Manipuri feature film at the international film festival of China

Pic By : James Khangenbam

By James Khangenbam 05 July 2023 Imphal:

Haobam Paban Kumar, one of Manipuri Cinema’s decorated filmmaker, has done it again
with his latest Manipuri feature film, “Joseph ki Macha” (Joseph’s Son) getting premiered in
the largest international film festival of Asia and the longest running international film
festival of China.

This time, his 83-minute film on the fear and uncertainty of life in Manipur, devastated by
armed conflict and ethnic divide, did Manipuri Cinema proud by being Indian’s lone entry to
the main competition section of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival 2023, which
was held from 9th to 18 June in China’s biggest city and global financial hub.

Co-Produced by National Film Development Corporation and Haobam’s own production
firm, Oli Picture, “Joseph’s Son is based on a short story by Sudhir Naoroibam, a Sahitya
Akademi Award winner. The story revolves around Joseph’s (played by Guru Rewben
Mashangva) search for his missing son through a landscape of dismal and turmoil.

The Manipuri film was in the competition section with 11 other international films for the
prestigious Golden Goblet Award 2023. It got its world premiere on 13th June at the
Shanghai Film Centre as part of the film festival.

Along with director Haobam Paban Kumar, the protagonist, Guru Rewben Mashangva and
executive producer of the film, PP Math attended the festival. Haobam Paban Kumar is a
nominated executive member of the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) who
repeatedly grabbed international attention with his reel stories of Manipur.

“Joseph ki Macha” is his third Manipuri feature film. Each of his earlier films have all earned
critical accolades in the festival circuits of the world. Debuted with Loktak Leirembi or Lady
of the Lake, his second production being “Nine Valley One Valley”.

( With inputs from MSFDS )

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Sixth Schedule in Manipur (Part -3)

By A Romen Kumar Singh, 09/07/2023

Basis for granting status of sixth schedule

The Supreme Court in the case as reported in (1997)8 SCC 191 (Supra) has emphatically mentioned that tribals, on account of their isolation, remained illiterate, uneducated, unsophisticated, poor and destitute. At the same time, the recommendations of the Sub-committees (Supra) mainly focussed that the Government policies should be for the preservation of the tribal’s social customs from sudden erosion, and the safeguarding their traditional vocations without the danger of their absolute exploitation by the more sophisticated elements of the population. Illiteracy and exploitation of tribals by elements of population form the basic foundation of applying the provisions of Sixth Schedule.

Sixth Schedule in Manipur :

State of Manipur is the only state of the seven sister states of the North Eastern Region to which the provisions of the Sixth Schedule have never been applied. Manipur was initially a Union Territory, being a Part C State in the First Schedule to the Constitution, having been placed as item No.9. According to Part VIII of the Constitution (Article 239), Part C States were administered by the President through Chief Commissioner or Lieutenant Governor.

The states in the North Eastern Region were reorganised by the North Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 and by section 3 thereof, the state of Manipur was formed comprising the territories which immediately before that day were comprised in the Union Territory of Manipur.

Separate provisions for constitution of district councils for hill areas of Manipur.

Close on the hills of formation of the state of Manipur by the aforesaid Act, the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 1971 (Act 76 of 1971) was passed by the Parliament for constitution of District Councils for the Hill Areas of the state of Manipur. the aforesaid Act has been replaced by the state enactment namely, the Manipur Hill Areas Autonomous District Council Act, 2000 (Manipur Act 11 of 2000) wherein details provisions are made for the functioning of the District Council is constituted in the Hill Areas of the State. District Councils have been constituted in all the five Hill Districts of Manipur.

These are:

  1. Ukhrul Autonomous District Council, Ukhrul
  2. Tamenglong Autonomous District Council, Tamenglong
  3. Churachandpur Autonomous District Council, Churachandpur
  4. Chandel Autonomous District Council, Chandel
  5. Senapati Autonomous District Council, Senapati
  6. Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council, Kangpokpi

Insertion of Article 371 C

By the Constitution (27th Amendment) Act, 1971, Article 371 C has been inserted whereby the Parliament has been empowered to constitute a Committee of Legislative Assembly for the Hill Areas of the State. Further, the Governor is required to make annual report to the President regarding administration of the Hill areas of the State. It further provides that executive power of the Union extends to giving direction to the State in the administration of said areas.

Power of the governor under Sixth Schedule to be exercised on the aid and advice of council of ministers.

Power under Sixth Schedule : Pu Myllai Hlychho Vs State of Mizoram (2005) 2 SCC 92

Constitution bench of the Supreme Court held as below

Page 94 – Para 1: (i) The provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution have evolved a separate scheme for the administration of the tribal areas in Assam, Maghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura through the institution of District Councils or Regional Councils. These Councils are vested with legislative power on specified subjects, allotted sources of taxation and given powers to setup and administer their system of justice and maintain administrative and welfare services in respect of land, revenue, forests, education, public health etc.

(ii) Satisfaction of governor required by constitution is not personal satisfaction.

Page 98 – Para 15 : The executive power also partakes the legislative or certain judicial action. Wherever the Constitution requires the satisfaction of the Governor for the exercise of power or function, the satisfaction required by the Constitution is not personal satisfaction of the Governor but the satisfaction in the Constitutional sense under the cabinet system of government.

The Governor exercises functions conferred on him by or under the Constitution with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers and he is competent to make rules for convenient transaction of the business of the Government of the State, by the allocation of business among the Ministers under Article 166(3) of the Constitution.

