Saturday, March 16, 2013

Sialsuk Village : Aerial Landscape Pictures

Sialsuk Village landscape view from Tlangcheng
I have been living away more than a decade from my home place Sialsuk (for good reason) but in my dreams I've never been so far away from this beautiful village in Mizoram. Whenever i think back to our childhood days i can still visualize the faces of our friends and people living in our village and often saw our village landscape in its exact frame. Things have been changing so fast and cannot be same every time but my childhood memory will still be linking with this landscapes. For me and my friends the beginning of our (life) story was written in this village, we may be living elsewhere now  busying with so many other things but in sometime our memories taken back to our past life and that life was only matching with these landscapes. One fine evening in last winter along with two friends i had a chance to visit again Tlangcheng (hill) where we can see except few areas of our entire village and its surroundings. There's a mobile phone tower on the peak with daring spirit i climbed on it, things were not usual on such high scaffolding level, in my left hand i hold the tower frame and in my right hand i hold camera and  took the below pictures:-

(Please click on the images to get enlarge size)
Sialsuk - Vaiveng, Bungveng & Vengthlang also showing UPC (NE) Pastor Quarters and Church which is under construction
Sialsuk - New Eden veng (Bawkte veng zawl), First Miss Mizo - Lalbiakzuali's parent house is with green colour roofs
Sialsuk - New Eden veng
Sialsuk Police Station Complex and Hmuifang tlang also seen at the background

Sialsuk - Police veng and New Eden veng
Sialsuk Village, Hmunchung tlang is seen at far sight
Sialsuk - Vengchhak & Babu veng, Community Hall, Playgound and Hmunchung tlang also seen
Sialsuk Police Station complex and Pine forest/farhuan is also seen
Sialsuk- Seventh Day Adventist Church, Presbyterian Pastor Quarters & Church, YMA Hall are also seen

Sialsuk- Vaiveng, Vengthlang, Tlangveng, Bungveng, Vengchhak, Babu veng, Hmunsam veng are also seen
P.S: Thanks to Biakvela and Lalduhzuala for accompanying me in that evening but i will not reveal their sudden climbdown from the mid tower with frightening headache or nervousness :-) lol

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Bonus pics:)


Excavator (JCB) works on Tlangcheng peak

Excavator (JCB) on Tlangcheng peak

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Mizo folk tales - audio version

Something just came across into my mind that if there is audio record(s) of our Mizo (Lusei) folk tales (Thawnthu) which will be good instrument for retelling our oral story into future generations. Moreover, this kind of project or awareness is very much needed in our present time also, why because our little kids and teenagers are now invades by Korean, Bollywood and Hollywood cultures. Nowadays Mizoram cable TV's (eg.LPS & ZONET etc.) have 24X7 channels so that you can watch dubbed (in Mizo tawng) Korean, Bollywood and Hollywood movies as long as you want, and these dubbed CD/DVD's are sells like hot cakes in the streets of Aizawl. Since these kinds of media invasion prevailing in Mizoram our kids and youngsters are now no longer interesting in our own folk tales and practices. If you ask kids in Mizoram (Urban and town areas) "Who is Chhota Bheem?" or "Ponyo?" i hope they can give correct answer instantly but when you ask "Who is Chemtatrawta or Rahtea?", they will obviously reply with  "Hmmm...wait, let me check school text book or  let me ask my Mom." 

Considering our current situation in media world some good thing has to be done for Mizo kids and younger generation who does not have proper knowledge about our riches in folk tales and so on. Just for an awareness (or to remind) to our Mizo media professionals and experts i did some audio recordings of Mizo folk tales (Rimenhawii, Tlingi leh Ngama, Chemtatrawta, Rahtea, Chala leh Thangi - Khawnglung run love story and Ngaiteii) and uploaded in my youtube channel, i hope these humble works may arise "We can have good Mizo things in internet or media services too" attitude amongst us. Please check out the following links and do not mind about the poor voices and non-professional recordings (Next is your turns and i hope more uploaded be seen in youtube or elsewhere by skilled persons like you) :-







Thursday, March 7, 2013

Mizoram University Campus

Mizoram University campus
I was in Aizawl for winter vocation, a friend of mine came to Aizawl for National Seminar, he is an Assistant Professor in Department of Philosophy, University of Hyderabad. He wanted to visit Mizoram University campus at Tanhril, which is located at Aizawl outskirt area. Along with  Dr. Azuali (Hist Dept.) and Mr.Tlinga (Hindi Translator) both are alumni of our University-UoH and now working in MZU, we brought our dear guest to MZU campus. Few people could be seen on the campus as it was holiday, for me and our guest Dr. Venusa it was our first time in MZU, our guide Dr.Azuali & Mr.Tlinga did a great job for us, we owed many thanks to them. While exploring the campus we had a chance to meet Prof. J.L. Dawar (Head, Department of History & Ethnography ) in his office, he must be a hardworking Professor because he was still available in his office even in a holiday too. The campus set up was suited for academic environment, though some academic buildings are still under construction but after all it was really nice and clean campus.

