tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91912952024-03-18T08:33:53.223+05:30MizohicanMizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.comBlogger876125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-61164980425766848502023-10-21T19:47:00.006+05:302023-10-21T20:58:40.190+05:30Chp 893. Anthurium Festival 2023, Day 1.<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So I went to my first-ever Anthurium festival yesterday.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I came down to Aizawl from my farm this week to have my three dogs neutered. While I waited for them to recover at Mercy Pet Care, Ramhlun, I decided to take the opportunity to experience the Anthurium festival. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xWqK60P.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/xWqK60P.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For my non-Mizo visitors, the Anthurium Festival is an annual 2-days event organised by the Tourism Department of Mizoram, where various cultural and traditional practices are showcased to tourists (and locals) in the forms of dances, songs, plays, fashion shows, stalls, games, and so on.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since I happened to be in Aizawl this week, I really wanted to experience it for the first time, and fortunately for me, my sister who works at Vinco Construction was going as their subsidiary "Vinco Farm" was putting up a stall at the event.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We first went to their office at Eden Thar.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nEVfRCD.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/nEVfRCD.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I met Vincent and Nico again after a long time. Vincent heads "Vinco Construction" while Nico heads "Vinco Farm", and back during my Pune days, we used to meet every week for our "Amosa group Prayer Cell meeting" as we all lived in the same locality - Koregaon Park.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hvXzUuO.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/hvXzUuO.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We packed all the items for their stall in our two vehicles.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/gqzCpbF.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/gqzCpbF.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After that, we all left together and made our way towards Reiek, an hour-and-a-half long ride.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The road was narrow and winding, but thankfully, there were hardly any other vehicles. We crossed the river Tlawng midway to our destination.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/aU5Rt82.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/aU5Rt82.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We drove past many enchanting waterfalls, each one a hidden treasure veiled in nature's embrace.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QvEcuPU.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/QvEcuPU.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By the time we reached the village of Ailawng, we were famished as we hadn't eaten anything yet. We stopped at a restaurant recommended by U Baby, who swore they made the best Teriyaki in Mizoram.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/REncqso.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/REncqso.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The name of the place is "Ell Emm Restaurant", and it is quite easy to miss it if you're driving towards Reiek because their tall fence covers up all the shacks inside. Just keep a lookout for a tiny red signboard outside.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lv8TISU.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/lv8TISU.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once inside, I immediately got a similar vibe of being in one of those beach shacks in Calangute or Pallolem, Goa.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/sQbV6uS.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/sQbV6uS.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Gotta admit, it was indeed a comforting feeling to sit inside. The inviting warmth and cosiness of the ambience coupled with the cool gentle breeze and the silence of any vehicular sound even though we were at a roadside made it a truly cherished experience.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VAgVD2L.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/VAgVD2L.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We ordered Zufang and some cold coffees.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TvONDdO.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/TvONDdO.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Zufang is our Mizo traditional rice beer. Even though Mizoram is a total prohibition state, traditional alcohol like Zufang, Zupui and Rakzu are allowed on special events.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We took a few minutes to order from their impressive menu ranging from Thai and Chinese to Korean and Vietnamese, and when our orders finally arrived, U Baby was not wrong! OMG the food was sooooo good!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wneavEo.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/wneavEo.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I mean, it was unbelievably good! Everything was super scrumptious and authentic. We hogged through the exquisite symphony of flavours, each bite bursting with a tantalizing combination of spices and textures.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7jJNdqd.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/7jJNdqd.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I ended up overeating of course!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once we enjoyed our divine cuisine, we complimented the manager, who told us that the owner and chef worked at Taj before moving back to Mizoram. No wonder.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As a foodie, trust me when I say this, their food is better than most (if not all) restaurants in Aizawl. Do give it a shout when you visit Reiek next time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I did feel a bit uncomfortable because I overate. Luckily, Reiek was just 2km away from Ailawng. As we entered the event area, everybody had to park their vehicles at the parking plot below but we were allowed to drive right up to the venue because we were carrying equipment and items for our stall.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There were still around 30 minutes before the festival began, and the other stalls around us were starting to set up too.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mI1ezvx.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/mI1ezvx.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Our stall.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FKIrqQX.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/FKIrqQX.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So basically, Vinco Farm was showcasing two of their products - a new Masala-flavoured tea, and "3 paste", which is a cooking paste made from Ginger, Garlic and Culantro. All ingredients are locally grown. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To show the advantage of "3 paste", my sister and her team fried two different batches of chicken kebabs, one made with "3 paste" and another without, and these were given out as free samples for visitors to eat and taste the difference between the two. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lpLVh39.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/lpLVh39.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Very smart marketing strategy indeed. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And of course, the difference between the "3 paste" kebab and normal kebab was very prominent. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Most of the people who tried out the free samples ended up buying a packet of "3 paste". </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A large number of children also came to the stall again and again because of the free sample, lolz, but they were so adorable as they shyly asked with a silly grin if they could have the free sample again for the umpteenth time. :D </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Another plus point was that, the Vinco Farm stall was right at the entrance of the stalls section, guaranteeing maximum exposure.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/9T5Txtm.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/9T5Txtm.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As the main Anthurium Festival event was about to start, I headed up to the grounds with Nicky to experience it, while the rest of the Vinco Farm people were busy at their stall.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/E18oYWA.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/E18oYWA.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You could make out that the road was recently repaired for this event, with a slight hint of fresh tar smell still lingering in the air.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The path to the main stage was lined up with vendors selling homemade ice cream and popcorn. These were probably the locals of Reiek village, and occasions like this would be such a blessing for them.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CeNbcCv.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/CeNbcCv.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The event was kickstarted by members of the Mizo Cultural Organisation Gen Hq with our traditional "Hlado chham" which is a hunter's cry to his village to inform them of a great kill. Three shots were fired from their guns and people rejoiced as the Anthurium Festival was officially declared open.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/33kY7BB.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/33kY7BB.jpg" width="100%" /> </a> <br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Image source: <a href="https://dipr.mizoram.gov.in/post/anthurium-festival-2023-celebrated-in-reiek" target="_blank">DIPR website</a>]</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Next came a beautiful vocal performance by the popular gospel band "One in Christ" which was started by my fellow Arsenal fan mate Aldrin. This was followed by a speech from the Chief Guest, Dr. Lalrozama IAS, surrounded by two very pretty flower girls.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8XhJ3Np.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/8XhJ3Np.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since the photo I took from the gallery is too far, here is another photo from <a href="https://dipr.mizoram.gov.in/post/anthurium-festival-2023-celebrated-in-reiek" target="_blank">DIPR website</a>.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/D7J5Zrw.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/D7J5Zrw.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Interesting to note is that, every year the Chief Guest of Anthurium Festival was a Minister of State. However, with the Legislative Assembly elections coming up next month, due to the Model Code of Conduct, that practice was prohibited, and that's why the Chief Guest this year was the Secretary of the Tourism Department.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That's also probably why the Chief Guest speech was so interesting this year. :P</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After the speech, members of Pachhunga University College Chhhawkhlei Cultural Club dressed in different Mizo attires treated us to a beautiful performance of different Mizo traditional dances.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3E3LsbF.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/3E3LsbF.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was completely mesmerized by the dance performance because it was not only stunning but also impressively lengthy! Just when I thought it was over, the music track changed a bit and there they were, swaying gracefully to yet another melodic enchantment.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BRcXdHy.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/BRcXdHy.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/y2JCm9u.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/y2JCm9u.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You can also have a look at the dance videos I took with my phone. Since YouTube integration on Blogger is not very user-friendly, do press the "enlarge" button to watch the videos in full screen.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5-7QL2NBFD0"></iframe></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While every experience so far was amazing, I did feel a bit disappointed and that was because I had zero network on my mobile phone! Yes, let me warn you - if you're a Vodafone subscriber, then you will not get any signal at the venue. I had to ask Andrew to hotspot me all the time just to update my WhatsApp status.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So yeah, you can imagine my jealousy when I spotted my dear friend Zocop happily live-streaming the event on Facebook while I didn't even have a teeny weeny bar of network! :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As other programs like solo and more speeches followed, Nicky and I quickly went and visited the traditional Mizo village nearby.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZljnBYv.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZljnBYv.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was free entry for all because of the ongoing festival, otherwise, it was ₹ 20 and ₹ 10 entrance fee on other days.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/iKp9Hmr.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/iKp9Hmr.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The Mizo village had an ensemble of different houses. The first was the most important of all - the Zawlbuk, which was a dormitory for young unmarried warriors to sleep in the night. The presence of Zawlbuk was crucial to the defence of the village.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QYXdn6F.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/QYXdn6F.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We visited each house one by one. There were people in each house, dressed traditionally and enacting actions such people would be doing in those days. I think an "educational cosplay" would be the right term for it.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MlAu3Br.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/MlAu3Br.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Inside each house, there were also different household items, and they differed greatly between classes.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WZ57gDK.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/WZ57gDK.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Like the "Lal in" which was the Chief's house had beds, a stove, balconies, etc while the "Minaran in" which was the commoner's house had just a loom.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dZ5ZyB4.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/dZ5ZyB4.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">At the far end and bottom of the village was the secluded "Hmeithai in" which was the widow's house. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/d7IjiD4.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/d7IjiD4.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I wasn't surprised to see the location of the widow's house. Being a patriarchal society, widows weren't ostracised but they did face a lot of discrimination back in the days. Even the sons of widows were looked down upon and weren't considered to be suitable suitors when it came to marriage. But thanks to the wokes, the societal standing and condition of widows and single mothers are much better today.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The hunter's house was pure testosterone. There were weapons and skulls of different kills everywhere, though in the image below, the modern shoes under the bed weren't a part of the original setup. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tl00fjJ.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/tl00fjJ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dgOAUcZ.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/dgOAUcZ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As we heard loud cheers and music coming from the main stage, we quickly headed back.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TXFYejd.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/TXFYejd.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I went and peeped quickly inside the camping section. It was a place where people could book a tent and stay for the night. My friend and fashion designer Mami Khawlhring was also one of the officials helping with the costumes and she was staying in one of the tents. In fact, in the photo below, I am sure that is Mami Khawlhring's butt. