Sangai fest kicks off

Sangai tourism festival began today at Imphal’s Hapta Kangjeibung with high hopes of attracting tourists during the 10 day long festival. However, problem of demonetisation, economic blockade sponsored by the United Naga Council and skyrocketing prices essential commodities cast a long shadow on the success of this year’s annual festival. The serial blasts on the […]

Sangai tourism festival began today at Imphal’s Hapta Kangjeibung with high hopes of attracting tourists during the 10 day long festival. However, problem of demonetisation, economic blockade sponsored by the United Naga Council and skyrocketing prices essential commodities cast a long shadow on the success of this year’s annual festival. The serial blasts on the […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2016/11/sangai-fest-kicks-off/

Inspired living

A society and its people need inspiration to grow and cultivate a sense of oneness. The ability to draw inspiration from another without any egotism and hesitation would draw everyone involved closer and help develop the society. However, in a society full of mistrust and where every other incident bemoans of allegations and counter allegations, […]

A society and its people need inspiration to grow and cultivate a sense of oneness. The ability to draw inspiration from another without any egotism and hesitation would draw everyone involved closer and help develop the society. However, in a society full of mistrust and where every other incident bemoans of allegations and counter allegations, […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2016/11/inspired-living-2/

Manipur: Imphal Sewage Project: A Boon or a Bane

The post Manipur: Imphal Sewage Project: A Boon or a Bane appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.By Daisy Leivon Manipur, IMPHAL, August 23: The long drawn Imphal Sewage Project is turning out to be nothing but another marker on the state inability towar…

The post Manipur: Imphal Sewage Project: A Boon or a Bane appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.

By Daisy Leivon Manipur, IMPHAL, August 23: The long drawn Imphal Sewage Project is turning out to be nothing but another marker on the state inability towards fulfilling its promises to the general public. The sewage project cuts through the … Continue reading

The post Manipur: Imphal Sewage Project: A Boon or a Bane appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/08/manipur-imphal-sewage-project-a-boon-or-a-bane/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=manipur-imphal-sewage-project-a-boon-or-a-bane

Plight of Pride in Making History

The post Plight of Pride in Making History appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.  By M C Arun Plight of Pride in Making History “National pride is related to feelings of patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism is love of one’s country or dedica…

The post Plight of Pride in Making History appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.

  By M C Arun Plight of Pride in Making History “National pride is related to feelings of patriotism and nationalism. Patriotism is love of one’s country or dedicated allegiance to same, while nationalism is a strong national devotion that … Continue reading

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Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/07/plight-of-pride-in-making-history/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=plight-of-pride-in-making-history

Resilience of Manipuris: History as future

The post Resilience of Manipuris: History as future appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.By Amar Yumnam Development history of the world teaches us one fundamental lesson of progress. This is about the role of knowledge and technology. Sustained rise o…

The post Resilience of Manipuris: History as future appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.

By Amar Yumnam Development history of the world teaches us one fundamental lesson of progress. This is about the role of knowledge and technology. Sustained rise of population has been made possible by the evolution of agriculture ten thousand years … Continue reading

The post Resilience of Manipuris: History as future appeared first on  KanglaOnline.com.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/07/resilience-of-manipuris-history-as-future/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=resilience-of-manipuris-history-as-future

Idea of India`s Northeast: Envisaging a Common Future

By Rajkumar Bobichand In the political history of British India, the term “Northeast” is considered first used by the British rulers to identify a geographical area. When there was a… Read more »The post Idea of India`s Northeast: En…

By Rajkumar Bobichand In the political history of British India, the term “Northeast” is considered first used by the British rulers to identify a geographical area. When there was a… Read more »

The post Idea of India`s Northeast: Envisaging a Common Future appeared first on KanglaOnline.com.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/06/idea-of-indias-northeast-envisaging-a-common-future/

