\SAMVAD श्री विश्व निकेतन SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN
Pausha Krishna 11, Vik. Samvat 2075 Yugabda 5120: 1 January 2019
1. festival:Kumbha: Intangible Cultutal Heritage of Humanity: Prayagraj will observe Ardh Kumbh Mela from January 15 to March 4, 2019. Kumbh Mela is a religious pilgrimage that draws tens of millions of pilgrims over the course of approximately 48 days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and Saraswati. The Kumbh Mela has been inscribed on the list of 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity' by UNESCO in 2017.
Allahabad Kumbh Mela Dates:
Date (2019) Day Event
15th January Tuesday Makar Sankranti (1St Shahi Snan)
21st January Monday Paush Purnima
4th February Monday Mauni Amavasya (Main Royal Bath 2nd Shahi Snan)
10th February Sunday Basant Panchami (3rd Shahi Snan)
19th February Tuesday Maghi Poornima
4th March Monday MahaShivratri
Kumbh is a symbol of Bharat's unity and integrity, and its spirit is that youth power should be used for nation building. Vishwa Hindu Parishad will also organize Dharma Sansad at Kumbh from 31st January to 1 February 2019. The seers from all over the Bharat will participate in it. The seers will take crucial decision regarding construction of Shri Ram Temple at Sri Ram Janmabhumi in Ayodhya. -GoTop
2. Yoga is common heritage of mankind: Rashtrapatiji: Averring that “togetherness is the essence of yoga”, Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind said in Mumbai on December 28 that “Yoga not only helps us in connecting body, mind and soul but it also plays an important role in connecting different communities and countries”. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of centennial celebrations of ‘The Yoga Institute’ in Mumbai, Kovind said: “It is not appropriate to link yoga to any religion or sect. It is a common heritage of mankind. It belongs to everyone who is looking forward to healthy life. A healthy person makes a healthy family, healthy community, healthy country and finally a healthy world”. Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao released a book ‘Yoga for All’ written by director of the institute Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra, on the occasion. The book is based on hundred years of research by The Yoga Institute. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union minister of state for AYUSH Shripad Naik and other dignitaries were present at the function. -GoTop
3. Swaminarayan Sansthan manages to transform 30 years old church into a Hindu temple: A 30-year-old church has recently been transformed into a Hindu temple in the Portsmouth, Virginia in the United States. The Swaminarayan Sansthan who has made this miracle happen will conduct the Pran-Prastistha or consecration ceremony for the idols once the church is restored as a temple. This church is 6th in the US and 9th overall, to get transformed into a temple by Swami Narayan Gadi Sansthan, whose headquarters is in the Maninagar, Ahmedabad. Like this church, the churches from California, Louisville, Pennsylvania, Los Angeles, and Ohio in the US have been transformed into temples by this sect. In the UK also, two churches situated into London and Bolton, Manchester converted into a temple. This sect is also developing the temple in Toronto, Canada.
Bhagwatpriyadas Swami, Mahant of the Sansthan said, “Under the guidance of Purshottampriyas das Swami, the head of Sansthan, not many changes would be mandated in the church at Portsmouth, as it was already a spiritual place of another faith. This would be the first temple for Haribhakts in Virginia.” Virginia has estimated the population of 10,000 Gujarathis, who mainly migrated from North Gujarat and Kutch. This church is spread over five acres with 18,000 sqft build up. The church brought an estimated cost of $ 1.6 million. -GoTop
4. Shodasa Mahalakshmi MahaYagam : TN hosts prayer for world peace: In Christmas day, Ponganallur in South West Tamil Nadu played host to this century’s first ever Shodasa Mahalakshmi Maha Yagam which saw hundreds of priests offering special Pooja and Yagya for the Global peace, safety, security and prosperity of the country and its people, especially the farming community.The three day event which commenced on December 23 culminated on December 25 and nearly five lakh people took part in the Yagam, according to Thirunavukarassu Elangovan, president, Hindu Munnani, the lead organizers of the event. “Shodasa Mahalakshmi MahaYagam is to propitiate the 16 Mahalakshmis while we are familiar with only Ashtalaksmi Poojas. Shodasa means 16,” Elangovan said. The enthusiasm of the people could be understood from the way coupons for the event was sold out. “More than 1,22,000 tickets costing Rs 180/- per ticket was sold out a week before the Yaga. We charged entry fees to ensure that people attend the event,” added Elangovan. -GoTop
5. Ram Sethu on railway map: The government has approved laying a new broad gauge railway line connecting Rameshwaram with Dhanushkodi, which is believed to be the starting point of Ram Sethu and a major pilgrim destination. The 17-km line will cost around Rs 208 crore and it has been included in the umbrella work for new lines in the current financial year.
