Evolving with baby

Regarding nahutpa, without a consent from the child, it is unfair to leave a mark on his body that will remain throughout his life.

Source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/tseitm-18535-evolving-with-baby/

Getting a baby to sleep is way to go, what will happen in case of ear piercing? Nahutpa, as it is called, is considered one of the most essential event in one’s life. In the event of death, some even went tothe extend of performing different ritual depending on whether the decedent had done the nahutpaor not. Leaving aside the metaphysical sentiments, I see an unethical element. A child came alone tothis world, with his mother as a medium. He is totally ignorant of life yet with full of life in stock. He isas much an individual as we all are. Later, he will decide what is right or wrong by himself and will beleading a complete life like anyone else.

Without his consent, it will be unfair to leave a mark on him that will remain throughout his life. Whenhe is little grown up, the elders can ask him if he wants his ear get pierced. It is highly likely that henods because everyone he see will have pierce ears. That will also solve the problem of inconsolabletension the child goes through, in the nahutpa process. If the child says “no” to the above question, itis still all fine. We should rather be happy that, an individual’s concern is heard and respected.

In regards to “identity” of the self w.r.t. our society or of holding the “collective conscience”, the child – which still awaites the development of his cognitive faculty like reasoning, knowledge etc. – shouldnot be made the victim. Even the answer (incase a “yes”) to the question of nahutpa should bedeliberated. The very act of piercing can be perfom anytime in his life, the psychology of himselffeeling out of crowd or not, is upto him.

Jingle baby anklets, coming to this, what are the ideas behind wearing them on the babies? A tracking device? A decoration? An automatic rhythmic instrument to make the child happy? To the first question: Animals, when protection is needed, are tagged and they are traced. To the second question: Humans are not meant to be decorated. They wear clothes because it is considered to be proper and they make themselve beautiful/handsome by embrassing certain styles at their own will. Anklets, to be taken as part of apparel is purely subjective and should be left to the will of the individual (read child). Here, only the “will” is needed, not “right/wrong” - a dichonomy or even “good/bad” - a continum.

The arguments above doesn’t mean that we stop using baby anklets rather it is a message, highlighting some bad implication that we should better be conscious of. In order words, the tradition of wearing anklets on babies should be taken as a lenient folkways and not as a social mores.

Coming to the baby’s mother, I want to counter the tradition of do’s and don’t on her diet. Thetradition seems to had codified even how much drop of water to be drank by her (surely myexaggeration). When the obstetrician advices that the mother can eat anything, what is the logicbehind not believing the doctor’s words and enforcing the archiac not-to-eat unquestionable list?Innocently speaking, our skin do not get burnt when we sweat, even after eating enough oo-morok (a chilly). But let me be quick to add, the chilly has an effect on stool. On the same line of aurgument,any edible will usually be good to eat without affecting the Breast milk but some of them willundoubtedly affect it. Now am I contradrating myself by earlier denouncing the traditional not-to-eatlist and simultaneously uphelding cause-effect logic on food?

My reason is this. To err is human and learning should be constant. The mother should be allowed the freedom to choose what she wants to eat. Only if it is not going well with the baby’s metabolism, she can trace what food was eaten and stop and expirement and so on and so forth. For example, a heavy coffee drinking may affect child’s sleep due to caffiene contains. The “end” we look is mother and baby’s wellbeing and all we need to decide is what “means” to undertake. The traditional means is worse than the one mentioned above and is twofoldly explained. First, by exercising freedom, the confidence level of the mother increases. It is vital of the baby’s overall progress in life. Second, every human is unique and a more unique will unequivocally be the relation of two humans. Therefore what suit well with a mother-baby couple may not necesarily be true for some another.

Culture is too intricate and it is continously being crafted since time immemorial. There are plethora of detail in our culture which are extremely beautiful and ingenious as well. But as it evolves, let the things you see as depreciating, undergo a rational enquiry. Afterall, social dynamics with a scientific temper is what we all are involved in.

Women dues.

Meitei society is a deeply sexist society.