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/m58vUAi.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/m58vUAi.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Next on stage was a cultural dance performance by Govt. Hrangbana College Zunleng Cultural Club. You can watch the video below too.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/x6Bt91S.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/x6Bt91S.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/saHLL5VUThA"></iframe></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After that, we had an educational display of what women used to do in the village during the day, courtesy of the Mizo Hmeichhe Insuihkhawm Pawl (MHIP) Reiek branch.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dbii46H.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/dbii46H.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BG5Q1z4tZAE"></iframe></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We also took a selfie with the legendary Mizo YouTuber Vanlalpianga. What an honour it was.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/v4PVRCX.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/v4PVRCX.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We soon headed back to the stalls below while other events like modern dances, skateboarding and stuff happened on the main stage.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back at the stall, the host of the festival and celebrity presenter Angelina Paul interviewed Nico and he explained about the speciality of the two products.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CGplyHQ.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/CGplyHQ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Soon celebrity YouTuber Vanlalpianga also approached our stall. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IYP6U8z.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/IYP6U8z.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Nicky jumped into action and did the explaining this time.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BDSZqNP.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/BDSZqNP.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We walked around and visited the other stalls. I was still so full from our earlier brunch that I still couldn't eat anything. However, we did try out the "Zupui" and it was indeed a very different feeling to drink it right next to the police! :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rlHAfSL.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/rlHAfSL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But to be frank, I didn't find any difference between the Zupui we just had and the Zufang we had earlier. Maybe I am not a Zu connoisseur after all. :P</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also didn't try out the masala tea Vinco Farm was making as I don't drink tea. After all, I am a teatotaller. :D :P</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Soon it was 3pm - time for me to head back. I had to go all the way back to my farm at Neihbawih because of Dobby and Robin. Ahhhh fatherhood. Life of a single dad.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IKWWfg6.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/IKWWfg6.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Nico too had to leave early due to an upcoming KTP program that night, so I went with him on his scooty.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8eOCkFe.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/8eOCkFe.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xZz474i.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/xZz474i.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What a great experience it was for me. My first Anthurium Festival. Wish I could have stayed till the end because I knew many of my friends had after-party plans at the venue, but unfortunately, I had to sacrifice all that because of my children. Goodbye Anthurium Festival.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ylUzvjE.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ylUzvjE.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We stopped briefly to admire the breathtaking scenic beauty. By the way, you can click on all images to enlarge to a new window.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bEdJQXv.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/bEdJQXv.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once we crossed the midway Tlawng bridge, Aizawl didn't seem to be that far away.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UwHmKnL.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/UwHmKnL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BoRAOZK.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/BoRAOZK.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All in all, I had a very memorable time thanks to my sister and the people of Vinco Construction and Farm. I reached home, packed quickly and left for Neihbawih again, where I was reunited with Robin and Dobby as they excitedly jumped all over me.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience. As I end this post, I think I'll just quickly address the elephant in the room - the critics of the Anthurium Festival.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yes, there are several people here in Mizoram who feel that the Anthurium Festival is unnecessary, that it is just a made-up festival with the sole purpose of attracting tourists and profiting from them. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well... I mean... what is so bad in that?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While I do understand their perspective and argument that we have many actual cultural festivals like Chapchar Kut, Mim Kut (not related to vaimim :P), Pawl Kut etc., I think organizing a popular "made-up event" does benefit our state by boosting tourism and economy. Given our unfortunate status as the state with the highest debt and fiscal deficit in India, why not let the Tourism department generate revenue to replenish some of our depleted coffers?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Let's also not forget that other "made-up" events like... Valentine's Day, Halloween, Oktoberfest, NH7, etc had all been extensively promoted and commercialised successfully.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I would like to know about your opinion on that and you can leave your comment here or on Facebook. Hoping to see you all again on my next update. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Take care, everyone.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-57217175011898580802023-10-17T09:30:00.002+05:302023-10-17T09:39:14.061+05:30Chp 892. Hello Kimchi<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So this will be my last post in this series of introducing my dogs to you. :)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is how I became a father of five beloved dogs as I welcomed my fifth one. Say hello to Kimchi!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1GP97rx.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/1GP97rx.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I will make this post short as I am going down to Aizawl later today. I have an appointment with Dr. James to get Kimchi, Tom and Jojo neutered. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In my previous post, I mentioned about how unplanned Tom was. Well, Kimchi was even more unplanned, lolz. It all started with a lie! :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So last year, my dear niece had been asking me a lot about getting a new puppy. Her mom, my eldest sister, is a super anti-dog person. As in, she doesn't hate dogs, it's just that she can't stand dogs (or cats or any domesticated pets for that matter).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Like if she's sitting at the dining table and a dog comes next to her, she will climb up the table and sit on it. She's not afraid of the dog or hates it, she just can't stand it, that type.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So I was pretty surprised when my niece told me her mom had finally given her permission to own a puppy. I didn't bother to verify with my eldest sister as I assumed since my other sister and I had been taking care of a lot of strays, maybe she had a change of heart as well.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so in October last year when Duati from my neighbouring farm gave birth to a litter of puppies, I booked one for my niece.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tkP96G4.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/tkP96G4.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bugrgeS.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/bugrgeS.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then on my niece's birthday, 15th December 2022, our driver came to the farm on his bike and he carried off the puppy back to Aizawl as a birthday present.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ygfiwzo.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ygfiwzo.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All in all, I did feel like a good uncle, giving a gift that mattered to my niece.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Except... yeah, my niece had lied to me, lolzzzz. My eldest sister had NEVER given my niece any permission to own a puppy! Ahhhhhh I had to listen to a barrage of long calls from my eldest sister that night, lolz.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But my niece was very happy indeed. She named him "Kimchi".</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/q7vsrlG.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/q7vsrlG.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">She cared for Kimchi daily and he was always fresh and clean and smelling wonderful, a far cry from my dogs her at the farm, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But after just three weeks of immense pampering, Kimchi was back at my farm because my niece and sister had to go to Bangkok for their vacation, something they had planned months ago.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had ordered a cage from Amazon for Jojo (it was around the time that I had just bought him from my farmhand) and the cage had just arrived at my farm. So instead of Jojo, Kimchi utilised it, lolz. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PXNtvtG.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/PXNtvtG.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Aweee just look at his adorable face.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/U7bEU1u.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/U7bEU1u.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The cage was important because Jojo and Kimchi weren't toilet-trained yet, so I didn't want them pooping everywhere inside my farmhouse.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DHlLAyC.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/DHlLAyC.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Curious Dobby and Robin looking at the new creature, while Kimchi was afraid to make eye contact with them. So cute.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KwB7sCV.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/KwB7sCV.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And of course when my mom visited, she continued to pamper Kimchi.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zR5kjTB.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/zR5kjTB.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kimchi and Jojo in their cage. Do note that Jojo was bigger than Kimchi then.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/peSHxrd.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/peSHxrd.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kimchi and Jojo eating dinner.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dvktB5J.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/dvktB5J.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So here's the thing. In the three weeks that my niece was looking after Kimchi, she carried him the entire day, like how we cradle babies in our arms. Kimchi got used to that and so whenever he was out of his cage, he would always demand to be carried, aarrgghh.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Even if I ignored him, he would attempt to climb up my lap! And then finally I succumbed to his cuteness and the moment I carried him in my arms, he feel off to sleep.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/eWrVKdz.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/eWrVKdz.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And that's how I was working the entire day, lolz!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TVqIFaz.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/TVqIFaz.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes when I had an important presentation to pitch to clients, I would hire our farm neighbour's daughter and she would "babysit" Kimchi the whole day.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Q5Ucro3.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q5Ucro3.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kimchi slowly started roaming outside the farmhouse after a week. He was super scared of Dobby, lolz, and even if Dobby growled a bit, he would scream with all his might! :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6bg9ctz.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/6bg9ctz.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My two bois and Kimchi.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SYvjl73.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/SYvjl73.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kimchi was probably thinking, "Someday, I am going to be on that bed too!" :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/505pHtY.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/505pHtY.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But on 17th Jan 2023, I suddenly had to go home. My mom was having a minor cataract operation at Guwahati and my niece went with her. My sister at home was also joining her. And my eldest sis and niece were still in Bangkok, so there was nobody at home so I had to stay at home.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so, the chhangchhe life began! :D </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I left Tom and Jojo in the care of my new farmhand, telling them how to feed them their food and treats etc., and then I hired a car from TBC Rental and took Dobby, Robin and Kimchi with me to Aizawl. Oh what a hectic life, lolz!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MrnS7X0.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/MrnS7X0.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bFQdknM.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/bFQdknM.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back at our empty house, Snowy welcomed us. Dobby, Robin and Kimchi settled in, and then that was it. We waited for the others to return to Mizoram.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jTTwUsx.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/jTTwUsx.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kimchi of course preferred the urban cosy life, while Robin and Dobby missed the farm.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nknqDTW.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/nknqDTW.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, my mom, niece and sis were back from Guwahati, and my other sis and other niece were also back from Bangkok.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I returned Kimchi to my niece and then I went back to the farm with Dobby and Robin, where an excited pair of Tom and Jojo awaited us.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After that, things were back to normal, though my eldest sister would call me up occasionally to complain about Kimchi, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But a month later, my eldest sister could no longer restrain herself. She had a long talk with her daughter, I'm sure there were tears here and there, a few arguments too, and then of course the provider of the family won the debate, lolz, and it was eventually decided that Kimchi would live at my farm permanently.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so on March 23rd 2023, Kimchi arrived at the farm, this time for good. I felt bad for my niece as she had got really attached to him. She didn't even come to the farm to drop him off as it would be too painful for her so her younger sister came instead.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But to be frank, it</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> wasn't a bad decision for Kimchi because he would be much happier at the farm where he could run everywhere and be in the company of other dogs.