LUNGLEI ROCK BAND, SEVENITY KHA (in Mizo Language)

Genre                                      : Gospel Rock

Years active                            : 2001-2004

Location                                  : Zohnuai, Lunglei

BAND LINE UP

Vocals                                     : Lalnundika Hnamte

Keyboard                                : Pt. Lallawmsanga (Sisanga)

Guitar                                      : C.V.L. Hmangaihkima (Kima Chhangte)

Bass & Backing vocals           : C. Lalawmpuia (C. Awma)

Drums                                     : Pc. Lalduhawma

BIOGRAPHY

1. A Bul Tanna: Metal Blade          

Pt. Lallawmsanga & Friends (1997)

BCM Zohnuai Fakna Inkhawm, 1997 khan kei, Sisanga leh Rinkima te'n “Khawngaihna mak mawi leh duhawm” chu 3-piece band angin kan lo perform tawh a. Hetih hunlai hian band ang chiah pawhin kan la ding lova, mahse hemi hnu hi chuan kohhran lamah chanvo kan nei chho ta fo a ni. Keimahni bila kan hla phuah (original) hmasa ber, “I vanglai hian i Siamtu hre reng rawh” chu TKP Zohnuai Unit Silver Jubilee, 2000 khan Pt. Lallawmsanga & Friends tihin audio cassette tihchhuahah a tel ve a ni.

Kum 2001 khan Gospel Rock band anga indinin a hmingah Metal Blade kan vuah a. Hetah hian kei vocalist/rhythm guitarist niin, Sisanga chu lead guitarist a ni a, Rinkima chu bass guitarist a ni bawk a. Drummer-ah Remruata emaw Kima Chhangte emaw kan hmang deuh ber thin a, member ni chiah lovin guest drummer an ni deuh ber. Metal Blade hian keimahni kutchhuak hla engemaw zat kan nei ve hman a, chung zinga thenkhat te chu- "The Final Judgement", "I Ram Ka Thlen Hma Zawng", "I Vanglai Hian I Siamtu Hre Reng Rawh" leh "Isua Pan Rawh" tihte an ni hlawm. Metal Blade kan din hma hian Zohnuaiah chuan Kamikaze (1990-95 vel) leh Resurrection Sound (1995-98 vel) chauh lo chu band ding an lo la awm meuh lo.

            Kum 2001 vek khan Metal Blade hian veng chhunga kan thiante puihnain kan bawng in hlui kan chei tha a, 30ftx15ft practice room chu kan nei ve chu a ni mai a. Hei hi The Boom Box kan ti mai thin. Hetah hian kan thiante pawhin min lo tel pui ve bawk thin. Sevenity pawh hi helai hmun atanga lo piang chhuak a ni nghe nghe.

            Kan thiante leh rual u thenkhatte chuan Metal Blade tih hming hi gospel band hming atan chuan “A rorum deuh lo maw?” an ti thin. Chu bakah Metal Blade hi record label hmingah a lo awm tawh bawk a ni.

2. Sevenity Kan Din Dan

            Jam room thar, the Boom Box kan neih hian Metal Blade min thlak danglam nasa em em mai a. A hmasa berah chuan Rinkima'n band hi min chhuahsan a, a chhan tak chu ka hre tawh chiah lo nain hetih lai hian High School zirlai kan ni hlawm a, zirna lam tulna avang ni berin ka hria. Metal Blade-a kan lo play-pui thin, Remruata (drummer) leh Kima Chhangte (guitarist) chu band-ah kan lalut a, tin, Rinkima (bassist) thlak turin C. Awma a rawn lut bawk a. Tichuan Metal Blade chu 5-piece band kan lo ni ta reng a. Band pawh chu a hming thlak kan duh ta hial a. Band hming tur chi hrang hrang kan ngaihtuah hnuah Sevenity hi kum 2003 khan kan vuah ta a ni. Hei hi Sevenity din a nih dan chu a ni.

Kan genre pawh chu Heavy Metal ai mahin Progressive/Hard/Soft Rock lamah kan kal ta zawk a. Iron Maiden leh Metallica tih vel aiin Dream Theater, Stryper, Petra lam kan awn ta zawk a ni. Hetia band lineup leh genre kan thlak takah chuan, Sisanga pawh chuan guitar aiah keyboard a play ta daih a, tin, keiin guitar hungin vocals chauh ka chang ta thung a ni.

