers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mASfRrApVT6ljDo5Zlt-TFJTsSIPrZOA7_FLZB5yWizzzlx-SJaMMxEM4fl_uTOWBXpnRsuU4Ig6r0kcVkpIM24BLwcosP6Qmhath9ckt94D4IbAW6-3pU1ORRuPq6BNcBgBtP2KbGIz/s200/Gothic_Girl_by_the2slayers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293329879830784946" border="0" /></a> The first time, i dreamt of someone (a girl) being chased by a mob. I am unable to recollect the girl's identity as I could not see her face clearly…she must've been a young girl probably between 18 to 24. She had been charged of stealing someone else's belonging. She was standing in the corner of the street trying to protect herself from the mob who were pelting her with sticks and stones. I intervened in the scene when she was about to be stripped and killed by the mob. I stood between the angry mob and the girl but I was unable to convince them to stop so I tried my best to shield the girl from the angry mob. Some of the angry mob members even hit me with their sticks and stones. I pleaded, “Please stop...please stop..!!”. Then the scene got over when I suddenly woke up. The dream left me a bit confused and left me wondering what exactly it was supposed to mean.<br /><br /><br />Some other night, when I was fast asleep at around 2 in the morning, I had another dream where i found myself somewhere in the middle of a very dark street. It appeared to be somewhere around 19th century London. Suddenly, I saw the same girl again. This time she was sitting near a dustbin at the corner of the street and was crying. It was a bit dark so i couldn't see her face too clearly. One thing I’m very sure of is that she was definitely the same girl that i saw in my previous dream. She even wore the same clothes and shoes. I felt a sudden wave of panic sweep through me so I slowly started to move towards her, then suddenly she disappeared! It happened so fast that I didn't even see how she disappeared.<br /><br /><br />The third time I saw the same girl in another dream, she was standing helplessly in front of the same mob who were chasing her in my first dream. I saw her holding a CD (compact Disk) in her hand. This time, she had an angry expression on her face but I still don't know who she <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15dyzbljCBkGqv0jvyvY181UnHfa0dimU9cuSNXuIQT-nD-3ibndSaHYseC9o2TYotVyvtX1ZtRhh0DxNp6sIi5JCARZcvQv19U7x6j8fTGfrMdPjdi2rPXKkYJBEin1ZZOKlBzfho2A0/s1600-h/Dream_World.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15dyzbljCBkGqv0jvyvY181UnHfa0dimU9cuSNXuIQT-nD-3ibndSaHYseC9o2TYotVyvtX1ZtRhh0DxNp6sIi5JCARZcvQv19U7x6j8fTGfrMdPjdi2rPXKkYJBEin1ZZOKlBzfho2A0/s200/Dream_World.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293314734617285490" border="0" /></a>was. But one thing i'm very sure of is that she belonged to one of the Asian ethnic groups, probably a Mizo girl. O.k, i forgot to tell you that this girl spoke Mizo! So, I asked the mob why they kept chasing this girl. One guy shouted, “She keeps stealing other people's stuff !” “What stuff?” I said. The man replied, “Well, previously she stole a man's heart. That heartbroken fellow eventually ended up committing suicide and now she's stolen a CD (compact disk)..!” I don't know why the heck all this big fuss was being made about a man's heart or a CD!! Is there some hidden meaning behind it? Totally weird...!!<br /><br /><br />These recurring bad dreams make me feel uneasy. Earlier, I did used to have many dreams, I mean normal dreams. The themes may have varied widely from place to place and from time to time and i ca<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQH7JD2CskPpSbUBRQNaQorR0Hh2pQM7x87ujqCJUnvmwfFOGtp6v_wlTgQ0zAn1QvvuloWpKbMYTRsZW7kLFhyphenhyphenthuk78SvwRsgYR91AyQjseraIvKaGVk6ptnuz_DTX47tNZFE51IjvTC/s1600-h/Gothic_Siren_by_Ironshod.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQH7JD2CskPpSbUBRQNaQorR0Hh2pQM7x87ujqCJUnvmwfFOGtp6v_wlTgQ0zAn1QvvuloWpKbMYTRsZW7kLFhyphenhyphenthuk78SvwRsgYR91AyQjseraIvKaGVk6ptnuz_DTX47tNZFE51IjvTC/s200/Gothic_Siren_by_Ironshod.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293328736089971426" border="0" /></a>nnot even recall many of my dreams. But this one is as clear to me as yesterday's events. In fact, it troubled me deeply. So, I stated browsing internet sites for information that I was hoping would help. Well, there are plenty of blogs, web-pages and web-sites that narrate people's experiences on dreams. Then, I turned my attention to professional interpretations of dreams as I thought it would be more genuine. A scholarly group called psychoanalysis (i.e sigmund freud) did a lot of theoretical work on dreams but all these did not seem too helpful in my case. There are other scholars who proposed that nightmares can be caused by stress, trauma, fears, insecurities, eating habits, feelings of inadequacy, health problems and marital issues. Do these justify my problem? Or someone, perhaps a spirit is trying to contact me through these dreams...i don't know! I really can't explain it at all. It would be nice to know if anybody has had a similar situation of this kind.<br /><br />Photos: www.jaygidwitz<br />http://www.twistedsiblings.com/gallery/albums/random_pics/gothy_girl.jpg<br />http://th01.deviantart.com/fs11/300W/i/2006/250/0/c/Gothic_Girl_by_the2slayers.jpg<br /><br /></div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-69904624170331833152009-01-12T09:37:00.000-08:002010-10-17T12:24:55.248-07:00EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-47293177952571958932009-01-09T05:10:00.001-08:002009-01-20T03:36:48.012-08:00Thought disorder<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraM2BywiRGRiwgpu-o6CRsqviKiAQMYZ6IPPwk_i4Odp8VamVRGrkhYf1bn43tGgrec03MRW6rkp39UxegS3lpiIO8VoUQEGpcrBXseA_HtRbM2oZP0a6kuMBj6fv1RT8Ib-K93KjgrD_/s1600-h/depressionBWbig_37548t.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhraM2BywiRGRiwgpu-o6CRsqviKiAQMYZ6IPPwk_i4Odp8VamVRGrkhYf1bn43tGgrec03MRW6rkp39UxegS3lpiIO8VoUQEGpcrBXseA_HtRbM2oZP0a6kuMBj6fv1RT8Ib-K93KjgrD_/s200/depressionBWbig_37548t.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293338391209025122" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;">I think we all do stupid things at least once or twice in our lifetime. Recently I do have a few of those, regret or whatever u call it. </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;">I never could have imagined the effect it would have on me. </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;"> In fact, I have never experienced anything like this before. </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;">I’m totally confused and uncomfortable.</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;"> I wish I could take it back but it wouldn't change anything. Is there any way that I can tell people that I'm not crazy. Now, </span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;">I've realized that everything i wish for will never come true.</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;"> Well, any stupid choices I made in life are lessons learned. </span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I have so many thoughts running through my head. but i just can't express.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal;"> Here’s a wonderful song called Haitian divorce by Steely Dann. Take a good look at the video below here. This is my favorite song on the entire album and the guitar melody gives me chills. Thanks to cousin brother, who introduced me to this beautiful song. </span><br /></div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='415' height='324' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dznHyYLXBKfkL6UgyDsKTIW2uk9x4gQRYwpKwB4RBls1CO_aClHwsz1do9nP-i27l-sSYr9f-iSBbtfai24Ew' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><br /><br />Source: http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=HcokCLbdxuw<br />http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00037/depressionBWbig_37548t.jpgEPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-64867474671247606572008-12-28T09:57:00.000-08:002009-01-06T21:11:49.542-08:00The Lessons of History: From Bamboo-Famine to Insurgency in North East Indi<div style="text-align: justify;">(Book review) (draft only)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">-H.Vanlalhruaia<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Pied Pipers In North East-India, Bamboo-Flowers, Rat-Famine and the Politics of Philantrophy (1881-2007) by Sajal Nag; Monohar, New Delhi, 2008. pp X+ 307, Rs. 780.