Mizoram is the second most literate state in India, but there is only one University so that if you have been there in the state capital visiting MZU may not be unwise plan. Moreover, a state like Mizoram which has less interesting places to visit for tourists MZU campus will be one of the must seeing places in Aizawl (But i am not sure the Univ authority allowed outsider without proper pass ). Being a student in other University one thing i have notice in MZU campus is there are less hostel borders and i was told that most students are day scholars, in this case campus students life may be limited in  day time only. We have met some hostel students in the main gate nearby canteen, in their respond to my query after dinner (around 6 P.M) they are suppose to just confined in their respective hostels, there is no dhaba type or 24X7 canteen a place to hung out in night time when some other well established Universities in India has. In my opinion if the MZU authorities endorse night life for their students in campus, academic and social intimacy will be gained by students and faculties as well. In many other residential University campuses students take night life as opportunity to have open academic debates or informal discussions (with any topics - current affairs to romantic affairs) while sipping chai or coffee or in 24X7 library reading room etc., these kind of traditions are often counted as advantages to be studying in residential campus. 

MZU Central Library and amphitheater
Staff quarters - Residential area
MZU - Computer Center & Amphitheatre
MZU Computer Centre (A friend of mine System Admin Mr. Tluanga's Office)
MZU - Central Library & Amphitheatre
MZU - Central Library Building
MZU - School of Social Sciences
MZU - Main gate
MZU Garden
MZU Main gate
MZU Multipurpose Hall
MZU Multipurpose Hall
MZU Guest House
MZU Guest House lobby
Aeriel view of MZU campus
MZU School of Social Sciences Building
MZU Department of Political Science
Let this University be growing more and more, I wish all the very best to MZU staff and students for upcoming future!
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How to reach Mizoram University in Aizawl:
If you are from outside Mizoram you may avail Flights: Kolkata - Aizawl Flight or Guwahati - Aizawl Flight. To reach Aizawl city from Aizawl Airport (also known as Lengpui Airport) you need to get taxi hire, pre-paid taxi service booking counter available in the airport terminal building, taxi fare is around Rs.800. In case if you choose road transport from Guwahati - Aizawl  there will be Tata Sumo (Maxicab) service (fares Rs.600-800 round figure) & Night Bus service (fares Rs.500-700 round figure) operated by Capital Travels & Network Travels , ticket counter for Bus - Paltan Bazar (Guwahati), for Sumo cab -Mizoram House Christian Basti G.S Road (Guwahati). Hotels can be found in Dawrpui (Bara Bazar), Zarkawt and Chandmari areas which are the main commercial hubs in Aizawl. As the MZU campus is located in the city's outskirt area visitors can avail direct MZU bus services, that can be access from any of their (MZU) bus picking points/stands in Aizawl street. If you cannot avail direct MZU bus services just go straight to Salvation Army Temple square from there you can catch city bus service till Ramrikawn (which is the last city bus stand) , after that you will need to hire local taxi till the MZU campus. If you can wait for a while there may be another passengers who are willing to go along then you will share taxi fares all together.
  

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Midum Kham - scary road in Mizoram

Midum kham , Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road, Mizoram
Midum kham (or Midumkham as written by someone) is located between Thiak and Sumsuih villages which is passing through Aizawl - Lunglei road (World Bank road) in Mizoram, India. This steep rocky cliff road has many stories since British period in the then Lushai Hills. The road construction through this scary cliff or treacherous terrain was initiated in 1880 under the supervision of an English Engineer Mr.Green {Mizo called him as 'Sapsakeia' (literally means 'Mr.English-Tiger'), he was remembered with his self-willed manner}. This infamous English Engineer left stone inscription on this cliff, local older people often used it as a landmark or mentioning in their storytelling "Sapsakeia Lungdah", but this stone inscription was destroyed during World Bank road project was done. It was said that during the time when British begun road construction in this site labourer were brought from Dumka area (Jharkhand), and after it this place is called Midum Kham which literally means 'Dumka Cliff", many Dumka labourer lost their lives in this project.

When National Highway No.54 was constructed on the other side of Mizoram this rocky cliff road was abandoned and served a mere link road for nearby villages. In 2006 this road was widened and reconstructed by Mizoram government under World Bank funded road project, Telegraph reporter nicely wrote about the story in detail when the engineers had interesting and life offering dedication works: Dhanbad helps connect Mizoram - State technology for road project in the hilly terrain of Lunglei. 

You may be a tourist or first time visitor to Mizoram, your tourist guide may suggested you to travel farther south or giving you a list of places to visit beyond Aizawl city. When you set out from Aizawl to Hmuifang Tourist Resort, Sialsuk Tlang (hill) or Thenzawl/Lunglei/Saiha/Lawngtlai etc and more farther in south, you have to pass through this scary cliff road. When you see roadside signboard with green colour "Welcome to Thiak" be ready to face this breathtaking zone:-). Check the following landscape pics for precaution before you pass through this scary road:-
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Midum kham (Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road)
Scary road on Midum kham, Hmuifang tlang terrain
Midum kham, Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road
Midum kham, Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank Road
Midum kham, Aizawl - Lunglei World Bank road
Midum kham view from Thiak Village, Mizoram