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kimchi's mom Duati came to visit him too, and they still recognised each other.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VIs9Lqd.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/VIs9Lqd.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kimchi too was starting to love the farm life. He played with Jojo and Tom the whole day, and occasionally with Robin too, though he distanced himself from Dobby. Just look at how he was already bigger than Jojo, lolz.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FljQxO3.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/FljQxO3.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I removed their cage too as he could easily jump over it.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/X3HNqce.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/X3HNqce.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He grew up fast too and was learning the works as well. Whenever they heard some noise outside the farmhouse in the night, he would run with Robin and Dobby to investigate.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/AJQoDH0.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/AJQoDH0.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But then, every positive has a negative too. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Soon, my five bois would run outside my farm! I had spent so many times running after them and chasing them back to my farm! When it was just Dobby, he never used to do this. Then came Robin and they didn't do it. Then came Jojo and Tom and they still didn't do it. And then came Kimchi and they all suddenly started running outside my farm, arrrgghhh!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XaFpJNI.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/XaFpJNI.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had to put steel meshes on all the gaps at my farmgate and border fencing because of them!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BUW3HpJ.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/BUW3HpJ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had to put steel meshes on my farmhouse as well.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6qv1iCI.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/6qv1iCI.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And finally, I had to put an iron net around my entire farmhouse vicinity. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UYYOUSZ.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/UYYOUSZ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Man, I spent soooo much just for all that. And yes, I blame Kimchi for it all, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But yes, I think it's worth it when you look into their eyes and see the love and affection.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ejBYYrW.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ejBYYrW.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so, that's the story of how I became a father of five.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/v2ASwqs.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/v2ASwqs.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hope you enjoy this post and hope today's operation on Kimchi, Tom and Jojo goes well. This is my last blog update while they still have balls. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So until my next update, take care.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-73686894264796552842023-10-16T11:55:00.003+05:302023-10-16T12:29:17.516+05:30Chp 891. Hello Tom and Jojo<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Welcome back to my blog :)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Today I will introduce you to my two doggos Tom and Jojo, and how I became their dad.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HCccQse.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/HCccQse.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ah, their story was another drama-filled one too.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As I mentioned in my <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2023/09/chp-890-hello-robin.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> about Robin (and Tiger), my farmhand had a habit of getting drunk. I turned a blind eye to it because he didn't create any trouble when he was drinking alone.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The problem arose when his wife also drank. Once the two of them were drunk, then all hell would break loose. They would always get into a fight and create a huge ruckus.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Finally, after many warnings and </span><b style="font-family: helvetica;">two </b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">final warnings, I had to let them go.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Around a month later on 2nd November 2022, our new farmhand and his wife moved in. And along with their belongings, they also brought their two new pups</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1E9Imlr.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/1E9Imlr.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yup, Jojo and Tom were actually theirs. Just look at how tiny and scrawny they both were!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/B2xIU5h.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/B2xIU5h.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: justify;">Tom was around 5 months old so he was a bit protective and barked at me because I was a stranger. Jojo on the other hand was around a month old, and he was still too innocent and naive to know right from wrong, or, danger from safety.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hIUAR6f.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hIUAR6f.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jojo could even barely stand up! He was like this small ball of innocence, inquisitiveness, and cuteness all rolled into one.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/exNYkM9.gifv" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/exNYkM9.gif" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">However, they both warmed up to me the moment I fed them milk.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YFTBMmd.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/YFTBMmd.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QrDKoP9.gifv" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QrDKoP9.gif" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They were like, "Who dis stranger being nice to us?" :P</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Although puppies shouldn't be separated from their mother until they are 2 months old, my new farmhand had no other option but to bring Jojo along because of their new job.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Considering how scrawny he was, I didn't think he would last long, especially in my harsh farm environment. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But my farmhand's wife was a dotting mother and she took good care of him.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As the days went by, it felt good because Tom and Jojo knew when to keep their distance, and my farmhand also kept them on a leash inside their quarter for most of the day since Dobby and Robin were outside.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tom and Jojo loved those few occasions when they got to eat the leftovers of Dobby and Robin. Both Dobby and Robin allowed them to come inside my farmhouse eventually and eat their leftovers, though this didn't happen overnight of course. It took a few days for them to warm up to their presence.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Just look at how my boys accepted them wholeheartedly. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MO3kAac.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MO3kAac.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JPHO0KP.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JPHO0KP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QP451YA.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QP451YA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Good boy Robin and Dobby indeed.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Even then, Tom was still a bit cautious, so it would be just Jojo who was brave enough to approach my two boys.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SMHCxPy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SMHCxPy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/h7TKSpd.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/h7TKSpd.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, I started feeding Tom and Jojo regularly. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/OLE0R5P.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OLE0R5P.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When my regular vet Dr. James visited me at my farm to make a house call, I got both Tom and Jojo vaccinated too and made them their own "vaccine passport" as well.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Though they were both tiny, they were fitting in really well with my boys.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mKSlHv9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mKSlHv9.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My new farmhand and his wife weren't exactly living up to my expectations though.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Let's put it this way - Farmlife wasn't for them. In any occupation that we do, we adjust our lifestyle accordingly to that line of work. But they, unfortunately, weren't able to do that. I mean, they even bought a washing machine with their first month's salary, which I, their employer paying their salary, couldn't afford to have! :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I mean, I am not judging them for their choices, but they were racking up bills faster than me running away from a snake. They had so many bills from the settlement below that they were starting to run into trouble. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Let me just quickly explain the "ba" practice here in Mizoram. Over here, most people buy things on credit. They go to a shop and get the things they want and the shopkeeper records how much is owed, and then they clear their credit once they get their salary. This is a common practice all across Mizoram.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yeah so, they didn't exactly plan their expenditure well and had more debts than their income. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Finally, on 7th December 2022, barely a month since they started working for me, </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I decided to step in and help them out, and agreed to buy Jojo from them just so that they could settle some of their bills.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so cute little Jojo moved from their quarter into my farmhouse that night.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zrol1fA.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zrol1fA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I emptied one of my storage containers and made Jojo sleep in it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby and Robin didn't seem to mind him being in our midst.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/aJkEzsS.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/aJkEzsS.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Awwee just look at how adorable he was. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kZjIvfG.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kZjIvfG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sleep well, sweet Jojo.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IBtyNc5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/IBtyNc5.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The next few days, Jojo slowly got used to living at my farmhouse.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When it was daytime playtime, Jojo avoided Dobby because, you know, the whole alpha bossy thingie, lolz. But Robin was there and Jojo pestered him nonstop. Robin too was accommodating as usual and didn't seem to mind his shenanigans.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/S55DSBw.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/S55DSBw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My regular feeding plate turned from 2 to 3. I ordered some bowls from Amazon immediately, so in the meantime, Jojo was just happily eating from dispo containers.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MlEJUtw.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MlEJUtw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Robin really became like this big brother to Jojo.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cr97nPx.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/cr97nPx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Cosy three bois.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nhVoh3d.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nhVoh3d.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love just watching Jojo quietly as he tries to eat some food that I had slyly left on a box.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vVrfWdm.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vVrfWdm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was at this moment in the image below that Jojo asked the universal question Robin had asked for ages - why was only Dobby allowed on my bed and not them? lolz.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/gziVRAp.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/gziVRAp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sad to say though, my farmhand and his wife finally realised farm-life just wasn't for them. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We had a long talk about it, and we all came to a mutual conclusion that they would look for a different occupation somewhere else. After all, they were really nice people, and they just happened to be in the wrong place.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We set their last working day as 31st Jan, 2023. All in all, they lasted 3 months at my farm.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I helped them find their next job, and on their last day, as they were packing up their belongings, they did drop one last bomb on me - that they still had a few more debts to clear! Aaaargh.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They offered me Tom, and even though I liked Tom a lot, he wasn't exactly farm-dog material. His type of breed is meant for city households, but knowing their situation, I had no other option but to buy Tom from them. They left my farm after that.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so, suddenly, I had Tom in my family too that night. I rolled a spare mattress and Tom spent the night at my farmhouse for the first time, sleeping next to Jojo as he was the only one he was comfortable with due to their history.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SClgQqT.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SClgQqT.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so that is the story of how Jojo and Tom came under my care and I suddenly became a dog-dad of four. I didn't mind Jojo but Tom was totally unplanned for.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tom soon settled into his new family.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RYMnHnh.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RYMnHnh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As the days went by, the four of them created a strong bond with each other.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/NUO4AQF.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/NUO4AQF.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Soon, Jojo could no longer fit between my farmhouse gate grills! :D Just look at how fast he grew in just 3-4 months.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tFe6v8Z.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tFe6v8Z.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Whenever Dobby was outside the farmhouse, the rest of them would immediately climb on my bed, as it was the only time they could do that.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vmZnGl4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vmZnGl4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">With my new farmhouse fencing completed, they would wait for me next to the gate whenever I stepped out to oversee work at the rest of my farm.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Ci3tbJd.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Ci3tbJd.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hope you enjoyed this short story. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My life of course changed as taking care of 4 dogs was completely different from just 2. And that wasn't the end of it, a fifth dog joined me soon after! I'll post about that next, making it the last in this series of introducing my dogs to you.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Until then, take care everyone.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-84285828815099155062023-09-16T20:30:00.001+05:302023-09-16T21:35:06.498+05:30Chp 890. Hello Robin<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So I hope you read my <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2023/09/chp-889-tragic-love-story.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> on how Robin was born. Some might say it felt like a Greek tragedy, but what mattered was how Dobby became the loving father of a child, sired between his girlfriend and sworn enemy.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Say hello to Robin.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CVULukc.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/CVULukc.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So here's a small confession.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When Lalani sent Dobby to Mizoram to live with me at my farm, my mom was happy because she thought we were going to have an actual farm dog who would be roaming outside our farmhouse, especially during the night, protecting us from predators or intruders, and hunting for rodents and creepy-crawlies.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But <i>achshully</i>... no! :D </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby became my spoilt little dotting son. He would cuddle up with me in my bed under the blanket in the night. That was not <i>what</i> mom had in mind at all, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">No matter how many times mom tried to make me let Dobby sleep outside the farmhouse (whenever she visited me at the farm), I wouldn't budge. My Dobby was my <i>leetul doggo</i>. He was my world, my everything. He belonged right under the blanket with me at night time, not out at night risking his life for us. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so finally when Teii gave birth to a litter of puppies, by which time our new farmhand and family had moved in, my mom bought two of the puppies. She realised that I was never going to make Dobby live outside our farmhouse. She paid Pi Thuami ₹1500 each for the two puppies. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hy4Bhkm.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/hy4Bhkm.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/C7nQUba.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/C7nQUba.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The puppies were going to be our farmhand's dogs, solely looked after by him. They would be the ones who would actually be vigilant during the night (the role that Dobby was supposed to play, lolz).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so on 24th Feb 2022, two months after they were born, my farmhand and I went down to Pi Thuami's farm to collect our two new puppies.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/aVrXfaC.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/aVrXfaC.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/GgcUmER.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/GgcUmER.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since our new farmhand was going to be the owner of the new puppies, we gave him the honour of naming the two puppies. He came up with the names "Robin" and "Tiger".</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Say hello to Robin and Tiger.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QwRPiUb.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QwRPiUb.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Robin and Tiger stayed at our farmhand's quarter. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ydyN8of.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ydyN8of.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Initially, they didn't venture out, but slowly they started becoming more curious about the world around them. Eventually, they started venturing outside their new house.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/2E3vRth.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2E3vRth.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Meanwhile, Dobby was keeping a watchful eye over them.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nD1XH4t.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nD1XH4t.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Encounter of the Robin and the Dobby, lolz.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Up5lbcG.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Up5lbcG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tiger and Robin always huddled together, hesitant to approach Dobby...</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vhCOcxh.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vhCOcxh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They must have missed their mom, but unlike the neighbouring farms who bought one puppy each, we bought two so that they would have each other's company and not feel lonely. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Just look at how cute they both were.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/k4eOfzo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/k4eOfzo.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ECsqrMU.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ECsqrMU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In the next few days, they started roaming around our farmhouse vicinity, sniffing the ground everywhere with their cute little puppy noses.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RI06TJr.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RI06TJr.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I didn't want to get involved because I knew how possessive Dobby could be, and so I kept my distance from them. But slowly, curiosity got the better of them and they started approaching me.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JA9kiaT.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JA9kiaT.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The moment they came near my leg, that would be when Dobby got into action and growled at them immediately. They would shriek and yelp with all their might when that happened as if they were going through great agonising pain, even though Dobby didn't even touch them. Ahhh such little drama queens! :D </span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But slowly, they started picking up more courage to approach Dobby. He was still eyeing them with suspicion. I guess he was conflicted. On one hand, they were the sons of his beloved girlfriend Teii, but on the other hand, they were also the sons of his sworn enemy Toshi. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Y4Snggy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Y4Snggy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JqtwBok.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JqtwBok.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This one time, my dear cousin Mimi Hrahsel and her husband C-a visited me at the farm. Mom was also staying with me then. Just look at the photo below and see where Robin and Tiger were. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ffV4ESq.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ffV4ESq.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So when mom and C-a went to a spot for a possible chicken coop, the curious puppies followed mom, and when mom and C-a started discussing how the coop should be constructed, the type of food to feed, the structure of the henhouse etc., the puppies got bored and fell asleep. Since it was sunny, they slept in mom's shadow, and if mom moved a bit, they too would move a bit to remain in her shadow! :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/gx7AiXo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/gx7AiXo.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Soon, after two weeks, Robin and Tiger finally built enough courage to slowly walk into our farmhouse! :D <i>Tren tren table lamp...</i></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cjKYDYw.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/cjKYDYw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Surprisingly, Dobby was cool with it! He even allowed them to eat his leftovers! I felt so proud as a dog dad right then. Parenting done right, woohooo!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ICVppmh.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ICVppmh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But of course, bigggggg mistake to let them eat Dobby's leftover. They tasted meat for the first time! After that day, they no longer wanted to eat the food our farmhand was making for them, and they would come to my farmhouse every day waiting for Dobby's leftover food.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/e1xbDvC.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/e1xbDvC.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Oh nos, what have I done, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Just look at Robin's judgemental smirk. He was probably thinking, "You call this a secure gate? Look at me, I can get in and out anytime I want, bwahaha. What useless security is it providing?" :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/2FEhKTj.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2FEhKTj.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so eventually, I ended up making food for them every day, lolz. It was hopeless trying to make them eat at our farmhand's quarter. I made two plates every morning and evening, one for Dobby and the other one shared by Robin and Tiger. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zAaJMxj.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zAaJMxj.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As they all bonded more, Robin and Tiger started following Dobby wherever he went.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/evwXMuO.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/evwXMuO.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They became his kid number 1 and kid number 2 (which is a funny phrase in Mizo).</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/B2QsgSJ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/B2QsgSJ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This one time we burnt some patches of our land (not to be confused with <i>jhum cultivation</i>, this is different, we do this in the summer when forest fires happen easily and so these patches of burnt land stop the fire from spreading to the entire farm). Robin and Tiger followed Dobby there and had an amazing time playing in the ashes, lolz.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/442M3jA.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/442M3jA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RR2btsu.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RR2btsu.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But on 15th March 2022, three weeks after Robin and Tiger started living with us, something undesirable happened.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mom had already gone back to the city and I was working on my computer late in the night when suddenly I heard the sound of pots and kitchenware crashing on the floor and people shouting. Dobby too woke up immediately.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I grabbed my torchlight and ran to our farmhand's quarter and kicked their door open, where I found our farmhand and his wife, both pissed drunk, arguing! I mean he wasn't physically being violent, but they were both screaming at each other and throwing things on the floor. I was super mad!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I shouted at them both and they both profusely apologised. I looked under their bed and both Robin and Tiger were huddled together, extremely terrified with the noise. I told my farmhand and his wife to sleep immediately and that we would talk about this incident the next morning, and I also told them I was taking Robin and Tiger back with me at the farmhouse as this was not a suitable environment for them.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so I bought Robin and Tiger back to my farmhouse. That was the first night they spent at my farmhouse.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CDoKYmM.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/CDoKYmM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Look at Dobby eyeing them above :D And just look at how cute Tiger and Robin were below.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/sY3JOro.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/sY3JOro.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Awweee. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XoYYC8u.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/XoYYC8u.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby too eventually went to sleep. That was also the first night Dobby didn't come up to the bed to sleep with me! :D He probably didn't want the puppies to know that behind that mask of terror and alpha ferocity is a timid little dog who still sleeps with his papa, lolzz.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/2VIxTMW.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2VIxTMW.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The next morning, my farmhand and his wife came to apologise again, and I gave them a real last final warning, as I had caught them drunk on two previous occasions as well. Don't get me wrong, they were doing great work on the farm and were excellent in looking after Robin and Tiger, and loving them, but they just couldn't handle their drink.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was planning to return Robin and Tiger to them the next day, but they kept running back to my farmhouse, and so I ended up keeping them. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/I7ikon1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/I7ikon1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Q6hz42o.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q6hz42o.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They ate good food, from chicken broth rice to milk and other treats.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MOyDK8V.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MOyDK8V.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/axEtmY2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/axEtmY2.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My mom too realised this might be better as they would grow up faster because of the healthy food and then we could finally give them back to our farmhand.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But of course, right then, they were still so tiny. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/orvlyn4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/orvlyn4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The funniest thing was, mom who had never been fond of dogs, would occasionally pick up Robin or Tiger and cradle them to sleep in her arms! :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IRvQKQ4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/IRvQKQ4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But of course, she had to tread carefully as they were always sleeping around her leg. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dLjge3G.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/dLjge3G.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The thing is, they didn't have much place to move around as they were afraid of getting into Dobby's space. They completely avoided his bed in case he would get angry.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ipUISBT.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ipUISBT.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jQdYunQ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jQdYunQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I mean, come on, look at how cute they were :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5T4qT9Y.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5T4qT9Y.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The downside to having them in my farmhouse was the occasional poop, as they weren't completely toilet-trained yet to poop outside. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/695YS7l.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/695YS7l.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But I think you know, it's worth it :)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then around 3-4 days into living with us, something wild happened! Tiger and Robin occupied Dobby's bed! Lolz.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/LOOka6r.