Kum-som achetah vang in kamilthei dehpoi

Aphat hi 2004-05 laipeh ahitan, kum-10 ache tai. Sadar Hills Saikul a um Mehs School a Class-X simlai kana hi. Class-IX kasim chun Inn apat kana kile tho jin, hichu ahahsat jep jeh in Class-X simkum beh amun ah kium hen tin kaloipa Hekhup toh Innsan kaki lah hon’in hiche a chu umdin kana kigo lhon’e.

High School kakai laichun koima hetlouvin kitepna tampi kana sem’in hiho lah-a khatchu ahileh ‘Matric chai masang a dongma neilou ding’ tihi ana hi. Chapang dang bang a sei ngailou, nuthu-pathu nunglou behseh kana hilou jehchun kalungtup hi kijou tei nante tin kana gel’e.

Hinlah thuchih khat in: “Promise are made to be broken” tia ana seikhah khelkhel jeh hintin, Insaan a kaga umpat ni chun Inn-neite chanu Elshy chu hoi kahin sah khatan, guhthim in kave lhi jingtai. Elshy hi school a ka-junior ahi in, nungah melhoi tah ahikeo hilouva chonnem tah Houbung sung a sinthei umtah ana hi. Insung a nuthu-pathu nung Pathen ging khencha hing numei nunnem tah ahijeh in kangaisang lheh-e.

A-inn uva um kahi jeh chun aloi ngaitah bang in eigel in lung thengsel in eiki voppi ji. Kenjong hoi kasah lheh vang in ngailut na neitah in aman eitahsan na bang chun kaki voppi ji. Kei le Elshy kitona tah khat chu ankam me ducheh kana hilhon’e. Aman ankam aneiteng a-in uva bu kaga nejin, ken kahon teng jong le hitima chun ama ahungji. Inn keo hilouvin school dung a jong kakivopji lhon’in, kingailu tah in kalha khom ji lhon’e. Hinlah guhthim a kalungset na thu vang kahetsah poi.

Kaloi ho adongma toh hibangse aso jiteng khatvei vei kaloi pa kom’a Elshy kalungset dan kaseijin ahile “Nalungset le hel tang’em!” tin eidonbut ji. Keivang chun kalungset lheh vang a Matric chaibeh ngadoh ding tichu ahi. Hijeh chun Elshy in dongma aneiye tithu kajah teng jongleh imacha in kagel jipoi. Hinlah ama kalungsetna daichom vang ahipoi.

Khatvei vei teng ji-le-cha neiding thu kaseiji lhon in ji ding a kadei lhon kaki seipeh to ji lhon’e. Aman aji ding’a adeisah chu: Khamnathei bollou, hinkho theng a hing, Pathen ging, aji lungset je he….tiho hi ahipen’e. Keivangchu nungah helkhalou kahi toh, guhthim a kalunggel toh akigom jin asuh-asah in kaseidoh jipoi. Hijong le kaseidoh kham kham chu ei-ngaipeh ji thou’e.

Abang kom teng keijong khamnathei nelou, tahsa lam hinkho thengthou tah a hing kahijeh in athusei hochu kei eiseina khattou ahidem tin kagel ji. Ahin khuti tah a confident lomlom vang kahiji poi. Hitichun hinkho kahin mang lhon in ahile kumkhat ahung lhing tan, Christmas suty kilha phat ahung hitai. Kumkhat alhin tah vang chun Elshy kom’a imacha kaseidoh khapon, kaloipa kom’a kasei jiteng le la asei akikhel dehpoi: ‘Pasal nahi le hel tang’ tichu ahijeng’e.

Dalheh jongleng Saikul dalha a inn lam che ding kahi tah phatchun X-mas card love-sign jaona khat kacho in hichu kape’in kahung kikhen lhon tai.

Matric exam peding jouse School in free coaching class eibolpeh diu ahijeh in X-mas le New Year kichai chai in phat mansah louvin Saikul kahinjon kittai. Ni-som velbep bou kikhen kahi lhon vang chun phat kichai kal kana ngahlal lheh jeng’e. Khatvei komkom leh Elshy in jong ken kagel bang hin eina geldem tin keile kei kaki dong jin, eidonbut ding la koima aumji poi.