Dhanushkodi railway station was destroyed and abandoned after the 1964 Rameshwaram cyclone and it remains unattended. The station's destruction had left the popular tourist destination as a ghost town.
The railways have also approved building a new bridge on Pamban channel, which will replace the 104-year-old structure over the sea. The vertical-lift bridge, to be built alongside the existing bridge at Rs 249 crore, will have the first vertical lift span in Bharat. The old bridge was closed for traffic earlier this month. -GoTop
6. ‘Ayyappa Jyothi’ Creates an Unprecedented Expression of Hindu Unity in Kerala: The dusk of December 26 witnessed a luminous and devotional Ayyappa Jyoti throughout the length and breadth of the state of Kerala. At sharp 6 pm around 22 lakh oil lamps, placed in plates, were lit and carried by the same number of devotees throughout the state. They lined up on the left side of the roads - from Kasaragod to Anakamali in Ernakulam district on National Highway and from there to Kaikkavila, Thiruvananthapuram district, the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, on Main Centre (MC) Road. From Kayikkavila to Kanyakumari the people lined up on more than 50 km long Thiruvananthapuram - Kanyakumari Highway. 70 % of the participants everywhere were women and young girls. The length covered by the programme was more than 800 km. It was intact with no missing links. The starting point at Hosankidi Sri Dharma Sashta Temple was graced by Yogananda Saraswathi, Kondayoor Ashram head. At Kayikkavila, superstar Suresh Gopi MP lit the lamp.
The programme organized to mark the protest against the CPM regime's continuous efforts to violate the faith and tradition in Shabarimala was a clear warning that Hindus can no more be taken for granted. The programme was conducted in the most efficient manner sans any sort of traffic block. It was a surprise to the Keralites where a 50 strong demonstration cause traffic blocks in the cities of the state for several hours together. Conspicuous by absence were publicities like bills or posters or writing on the compound walls, mike announcement, sponsored newspaper pages, flex boards and slogans anywhere. Credit for the exemplary success goes to the well-oiled machinery of the RSS, RSS-inspired organizations, scores of Hindu caste organizations, etc. They resorted to mouth-to-mouth campaigns. Hindu women and girls thronged the roads of the state with full enthusiasm, devotion and spirits.
Participation of prominent citizens in the state enhanced the acceptance, colour and charm of the Jyothi. Swami Chidanandapuri (head of KulathoorAdvaithashramam), T.P. Senkumar IPS (former Kerala Police cheif), Dr. K.S. Radhakrishnan (former VC of Kalati Sri Sankara Sanskrit University), MGA Ramam IPS (former ADG of Police), Fr. Kuriakose (Christian priest), former minister Dr. R Sundareshan Nair, K.P. Sasikaala Teacher (Chairperson, Hindu Aikyavedi), SJR Kumar (Shabarimala Karma Samiti) BJP leaders Adv. P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, O. Rajagopal MLA, P.K. Krishnadas, A.N. Radhakrishnan, Shobha Surendran, RSS leaders P.E.B. Menon, Adv. K.K. Balaram, Gopalankutti Master, Social worker AshwathiJwala, Swami Vivikthananda (Kerala head of Chinmaya Mission, VivekamruthaChaithanya of Amruthanandamayi Ashram, KPMS leaders Neelakantan Master, T.V. Babu, SNDP Yogam leader Bahuleyan, Pandalam royal family members Sasikumar Verma and Narayana Verma, GuruvayoorSrikrishna temple thantriChennasDineshanNamboothirippad, Filmmakers Ali Akbar and Rajasenan, Actress Menaka, etc. were some among them. -GoTop
7. “Protect family system to make Bharat Vishwaguru”: Nari Shakti Kumbha At Vrindavan: More than 4,500 women from all walks of life gathered for the first ever Nari Shakti Kumbh in Vrindavan on December 8 & 9. Akhil Bharatiya Mahila Samanvya Pramukh Geeta Tai Gunde, Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, MP from Mathura Vrindavan Hema Malini and many other prominent women spoke at the event.