</span><br /><br />A strong connection between famine and ethnic politics has been brought out by a number of scholars in the context of North East India. The economic backwardness of the region concerning famine has been widely discussed in the light of contemporary ethnic political process. Yet, the origin of widespread insurgencies in the north-east region whether in the case of Mizoram, Manipur or Nagaland is an outcome of food shortage during the colonial and post colonial period. However, the impact of famine on the people are generally left out in such discourses. To fill up such academic deficiency, Sajal Nag brought out a serious study on the history and politics around the bamboo famine in the context of Mizoram from the 1880s to the 1960s. Among India's north east states, Mizoram occupies a unique position mainly due to the periodic bamboo flowerings which lead to devastating famines in the region. This eventually led to the Famine Relief Front turned into political party called Mizo National Front uprising against the Indian nation in the mid 1960s. Mizo history from the pre-colonial migration to the encounter with colonialism and their interaction with the European Christian Missionaries and the growth of ethno-nationalism in post independent period were strongly determined by the cyclical bamboo famine. The various famine relief efforts which were made during colonialism by the state were all part of colonial agenda of trying to win over the hearts of the tribal people. In contrast to the colonial policy, the post colonial state ignored the famine in the hills. As a consequence, the socio - political upheaval started in 1966 which lasted for 20 years. Hence, history has provided a great deal of lesson that government interventions become important elements in coping with the famine stress.<br /><br />Famine was not new to the British, particularly since the Bengal famine. In fact, they were responsible for most of the famines that had occurred in India. (p.63) However, bamboo famine in Mizoram (Lushai Hills) has triggered their curiosity as it was new to them. Bamboo flowering causes two types of famine locally called “<span style="font-style: italic;">mautam tam</span>” and “<span style="font-style: italic;">thingtam tam</span>” – their occurrence usually based on chronological sequences. In local language, <span style="font-style: italic;">Mautam or thingtam l</span>iterally means bamboos withering or dying out. Tam meaning famine, the famine caused by bamboo is therefore called<span style="font-style: italic;"> mautam tam</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">thingtam tam</span>. According to folk tradition, the two species of bamboo (thing or bambusa longispiculata and mautak or melocanna bambbasoides) that grow in abundance in the hills flower in a cycle of 30 years and 50 years respectively. The bamboo flower soon produces fruits which are usually brown and green in colour. The seeds contain rich protein and are the favourite food of the local rats or Sazu. This is followed by a sudden explosion of rat population in the bamboo hills. The bamboos soon die, leaving the rats without abundant food from the bamboo. The hungry rats soon ravage the entire paddy field and stored grain in a matter of one night ultimately led to famine.<br /><br />The famine caused by bamboo flowering was recorded for the first time in 1862 and the next bamboo famine which devastated the entire Mizo chiefdoms was recorded in1881-1882 (Military Report on the Chin-Lushai Country, 1881). It was estimated that 15,000 Mizos perished. (p.62) Many people fled to the neighbouring plain areas of Cachar and Manipur. Nag argued that the Mizo tribe who were dependent on jhum agriculture and hunting were helpless and entirely dependent on the external intervention especially in the time of famine. At the same time, colonial government needed to generate knowledge on "savage predators" who continuously attacked their commercial activities in plain areas. Hence, the year 1881 ushered a new milestone in the Anglo-Mizo relationship as bamboo famine opened a new chapter for the production of colonial knowledge on the Mizo tribe. During the time of famine, not only did the Mizo chiefs agree to cease their hostilities but they also allowed the colonials to enter their hill territory to inquire the condition of the famine. Such inquiry enabled the British to gain valuable information on the Mizo chiefdoms. Soon after the colonial government acquired some knowledge, the first series of ‘punitive expeditions’ were launched in 1840 which continued up to the end of of the 19th century. However, the Mizo Chiefs were not easily subdued despite the repeated efforts on the part of the British government from outright war to economic blockade, from burning stored food and standing crop to taking prisoners. Then the British subsequently transformed their punitive expeditions to wars of conquest as “the tribal raids would not cease unless they were totally conquered and placed under 'civilized' administration of the British and culturally transformed through the quietening influence of Christianity”. (p.60) In 1890, the British finally inaugurated their administration in Aizawl, the present capital of Mizoram (Lushai Hills). The remaining Mizo chiefs continued their resistance.<br /><br />In 1911-1912, a periodic bamboo famine struck once again in the whole region of Lushai Hills under the British rule. Side by side with the government, Christian missionaries who entered the hill in 1894 provided relief work amongst the starving Mizos. A detailed description of the British and Christian Missionary relief works are found in both the third chapter and the fourth chapter. In the third chapter, Nag argues that the British used the famine relief work as a site for politics of paternalism in Lushai Hills. He wrote “<span style="font-style: italic;">The mautam gave the British, the opportunities to showcase their paternalistic image....what 50 years of warfare could not achieve, one year of famine relief did</span>” (p.152). As a result of the famine relief work, the Mizo chiefs soon realised that the white master was their saviour. In the author words “this paternalistic image of white people was gradually reinforced with the establishment of British power in the hills”. (p.152). Based on numerous records on both colonial rulers and the missionaries, Nag substantiated his argument in the fourth chapter stating that famine provided a site for the politics of humanitarianism in Lushai hills as both colonial government and Christian missionaries played pied pipers role. By arranging famine relief, it made them completely dependent on the administrative machinery. (p.216) The British Government was the new order and Christian missionaries through their work helped people to accept and adjust to the new order. According to the author, “They changed the tribal perception that the colonial administration was an alien government and made them feel as if it was their own. While the British made the colonial conquest of the Lushai, the Missionaries, by transforming them morally and culturally, consolidated the conquest.” (p.217)<br /><br />The fifth chapter stresses on the fact that the bamboo famine in independent India was used as a site for ethno-nationalism. The next bamboo famine occurred in the post independent era of 1959-1960 which was a very critical period in Mizo history. When the British left the Mizo hills, it remained isolated and underdeveloped. Moreover, this period also witnessed rapid expansion of the fear of losing cultural identity going hand in hand with social and political crisis. Politically, Mizo Hills became an autonomous district of Assam in 1952 and the institution of chieftainship was abolished with the aim of democratizing the political condition in the hills. Lack of communication from the mainland India resulted to regionalism with an uncertain future for the Mizos.<br /><br />Based on their experiences in the past, precautionary measures were initiated as early as 1950. The Anti-Famine Campaign Organization was formed in 1951 with the aim of preventing famine in the hills. On 29 October 1958, the Mizo District Council passed a resolution cautioning the government (Assam) to sanction relief funds. However, the government of Assam rejected the request on the ground that such predictions of famine were only tribal superstition. True to their prediction, standing crops were devastated by millions of rats in 1959. Majority of the people who were fully dependent on jhum agriculture for their subsistence were subjected to starvation. The Assam government finally responded when the news of the crisis was well circulated. However, supply could not be furnished because of poor modes of transportation (the only roads available could be accessed by Jeep). In the following year, the famine became worse in almost every part of the Mizo Hills.