Have you ever seen the horizon at dawn from an aeroplane? If not then you have missed the most beautiful sight in your whole life! You can see a crimson red, thin piece of sky,all around. It seems like God had decorated the whole earth with flowers in the sky.Maybe i am blessed to see that sight this time,like that of "Aurora Boralis" or "Aurora Australis" !
With high hopes and expectactions that my Diwali vacations will be spent happily and peacefully,i thought of the days to come.I saw the glittering waters of the Loktak lake below and finally shining houses everywhere with the reflection of the sun. We finally landed on the soil of Imphal,the captain announced the temperature to be 29*C and wished us a good time ahead.I decend down the steps of the aeroplane as the steps were brought to contact with the plane. I did not pay attention to what the stewardess had wishpered to me as i walked out of the airbus,and watched the other passengers climb down the steel bird.I wishpered to myself "Thank God,m finally here!" I rushed to the luggage setion with an unattended trolley to get my bag and waited for my bag to show up. As i watched the other passengers,i felt a sense of satisfaction myself as if i had reached the right place. The smiling faces of the passengers made me feel that it was indeed a homecoming journey and happy days are ahead.Got my bag and put it into the trolley where i dragged till i saw the driver approaching me and drove off till home.
The way home was exciting as if i am new to the place,looking left and right and seeing the differences it has been after i had left last time! Reached home and was welcomed with a small traditional 'aarti'. Changed my clothes and rested for a while and came down for lunch. Had the best food after all these time and savoured them deliquently. When i retired to bed for rest, i saw an old yellow coloured local newspaper lying on the table bearing news of dead,injuries and other accidents etc.I took it up in my hands and read it slowly,memorizing the scripts as i read,only to realize that it was previous day's paper.I wondered when it will all end and would be able to read good news!! Manipur,after all these years haven't changed in one thing - bad times. News of extortion,kidnappings,shoot outs,court cases,politics etc still prevailed and may continue to find its place on the front page of the local newspaper for quite some time i thought!
Yet with the hope that tomorrow will be much better,i got dressed and got ready to meet Father George of my old Don Bosco High School. No matter how much one succeed in life or what height he may attain in life,he cannot forget his own teachers in school. For they were the main reason behind the success. They gave their heart and soul for us to lay down this culture and discipline in us that we managed to attain the heights we already have achieved. The roads were dusty,pampered and broken like the lines of an old man,yet managed to reach the school. With a deep sigh of relief,i entered the school campus and met my teachers and Fathers. I had few little things in mind that i wanted to discuss with Father regarding the development of students and society. I am not playing the good Samaritan here but am trying to give my best effort in improving the conditions of people in and around me. Maybe the Moral Science that we studied in School days were the main reason for these insticnts to help people!
The first day in Imphal was a good one,i thought as i lie down in bed amidst the thick mosquitoes in the darkness.I had a refreshing session with some people of "Bosco Mangaal", an NGO run by Father for the youths.All i could say is that,there is kindness in this world after all! Life could have been worse for some people,if it were not for this NGO with the instinct to help and care for the society. The first day in Imphal ended with a smile as i retired to bed,driving away the moquitoes from their long claimed kindom,as i set the mosquito net. I could not sleep though for quite some time as it was too early from my normal "bedtime halucinations". My thoughts wavered and wandered far across the "kingdom of the valley" to the "kingdom of heaven" where everyone dreams of having a perfect and happy life. But i could not see angel nor God in that heaven and thought something is terribly wrong with this so called "heaven". Realizing the fact that it is Manipur,i remembered one tag i had given myself when i was having a bad time -"God forsaken place". Maybe it would be hard to digest on some people's part to accept the tagline but i believe that in their young hearts they firmly believe otherwise! With these thoughts,i fell into a deep slumber,tagging along the big moreh blanket along with the "queen of darkness".
To be continued...
