Child

Eyes of innocence sparkle,
happiness itself is you,
sereneness in your soul,
speak the language of truth.

You are the white canvas,
the beginning of an art,
the inspiration from a guide,
herding dreams to the altar.

Barrier none in your thought,
easily deluded by any action,
a heart so poor and flimsy
to withhold spur of emotions.

You enjoy various antics
which you wish to venture
regardless of shame and sly;
your willful will be done.

No difference do you see
that the wide world exhibit;
Blissfully blind to all misery,
you be the master of mirth.

The Uninvited

I hate cats. I have hated them ever since I can remember. There is something thieving about their nature that makes me loath them. A dog is a man's best friend; a cat is a cat!

 At my place here cats sometimes intrude in tempted by the exotic scents of a Manipuri kitchen, and when they do and if I encounter them I become the hunter and they, the hunted, which usually ends in them scampering for their nine lives. 

 One day just back from our outing, me and Thoi were relaxing on the couch, out comes Mr., or rather Mrs. [I was to learn later] Cat. We were pretty sure we had closed all doors and windows before we left. 

 My primal instincts were awoken. I cornered the cat in the living room, gave it one sound penalty, and let it out.

 Next morning Thoi told me there were kittens in the next bedroom, and that too inside my suitcase which I had forgotten to zip from my last travel. I checked, indeed there were, four kittens. My, oh my, so that was the mom cat that I had penalized, and it was she that had been mewing most of the night outside.

 I immediately opened the window, Mrs. Cat was in within minutes, cuddling and feeding her babies. I got hold of a shoe box, lined it with cloth and put mom cat and the four kittens in, mom cat never stirred, just mewed in complete faith; took the family out to the balcony, under a chair, I judged the location good because it was dark, quiet and outside; fed the mom cat milk, biscuits and gave them privacy.

 Two days of daily checking, milk and biscuit feeding, on the third tragedy struck.

 I was suddenly jolted out of my evening power nap by the sounds of a cat fight. I peeped out of the window and saw a bigger uglier cat with blood on its nose and mouth sitting right next to a mauled and killed kitten, the mother was by the side of the remaining three moaning in long moans. I knew what was happening. Wild animals, the male would gladly kill little ones to gain access to the female. God. Here was a cat that was completely deserving of my fury! A curtain rod in hand, I opened the door in such a quick motion the rowdy cat never saw it coming, one clean thwack right from the head across to the back, it cried, remembered its mother, and darted away through the nearest available exit, I wished it died.

 The nest was in tatters, the shoe box mauled, one kitten dead, the mother moaning; I got another shoebox, new cloth lining, put the three kittens in, gently hauled in the mother, barricaded the nest against external aggression, refilled the milk container, took care of the dead kitten and the mess, and heaved a sigh. 

 I guarded it for two more days, and on the third day they were gone. I hope and believe the babies were old enough for the mother to lead them away elsewhere. Well, at least I did my part. Even though I hate cats, this was for Sylvester and Tom, and all the laughter they gave me.

The Groom and his Merry Men

Sat I in the middle flanked by my best men, Robin flatly declined to bear the "Mingsen", he bore it 32 times and he is still a bachelor, "sungpo pokhaide, mamma", he blandly told the Bor Senaba, so he took the "Chaisen"; Priyo took the "mingsen", and wonder of wonders, two days back he sort of hooked up with a girl from Killing Feild area, Moirang Leirak, what's happening, is the myth a reality?! Roshan drove the car escorted by the Merry Men; Robin's jokes gave me a laugh line and I wanted to be sombre, serious, after all it was a Manipuri Wedding where the groom has to be serious and not fiddle around too much, neither the eyes nor the body, else the "ladki wallas" would nurture a bad impression. "Dekho dekho jaanam hum sadj-dhaj ke tere liye aaye"...

Tera Sapam Leirak to Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai isn't what anyone would call "far" so reached there, I suspect the playing band couldn't have finished a song; escorted in, the cynosure of all eyes,  hours of "Palla eshei", and then moved center stage, became a statue, agonizing wait, hours later out came my pretty damozel, and all is good. The traditional Hindu ritual, the ethereal "Kundo" affair, the traditional "Kangsubi" round, and I was whisked off to change and vanish before the "Kanya" came. Taboo to see her, what a ritual! Changed and met, sat, chatted with other Merry Men. The usual stories, advices, catch ups, and minutes later beckoned to eat off a huge Bronze plate, only half, had to save half for Thoi, that's the Tradi-Hindu way as husband and wife; after everything found Thoi devoid of all make up, and shining. Our eyes met for the first time that day after many days, prayed together and thanked God. 

The Bride

Thoi Thoi, Nungsithoibi, Thoi, various names I call her by, meet my wife Babina Laishram. We met February 1998 at DM College, fell in love, stuck together through thick and thin; all roads of mine led to her. I finished my studies at Jamia, she at Punjab University, Chandigarh.  I started off and found a footing in corporate India, she preferred to teach back home; the youngest of six siblings, her five brothers dote on her, (I cannot make her unhappy), my life shines. To quote from the invitation, "With love in our hearts and a prayer on our lips we step forth into a brave new world."

Happiness is a little life.

                                       Roshan, Nani and their bundle of joy.                                            

                                        Sunil, Gourika and their bundle of joy.

                       Boney and an expecting Indira then, now happy parents.

Happiness is another you

                                                             Bunty & Menaka

                                                            Bung & Bidyaluxmi

                                                             Ango & Gourika

                                                               Roshan & Nanie

The Preparation

This is a big event in a person's life - marriage. When you reflect upon it, it indeed is! Now looking from a guy's perspective it means she is coming permanently into your life, moving in, living in, certified by society, ready to take care of you, your washing, cooking and what not! Allow me to segue, ever since my big day's date was fixed I have become an ant, bringing in stuff, ever homing in, all my efforts are home bound, the courier is a big help since I stay in Guwahati, every shopping I do, be it milady's ordered items or nuts and bolts for my abode back home, the courier guys automatically write my name even without my saying it and it seems funny. I look into the mirror and I see an ant, a tireless ant. 

A guy can get married two ways: Very young, so that your parents spoon-feed you to your marriage stool, you only have to wash and eat, or the "Finally" way where you do everything yourself. I am and I love the latter, by choice, have waited 12 years.

When we chat on the phone I usually tell her the joke of the "fisting groom" and it leaves her giggling all the time [will tell the joke some other day, and it is funny], and I also tell her I'm my own master and won't heed the directions of the "bor senaba", groom minder, will move my neck where I please and look at her whenever I wish and this never fails to perturb her.

So, how do I feel? Fine, nothing like an examination. I have been directing this movie for the last many years with her and so there isn't any last minute hiccups, nasty surprises around the corner. Everything was planned and orchestrated by us, so going slow, nice and easy.

I won't do a countdown either because the last time I did a 30-day countdown for a college exam it got postponed because of excessive rain. So, no countdown and, excuse me, have to go courier the invitation cards. Bye.