<br /><br />Earlier in 1946, the district ruling party, Mizo Union agreed to merge with the Indian Union. However, the bamboo famine had an overwhelming impact on the political condition of the Hills. Famine left a scar on the people’s psyche that the government failed to provide relief work during the previous bamboo famine. Feelings of negligence and marginalization from the government developed rapidly in the post famine period. Khondker comment on famine policies in pre-British India firmly applied in the Mizo context as he stated that “there is a moral responsibility on the part of the government to ensure the subsistence needs of the populace. And failure to discharge this obligation is viewed as a breach of an unwritten contract raising serious questions about the effectiveness and legitimacy of the government.” (Khondker, 1986, p.25) The Mizo Cultural Society was formed in 1958 which eventually changed its name to the Mizo National Famine Front with the outbreak of Famine in 1959. The front began as a voluntary organization offering social services to the people. The educated middle class were frustrated because of the Assam government’s indifference to the Mizo hills. Hence, the need of a new platform pushed the Front to organize a new political party called 'Mizo National Front' (MNF) on 22nd October 1961. A memorandum submitted to the prime minister on 30 October 1965 clearly reflected the people’s perception on government relief work in the Mizo hills; “<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">During the fifteen years of close contact and association with India, Mizo people have not been able to feel at home with India or in India, nor have they been able to feel that their joys and sorrow have really ever been shared by India. They do not, therefore feel Indian…. Therefore, the Mizos demanded the creation of Mizoram, a free sovereign state to govern itself to work her own destiny and to formulate her own foreign policy</span>”. On 28 February1966, the famous Mizo insurgency movement started in North East India. The insurgency lasted for 20 years, ended in 1986 which took more life than during the course of the previous Famine.<br /><br />The author ends his brief discussion on a sporadic Mautam that returned in 2007-2008. The author's main emphasis is on the fact that the former rebel group now run the state government has failed to implement effective ways of organizing famine relief works. During the author’s field trip in Mizoram, he sensed widespread discontent. He noted that “almost all sections of the population were unhappy with the way a prospective famine was being politicized and its fund being misused.” (p.289) Although recent period witnessed the transformation of market economy, development particularly in the agricultural scenario is far from adequate. It is a hilly area with most of the villages being inaccessible to road transport. There is very little infrastructure on which relief work can be organized, roads are primitive, and the economy is primarily based on primitive mode of production i.e Jhum cultivation. Apart from these considerations, bamboo famine is a natural calamity, but the severity is also determined by the social and economic forces that reflect the general rural poverty. Basing on Nag observations, the present crisis in Mizoram demonstrates three underlying messages – first, the internal weakness and regional backwardness of the state as in comparison with the plain areas of India. Second, it demonstrates the poor standard of living conditions particularly in rural areas. Third, it also undermines the effectiveness of government action on precautionary measures, response and relief action in the course of bamboo famine.<br /><br />The way Nag utilized colonial documents in shaping the entire book is amazing especially in the context of north-east India, where re-reading of colonial thought is limited. However, his lack of incorporating local sources (for instance oral tradition gives numerous references to famine) and lots of mispronunciations and spelling mistakes (including glossary. p.291-292) on local language in the book may irritate the native language speaking scholars. Otherwise, this book will be a good read for those who are interested in exploring the history of north-east India in general, Mizoram history in particular.<br /><br />Notes:<br /><br />Khondker, H.H (1986) Famine policies in pre-British India and the question of moral economy in South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. Vol.9, No.2.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div id="sdfootnote1"> </div> </div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-75365587245344113832008-12-28T09:44:00.000-08:002009-04-26T13:09:44.760-07:00EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-30582576404001880272008-12-07T09:01:00.000-08:002009-04-26T13:11:21.254-07:00EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-50148613026673122642008-11-03T22:20:00.000-08:002009-02-02T23:44:05.840-08:00Macro Effect<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5ISXqzaq3J4/SRB_ILBaS2I/AAAAAAAAAVk/2OUN-m0UleQ/s640/samtrawk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 216px;" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_5ISXqzaq3J4/SRB_ILBaS2I/AAAAAAAAAVk/2OUN-m0UleQ/s640/samtrawk.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/1059/img1558lb5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 349px; height: 232px;" src="http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/1059/img1558lb5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">No.1: <span>Tah hi chuan Macro Mode ka hmang lo. Cannon, EOS 1000D, lens: EF-s 55-250mm f/4-5.5 IS ka hmang a. A thingkung hi a sang angreng a, a tawp rat thlengin ka zoom a. Duhang takin a fiah tawk lo niin ka hria. </span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;" class="news-body-text"><span id="ls_contents-0"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">Tuipui (Darzo kai) a awm a ni a. Kawl Taitaw niin an sawi. </span><br /></div><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/7711/picture110vm1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 383px; height: 254px;" src="http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/7711/picture110vm1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;">No 2: Hei hi S.Vanlaiphai khawtawp lam, Sangau kawng bula Sangha dil bula ka lak a ni. Sakawr hmarcha a ni.</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Thak tha ve tawk a ni a, hmarcha thak dan nen </span>chuan inang lo lutuk ringawt mai.</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/1670/picture018sq1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 404px; height: 268px;" src="http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/1670/picture018sq1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No 3: Samtawk a ni a, Sap samtawk an ti deuh kher...S.Vanlaiphai a mi a ni.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/7127/73968618yg7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 432px; height: 286px;" src="http://img361.imageshack.us/img361/7127/73968618yg7.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No4: Rannung che peih deuh ho hi lak fuh a har hlein ka hria. Lens -55mm </span>hmangin macro mode pangai tawpa lak a ni.</span><br /></div><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/1152/picture109ol9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 457px; height: 303px;" src="http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/1152/picture109ol9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;">No:5</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/8448/picture105ah9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 455px; height: 301px;" src="http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/8448/picture105ah9.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No6: He hnim hming hi ka hre lo. A par hi tetak te te an ni a. Macro mode hmanga </span>ka lak a ni.</span><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 204); font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/4002/panparqc1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 473px; height: 314px;" src="http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/4002/panparqc1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">No7: He pangpar hi a hmiang ka hre tlat lo. Tourist Lodge, Chaltlang Aizawl a an </span>khawi lai mek a ni.</span><br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/CHINGN%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" />EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-87430438440979146922008-11-03T21:57:00.001-08:002009-02-02T23:40:59.820-08:00Scooty leh Aizawl Nula<div style="text-align: justify; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tun tum Mizoram ka han haw chu, Scooty alo tam tawh hle mai. A bikin hmeichhia ten an intihhmuh thar hle niin a lang. Nula tamtak tan thilawhawm tak tur a ni. Ni 28 Nov 2008 khan Millenium bul lawkah thian kawm pahin ka ding a, reilote ka din chhung ringawt pawhin an lo tlan hnem hman hle!!.