KUM SAWM a pailiam ta. Mahleh ka mitkha ah a luaiden lai hi. Meithal ging dotdot, sisan luang zoihzoih, siluang kikham zeelzuul, numei-naupang mangbang kahna aw ging, inn kihaal kuang zuapzuap leh vanlai zawl a meikhu vom kizial tou nguainguai te…
Vaangkhua a thawmhau huai a, gaaltai lou teng leh a damlai sunsun teng, aknou, api sihsan bangmai in ki om liakluak mai hi. Lauhthawnna leh kial nasatak in mipi te a hon tuamkhum hi. Hiaite apan suahtaak sawm hizaw lou in “huihsiang vadiik zual diing” in vaangkhua apan Tuivai lui gaallam zot ka honsawm uhi.
Phalbi suukpi, December 22, 1997 ziing in Tedim Road lam setak mai, kuak tetok zezeen ka hon zuisuk uhi. Lampi a khua om te ana kilawi san gaivek ta hi. A dai ngeimai. Mihing muhdiing himhim a omkei a, a kihaal baang inn se taktak kawm apan gankhoi aak, vok, keel chihkhawng te’n nguitak in honna en ngiungiau lel uhi. Ka tonpih uh nupi khat in, a khua ua inn-le-lou kitaisan sa ding biimbiam te leh a huan haigah uh limchi taktak te ka hon pailiamsan diing chiang un, khelah takmai in a enkiik a, a mit apan khitui a hongluang khe keuhkeuh hi. Sautak mai ngaihtuah kawm in, a paungel omlou in ma ka honsawn zeel ua, nitaak lam nineem kuan in Behiang ka tung uhi.
Nidang ana bang nawnkei. Gari ging vungvung, khualzin mi kileh heehuu chihte muhdiing a om nawnkei. A mi omsun te leeng lauthawng leh diipkosa a khosa in a om uhi. Amau te’n hiai Krismas hun ahi, chih a theidiing uam? Ka theikei. Kou leeng Krismas hun ahihlam ka thei tuankei uh.
A ziing ni’n hiai khua nguitak mai ka hon paisan uhi. Gamgi ka khen un ngaihtuahna a hong zaangkhai panta. Kheenmaan khua ka tung ua, huai ah ka classmate lui khat-le-nih ka mu a, a nuamtuam mahmah hi. Vaimiimchiim limtak mai a hon hawpsak uh. Cikha ka manoh nawn ua, huai ah ziing ann ka ne uhi. Hiaikhua ahihleh ana luundeuh a, jeep tai bang muhtheih in om hi. Hiai ah bel Krismas huih ana nungnaak mahmah ta. Ka hong paizom zeel ua, Kawl gam etlawm daan ka hon mupan ta hi. Phaizaang lak ah loupa a hing dipdip a, a gei a tuiluang kiang khawng a lup tawntung bang a uthuai mai hi. I gim lam leeng a kiphawk nawnkei. Lampi ah seengpua nupi hon, kawmla leh mehneng zuak bang ka tuakkha uhi. Munzaang a sawtkuam ka paikhit un mualtung ka hongkal panta uhi. Hiaihun in suunni a neem panta. Mualtung a kipan a nuai a phaizaang lai a luiluang te khawng et a nuam mahmah hi.
Gamgi peel a imi-isa te’ teenna gamlei etlawm takmai, nitaaklam huihvot hongnung hiauhiau lak a et in lungsim ahon zou mahmah hi. Hiaite lah ka mi, ka si hi ua, a gam ulah ei a vek hi a. Bangziak a nuunkhat a luaikhawm theilou ihi diing?
Gammaang, singkung thupi tak leh theigah limchi taktak in a dim a, mun khenkhat bang a mial ngemngom hial hi. A khenchiang in lampi siik ah sial hon a na gamtaang sek uhi. Khomui zuul in Tuimui khua haanmual ka tungtou uhi. Haansuang tung a tu in gaal a mual te khawng ka en ua. Ka tungzawn uah vasa hong haam chitchit a, i gam, gaalbuaina gam bang kingai vungvung thei mawk hi.
Huai zaan Tuimui ah ka giak uhi. Ka tunna inn uah leengla bangzah hiam a hong ua, khota himahleh a houlimna te uh ka ngaihchiang in a saangthei mahmah hi. I buaina thu te bang akip-akawi in a suut ua, ka ihmut tan in Singapore, USA, Canada, passport, visa chih khawng a geen uh ka za mialmial hi.
A ziingmawng in Tuimui ka pawtsan nawn uhi. Mual ah ka hong kumsuk ua, lamsuk pai a hak ngeimai. Hak tak ahi. Bangtan hiam nung in Tuimaang lui ka tungsuk uhi. Tui kawngtan chiang in a luang huahua a, awl in ka honkaan ua, theihlouh kaal in gamgi khat kaankhin chu ka na hi nawn deerh mai uhi. Tuiluang gei a tutkhawl in, nahtang teh a kituun, suun ann ka puakte uh ka ne uhi. Tunung a ka ngaihtuah kiik chiang in Delhi khopi restaurant a neektheih changkaang taktak, tongsaan ngaihnou khawng toh i neekkhawm te sang in tua anntuun te lim ka sa zaw mawk hi.