It is the fundamental principle of English Constitutional Law that the Ministers must accept the responsibility for every executive act. It may also be noticed that in regard to the executive action taken in the name of the Governor, he can not be sued for any executive action of the State and Article 300 specifically states that the Government of state may sue or may be sued in the name of the state subject to the restriction placed therein.

Powers of the president and governor are similar to crown under the parliamentary system.

This Court has consistently taken the view that the powers of the President and the Governor are similar to the powers of the CROWN under the British Parliamentary System. We followed the principle in (1) Rai Sahib Ramjawaya Kapur Vs. State of Punjab, AIR 1955 S.C. 549, A. Sanjeevi Naidu V. State of Madras, (1970)1 SCC 443 and U.N.R Rao V. Indira Gandhi, (1971) 2 SCC 63.

(iii) Termination of four members from mara authonomous district council by the governor of mizoram on the advice of council of ministers is perfectly in accordance with Sixth Schedule.

Page 103 – Para 32 : In the result, we hold that the Governor was bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers and the termination of the four members from MADC by order of the Governor on 5.12.2001 was perfectly in accordance with the constitutional provisions and the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution.

For nomination of members governor was justified in making consultation with council of ministers

The nomination of the four members to the council by orders dated 6.12.2001 was legal and the Governor acted by virtue of the discretionary power vested in him. The Governor was justified in making consultation with the Council of Ministers and the Governor making such incidental consultation with the Council of Ministers did not in any way affect the discretionary power.

No other authority interfered with the independent exercise of the Governor’s discretion in nominating the four members of MADC and the notification issued by the Governor on 6.12.2001 was validly made and the decision of the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court does not call for any interference.

Sixth Schedule in Manipur (Part -3) Read More

Sixth Schedule in Manipur ( Part 2)

  • Part 2 –

By A Romen Kumar Singh, 03/06/2023 Imphal

Observation of sub-committees is preservation of social customs from erosion and safeguarding traditional vocations.

The joint meeting of the two sub-committees held in August, 1947 observed, inter alia, that primarily the government policies relating to the tribes and tribal areas had been the preservation of their social customs from sudden erosion, and the safeguarding their traditional vocations without the danger of their absolute exploitation by the more sophisticated elements of the population.

At the same time the sub-committees recognised the fact that the keeping the tribals in isolation should not continue for an indefinitely long period, and, therefore, the alternative government policy should be to raise their educational level and standard of living to such extent that they might in course of time be assimilated with the rest of the population: the sub-committee did not find it advisable to remove the administrative distinction between the backward areas and the rest of the country and thus recommended that while certain areas like Sambalpur in Bihar and Angul in Orissa need not further be treated differently from the regularly administered areas, other tribal, excluded and partially excluded areas need a simplified type of administration to protect the tribals from exposure to the complicated system of the ordinary law courts and from the exploitation of the traders and money lenders who used to take advantage of their simplicity and illiteracy, and deprive them from their land and right of survival.

The sub-committee recommended that the areas predominantly inhabited by aboriginals in the provinces other than Assam should be known as “Scheduled Areas”; whereas the area predominantly inhabited by aboriginals in the state of Assam and mostly being frontier or border areas should be known as ‘Tribal Areas”. The recommendations of the two Sub-Committee should not be considered by the Constituent Assembly in its session in July, 1947, when the Broad principles of the Constitution were settled, since, as stated by Dr, Ambedkar, the same were received too late.

However the Drafting Committee considered the recommendations and the draft prepared by the Sub-Committees, at the stage of drafting and suitable provisions including Schedules V and VI were included in the draft constitution of February, 1948, and thus, provisions of VI Schedule germinates in the Constitution of India.

Sixth Schedule

The provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution have evolved a separate scheme for the administration of the tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram through the institution of District Councils or Regional Councils. These councils are vested with legislative power on specified subjects, allotted sources of taxation and given powers to set up and administer their system of justice and maintain administrative and welfare services in respect of land, revenue, forests, education, public health etc.2.

Provisions of sixth schedule

The various provisions of Sixth Schedule can be briefly summarised as below:

  1. Para 1 of the Sixth Schedule deals with tribal areas in each item of the table appended to paragraph 20 of this schedule as autonomous district.
  2. Para 2 of the Schedule deals with the Constitution of District Councils and Regional Councils.
  3. Para 3 of the Sixth Schedule deals with the powers of the District Councils and Regional Councils to make laws.
  4. Para 4 of the Sixth Schedule deals with the administration of justice in autonomous districts and autonomous regions.
  5. Under Para 5 of the Sixth Schedule, powers under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and the code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 are conferred on the Regional and District Councils and on certain courts and officers for the trial of certain suits, cases and offences.
  6. Para 6 of the Schedule deals with the powers of the District Council to establish primary schools etc.
  7. Under Para 7 of the Schedule, District and Regional Funds shall be constituted for each autonomous district council and for each autonomous region. All moneys received shall be credited to the District and Regional Funds in the course of the administration of such district or region as the case may be in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
  8. Para 8 of the Schedule deals with the powers to assess and collect land revenue and to impose takes.
  9. Para 9 of the schedule deals with Licences or leases for the purpose of prospecting for or extraction of minerals.
  10. Under Para 10 of the Schedule District Council has the power to make regulations for the control of moneylending and trading by non-tribals.
  11. Under Para 11, all laws, rules and regulations made under this schedule by a District Council or a Regional Council shall be published forth with in the official Gazette of the State and shall on such publications have the force of law.
  12. Para 12 of the Schedule deals with the application of Acts of Parliament and of the Legislature of the State of Assam to autonomous districts and autonomous regions in the State of Assam.
    12A: Para 12A deals with application of Acts of Parliament and of the Legislature of the State of Meghalaya to autonomous districts and autonomous regions in the State of Meghalaya.
    12AA: Para 12AA of the Schedule deals with application of Acts of Parliament and of the Legislature of the State of Tripura to the autonomous district and autonomous regions in the State of Tripura.
    12B: Para 12B of the Schedule deals with application of Acts of Parliament and of the Legislature of the State of Mizoram to autonomous districts and autonomous regions in the state of Mizoram.