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/LOOka6r.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So much guts, lolzzzz. And they even slept peacefully on it.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RpVhRir.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RpVhRir.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Night time. The acid test. Will Dobby continue to allow them to sleep on his bed or not? The suspense!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/heMQdUK.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/heMQdUK.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby was... I guess okay with them sleeping on his bed. And anyway, he slept with me on my bed, so it was kinda pointless of him to have his own bed in the first place :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xtfK3EC.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xtfK3EC.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Just look at him stubbornly trying to sleep on his bed, lolzzz. But Robin wouldn't budge, bwahahahaha! :D </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cbepVj8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/cbepVj8.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, he gave up and came up to bed next to me! :D </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Screw this!" he said, as he surrendered his bed to them, and then shamelessly took over mine. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ueOxfcj.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ueOxfcj.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A moment to rejoice for Robin and Tiger as they now had their own bed.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hfn71DG.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hfn71DG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yayyy, so cosy, much warmth, such comfort!</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uN4giac.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uN4giac.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">They're probably thinking, "Now that we have conquered his bed, what next?" :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hAT6Sez.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hAT6Sez.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But of course, once they had the bed, like all humans who no longer want things they already own, I found them randomly sleeping on the floor afterwards. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/iuHqAHJ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/iuHqAHJ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/D12B9HA.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/D12B9HA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also gave them their first bath, fulfilling the role of a perfect dad. :) You can see Robin below not very excited about the idea of being washed.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RrX6CpS.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RrX6CpS.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But both of them responded really well to the bath.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vxWlWJc.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vxWlWJc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Meanwhile, Dobby of course wasn't liking it, lolz. He was like, "Now they're invading <i>our</i> special bath time moment too!!??? This was our personal thing, how could you do this to me?" :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5OrSStJ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5OrSStJ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In fact, you can see below that he was clearly not happy and didn't even look at my camera properly when it was time to take our ceremonial selfie together every time we took a bath. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cYZqWbO.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/cYZqWbO.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The after-bath special treats too were there, and Dobby told the dripping puppies to wait their turn while he went through the snacks. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/u15pelc.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/u15pelc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So fresh and clean now. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/441XqGW.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/441XqGW.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a brief moment, it felt like I was living in the perfect world here at my farm.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6w9iXwH.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6w9iXwH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But then something extremely terrible happened on 26th March 2022, just barely a month since we bought Robin and Tiger from Pi Thuami.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I still remember that day so clearly, because it was so impactful.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On the 26th morning, everything was fine. We woke up, I opened the farmhouse gate, the dogs ran out, welcoming the morning sun. Later Robin and Tiger fought cutely on their bed and I even took a video of it. Everything was normal and all three of them were having fun outside... until Tiger came back inside the farmhouse alone in the afternoon and just lay down on the bed.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/9ibBBZk.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/9ibBBZk.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">At first, I thought Tiger must be feeling a bit tired. Robin would run into the farmhouse many times, beckoning his bro to play with him outside, but Tiger wouldn't budge. He just smiled at his brother and went back to sleep.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By evening, he was still in bed and that's when I started worrying a bit. Once it was dark, Dobby and Robin came inside and then </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Robin just lay next to Tiger like a dutiful brother. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XLyPz9K.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/XLyPz9K.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vzkagrw.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vzkagrw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That night, Tiger didn't eat dinner. Again, I wasn't panicking yet because there had been times when Dobby wouldn't eat dinner too, when he had some stomach issues. But he was always back to eating on the next meal time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We all went to sleep after that.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">27th March, 2022. The next morning, I woke up to find both Robin and Tiger sleeping like this. So cute.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hPWjCUH.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hPWjCUH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I thought Tiger was okay, but he still didn't run outside with Dobby and Robin.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then when it was breakfast time, Tiger didn't eat again. I finally started worrying, and I called up Lalani who told me to feed Tiger some electrolyte solution. I felt a bit relieved when Tiger drank some of it.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1K4m99j.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1K4m99j.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That night, it looked like he was recovering, as Tiger seemed to be sleeping in his usual normal position. I said good night to them again.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/z8IElvG.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/z8IElvG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">28th March, 2022. I woke up in the morning in horror. Tiger had puked and shat inside the farmhouse and it looked like blood!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I called up Lalani again, who suspected it might be parvo but Robin was perfectly fine, so we brushed that off for the time being. She told me to take him to the vet as soon as possible. Since I lived in a very remote place, it wasn't possible to arrange a vehicle that day, but I was able to book a cab for the next morning.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tiger remained in bed the whole day and Robin would come inside the farmhouse just to spend some time next to his brother.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pcipQWv.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pcipQWv.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was still feeling positive because of the vet appointment the next day.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That night, Robin lay next to his brother very gently and lovingly. I just realised after putting this photo that you can still see some blood in the photos below which I must have missed cleaning... :(</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fNuR2RK.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fNuR2RK.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xxd0D0K.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xxd0D0K.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">29th March, 2022. I woke up to more blood inside the farmhouse. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then I heard some extremely disturbing news that morning. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All the other siblings of Robin and Tiger were ALL sick! All the other farms below ours, like Pi Ju-i, Pi Zuii, Pu Huma, Pu Muanpuia etc had all taken one puppy each. There had been 3 or 4 occasions when some of the puppies came to our farm and they all played together. That's probably how they must have infected each other.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Lalani was now 90% sure it was parvo, or Canine Parvovirus as we call it. It is a highly contagious virus that mostly affects unvaccinated dogs, and puppies that are younger than four months old are said to be at the highest risk of contracting this virus.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My cab finally arrived and we took Tiger to my friend Dr. Mahminga's clinic at Bawngkawn, who confirmed that it was indeed parvo! Tiger was put on a drip immediately and we spent the whole afternoon at his clinic.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dr. Mahminga told us to bring him back the next day for another round of drip.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On our way back, I visited the other farms below us and learnt that Pi Ju-i's puppy and Pu Huma's puppy had passed away that afternoon!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back at the farmhouse, I moved Tiger's bed to our farmhand's quarter as it was very important to separate Robin and Dobby from Tiger. Tiger would be sleeping at our farmhand's quarter again.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That evening, Tiger went missing three times! We found him lying down hidden among a tall patch of grass, inside a small hole below my farmhouse, and behind the farmhand's toilet between the septic tank and wall. All three times we were frantically searching for him and shouting his name, but he didn't respond to any of our calls. It was as if he just wanted to die someplace in isolation without burdening us. My heart broke. Just look at his face.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JUFEKvY.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JUFEKvY.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">30th March, 2022. As soon as I woke up, I ran to our farmhand's quarter. There were small puddles of blood everywhere inside their quarter. I took photos but will not be posting them. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Tiger was lying in my farmhand's arms, extremely weak. His wife told me that he had been holding Tiger like that the entire night, except when Tiger went to shit blood or puke blood. :(</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Our cab was about to arrive soon at 8 AM and I went back to my farmhouse to get ready.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then it happened. At around 8AM just before our cab arrived, our farmhand came to my farmhouse with tears rolling down his cheeks and told me Tiger was no more. I ran back to their quarter and cried on seeing his lifeless body.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While I was extremely sad, I wasn't in the right frame of mind to think about it because Robin had just started showing signs of the same symptoms that morning too!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When my cab arrived, I told the driver to wait for an hour or two while my</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> farmhand and I dug a small grave for Tiger.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Isq9wE2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Isq9wE2.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My farmhand was even more sad than me because I became attached to them only for about 10 days while he had been looking after them for three weeks.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pEaDQVx.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pEaDQVx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We placed Tiger inside his permanent home...</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/J5aum3F.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/J5aum3F.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I still couldn't believe how fast everything happened. From 26th to 30th - Just four days and Tiger was gone.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once we buried Tiger and said a short prayer, my farmhand took Robin to Dr. Mahminga again using the same cab (that was supposed to take Tiger). </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I just didn't have the energy and emotional capacity to go back and forth because I was afraid I would lose Robin too. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">At the clinic, Robin too was put on a drip.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That day, I got the sad news that Pu Muanpuia's puppy and Pi Zuii's puppy had died as well.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But Robin was surprisingly showing a good recovery! He wasn't as bad as Tiger, and even when he puked, there was no blood. My farmhand took Robin every day to Dr. Mahminga's clinic. And on the fourth day since Tiger's demise, Dr. Mahminga told me the extremely good news that Robin had completely recovered!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Awwee just look at Robin's small legs where he was receiving the intravenous fluids.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lIvkFDP.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lIvkFDP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Though Robin recovered, you can still see the sadness in his eyes because Tiger was no longer with us... :(</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nZEfbdh.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nZEfbdh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The irony in all this is that, whenever all the puppies came to my farm and played together and ran together, Robin was ALWAYS the last! The rest of the pack would be way ahead while cute little Robin with his short tail was always a few meters behind. We thought he was the <i>budelh</i>, a Mizo term we use in livestock where one sibling is weaker than the rest, and sort of handicapped.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Robin's brothers and sisters were much more fit and faster than him. And <b>yet</b>, they all died, while he was the only one who survived the dreaded parvo. Ironic indeed.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The next few days, Robin didn't play with Dobby or go outside. He stayed in the farmhouse the whole day next to me.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TTvhdZy.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/TTvhdZy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Even when I was working on the computer, he would coil up next to my feet.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZGSPWUX.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZGSPWUX.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And when I went to the toilet to take a dump, he would follow me there as well. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/y4YK1S1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/y4YK1S1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This reminded me of what Dobby used to do two years ago when he first came to live with me at the farm. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/AsA3UbT.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AsA3UbT.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back when Tiger was around, Robin had never followed me this much. I could truly understand how much he was missing Tiger.