Instruments hi zirlai rual kan nih angin lei mai a harsa em em a, amaherawhchu ka pa, Pu Lalduhawma Hnamte hian kum 1990 vel khan home studio hi a nei ve thin a, heta a instruments leh sound system la kawl thatte chu kan rochunsak a ni deuh mai a. Drum set erawh alo tihral tawh avangin mi ta kan hawh a ngai ta zel a, TKP drum set pawh kan hmang nasa hle. Lungleiah khang hunlai khan Battle Cry, Purple Haze, Gospel River Band, Sevenity leh GIORAS lo chu rock band active kha kan awm vak lo bawk a ni.

            Tum khat chu hetih hunlaia Mizo zaithiam lar pakhat (a hming chu tarlang lo mai ila), RTP Cinema Hall-ah concert a rawn nei dawn a, Organiser-ten min duhsakin perform turin min sawm ve a. Kan hla sak tur chungchangah thu a inhmu lo deuh niin ka hria, concert hma kar khat velah chuan kan thianpa tho, Duhawma chu drums vaw turin kan sawm chawp ta a. Heta tang hian Duhawma chu Sevenity drummer thar atan kan la chu a ni ta mai a. Mahse hemi tum hian concert-naah chuan kan zai leh ta lem chuang hlei lova. Kan hla sak tum kha tun hnua ka ngaihtuah let hian Remruata khan alo tidik a ni tih hi ka hria a, hemi tuma kan perform thei lo pawh kha Pathian remruatna zawk a nih hi ka ti thin. Remruata hi kan thian tha tak a ni a, kan jam ho leh fo va, a music duhzawng takin band hrante pawh a din ve nghe nghe a ni.

4. Sevenity Inlanna Langsar Zual

2002?: Saikuti Hall Inaugration Show (avialable in VCDs):

2003: Chawngfianga Memorial School Inaugration (avialable in VCDs)

2003: Riangvaite Pual Christmas Concert (avialable in VCDs)

2003?:Gospel River Band Concert (Sevenity hian an show hi kan hawnsak a ni) (avialable in VCDs)

2005: Project Zodingdi Gospel Vol.1 (Track no.5, Sevenity Kraws Vuan Zelin)

5. Seventiy Hla (Originals) Thenkhat

1.      Kraws vuan zelin (Sevenity: 2003)

2.      I vanglai hian I siamtu hre reng rawh (Sisanga, Nundika, Rinkima: 2000)

3.      Thlarau Hahchawlhna (Sevenity)

4.      Damna Famkim (C. Awma)

5.      I ram ka thlen hma zawng (Sisanga, Nundika: May 2002)

6.      Thian duhawm, Isua (Nundika: July 2002)

7.       Isua pan rawh (2001: Sisanga, Nundika) 

8.      Chanchin Tha (Sevenity: 2004)  

9.      Send the message out (Nundika: 2002)

10.  The Final Judgement (Sisanga, Nundika: 2000)

6. Kraws Vuan Zelin Music Video

Still image from Kraws vuan zelin music video (2004)

“Kraws vuan zelin” hi Sevenity-in music video kan tihchhuah awm chhun a ni a, hei hi Leitlangpui Project Zodingdi Volume 1-ah khan track number 5-naah a awm a ni. A phuah dan chungchang sawi hmasa ta ila. Kum 2003-a band kan indin that a, jam room te kan han neih takah chuan regular takin kan jam ve thin a. Zan khat chu kan jam naah Kraws vuan zelin keyboard part hi Sisanga’n a rawn play a, chu chu musician dangten rawn zawmin hla atan kan phuah chho a ni ta reng mai a. A hla thu hi Ka Hla Phuah Bu (Book 1), No.48-naa a lan dan chuan Music: Sevenity, Words & Harmony: Nundika, 26^th May, 2003, 1:00 AM tiin a lang a ni.

