And That's A Wrap: I AM HE

It was not the usual Sunday morning, that Sunday, she felt like Jesus. Every new day was marked with new personality, new avatar. She read few chapters from the Book of John and could not wait to claim her reason for her birth in this world. She thanked Lord the Father for opening her eyes, asked for forgiveness for all the sins she had committed and promised to lead a life as pious as Jesus. She went to the kitchen, took a glass filled with water and commanded, “I am the Lord! I have turned this water into wine.”

She called her younger sister and asked her to drink the water, her sister being the rascal she was, played along. Within seconds she spilled it out. She said, “OMG! It’s wine. You are a miracle worker.”

She smiled.

She headed towards her father and asked, “You are free from all your sickness.” Her father looked at her in awe and replied, “My BP medicines are over will get some tomorrow.”

She pulled his hairs and shouted, “Go away, go away, sickness go away.”

 Hearing the commotion, her mom ran out from the bathroom wrapped only in a cotton towel. She cried, “My child, it’s time to admit you.”

Survived 2023...

2024, here we go....

What's Up With Nagalish Talk Shows ?

Of late, there has been a growth of Nagalish Talk Shows, thanks to the YouTube. The host uses either Nagamese or English to communicate depending upon the comfort of the guest. Hence, I am using the term, 'Nagalish'. 

What makes a Talk Show successful? Well,  it depends on the personality of the Host and the relevance of the Guest. Topics which are interesting, discussions which are beneficial, accusations which are scandalous, confessions which are sensational, make the Talk Show run up for a next season.

However, when it comes to Nagalish Talk Shows, I wonder why some of the hosts lack the basic etiquettes of showing patience and being a good listener. Many will agree with me on this point. There are some hosts who show great urgency to wrap up the episode as soon as possible. And then there are hosts who interrupt the flow of conversation by using the interrogative word, what? what? what? instead of, I beg your pardon or could you repeat it, please. Some hosts think it's okay to clear the throat and sniff even when the mic is on. Some node their heads too much and in the height of un-professionalism, some end up checking their phone or that piece of paper to proceed to the next question. It is always better to memorise the questions beforehand or to ask questions based on the preceding answer.

These are my observations and in no ways convey negativity, as I believe there is always a room for improvement. I like watching The Lungleng Show, the host is really polished giving me the vibes of young Karan Thappar. Anyway, kindly let me know in the comment section of what you think about the Nagalish Talk Shows. 

Not a Tale of Green Hills

 

Dimapur! My Dimapur!

Not on the hills, you lay,

Humid nights, dusty summer days.

Rainy days and floating paper cranes,

Dirty garbage and smoky lane.

Traffic jam like a snake’s charm,

Boozed out tongue meant no harm.

Broken glasses and bamboo huts,

No one laments of the thousand cuts.

Grand new buildings and posh cars,

Poor lady’s hopes in a jar.

Immigrants singing the same old song,

Cup of tea keeps them strong.

 

Rock! Paper! Scissors! The unemployed youth sighs,

The dragon has left its dungeon, medical bills on high.

If there a ground then let there be a game,

Imagining life won’t be this lame.

 

Poisonous mushrooms too grow,

Death may come thrice in a row.

Panics sometimes fill the city,

Poor beggar wants no pity.

 

Sky can be blue, sky can be pink,

We need more denizens who think.

We are rubble yet living under a bubble,

May we see our future is in trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The World of The Undeserving

Have you ever wondered why some or say, most of the undeserving people are the ones who really succeed in life. Here, I mean the narrow definition of 'success'. Gets the top job, gets an amazing life partner, big house, dream vacation etc. When I was young, I really questioned God for creating such an unjust world. But, now that I am older and a bit wiser, I have realised, I have no right to decide who is 'deserving' and who is 'undeserving'. For I really don't know the story behind what made them achieve everything, which I could not. Maybe they used some crook tricks, maybe they made a pact with the devil, maybe they just got lucky, maybe they were blessed, maybe they worked really hard putting in all their dedication and passion. I don't want to be a toxic person, bitter to the core, burning with envy. Hence, I learnt to be happy for yours and to be contended with whatever little I have achieved and have. Alongside the sign of maturity, I have learnt, sometimes, we really don't know the void they have in their lives even if it seems or shows perfection from outside. 

