On the Trail of the Missing Wallet

Chapter I

I woke up at the sound of my SMS tone one fine afternoon. With eyes still shut, I groped for my cell phone which was lying next to my pillow. I rubbed my eyes and squinted down at the screen. It was from ICIC Bank. Just another offer, I muttered. Then I slowly began to read the message.

You have made a Debit Card purchase of INR 3,990.00 on 19 Feb. Info: IPS*DAKSH SOLUT. Your Avbl. Bal is INR _____.00.

It was Sunday, February 18, 2007, and the time was exactly 1:48 pm.

A Debit Card purchase. Rs. 3,990.00. February 18. 1:48 pm. IPS Daksh Solution. The words took a long moment to register. I felt as if I were wandering in a dream. I was lost, confused, mixed up and bewildered.

What the hell’s going on? I was sleeping the whole morning. How could I possibly go out and make a purchase? Did they send the wrong number? My debit card was in my wallet, safe and sound. But where’s my wallet? Oh, my dear, little wallet. I suddenly sprung up from my bed and reached for the place where I always kept my wallet. Empty. I shook my head in disbelief. Again it was empty. I was caught in a whirlwind of confusion.

I searched all the possible places where I might have left the wallet. The movement was hasty and rough. Rummaging, turning things over, pushing things aside, emptying contents. I had literally checked every possible place. Still no sign of it. I even called a friend who I went over to his place the previous night in hopes that I had dropped it somewhere around his room. Negative. It could have been that it slipped off on my way back home, though that still didn’t seem likely to me since my wallet was securely tucked away in my back pocket, and I knew for sure it was still there when I reached my room. I was starting to believe it was stolen rather than me just simply leaving it somewhere. I finally gave up the search.

My wallet’s gone. And my world swirled into darkness.

I fell down upon my bed in bewilderment. I just laid there for what seemed like hours. I felt so dumb. I blamed myself for being too careless. This was the second time my wallet got stolen. It was the fall of 2004 that I was pick-pocketed for the first time in the infamous, busy Sunday Market. They were professionals. I couldn’t have really taken care of myself better. But now, this happened right inside my room. Inside my goddamn room. And I was sleeping like dead.

Weekends are my off days. My roommate left for work around 10:30 am that day. Hence, the raid must have taken place sometime between 10:30 am and 1:00 pm. If someone had indeed entered our room during that time, why would he choose to take ‘only’ my wallet? Most importantly, how did he manage to pick it up from a place so secure and safe? He came in quietly, took the wallet from its hiding place, and left. There was around Rs. 500 in it, an ICICI debit card, a driving license registered in Manipur which my parents sent to me the past month, visiting cards, passports, a ‘very special’ picture, and all. My cell phone and other valuables were left untouched.

I immediately called ICICI customer care, got my card blocked and requested for a new one.

It began to dawn upon my mind that the whole operation must have been planned far in advance. He must be someone who really ‘knew’ our schedule – when my roommate would be away, when I would still be buried in deep sleep all alone with an unlocked door. He must be someone who ‘knew’ the patterns of our room, where we kept things and where I always left my wallet. Indeed, he must be a really clever punk.

I was seething with anger thinking about the way this guy slipped into my room, stole my wallet, swiped the hell out of my card, and enjoying my hard-earned money like a big fat slug. At this point, I honestly had no clue who the culprit really was and was still quite shocked by the whole thing. I had to flip back and catch up on clues. Any clues. It was broad daylight, there was no damage, and so the possibility of the involvement of a local goon was out of the question. Must be one of us. He used my debit card to make a purchase at IPS Daksh Solution. He didn’t have to know the PIN number. Smart kid. And where the hell was that IPS Daksh Solution and what did it sell? I was becoming more and more dazed as I struggled to find further clues and piece them together. But all these led me to nowhere.

I literally gave up the hope of getting back my money. Adiós, oh, precious wallet of mine, and may God bless whoever kept it.

Two days passed. On Wednesday, February 21, 2007, Thangboi, a friend, came to me and said, “My sisters have just told me that Mr. X was selling them a newly bought Motorola phone the past Sunday. I think it costs around Rs. 4,000. And that is the amount swiped out of your card, right?”

Siamsin Khangthu a Khawmpi thupi peen

27th Siamsin Annual Conference-cum-DIAFEST 2007

November 8, 2007 ni in Raisina Mual leh akiim a phaizang tung a kiphah zihziah khopi thupi takmai, meipi'n abawm liiliai a. Tua meipi te tung ah, Zo phualva' mul etlawm takmai zang in Siamsin Khangthubu gelhthak in a ana omta hi. Hiai ni ngeei in ahi Siamsin Zaampi ging 60 vei in khoveel kawl kilchih a thotsuak. Hiai ni ngeei in ahi mipi 2000 veel diing paikhawm te' kikou husa in phualpi khopi a thotsuak. Hiai ni ngeei in ahi atul theilou, i gou manpha Zogam zai-oih siam te'n kipahna leh lungzuanna khitui a nuul uh.