20: Para 20 of the Schedule deals with the provision that areas specified in Paras I, II, IIA and III of the table below shall respectively be the tribal areas within the State of Assam, the State of Meghalaya, the State of Tripura and the State of Mizoram.
20A: Para 20A deals with Dissolution of the Mizo District Council
20B: Para 20B of the Schedule says that Autonomous Regions on the Union Territory of Mizoram to be autonomous Districts and transitory provisions consequent thereto.
20C: Para 20C of the Schedule deals with the interpretation of this Schedule.
21: Para 21 of the Schedule deals with the amendment of the Schedule.

  1. Under Para 13 of the Schedule, the estimated receipts and expenditure pertaining to an autonomous district which are to be credited to, or is to be made from, the Consolidated Fund of the State shall be first placed before the District Council for discussion and than after such discussion be shown separately in the annual financial statement of the state to be laid before the Legislature of the state under Article 202.
  2. Under Para 14 of the Schedule the Governor may at any time appoint a Commission to inquire into and report on the administration of autonomous districts and autonomous regions.
  3. Under Para 15 of the Schedule, if at any time the Governor is satisfied that an act or resolution of a District or Regional Council is likely to endanger the safety of India or is likely to be prejudicial to public order, he may annul or suspend such act or resolution and take such steps as he may consider necessary (including the suspension of the council and the assumption to himself of all or any of the powers vested in or exercisable by the council) to prevent the commission or continuation of such act or the giving effect to such resolution.
  4. Under Para 16 of the Schedule the Governor may on the recommendation of a commission appointed under Paragraph 14 of this Schedule by public notification order the dissolution of a District or Regional Council.
  5. Para 17 of the Schedule deals with exclusion of areas from autonomous districts in forming constituencies in such districts.
  6. Para 18 of the Sixth Schedule is omitted by the North-Eastern areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 (81 of 1971)
  7. Provision of Para 19 of the Schedule relates to transitional provisions to enable the Governor to take steps for the constitution of a District Council for each autonomous district in the State.
Sixth Schedule in Manipur ( Part 2) Read More

Sixth Schedule in Manipur

  • Part 1 –

By A Romen Kumar Singh 01/07/2023

“You can not teach democracy to the tribal people; you have to learn democratic ways from them. They are the most democratic people from earth. What my people require is not adequate safeguards. They require protection. We do not ask for any special protection. We want to be treated like every Indian” . . .

Jaipal Singh representing tribal said while debating on the preamble to the constitution before the Constitution Assembly.

This might have set the tune for the framers of the Indian Constitution towards the tribal’s mite in the Constitutional Scheme, but definitely the tribal’s constitution, i.e. the Sixth Schedule which is described by Justice M.Hidayatulla as a “mini constitution”.

Status of tribals as first settlers in the country

A Bench of Three Judges of the Supreme Court as reported in SAMATHA V. State of Andhra Pradesh, (1997)8 SCC 191 at page 277 – Para 136 held that tribals are stated to be the first settlers in the country but were gradually pushed back into the forests and hills by subsequent settlers who later came to be known as the plainsmen or people of or from the plains. The forests and hills provided a natural barrier and isolated the tribals from the people living in the plains. On account of their isolation, they remained illiterate, uneducated, unsophisticated, poor and destitute, and developed their own society where they allowed themselves to be governed by their own primitive and customary laws and rituals.

Brief historical background

By a notification under Section 52A(2) of the Government of India Act, 1915-19, the Governor-General in Council declared the following territories in the then province of Assam as backward tracts: (1) The Garo Hills District; (2) The British portions of Khasi & Jaintia Hills District other than the Shillong. Municipality and cantonment; (3) The Mikir Hills; (4) The North Cachar Hills District; (5) The Naga Hills District; (6) The Lushai Hills District; (7) The Sadiya Fronteir Tract; (8) The Balipara Fronteir Tract; (9) The Lakhimpur Fronteir Tract.

However, the British Government desired to limit exclusion of these areas as much as possible and ultimately referred the matter for further examination by the Indian Statutory Commission, 1930, popularly known as Simon Commission. The Simon Commission in its report mentioned that during 1930’s these backward tribal areas extended up to almost 1,20,000 sq. miles with a populace of about 11 million, and were stretched mainly in Bihar, Orissa, Punjab, Burma, Bengal and Assam.

Object of government policy (Primitive or indigenous)

The object of Government policy in relation to these areas inhabited by backward, tribal and aboriginal people was visualised by the Simon Commission. Until then the object had been primarily to give these primitive. Inhabitants Security of land tenure, freedom of pursuit of their traditional means of livelihood, and a reasonable exercise of their ancestral customs have been the primordial necessity of the object. No self-determination or rapid political advancement was considered necessary but an experienced and sympathetic handling and protection from economic subjugation by their neighbours was felt more important for these people.