<span style="font-family:times new roman;">Camera:Cannon EOS 1000D, Lens: </span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>EF-s 55-250mm f/4-5.6.</strong></span></div><span class="news-body-text"><span id="ls_contents-0"><p><img style="width: 368px; height: 257px;" src="http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/6277/26944596hq6.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p> <img style="width: 367px; height: 294px;" src="http://img45.imageshack.us/img45/2409/42838283es8.jpg" border="0" /></p><p><img style="width: 370px; height: 258px;" src="http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/4789/img2001hl3.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p> </p><p> <img style="width: 371px; height: 367px;" src="http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/4365/44690694mu3.jpg" border="0" /></p><p><img style="width: 377px; height: 352px;" src="http://img357.imageshack.us/img357/2343/img1994ri6.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p><img style="width: 373px; height: 419px;" src="http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/710/56349475da4.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <img style="width: 375px; height: 290px;" src="http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9992/19973242bx3.jpg" border="0" /></p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </p><p style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Nula tamtakin scooty an hman lai hian nula tamtak pawh kein an la kal tho bawk..</span></p><p><img style="width: 383px; height: 255px;" src="http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/7089/75048869ea6.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p><img style="width: 386px; height: 257px;" src="http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/8203/87681126de0.jpg" border="0" /></p><p><img style="width: 384px; height: 256px;" src="http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9695/62762456or8.jpg" border="0" /> </p> </span></span>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-433720880730552592008-01-12T09:30:00.000-08:002008-01-25T07:48:24.065-08:00Rape in Mizo society: whose fault is it anyway?<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;" align="right"><b style=""><span style=""><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></b>“While a murderer destroys the physical frame of the victim, a rapist degrades and defiles the soul of a helpless female."<span style=""> - </span>Justice Arjit Pasayat<o:p></o:p><br /><b style=""><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><o:p><br /></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Rape occurs everywhere in the world; the Christian dominated state of Mizoram is not an exception. The word ‘rape’ or<i style=""> ‘sual’</i> literally means ‘criminal assault (on women)’ or to ‘commit rape upon’ and was included in the first Mizo-English dictionary drafted by JH Lorrain. Pre-colonial practices of <i style="">Nula zen</i> (<i style="">a form of sexual abuse</i>) and <i style="">mi hur zawn</i> (<i style="">public punishment of whore/public rape</i>) have been declared illegal since the early part of 20<sup>th</sup> century by the colonial rulers. A number of Sexual offences and penalties were recorded in the first Mizo customary laws (A monograph on Lushai Customs and Ceremonies1927) drafted by colonial ethnographer N.E Parry. During the colonial period, all rape cases were to be reported to the superintendent of Mizoram (Lushai hills). “<i style="">Rape however is very rare indeed in these hills. A genuine case of rape is unmistakable, as the girl would at once rush to chief and complain and he would send her straight to court</i>.” Rape may not be common in traditional society, though other forms of sexual offences were widely known. If not, Mizo customs may not deal so much about sexual offences. It is said that rape was very common during the insurgency period (1966-1986) but there have not been any specific records of any rape incident.Hence, rape is not a new trend in the Mizo society. However, the nature of rape has been widespread in the recent decade. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Recent official statistics have clearly shown that rape constitutes a growing social problem in Mizoram. <span style="color:black;">According to a ‘crime clock’ prepared by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), rape occurs every 29 minutes. A case of cruelty by a husband and his relatives was recorded every nine minutes in overall </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color:black;">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="color:black;">. </span>In Mizoram, out of a total population there were 78 rape cases in 2004 recorded by the CID crime branch of Mizoram. According to police records, the crime rate against women steadily increased between 2001 to 2003. While cases registered in this respect were 114 in 2001, this rose to 136 in 2002 and to 219 in 2003. The increased rate placed Mizoram as the second highest crime rate against women in the NE states. On an average, police register one case in three days.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">It is difficult to document incidences of rape due to the social stigmas attached to it. <span style=""> </span>Rape incidents are hardly ever reported to officials. If the news reaches the ears of the Mizo Women Organization (MHIP), protest movements are organized, either in the district or state level. Media, political parties, other social organizations<span style=""> and interest groups immediately express their concern but only in words. </span>However, the women organizations or Human Rights Law Network step forward to pressurize the government to implement new laws or regulations, lest the issue may die out before the next rape incident takes place again.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">According to Section 376 (A, B, C, D) of the IPC, punishment can be given to the culprit for imprisonment of up to 7 years. However, there are many instances where a rapist was not even jailed for a year or worse in some cases, not even for a month. Because of the flexibility of law, the accused easily gets bail. The rapist continues his life in both private and public spheres. Moreover, the case remains pending in courts over and over again.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">What is the reason behind many rape cases not being reported to the authorities? Bianca Son (<i style="">daughter of Dr Vumson, a well known Mizo historian</i>) says, “<i style="">Rape is not reported because of the profound emotional pain and stigma attached to it, fear for the safety of family left behind and lack of ordinary support systems leave women without recourse</i>”. In some cases, the victim’s family and the rapist’s family meet and settle the case out of court. Lalzarliani, Secretary of Mizo Women’s Organization (MHIP), Sub Headquarter, narrates in this context “<i style="">The women’s organization always wants to help the rape victims but we can’t! There are several instances where we propose to move the cases to court, but many a times, the victim and her family withdraw because the rapist’s family and the victim’s family agree on a settlement</i>.<i style=""> Marginalized people are helpless”.</i><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Misuse of the Christian ethics could be the reason too. The New Testament says, ‘Love thy neighbors as thyself’ (Mark <st1:time minute="31" hour="12">12:31</st1:time>). A couple of years ago, a teenage girl was raped by a co-villager in the southern part of Mizoram. The rapist and his family soon rushed to the victim’s house and asked for forgiveness in the name of Jesus. Strongly influenced by Christian ethics, the victim’s father agreed so the case was not reported to the court. Jesus may forgive but the Law does not.<o:p></o:p><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Lack of awareness is one of the main reasons of rape in Mizoram. Recently, NEWSLINK (an English newspaper published in Mizoram) <span style=""> </span>on Monday, September 11, 2006 reported , “In the village of Lengpui, a young man was accused of raping a 10-year old mentally challenged girl, which was followed by another minor girl being raped by a close relative. The report stated that the accused had raped the girl on four occasions and that despite repeated warnings, the man had again laid hands on the girl on September 2, 2006”. “<i style="">Why repeated warnings</i>”? Why was the case not reported the very first time it happened? This clearly shows the pathetic order of society.