Marriages are solemnized between the two person, they addressed each other as their better half and a life long companion in all walks of life. But right from the very marriage day, these young people are made to go through a series of gender inequality customs. On the marriage day, the husband dines before his wife and she is made to dine from the the left-outs of her husband's plate. Talking a spoon of food from the used plate and to continue the dinner from her plate, is although becoming a contemporary trend. However, the questionable thing is the underlying theme of woman's subjugation and male's chauvinism. The wife is not allowed to eat with her husband by sharing the same curry or any other eatables. When in menstrual cycle, she is even not allowed to serve a cup of tea to her husband, let us forget her going in kitchen and preparing it. During this period, she is not allowed to enter kitchen, touch utensils etc. In other times, she is equally prevented from the mentioned activities unless she has taken a bath. All these activities, if conducted, are treated as desecration.One of the most barbaric form of human nature, the 'untouchable' still prevails in our meitei society in a disguised form.

There has been a mixed of religion and other social institutions. When a woman is suppressed by the custom, the act is being prejudiced and the reason put forward is mostly on the man's fate. In other words, her breaking of the defined tradition will lead to the husband's ill luck. Most societies do have unexplained customs which they 'valued', but the surprising factor in our case is that, there is no vice versa. Objectively speaking, for good or for bad, if a tradition is maintained, it should be applied to all, irrespective of sex. The gender inequality has been perpetuated by manipulating it on religion. One reform can be thought by bringing a consensus on a religion-culture dichotomy and inculcate the public on the agreed consensus. For example, mopping the floor should be custom and praying is religion. Even the ways of praying can be custom. Similarly, when the emancipation is achieved from various other religious-cultural practices, the reform in custom will be relatively easier as it will be free from 'fundamental' aspects.

God is one and all the religions are His manifestations. No religion will teach discrimination but justice. A taboo should be free from religion. The Truth is obscured, when religion is mixed with taboo. In meitei mythology, the Goddess “Panthoibi” signifies the high status of women in the society. The name says: “Pan”- taibangpan (universe), “thoi”- athoibi (winner), “bi/pi”- pokpi (gives birth). In the test of time, an opposite turn had occurred somewhere and women were left behind. Historically, the “Nupilan”, the “Ema Market”, the “Meira paibi” etc do say a lot on woman's participation on public affairs, but that's only political. The social and cultural aspects are still in stone age.

The projection of female as a flower, the association of she with red/pink color, their coolness character as that of moon; all leads to a child girl's cognitive construct that she should be shy in nature, be submissive, etc and on the other-hand; boys are taught to be outspoken, be smart, be brave, be a risk-taker etc. As these basic differences has been taught since a child is born, it is not surprising to see that it is mostly the women who have maintained domestic gender inequality. Mother's love to father and sons for their well being, sister's love to brothers and father, wife's love to husband etc which is above all, the most beautiful human nature. But the love is adulterated with superstitions and the whole discussion of this article is the manifestations of this adulteration. We should try a totally different means to capture and continue this root emotion, the love.

Chauvinism is culturally inhibited amongst men. Some people tease their friends as adha-mora, which nearest meaning would be an unholy moron. Such words can be heard, when the society feels that a man is living under the whims of his wife. Such prejudice, in most cases, later came out to be a gender neutral family. Among men, outside their family, they will make mockery of females as fools, hang out to nearby pan-dukan and woo woman shopkeepers surreptitiously. The shopkeepers, in order to sell a cigarette extra, would somehow accept the gestures. Aware of these facts and to avoid unwanted situations, usually her husband or mother-in-law accompanies her from a distance. They also try to introduce themselves impressively, real or fact, to her. They seldom accept returned changes/coins when the cigarette bill is paid to a beautiful shopkeeper. The mentioned situation is much uglier in traditional wine vendors, mostly in tribal community, when these people go there to booze.

I'm not a total reformist nor do I claimed that our history has been full of taboo. Rather, I would like to cause to take up a difficult task of segregating the good tradition and preserving it and at the same time reform certain taboos and outdated customs, modernizing them, so that the rich culture is preserved at its best as 'social dynamics' rolls by. Every meitei men and women will be happier of their culture.

A quintessential Laissez-faire atypically

Government of Manipur is only my Driving license issuer.

Source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/tseitm-19429-a-quintessential-laissez--faire-atypically-:/

Modes of governance varies as they are manifestation of political ideologies. Liberalism dominates due to various successful implementation of her branches. It happened as a reaction to the powerful Left ideology which once dominate major portion of the East and still currently in the South. Not to talk of Libertarianism (the neo-liberalisation); the Welfare state model has been the best design so far, to combat the Left. The Welfare state is the popular instrument of India too. India advocates the Inclusive growth and has rendered many flagship programs like MGNREGS, Bharat Nirman, subsidies to the poor and taxes from the rich, etc. Because Manipur, being a State of India, has obligations and is been on the means to a Welfare State model end.