European Manipuri Association – Annual Social Gathering 26th – 28th August, 2011

EMA Annual Social Gathering 26th – 28th August, 2011 European Manipuri Association  (EMA), UK London, UK: The Annual General Meeting and Social Gathering  of the European Manipur Association (EMA) was recently  held from  the  26th to 28th of August at Margate,… Read more »

EMA Annual Social Gathering 26th – 28th August, 2011
European Manipuri Association  (EMA), UK

London, UK: The Annual General Meeting and Social Gathering  of the European Manipur Association (EMA) was recently  held from  the  26th to 28th of August at Margate, one of the most popular  seaside holiday resorts on the eastern coast of Kent, United Kingdom. Many individuals and families of Manipur origin who are currently staying in Europe attended the annual social gathering, the event has become one of the most significant yearly event of the EMA members to come together on a common platform and share a memorable weekend of discussing current issues, enjoying cultural activities, savouring traditional culinary thereby creating a sense of togetherness.

EMA Group-Photo

Continuing EMA’s effort to share and promote authentic local dishes from various parts of Manipur, the attending members brought homemade delicacies of different varieties on the first evening of the get-together. Members also shared authentic traditional Manipuri herbs and vegetables grown lovingly at their gardens in Europe. The evening came to an end after a series of mini meetings and gatherings of members, exchanging greeting, views and ideas on different issues ranging from personal to current burning topics of Manipur.

EMA Ladies Group Photo

The General body meeting of the association was inaugurated by the out-going Chairperson, Dr. Shamurailatpam Krishnananda Sharma on the morning of 27th August, followed by organisational reporting from the outgoing General Secretary, Mr. Santosh Sougrakpam, Treasurer, Mr. Guneshwar Mayanglambam and Information Secreatry, Mr. Shanjoy Mairembam respectively, to update members on the various projects, activities and achievements of EMA during the previous year.

Beach Football in action

A heart-warming farewell was given to the outgoing committee, followed by the election of new committee members for the period 2011-2013.
The unanimously elected new members are:
1) Chairperson: Mr. Okram Bishwajit
2) General Secretary: Mr. Khangembam Somorendro
3) Treasurer: Mrs. Leichombam Ongbi Hijam Pinky
4) Information Secretary: Mr. Laishram Tiken
5) Executive Member: Ms. Gurumayum Jaishree

Thouri-Chingbi Contest

As part of promoting cultural activities especially among the young members, Marina Yaiphabi Mayanglambam, the beautiful five-years-old daughter of Guneshwar Mayanglambam and Mayanglambam Ongbi Sougaijam Nalita performed a mesmerising “Thoibi Jagoi” in full traditional attire, followed by brief information on the symbols and meaning behind the Meitei Jagoi. The spirit of culture was followed by the indispensable Manipuri sports spirit – Football, Thouri-Chingnabi and Chaphu-Thugaibi. Finally the day was concluded with an intellectual and thought provoking book exhibition hosted by Elangbam Bishwajeet, displaying rare collections of medieval Meitei-lon literature and books related to World War II in Manipur.

Book Exhibition

On behalf of the Association, the new EMA committee request all the people of Manipur origin living across Europe, of any belief, ideology and ethnicity, to be part of the EMA family and support EMA in achieving its goal. Commending the exhibition of books of immense importance, the new committee, would continue to work and promote the beauty of the various ethnicities of Manipur by organising exhibitions and presentations through the EMA platform.
Sd/-
Laishram Tiken
Information Secretary, EMA
On behalf of
European Manipuri Association, UK

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/european-manipuri-association-annual-social-gathering-26th-%E2%80%93-28th-august-2011/

Learning Can Be Fun

  By Bobo Khuraijam Other than petrol, cooking gas and diesel we desperately need something else. A book on ‘how to do it’ series or an educational video showing us… Read more »

 