Coaching kachang a kache jichu hahsa kasah lheh jin, school a kaumteng jongleh class kichai kal kangahlal kitji. Vangphat umtah in phat sotlou in Class-X hojong school kai ahung kipan tauvin guhthim in kipanan kadim jeng’e. Ajehchu guhthim a kalungset nutoh school kai a kilhonkhom kitding kahi tai.

Hiche phat laichun keiho loi lah achun “Matric exam kon’a nungah ihel a anop le Exam aki pass tei tei’e” tikhat ana kiseiji. Alang khat a kaloihon Elshy heldin eichuti til tauvin ahile kigel lhah naje pen kahe thei tapoi. Achainan Elshy kom’a lungset na thu seileng nomtei inte tia kagel jeh chun helding lung kahin geltai.

Kaloipa toh kaga kholai lengji lhon in, ahin Elshy kom’a imacha kaseidoh ngam jipoi. Hijeh chun kachuti pehle phat jouse kile ding ahi tai tin Letter khat kajih in lekha in kapeh tho tai.

Elshy lekha kapeh nikho a kipat chun eimu teng anui siuseu jeng jin eilung khamsah lheh-e. Hinlah Letter kapeh ni a kipat nithum alhin changei a reply ahunglou phat in keima tah che a houpi ding kati tan, hinlah akom kaphah phat in imacha kasei ngam kit tapoi. Phatchomkhat pi kaki gel nung in ka-letter pehthu chu hahsa tah in kahin pandoh tan ahile kalunggel loulam beh in eihin houset lo tan, lunggelje jong kahe thei tapoi. Hiche ni a kipat chun masang a kaki ngailutna lhon jouse amang tan, kaki muto lhon jong le galmi kabang ji lhontai. Thil umdan chu kanung gel leh eina khoto dan chu ken ahilou lamtah a kana kilah khah hitei din kagel in, adih pen vang kagel doh thei deh poi.

Elshy toh kihou theilou a kaum phat chun bolding la kahe tapon, kadong man’in lekha avel in kape kit in ahile reply ahung deh poi. Ajonan khatvei hoitah in lekha kajih kitleo in, khatvei beh kimuto din kangeh in ahivang in anamsa tapoi. Hichun kaloipa kom’a nasopi nu hi gahoupi tem’o tin kasol in ahile chutobang lunggel kaneina chung a alung nopmo dan thu ahin seipeh-e.

Ipi seijong leng kidoi loudia kagel phatchun kapohnat thotan, khatvei chu aloinu kom’a hitia hi eibol leh kakhutjung katan a kathisan a letter kathot ding ahi tin kaseipeh tan ahi. Hinlah Elshy in hiche thu ajah chun nuisat hoh in einei lo bep kit tan kalha amoh settho tai. Seibe ding dang la kanei tahlou phatchun Matric exam ding jong gel talou in Saikul dalha’n Innlam kajon tai.

Inn lam a kaum kah chun Matric exam ahung nai teltul tan, ahin Saikul jotding kagel thei tapoi. Kaloi exam kabol khompi ding hochun eikhoto theilheh jeng uve. Hijeh chun Elshy chun alung akhel din aga sei jiuvin hinlah ama la abep bep ahiji tai. Exam kipat nading ni-5 ham avat chan a Saikul kache tahlou phat in Lekha khat eihin thot in, kavet le hitihin ana kisun’e: “Helun, kei chung a nalunggel hohi haimil inlang lekha joh hoitah in kisim tan. Khonung a officer khat nahung hi teng kei sang’a hoijo le phajo nungah tampi nahin kimu thou thou ding ahi...”. Chuleh anoilang achun Keijong Matric exam sung se se hi munchom a ga-umdoh ding kahi tai; exam nomtah in hin bol in tin wish jong eihin boltha-e.

Manipur a hi 2004 kum’a mobile phone hung lut pan ahi in, 2005 kum chun mi khatle nin achoi pan tai. Hinlah thinglhang dung’a vang akimang pan hihlaiye. Hijeh chun iki houpi nom khat jong ki-kihoupi vah thei jilou ahi.

Hitichun kaum nalai in ahile Lekha kamu ni ajing in kaloipa kakom’a ahung in Elshy jong munchom ah apot tai; exam ding nithum ham vat ta a Saikul ah hung jeng in tin eihung kaidoh tho tan ahi. Saikul kaga lelhun chun Elshy ana kholjin doh tan, ama aumlou vang chun a-inn jeng ujong kamu teng lunghel nan kadim ji.