Perpetual isolation from main stream of progress and development would not be a long term measure.

This Commission also realised that the perpetual isolation from the main stream of progress and development would not be a long-term beneficial measure and that it would be ultimately necessary to make these people educated and self-reliant and drawn to the main stream of development through gradual assimilation with the mainfolk. The Commission, on one hand, considered it too huge a task to be left to the Missionaries and individuals, since for a long term policy of uninterrupted pursuance, coordination of activities an adequate fund would be required, while on the other hand, a typically backward area was considered to be non-productive or non-revenue-earning and deficit area for which no provincial legislature was likely to possess either the will or the means to develop the area without any return. At the same time, it was felt by the commission that it would not be a realistic arrangement if these areas were placed under such a centralised administration that there would be a risk of its separation from the provinces of which the areas were an integral part.

Recommendation of commission

In this backdrop, the commission ultimately recommended that the responsibility of administration of the backward tracts or areas should be entrusted to the Central Government but the Central Government should use the non-political officers of the Governors as agents for the administration of these areas and that depending on the degree of backwardness, it could be prescribed under the appropriate rules how far Governor would act in consultation with his Ministers in charge of his duties as an agent of the Central Government.

Recommendation of the commission not adopted

However, the Simon Commission’s recommendation for centralised administration for all the backward areas were not adopted in the Constitutional reforms of 1935. On the other hand, the Government of India Act, 1935 created three types of special areas. Under the Act, 1935, these backward areas were classified as excluded arreas and partially excluded areas.

The newly created excluded areas, to the extent of about 18,000 square miles in Assam and 10,000 square miles in the provinces of Madras, Bengal, North-West Frontier, Punjab and Assam were placed under the personal rule of the Governor’s in their discretion. The needy created partially excluded areas were placed under the responsibility of a Minister specifically in charge of such areas while the Governor was assigned with certain special responsibility in the administration of these areas only in certain matters in respect of which he had the power to act in his individual judgement and to overrule the Minister’s advice.

No act of the federal or provincial legislature would apply

The Government of India Act, 1935 further provided that no Act of the Federal of Provincial Legislature would apply to any of these areas, but the Governors had the authority to apply any such Act with or without modification as they would consider necessary. In addition to these excluded and partially excluded areas, there were certain “tribal areas” which were defined in Section 311(1) of the Government of India Act, 1935, as “areas along the frontiers of India or in Baluchistan, which are not part of British India or Burma or of any Indian State or of any foreign State”.

The status of these areas was very peculiar, as in terms of the definition they did not form part of the British India; nor the British Parliament or the Legislatures in British India had any direct legislative powers in respect of these areas. Whatever powers were exercisable in respect of these areas, the same in fact originated from some, “treaty, grant, usage, sufferance or otherwise”, and to validate the effect of such treaty etc. the Government of India Act, 1935 contained a specific provision, enabling the Governor-General to act in his discretion in respect of administration of these areas and keeping the same outside the Ministerial responsibilities.

Need for attention of the constituent assembly to these areas. In a statement on 16.5.1946 the Cabinet Mission reiterated the need for special attention of the Constituent Assembly to these excluded and partially excluded areas and tribal areas while drafting the new constitution of India.

An Advisory Committee was planned on Fundamental Rights and Minorities in such manner that it should contain due representation of all the interests likely to be affected, and should advise the Constituent Assembly on framing an appropriate scheme for the administration of tribal and excluded areas.

The Advisory Committee in its meeting on 27.2.1947 set up three sub-committees – one to consider the tribal areas and excluded and partially excluded areas in Assam, another to consider the tribal areas in the North-West Frontier Province and Baluchistan, and a third Sub-Committee to consider the position of excluded and partially excluded areas in the Provinces other than Assam. The Sub-Committee on tribal and excluded and partially excluded areas submitted their report on 28.7.1947, while the other Sub-Committee on the excluded and partially excluded areas in the provinces other than Assam submitted its interim report on 18.8.1947 and final report in September, 1947.

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Around the World in a cycle, Steve Fabes an England citizen passes through Manipur

By James Khangenbam, 29/06/2023 Imphal:

Steve Fabes is a doctor by profession. He started out in 2010 with his cycle to travel six continents. He is in his sixth Continent Asia now. He thought it might take five or six years of his life in completing his mission and he is realizing it day by day. By the time of filing this story he has already accomplish his mission. Belinda is the name he gave to his cycle.
My cycle is a tour cycle built strong to last for long time. It is a Dutch company.  I carry along a tent, sleeping bag, cooking materials, clothes, medicines, books and tools to repair my bicycle narrated Steve.

Way to Manipur

“It was a nice ride from Myanmar to Manipur. The roads were lovely.
To encourage kids to use bicycle which I enjoyed doing was good. I spent a magnificent time in Imphal meeting with lovely kids at Maria Montessori School Koirengei where I spoke to students from 6th standard to 12th Standard in two shifts and told them my story with photo and video I make during my tour. Also answer to small queries children asked me from their inquisitive mind. Pedal attack team had helped me a lot during my four days stay in Imphal they have shown me couple of places and they are very enthusiastic cyclists. My happiest moment in Imphal is spent along with them and they are marvelous”, expressed Steve Fabes.