Ziingkaal a kipan in Phalbi huihvot hongnung hiauhiau mahleh mite' sung tawng a 'phuurna tak' bel a meekgawm zou tuankei. Ziing daitui in a telhsiang liklek bangmai in i lungsim te a thak mahmah mai. Gari neu hi in alian hitaleh, Airforce Auditorium, Subroto Park ah a hong kitholh luut zungzung ua, a etlawm nampuan a kivan, siamsin lia-leh-taang te, nupi-papi, ateek-akhang, aneu-alian, a hong kumkhe sauhsauh uhi. Auditorium kiim a louhing dipdip leh paak te'n mit a hiip mahmah a, kongpi bul a lian deuhmai a "Nokia," "Airtel," "Lux," leh "Bru" te' puankhai te'n mite' ana vaidawn uhi.

Daak 10.30 a gingta. Auditorium sung ah mi a dim khinta. Daak 11.00 geih a honggin in, lia-leh-taang bangzah hiam in, Suktuah Laam, Zo tawndaan leh tulai tumging helh khawm a bawl, nalh deuhmai leh thupi mahmah, lahna honnei uhi. A taktak himai. Huchiin, Siamsin Conference leh DIAFEST 2007 pat a hong hita.

Pu Biaklun Shoute, Co-ordinator, Siamsin Conference-cum-DIAFEST, in comperes te, Lia Mercy Vungthianmuang leh Tg Thangzasiam, meellahna honnei a, tuakhit in Pastor Khamkhanchin, EBCC Delhi in Pathian kiang ah hun te laankhia hi. Siamsinpawlpi Laapi sakna mipi'n kinei dumdum a,huchiin President Grace D. Nemching, SSPP JHQ Delhi, in zei deuhmai in mipi te vaidawnna honnei. "Pawlpi adia kipang naaklua inchin, mi'n 'Na blood group bang a?' honchih uleh 'SSPP' khawng ki chi kha," a chih in mipite' kipahna di tak geenkha.

Pawlpi kum 60 achin lawm diing in phuurtak in i kisa ua, himahleh, hiaibang hun zangthei diing a maa ana latu, gim leh tawl khawksa lou a eite a dia lampi ana sialtu, phamsa heutu te hiaihun in i phawk mahmah. Amau te suunna Pu N Vumsuan in hon makaih hi. A kha uh khawl tawldam heen.

President Siamnunlian Valte, SSPP GHQ, in a hun honla a, hiaihun thupi a sakdaan pulaakna honnei hi. Siamsinna lam a i gam-leh-nam adia hahpan seem diing in mipi te chial. "Employee i hihna apan a employer i hih sawm diing ahi," chiin siamsin te chouna bawl. Agriculture, Industry leh IT development lam ngaihsak a nei a mabaan kalsuan diing ahihdan geentel hi.

Lametna bulphuhtu - ZOKIDS te'n siam takmai a, "Aw, nang tuailai" laa honsak letlet patchiang un, mipi te'n paakta in khut bet in bet khum mai uhi. Tuazoh in "Zomi te' Jim Reeves" Pu LL Muana in, "I'd rather have Jesus" hon awi huahhuah a, nupi-papi te a limsaang dek ngaal uh. Ama vual a kipan, SSPP JHQ Delhi Adviser, Pu Chinsum Naulak in a khut a honzaak khiat patchian, mipi te'n nuamsa mahmah ta uh ahi, chih a kithei mai.

SSPP Delhi adia kipezou gige, innteekpi, Nu Chingi, video editing leh camera lam a hon buaipih gige, Pa K Thangpi leh John Lal Guite, leh, musician Tg P Thanlian te kiang ah Kipahpihna Thilpiak kipia hi.

"Nuam na sa uhia? Hiailak sang a Zogam nuam zawlai maw," chiin Tg Muanlal in hongeen a, nungak nou te kikou nainai ua, aman zei deuhmai leh siam takmai in "Zogam nuam" laa honsa hi. Trahtrah mai.

Pu Lalthanghlun Guite, Chairman, Stangding Committee, SSPP GHQ, hongding a, a meel pii daan leh stage tung a thunun zohdaan himhim in mipi te a zoukhin. SSPP te i thupi taakdaan uh, houchik lah bang, lah thupi kuai mahmah in hongeen a, "Hiai zahta a honpi tu Pathian ka phat ahi," chi hi. Mipi te'n khut kibeeng dumdum.