And to the one who is reading this post, just know, you were meant to read this post for a reason, maybe, the Universe wants you to be happy and stop overthinking about your failures and success of others.  

May you have a productive month.

Do you think marriage as a sacrament is losing its value in Modern India?

Yes, this was one of the questions in General Studies Paper 1, UPSC CSE Mains. Although I didn't sit for the exam but it caught my attention when some of the X ( Twitter) users highlighted the typo error. UPSC used the word, 'loosing'. Nevertheless, 'loosing' too makes sense to an extend. Anyway, I am excited to break down this question. I know my answer will have flaws but UPSC won't be marking it so I am cool!

Marriage is considered as a sacred institution, if not by an individual then at least by the religions of the world. And to ask, what determines a successful marriage ? It's the stability of that marriage. Stability in a narrower sense might mean, whether the marriage stood the test of time and did not end in separation or divorce. Going by the statistics, the divorce rate in India is only 1% ,which in a way indicates, the country still holds the importance to the institution of marriage. However, we really don't know what all sacrifices were or are being made by one of the couple or the couple to make it work. People often stay in an unhappy marriage just for the sake of the family or to avoid the brutal judgements from the society. Marriage should be an individual's choice and separation too should be an individual's choice with certain ethical or legal conditions applied. However, ironically, the negative perception of the people towards divorce or separation in our country shows our society still adheres to the sacrament of marriage. 

From the slice, it might look the country is losing the sacrament of marriage, partly due to articles from celebrity gossip columns or encountering incidents which might make us doubt the authenticity of the institution but if we look at the bigger picture, and question the general perception then we might agree the relevance and the sacrament of marriage still exist in India and its grip is still strong. 

The 9th Month for the Leader

August ends at midnight. September will be the 9th month. Let me narrate a short story.

There was a warrior, old and fragile. With all his lost glories and the meaning of life, he lived. But there was a ray of hope which made him warm even in the coldest of winters. The tree next to his house have given him an analogy of life which deemed so uncertain. The branches and the fruits which the tree bore was like the generation seeded by him. But unlike the tree he lost the fighting spirit.

He felt like a wounded animal, he was defeated whether it be in circles or in squares. Until, he decided to do the unimaginable. He poured mitti ka tel all over his body and set himself on fire. Yes, we read it right, he self immolated himself. What was ailing him? Regrets and more regrets and also Winter was coming bringing along with her all the coldness and sadness. 

NSSB Nagaland: The End of the Backdoor Appointment Era?

Approximately 50k aspirants sat for the historic, ‘Combined Staff Recruitment Examination 2022’, conducted by Nagaland Staff Selection Board, as recorded by the local newspapers in Nagaland. It was the first time the CSRE was conducted under NSSB, which is in the lines of SSC. The number of posts was 610 out of which few of them were for specialized candidates like confectionary, hairdressing fashion designing, plumber, electrician etc. It was a golden opportunity for the educated unemployed youths of Nagaland who had invested their precious years seeking for government jobs but was not successful in their endeavors due to various reasons. One of the reasons could be lack of advertisement for the vacant posts in various governmental departments of Nagaland. Many a times, these vacant posts are filled by candidates on the grounds of nepotism and favouritism shown by the top-notch executives, whether it be permanent or political executives. This is not hearsay as there have been agitations about backdoor appointments in the state. Such unethical appointments deprive the deserving candidates from securing a government job.