Kima Chhangte

Hetih hun lai hian Lungleia zaithiam leh band te promote nan, Project Zodingdi music video mi thahnemngaiten siam an tum a. Chuta tel ve tur leh audio demo thehlut turin sawmna kan dawng hlauh mai a, kan lawm kher mai. A hmassa berah chuan demo thehlut tura min tih angin chu mi atan chuan kan inbuatsaih ta char char a. Recording hi a tirah chuan Pu B. Lalrammuana home studio-ah tih kan tum a, ani hi kan u, band music lamah pawh experience engemaw chen lo nei ve tawh a ni. Mahse recording kan tih hma chuan a computer sound card a kang chhe hlauh mai a, chuvangin Zama Studio, Serkawn-ah recording chu kan ti ta a ni. Hetih hunlai hian Zama Studio hi Serkawn Indoor chhungah a awm thin a, music recording bik hi ni 2-3 vel chhung kan beiin ka hria. Recording hi a tua te hmah hian kan lo uluk em em lova, “Demo tur ania, nakinah a final tur chu uluk zawin kan titha dawn nia,” tiin vocals phei chu kan venga mitthi tlaivar tukah kan han record a, vawi hnih khat ka sa chhuak puat a, Pu Rammuana mix turin kan hawn ta niin ka hria. Demo kan submit hnu chuan video siam turin approval kan hmu thuai a ni.

Duhawma

Kum 2003 vel kha chuan Mizo music video hi tam tak a la chhuak lem lova, band video ngat phei chu a vang leh zual. Kan video hi a hmuhnawm nan concept/thawnthu engemaw neihtir kan duh ve si a, band meeting-in a concept turte kan han ngaihtuah ve a, a video lo hmu tawhte chuan kan hre awm e. Video hi Pu Lawmtea, Bazar min shoot-sak ni tain ka hria. Video-ah hian a changtupa berah ka tang nghal a, Pu Lalrinzuala (Pu Pamama) leh Pi Kawlrosiami te bakah band member-te video-ah hian kan lang a. Shooting hi Pu Lalduhawma Hnamte te in, Pi Kawlrosiami te in, BCM Biak In Zohnuai, leh Serkawn mualah te kan nei.

7. Sevenity Tawpna

            Kum 2004 khan Bangalore-ah BA zir turin ka liam thla a, Project Zodingdi release pawh hi ka awm ve ta lovin ka hria. Hemi hnu hian Sevenity hian recording thar kan neih chhunzawm ta lova, veng chhungah te chuan a la awmte chuan han perform ve leh zeuh thin mahse rei an daih ta bik lo niin ka hria. Tin, band member-te hi zirna leh hna tul avangtein kan awm darh nuk ta hlawm bawk a ni. 

2012: C. Awma, Nundika and Sisanga

Kima Chhangte hi Aizawl-ah music zirin studio-ah te a thawk chho a, a inbengbel chho chu a ni ta mai a. Tunah hian Home Free Music studio leh music zirna school a nei a, Mizo music-ah contribution tam tak a nei tawh a, a nei mek zel bawk a ni. A hla phuahte pawh vawiin thlengin Mizo zaithiam lar tak tak ten an la sa reng a, ama sak ngeite pawh youtube lamah a dah bawk a ni. 

C. Awma pawh Aizawlah tho music a zir a, ani hi Mizo Lengzem/Lenglawng solo artist tha tak a ni chho a, music video tha tak takte pawh a tichhuak hman a ni. Mahse kuthnu tam tak nei lovin a reh ta mai a, a uiawm hle a ni. 

Sisanga hi Aizawlah tho computer zirin a awm chhuak ve leh a, ani hi Lungleiah sawrkar hna thawkin a awm thung. 

Duhawma erawh AICS-ah zirin tunah BCM hnuaiah Chakma Field-ah Missionary hna thawk mek a ni. 

Kei chu Bangalore-a BA leh MA ka zir zawh khan Hyderabad-ah M. Phil. ka zir leh a, kum 2012-a Mizoram ka rawn haw chhoh leh khan thenrualte kan kim thei ta lo a ni! Sevenity hian reunion erawh kan nei a, Zohnuai Centenary, 2012 khan kum 10 dawn hnuah stage-ah kan ding ho leh thei a ni. 2012 vek khan BCM Zohnuai East indan dawnin TKP Nghilh Loh Zan programme-ah kan perform leh a, hei hi Sevenity hun hnuhnung ber chu a ni ta a ni. Kum 2013 khan Aizawl lamah hna thawkin ka awm sawn ve leh nghal a, kum 2017 October-a nupui ka neih khan music lama ka bul tanpui, kan band keyboardist, Sisanga hi ka thianah a tang bawk a ni.