Tu in Tg Sang Valte in a laa phuah, "Hometown," keyboard ging hianhian a zuikhawm in honsa a, i vaangkhopi puksia in, a paallun teng sawlbang vulta mahleh, ei a hi gige, ngainat huai gige ahihdaan te hon taaklang hi. Avangkim a comperes te' a hong houlimna te un mipi te sulim mahmah hi.

Muana Ngaihte hongding khia a, huchiin gam a hong lum mahmah. "Pasian anei minam a hampha" chiin a hon awi hiahhiah a, mipi te'n khutbet in kizui leplep hi.

Pupa' khanggui zopna in, SSPP Delhi cultural troupe te'n, tha tamtak seeng ana sin uh, nam laam chi tuamtuam lahna honnei ua, i tawndaan leh i laam te thupidaan athak in hon taaklang uhi.

Tuazoh in Khual Zahtaakhuai, Pu GK Pillai, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt of India, puandum piakna om. Aman a thugeenna ah, koimun peuh ah om lehang leeng i tawndan te mangngilh ngeilouh ahoihdaan taaklang a, Manipur dinmun in hoihlam nawt tuanlou hi'n geen. "Delhi khawng leh India gam mun tuamtuam ah siamsin mi tamtak na hong paikhia ua, hiai ahihleh kipahna lam sang in khasiat huai thil ahizaw. Lamka bangchi tuk a puuksia hiam chih a hon taaklang," chi hi. Mipi paikhawm 2000 veel diing te mai ah, "You have to restore Lamka to its original glories and greatness," (Nidang a Lamka' paaklutna leh thupina te na tun ding kiiknawn diing uh ahi) chia a geen in mipi te' zou mahmah hi. "Behiang, Border Trading Post ahihtheihna diing in phualpi solkaal in Kawlgam vaihawmtu te phu a, himahleh amau lam a kipan dawnna mumal muh hinailou," chi hi. Aman Kawlgam vaihawmtu te apan dawnna hoihtak a kimuh chiang a hiailam a kipan panlaakna pat hingaal diing in haanlung chiam hi.

ZOKIDS te'n a laa uh khat honsa nawn ua, huchiin Siamsin Cultural Fusion (SICFU) 2007 a hong kipan ta. A etlawm mahmah Dumpuan zeemnou (Phamta Pumzanang Guite' laa apan) kepbitna, tawisaangna leh phoulaakna diing ngiimna a sai ahi. SICFU Co-ordinators te Tg Lianthansang Tonsing, Lia Chingbiaklian leh Lia Nancy Tonsing ahi uh. Amau i nampuan te puahpha in, kicheina piching leh hun awl a silhtheih diing in design ua, tua te lia-leh-taang duangzen taktak te'n lahna mipi mai ah honnei ngiahngiah uhi. A nung a tumging luang hanhan leeng a "Zo" mahmah. Puan zeem te a etlawm un a mawi mahmah mai a, a mi te toh kilawm khawm chet di'n athuam siam uhi. Make-up bang leeng international level a te himai. SSPP khawmpi ahi chih theisa kelkul lou te a di'n bel, "Maizeen! Korean/Chinese model te hia?" chih a baihsam viau di.

Khual Zahtaakhuai Pu Lt Gen ZU Shah, Deputy Chief of Army staff, Paite puandum silhsak ahihzoh in hun honla cheuh hi. Manipur kiltawng a teeng mite a awlmoh daan geen a, gaalmuanna gam a hong hihtheihna di'n army te'n panla tou zeel diing, chi hi. Theihdia hoih khat bel, aman Singngat vangkhua, "Border Model Town" ahihtheihna dia nnasep patna di'n December 14, 2005 in suangphuum va hongkhia hi.

S Pauginmuan' min a hong kiloh khiat phet in nungaak te a hong au pah suupsuup ngaalmai uh. "Sakmel Etlawm" honsa a, zeideuh mai in hong kisawi a, a nung a Zogam.com t-shirt silh a laam numei nih te toh - fuhna gam himai!

Tu in suun ann neek honghun ta a, kongtual lam ah mipi te kipawt khia in, louhing dipdip tung ah, ann kinei nainai hi.

Hun nihna hong kipan ta. Diamond Jubilee daak khetna, Ex-President Delhi JHQ omkha teng leh GHQ a heutu te’n honnei ua, huaizoh in P. Thanlian in "Like It" laa honsa hi. Mi sulim siam mahmah, Pu Ricky L Guite, Chairman, DIAFEST hongding a, Diamond Jubilee Festival countdown thu, tomkim tak in leh phuurhuai deuhmai in hongeen. "Delhi te, k'on eng ua, na thilhih daan te uh k'on enton uh," chi hi.