We call the government a necessary evil. Evil because we fear its evil faces if the power goes unchecked or the responsibility goes unaccounted. Necessary because of the consensus which has long been deliberated for ten of thousand years and agreed that it is a legitimate body for public authority, such that no uncontrolled anarchy arises. Back to the Welfare model, what are the things to be expected from such a government? Civil amenities like drinking water, good roads and other essential infrastructure like railways, public transport system, food security, basic education, basic healthcare, disinterested justice delivery system, issuance of necessary official papers for public convenience like birth certificate, driving license etc. inter alia?

As a citizen of the soil, I rethink what is that I consume from the services provided by the government lest the tax which I paid is gone somewhere unknown and become a disease to the public economic health? By default, I have a small ancestral land. I use the water from a pond or buy them when it dries up. I extensively used other means like candle, charged lamps etc. as the electricity come only for a few hours a day. I use private shared auto (vehicle) to commute. I use “black” LPG cylinder to cook as there is no guarantee when can I get an authorised connection. Even those who has authorized LPG ends up buying black cylinders as the refill of it is too cumbersome a process. I use private hospital when ill, because government ones are sloppy. In these few examples, there is no service from the government and if so, it is more of a nuisance than a convenience.

Where there is no other way other than to use a government services like roads, the condition is bad. Even a new build road can get worn-out overnight. What offends me the most is the dust from those bad roads. Facing other apparatus like to go to an office for grant of certificates like marriage, essential licences etc., is equally a nightmare. The easiest of the things can take longest of the time one can think of. In there, it seems, the most formal norm is the bribe, without which nothing moves, with which you end up thinking like a place of most efficient work environment and diligent employees.

Apart from looking through a narrow common citizen's economic grievances lens, what is exactly the government economy today as a whole? On a moral enquiry, one might come to think that it believes and pursue the essence of minimum governance, a laissez -faire. But then, why the taxes are levied from the common citizen? (By taxes, I mean any extra incomes besides the legal revenues of State PSUs and capitals per se).

In a primitive sense, the common people like me are slaves. Say, I worked for 100 hrs to get 100 INR and tax is 10%. Hence, after working 100 hrs, I will get 90 INR after a deduction of 10 INR as tax. In other words, I worked for 100 hrs and get paid for 90 hrs. This strictly means that the 10 hrs that I worked for no money, is similar to forced labour. We know, forced labour is slavery.

Had it been the case that I get the civic amenities, the question of slavery will unequivocally be nonsensical. Ground reality is that, all I have from the government is a driving license.

AFSPA & New State Forces

Published at http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=6923

After the “Candle Light Vigil” for Irom Sharmila on 25^th June, 2011, I was on my way home, sitting in a DTC bus. The CLV was a symbolic event. It was organized totally by non-Manipuris. The idea of the event was to give solidarity only. The speeches contain many thought provoking ideas. For instance, one speaker said, “People in Manipur are always special, only special rules are applied there”. Another said, “AFSPA undermines democracy, it is an issue for the whole India. Sharmila is fighting for the whole India”. Another blames the ignorant crowd, “There is India beyond Madhya Pradesh in south and West Bengal in east”. “Before AFSPA, there were two/three insurgency groups, after AFSPA there are thirty/forty insurgency groups”. The speeches go on. The hues and cries of Manipuris has remain unheard for the past several years. It ostensibly becomes a local problem when only the Manipuris put forward the Irom Sharmila’s demand. Now, it becomes a national demand.

In all these years , the blames goes mainly to Government of India. We must not forget that the repeal of the Act is a two-way process. What is the deal in this two-way process? It is the deal between GoI and Government of Manipur. If GoM gives just one assurance that it can contain the “regional aspiration” of the state, AFSPA automatically dies. Regarding AFSPA 1958, there should be more responsibility to GoM than to GoI. The cause of the imposition of the draconian Act goes to the deficit in “confidence building measure” between two government. GoI still lacks confidence to GoM. The Act is not repeal because of the lack of the “political will” of the state government to overcome this confidence.