Eleven women were felicitated in the Kumbh. These exceptional women from all walks of life included “Mothers on Wheels”, “Missile Woman’ Tessie Thomas, the youngest mountaineer Shivangi Pathak, and others deeply involved in social service. Their achievements made every one present feel proud of being a woman. -GoTop
8. ‘Sangh should reflect in our Action’: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarasanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat stressed the need for the Sangh swayamsevaks to reflect Sangh in their daily conduct. “Only remaining active is not enough, we must be a true swayamsevak in our day-to-day life,” he said while addressing a gathering of swayamsevaks on December 11 at Siliguri. Thousands of swayamsevaks in uniform attended the function. Shri Bhagwat specifically said there is a thinking behind the Sangh work and that thinking must be practised in daily life. We are in the Sangh, but how much Sangh is in us, is the million dollar question. We work collectively as this is our society. Our responsibilities keep on changing, but we never deviate from our path,” he added. -GoTop
9. Modi in Odisha: PM releases stamp, coin to commemorate Paika rebellion: Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi on December 24 released a stamp and a coin to commemorate the Paika rebellion of 1817 in Odisha. He also inaugurated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar, built at a cost of Rs 1,660 crore, and launched a slew of projects worth Rs 14,523 crore for the state. The Paika Rebellion, many claim, was the first war of Independence against the British. Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan among others were present on the occasion. In the early 1800s, the farming community of Odisha had risen in rebellion when the British started tinkering with the revenue system. Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military chief of the King of Khurda, had led his army of Paikas forcing the British East India Company forces to retreat. The rebellion of 1817 came to be known as Paika Bidroh (Paika rebellion). Paiks were traditional landed militia under the state’s Gajapati rulers. -GoTop
10. "lack of sensitivity among the masses" hinders effective implementation of strong laws -mohan bhagwat: RSS Sarasanghachalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat on December 23 said while there is a strong Constitution and laws in place, their effective implementation does not happen due to a "lack of sensitivity among the masses". He was addressing a gathering in Mumbai, after taking part in 'Dhyeyapurti Puraskar Ceremony-2018' organized by Nutan Gulgule Foundation (NGF) working for the cause of the people with physical and mental disabilities. Religion should not be just read in books but be implemented as a way of life, and that humans should behave like human beings, he added. -GoTop
11. ‘Sadaiv Atal Samadhi’ dedicated to Nation on 94th anniversary: A memorial of the late leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was dedicated to the nation in New Delhi on his 94th birth anniversary on December 25. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers also announced that a statue of Vajpayee would be installed in Patna and Lucknow. Rashtrapati Ram Nath Kovind, Upa-Rashtrapati M Venkaiah Naidu and Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi were among the dignitaries who paid floral tributes to the former statesman at the memorial built near the ‘Rashtriya Smriti Sthal’, where his mortal remains were consigned to flames on August 17. The memorial is enclosed by nine bas-relief walls having inscriptions of poetries penned by Vajpayee who was known for his rhythmic poems, repartees and one-liners. “Tributes to Atalji on his Jayanti. We reiterate our commitment towards creating the Bharat he dreamt of,” Modi tweeted on December 25. Noted singer Pankaj Udhas recited devotional songs at the memorial while the dignitaries paid tributes. Sadaiv (always) Atal memorial will be managed by a trust headed by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Former Pradhan Mantri Dr Manmohan Singh and family members of Vajpayee also offered flowers at the lotus-shaped memorial. -GoTop
12. BHARATIYAS ON MOON SOON! Bharat will send a three-member team to space for seven days as part of the Gaganyaan project which will entail a cost of Rs 10,000 crore. The ambitious project, which was announced by Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, was approved by the Union Cabinet in its meeting on December 27 night. If successful, Bharat will become the fourth country in the world to send a manned mission to the outer space. So far only the USA, Russia and China have send manned mission in the outer space.
