Citizen’s Inititative beautifies Mon town

‘I Love My Mon Town’ & Project 72 Hrs collaborates for ‘The Wall Printing Project’

Bonnie Konyak
Mon | October 30  

“It is truly a spectacular sight to behold,” remarked a Mon Town citizen, who stopped by to admire the finished artworks adorning the wall of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Mon.  

A team of Project 72 Hrs rendered the artistic makeover to the wall through art impressions earning appreciation from far and wide.  

The beautiful work of arts, however, was not a product of leisure activity, but the fruits of hard works and contribution of the town’s citizens, particularly a team of young people from ‘I Love My Mon Town’ (I Love MMT) as well as the artists.  

An initiative of the District Administration of Mon, ‘I Love MMT’ has been operating under the vision, “My Town, My Pride, My Responsibility,” bringing positive changes in the town by instilling civic sense and promoting cleanliness and sanitation.

 Some of the team member[/caption] On the invitation of the I Love MMT team, 7 members of Project 72 Hrs arrived in Mon Town from Kohima after a grueling journey and finished their trademark wall painting – 3 beautiful works of art and the logo of ‘I Love MMT’ – within a span of 6 days.  

They worked from the early hours of the morning continuing long after sunset.  

Unforgettable experience

It was experience of a lifetime, said a member of Project 72 Hrs. His observation, however, was not restricted to the project alone.  

“We will never again complain about Kohima roads,” declared Yakuza Solo, a member of the team upon reaching Mon Town via Longleng.  

After months of planning and raising fund for the Wall Painting Project, the team finally landed in Mon on October 19 after unforgettable and eventful 30 hours plus journey that included spending the night between Longleng and Sowa village under Mon district.  

On the advice of the Sumo driver they had hired, the team took a ‘road less traveled’ to Mon and found themselves stuck several times leaving them with no option but to spend the night in the jungle.  

The team was rescued only the next evening under the initiative of the District Administration and the ‘I Love MMT’ team.  

Before their rescue, however, they still had to trek all the way to the nearest village and crash a wedding there, to survive the grueling journey.  

“It was quite an experience, something we will never forget,” quipped Yakuza in his usual good humored way.  

Collective initiative

The Wall Painting Project was carried out through the Beautification Committee of the ‘I Love MMT’ mission. However, success of the project was achieved through contributions by normal, ordinary residents of the town, especially the young people.  

A clarion call for contribution towards this project was sent out through social media and soon students, officers, church youth, associations and individuals across the town came forward with whatever amount they could spare.  

Amounts ranging from 1 rupee coin to Rs. 10000 poured in to help the Mission in buying paint, transporting the artists and for other necessities.  

Some notable contributors were students of the 5 Higher Secondary Schools in Mon Town, the lone Wangkhao College, Konyak Baptist Church Youth, and Football Association of Mon etc.  

The District Administration chipped in actively, by arranging among others, the food and lodging for the visiting artists.