Actually I am wrong. The state government is working on it but the “political will” is actually being distorted. In order to be able to give systematic assurance to GoI that GoM can solve insurgency problem, it started increasing its military might, the recruitments of Manipur Polices, Indian Reserve Battalions, etc. AFSPA becomes a boon to Manipur Inc, as for each recruitment in Sub Inspector level, an entry bribe of 20 to 30 lakh is imposed. This new “development” is crushing the “progress” of the state. Firstly, if entry is done through nepotism and bribe, the quality of the personnel is below the expectation level, a common sense says it. Secondly, the immaturity forces become an impediment to the civilians. They defy police norms and act at their own will. They dictate a public display of terror. Thirdly, will they be able to get promotion? Because of the lack of competency, when they do not get promoted, what will happen to their motivation? Without motivation, what are the unintended ill-effects that a force can render to the society? Fourthly, how can 20/30 lakhs that he have borrowed in high interest rate be repay with just his salary? What anti-social transaction does he will start to commit to recover the debt? Lastly, most surprisingly why are surrendered insurgents being recruited in state forces? The distorted political will is in a complete mess. Can GoM solve the insurgency problem only militarily? I doubt it. Worse, what if the state forces becomes a new insurgency group? It is not a surprising idea, we have seen Mujahideens and Talibans. Without a political solution, a slime of insurgency will remain.

There is one historic “progress” recently. It was “23^rd July 2009, Fake Encounter” case that actually relieved the civilians to some extent. When such similar barbaric incident used to happened surreptitiously, then openly even in broad daylight, a saturation has reached. The source of fake encounter expose is anonymous. After the breakthrough journalism, people feel a little more secure when travelling at late hours or with some money in hand. This can be codify as a “lesson learnt”. On similar approach, if one reveals the corruption case in the state forces recruitment, the future recruitment will have much responsible police officers and it will also help the corruption to wither away. With mature police and certain reforms in the Police Act, the prevailing egos between the self-proclaim government actors and the state actors, mainly the forces fraternity, will subside. When egos subside, reason can be a medium in dialogue. The talks will bear fruit. This utopian state will make AFSPA redundant.

I am not supporting the centralized tendency of the GoI but when everybody is blaming the Center, I wanted to blame the State instead. This article is a voice towards the state government for the repeal of AFSPA. We have brave history, we have the highest dreams, we love peace, please protect us!

How much important is education to student?

Published at http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=5737 and http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=5763

There is an ancient Chinese saying, “If you plan for one year, plant rice. If you plan for ten

years, plant trees. If you plan for 100 years, educate mankind.” I am also with the view that all human beings are born equal and it is not the hereditary but the education that classifies an individual. Therefore, it is essential to be scientific as well as objective in the approach on how we walk on the road to education. I would like this article to target especially the XII ^th Class student who recently cleared the examination and opting for graduation. However, it is equally an important moral vision to all the students and their parents.

A sound career view to the students:

For a student, it is very important to thoroughly analyse the career path ahead of you and that, you decide wisely which subject to pursue. One should be aware that the direction is more important than speed. In other words, a student should not go for engineering degree, deluding by the progressive software jobs in India or by any other exiting opportunity, if he is weak in science subjects or if he can excel more in a humanity subjects. You should not be caught in the web of getting typecasted thereby following a path in which you are being told or strongly suggested. The final decision should be yours to choose the career path. By talking a simple analogy you will be able to sense it. We might not have known who Mary Kom is, had she been a Chess player or that she pursued any other conventional line of study. Twelfth class pass is considered one of the most crucial time in formulating your career path and as a general rule, one faces hurdles exponentially with time. The later he opt for a different career path, the bigger challenges he has to face. Twelfth class pass is the demarcating time-line between sharpening your dreams and starting to implement for its achievement. Now all your future fantasies are halted, you closed your eyes and you really started to work in full rigour on achieving it. You gain self-motivation when you find a ray of hope to reach there. These struggling days, you will never forget in your life; rather it will behave as a moral booster to attain more heights in the later days of your life.

A social view to the students:

You are the future pillar to the society and it’s welfare depends on the student to a very great extend. A society is nourished when the number of educated students increase and join hands together in action for a common cause, a better tomorrow. It is kept at it’s best by segregating the elements of society, then rationally modernizing those elements that need reformation and at the same time, reviving those wise elements that are gradually deteriorated. This will help a society to grow economically, socially and even legally and politically. This will preserve it’s deserving root identity. In short I would like to state, Modern and Tradition in equilibrium. The younger generation will be able to follow you with inspiration in contributing towards a better society and in building their own sound individual outlook. Under a formal legislation, your fundamental rights can be claim, if they are violated by any unwanted element. You will be able to appreciate the advantage of being a son of this soil, abide by the law of land. At the same time, you will be able to judge the use of forces by the state authority, it's legitimate dues and it's remedy. "The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwer-Lytton”. An enlighten soul will be able to disseminate his profound thought in his surrounding, near or far. It will enlighten the rest and makes all a conscious being. I am sure a good educated student like you will not use this weapon on evil things.