Nundika &Temi Sailo wedding with Sisanga as Best Man and Zonuni as Maid of Honour.

-          Lalnundika Hnamte (Written on 27 Feb, 2008. Revised on 4 June, 2019)

Book on Prohibition in Gujarat and Mizoram released

L-R: Chief Guest releases book

My first book entitled, Prohibition: A Socio-Economic Assessment of Gujarat and Mizoram was released by Pu P.C. Lalthanliana, Hon'ble Minister i/c. Horticulture, LAD and Social Welfare on 12th June, 2014 at Savidge Hall, Upper Khatla, Aizawl.

The release function was chaired by Dr. Malsawmdawngliana, Asst. Prof., Pachhunga University College and a book review was made by Dr. Vanlalhruaia, Asst. Prof., Govt. Aizawl North College. The release function was concluded with a vote of thanks by my father, Lalduhawma Hnamte.

The release function was followed by a discussion on the Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act with Dr. Rohmingmawii, Pachhunga University College as the Moderator. The discussion focussed on the implications of MLTP Act from the social, religious, economic and political perspectives. Participants include academicians, theologians, media personnel and others.  

This book, Prohibition: A Socio-Economic Assessment of Gujarat and Mizoram is my Master of Philosophy dissertation under the supervision of Prof. I. Ramabrahmam submitted to the Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad in 2012. The book is published by Serials, New Delhi in 2014.

Cover of the book

This book makes an attempt to comprehensively assess the socio-economic conditions of Gujarat and Mizoram under the policy of alcohol prohibition. Dr. J. Doungel, Asso. Prof. & Head of Department, Department of Political Science, Mizoram University  writes the foreword to the book. In the book, readers can find the nature of alcohol policy in India, the origin and development of prohibition movement, the role of civil society in regards to alcohol policy and the socio-economic conditions of Gujarat and Mizoram such as health, standard of living, crime, direct and indirect prohibition-related costs etc. in comparison with their neighboring wet states.

The book costs Rs.795 ($40) and is available for online purchase at: http://serialspublications.com/books/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=prohibition&product_id=3498

If you are in Mizoram, you can purchase it from Baptist Book Room and Synod Book Room.

MIZORAM TO DECRIMINALIZE THE MOST HARMFUL DRUG, ALCOHOL

Source: www.thelancet.com

Hats off to the current government for taking a bold step in scrapping the irrational and unfeasible Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition (MLTP) Act of 1995. Our 'Noble Experiment' has been characterized by widespread drug-abuse, increasing HIV prevalence, occasional spurious-liquor deaths, frequent drug-related deaths, enormous loss of excise revenue and maybe moral hypocrisy.

At the same time, if we look at the picture, David Nutt, Leslie King and Lawrence Phillips in "Drug harms in the UK: A Multi-criteria Decision Analysis" identified alcohol as the most harmful drug surpassing even heroin, crack and cocaine. Herman Levy also observed that alcohol consumption triggers an urge to commit offense which the Germans called 'deliktsantrieb'.

The message is crystal clear. For a state which is already high on criminality (ranked 12th among Indian states and UTs in 2010 as recorded by National Crime Records Bureau), we'd definitely need to focus on checking alcohol-related harms and crime (such as violence: domestic and public, road traffic accidents, molestation, rape etc. And oh! we record the highest rape crime since the 90's).

The 'harm to others' is more than the 'harm to users' in the case of alcohol. So, even if the 'harm to oneself' is a matter of choice or an individual's liberty, the rights and liberty of another needs to be protected from the drunkard. This issue is a major challenge for the 'soon-to-be wet state', if it adopts decriminalized alcohol policy.