Mizogam ahita.
Ama a Kawl gam toh teh in a gamlei a se mahmah hi. Khaam leh keenselak ngen in a dim a, munzaang muhdiing a vaang a, singkung lianlua omlou in a saang in a saang gengon thei uhi. Lamtou i paisau photleh i kumsukna diing a sau chihna himai. Suunma in Vaikhotlaang ka tungtou ua, huai ah ziing ann ka ne uhi. Mizogam adia khota khat himahleh eilam a te toh teh in akhua leh ami te himhim a changkaang tlat ua, a kamsiam thei eemeem zomah uhi.
Vaikhotlaang mual apan khua ka hon thliirveel ua, a gaal ah Selaam, Kawlbeem, Teikhang, Hiangmun leh Miimbung khua te a kimu reirui hi. A roupi thei khopmai. A gaal ah Manipur, Mizogam leh Kawlgam in a tehtuah, Lunglen Khaam, a ding vialvual a, mit a hiip mahmah. Tlaang leh mual hing dipdip, ki tlar diahdiah te et zaw mit a din a damna bukim ahi ringot mai.
Mual keentak ah ka hong kumsuk nawn charchar ua, a taw a Tuisa lui ka hongtung uhi. Tuisa lui liau gaalkai in mual sang taktak mai ka hong kaltou nawn ua, kumzeel, kalzeel in. Huchiin, a tawp in suun 3 leh zaan 2 zet khe a ka paikhit un ka hohna diing mun uh ka hongtung ta uhi. December 24, 1997 ahi.
Hiai gam a te’n Krismas lungmuang tak in a zang uhi. Himahleh ei a di’n bel lungmuanna a om thei taktak kei.
Ka taam sung un nitaak lam khat mun fangkual di’n ka pawtkhia uhi. Khokhung lam a mual tung ah kal in ka kiimveel ua mual te ka hon en ua… A nuam mahmah. Himahleh, eigam a mual khenkhat te leeng a kimu baan a, huai in lungleen a hon supuang hi. Hiaimun ah gaalmuang tak in om lehang leeng imi-isa te’n haksa tak a gam-le-nam hum a ana pang diing hi ua, chihkhawng a ki ngaihtuah khia hi.
Hun hongpai zeel a, huchiin January 22, 1998 ni in innlam zuan in ka hong kipan kheta uhi. Pianna Zolei zuan in. Gambuaina mun lam ah.
Tu in ahihleh lampi dang ah ka paita uhi. Mual ah kumsuk charchar in Tuisaa lui ka tung uhi. Ka lawm te uh khenkhat bang a ava kileuh zatzat uhi. Mual ah kaltou in, Vaikhotlaang toh kizom phei, mualvuum ka hon zuiphei uhi. Lamgei ah haansuang khenkhat muhtheih di’n om a, a khente bang, bang pau a kigelh ahia, chih kitheilou hi. Hiai mual apan kumsuk nawn in Tuimaang lui ka tung ua, huaihun in ni tum di’n a kisa ta hi. Tui ana khang a, a kaanhak mahmah hi.
Huchiin Kawlgam ka luutnawn ta uh.
Lamtou ka hongkal nawn panta ua, khua ka tunma un mial in a honlap hi. Hiai in ka mangbatna uh a hong kipan ta. Mialnuai a theih ngeilouh gam a pai a thawmhau huai ngeimai. Ka daakzeel ua, vaak muh diing a omkei. Ka ngaikhe zeel ua, thawm zaakdiing a omkei. Paina diing bang theilou in lam ngilna munmun ka zuimai uhi. Veengtu Pathian in zaw a hon taisan saamkei. Sawtkuam tak a manbang tak a ka pai, ka pai nung un ka gaal uah ui haamging ka hon zata uhi. Huchiin, Seerbung khua ka tungtou uhi. Zaan a sawtsim ta. Nidang a khualzin mi te’n tunna diing inn zon a haksat daan a geen uh ka na zakha zeel hi. Huaihun in ahihleh gaalbuai lai ahihziak in unau kingaihnatna a lian a, ka lampi uh ana vangzeel mai hi.
Seerbung ah ka giak ua, ziingkaal baihtak in ka pawtkhe nawn uhi. Ziing ann Seekpi khua ah ka delh uhi. Hiai kho gaal ah Lungleen Kawl chiangtak leh nai huntawk tak in kimuthei hi. Huai khaam kawm lak a kipan thau ging ka za ua (innlam phawkhuai sim), a khomi te’n CNF te’ kizilna mun ahihdaan honhilh uhi.