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And Dobby too had completely toned down and was in a solemn mood during this entire saga. He definitely understood what had happened.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PF8f2Og.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/PF8f2Og.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Suddenly, the bed seemed too big for just Robin, and you can see that in his eyes too.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kmdPxMV.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kmdPxMV.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Shhh... He's dreaming about his brother...</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/L3a1Ppo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/L3a1Ppo.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes I would find him sleeping outside the bed, and I would assume he couldn't sleep in the same bed where his brother had once slept...</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tyvylyO.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tyvylyO.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, Dobby started playing with Robin again, which finally distracted him from his brother.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/J9LzCGq.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/J9LzCGq.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The bond between Dobby and Robin became stronger due to the loss, and Dobby started teaching Robin everything he knew.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ts4DFHX.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ts4DFHX.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Which also included how to beg for food whenever my mom would visit. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/O8pDWr3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/O8pDWr3.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Robin basically just copied everything Dobby was doing. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/EtkHvbF.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EtkHvbF.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here's another gem. I took a photo of the CCTV screen. That's Dobby's favourite spot, and Robin too lay right next to him with the exact same pose, lolz.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BRwa9LJ.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/BRwa9LJ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, Robin was growing up fast.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MzYYPDh.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MzYYPDh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I ordered a new bed from Amazon for Robin because the one he's using is actually Dobby's bed, while Dobby continued using my bed as his. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DQOoFk1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DQOoFk1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, Robin was big enough to climb up to my bed. Which was a problem because Dobby didn't like that. He was like, "You've already occupied my first bed, you're not gonna come and occupy this too!" </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so I had to build a barricade between them in the night so that Robin couldn't climb on the bed.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5HjKyap.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5HjKyap.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hehe, cute :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7AH2bO5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7AH2bO5.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ahhh the drama that took place every night. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZHv1NDR.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZHv1NDR.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, they would both go off to sleep.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Sr1hGZz.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Sr1hGZz.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then when it was time for me to sleep, I would gently move the boxes down on the floor and slide in next to Dobby.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I ordered their own customised dog tags from Amazon, with their names and my contact details.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JMg7tAo.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JMg7tAo.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The inscription means, "If I am lost, please phone my owner's number"</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Q4Emx5c.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q4Emx5c.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also ordered these super cute "Good Boy 1" and "Good Boy 2" jerseys for them. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kQHUrCK.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kQHUrCK.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My good bois. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YzOL6vx.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/YzOL6vx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sleeping good bois.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rkXrzJB.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rkXrzJB.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And of course, my <i>superdog</i> and <i>batdog</i>. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JPRXZHY.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JPRXZHY.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This post became longer than I intended, lolz. 100+ photos, damnnn. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Anyway, I'll stop here now. Thanks for reading till the end, and hope you visit again for more updates. Though the loss of Tiger was sad, hope the cuteness of Robin and Dobby cheered you up.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My mom of course was disappointed because Robin eventually became another farmhouse pampered dog just like Dobby and not the one she was expecting that would be roaming outside in the night, lolz. After this, she never attempted to get another dog again who would play that role because she knew it would be futile.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By the way, this wasn't Robin's only near-death experience, in fact, he had two other near-death experiences, which I hope to write about someday.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So here's wishing you a great weekend. Cheers, and lots of love to you from Robin and Dobby.</span></p>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-40116071253417922452023-09-05T13:12:00.000+05:302023-09-05T13:12:39.009+05:30Chp 889. A tragic love story<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Humans go through different emotions and relationships. But have you ever thought about your dog's romantic life?</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VSJyu6j.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/VSJyu6j.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">How must your dog be feeling about new love interests? Or a crush? Or an ex? Or a cheating partner?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well, sit back and enjoy reading this post, as I take you through the the sad but adorable romantic life of Dobby here at Neihbawih.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I must warn you though, his <strike>tail</strike> tale is a drama-filled soap opera that would put even Erika Mitchell aka E.L. James to shame. :P</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So here we go.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Much like the opening scene of any captivating drama TV series, my farm echoed with the delightful duo of just Dobby and me, running around and </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">leading a happy normal life alone</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. We were content and happy with each other. But the storyline was about to change.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Enter the female protagonist - Teii.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1o8H9gK.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/1o8H9gK.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Teii was Pi Thuami's dog. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Pi Thuami looked after my neighbouring farm. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">She would pass through my farm every morning and return home in the evening.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When Pi Thuami saw that Dobby didn't have any furry playmate, she asked me if she could bring Teii along, instead of locking her up at her house the whole day. There was a possibility that Dobby and Teii could become friends. I agreed. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Initially, of course, there was some tension when Dobby and Teii met for the first time, but just as we hoped, they quickly became friends. That's the beauty about male and female dogs, they don't get territorial.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bDUouZJ.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/bDUouZJ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6cCf3Rj.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/6cCf3Rj.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/eBY0sqN.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/eBY0sqN.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">During the first few days, whenever Pi Thuami reached my farm, Dobby and Teii would spend a few minutes playing together on my farm, and then Teii would follow Pi Thuami to her farm. And then on their way back in the evening, they would play together again, before leaving our farm. Dobby would look forward to their arrival every day.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VDFUX9p.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/VDFUX9p.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8fcjfDp.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/8fcjfDp.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, they started playing together the whole day. They would either be on my farm or Pi Thuami's farm, running everywhere or resting under the shade. It was the best couple of months for them both.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lqIH0f2.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/lqIH0f2.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KGleQcu.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/KGleQcu.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby even allowed his girlfriend to eat from his bowl with no hesitation :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/10Z02Qc.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/10Z02Qc.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We even spent one night helping Pi Thuami look for Teii. There was a severe thunderstorm and Teii didn't go back home. Pi Thuami came to my farm in the night and Dobby sprang into action as we looked for Teii. Dobby barked and she barked back, and eventually, we found her all coiled up and scared under Pi Thuami's <i>thlam</i>. :)</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hd7DrVR.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/hd7DrVR.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But like all drama-filled TV shows, there has to be a change in the plot, right? Enter the villain in the storyline - Toshi.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well, not exactly <i>my</i> villain. Just Dobby's villain. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So before Dobby came into my life and changed it forever, I was living alone on my farm. And then this dog called Toshi used to visit me occasionally.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/apGQzBj.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/apGQzBj.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Toshi was from a retreat centre at Neihbawih, and though his place was quite far from my farm (around 45 minutes by walk), this was the time before the Neihbawih Welfare Association had prohibited dogs from venturing out of their place of residence. And so Toshi would roam around everywhere in Neihbawih during the day, and return in the night to his owners.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uM4FRz0.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/uM4FRz0.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He even stayed one night at my farm because there was a thunderstorm and he couldn't go home. I made a nice bed for him in our sitting room and fed him dinner as well as breakfast the next morning.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/yYD4fwH.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/yYD4fwH.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PdB0HAg.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/PdB0HAg.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6yBgWOi.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/6yBgWOi.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But of course, once Dobby was with me, things had to change. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby was super jealous of Toshi. And much as I pitied Toshi, he had a lot of people looking after him and caring for him, while I was the only one Dobby had. And so I sided with Dobby and told Toshi not to come to my farm anymore.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here's a photo of Dobby preventing Toshi from entering my farm.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/b3rPJPA.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/b3rPJPA.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Despite Dobby hating Toshi, Toshi actually helped me save Dobby's life once, and I'll write about that incident in another post.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dogs are extremely intelligent. To tell Toshi that he shouldn't come to my farm anymore, I didn't have to yell or shout. I simply ignored him or his puppy-affectionate eyes and gave my attention to just Dobby. Toshi understood the message loud and clear, and he never came to our farm again... </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">...until Teii was on heat.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ahhh now we have an explicit sex-twist in the storyline. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After Dobby and Teii spent many months playing together, Teii was on heat, but my poor Dobby, bless his simple heart, was already neutered. That "department" didn't exactly function for Dobby, you know. Teii wanted the <i>boom boom</i>, but Dobby was like "Sorry hon, I have a headache".</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so... enter Toshi again.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Toshi started following Pi Thuami and Teii, and when they entered our farm, Dobby was full-on angry. He was like, "Bruh, didn't I tell you not to come here anymore? Bauh bauh!"</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But Toshi was smart and avoided me, so as not to aggravate the situation further. He focussed only on Teii. Toshi would dare not fight Dobby, especially when he knew I had Dobby's back, but the sexual urge was too <i>hard</i> for him to ignore. You saw what I did there? :P</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Eventually, Dobby was okay with Toshi being around at our farm, as long as he never came near me.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YZsDv3B.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/YZsDv3B.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZogpNXA.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZogpNXA.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then of course the mating started. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby would watch his girlfriend getting hammered from behind by his sworn enemy, and I think that must be one of the worst feelings a man can feel. Fortunately, Dobby was just a dog. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RjMM5BM.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/RjMM5BM.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HT8poDe.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/HT8poDe.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Q9pXCcL.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q9pXCcL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But nevertheless, I did feel really bad for him. I gave him more attention and increased his treats dosage to pull him out of his depression.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Luckily, the mating cycle didn't last long and after a few days, it was over. Teii was no longer on heat and she chased away Toshi. That was the last time I saw Toshi, to this day.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby and Teii were back to playing with each other again, though Teii was pregnant by then.