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Who is responsible for rape and what are the various causes of rape? I will not go into detail on the various studies ranging from <i><span style="" lang="EN">The Feminist</span></i><span style="" lang="EN"> theory, <i>The Social Learning</i> theory and <i>The Evolutionary</i> theory drawing various causes of rape. </span>This has been debated in the academic field and media for many years. In Mizoram, society blames mostly the girl or the girl’s family for not taking precautionary measures. Even the biggest organization, the Young Mizo Association (YMA) is currently targeting the fashion oriented teenage girls. The same view is also put forward by officials. According to Sub-Inspector, Lunglei District Police headquarter; “the current generation are healthier and <span style="" lang="EN">flooded with hormones, and are overwhelmed with sexual desire.</span><span lang="EN"> </span><span style="" lang="EN">The desire for a certain kind of sex can in some individuals lead to the rise of the level of compulsion. Some people are unable to stop themselves from some type of sexual activity, even if that activity is illegal, hurts others, and is self-destructive. </span>If the girl does not dress properly, chances are increased. Many girls are not aware of this, which gives the rapist a better chance. <i style="">So, “girls are responsible for their rape</i>” he said.<span style=""> </span>Perhaps, he did not realize that rapes are common in Muslim countries where <i style="">burkha</i> system is prevalent. Further he says “<i style="">when the case comes before us, many are not real rape cases, some girls are only pretending</i>”. The same argument is also put forward by the C.Laldina SP CID Branch, Aizawl. “<i style="">Of course, there are many under aged rape incidents, which should be prevented and the police are taking those casse seriously but many of the rape casse reported to the police turn out to be farce after police investigation</i>”. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> Why are many rape incidents not registered as rape cases? First, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) is incomplete in defining rape law. <span style="color:black;">Rape is defined in </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="color:black;">India</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="color:black;"> as intentional, unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent</span><span style="color:black;">. </span>The touching of the female’s sex organ, without the penetration of the vagina, cannot constitute rape under the IPC. Rape, however, is not sex; it is a crime, and it is a crime of violence. Sakshi v. Union of India, the National Commission for Women and the other organizations suggested revision of the definition of rape law in <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Now, the law has been discussed, debated and revised. Hopefully, it will be implemented very soon.<span style="color:black;"> </span><o:p></o:p><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Secondly, the system of trial in a court room is problematic. It is likely that girls are helpless in a patriarchal society. Liankunga, a Mizo IAS officer currently posted in <st1:city><st1:place>Patna</st1:place></st1:city>, <st1:place>Bihar</st1:place> narrates the story, “<i style="">I have a private lawyer friend, who is currently practicing in Aizawl. Sometimes he may get the culprit as his client. Shrewdly, he may ask a number of questions, which a girl may shy to answer in a court room</i>”. <i style="">If the girl is unable to answer, the opposite party definitely wins</i>.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">There are a lot of misconceptions on rape that prevail in the Mizo society. Men forcing themselves on women just to satisfy their sexual urges or using the excuse of girls not dressing properly are baseless accusations and misconceptions. This should be corrected. Men, even husbands have absolutely no right to force his wife for sexual intercourse. <span style="">Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1983:</span> Section. 376(A) punishes sexual intercourse with wife without her consent by a judicially separated husband. A woman's body is not the property of a man, and he is not entitled to touch her unless he gets permission.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">There have been numerous debates on the subject of rape in Mizoram but the points that have been discussed and brought out in the open are often very narrow. Recently an extremist viewpoint on rape has been suggested in the February 2007 edition of Zofa Digest which stated, “Mizoramah pawngsual tam lutuk hi a hahthlak ta hle mai. Sorkar hian hremna dan thar <st1:country-region><st1:place>siam</st1:place></st1:country-region> se, til lak phalsak mai se atha lo’ng maw?” which can roughly translated as, “Rape cases have increased rapidly in Mizoram<span style=""> </span>in recent years, the government should implement strict rules to punish the rapists, it would perhaps be recommendable if the culprit were castrated.” But this view may not necessarily provide a better solution. On the other hand, another question may arise – to what extent has an extensive study been done on this particular subject and to what extent have precautions been taken? In <st1:country-region><st1:place>Saudi Arabia</st1:place></st1:country-region>, gays and thieves are either hanged or their hands are cut off<span style=""> </span>but this is not effective in reducing the prevalence of these crimes. At the various levels, a systematic study on rape needs to be conducted.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Traditional definition based on Mizo customary law of sexual offences may not be relevant in the present context, neither is it compatible with the existing formal laws. <span style=""> </span>Moreover, more problems arise because Mizo customary laws in relation to sexual offences are not properly revised and are yet to be codified. (<span style="letter-spacing: 1pt;">Rev.Khuanga, 2006:1)</span> <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">Ignorance is the main cause of the issue despite Mizoram having the second highest literacy rate in <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Few efforts have been taken by the Government and NGOs who have conducted several seminars on rape issues in Mizoram, mostly on urban space. However, in reality, it hardly reaches the lower section of society. Hence, there is an urgent need to raise issues pertaining to awareness of rape and precautionary measures. Rape victims should be encouraged to report themselves to authorities and compensation should be given. Punishment for the rapists should be severe depending on the case. After all, people should realize that this incident can happen to anyone, even to their own family members. Then only, people will realize how important it is to educate themselves on fighting against this pernicious crime. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:10;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">References:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: 1pt;">Rev.Khuanga; “<i style="">Relevance of Customary Law and Justice in the Changing socio-Economic context of Mizoram</i>” in R.N Prasad & P.Chakraborty (Ed); Administration of Justice in Mizoram, Mittal Publication, New Delhi, 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span>Study on Child Abuse <st1:country-region><st1:place>India</st1:place></st1:country-region>, 2007 <i style="">(Ministry of women and Child development, Government of </i><st1:country-region><st1:place><i style="">India</i></st1:place></st1:country-region>)<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-73299588960732766672007-12-07T10:50:00.000-08:002007-12-07T11:09:19.706-08:00Biak In Pahnih<div align="justify">Khawvela kan awm chhung hi chuan bungrua leh sum hi a lo pawimawh ber mai zawng a nih hi. Hei hi Kristiante thlirna dan tur erawh a ni lo. Mahse, Mizorama kan Kohran kan inenkawl dan leh kan Biak In hmelhmang hian a tarlang tel tlat si a ni. Rick Warren, (author of The purpose Driven Life/ The purpose Driven Church) America rama Kohhran din tu lar em em chuan Biak In (Building) nei hauh lovin, Kohhran a din a. Kum 24 chhung chuan a remchanna hmun a piangah; (a chang chuan Playground, Public Function hall etc) ah inkhawm a buatsaih mai thin a ni. Kohhran hlawhtling leh thang duang tak a ni tlat si. Mizoram-ah hian Biak In tel lo hian Kohhran a awm thei ange’m? Mizoram-ah hian Biak In neih hi tih makmawh kan neih mek a. A <em>building</em> sak duhdan leh cheimawina lamah kan inel nasa hle tawh a.Kan Biakin thenkhatte pawh sumdawnna nen a inchiah piah tan mek a ni.