Why cycle around the world

“I had a job I really enjoyed, I had a salary. I have my family and friends around, I have a very comfortable life, why would I leave all that to go and live on 10 dollars a day counting by the road. To find more difficult life, it was not an easy decision but in the end I decided to go for it because I really wanted an adventure, new challenge.


I kind of feel fit and healthy by travelling around the world and to learn about the world as well. These are the few things that inspired me to leave. I do not want to get any regrets as well. I have this idea of travelling around the world and I just have to get through came in my mind”, continued SteveFabes.


“ What is good about travelling by bicycle is you get lots closure to the nature, you feel part of the landscape. The other thing I love about bicycle travel is it moves slowly so you got to meet people. If you want to learn about other country it is the best way to travel as people see me. People ask me question, sometimes they offer me hospitality, and sometimes they offer me food. It is very good way to travel, for me it is best to travel. I love challenge and sense of adventure. I do not see a car for three or four days. I have crossed mountain which is 5200 meter above sea level. I came across many spectacular places to ride.


I use to write my dairy on a daily basis. After my journey when I reach home I will write a book on my travel, people and places I came across. I will resume my work but would prefer a part time as I would spend most of the time in writing the book” says a confidently spoken Steve.

Life is full of joy

“To me an adventure is something that pushes you to overcome difficulty, it is a new thing you try.


The toughest thing is kind of mental challenge not meeting familiar people for long time while I cycle for years.


In school I was not an athlete. In cycling around the world you do not have to have extra skill you need to persevere.


In the middle of my journey I ran out of money after three years when I was in Mexico. I use to write for magazine during my tour to earn.


Now there is crowd funding for my tour”, informed Steve.

What makes a day?

“Morning is the time when you have lots of time to think but I do not need any distracting so I rise early and start riding. Most difficult time in a day is post lunch when you feel tired. I listen some music during this time. In the evening I try to find a place to camp somewhere to sleep”, expressed Steve.

Why I have been doing that

Steve happens to cycle across the salt plate in Bolivia in full moon along with his friend Nicky. It is the world largest salt plates stretching 100 miles which could be seen from space. His love for adventure was reciprocated and growing in the ride.


“On 15 Jan, 2010 I cycle off and suddenly it appeared impossible. I stop by a park for four hours. Thoughts came in my mind as what was I doing, wondering what I was going to tell people, I have told everyone I am cycling for five years.  I realize I had no choice.


I just got back on my back and started cycling. I decided I would just take one day at a time I would not try to think about five or six years that was terrifying. I just break it down into small times and think about where I am now and the next place and by doing that I figure I get around the world.


I started from London cycle across Europe in cold winter and east side of Africa cross to south of America, Northern Alaska and could not cycle further north. Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and so on. By the time I reach Manipur, I have crossed 52 different countries and covered a distance which is one and half times around the world. I have recorded 65,000 kilometer ride on my cycle. Next year I am cycling back home for a cup of tea”, smiled through Steve.
 

Around the World in a cycle, Steve Fabes an England citizen passes through Manipur Read More

Butoh dance which evolved in Japan after Second World War introduced in Manipur.

By James Khangenbam, 29/06/2023 Imphal :

“The dance form calms down our daily thinking, our daily consciousness. When we calm down our daily consciousness our body and mind became one. Mind, body and spirit transformation takes place. It could be in silence you can do with preferred music too”, says Agu Tara the facilitator of Butoh Dance when she was conducting workshop in Manipur
“I listen to the resonance of the tree and I sink into the resonance and I become the tree and I forget that I am a human. If you listen to the resonance you will dance all time and your source of movement is by listening to the resonance.

The Butoh workshop in Manipur at SACH was all about learning technique to enter into the door. Learning to feel subtle energy. Hugging a tree to feel the intensity of the heat, texture and smell. Same goes with rock. We were given experiential knowledge not textual. If I want to feel the resonance of the tree we stay with the tree, stand and feel the wind blow. Smell, touches the water, even human to human. Human have sound, smell, heat, intensity. There are innumerable materials you just have to open yourself to listen into that resonance it is a practice to open up”, says Thiyam Chaoba a participant who is a film maker and a meditation practitioner.

Agu Tara – the 35 year old facilitator of Butoh dance was trained in the art form at Subbody Butoh Foundation, Dharamsala, H.P. She has been practicing for the last three years and hosted the 1st International Butoh festival in New Delhi. She came down to Manipur through Surjit Nongmeikakpam, a reknowned contemporary dancer and introduced the Japanese originated dance form in Manipur.

Butoh is said to have originated after the Second World War in Japan. Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno are the known legends. It appeared as a reaction against the contemporary dance scene in Japan, which Hijikata felt was based on imitating the West & restricted to self –expression only. Also, witnessing & resonating strongly with the before- after war conditions in Japan & losing his sister, (who served as a prostitute in the war) is believed to give birth to Butoh.  Kazuo Ohno also fought in the war and lost many of his soldier friends. Both of them are legends; they introduced Butoh to the world.

At first, Butoh came about as revolution of the body. Hijikata researched constantly in the darkness of his body; hidden tendencies, hidden memories of childhood and resonated with weakened bodily conditions like that of leprosy existing around him.  He meditated for long and discovered that his dead sister was living inside him. This gave birth to weakened body butoh. Butoh differs from other movement art forms because it focuses on the weakness of the body rather than the strength.  