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/W9Xvg4z.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/W9Xvg4z.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once Teii was getting bigger, for her own safety, Pi Thuami locked her in her house again. But Dobby never stopped waiting for Teii to appear every morning. I'm sure you're getting a poignant Hachiko vibe at this moment.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FOLd5Qq.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/FOLd5Qq.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Fortunately, unlike humans, dogs are pregnant for around 2 months only. During that time, Pi Thuami constructed an enclosure, and soon Teii gave birth to a litter of extremely cute and adorable puppies.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fUPp2xm.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/fUPp2xm.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0l8UiMX.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/0l8UiMX.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BodcnvY.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/BodcnvY.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That's how I got my next dog, Robin, sired out of the complicated relationship between Dobby, Teii and Toshi. There are a lot of exciting stories to be read on that, and I hope you come back to read my next post about how Robin came into our lives. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You know those popular T-shirts that say "I'm not the stepdad, I'm the dad who stepped up"? Well, Dobby was like that. He became Robin's dad, like it or not, and you'll love their father-and-son relationship saga in my next post. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/P5MFbms.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/P5MFbms.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sadly though, Pi Thuami had to sell Teii after that. Teii had been suffering from alopecia for a long time, which, in Mizo, we call "tang", and she had spent a large amount of her earnings on Teii's treatments.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By "sell", I hope you all know what it means.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You gotta understand, if you're an animal lover from the city, you may think, why couldn't Pi Thuami just put more effort into Teii's treatment? Well, that's not the reality here in rural areas. A dosage of Teii's treatment meant Pi Thuami didn't have any proper food to eat for a week. Things are different out here, my privileged friends.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I too had just started living with Dobby back then, and with so much farm work and construction going on, my hands were full with just one dog. Had it been how I am right now, well settled and established, I would have definitely bought Teii from Pi Thuami. But back then, the scene was very different.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For a week, Pi Thuami cried every day when she reached my farm as Dobby greeted her and looked everywhere around her for Teii.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sometimes Dobby and I would just stare at the distant Sihphir town from our farm hilltop in the night to mesmerise about Teii...</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YyBRQG3.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/YyBRQG3.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And other times we would welcome the break of dawn with a dramatic silhouette of Dobby trying to express his pain...</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Qj97Tzh.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Qj97Tzh.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I really didn't mean to dampen your mood with this sad ending, but I hope the story of Robin will cheer you up next time. Sorry for this dark turn suddenly.</span></p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-69935219106344824412023-08-23T23:11:00.006+05:302023-08-24T12:17:53.262+05:30Chp 888. And then we were five<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I had mentioned earlier what </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2023/07/chp-885-life-of-single-dad.html" style="font-family: helvetica;" target="_blank">life is like for a single dad</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> these days. You know, being a dog dad. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I never planned for any of this to happen. I was very much content with my one dog. But before I realised what was happening, I became a dad of five beloved dogs.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KLCQzto.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/KLCQzto.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I realised I haven't written anything about my dogs at all on my blog. The thing about blogging is that it's not just about entertaining readers, but it also serves as a nostalgic time machine when you come back years later to read about your experiences.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Every now and then, I would go through some of my old posts during our Mumbai start-up days, like <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2012/11/chp-427-hello-gaddafi.html" target="_blank">Hello Gaddafi</a> (our new Persian), <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2012/11/chp-428-hello-saddam.html" target="_blank">Hello Saddam</a> (our new Beagle), <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2012/11/chp-433-gaddafi-versus-saddam-video.html" target="_blank">Gaddafi vs Saddam</a> (funny encounters), <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2013/05/chp-451-rip-gaddafi.html" target="_blank">RIP Gaddafi</a> (the sad demise), <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2013/09/chp-467-every-dog-has-its-day.html" target="_blank">Every dog has its day</a> (the night I ate Saddam's dinner by mistake and got sick), <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2013/08/chp-462-hello-goodbye-castro.html" target="_blank">Hello & goodbye Castro</a> (our new Lab, who left us again shortly) and, <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2014/09/chp-526-two-new-fluffies-in-family.html" target="_blank">Hello Cheech & Chong</a> (our new Persians).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Likewise, I had documented Dobby's journey to my farm very well, but I haven't really updated my blog again since then, especially about my other new doggos. And so, I'll be doing that from now on.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Say hello to my five children.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wDk3KrS.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/wDk3KrS.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'll introduce them all to you one by one in the next few posts. Right now I just want to point out one thing I've learnt - There is a huge difference between owning a solitary dog, and owning a pack of dogs, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Suppose you need just one "x", x being the time and energy you can spare, to look after one dog, then mathematically speaking, for five dogs, you will need 5x, right? Wrong. Oh so wrong. The x goes exponential. You will need at least 100x. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back when it was just Dobby and me here at my farm, life was bliss. Dobby would spend his days right outside my farmhouse, sunbathing, enjoying the moment, and </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">filled with joie de vivre.</span></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Nt6axQL.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Nt6axQL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MfzDmPy.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/MfzDmPy.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XUEXFCM.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/XUEXFCM.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rzbem2Q.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/rzbem2Q.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JwBHZee.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/JwBHZee.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/f8IRufy.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/f8IRufy.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lwqIeFk.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/lwqIeFk.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/t1nu0jW.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/t1nu0jW.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8Qu86iZ.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/8Qu86iZ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KhqY48b.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/KhqY48b.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was indeed a life-changing experience for Dobby, especially after Lalani had saved him from the streets of Dehradun, nurtured him back to life and sent him all the way to my farm in Mizoram (do read his fascinating <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/12/chp-876-dobbys-journal-finally-neihbawih.html" target="_blank">journey series</a>).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dobby would run into the farmhouse whenever he wanted to play (usually happened around 3-5 in the evening) and my work be damned, he would demand that I play with him, and so I had to drop everything I was doing and the two of us would be running all over our farm playing "fetch". </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And even inside the farmhouse, be it bathing or sleeping, we always did things together. We braved the harsh cold Neihbawih winter together, like a picture-perfect Hallmark movie poster.</span></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/frhIH14.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/frhIH14.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KWaiX0n.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/KWaiX0n.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kMCunC7.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/kMCunC7.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/oqy8Nxk.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/oqy8Nxk.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tO0RyLo.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/tO0RyLo.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1UgijVn.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/1UgijVn.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7k0Gn6a.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/7k0Gn6a.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He would always walk right by my side whenever I roamed around the farm and never left my sight, even when I was busy doing farm chores like weed cutting or ploughing.</span></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8YwgSgU.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/8YwgSgU.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tRV5JKt.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/tRV5JKt.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/GSmfXRx.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/GSmfXRx.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/REyaTSl.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/REyaTSl.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">But that became a bit of a problem when I had to walk down to the foot of the hill to the nearest settlement to buy my weekly supplies, as he would follow me there as well. And so on those long treks, I had to put him on a leash.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6Gtmksh.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/6Gtmksh.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then came my two new puppies - Robin and Tiger. Dobby was super jealous and possessive. He didn't allow them to get anywhere near me, and they learned where to draw the line. Tiger, unfortunately, passed away due to parvovirus, and Dobby became a role model dad for Robin. Robin would follow Dobby wherever he went and started doing whatever he did.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Do read the story of Robin and Tiger when I post it next. Having Robin around relieved me to a certain extent as Dobby had finally found a new playmate.</span></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zRB2w9A.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/zRB2w9A.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then came Jojo and Tom. I'll explain how I got them in their individual post as well. Dobby didn't allow them to get near me either. Suddenly Dobby transformed from being a dad (and big boss) of one, to that of three. The four of them started venturing further and further away from my farmhouse, though they still stayed within the confines of our farm.</span></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZxF0bea.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZxF0bea.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Finally came Kimchi. His story is another drama-filled one, do read it when it's published. So with five high-spirited and energetic dogs suddenly in my possession, my life completely turned upside down. And they were no longer playing and chasing each other inside my farm, they started entering my neighbours' farms!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yup, that's a pack mentality right there.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All it took was just one of the dogs to curiously run inside a neighbouring farm, and the others would run behind him, no longer afraid, like an invading Mongolian horde, s</span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">currying and scampering everywhere into foreign territory,</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"> much to the horror of the farmers working in the adjoining farms!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">As the saying goes, there's strength in numbers.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">But meanwhile, I could see the nuisance and havoc they were creating on other farms. Yikes indeed.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">And so I spent a lot of money buying hundreds of bamboo poles, angle rods, steel meshes and wires. I hired many workers for many weeks to completely fence our farm boundary. </span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/p5EbcS3.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/p5EbcS3.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/J6reAvg.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/J6reAvg.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/LxAHDEi.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/LxAHDEi.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/iKlOqVA.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/iKlOqVA.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">But the naughty dogs just simply dug below or squeezed through or found the next hole. Such a headache.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I even had to put steel meshes on our farm gate to prevent them from squeezing through or wriggling under it to run outside.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fJGzbGM.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/fJGzbGM.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">The look on Dobby's face in the above photo is priceless, lolz. He's thinking, "Why you gotta do this man?" :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">There were many reasons why I had to resort to all this.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">First of all, they were destroying the crops of neighbouring farms. Secondly, the Neihbawih Welfare Association announced that fines would be imposed if dogs were found wandering outside their respective farms. Thirdly, I get anxiety attacks if I don't see them on my farm because there's a sizeable number of people who eat dog meat. And fourthly, they got ensnared many times in fox traps!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Fortunately for me, my neighbouring farmers were very kind and they would release my dogs from their traps, but if they wanted, they could do anything they wanted since it was inside their farm. Here's a photo of Robin I took when he was missing for a couple of hours and I frantically looked for him everywhere, screaming his bloody name, and then I heard his cries coming from my neighbour Pu Hawla's farm (former Mizoram CM). I ran inside his farm through the thick-grown forest and finally found him ensnared like this.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WfFT0Iu.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/WfFT0Iu.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Finally, I had no other option but to completely fence up just my farmhouse vicinity, so that they could no longer wander far.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CjW1Xp0.