Sah-le-lhang kavetna jouse chu lunghel mel in kamu in kamoh lhaset den ji. Exam kon lekha hasim a kisim ding laitah chun lunggel genthei tah in hinkho kamang in, kalunghel behseh jiteng kapohnat naho chu lekha pheng in kajihdoh jin, Mandaling khat in Jailan ka-oi ka-oi jitai.

Ka Jaila-oi ji ho lah a khat chu hitihi ahi:

Kalungsetna asan jeh in;

Kalunggel cheng kadei bang in;

Kaseidoh thei jipoi, Bawi;

Nei hethem’o guol’in;

Nang lou lungset kaneipoi…

Chutia lekha simtheilou a hinkho kaman phatchun kaloipan film vedin eipuidoh in Hindi film “Fida” khu eivet sah in ahile a-film a Heropa chu kachuti lungset den kit tan aboilheh jeng’e. Ajing in Hindi pao kahetlou jehchun kaloipa chun Meilhei film “Eengengee Atiya” kiti khu aga la kit in eivetsah kit in ahile hiche film kavet jou jou chun kalunggel a kikhel na khat ahung umdoh in kisemthah nan kanei lo tan ahi.

Hiche ni a kipat chun kalungset pen nu hin tun hitin ei engbol jongle nikhat teng le vang kisih a hinkho kamansah thou thou ding ahi tin kaki gellha tai. Hichun jankhat sehseh chu lekha kasim in ajing in Exam bol in thanom tah in kaga kalsong tan ahi. First day nichu lekha hoitah a sim kahilou vang in exam anom in, hoitah in kahin chai thei tan ahi.

Hitichun exam aban ban in kahinbol uvin ahile Maths so ni vang chun Board ho ahung jeh in ka-exam bol chu aseije kahe thei tapoi. Ipi ti kasut vang in Pass Mark kham mong mong kasun doh tapon, lekha simlou’a nungah a kana kisahlal chu kakisih lheh tai. Among a ka-senior houvin Maths nile Board ho ahung ji pouve tia eina seipeh jeh uva kana khohsah behseh lou ahi.

Exam kahin chai tan, Maths kabol hoilou jeh chun kisonlal nan kadim lhajeng tai. Iti hamkhat kagel le a-fail din kaum jin; abang kom teng le vang a-pass din kaki gel kitji thouve. Ahin ijemtia ka-pass poupou le lekha hoitah a sim din kaki gellha tai.

Kakho uhi Saikul toh kinaicha a um ahijeh in Elshy toh ki-kisuto kha inte katin, ama toh kisuhto khah ding kichat jeh leh exam a fail a loite ho masang a jachat thoh ding da jeh in keijong kholjin din kavai kondoh tai.

Hiche kahlah jong hin Elshy chun alung ahin heikha dem tin guhthim in kaloi teho kadong jing in, hinlah imacha aumdeh sampoi. Ama toh kihoumat kha kahi lhonlou vangchun kei le kei thudoh kakibol jin, Elshy hin eilungset lou mongmong ahidem, ahilou leh Matric hoitah a kabol ding adeijeh a chuti a chu eibol joh ahidem tin kagel ji. Alangto gelchun adih nathei lampi um in kagel jin, hoiche pen joh chu dih ham vang kahe deh poi.

Phat ahung che in, Matric exam result jong ahung pot tan vangphat pin Maths paper a chun Pass Mark kham bep kamu in kahung pass ham ham’e. Matric kahung galkai phat chun Saikul nungphah ding kadet thei tapon, Phai a Government school khat a admission kaki bol tai. Aban simbe thei dia kahung umchun kitep na khat kanei kit in kum-5 alhin tokah a Saikul nungphah tahlou din kaki gellha tan ahi.

Phai a Class-XI/XII kasim sung se se chun nungah dang him him kagel pon, Elshy kalungset na chu atobang ahijing jeng’e. Hinlah kaki tepna suh bulhit teiding deisah na jeh in kaki hetmosah in hiti chun ka masang hinkho ding bou kakhohsah jo tai.

Keima geldan’a chu kum-5 sung hoitah a lekha akisim thei le BA beh kichai tantin, chuti leh Elshy jong chun eilungset hih jongle houpi khambeh eisah tante ti ahi. Hijeh chun BA chai ding kal kangah lal lheh jeng ji.