He danced her repeatedly. He also wrote two choreographic butoh scores ‘Quiet House’ and ‘Sick Dancing Princess.’  In ‘ Quiet House’ he danced his dead sister, however, he still felt bound by his independent trauma, by Self; and to go beyond this bind he wrote ‘Sick Dancing Princess’ but was not able to share his dance. He died young at the age of 57.

Over the years, Butoh has been interpreted and practiced differently all across the world.  Butoh is not self-expression. It is Dance of Life. It is ‘Art of Shisha’ ; where ‘Shisha’ are the spirits of the dead in Japanese.

‘Shisha transform their shapes quietly yet infinitely. It is not rare that they borrow the shapes of things on the earth with unexpected nonchalance.’

Therefore, a butoh dancer takes the form of spirit and opens infinite transformation, can become anything and everything very easily and nonchalantly.

Butoh dance which evolved in Japan after Second World War introduced in Manipur. Read More

Kripali Yambem – First Woman Assistant Commandant of NE in Indian Coast Guard

By James Khangenbam, 28/06/23

From her childhood Kripali always aspired to be different from her peers. Career in Civil Services, Medical, Engineering was what most people aspired for while few opt Armed Forces.An adventurous mind and attitude to excel attracted her to the National Cadets Corps during her High School and College. She was molded into an individual capable of taking on the rigors of military life during her NCC days.

A bright, young and energetic woman with extreme dedication towards achievement can hold the top most positions with confidence in any profession; not leaving the armed forces is what Kripali always believed. Her dream came into reality when she was selected for the post of Assistant Commandant in the Indian Coast Guard.  She is the first women from the North East to hold the rank of an Assistant Commandant in the Indian Coast Guard. She joined the service on July 2010. Kripali got through the service after a direct interview for graduates conducted twice annually.

She is the daughter of Yambem Brajamohon Singh ( Retd. Headmaster, Govt. Ideal Blind School, Takyel)  and Thongam Geeta Devi ( Teacher, Govt. Ideal Blind School, Takyel) of Naoremthong Khumanthem Leikai near SAI Road, Imphal West.

The men and women in “WHITES” (Uniform) was a motivating factor for Kripali to join the service. The respect and the lifestyle they lead captured her thoughts and desire. She was confident to go through any probationary task to prove her suitability. Despite few questions from her parents and loved ones, she had already made up her mind and was ready to undertake the gruesome training.  

Today, she had proved her worth and going about her job as a women officer she wore a silent smile filled with pride which makes her feel that she is also a part of the big and happy family which she had dreamt of as a girl to join the service.
Indian Coast Guard is a branch of Indian Armed Forces that implements the maritime laws of India. According to her this service offer full of opportunities to prove male and ability of lady officers through perseverance, dedication and exciting activities along with welcome prospect of visiting different places in the country and abroad combine with excellent pay package with ample benefits.
 
Her Hobby – Painting, Playing Basketball and Netball, Trekking

Message to the aspiring lady officers

“When you know you can be par with men, when your environment is filled with corruption, when the country is rampant with child abuse and rape cases each day. It is high time that we come out from the cocoon of chaos and be part of the family of ‘WHITES’ (Uniform) to emancipate from the thought of subordination and this service to make your dreams come true”.
Her Message to all – “Hard work never kills anyone, thrive for the best and touch the sky”
 

Kripali Yambem – First Woman Assistant Commandant of NE in Indian Coast Guard Read More

The man who innovates seamless Bamboo furniture

Fifteen years back Ibomcha use to read Taiwan catalogue and magazine on Bamboo. One time president of All Manipur Entrepreneur Association Rishikumar gifted him the catalogue which was enriching. He kept on thinking of making Bamboo furniture but could not materialize. He recollected all his efforts and finally ventured into making Bamboo furniture.

By James Khangenbam, Imphal 28/06/2023

Pic by James Bamboo furniture

His bamboo products are seamless. In a chair he uses eight nuts in the bottom area and 4 nuts in the upper part. It could be exported in any part of the world as it is built for easy transportation and could be assembled with the nuts when the furniture reaches the destined place of export. In the round table furniture he uses three nuts down and three nuts at the upper part. The furniture are quite strong and many have bought from him since the last many years. 

Bamboo furniture

Chair, Table, Portable Mirror Stand, Tray, Mementoes, in a seamless set up. All of them are folding and could be dismantled. A Round table and three chair set took one week to complete.

He is working on his latest design a chess board with colour pattern originally from the   Bamboo texture arranged in 64 squares with an eight by eight grid.
He is searching for craftsman who can Bamboo design the 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns

Why Bamboo furniture

According to Khwairakpam Ibocha bamboo surface has shining property unlike woods. He is trying to make furniture like doors and window. He has successfully fixed two bamboo surfaces together to thicken the board as doors needs to be thick. If his work shed is more mechanized it will be more productive. It is half manual and half machine as of now.

In Countries like Thailand and China Bamboo work sheds are mechanize so they have same size and uniform products. Cost of a Bamboo Board imported from China and marketed in Kolkata cost Rs250 per square feet.
He is making bamboo hard boards with 2 inch: 2 inch thick bamboo boards joined together surface to surface. Thus a 4 inches thick bamboo board is ready to materialize in a grand and strong furniture.

