Did you wondered, where I had been?
Well, if power cuts at Hapoli was not enough, my PC went kaput (and I don't know how) leaving me with a little choice but to go into unwilling hiatus on compulsion. But then, it helped me to find my protagonists-'Apatani Protagonists', which I surely would introduce to you in a days to come.
Now I've to make do with my friends PC to update my blog and till my PC is set right (which the service guys says is a mobo problem), I would be bit irregular in updating my blog but even then may I assume you will keep visiting my blog (am I sounding bit demanding?)
"What about the power position of Hapoli? Has it improved? How's your crusade against power cuts going?" - People ask me.
To be frank, I lost all count of the days. Has it been a week?...... a fortnight? ……. a month? I don't remember exactly, I guess it has been more than a month since we Hapolian are reeling under the darkness. In fact, I’ve started liking this darkness. Thanks to Power Department; we are re-living the lives of our ancestors – 'work up to the hilt till there is sunlight and retreat to bed early after a bout of ‘Rice Beer’ - locally called “O” – and a dinner'.
It is heard that ‘Consumers’ Right Forum’ (CRF) Ziro, in association with ‘Ziro Chambers of Commerce and Industries’ (ZCC&I) and ‘Apatani Students
Hi AG, is there another power cut in your place? Your silence seems to say so. ...Uhmm.... Just joking. ... smiles....
Well, I wanted to tell you those precious lightless moments when I was growing up in Ziro.
Mornings in the summer month used to start long before the sun rise. With the second round of cocks crowing in the third quarter of night people used to stirr out of their bed and start lighting their hearts.
And then we start hearing people calling their patang ajing for konchi patang. Patang is mixed group of young boys and girls who go to field together turn by turn to their respective fields. The morning is yet to dawn and sun has not yet lighted the eastern sky. People used to walk with muru ie. bunch of sliced bamboo or woods with fire lighted at its end. One by one, the girl or boy whose turn it was to take her friends to their field, would call their friends and then we would pile up in a single file one after another walk to fields, still rubbing our eyes and clutching the spade. We neither cared for the darkness nor for the stone and dirths that lay on our path till we reached field. There used to be occasional verbal fight for more light, as single bunch of fire could not light the whole of path. We also took lots of fun from snatching a gruff of wood or bamboo branches that was used as sulu- narung ie. fence, and used it to make fire. Once in the field, it took lots of courage to put our foot in the field , as early morning water was bitter cold.
The sweetest memorable moments are of those, when I was very young,around 6-7 years old, and our patang ajiing would gather at landowners house before proceeding to field, and be served with ponnah pilla or sha pilla ie.ricebeer and rice mixed with little bit of hot water and sugar or rice put in red tea. Other times we were served with kazi and lal sha. Parents used to idulge us with such small luxuries and we happily went to field thereafter, contented and happy. All this was done under good old lantern or piisa sathi.
Well,as we grew up our patang ajiing changed from clan sisters to nearby clan girls and going to field was one continuous innocent flirtation between young boys and girls. Evenings also used to be spent among the young girls who were pounding rice in their byachis. As there was no provision of electricty, boys used to carry murru i.e fire for the girls to pound the rice. And so on and so forth romance and joy of everyday life was intermingled with our daily work. Usually group of girls would sleep in one house rather than in their respective house and boys would make sure to visit those house where their favoured girls stayed. I wasnot able to enjoy this second stage fully as I was sent to a boarding school before I entered my active teenage period.
AG, I was just mumbling to myself of gone days and trying to convince myself, that, life without light was not that dark always. There were spots of brightness, streak of happinness, moments of contentedness, which is beyond the conception generation who have grown up with electricity all around. Those precious moments, moments which will never come back, but which was equally enjoyable. I keep it as a good memory. a precious moments to cherish whenever I feel sullen, and then look forward to life ahead.
Hi yasiyalow,
I'm back.....you might have noticed my new post;)
Well it was not power cut that kept me away from regular posting but my other preoccupations.
I liked your reminiscence. Why don't you consider sharing your thoughts/your childhood memories as a post in this blog. All you have to do is submit your story at arunachaldiary[at]gmail[dot]com. Looking forward....