<br /><br /> Awle, ka han sawi tum tak zawk chu; Biak In pahnih inang lo tak mai chanchin hi a ni. Hman deuh khan thingtlang khaw pakhat (a hming sawi lang lo mai ang)ah ka zinnaah chuan kawr sirah hian In chhe tak, a bang dap, tlabal tawh lam, a chung di hi alo ding awn ve bai a. Ka han en chiang a, a Kohhran hming chu chiang fahran hian a lo in ziak a. A ni teh tak a! hetianga thingtlang khua, nitin eichawp zawnga nung tawk tawkte tan chuan Biakin Assam Type tak ngial pawh hi sual chhuah hautak zet tur hi a nia!<br /><br /> Hetih lai hian Mizoram khawpui pakhatah chuan hemi Kohhran chiah Biak In ve thung chu “a sak nan hian cheng engzat nge an sen ang aw” tih vawng vawng na tur hi a ni. A biakin chhung leh kawt zawng zawng chu cement mai ni lo, chhuat phah mawi chi phah vek a ni a. Biakin thutphah zawng zawng chu cushion dah vek a ni a. Pulpit chei mawina chu duhthu sam hi a ni ngawt mai. Rangkachak hi an luan lo chauh ni mai hian ka hria. <br /> <br /> Tun hma khawthlang rama Biak In Building kha a ropui a ni. Biak In chei turin mithiam bik an ruai hial thin a ni. Kum zabi 14na Renaissance period an tih mai hun atang kha chuan mawi taka insak leh thil cheimawi na lam kha Biak In nen a inkungkaih nghet em em. Khawthlang rama in nalh ber ber chu Biak In (cathedral) a ni. hetih lai huna Kohhran te kha an hausa em em a. Ram zau tak tak leh rosum an ngah em em a ni. Mahse, hetih lai hian miretheite chu an rethei ngawih ngawih a revolution engemaw zah Europe ramah chuan a thleng a ni. Khatianga Kohhran in sum tamtak a huihkhawm a, Kohhran hruaituten an mamawh hun apianga Pathian in sum a mamawh ti a, mi awmthei deuh hnena an ngen ngawt thin kha…khatih lai sumdawng hausa hmasa ten an ning em em a. Protestant Kohhran rim a rawn nam a, khatih capitalist class te chuan an bawh ruih ruih a nih kha..! Hei vang hian protestant reformation tih hi Max Weber a chuan Capitalist Movement tiin a lo sawi hial ni.<br /> <br /> Mahse, tunlai huna Biak In tam tak te chu a ruak ta heu huau hlawm thung a, a then chu Cinema Hall-ah te, Library atan te leh dawr atan te, leh Museum a tan te hman a ni ta a ni. Biak In ropui tak tak la ding mek te pawh hian luahlumtu a nei meuh tawh lova, kum lama upa deuh ho in hmuhkhawmna a ni ta deuh ber a. Thalai hmel phei chu hmuh tur a awm meuh tawh lo a ni. Tunhnuah rawngbawltu hrang hrang an lo chhuak a, Biak In building leh denomination lam sawi lovin, Fellowship an rawn din tan a. Thalai ten an bawr em em a ni. Heng zingah hian Hill Songs-Darlene-te hi kan hriat lar pawl tak tur an ni.<br /><br /> Mizoramah pawh Biak In neih thatah kan in el nasat mai bakah Biak In inchuhna pawh vawi duai lo kan hmelhriat tawh bawk. Biak In (building) lai hrim hrim hi in nghirnghona hmanrua tak a lo ni fo tawh thin. Hmanni lawkah UPC ten biak In an inchuh a, Shillong-ah pawh Baptist leh Presbyterian chuan Biak In inchuhin an lo in chaltauh hle tawh bawk. Biak In pakhat mai mai a vanga Patlingin hmai sen kan in hmuh duh hial ta mai hi a mak a ni. Ringtu chapo zingah hian - ‘tlawm zawk’ nih chu sawi loh, “Kan Kohhran hi kan dik tawk lo ve bawk a ni e” ti ngam hi an awm lo va, Pathian hmingin tlawm zawkah i tang ngam ang u tih phei chu a hnai lo lutuk. Zoram Kohhran hruaitute thenkhatte thluakah hian eng ber hi nge awm ang aw ka ti mai mai thin. Pawnlanga inchibai thei, chhungrila inngaidam si lo hi Pathian duhdan a nih a rinawm ber lo.<br /><br /> Mizorama kan Biak Inte hi a ropui tual tual a, Kohhran nihphung leh kalphung tak aia Biak In (Building) kan dah pawimawh em em na hian engtikah emaw chuan Khawtlang Kohhran dinhmun hi kan la tawn ve tur chu a nih hmel viau mai. Heng kan BiakIn sakna ropui tak tak ai hian Missionary-te hi tir chhuak tam ta zawk ila, kan zia zawk ngei ang.<br /><br /> Welsh ram atangin chanchintha eng kan hmu a. An nunah khuan zir tur tha tak kan nei. An ni khu, English ho laka rilru danglam pu chungin an inkhar ping tial tial a. An in sawr chhuak tlem tial tial a, mahni an inhaivur a. Missionary rilru lamah an pachhe tial tial. Tunah chuan, Missionary tirh let hial an ngai tawh a ni. Hetiang bawk hian Mizoramah pawh Biakin kan sa tha tual tual a, Kohhran dan kan zam khauh tulh tulh a. A hmingin Missionary tlem kan tirh chhuak a, mahse rawngbawlna kawngah leh ringthar siam kawngah kan pachhe hle si a ni. Rawngbawlna kawngah Missionary hnathawh lamah kan tlahniam tial tial a. Hei hian a nghawng tur WESLH ram ang bawk hi a ni.<br /><br /> Mizorama kan Biakin te pawh hi a awm tawk a awm a ni. Kan incheina thleng hian miretheite tan a inthlahrun thlak hle tawh a ni. Incheina mumal tak nei lo chuan, dinchhuah te phei chu-thil harsa a ni. Hetianga kan rama Kohhran insawhnghet tlut tlut lo hian Missionary thawnchhuah nan hian sum tam thei ber hi dah ila, kan inenkawlna hi chu awlsam zawnga kan tih a hun a ni. Mizoram hian thlaithar emaw eng bungrua mah thawnchhuah kan nei hauh lo, tunhma atanga kan thawnchhuah awm chhun chu "<strong>Chanchintha" </strong>chiah hi a ni.<br /> <br /> </div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-25190537350107349622007-09-20T03:52:00.000-07:002007-09-20T04:05:23.307-07:00REVEALING THE MARGINALIZATION OF NORTH EAST INDIA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0cPtHRdMkfXWxNKz_jXRrawn40tTN0zMScsya-w0F6LapVNhxkXhF30Fc7aLgRpcrcUI_V8TC5gXZqFu9Vqgy6fk3P5XSi7RJb4UboVyhglJEqUSsa1kjlk_YDLWw1MnOqK2BsKBoclr/s1600-h/map-north-east.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0cPtHRdMkfXWxNKz_jXRrawn40tTN0zMScsya-w0F6LapVNhxkXhF30Fc7aLgRpcrcUI_V8TC5gXZqFu9Vqgy6fk3P5XSi7RJb4UboVyhglJEqUSsa1kjlk_YDLWw1MnOqK2BsKBoclr/s320/map-north-east.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5112239045660577458" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';font-size:100%;" > A </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >national seminar on ‘<span style="">North East in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century</span>: Issues and concerns’, was organized in (Dt7-8) February 2005 by the Department of Political Science at the <place><placetype>University</placetype> of <placename>Hyderabad</placename></place>. Various important issues, questions and concerns pertaining to all North Eastern states of <place>India</place>, the North East for short, were raised and discussed. Surprisingly, the seminar did not cover Mizoram on the ground that there are no problems worth analyzing in Mizoram. I was not convinced. First, there indeed are problems which are worth examining. Secondly, Mizoram does not lack good things from which intellectual debates can be generated and learned. Or is it the case that scholarly and intellectual concerns should not cross the limit of problems in the society? Such attitude only reveals how the positive aspect of institutional development has been largely ignored by various discourses in amongst Indian intelligentsia. </span></span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > I</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >n this work, I shall briefly outline North East (<place>Assam</place>, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh) against the larger Indian context. My intention is not to present any final picture but to open up some points for under discussion. My focus is essentially on the issue of marginalization of North East. </span></span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><span style=""> </span>I</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >t has been more than 50 years since India has been playing around with different projection paradigms in the North East, such as, ‘exotic cultural paradigm’, ‘security paradigm’, ‘integration paradigm’, ‘politics paradigm’, ‘economic package paradigm’, and so on. (</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >Jairam Ramesh, 2005)<span style=""> Despite the efforts and possible solutions suggested by officials, intellectuals, medias, scholars and NGO activists, many questions are yet to be addressed. More importantly, the oft debated well known issues are left unattended despite promises to solve them. Why is it so?