Due to all the politics involve around securing a government job, some may say, why waste your time and energy in pursuing government jobs, try private sector jobs. True, private sectors job is an alternative for government job, but we, Naga youths, if not all then at least the majority give government job more priority. And there is nothing wrong in doing so, everyone has different approach to life, have different personality, have different level of energy and creativity and have different preferences of what their working environment should be. Moreover, capital generates capital, not everyone is blessed to be born in a rich family to back up a startup and acquiring loan is not easy. Hence, preference of government jobs over private sector jobs is justified,

Coming back to NSSB, Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has done a remarkable job in making NSSB a reality. Imagine, 610 falling under ‘questionable appointment’ category if NSSB had not conducted the CSRE. I hope in coming years too, the exam will be conducted in a free and fair manner making the deserving ones get the jobs they deserve. Lastly, let us not make fun of people who prepares for various competitive exams conducted by the government but are not successful in clearing any; it is more painful for the aspirants than for the people who never sat for any of the competitive exams. Why sprinkle salt to their wounds! At the same time, let us encourage one another to have a Plan B to make our lives more balance when our Plan A fails.

The Raven: Naga Version

I once sat near the door, my room doesn't have a window.

That day, I had a guest.

The guest was black, and I am not racist.

It was a raven bird, the indication of something sinister in most of the horror movies.

It looked sad, filled with negative energy.

I asked the guest, what brings you here?

That illiterate raven could speak only one  English word, Nevermore!

Every question I asked was met with the same reply, Nevermore!

Taylor Swift was better with her Evermore, I assumed.

Its Nevermore was plain annoying.

I tried chasing the guest away but like any other guest we know, the raven lacked the etiquette. 

I felt like torturing the guest in the Nazi way.

But I held on to my pacifist policy.

Just then I got an idea.

I brought my mobile phone, opened the YouTube app.

I screamed, Naga singers with American accent is going to help me. 

The plan worked, the raven flew away.

Just then I saw street urchins jumping with catapult in their hands.

The raven was on the ground, it was dead.

Soup for tonight! One said.

Never anymore! I replied.

YOUR GUN, MY SHOULDER

Shoot one’s gun from someone else’s shoulder,

This expression means, when Rose wants to do something dangerous or shitty but wants someone else to execute the task so that s/he is not blamed for anything in the end.  In Chanakya Neeti, this phase is taken into a whole new level to achieve the end goal. In politics, the end determines the means, which means even if your way of achieving your goal is unethical as long as you achieve it, you hold no guilty. Gandhi was an exception, he believed, means justifies ends. Hence, he vouched for morality in politics. But this post is not about political thoughts. I have something else to talk about. 

Sometimes we don’t even know that we are being used for the sake of friendship or family’s honour. While we were kids, someone might have executed their plans using us and we might not have been aware as our infant brain could have not comprehended it. But as we grew up, there might have been several experiences that proved how well we were played.

For years, because of my vocal, crazy, confident personality, I have been the bunker for so many shooters. There were times when someone lashed out their anger, frustrations, and disappointments on me just because someone said or did using my name. My name is not holy; anybody can use it in vain. However, using it to make me the scapegoat, while they remain pure and pristine is a coward act. Now, I am more matured, I know who wants to pull the trigger using my good broad shoulders. I don’t want to be a fighter cock; I don’t want to be the deceived friend. I think before I stand, I tell them to fight their own battles, if it is trivial, as it is good for self-development. If they get killed in the process, I swear I will host the perfect funeral for them. 

It does not mean we should not help our friends. Friendship means being there whenever they need us. However, we should be cautious when we help them, we should take into account all the consequences which might follow. Standing up for one’s friend is one thing and being the victim of someone’s victory is another. 

I could have brought up my personal testimony, but I do want to ruin the nights and days of those people who have shot their guns using my shoulders. They will eventually read this post and might recall the times when they thought they were smart. But actually, they were nothing but snakes. 