By Bobo Khuraijam
Other than petrol, cooking gas and diesel we desperately need something else. A book on ‘how to do it’ series or an educational video showing us the same is urgently needed. Sure, we can also teach to the world of doing so many things with perfection. Those of us who resides along the highway can teach to the world about how a blockade is carried out; on how to pelt stones to the vehicles plying on the highway, how to aim only to the driver so that maximum damage is done to him, how to burn down a vehicle and push it down to the gorge without getting your fingers burned, how to collect tax like the man in uniform without wearing any uniform, how to choke the vital supplies of almost the whole populace by staying alive. We can also teach about enacting theatrics of scarcity. The teachers would be none other than our business fat cats who resides in Paona Bazar. They can teach you how a fake sense of helplessness is acted out to the customers. Maan laaktre eikhoisu upai leitre – we are helpless, the goods hasn’t arrived. But one thing is not. The water taps may run dry; the gas stations may smell dry but colorful liquors ‘made in everywhere’ are available in abundance. There is open sale in festive seasons. Bottle of any brands are sold on the pavements like vegetables. No Nisa Band or Meirapaibi worth their salt dare to enter this zone. This place is guarded by the statue of Rashtra Pita Mahatma Gandhi, and by those whose duty is to bag notes printed with the Mahatma from the fat cats. Those running this can teach what a BOLD business is and how it should be run. Reputed business schools with all kinds of names are invited to get admitted. Admission forms are available at MG Avenue. Last date of form submission is till the economic blockade last.

SOME MORE LESSONS: which no other human species on earth can teach. That is discipline and spirit of perseverance. We are the best in that field. The place of learning is time and space specific. Best season would be when there are economic blockade along the highways. We can teach how vehicles of all kinds are to be parked in a queue, in a row. One has to be informative of whether fuels will be issued by the stations or not. First come-first position, to be followed by the next vehicle and the next; nobody jumps the queue. No traffic control police on this earth could enforce that kind of discipline. The vehicles are parked one night ahead before the faithful morning. Each and every owner has to surrender their sense of security of the vehicles by leaving it behind. The poor vehicles happily spent the night together – A vehicular orgy of one night stand. When morning falls, the owners return to the spot where they had left their vehicles; waiting for one’s turn, without taking over the other needs perseverance of a strange kind. We do not know how many of them actually follow traffic rules on regular days. But for the miraculous act displayed at the gas station during the time of economic blockade is certainly a lesson to be imparted to the world.

WHY WE NEED: the ‘how to do it’ lessons? To demand for something rightful or to protest against something unacceptable to our collective self, as expert commentators put it, is an epitome of a modern democratic society. But there are pitfalls when we try to picture on the ‘how to’ part. We may claim ourselves to be a nation rich with the heritage of powerful revolts and uprisings. The last century saw two uprising where women took to forefront. There was also the revolt against the mighty English colonisers. We lost some and won some as well. They are engraved for posterity so that the present generation and the generations to come could revisit the events, if possible, reinterpret them and place them across the board for a better comprehension, and make a new meaning out of it. That would help us envisage a future free from the present maladies. the means of getting a rightful demand, or means of championing it, always ask for an imaginative exercise for the structure of the  then social order have changed now, the nature of the one who is going to give the demand have changed. No wonder, the air is much more polluted now. In recent times, we have seen many groups demanding their rights. Protests are taken out in different forms when the demands are not met. On the other hand the ‘right giver’ would use coercive force in the name of maintaining peace and order. At times they would engage in systematic witch hunt of those who are at the helms. This kind of action destroys the moral fabric of the agitating side. Moreover the ‘right giver’ is over-equipped to man any group or individual who dare to assert their right. We have many a times seen the ‘right giver’ maintaining a solemn silence; as if they are the kings and kin of the mythological Hindu epic Ramayana, where everyone is happy and prosperous, and nobody have a complaint of any sort. However, having said that, at this critical juncture would it be an exaggeration to plead to our brothers who are presently taking out agitations on the highway to use their imagination a bit to champion their cause. If they think that strangulating someone is a rightful means of asserting a demand, then there is a serious crisis of error of judgment, thereby defecating on their own sense of wisdom, and trampling the rightful cause by their own insensible boots. There are lessons which we can always learn and unlearn together.