Drugs & Sex: Mizote HIV+ min vei tîrtu

posted at misual.com on May 12th, 2012 9:45 am by Nundika Hnamte

MSACS official website-in a record dân chuan October 1990 aṭanga March 2012 thleng khan Mizoram-ah blood test nei mi 1,88,186 (Nuai khat sing riat sang riat za sawm riat leh paruk) an awm a, chûng zîngah chuan HIV+ mi 6,829 (Sang ruk za riat sawmhnih leh pakua) an awm.[1] Hei hi mi 100 blood test a mi 3 zel HIV+ vei ang an ni. Hetih lâi hian AIDS vanga thi mi 295 chiah an la awm thung.[2] HIV+ nei mi 6534 (6829-295=6534) khawlaiah an la lêng tihna erawh a ni lovang! Mi sang eng emaw zat chu chhan (cause) dang vangin an liam tawh ang tih hriat a ṭha. Chutih rualin vei reng, blood test neih lêm loh vanga record loh erawh mi eng emaw zat an awm ang tih chu a rin hriat theih awm e.

MSACS hian HIV+ inkaichhawn a nih dân (Mode of Transmission) hi record bawkin ‘sex’ hman aṭanga vei (sexual contact) mi 4,461; drugs-a inchiu vanga vei (Injecting Drug Users/IDU’s) mi 1,918; nausen vei (perinatal) mi 255 leh chhan dang (others not specified) vanga vei mi 195 an awm tawh a ni.[3]

HIV+ zîngah 65% hi ‘sex’ hman aṭanga vei an ni a, Mizote’n sex hman kan fimkhur a ngai hle tih a lang thei. Tin, 28% chu drugs-a inchiu vâng a ni thung. Hei hi MLTP nghawng chhuah a nihna lâi a awm. Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition (MLTP) Act, 1995 kan neih hma, 1988 daih tawh khan zu zawrh phalna ‘license’ kha ‘expire’-in ‘renew’ a ni tawh lo hrim hrim.[4] Kha mi hnu aṭang khân Mizoramah drugs a hluar ṭanin, zu zawrh lâia drugs vanga thi kum tin mi 1-5 lek lek an awm lâiin MLTP Act kan neih hnuah chuan mi 70 chuang drugs vângin kan thi kumtin a ni deuh mai (1995-ah mi 55, 2000-ah mi 131, 2005-ah 42).[5] MLTP hi a hrisel lo anih dawn hi! Amaherawhchu, 2004 aṭang hian ‘Ruihhlo Do’ kumpuan (2004-08) vang nge ni drugs vanga thihna (drugs-related death) a tla hniam rawih rawih. ‘Drug abuse’ a hniam taa MLTP chu a him ta tihna em ni? Ni kher love! MSACS record-ah tho, March 2012-a blood test nei zîngah chuan sex vângin mi 29 leh drugs-a inchiu vangin mi 21 HIV+ thar an la awm cheu! Sex mai ni lovin drugs pawh kan panna lâi tak a la ni fo mai.[6]

A solution: “Prevention is better than cure.” ‘Sex’ hmang lo tûra inzirtîrnate hi chu nu leh pate’n an fate chungah emaw kohhranin a member-te chungah emaw a sawi tûr a ni a, mimal zalên leh zalên inti chu thu kan inpein kan inkhuahkhirh ngawt thei lova, a sawt dawn hek lo! Chuvangin, a hmasa berah chuan insûm thei lo chuan ‘safe sex’ hman kan zir a ngai a; kawppui thlan fimkhur a ṭul bawk tih hi kan hriat a ngai (prevention). A dawtah chuan ‘drug abuse’ hi tih tlêm a ngai a, inchiu chi ngat phei chu a ngai leh zual. ‘Salvation/Revivial camping’ te hi ṭha viau mahse khuareiah chuan awmzia a nei lêm lo a tih theih ang (long-term-ah a effective tawk lo). Mizorama ‘drug abuse’ ti hluartu, kan MLTP Act hi hlip ta ila, ṭhalaite’n zu ruih tûr mumal deuh tak kan nei ang a, ‘drug abuse’ hi a ziana lâi chin a awm thei awm e, khuareiah. Chutiang a nih chuan inchiu vânga HIV+ pawh a tlêm phah ang.

---

[1] Mizoram State AIDS Control Society, National AIDS Control Programme Mizoram Status Since October 1990 to March 2012; available from http://mizoramsacs.nic.in/newsite/hiv_status/latest_status.html

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Lalfakzuala, Rev. Human Rights vs Ruihhlo. Mizoram: Lengchhawn Press, 2006, 29-31

[5] Excise Anti-narcotic Squad. Drugs-related Deaths (Year-wise) W.E.F. 1984. Aizawl: Mizoram Excise & Narcotics Department, 2010.

