Bitter Wormwood in Hindustan Times

Yes, Bitter Wormwood got a review in the Hindustan Times, but the reviewer sadly defines the Naga struggle for independence as insurrection. Readers, we shouldn't just rejoice when Bitter Wormwood gets some space in the national dailies.

There was on the whole, negative and incorrect information given between the lines. For instance, there is a general statement that implies the entire Naga population supported the Indian National Army and the Japanese during World War two. But the reviewer doesn't seem to know that if not for Naga help given to the British forces, the Japanese invasion of India would never have been thwarted. True, there was a very small group of Nagas with the INA, but the majority of the Naga population in the villages and beleaguered hamlet of Kohima helped the British government oust the Japanese from the Naga hills, and prevented them from reaching their real target: INDIA. When you get the opportunity, read the writing behind the big memorial at the war cemetery, behind, not in front of the memorial.

So read carefully guys!

There is also unfortunately, a hint of the typically dismissive attitude so common in big city journalists towards the Naga case or towards the Northeast, in this review. I think good reviewers are the ones who do not commence to read a book with already formed opinions about the content.

Masks

Every culture uses masks. I guess it is necessary to social survival. We couldn't possibly face each other again if we had seen each other without our masks, could we? If we allow others to see our secret fears, we would feel vulnerable and opened out and susceptible to attack. Wouldn't we or would we?

There is actually freedom in unmasking oneself. It is a feeling that overwhelms with the great sense of being liberated from the thought that there is no need to hide anything anymore..this is a thought I want to develop more later in a book or a short essay.

Let’s hear it for the postal services

The Nagaland post office is in line for a big kudos. Overseas readers report that parcels sent before Christmas reached them safe and sound before New Year’s and just after the New Year. That is very good progress indeed. A far cry from the days when sending a parcel from India was a matter of uncertain and unintended adventure. Misadventure is the more appropriate term because packages went missing and never reached their appointed destinations. Important documents and also packages of a personal nature containing loving gifts would go missing and never be heard of again. Honestly there was a time when sending a parcel was not very different from dropping it into a big black hole. If the postal gods favored you, it would be delivered. If not, ask not where it went or forever hold your peace.

Parcels sent from Nagaland were dispatched to assigned Indian cities such as Calcutta designed to deal with the troublesome north east. I presume there were a team of trained hardcore professionals with looks on their countenances as unrelenting as a registered seal. (You know the sort: their first cousins used to man Immigrations and customs at Calcutta airport). I imagine they sniffed at every parcel from the North east, performing this duty personally instead of assigning the sniffer dogs to it. Perhaps they were sending out anti national elements in all these badly wrapped, marking cloth covered packages from the northeastern states. For whatever reason there be, only one in a million parcels from Nagaland ever found its way to the target.

But now, ladies and gentlemen, glory halleluia, reports are trickling in from the front line of parcels that have made it to the addresses they were posted to! Those brave little parcel-soldiers running past intermittent gunfire and mortar shelling and perhaps guided missiles whilst whizzing their way over Afghanistan or Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan! Cheer them on, come on give them a loud hurrah when you see them coming through! That’s Turkey that they have crossed now. Well done fellows, it’s not long now, not much longer until you are on the safe shores of Mother Europe. Come on, one last heave and we are home!

The applause of the cheering crowds for the parcel soldiers is stupendous. It almost sounds like it would bring down the house. The chairman stands and holds up his hand for silence.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating the postal services for this amazing feat of successful parcel delivery! Hip hip hurrah!”

The curtain comes down slowly even as the applause continues unabated. Fade out.

Airport, airport

I think I have been overdoing the traveling this month. Either that or too frequent travels with too little breaks in between. The pilot on the Scandinavian flight seemed oddly familiar the sixth time round and I knew all the articles by heart in the in flight magazine. At least tomorrow is the last flight for a long long time even if its a long haul to Vienna and then to Delhi. I am tired of the in flight food and the unimaginative food at the kiosks in the airport. Austrian airways have wonderful menus and Austrian bread is white and sweet and just up my alley. Plus, they keep serving you food every hour or so, small meals which leave you just that little bit hungry for the next snack. Hehe.

Governor’s award for excellence in art, literature

State governor Nikhil Kumar on the occasion of Republic Day felicitated five personalities of the state for their distinctive excellence in the fields of art, music and literature. The five recipients of the Governor’s Award are Velasuzo Shijoh, Yanger Toshi Pongen, Senti Toy, Margaret Shishak and Easterine Kire.

Lauding the recipients, Nikhil Kumar said they had each promoted their roots and culture through their own proficiency. He also acknowledged the selection committee headed by chief secretary Lalthara for selecting the right people. While pointing out that India was on the move to becoming an economic super power, the governor asserted that Nagaland would not be left behind in the process but will keep pace with others and move forward with excellence. Chief minister Neiphiu Rio said Nagas have been recognized worldwide in the field of art, music and literature, and urged the recipients to be role models for the younger generation.

He said “Let this governor’s medals, award be a message for talent to grow’.

The governor gave away mementoes along with shawls and cash award of `25000 each and certificates to Yangertoshi Pongen (Art), Velasuzo Shijoh (Art), Margaret Shishak (Music), Senti Toy (Music), Easterine Kire (Literature). The governor also felicitated Divine Connection on winning MTV Kurkure Desi Beats Rock On. A cash award of `10,000 was presented to them.

Earlier, commissioner and secretary, Tourism, Art and Culture gave a brief introduction on the governor’s award. The programme was attended by MLAs, officials from state government, army and other organizations.

Governor’s award for excellence in art, literature - Nagaland Post

Frankfurt on my mind

Germany was wonderful. Frankfurt and the book launch with several readings at universities and a school. The school children had even translated three of my short stories and when they read back to me one of my stories in German, it was pretty amazing. Uni of Dusseldorf and the Translation Studies students were next. A two hour train ride past the Rhine valley, very green and beautiful and castles in the far horizon. I met my translator Mayela for the first time. Beautiful grey-eyed Mayela and I read alternately. Eun San and Monica, Stephanie, Sigrid Roering, Antje Brake - suddenly these were no longer names on emails and I could put faces to the names. Very nice ones too. City tour on thursday with Sigrid including a tour of Goethe’s house. The Roman square and cafes that sell tall glasses of amber wine. Croissants for breakfast and morello cherries on the street corner. Yes, I have Frankfurt on my mind.

Listening

The trouble with oral cultures and oral societies of which I am part of, is that we are taught to speak and do not learn sufficiently to listen because we place so much value on the spoken word..so each man comes with his goatskin bag of wisdom and doesn’t have enough space to take from the other’s goat skin bag of wisdom..certainly our goat-skinbags and tobacco pouches are too small to hold God’s wisdom ….is that why we never care to take time out to listen to God?  There is always time to listen…listening can happen any time…listening helps you grow..not listening makes you run in the wrong direction and then make mistakes.