Hiai khua apan Haichiin kikaal lampai a nopdaan tuni tan in ka ngaihtuahna ah a mang naikei. Lampi bel jeep taitheihna lel hi a, lamsiik teng ah sing a pou diudeu a, nisa khatvei mahleng a kimu kei. A kiimveel a gammaang te sing hoih leh thupi taktak in a dim a, dol sing bang a tam peetmah hi. Ka paina uh mualtung ahia, a gaal a phaizaang leh mual hing dipdep te’n mit a hiipthei mahmah mai. “Zogam etlawm huihkhii honglaang…” chih laa a taktak in kisathei hi.
Suunma in Haichiin khua ka tungsuk ua, hiaikhua ka paina teng lak ah nuam ka sa peen hi. A mi te leeng a nuamthei ua, ‘unau’ chi in honna ngaina thei mahmah uhi. Kou leeng hiai ah sawtkuam tak ka khawl uhi. Ka tonpih te’n khosung hon vaakkual pih ua, hiai khua ah video parlour bang a om hi. Munkhat ah a honluut pih ua, zupi peuh honteep pih ua, ke’n bel zuha ka na ne hi. Lim hita veen.
Haichiin khua pawtsan diingbang a lithuai sim hi. Ka hong painawn ua, lampi a khualzin mi ka tuah te uh khawng kiang ah innlam thu ka kan kawmzeel uhi. Thu kipahhuai zaakdiing bel a om ngeikei. I taangthu kumlui mah uh ana kisunzom tou lailai hi. Kahna. Hagawina. Beidotna. Lungziinna.
Gamgi lak ka hongtun un, taang a tuan apan a kigeen minthang, Keimi Tui et utna ka nei tinten hi. Ka va en ngei ua, muhdiing bel bangmah a omkei. Tungtuun hileh kilawm tak khat ahi a, loupa khawng a pou nengnung hi. Tunung a ka tu te ka hilhsawn theih diing Keimi Tui mu ka hi himhim hi.
Suangdai khua ka hongtung ua, tangvaal hon bangzah hiam lamgei a tau tung a tu in radio ah Paite program ana ngai uhi. Damhoihching in a sak “Aw tuun-leh-zua pianpih laizom Zomi te aw … hongthou ta un aw …” laa ahia, i lungsim mai hilou in i thazung teng bang a honzen sungsung hial hi. A khua uh ka en a, a dai. A mi te ka en a, a keu uh. Neek-le-taak ana haksa thei mahmah uhi. Khua a hongmial a, a mialkhawm vek. Chikmah in electric vaak a mu ngeikei ua, buaiziak in thautui a ngolhna uh a sawtta a, taaksing de kiukiau in a khosa uhi.
Zaan ka giak ua, ziing ann ne kham in mabaan ka hon sunzom nawn uhi. Zo huihkhi siang diik hiahiau a ka hongpai lai un ngaihsutna tuamtuam in lungsim a honkam hi. Pianna vaangkhua meel muhtheih in a om lai diam? Lungdeih teng ana kimlai diing uam?
Suun lai in Enpai-New Suangdoh ka tung uhi. Innlam a kinaihtaak ziak in a nuam mahmah ta hi. Muangtak a gamtaang in hiai khua ah zaan ka giak uhi. Huaihun in tangvaal te ana training laitak uh ahi a, ka lawmte leeng bangzah hiam ana tel uhi. Zogam a dia lubuuk phal a kipekhia ahihna uah ka ngaisaang ngoihngoih mai. Kihahsiang khin in lawmte khat toh kholai ka hongpawt ua, naupang 2 kaangtalai tuang ka tuak uhi. Tuansak dia ka nget uleh a hon phalkei uh. Kou leeng a phallouh pi un ka tuansak teitei ua, naupang neuzo peen a hongkap hi. Ngaihsak lou in lamsuk ah ka kikhohliam san vurvur uhi. Nitaak annneek honghun tak in thilkhat ka hon theisuah uh. Tua naupang nih, kaangtalai ka suhsak te uh, ka zintunna te’ ta ana hi laizang uhi.
Nuam tellou.
Huchiin, a ziing in awl in ka hong kikhiin kheta uhi. Guite Road dung ka hon zuitou ua, tuma a ka na totkhaak teng saang in lampi lian in a nuam peetmah hi. A lampi lian mahleh nisa liahtu diing singkung omlou in ni a sa mahmah a, a keu mahmah. Tuivai lui ka kaan un, tangvaal te, a puan kim ua kizeem a, thau hoih taktak tawi bangzah hiam ka tuak ua, a muanhuai thei mahmah uhi. Zogam a di’n aw. Ka hong paizom zeel ua, khota, taihsatsa, leh inn kaangbaang khawng a kituaktou zungzung hi. A nuam hetkei.
Huchiin, a tawp in khomual ka hongsuak kheta ua, huihvot hongnung hiauhiau te’n neemtak in ka biang a hontawp ua, vasa haam seuhseuh te’n honna vaidawn uh hi’n ka thei hi.
