Jingta Korik Imar Thar

By Santosh Kumar Singha,Manipal

For the last few weeks, the topic 'JINGTA KORO IMAR THAR' has been a burning issue in this blog. Many people have contributed their thoughts, ideas, and beliefs in the discussion. It has been considered as one of the biggest issue of Bishnupriya Manipuri people in today's world. With the intention to contribute at least a drop in the ocean of this discussion by providing some of the real experiences faced by a Bishnupriya Manipuri young guy hailing from a remote village to some metro cities.

Boy, called Munna after finishing his 4th standard from a Govt. L.P. school in a remote Bishnupriya Manipuri village, when came out in town found himself from a pond to a river. His grandfather has been acting as a storehouse of inspiration in his life, inspiring him, stimulating him to do something 'big' in life. 

His grandfather gave him examples of many successful Bishnupriya Manipuri personalities. He used to always hear from his grandfather, "Dekhle baba, omuk daangoriya ugore dekhle, ugor deki onar chesta kar". Thus, Munna got many personalities in his mind like whom he wanted to make his career, and position in life. Thus he got his aim in life and started working on it.

On the other hand, Munna's mother was the person from whom he learnt values in life. She used to tell him the stories of ancestors who used to sing 'Boronor Ela' in summer season without rain. Basically, she introduced him the greatness of the Bishnupriya Manipuri culture and also the negative stuffs associated with it. 

She made him proud to be a Bishnupriya Manipuri since childhood with logic that no system (community and culture) is perfect, we have to make it better, it is our responsibility to make it better. 

Munna, while doing his schooling in the town, came in contact with many Bengali classmates. He used to spend time always with them and got influenced by Bengali culture and language. Moreover, when he went to some of his Bishnupriya Manipuri friends in some of the Bishnupriya locality in Silchar town, he was surprised and influenced by the Bengali speaking (at home) Bishnupriya Manipuris. 

Some of the families were those whose examples were given by Munna's grandfather. With enthusiasm, 13-year old boy, Munna came home and asked his mother, " Ima, Ima, aamiou ghore baangla thar gujurik ne, town e thaitara daangoriya maanu jetaar deki Epuye onar ka buliya maater, utaai bangla thar ghore totortara, baangla thar totoranihaan daangoriyaa onar lokkhon haan paauri". 

But Munna was unlucky as he got a tight slap by his mother. She said, " Baba, jotou goje kanar chesta kar, daangoriya onar chesta kar, jar ( root) go te naa pahuris ko, haante ghore nijor emar thar baad diya baangla thar gujuriya daangoriya ona moneile, ousade daangoriya onar dorkaar nei baba. Emar thar, Bishnupriya Manipuri community ehane tore porichoi aahan deshe, duniyaat jepeitou giya thakga, tor porichoi haan Bishnupriya Manipuri. Bishnupriya Manipuri jaat ehaane tore eta habbi dilo, ti firiya Ehanore kihaan dile?. Eta habbir firote ti Ema Bishnupriya re 'ghore baangla totoranir' gift haan dena monahotta". "Baba, joto pare goje kaa, kintu jaanghaan maati hanat thoish, tor ostitto baro porichoi haan kunodinou naa pahuris" says Munna's mother, who teaches the subject 'bengali' in a Govt. high school. 

Getting such comment from a Imar Thar speaking (at home) and proud bishnupriya manipuri bengali teacher, Munna got a lesson in his life. His confusions were all cleared about being 'Daangoriya'. He realised, " Jotou daangoriya oyao jegoi nijor porichoi baro ostitto haan naa pahurer, ugoi huttume daangoriya maanugo, baaki eta merudondo (backbone) nei maanu".

After finishing his 12th standard, Munna came to Guwahati to appear for competitive examinations. He realised the same situation with some percentage of Bishnupriya Manipuri in this city as well. The relative to whom he came to stay was holding a big position in career as well as society, whose examples was also given by his grandfather. But this family used to speak in Hindi at home. Two children of the family could not speak in their mother tongue (Emar Thar). They did not have any knowledge about Bishnupriya Manipuri. Just by nameshake, they were Bishnupriya Manipuri. 

The current situation is that the children want to get married with mates belonging to other communities. This has created a big tension for the parents. Now the parents are lamenting why they kept the children away from their culture.

Learning from this real story: Parents play the most important role in introducing their children to their great culture, language. If some people cannot speak IMAR Thar, their parents are mainly responsible for this.

Few years later, after completing his graduation, Munna came to Delhi to do further studies. During that period, he went to attend one Bishnupriya Manipuri program held in C.R.Park. He was surprised by seeing the situation in that program. Around 40% of the youths were communicating in Hindi and English in a Bishnupriya Manipuri program. 

Munna remembered his mothers’ words and felt some waves of pain in his heart. He doubted on the success of the programs made for Bishnupriya Manipuri development since people did not realise even the importance of speaking in Imar Thar at least in those type of programs. He got a name for this segment of people called 'MERUDONDO NEI MAANU' given by a responsible bishnupriya Manipuri who is an active member of this blog.

Solution of the above problem found by Munna with a real example as follows:

Recently Munna met with a highly talented young Bishnupriya Manipuri who is in a responsible 'Scientist' position in an Indian Government organisation. Munna came to know about this young scientist that although he had been brought up in a non-Bishnupriya Manipuri environment where he never found any Bishnupriya Manipuri family nearby, yet he is so much devoted to his mother tongue and culture. This scientist wants to make at least some contributions from his side as far as he can. Munna asked him that how could he had so much knowledge about Bishnupriya Manipuri although brought up in a different environment far away from Bishnupriya Manipuri culture. The scientist replied, "This is only because of my parents. My parents has made me understood the importance of knowing IMAR THAR and my culture".

The learning from the above case may be a solution for issues discussed in 'JINGTA KORO IMAR THAR'.

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