A Case of Murder in My Imagination

It was drizzling. I was walking towards my institute. The murder mysteries, the suspense thrillers and Who is the Killer? The genre least read and watched by many, were still lingering on my mind. Just then, I saw a man lying on the pavement. With his faded T-shirt and dirty jean pant he looked like a beggar. His motionless body made me assumed he was dead. I just could not ignore him but there was no passerby to help me out in solving the case. I went near him, I didn't dare to check his pulse, I was not wearing gloves and the first rule is, never tamper the crime scene. 

I ran to the nearest shop and call out the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper acted busy. To make him aware of the situation, I said, 'it might turn out to be a police case and you could be the first person to be interrogated as your shop is nearest to the spot'. He looked blank for a moment. Later, he called his neighbouring shopkeeper, and they went together to check on the man. I watched them from a distant. Much to my relieve, they said that the man was dead drunk but not dead. I thanked them and went my way.

I might have looked dramatic, but I believe, I did the right thing, alerting people of the situation. As of now, I continue to watch murder mysteries. Peace! 

Clean Election in Nagaland (2023)

Infested by unemployment (not for those who know how to pull the right string), bad roads (getting better now), corruption, road accidents and news of someone or the other being detected with cancer, kidney ailments, blood pressure and diabetes, Nagaland sleeps like a giant.

The Clean Election Campaign was started by Nagaland Baptist Church Council to bring ethical and moral values to the electoral politics. But the question is, how far the initiative of 'Clean Election' is/was successful? Some people are of the opinion, Church should stay out of politics. No doubt, the church has its own significance, but the bitter truth is, forget about the Church or the clergies, people are not even taking God seriously. Marx once said, religion is the opium of the masses. I say, these days lots of synthetic drugs are available in the market. Church being the institution for one's spiritual growth has its own share of problems, and we know, the Western notion of secularism and India version of secularism are different in written and in practice. 

As of now, the election fever is going on in full gear, new drama unfolds each day. The usual screenplay is being witnessed which give a space for the public to question the efficacy rate of the Clean Election campaign. However, it does not mean the 'Clean Election' campaign has been a total failure. Any kind of change whether it be in ideologies or practices, take time. And here we are, aiming to bring a structural change. The foundation has been laid. Now, the ground is us, yes, we the public, we can either be rock solid or sandy shaky. Hence, instead of mocking the initiative of Clean Election, why don't we question the social animal in us before we act like political mascots. 

Some of us might not understand the importance of Clean Election, for we fail to understand the literal meaning of the word, 'election' itself. We elect, we don't bet, we don't gamble, we don't get paid to be entertained. While buying a personal car, we don't wake up on a random day and head out to the car shop. We take time to select the best one which aligns with our need and budget. We do our little homework; we do our research. Election is the time to elect which is bigger than select. Clean Election might not be of everyone's interest, but adult franchise is one right which empowers us to elect a person even if he/she is poor to be our representative (not using the term, leader) because we see in him/her a person who is filled with wisdom, integrity and empathy. 

Muscle power, money power, identity card can be displayed by the intending candidate, but we have the power to turn the table. I hope for the best.

Sextortion, an Extortion

In the last few years, I got to read about Sextortion racket in India, now and then. In this neo sextortion, the victims are men. If I have to break down the modus operandi of how this racket functions then it follows these stages, befriend a man on social media through fake accounts, lure them, sex chat, ask for nudes or have video sex, take screenshots or record their session, after few days or at the worst, after few hours, blackmail those gullible men to pay some stated amount or threaten to leak those pictures or videos online. 

These victims range from college students to married men. Some men are brave enough to file an FIR under the subject of blackmailing or extortion, no matter what the outcome may be. But some men, whose reputations are at stake refrain from taking up procedures established by law, and instead end up paying the sextortion amount. 

I don't want to be direct in my judgement. But Nagaland too is not immune from the menace of sextortion. I respect those brave men who were victims of this criminal activity but came forward with legal complaints against those predators.

I want to end this post by saying, we live in a world where the internet related crime is increasing. That is why, our state like any other state of this country needs a robust Cyber Cell to enhance cyber security and trace the criminals behind all those cybercrimes. Get the IP address of these bastards!