FOOTNOTE: a journalist who went to cover the Anna episode took an autorikshaw for the return journey. The driver charged unreasonably, he said he will drive with the meter when the Lokpal Bill is passed. Leipung Ningthou calls it, “Chinese na Olympic ta gold medal louraroi haiduna washakpa”.

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Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/learning-can-be-fun/

Nero Fiddled when Rome Burned: It is for real

  By Amar Yumnam Nero was an Emperor of the Roman Empire in the beginning of Christian era. He is considered by history as one of the most irresponsible, irresponsive,… Read more »

 

By Amar Yumnam
Nero was an Emperor of the Roman Empire in the beginning of Christian era. He is considered by history as one of the most irresponsible, irresponsive, non-transparent and gory ruler. In fact, he symbolises any ruler who rocks and rolls when his empire is in danger.  We never imagined that Nero would ever be a reality in our part of the world. We have had, not very distant in the past, a ruler who sacrificed and risked everything to protect the image, prestige and glory of our kingdom in King Gambhir. It goes beyond our farthest imaginations that in this land of Gambhir and people who still cherish the legacy of him, we would be experiencing a situation similar to the era of Nero. While the people have been longing for a return of the Gambhir era of pride and progression, they have instead been presented with a Nero treatment.

Fire Upon Fire: We have been living, we have been experiencing and we know for sure that the last few decades have not been an era of progression for Manipur, state or non-state. We also know that these years of negative experiences coupled with the lack of responsive and responsible governance have taken a heavy toll on the body polity as well as body society of Manipur. The last few years have been particularly damaging in this respect. Although we still encounter the problem of contestation of state, we now have to face what I have repeatedly called the fractionalisation of the society of Manipur along ethnic lines. So the society and polity of Manipur now faces the biggest challenge of remaining intact and coherent. Manipur is no doubt burning. This longer run burning is now manifested in the most acute crisis of availability of essentials for modern life and livelihood. This being the situation facing the land today, the question naturally arises as to whether Nero should be indulging in rock and roll. Should Nero be leaving his kingdom behind at all at this historically critical juncture of acute multiple crises?

The Issue: Nero leaving his homeland behind in the mercy of an engulfing fire is no problem if he were just a commoner. But here the reality is that he is the ruler. Now this ruler has much larger implications than the original Nero of the first century in the sense that the former is Nero under democracy. Being so, he is head of the people. The moment we talk about the head of the people, the implications get multiplied. Being head of the people and in his capacity as head of the governance machinery, he represents the state and the state speaks through him. This is where the issue begins when Nero leaves his kingdom behind.

The state, which is represented by Nero in socio-politico-economic manifestations, is the highest form of institution evolved by human beings. But the state as prevailing in Manipur yet has not reached the stage of ensuring participation, inclusiveness, stability and growth. While it has yet to attain the stage of naturalness and stability with the masses, it is not even the “composite reality and a mythicized abstraction” of Foucault. Manipur is now at the stage of political evolution and political economic dynamics where the state should rather be seen as “a practice….inseparable from the set of practices by which the state actually became a way of governing, a way of doing things.”  We are now at that very stage where we need to revisit the state again and again in order that it acquires an innate capability to evolve practices of governance adequate enough to ensure participation, inclusiveness and social stability.

This requirement is all the more significant in the case of Manipur and given the post-World War II experiences of civil war. The prevalence of mountainous regions, the existence of multiple ethnic groups and fractionalization among them, and the lack of growth have been given prominence among the most prominent factors facilitating the onset of civil war. The heart shudders to imagine of Manipur in this context of global experience and the messages the fractionalized population might deduce from the absence of Nero at this point in time.