A personality view to the students:

The attitudinal, emotional and behavioral attributes of an individual defines his outlook. Your personality will be exemplified by your social status. Your social status will come from the work you do. The work will be attributed by the nature of the job, the amount of service rendered by you to the society, the earning of your job etc. In a nutshell, a good personality has to be molded out from you by you for you. You will then be proud of yourself. People will respect you more for 'what you know' rather than 'who you know'.

A philosophical view to the students:

We all live a life, but we don't live only with the popular but primitive believe like “Survival for the fittest”, “Struggle for existence” etc propounded by Charles Darwin in biological sense and by Hebert Spencer in sociological sense. We have other dimensions beyond a simple struggling for existence. We have an aim in life, we all have a purpose. However abstract the aim may be, it makes us lift little above the primitive state of being and from other living beings. This induces us to use our cognitive faculty called 'reason' to pursue the higher ground. The progress as well as the development in life are the intended and the natural consequences of it. They are the quality and quantity respectively. The progress is your morality and the development is your personality, both with respect to the society we live in. Hence a morality is born in the community. The educated moral philosophers like you will shape up this general morality, the morality of all the people as a whole.

Dear students, I hope this message finds you in good spirit and helps you build success in the challenges ahead. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any suggestions, I will be delighted to help you in my limit. Wishing you all the best. Excel it!  

Insurgency on Osama's death.

Publish at http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=5489

It was September 11 2001, popularly known as 9-11, when I came to know a person name Osama Bin Laden. His name had carried such bad impression that after few years when I heard of a person called Obama, campaigning the US presidential election, I thought Obama must not be a good guy. That was my first instinct and it is not intended to judge or compare the two persons.

As soon as Osama's death is confirmed, Barack Obama gave a ten minutes inspirational speech and broadcast on internet. He proudly said that he gave the authority to execute Osama. The West are not saint states too. The proclaimed new world order for peace and human dignity is being processed only half-heartily. Their national interest and national security are always on priority. However, there is no wrong in supporting the counter-terrorism measures being conducted.

The definition of terrorism is still a debatable thing, but an obvious attributable fact is, its symbolic target and non-distinction between target and audience. In our own soil, the insurgency groups of Manipur, are gradually embracing terrorism. Theoretically, an insurgent should not display a terror image publicly. The insurgents emerges in the hope of improving a prevailing condition. It should compromise its target for the audience (the common people). In other words, the armed rebellion against the constituted authority should not be conducted at the cost of civilians, notwithstanding the intensity of crisis. In practice, the word 'audience' has become obsolete from its dictionary and the 'target' becomes more and more symbolic.

Some say, when fundamentalism practices obscurantism, terrorism is born. Luckily, there isn't much acclaimed fundamentalist but very unluckily there is enough obscurantism. The knowledgeable and the educated insurgents are sitting on the high post, radicalizing the young bloods based on ethnicity difference with the Indian race, narrate about the corruptions and favoritism of government officials etc, all of which could also to be told in a tolerable tone and not racially (read obscurely). They also obscure the very idea that it is merely a business and percentage negotiation of the government funds with the government authority.

Fascism can be remembered in relation to the present scenario. Numerous unrelated and fanatic thoughts are put in to contain the organizations with time. For instance, 'social equality' will be put forth and projects a Marxist class-struggle; at the same time, its authoritative and coercive ideology will also be seen in action. Worse, it ignores the difference between 'private' and 'public' and tries to put everything under its ambit. This is a very totalitarian view and the growing despotism needs a constant check. In a nutshell, prediction is near to impossible and therefore, trust is zero.

The question, whether or not insurgency is necessary in Manipur, has to be taken up elaborately. The article is about the insurgency vis-a-vis terrorism. In relation to the event of Osama's demise, the head of one of the most dreaded terrorist network, Al Qaeda, may God bless the humankind and give the strength to wave goodbye to terrorism forever.