[6] Mizoram State AIDS Control Society, Op.Cit.

How our mind works

How our mind works is a wondrous miracle.
How do you manage to throw a ball of paper in a dust bin that is located at the corner of your room?
And what makes you run when you cross a road and you suddenly see a vehicle swiftly approaching?
Besides the mind being designed to understand, perceive and calculate things by thinking, it is also highly automated. After years and years of experience, there are certain times when it works by itself with little or no thinking at all.
Therefore, we may even have the capability to preconceive things before they actually happen or are proved. Suspect someone or something? You could be right!

The Night He Died

I visualize that night as a wretched night
For the followers of the crucified master.
The Man whom they had served for so long...
How they must've wished that they could see Him;
See their master just one more time.

I see Peter, the reckless,
So dejected and apathetic losing all his enthusiasms;
And the sensitive John,
Wiping his tears away as it runs down his cheeks.

They did not know what they are supposed to do,
Where they are supposed to go
And whom they are supposed to follow anymore
But to return to their old selves.

They, who had been awfully drowsy
And tired since the night before,
Must have seen Him in their dreams
With a wake shouting, "Master!"
But the Lord was in His grave.

Mizoram: MLTP Act leh Rape Crime

Mizoram hian zu khapna dân, Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act (1995) kan neih avang hian kan khawtlâng hi a himin a nuam a ni tia sawi a awm fo ṭhin. Hei hi zu khapna dân kan neih chhunzawm zêlna tûra sawrkar, kohhran, pawl leh mimal thlenga kan ṭanfung pawimawh tak pakhat pawh niin a lang. Kum 2009 pawh khan kan Excise & Narcotics Dept. commissioner chuan MLTP Act kenkawh nâna YMA hmalâkna avangin kan khawtlang chu eng hunah pawh hmeichhia leh naupangte tân a him thu a lo tlangaupui tawh hial a. Tin, 2009 vêk khan kan Synod hotu pakhat chuan MLTP Act hi 100% in hlawhtling lo mahse he dân kan neih hnua kan khawtlâng nawm sawt zia a lo sawi bawk

Mipuite himna leh muanna hi state mawhphurhna lian ber pakhat a ni a, Hobbes, Locke leh Rousseau-te ‘Social Contract’ theory pawha ‘state’ awmna chhan ber pawh a ni nghe nghe a ni. Khawtlâng himna leh muanna kawnga tûnlai Mizoram kan panna lâi ber nia lang chu ‘rape’ (pawngsual) crime hi a ni. Tute nge ‘victim’ chu kan hre tlâng e! Tûn kum, 2012, kum chanve êm pawh a la vei hma hauh pawhin he dân bawhchhiatna thuthang hi kan hre nasa tawh hle a ni. Entîrnân: New Year khan Zuangtuia TB vei patlingin naupang kum 5 mi a pawngsual; February khan police-in rualbanlo nula Lungleiah; March-ah naupang kum 8 mi N. Vanlaiphaiah leh a dang tam tak a awm tawhin a awm mêk a ni. Heng entîrna aṭang ringawt pawh hian rape crime hi kan hmeichhia leh naupangte khawtlanga an him lohna entîrtu leh an him leh him lohna tehfung pawimawh ber pakhat a ni a tih theih a ni.

Mizoram rape crime rate hi National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) annual publication, Crime in India aṭangin a hriat theih a ni. NCRB official-te chuan ‘crime rate’ hi ‘the number of incidents per lakh population’ angin an chhût a; state tinte ‘rank of criminality’ pawh a rate sân dan indawtin an chhinchhiah ṭhin. NCRB chhinchhiahnaa Mizoram, rape crime bîka kan dinhmun, kan thlir dawn a ni.