International Dimension: Now let us see if we can somehow justify the leaving behind of his kingdom by Nero. International relations do no doubt constitute a very important element of modern governance. So let us grant our Nero a provisional space of being contemporary in his approach, and endeavouring to attract investment to his kingdom. Well, here we have three reservations. Japan is a country which now symbolises “years of stagnation”. In this age of active pursuance of integration in Asia by both ASEAN and Asian Development Bank, can we justifiably think of leapfrogging over South East Asian brothers and closing on the East Asian ones.

Further, attracting investment is no joke. In other words, it necessarily involves arousing the “animal spirits” of the investors (a phrase coined by the indomitable twentieth century economist, Jon Maynard Keynes). In this something like the birds of the same feather flock together prevails. Once a set of investors enjoy the spell of animal spirits in Manipur context, other investors would as well follow. But here arises the critical reality. No burning Rome can arouse the animal spirits of investors anywhere. Indeed, the Roman civilisation declined.

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Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2011/09/nero-fiddled-when-rome-burned-it-is-for-real/

The Origin of Manipur

By: Dr Irengbam Mohendra Singh The empirical demands of history, much worse, prehistory, when it is allowed to assert them by its practitioners, drawing us to empirical evidence from archaeological… Read more »

By: Dr Irengbam Mohendra Singh

The empirical demands of history, much worse, prehistory, when it is allowed to assert them by its practitioners, drawing us to empirical evidence from archaeological evidence (if there is any) or texts, at least writings from non-archaeological contexts, is flawed with mistrust especially when it has taken a few decades emphasising the evidence. However, the usefulness of empirical work is that a hypothesis can be made from data collected that is essential to the research.

The present Manipur is home to the majority Meiteis who live in the Imphal valley. Manipur is also home to a variety of ethnic groups such as Tangkhuls, Kabuis, Kukis (Thadous), Paites, Gangtes and Hmars, koms and so on, altogether 36 tribes, who inhabit the surrounding mountain ranges.

I use the word ‘tribe’ as a biological noun to mean – a group of people related by blood or marriage, united by language and culture with shared lineages, and not as used in anthropological literature, which some people regard it as derogatory. This was exactly the concept of Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha/Congress Party, during the merger of Manipur with India.

As we know the total area of Manipur is 23.327 sq km. The valley accounts for only 2.238 sq km. Manipur shares 350 km of international border with Myanmar in the east.

The Meiteis constitute 60 per cent of the population but occupy less than one tenth of Manipur’s area in the valley only, because of ‘protective racism’. Immigrants from the eastern part of undivided Bengal during the British period, known as Pangals forming about 8 per cent, settle in the Imphal valley. The rest known as Mayangs (non-Manipuri Indians) came from different parts of India and also settle in the plain.

How the Meteis and other tribal peoples of Manipur came to live in Manipur is speculative. In the absence of a more cogent explanation, this article attempts to reconstruct the origin of Manipur from a geo/archaeological perspective.

To emphasise the prehistoric nature of Manipur – a Mayang word coined in the early part of the 18th century, I prefer to use the original name Kangleipak instead, until I come to the 18th century Kangleipak

To quote W Ibohal in his great book, The History of Manipur (An Early Period) – “The mountain chain where Manipur is situated belongs to the great Himalayas.” To prove his geological point he writes that ‘in 1952-53 AD one fossil of a sea living creature, cuttle fish, now extinct, was found at Kangpokpi in the northern part of Manipur.’

Further, he cites that recent findings in the tunnelling for Loktak Hydro-electric project, clays (representing the bottom of the sea) were discovered instead of hard rocks (expected from mountain ranges). The examination of different layers in the soil profile of the diggings strongly indicates that some 5,000 BCE the entire valley was submerged in water. He concludes: “so the land masses of Manipur is now 60 million years old since its birth from the bottom of the sea.”

I agree with Yumjao in the new light of the Theory of Plate Tectonics. What I try to do in this paper is to individuate a few aspects of geological and zoological analysis to draw a modicum picture of how Kangleipak was formed. Recent scholarship suggests that Manipur was part of the Himalayan belt.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/GjQsSSm4oX4/