He uses a Fevicol company glue Pur ‘to join the surfaces together.  Pur saves time. Earlier a normal Fevicol glue took five hours to stick two bamboo pieces together. In 20 degree Celsius temperature it stick in 60 min, 40 degree Celsius took half an hour. If fixed in 60 degree Celsius temp it can be done in 10 minutes.

Now I can stick two surfaces in 45 minutes with the new gum of Fevicol Company says Ibomcha who was working in his work shed when Manipur Times interacted him.

Bamboo treatment

Bamboo are harvested in mera’ season and dip in water for a month and dried in sun. This is indigenous method and time consuming.

Chemical treatment is modern as found in various newsletter. He uses boric acid and borex in the ratio of one times of boric acid and one and half borex. In 200 litres of water 500 ml Boric acid is added and 750 mg of Borex in 200 liters of water. After the two samples are mixed He dips the bamboo for three hours.

He innovated a method by making water mixture in a mobil drum and he uses steam bath method by boiling the mixture and treating with the steam. This is how he treats his Bamboo. It proves good as it takes away the water content in steam bath.  Thus the bamboo do not get shrink from the water content for a longer time.

So far Ibocha has officially trained 20 people under the sponsorship of Commerce and Industries Department Government of Manipur. The government sanctioned Rupees one lakh and ninety thousand for the training.

The man who innovates seamless Bamboo furniture Read More

MTV Europe Music Awardee – Alobo Naga and the Band from North East

By James Khangenbam ,Imphal 25/06/2023

“In 2010, I released my first album. I was into solo project. I invited lots of musicians to play for one of my concert. There were around 70 artists coming and playing. These guys were all in different bands, they helped me in the concert. It was like everyone was playing in different bands but we felt that was the calling, we thought that was what we were looking for, we stick from there. The paper wrote Alobo Naga and the band, our band name is derived from the quote.” Alobo Naga the lead singer.

Turning point

The band got an opportunity to write a song for an international short film festival in Guwahati. The band manager got their deal in 2010.  A song titled ‘Painted Dreams’ was submitted and the band got an offer to make a video. That was how the popular video music Painted Dream was made.

“We were like just another band from North East. From there people started appreciating our music video and it was featured in International channel VH 1. Next moment we show ourselves in International Top 10. There were bands like lady gaga and all those stuffs. We were looking and we felt like wow. At first we were in top 8, next week it clinched to top 4. Then the song was nominated for the European music award. There were five bands from India. There was a voting thing happening and we won the vote. The winner from India was nominated for the world music there we could not win. Winning in India was a great thing for us” – Alobo Naga

Alobo Naga and the Band have clinched the Best Indian Act MTV Europe Music Award in 2012 and it has inspired the bands in the North East so far.

Concerts

The band has performed in Hyderabad, Calcutta, Delhi and many other places in India. Aboard they have performed in Singapore, Indonesia etc.

Band bond

“We are all guys in the family and our family gave us time to follow our dreams when we are on tour. We are all from different family background, the common point is we are good friends, best of friend; we have a very good chemistry, so that is very important in the band. Even if you are really talented, many bands break up. The Chemistry the ego whatever it is like differences. All of us have differences but at the end of the day we know how to compromise. The friendship is bigger than the music that’s why it works and the songs are. See we are very fortunate like everyone is talented. If one of our band member brings us a song. Everyone do our own part. He plays the guitar, he plays the bass, the drummer will beat and I start composing the melody,” say the band members.

Alobo Naga and the band focus on social cause issues. All our songs are something to do with hope, faith, love. Painted dreams are about telling someone if you believe you can achieve your dreams. All you need to do is just pray and work hard. We keep it simple and go straight to the message” says the young and sweet smiling Alobo Naga.

My father bought me a guitar.

I am Fung Walling and I play bass guitar. I have been in lots of band. ‘Blended for him’ was my last band. During my college days, we were quite popular, those days we were in gospel band. I was really into music from a very small age. My dad bought me a guitar when I was eight and that is how I started playing. My dad and mom they love music. That was very encouraging. My father supported me my mom was nagging and wants a government job. My music career was because of my dad. I take music as a career I can say that now. Message to youth –  “ have fun because life is short, have fun but in a good way ”

Akhum Jams – lead Guitarists

“We support vocal as well, every member in the band sings. I learn to play guitar from my mother when in tender age. She loves singing. She was my inspiration. 14 years old. I have been in Churches playing music for 3 years. I was playing in metal band call Melodrama. Actually won the MTV campus rock idol. And I happen to join the Alobo Naga and the Band.
We are here and we are doing what we love to do because of our parents, their encouragement and support. There are days to come, years to come for a music lover like us”.

MTV Europe Music Awardee – Alobo Naga and the Band from North East Read More

How to earn 1 lakh online?

Learn how to get started and achieve your target income. Read on to discover practical tips and strategies for earning a good income online.

By Banti Phurailatpam 1 May, Imphal:

How to earn 1 lakh online?

The web has upset the manner in which we work and carry on with work. In the computerized age, bringing in a lot of cash online has turned into a reasonable and feasible objective. The quantity of internet based positions and open doors is expanding quickly, and with the right methodology, anybody can procure 1 lakh on the web. In this article, we will talk about different ways of bringing in cash on the web and how to accomplish the objective of procuring 1 lakh on the web

Outsourcing

Web based instructing is one more famous method for bringing in cash on the web. Many individuals are keen on acquiring new abilities, and they will pay for quality web-based courses. On the off chance that you have mastery in a specific subject, you can make online courses and sell them on stages like Udemy, Skill share, Workable, and so on.
To begin web based educating, you really want to pick a subject that you are great at, and you want to make a course that covers the subject inside and out. You can utilize different apparatuses, for example, video addresses, tests, and tasks to make your course really captivating and intelligent. Whenever you have made your course, you can transfer it to a web-based stage and begin offering it to understudies around the world.