Tua khit in Lia Mercy Vungthianmuang in "Zombie" laa, a taktak bangmai in honsa bangzaw aw, camera vaak in amai a salpuak zotzot mai. Lia Chingngaihlun leh a lawm in "Zogam ah tuitam mahleh" chihlaa in hon sunzom nawn ua, huaikhit in SSPP Delhi Football team te meellahna neih in om hi. A muanhuai un a siammeel thei mahmah uh.

Pu LT Juan Tonsing, Finance Secretary, SSPP Foundation Trust, in Foundation Trust toh kisai mipi theih ding leh a progress report tomkim tak a hongeen zoh in, GHQ heutu te meellahna neih in om hi.

Mipi te ngaaklah peenpeen SIMAS a hong kipanta a, hiai SIMAS awards hawmna kaal ah SSPP JHQ Delhi Education Dept. in Meritorious Awards, siamsin vual tungtuang bangzah hiam kiang ah, piakkhiatna nei hi. Hiai Siamsin Conference hun zatdaan, ZogamOnline.com in live in internet tungtawn in ana khahkhe ziahziah hi.

Musical Fiesta nuam takmai in honzui nawn a, tua te lak a laa kisa, chiamteh tham deuh te: Mangese "Zuu," Munga "Sinlai Luahtu," Mamuan Khuptong feat. Chingmuankim Shoute "Tuunnu Zolei" (Haumuanlun Samte’ gelh), Tungnung "Sound of love," Instrument of Peace "Israel mite na pibang in," Minthang "Ningzu-khuaizu toh," Gurus Family “The Realist Killaz,” Dosti 0.4 “Between angels and insects,” Singtangmite "A, Aw, B, Ch." Vai nungak, Lia Alka leh Mawmawi in "Ngaih Lungmuang sa" honsak hialhial chiang un, mipi te'n Lia Alka kipahpihlua in, khuai vaitung hileh kilawm hial in paakpia in va bawm luailuai mai uhi.

Huchiin, Htp Ginlalmuan, Vice President, SSPP JHQ Delhi in Kipahthu genna honnei a, Evan Thawngkhanlian in thumna toh hunkhaak hi.

Kongpi ah mipi te nui seusau in hong kizui khe dialdial ua, a meel ua pan "lungkimna" leh "deihkhoplouhna" kiziikkhawm muhtheih in om hi. Ka gei ah nungak nou khat in, "Tukum kaan a Conference nuam leh thupi ka zatkhaak lam ka thei naikei," a chi a, paamdeuh ah tangval khat in, "Zaan khovaak in omleh hoih di hia!" a chi vengveng hial hi. Pu Phungchinthang in, “Gi a neilou zalenna gam a India, Myanmar, Bangladesh a Zomite honkai khawm ding in siamsil (art) ginglawm (music) leh thu-leh-la (literature) mah hi diing a hihdaan haihvuallouh in tutung khawmpi apan a kilang thei,” chi hi. Gaal ah mite’ lem kilaakna vaak a eeng ziipziap zeel a, a kawm ah khat-le-khat, kipahpih a ngaina tak a ki chibai tuah a om te ka muthei hi. “27th Siamsin Annual Conference-cum-DIAFEST 2007” puankhai awl a a laakkhiat uh ka en a.

Huchiin tua puankhai mangpha ka khaakta.

Innocence Revisited

Some months back, I was visiting a neighbor. The couple had a little boy, who is just about 8 or 9, I guess. That time the father was out at work and used to return late. We talked about how unsafe Delhi nights had become, even for guys. The local goons could beat us up for no apparent reasons. Anytime. Anyplace. The mom said, “I’m dreading that he may face these…” Then came a quick reply from the boy, “Never! Nobody would beat my dad. Nobody could ever do that. He’s so strong. Even his slap was pretty hard, it gave my face a crack!”

I had a good laugh with his mom. In fact, I couldn’t stop laughing for a very long time. I laughed at his innocence. So cute.

And when I looked into the boy’s eyes, I saw myself standing there – a 9-year-old kid looking upto the Superman, the Magician, the Police and the Doctor that’s within my dad! Cute little me! I had been there, I had done that, and still doing ...

© vaphualization

This piece is written as a “comment” on Lealyan Thawmte’s Zogam.com article “Innocence Revisited.”

Parents are someone a child looks upto. And in all reality, in fact - a fact that parents are their models and most important figures and often, the deciding factor in the child's growth and outlook- and how he or she turns out eventually. I also believed that there actually is a stage when a child truly believed that their parents are capable of anything. Nothing, no sweet persuasions, no amount of cajoling or chocolates or ice-creams can take away that belief and trust.

Read the rest here.