Kum 2010 khan Mizoram hian rape crime rate 9.1 kan nei a (case 92 register niin), India state 28 leh UT 7 te zîngah sâng berin criminality rank-ah 1-na kan ni. 2009-a 8.3 rate aṭangin kan criminality chu 0.8 in a tam belh. Min hnaihtu state-te chu kan ṭhenawm, Tripura 6.6, Assam 5.6 and Meghalaya 5.7 te an ni. Zu heh ram kan tih ṭhin, Kerala (1.8), Punjab (2.0) te chu pawngsual lamah hian an khawtlâng a him fe zawk tih a hmuh theih. Tin, ‘Ram thim, Kristiante tihduhdahna ram’ kan tih, Orissa-ah pawh pawngsual rate hi 2.5 chauh a ni. Zu khapna dân nei ve tho, Gujarat leh Nagaland te erawh kum 2010 khan rape crime rate 0.07 chauh an nei thung a ni. Tin, MLTP kan neih hma 1990-1994 quinquennial (kum 5) average chu 6.14 niin MLTP hnuaiah hian rape rate hi a tlâkhniam loh mai bâkah pun lam a pan zawk a ni. 

NCRB records aṭang chuan MLTP Act hnuaiah hian rape crime hi state dangte aiin a tam zawk tih a hmuh theih a, zu khapna dân hi pawngsual hluar chhan erawh a ni kher lovang (Nagaland leh Gujarat example). Amaherawhchu, pawngsual hluar êm êmna ram hi khawtlâng nuam leh muanawm chu a ni thei lovang. Kan opening paragraph-a MLTP fakna statements-te nen chuan kan records hmuh chu a inang lo hle bawk a ni. Chuvangin, kan rama pawngsual a hluar zia aṭang hian kan khawtlâng hi hmeichhiate leh naupangte tân a him lo tih hi kohhran te, sawrkar te, NGO te, chhungkua leh mimal thlengin kan pawm tlân a, MLTP-te ang ‘solution’ tling lo lutuka inṭawng thlamuana innghat mai mai tawh lova, a ‘solution’ tak tak tûr beng sika kan ngaihtuah tlân a hun tawh tak zet zet a ni.

References:

1 National Crime Records Bureau, "Crime in India" (New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs)

2 Adam Halliday, “Gujarat, Mizoram: United in prohibition, but different in implementation,” The Indian Express (Jul 20, 2009); available from www.indianexpress.com/news/gujarat-mizoram-united-in-prohibition-but/491430/

3 “Mizoram Church no to liquor ban Act amendment,” WebIndia123 (Jun 6, 2009); available from http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20090606/1269373.html

4. Picture available from: http://thekgexpress.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/banned-alcohol.jpg

Hooch Tragedies and Alcohol Policies

18^th December, 2011 (12:50AM) 

A similarity between prohibition policy and price increase policy to control alcohol consumption is that both encourage bootlegging. Under prohibition, bootlegged liquor is the only means to obtain liquor (unless you have a liquor permit issued by a registered medical practitioner). Under price increase policy, legal liquor is too expensive for the poor people. Due to its relatively low prices, bootlegged liquor is consumed by the poor.

We all know the potency of bootlegged liquor in impacting hooch deaths. The rich may afford to consume Indian Manufactured Foreign Liquor (IMFL) under prohibition or price increase but the poor who consume unlicensed local brew are always at the risk of hooch deaths. Hooch tragedies are, therefore, mostly confined to the poor people. For eg., the recent hooch tragedy in West Bengal (December 2011), Gujarat's hooch death in 2009, Karnataka in 2008 etc. are confined mostly to the rural poor.

It remains a challenge for the government to tackle the black marketing of liquor. In response to the recent hooch tragedy in West Bengal, the Chief Minister of the state, Mamata Banerjee said, "I want to take strong action against those manufacturing and selling illegal liquor."¹ prior to this, as a result of the 2009 hooch tragedy in Ahmedabad where 136 people after consuming illicit liquor died and another hundreds were hospitalized, the Gujarat Assembly unanimously passed the Bombay Prohibition (Gujarat Amendment Act) on 28^th July, 2009. It provided harsher punishment to those who sell and manufacture illicit liquor.² The bill was passed unopposed by amending the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 (Gujarat Prohibition Act, 2009) in the absence of the Congress which boycotted the Assembly during that time.³ After keeping the bill on hold for more than two years, the Governor of the state, Kamla Beniwal gave her assent in December, 2011. While the old law provided punishment of imprisonment which may extend to one year only and fine to those who illegally manufacture, supply and sell hooch, the new law provided stringent punishments in the form of seven to ten years imprisonment, fine, and death penalty or life imprisonment in case of hooch tragedies.⁴

Laws, strict laws and still stricter laws! Will all these prevent the illicit market and curb the consumption of hooch? Or would it be a sound policy if:

i)                    a government repeals prohibition of alcohol?

ii)                  a government makes legal alcohol affordable?