The way to outcome in outsourcing is to convey top notch work, fulfill time constraints, and keep up with great correspondence with clients. As a consultant, you can procure anyplace from a couple hundred rupees to a few lakhs each month, contingent upon your abilities and how much work you take on.

Web based instructing

Web based instructing is one more famous method for bringing in cash on the web. Many individuals are keen on acquiring new abilities, and they will pay for quality web-based courses. On the off chance that you have mastery in a specific subject, you can make online courses and sell them on stages like Udemy, Skill share, Workable, and so on.
To begin web based educating, you really want to pick a subject that you are great at, and you want to make a course that covers the subject inside and out. You can utilize different apparatuses, for example, video addresses, tests, and tasks to make your course really captivating and intelligent. Whenever you have made your course, you can transfer it to a web-based stage and begin offering it to understudies around the world.

The way to outcome in web based instructing is to make top notch courses that proposition worth to understudies. You likewise need to showcase your courses really to contact a more extensive crowd. As a web-based instructor, you can procure anyplace from two or three thousand rupees to a few lakhs each month, contingent upon the notoriety of your courses.

Offshoot promoting

Partner promoting is a famous method for bringing in cash online without selling any items or administrations. Partner advertisers advance items or administrations presented by different organizations, and they procure a commission for each deal made through their offshoot interface.
To begin partner promoting, you want to find a specialty that you are keen on, and you want to find items or administrations that are pertinent to that specialty. You can join member programs presented by different organizations, like Amazon, Flipkart, and so on. Whenever you have joined a member program, you can advance the items or administrations through your site, web-based entertainment, or email promoting.

The way to outcome in partner showcasing is to advance items or administrations that proposition worth to your crowd. You likewise need to fabricate entrust with your crowd by giving significant substance and fair audits. As a partner advertiser, you can procure anyplace from a couple thousand rupees to a few lakhs each month, contingent upon the quantity of deals made through your member connect.

Contributing to a blog

Writing for a blog is a famous method for bringing in cash online by making content on a specific specialty. Bloggers make content as articles, recordings, digital broadcasts, and so on, and they bring in cash through different adaptation techniques, for example, promoting, offshoot advertising, supported content, and so on.
To begin contributing to a blog, you really want to pick a specialty that you are keen on and energetic about. You ought to likewise lead examination to guarantee that the specialty is productive and has an adequate crowd. Whenever you have picked a specialty, you can make a blog utilizing stages like WordPress, Blogger, and so forth.

To draw in a group of people, you want to make great substance that offers some benefit to your perusers. You ought to likewise streamline your substance for web search tools by utilizing significant catchphrases, meta labels, and portrayals. Whenever you have fabricated a crowd of people, you can adapt your blog through different techniques, for example, promoting, subsidiary advertising, supported content, and so on.

The way to outcome in writing for a blog is to make top notch content reliably and fabricate a drew in crowd. You additionally need to advertise your blog actually through web-based entertainment, email promoting, and different channels. As a blogger, you can procure anyplace from a couple thousand rupees to a few lakhs each month, contingent upon the traffic and adaptation strategies utilized.

Internet selling

Internet selling is a famous method for bringing in cash online by selling items or administrations through web based business stages like Amazon, Flipkart, Shopify, and so on. You can sell actual items like apparel, hardware, or advanced items, for example, digital books, courses, programming, and so on.
To begin web based selling, you want to pick an item or administration that you are enthusiastic about and has an adequate interest. You can make your own internet business site or sell through outsider stages like Amazon or Flipkart. Whenever you have set up your web-based store, you want to improve your item pages for web search tools, utilize great item pictures, and give astounding client assistance.

The way to progress in web based selling is to give great items and administrations, upgrade your web-based store for web crawlers, and give fantastic client assistance. As a web-based merchant, you can procure anyplace from two or three thousand rupees to a few lakhs each month, contingent upon the interest for your items or administrations.

Online overviews

Online overviews are a famous method for bringing in cash online by imparting your insights with statistical surveying organizations. Statistical surveying organizations lead reviews to assemble input from shoppers, and they pay members for their time and suppositions.
To take part in web-based reviews, you want to pursue overview sites like Swagbucks, Toluna, and so on. Whenever you have joined, you will get overview solicitations through email, and you can finish the studies in your leisure time. The installment for each study differs, yet you can hope to procure two or three hundred rupees for every review.

The way to progress in web-based studies is to routinely pursue various review sites and complete overviews. As a member, you can procure anyplace from two or three thousand rupees to a few lakhs each month, contingent upon the quantity of studies finished.

Conclusion

Procuring 1 lakh online is feasible on the off chance that you will invest the energy and follow a trained methodology. Outsourcing, internet instructing, associate advertising, contributing to a blog, web based selling, and online studies are a portion of the famous ways of bringing in cash on the web. To make progress, you want to pick a specialty that you are keen on, make top notch content, form a drew in crowd, and market your web-based business really. With steadiness and devotion, anybody can procure 1 lakh on the web and fabricate an effective internet based business.

How to earn 1 lakh online? Read More