Matric kachai apat kum ni alhin a Class-XII exam jong kachai jou hin khatvei Elshy in Letter khat eihin thot in kavet le khatvei beh Saikul hung pha din eihin tem’e. Chutia kum-ni jouva lekha reply eihung kibol chu abang komleh kakipah in, abang kom teng kathang atom kitji. Hinlah kum-5 lhittei ding tia kitem kana hitah jeh chun letter chu hoitah in ka-wallet sung a kakipoh in, imacha vang kale sei tapoi.

Hitichun aban ban in kahung chal in, koima nung kakiphah joulou vang in Matric a anah nah a pass pa chu Class-XII le BA chu first class in kahin chaithei tai. BA (Honours) khat kahung hitah phat chun kalung ahung lenjep tan, Elshy kom’a gache ding jong kisonlal na kanei tapoi. Hinlah kum-5 alhin jouchun kalungsetpen nuchu akieng nei in, cha-le-nao ana nei tai.

Elshy ajinei in cha jong anei tai tithu kajah doh ni chun kalaidip adap’in lunggel je jong kahe thei poi. Kahinkho chesa ho kanung gel le kei-le-kei themmo kaki chan in seiding jong kahe thei jipoi. Ju don a kingolsah ding la mi-pilhing khat in kaki ngaito tan, kingolsah ding chu kagel thei tapoi.

Ahin, jankhat chu hoitah in kaki ngaito in bel ding neilou tin Bilble chang phabep kasim in, taona kaki nei in lupna chung achun kaki ngaito in ahileh thil tampi kalung ah ahung kilange. Amasa pen in, Elshy hi Pathen in kei ding a agon hilou hibou inte tin kagel’e. Ajehchu kahel masang a kipat Pathen kom a katao jiteng “Pathen, nangma phatsah ahileh alung hin hei in” tia kana thum ji ahi. Chule Elshy chun eina noppeh le Phai a College kakai a first class a BA kachai louding ahi dan kahin geldoh kit in, hiche ho jong chu Pathen thilgon ahi ding kahin geldoh pai kit ngal’e. Kana kigeldan a chu BA chan Sadar Hills sunga chai a Inn a natoh toh kopding ti ana hi. Hijeh chun imacha hijou hih jong leng Phai beh a BA kachai thei jeh chun Elshy chung a kakipana alien lheh jeng’e. Hiche ni jan chun lunggel athah beh khat kahin nei in ijem tia Pathen lungset a lolhin na akinei khahleh khatvei beh ama kom ah gaki che intin kipathu gaki sei tante tin kaki gel tai.

Tuhin Elshy kamu khah louna kum-som aval tan, jinei chanei ahitah vang in kalungset na vang abep bep ahijing nalaiye. Kaki muto nalhon anunung pen chu April 12, 2005 ana hitai. Elshy hi jinei-chanei ngal ahitah phat in Ama haimil nading tin nungah dang kahel jin, hinlah ama bang a kalungset ding kamu jou dehpoi.

Chomkhat jou chun kalungset na ol ol in ana pilhing in; Elshy hi nungah-gollhang kilungset na a kalungset kitalou in, kasopi/kanaonu mong mong bang in kagel in kangailu jo tan ahi.

BA kana chai jou nung in jong Pathen in ei mapui jing in, aban ban in kamachal jing nalaiyin, hijeh hin Elshy kageldoh jing nalaiye. Kaki tepna bang a ama kom’a kipathu gasei ding la lolhin na imacha kanei lou jeh in kache thei pon, kum-som lam ahung val tah jeh a ama kom’a kaga che a kipathu kasei khel a hiche hi kahin sut ahi.

Pathen ging anu-apa thumang numei ahijeh a Pathen in agonpeh aji toh Christian insung khat kipah tah a semkhom ahi lhon tan, ama chonphat na chun tunia keima jeng jong hichan dinmun hi eihin lhut ahi. Thil umdan ho jouse hi kavet leh Pathen kana doh jeh a apha lam jeng’a eina pui ahi dan kum-som jou hin kahin geldoh bep-e. Ken kakitepna jouse sukeh tajong leng Pathen thilgon vang jemsi khat jong soi ngailou ahi tihi kei leh Elshy kikah a kamudoh khat ahi. Pathen in Elshy leh a-innsung phatthei boh intin, hiche thusim simdoh jousen jong Pathen thilgon kipel ngailou ahi dan athah beh in geldoh-u hite…!***

(To be published in KHOHUI Magazine sometimes in 2015)