“A human rated GSLV Mk-lll will be used to carry the orbital module which will have necessary provisions for sustaining a 3-member crew for the duration of the mission. The necessary infrastructure for crew training, realization of flight systems and ground infrastructure will be established to support the Gaganyaan programme. -GoTop
13. RSS: Secularism in statute drawn from Hinduism: RSS Sah Sarkaryavah Krishna Gopal on December 23 said in Lucknow that the word ‘secular’ mentioned in the Bharatiya Constitution was drawn from the deep rooted philosophy of Hindutva. Speaking at the Yuva Kumbh Gopal said, “Dharmnirshpekshta ki paribhasha hum ko samvidhan se nahi mili hai….Hazaaron saal poorva humare rishiyon ne apne adhyatma ke bhaav ke kaaran pratyek sampraday ko samman ke saath dekha hai… ye humare adhyaatmik bhaav ki pehchaan hai (It’s not that we came to know about secularism from our Constitution. Our seers looked at every religion with respect. That is the source of our secularism).” “We Hindus are religious, and that is why we are secular. The religious traditions of Hindus make them secular. Yet our country got divided,” he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“And secularism does not prevail in those countries. India is secular because of Hindus and Hindu traditions,” he said. -GoTop
14. Religion above truth, says RSS leader Seeks early SC disposal of Ayodhya issue: Claiming that religion was above truth (dharma satya se uparhai), RSS Sah Sarakaryavah Krishna Gopal, asked the apex court to handle all matters equally and dispose of the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute at the earliest. Gopal made these remarks while speaking on the second day of a seminar organised by All-India Lawyers Council in Lucknow on December 25. Dr Gopal pointed out, “The apex court had given prompt judgements in Sabarimala and Jallikattu issues. But the Ram Janmabhoomi issue has been pending before the court for over 70 years now.” Asking the court to handle every matter equally so that the faith of the common man on the judiciary was not affected, Dr Gopal said that everyone was speaking of equal rights in Bharat and now even a separate commission had been constituted to ensure the rights of children. -GoTop
15. Nasa features 3 entries from bharatiya kids for its 2019 calendar: Three entries by four students from Bharat were selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for its Commercial Crew Program 2019 Children’s Artwork Calendar. The calendar entries were sent by 8-year-old Deepshikha from Uttar Pradesh, 10-year-old Indrayudh and 8-year-old Srihan from Maharashtra, and 12-year-old Thenmukilan from Tamil Nadu.
NASA selected 12 entries from artwork submitted by children from all over the world for 12 months of the year. The selected masterpieces represent a different space-related theme for each month. In a statement, NASA said, "The artwork contest is designed to get our youth excited about science, technology, engineering and math and to inspire our future scientists, engineers and explorers. Thank you to all the children who participated in the contest. We appreciate the time and effort it took to create their works of art." -GoTop
16. Enterprising bharatiya American Teens Among TIME Magazine’s Most Influential: TIME recently announced its annual list of teens who are making influential strides, with two Bharatiya Americans and one British Bharatiya among the group. Among the teens honored were Bharatiya Americans Kavya Kopparapu, Rishab Jain, and British Bharatiya Amika George. To determine TIME’s annual Most Influential Teens list, it considered accolades across numerous fields, global impact through social media and overall ability to drive news, TIME said in its report. -GoTop
17. Leaving no stone unturned to reconstruct Yadagirigutta temple: In a tribute to the ancient wisdom of Bharat’s temple architecture, the planners of the Yadagirigutta temple in the Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, decided to restrict the reconstruction works around the ancient swayambhu temple using granite stone. Known as ‘Krishna sali’ for its colour as dark as the night, all of the 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of black granite was quarried from a single mine in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
With over 90 per cent of the works completed, the temple is only waiting to join the ranks of Thanjavur, Srirangam or Srikalahasti—few of the greatest temples in the southern part of the sub-continent.
Adding to the grandeur of the temple would be a total of seven Gopurams, also built out of black granite. One of the gopurams, known as Sapta Tala Rajagopuram reaches a height of 80 ft. The Vimana gopuram will be 48 ft high and draped in pure gold in the near future. Going by the progress of the works, by Sankranti next year the YTDA aims to complete the temple construction. -GoTop
18. Can Being Nice to Cows Save the World? A Hindu Man in the Poconos Would Like to Believe: Every day, a joyful man in dung-covered boots tries to balance the world’s karma by dishing out love, compassion, and the occasional fried Bharatiya delight to his ragtag herd of cows. The mighty Krishna, a tall and hefty Angus, appears to be a favorite, but Sastri said each of his 23 cows is equally beloved at his Poconos sanctuary. Sastri, 78, is wiry, bespectacled, and constantly smiling, and wears a blazer over his farm clothes while he walks around his 90-acre Lakshmi Cow Sanctuary in Monroe County. Sastri still resembles a college professor, albeit one who fell in mud. He grew up in Chidambaram, by the Bay of Bengal in Southern Bharat, moved to the United States in 1964 for grad school, and spent 28 years teaching engineering at New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn.