</span> </span></span></div> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><br /></span></span></div> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>T</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >he North East has been a part and parcel of <place>South Asia</place> since time immemorial. </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >It is not an isolated entity but part of a wider socio-political and religious networks of neighbouring settlements, often constituting a sub-region. They relate to the even larger geo-political contexts of region, state, and nation. Assam has many foreign visitors of the Chinese, Persia, Arab, Portuguese, French and Italian etc. (N.N Acharyya, 1985) <place><span style="">Assam</span></place><span style="">, Manipur, Tripura have been known prior to the coming of the foreign elements – the colonial rulers. Hill tribes maintained their commercial contact with the plain areas of Assam and <place>Bengal</place>. Even the minority group of Chakmas had trade relations with the Mughals. Contact between Nagas and the Ahoms of Assam produced a new hybrid language called Nagamese. (B.K Baruah, 1993)<span style=""> </span>The sacred literature of Ram and Sita was known to the Mizos many years before the British colonialism held sway in the North East. (</span>Sangkima, 2002)<span style=""> Therefore, the region is not an isolated entity. Currently, the term ‘isolated region’ could validly be interpreted only in terms of <place>India</place>’s policy towards the development of technology and means of communication in the region. The distance between <city>Delhi</city> and Assam or Nagaland in the North East is perhaps lesser than distance between <city>Delhi</city> and Andhra Pradesh of southern <place>India</place>. But why do we still talk about North East as being isolated? </span></span></span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > D</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >iscourse on the concept of North East by mainstream officials, scholars, medias and social scientists have always been an enterprise implicit in the agenda of <place>India</place>’s nationalism. The term North East was invented by the colonialist to identify a geographical area, later on adopted by Indian officials, intellectuals and medias for administrative and other suspicious political reasons. The term certainly requires scrutiny in the light of contemporary political situations. In sharp contrast to the existing concept, various ethnic groups in the North East prefer to identify themselves under their own specific group identity such as Assamese of Assam, Nagas of Nagaland, Mizos of Mizoram, Bodos of Assam and so on and so forth. The local people do not use the term North East and it has no viable meaning to them since there are apparent traits that mark a clear cut distinction between the various groups under discussion. One should not forget that North East depicts diversity of languages and cultural practices. For instance, there are more than 16 languages spoken in Nagaland alone. This diversity within the North East has to be noted rather than portraying the region as a homogenous entity while attempting to initiate discussions or developmental activities. </span></span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><span style=""> </span></span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >T</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >he Post-Independence era has been a period of confusion in the North East. Because of negligence (or should we say marginalization?) people have been and are confused about their future and their identity which resulted in so many peoples’ movements and struggles. Continuous marginalization has brought about more distrust and apathy. Initially, the only response or answer they got for their demands from the Central government was the Indian army. But we can see clear evidence of its failure to bring about normalcy in the region after 56 years of trials and experiments with the armed forces since <place>India</place>’s independence. The Indian army, the second largest in <place>Asia</place> is still unable to contain the small ‘insurgency’ groups of the region. The army has not provided a solution but merely infested the minds of the people with confusion and hatred. All northeastern states have shown resentment towards the occupation of the army in one way or the other. Retaliation is not the best solution when everyone wants to live a normal life. Has the Central government ever given a serious thought as to why so many young people still want to risk their lives by joining the so called insurgency groups? </span></span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><span style=""> </span></span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >T</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >he term ‘insurgency’ which has </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >become an official and intellectual categorization <span style="">needs to be explicated here. </span>There has been little attempt to clarify the concept of insurgency’ in the context of the North East. Currently, the term has been generated and applied from one particular angle alone, from the mainstream nationalist perspective connoting a rebellious attitude or meaning. <span style="">The term insurgency etymologically comes from a Latin word ‘insurgere’ which means to ‘rise up’. In English, the word could mean a ‘rebel’ or a ‘revolutionary’. Therefore, the official Indian perception or interpretation actually comes from the latter and is one sided. Explicitly infused with the English prejudice, </span>officials, media and social scientists have <span style="">branded North East as being infested by various ‘insurgency groups’ or ‘rebel groups’. On the contrary, it follows from the original word ‘insurgere’ it can be taken to mean that people have ‘risen up’ against marginalization. The Mizo National Front movement in 1966-1987 when Mizoram was an autonomous district council under the state of Assam is a good example of such an instance where people have ‘risen up’ against the negligence of the state towards a devastating famine that had ailed the region.( This case can also apply to many parts of the North East. Is it too much on the part of the mainstream Indian thinkers and policy makers to consider if the demands made by the local people are genuine at all? </span></span></span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><span style=""> </span></span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >T</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >he media has shaped the mainstream Indian’s perception of the North East. Insurgency, weird cultural practices and dirty politics have been the favorite topics of the mainstream reporters. They just report with intention to capture the imaginations of the mainstream people. Lack of cultural understanding coupled by superimposition of their own constructed ideas about the North East people result in suppression and distortion of truth or ground realities.</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >Hardly, there is any visible effort either to change the undesirable situation in the region or methods in depicting the identity of the North East people. These images soon become ingrained in the consciousness of the mainstream Indian citizens. Occasionally, stories about cultural activities appear on some news paper but these are usually given only in passing. Insurgency, ethnic conflicts and crises get reported, genuine people stories rarely do. There are an awful lot of good things happening but they often escape the notice of the national and international reporters as if a rule unless somebody pushes to get them there. Such attitudes and practices sowed the seed of suspicion and hatred in the minds of the North East people. The Naga Students’ Federation who had forbidden a non-Naga to write on Naga history without their prior approval is a good example. (<span style="">M.S Prabhakara, 2003</span>) </span></span></div> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><span style=""> </span></span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >M</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >arginalization of the North Eastern region could be seen in the trend of historical writings in <place>India</place>. Well known intellectuals of the academic world such as Peter Burke’s ‘popular culture’, Eric Wolf’s ‘people without history’, </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >E.P Thompson’s ‘unsung voices of history’, Genovese’s ‘objects and subjects of history’, Hobsbawm’s ‘social banditry’, Ranajit Guha’s ‘subaltern’, Lacan’s ‘others’, Said’s ‘orientalism’ Barthes’ ‘structural analysis of narratives’, Derrida’s ‘deconstruction’, Michel Foucault’s ‘history of the historian’ Skaria’s ‘hybrid histories’ and many others question the existing orthodoxy of historical discourse. (Kate Currie, 1997. <place>E Shreedharan</place>, 2004). This is also true in the context of the North East as the regional </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" lang="EN-GB">specificity</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > has been ignored by the academic community until the recent time. </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >The greatest challenge to the Indian historians is to incorporate regional histories in the broader framework of Indian history. (</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >B.B Kumar, 1999) There has been consistent exclusion of North East from the history of <place>India</place>. Such neglect prompted the historians of North East India to take up research on the area but they failed to communicate them to the rest of <place>India</place>. As a result North East continues to suffer from historiographical exclusion. (Sajal Nag, 1998)</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >This indifferent attitude towards the North East is evident in national curricula. (Sirkka Ahonen, 2001) The cultural history of various communities of the North East has hardly found space in national curricula. Their heroes are forgotten and instead fed with the stories of kings and kingdoms of the rest of <place>India</place> that largely does not appeal to the people of the North East. The struggle of Khasis, Mizo Chiefs, Jaintias and Nagas against the British have no place at all in the history of <place>India</place>. This is not only sad but also extremely unfair. The question remains the same with when Spivak asks ‘Can the Subaltern Speak’! (‘Can the Northeasterner Speak’). (Gayatri Spivak, 1988) <span style=""> </span>The answer is still ‘No’ in Indian history unless a comprehensive change in the historical discourse of <place>India</place> takes place.