References:

1. “India toxic alcohol kills 143 in West Bengal,” BBC Mobile (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16174531

2. “Gujarat Assembly passes bill proposing death for bootleggers,” People’s Post (Aug. 19, 2009) http://peoples-post.com/nation/state/1040-gujarat-assembly-passes-bill-proposing-death-for-bootleggers.html

3. “Modhi jihad against Cong on hooch bill,” (Dec. 21, 2009) http://currentnews.in/2009/12/21/modi-jihad-against-cong-on-hooch-bill/

4. “Hooch tragedy: Gujarat Governor okays death penalty,” DNA (Dec. 6, 2011) http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_hooch-tragedy-gujarat-governer-okays-death-penalty_1622133

5. Picture source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/node-gallery-display/6516930102.jpg

MALIN KA AWM LAWNG

Composed by Nundika Hnamte
on 13th March, 2003 @ Zohnuai, Lunglei
Recorded on 5th February, 2008 @ Hnamte Home Records
Duet version recorded by Nundika Hnamte and Temi Sailo
on February, 2011 @ University of Hyderabad

Hlau suh la ka awmpui che
Ka veng zel che ka thlarauvin
Hlau suh la ka thlamuan che
Hlauhawmah ka veng zel che
Zan thimah ka chhun eng che
Ni aiin ka eng zawk si

    Malin ka awm lawng
    Thlarauvin min awm si

Lungngaihnate tawk mah la
Lawmnain ka vur ang che
Damlovin lo chau mah la
Damna famkim ka ni e
Beidawngin i awm ngai lawng
Beiseina nung chu ka ni

Thlemnate lo tawk mah la
Chakna chu keimah ka ni
Manganna te tawk mah la
Hahchawlhna chu ka ni e
Hlauhna tur a awm love
Engkim chungah Lal ka ni

    Malin ka awm ngai lawng
    Thlarauvin min awm si
    Retheiin ka awm lawng
    Malsawmtu ka nei si

Ka hlau lovang mi awmpui si
Mi veng zel thin a thlarauvin

Note: Greatly inspired by the hymn, E.E. Hewitt's 'Fear Not, I Am With Thee, Blessed Golden Ray' (translated in Mizo, 'Hlau suh ka awmpui che,' K.H.B. #435) a song that won me the K.N.P. (Kristian Naupang Pawl or Christian Children's Group) Solo Competition back in 1997 and also gave me the opportunity to record at the All India Radio.

You can listen the duet version @ http://www.purevolume.com/NundikaHnamte/albums/Lei+Hla+Mawi+%28Free+Downloads%29

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

Life is not like riding a motorbike but rather like a bicycle. A motorbike is an engine-powered vehicle and the ups and downs do not exhaust your energy whereas a bicycle is human-powered and requires energy and perseverance.

When the going gets easy, you never need to put much effort. Especially when it's downhill, you only have to steer. But like the old saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

ADIOS, GRACE HOME

Grace Home gave me so many opportunities to think, learn and achieve during my stay there for 2 years. Whether it be academics, music, social responsibilities and many many other things, i gained a lot from it!

My special thanks to the football team (GHFC) cos for two years, i served the team as a midfielder wearing kit #15 and #6 respectively and it was such a wonderful experience.

And guys, I will never forget the silly FIFA Tournaments and the crazy Last Supper we used to have. It was just awesome. In fact, the most stupid things we did together are sometimes the memories i often cherish :)

Another special thanks to Nu VLi and Nu Rini for all your love. I wish I was better then. And to Pa Sapa for your help with my MA thesis. You are my God-sent angels!!!

With all the wonderful people out there and the responsibilities it's members have to the Mizo community in Bangalore, I too, will always be proud to be a part of it. I have moved on now but I'll always remember you and the memories that we shared.

My sincere gratitude to everyone out there for the experiences we shared and my prayers to all for a bright future. And my most sincere apology to anyone i hurt or offend during those years and even till now. I love you all.

Grace Home... It was indeed a Home Away From Home!!!
Engkimah ka lawm e... God bless!