Sastri, a devout Hindu, began to ponder his next life and wonder if he’d done enough good deeds. He wasn’t just thinking about a life after retirement. “The Hindu philosophy says whatever karma you have done in the past, in this life, follows you,” he explained. Sastri decided in 2000 that saving cows was his way forward and traded a Brooklyn brownstone and academic life for pickup trucks on life support and a farm in Northampton County. -GoTop
19. Nonprofit Founded by bharatiya American Teen Teaches Computer Programming at Libraries: A Bharatiya American teenager in Cupertino, California, has founded a nonprofit that teaches computer programming to kids at public libraries .CodingTimes was founded in 2016 by Rohit Tanikella, currently a junior at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization has blossomed to now have about a dozen high school student volunteers. CodingTimes teaches children computer programming. Classes are offered at multiple public libraries in San Jose and East Palo Alto. The range of classes offered is varied and caters to children of all ages, including Scratch for elementary school students; Python and Java for middle and high school students; and advanced topics such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for high school students. -GoTop
20. More Than Half of Billion Dollar Companies Founded by Immigrants: bharatiya Americans Lead ‘Unicorns’: More than half of the “Unicorns” – pre-IPO companies with a valuation of at least $1 billion – founded in the U.S. over the past two decades have at least one immigrant founder, summated a report released by the National Foundation for American Policy. The report was based on a 2016 study by the organization, which surveyed 91 U.S. Unicorns. Fifty of the companies had immigrant founders or co-founders and immigrants who served in key roles at those companies. At least 14 Bharatiya American entrepreneurs have created $1 billion companies. -GoTop
21. 50% rise in Canadian citizenship for bharatiyas this year: Bharatiyas residing in Canada are taking their immigration journey a step forward, with several thousands opting for Canadian citizenship, after having lived in the country for the specified duration as permanent residents. During the 10-month period ending October 2018, nearly 15,000-odd Bharatiyas obtained citizenship. If compared with 2017, it’s a steep rise of 50%. As country of birth, Bharat figured in the second highest number of applications from those claiming Canadian citizenship. -GoTop
22. Indra Nooyi Tops IndUS Business Journal List of Wealthiest Bharatiya Americans: The IndUs Business Journal December 21 unveiled the list of the highest paid Bharatiya Americans with former PepsiCo president and chief executive officer Indra K. Nooyi topping the list. Nooyi, with $25.9 million total compensation, comes just ahead of Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella, No. 2 on the list with $25.84 million. The list includes only two women: Nooyi and Sona Chawla, the president and chief operating officer of KOHL’S Corp, who came in at No. 30 on the list with $8.71 million. Behind Nooyi and Nadella, the top 10 rounds out with Adobe Systems president and CEO Shantanu Narayen ($21.93 million); MasterCard president and CEO Ajay Banga ($18.68 million); Bob Patel, CEO of Lyondellbasell Industries ($17.6 million); Autodesk co-CEO Amar Hanspal ($15.64 million); Deepak Ahuja, chief financial officer at Tesla Motors ($15.5 million); Kevin Lobo, president and CEO at Stryker Corp. ($14 million); Intel group president Venkata Murthy Renduchintala ($13.82 million); and Harman International Industries president and CEO Dinesh C. Paliwal ($13.1 million). -GoTop
23. bharatiyas to benefit as UK plans to remove cap on skilled migrants: An unlimited number of highly skilled workers from Bharat will be able to migrate to the UK after Brexit in proposals that mark the biggest overhaul of Britain’s immigration system in 40 years. UK home secretary Sajid Javid has published a much-delayed white paper setting out a new immigration system based on skills and talent, not where people are from. It announces the complete removal of a cap on the number of work visas issued —the current cap is 20,700 per year — and ends the requirement for resident labour market tests by UK employers in which businesses have to advertise positions to UK workers first. -GoTop
24. SHRI VISHWA NIKETAN: Pravas: Shri Saumitra Gokhale, Vishwa Vibhag samyojak will travel Thailand and South Africa. Visitors:
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: We do not do our work hiding and in secrecy. Now our work has come in front of our society and the society is watching our work’s growth with concern. We will definitely make our friends come closer to us, but we have no reason to hate even those who maintain a feeling of enmity towards us. We must really pity them. If we work with utmost devotion from the bottom of our heart, then they will definitely have to stay away from our path. They will not be able to sustain our tremendous strength. – Dr. Keshav Baliram Hegewar. -GoTop
JAI SHREE RAM
Nagas race against time to record their fast-vanishing folklore
Yudhajit Shankar Das
Without a script until the later part of the 19th century, Naga tribes attached great value to oral tradition. For generations, they passed on their history, poetry, folksongs and ancient wisdom that way. Much of this vast treasure trove of knowledge and information has already been lost because of the dying art of storytelling and the zeal of the early Christian missionaries. “Though they introduced script to the Naga people, the early missionaries saw everything traditional as anti-Christian and prohibited it, from traditional songs to hairstyles to rice beer,” said Tuisem Ngakang, a doctorate on Naga culture and former assistant professor with Hindu College in Delhi University.