<br /><br /></span></span></div> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > <p> <span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > Finally, most of the current issues pertaining to North East are manufactured from outside but not from within. The region(s) are defined in terms of externality and the voice of civil society is hardly heard. Therefore, to undo marginalization of the North East, ‘the inside views’ should be given due and appropriate platforms. Perhaps, the North East will be then truly capable of representing themselves and also learn to thrive along with the rich cultural diversity of <place>India</place>. </span></p></span></span></div> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""> <p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"> </span></p></b></span></div> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >References: </span></b></span></div> <ol style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><span style="font-size:100%;"><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >B.B Kumar (1999), <i style="">‘North East India: Crisis of perception & Credible Action’</i> in Dialogue (Quaterly) (A journal of Astha Bharathi, <place><city>New Delhi</city></place>). Vol.1 No.2 Oct-Dec. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >B.K Baruah (1993); Nagamese: The Language of Nagaland. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >Gayatri Spivak (1988), ‘<i style="">Can the Subaltern Speak’</i> in <city><place>Cary</place></city> Nelson & Lawrence; Marxism and and the Interpretation of Culture. Ranajit Guha & Gyatri Spivak (Edt); Selected Subaltern Studies, 1988. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >Jairam Ramesh(2005); ‘<i style="">Northeast India in a new <place>Asia</place>’</i>, <a href="http://www.india-seminar.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#000000;">www.india-seminar.com</span></a>, 2005. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >Kate Currie(1977); ‘<i style="">The Challenge to Orientalist, Elitist and western historiography, Notes on the Subaltern project 1982-1989’</i> in George Pfeffer & Deepak Kumar Behera; Contemporary Society Tribal Studies, Volume Two, Concept Publishing House, New Delhi, 1997. E Shreedharan (2004); A Textbook of Historiography 500BC to AD 2000, Orient Longman,<place><city>New Delhi</city></place>. Eric Wolf (1982); Europe and the People Without history, <placetype>University</placetype> of <placename>California Press</placename>, <city><place>Los Angeles</place></city>. Peter Burke ‘<i style="">The discovery of popular culture’</i> in Raphael Samuel (1981); People’s history and Socialist Theory, Routledge & Kegan Poul. Ajay Skaria (; Hybrid histories, Forest, Frontiers and wildness in western <place>India</place>, Oxford University Press. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >M.S Prabhakara (2003) ‘<i style="">objects of history, on the politics of the Naga Students’ Federation’s warning against any academic research into the Naga people’s history without permission’</i> in Frontline, 26, September. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >N.N Acharyya (1983); Assam and Neighbouring States: Historical Document, Omsons Publications, <place><city>New Delhi</city></place>. S.C Dutta (1984); The Nort-East and The Mughals (1661-1714), DK Publications, <place><city>Delhi</city></place>. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >National curricula convey narratives that are never inclusive of whole communities,</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >and history curricula in particular need examination of their role as forms of ‘identity</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" > </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >politics</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >’</span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >. Minorities tend to be excluded from the master historical narratives. </span><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >Sirkka Ahonen (2001); "<i style="">Politics of identity through history curriculum: narratives of the past for social exclusion—or inclusion?"</i> in Journal of Curriculum Studies ISSN 0022–0272 print/ISSN 1366–5839 online, Taylor & Francis Ltd,http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >N.N Acharyya (1985); North East as View by Foreigners, Omsons Publications, Guwahati. </span> </li><li class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >Sajal Nag (1998); India and <place>North-East India</place>, Mind, politics, and the process of </span></li></span></ol> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" ><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>integration 1946-1950, Recency Publication, <place><city>New Delhi</city></place>, 1998. </span></span></div> <div class="Msonfiltered="MARGIN:"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >11. <u><span style=""> </span></u>(2002)<u> </u>; Contesting Marginality: Insurgency and Subnationalism in North <place>East India</place>, Monohar. </span></span></div> <p><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style=";font-family:'Bookman Old Style';" >12. Sangkima (<span style="">2002)</span>; ‘<i style="">Impact of Ramayana upon the Mizo’</i> in <span style="">Sujit K. Ghosh (Ed) Ramayana in the <place>North-East India</place>: Proceedings of the National Seminar Organised by Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Samiti, Silchar. <span style="">Sujit K. Ghosh ;</span> ‘<i style="">Elective Affinities: The Influence of <span style="color:black;">"Ramayan" on Mizo Religion & Culture</span></i><span style="color:black;">’, in International Conference on Revisiting Indus-Sarasvati Age & Ancient India,</span></span><span style="color:black;"> <span style="">October, 4 (Friday) - 6 (Sunday), 1996</span> <city>Atlanta</city> (Georgia), U.S.A</span></span></span></p></div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6652305378665853714.post-34628290763678561552007-09-05T12:15:00.000-07:002007-09-05T12:24:49.102-07:00Ka Painting<div align="justify"><span style="font-size:130%;">Tun hma deuh han ti ve ngial ila..drawing leh painting hi nuam ka ti ve mai mai thin. A bikin pottery painting kha nuam ka ti thin khawp mai. Tunhnuah hian ka tih chhunzawm ta lo hrim hrim a, hman deuh khan ka painting pahnih khat ka hmuchhuak a, lung a leng duh khawp mai. Khatih lai khan caption ka dah ngai meuh lova, thenkhat chu ka dah ve lumlam bawk a. Hetiang lama thiamna nei tan chuan engvak a ni hauh lovang. Ka kutchhuak a nih vang hrim hrim hian ka ngaihlu ve a ni ber mi. Tuna ka painting pawh hi caption tur inhmeh zawk min rawn hrilh theih chuan ka lawm khawp ang.</span> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106802595603018930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YHtgDZVrw5WwvU5fSpEMXMSnDYmkF4cebEu7bbYlxArCw1fltt-HbNfZRh4GSwQExw5JSMdO62dv_QKSbxKhMgGLBq-FWUGTN2cJ5SLIYJLkArEZ2HEYIMA_mxmjfxqxtS6ChDbgQ5XQ/s400/painting2.jpg" border="0" /> Zanlai<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106801809624003746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlH6KdrmuZUU1JTNDs8VFgjbv8WwGARs0vh1M9YyV0zM27u90ePYaBuxtmLI0L8Um2bz76yOEY6gQW_zpzhnU9mpu-mUC7qC2-7S4Ag0mwNTPxsV10-tqb0vNJmJt1oiULgOMhhes71r_/s400/painting.jpg" border="0" /> Gender inequality<br /><br /><div align="justify"></div></div>EPISTEMOLOGYhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04974270303370519990noreply@blogger.com17