There was a time when a village had to postpone Christmas because the Sandang (Mithun), the semi- wild animal which the villagers were chasing to make the Christmas feast escaped.
This year in Manipur, since the bandhs have been called till December 24, many from the villages could not come for the festival shopping and since the shopkeepers too are not prepared to provide all the demands of the customers owing to the frequent bandhs, the best solution, it seems is to celebrate this Christmas after the new year.
Blame it squarely on the bandhs, bandhs and the bandhs. And moreover, by postponing the festival, the name of Manipur can spead far and wide.It could be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records or the Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
If in the past, a village could be reluctantly compelled to postpone Christmas because the Sandang ran away, couldn’t there be any way out from the present self-made predicament? Humour aside, let us all come to our senses and speak out our consciences before things go out of hand.
This appeal is candidly based on what is happening before us. Let all the leaders think of the other groups, parties or ethnic communities. Place yourself in their shoes. If the demands are genuine, consider the best options. Are there more intellectual ways to protest and make our demands and grievances make known to the Indian authorities who failed to understand us or just ignored us, be it our social, economic or political imperatives. The state has enough of bandhs, blockades and violence.
Looking forward for a better New Year 2012 and a belated merry Christmas.
Joshua Samshok
Khuman Lampak
Stadium Road, Imphal
This year in Manipur, since the bandhs have been called till December 24, many from the villages could not come for the festival shopping and since the shopkeepers too are not prepared to provide all the demands of the customers owing to the frequent bandhs, the best solution, it seems is to celebrate this Christmas after the new year.
Blame it squarely on the bandhs, bandhs and the bandhs. And moreover, by postponing the festival, the name of Manipur can spead far and wide.It could be recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records or the Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
If in the past, a village could be reluctantly compelled to postpone Christmas because the Sandang ran away, couldn’t there be any way out from the present self-made predicament? Humour aside, let us all come to our senses and speak out our consciences before things go out of hand.
This appeal is candidly based on what is happening before us. Let all the leaders think of the other groups, parties or ethnic communities. Place yourself in their shoes. If the demands are genuine, consider the best options. Are there more intellectual ways to protest and make our demands and grievances make known to the Indian authorities who failed to understand us or just ignored us, be it our social, economic or political imperatives. The state has enough of bandhs, blockades and violence.
Looking forward for a better New Year 2012 and a belated merry Christmas.
Joshua Samshok
Khuman Lampak
Stadium Road, Imphal