So, camcorder in hand, 42-year-old Ngakang goes to distant Naga villages, interacts with elderly residents and requests them to sing old songs. “Among Nagas, it is considered a duty of the elders to pass on what they know to youngsters. So, these people, mostly in their 70s and 80s, are only too happy to share,” he said. Ngakang is on a mission — to document and preserve whatever is left of the fast-vanishing folklore of the indigenous people. A deep sense of urgency is visible among Naga tribes as they race against time to record whatever they can. But it’s not easy, going by the vast number of local languages and dialects they have. There are about 35 Naga tribes in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal. D Koulie, professor of linguistics at Nagaland University, said there are 89 dialects in 89 villages of just the Angami Naga people. Koulie is also secretary of the Ura Academy which works to preserve Tenyidie — the mother language of 10 tribes, including Angami, Chakhesang, Rengma and Zeliang.
In earlier times, when villages got congested, a member would venture out to establish another settlement. But it was taboo to set up a village without a new language. So, the same tribe would speak different languages in different villages, giving rise to numerous dialects. “These dialects are morphologically similar but different phonologically. To preserve folklore, we ask students to visit their village homes, listen to the elderly and document stories and poetry,” Koulie added. The Ura Academy regularly brings out journals and books documenting poetry, stories and dramas in Tenyidie. Easterine Kire, one of the foremost writers from the northeast, has collected 200 poems in Tenyidie that had been passed on orally. Tangkhul Nagas of Manipur have embarked on a similar mission. Members of the Hao Folklore Socisety (HFS), formed in March this year, have visited 15 Tangkhul villagehe last five months.
“We met senior residents, recorded and archived folksongs, folktales, histories and genealogies,” said HFS president Raising Shimri. HFS also tries to preserve traditional houses and artefacts. Members of the society include lecturers, media professionals, photographers and lawyers, and live in cities across India but return to villages to document and record the oral history of their people. Armed with sound recorders, DSLR cameras or just their cellphones, HFS members fan out looking for elderly people and requesting them to perform traditional songs and dances. But there is a Himalayan task ahead of them— they need to cover about 206 Tangkhul villages, each with different dialects. Not all tribes, however, are so organised. The Konyak tribe of Mon district in Nagaland were the last to get introduced to the modern education system. Only some individuals have taken it upon themselves to preserve their folklore. Phejin Konyak has written a book on the last of the tattooed headhunters of her tribe, describing in detail the rituals involved and what the tattoo patterns mean. “It is a solo effort,” said Phejin. Nzanmongi Jasmine Patton, an assistant professor at GargiCollege in Delhi, too has taken the solo route. She has published a collection of 30 stories from her Lotha tribe in ‘A Girl Swallowed By A Tree: Lotha Naga Tales Retold’. Though Lotha Nagas have Kyong Academy that is supposed to work towards preserving their culture, the 35-year-old writer said most effort regarding documentation is being made by Lothas individually.
As early missionaries prohibited institutions like morungs (traditional Naga youth hostels) and indigenous rituals, songs and music too disappeared soon. “We have lost most of ritual music associated with events like rice-pounding or house-building," said Ngakang.
Koulie, who has written 21 books of which 18 are in Tenyidie, said, “If you look at school curriculum, there is no material on tradition and folklore. Every Sunday we gather for sermons, but have no time for traditionalstories,” he said.
H Khehovi Yepthomi, advisor to the Nagaland government for tourism, art and culture, admitted nothing much has been done till now and Naga folklore “is going to be extinct” if proactive steps aren't taken. “I have asked cultural officers to identify heritage sites and look for experts willing to document oral history.” The government has now decided to hold three-day mini Hornbill festivals in all the districts spread all though the year. But hope comes with anxiety. Shimrisaid, “Time is against us. It is disappointing when we reach a particular village to find a majority of the elderly have passed away, and along with them stories that have got buried forever.” -- Times of India, 23 December 2018. -GoTop
Shri Vishwa Niketan www.shrivishwaniketan.blogspot.com vishwav@bol.net.in