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/CjW1Xp0.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/B4SXHDl.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/B4SXHDl.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">They became a prisoner of sorts. :D</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Fi0IC18.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Fi0IC18.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">They no longer had the freedom to run wherever they wanted, even within my farm. They were confined to just my farmhouse vicinity. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I did feel bad about it, but then again, they brought this to themselves. Had they been obedient, none of this would have happened.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Compare the two images below and see the contrast in their freedom of movement.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7qiGtls.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/7qiGtls.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZxrUAQh.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZxrUAQh.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">But at the same time, they still had quite a large area at their disposal. There was enough space for them to run and play and do all their shenanigans.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6wupHXT.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/6wupHXT.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/W47DN3K.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/W47DN3K.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">The most important outcome was that I finally found my peace of mind again and could breathe once more. :)</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">And that's the story of them becoming five. Hope you like this post.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I had so many dear friends and family members from the city, asking me if I could look after their dog at my farm too. They do trust me, knowing the extent I would go to make sure they are happy. I really would love to take on more children too, but being out here at my farm all alone and with my heavy work schedule at Ronin Labs, I really can't. My hands are completely full with these five. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Sadly, I had to decline.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I do hope you visit again when I update really interesting stories about the origin of the other dogs. Until then, take care, and hope to see you again. Cheers.</span></p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-87581091478481344482023-08-18T21:08:00.003+05:302023-08-18T21:08:49.132+05:30Chp 887. Back to Imgur again, lolz.<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So after 2 months of hosting my blog post images at Google Drive as I mentioned in my post "<a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2023/06/chp-883-starting-afresh-again.html" target="_blank">Starting afresh... Again</a>", I am now back to hosting them on Imgur again :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To keep this post interesting for everyone, let me be as brief and specific as I can.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3Sj3IpT.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/3Sj3IpT.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you want to put images on your blog post, you need to host your images somewhere. As of today, the default is your Google Photos account. However, back then in the</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> year 2004, there was no such thing as that, and so we had to host our blog images on a third-party website.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was using Photobucket to host my blog images, even becoming a premium member to handle more bandwidth usage, paying </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">$9.99 per month</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">. We had a great relationship for 14 years but in 2017, they suddenly got greedy and increased the annual premium membership fee to </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">$399.99. Anyone not paying that ridiculous amount could no longer host images.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I couldn't afford that, especially since I had deactivated all ads on my blog and was no longer earning anything from my writing. I wanted to give my readers a great and seamless experience of no ad interruptions when they read my posts (which was kinda ironic since my entire career had been in the advertisement industry). And so it was time to say goodbye to Photobucket.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I moved to AWS to host my blog images. That went well for some time. At AWS, I was charged based on monthly bandwidth usage. On a normal month when I had average traffic, my monthly bill would be around $3, but if I had a couple of "hit" posts in that month, my bill would jump to </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">$10. I was kinda okay with that, but then one of my posts in 2020 during CoVid went super viral and I ended up with a humongous monthly bill of </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">$100. Holy hellll.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I moved out of AWS immediately.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I then started using Imgur, the world's number one image-sharing website to host my blog images. <b>I love Imgur</b>. It's practically free, and I faced absolutely no issues with it for 3 years.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">However, considering it is a private company that was also recently acquired, who knows, it could go the Photobucket way suddenly one fine day and screw me all over again. And so I thought, if a Corporation is going to screw me again, might as well be a Corporation that is already screwing me, naw? Kinda makes sense, in a dystopian way.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I was already paying Google an annual fee of </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">₹1,300 for the additional 100GB, why not make use of that? And so 2 months ago, I decided to move to Google to host my blog images.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But then comes the question. Where in Google exactly? There is Google Photos, and there is Google Drive. Now let me give you a very quick info and differences about these two products.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Google Photos is the default location where you can upload your blog images. It is also where all your phone pics get backed up. It is the ideal place to store and share your images.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">HOWEVER, there is a small issue for me here. Google Photos does not allow you to create sub-folders. Meaning, you cannot create folders within a folder. So that means I have to dump all my blog images into one big folder, creating chaos and mayhem in the long run when I have 100+ more blog posts.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Google Drive, on the other hand, allows you to create sub-folders. Yayyy. I can neatly put the images of each blog post into their individual folders, creating order and sanity once again.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">HOWEVER, you cannot directly embed your images from Google Drive. Aaarrgh. Labnol has a very <a href="https://www.labnol.org/embed/google/drive/" target="_blank">nice solution</a>, where you can insert the link of your Google Drive image and generate an embed-able link! Yayyy again.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That was working really well for me.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yeah of course I had to go through additional multiple steps to generate the links, and this became quite an arduous task especially if my particular blog post happens to be image-heavy. But the effort of being organised is going to be worth it in the long run.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I finally found my match.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So why am I going back to Imgur now?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Because after using this method for 2 months, I just found out that images on my recent blog posts were starting to disappear!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was then that I found out the embed-able links generated EXPIRE! Yup. They freaking expire. They have an expiry date! So no matter how organised my image folders are on Google Drive, it doesn't actually matter because the links are not permanent! Aaaargghh.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That is why, with my head held down and my tail between my legs, I will continue using Imgur to host all my blog images again. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sure, there will come a day when they will suddenly change their business model and hike up the charge. I will be ready for that and try not to be very disappointed about it anymore. But until that day comes, cheers everyone, here's to Imgur and hope I continue entertaining you with my blog updates.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-61941671733252685552023-07-28T22:48:00.016+05:302023-08-28T23:15:12.972+05:30Chp 886. Y20 Brainstorming, Aizawl<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Have you ever been in a situation where you're invited to an event, and then suddenly asked to speak in front of the audience, that too live-streamed on YouTube by an official Govt of India channel?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Embarrassingly for me, that's what happened last week. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So, my dear friend Fela who runs this absolutely fantastic incubator called TiLi (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067040890224" target="_blank">Tharthilthlentu</a>) was hosting a <a href="https://y20india.in/" target="_blank">Y20 brainstorming</a> session, in association with </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">G20 </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">(Group of 20, which includes 19 countries and the European Union) to discuss the future of work for the youth of Mizoram in this digital age. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/9Q77hoL.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/9Q77hoL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He had invited me as a guest to the prestigious event!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/glhKp0A.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/glhKp0A.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As you all know, I live at my farm here in Neihbawih. Apart from being a farmer, I also work in the digital industry. It's quite a big deal for me to go all the way to Aizawl, not just because of the distance but also because of my busy work schedule.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But Fela is a good friend and we've had many constructive industry-related conversations. He had even visited me at my farm all the way from Aizawl, so it was only fair that I return the favour and accept his invitation.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Plus, I was really impressed with the list of keynote speakers he had lined up for the event. Mizos who had reached great heights in various sectors. They were:</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Lalramsanga Sailo - An IRS officer, Lalramsanga is the Secretary of Labour, Employment, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship Department (LESDE), Mizoram. He focuses on HRD, skill and entrepreneurship ecosystems, and labour welfare in both organized and unorganized sectors. He is also a research scholar on the Informal Sector Economy in Mizoram.<br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/yPNqNf4.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/yPNqNf4.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Dinkima Sailo - Based in Singapore, Dinkima is an international affairs and public policy advisor. He manages the Friedrich Ebert Foundation's geopolitics program, serves as an adjunct professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology, and is a board director at the Arthur Bastings Collective.<br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/TYq7spU.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/TYq7spU.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Rokimi Khawlhring - An equity analyst, Rokimi began her career at MFS Investment Management in Boston and later joined Sanford C. Bernstein in New York. She now owns a top bakery chain in Aizawl and ventures into various startups while </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">expanding her portfolio as an angel investor.<br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/lV8ULuI.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/lV8ULuI.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Danny Hmar - An MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, Danny is currently WFH (working from home) as a Product Marketing Manager at Browserstack, a reputed SaaS company. He loves writing and sharing marketing content on social media and also runs his own marketing initiative cleverly coined "Hmarketing 101".<br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/kSSdXV4.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/kSSdXV4.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Jonathan Lalremruata was also one of the keynote speakers, but unfortunately, he had to bail at the last minute due to a family emergency.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Apart from these esteemed keynote speakers, Ali Syed, a Consultant RIS from the Ministry of External Affairs, GOI, gave an introduction about the event and shared his knowledge and experience on what the main intention of this brainstorming event was, as well as the past initiatives undertaken by the Government of India.<br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/iIyDCdQ.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/iIyDCdQ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then of course there was none other than the one and only LTL Fela, who moderated the entire event and added his valuable input to the ongoing discussion and presentation, while trying to create a conclusive and compelling deduction that would leave no room for doubt or confusion.<br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZAcpd57.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZAcpd57.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I really wanted to hear what these wonderful speakers had to say and imbibe all their thoughts and wisdom. And so I took a leave from work to attend the event and got ready to leave my farm here at Neihbawih.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Coming down to Aizawl, that was another drama. I had to feed my dogs first before my cab arrived because you know, dogs really don't understand what's going on.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also had to leave very early because my cab driver told me Durtlang Leitan would be closed from 9AM because they had to clear the landslide debris, and so I had to leave my farm by 7 freaking AM!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once I reached Aizawl, I had delicious home-cooked food (after such a long time!) and then left for the event, which was located at Mission Veng.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was one of the early people to reach the venue. :D</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BqVjJAe.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/BqVjJAe.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was a closed event, meaning, it was based on invitations only. The names of all the invitees and guests were labelled on their designated chairs. I searched for mine and it was there on the front row, right in front of the keynote speakers, lolz.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7LdZtFt.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/7LdZtFt.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Soon, all the keynote speakers arrived and it was time to kickstart the event.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cpEeMh9.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/cpEeMh9.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was able to take really up-close photos of the keynote speakers from where I was sitting. :D</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/g2kbVL4.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/g2kbVL4.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Christopher Lalbiaknia, the secretary of TiLi, gave a hearty welcome address.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mhP9qjJ.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/mhP9qjJ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After that, as mentioned earlier, Ali Syed from the Ministry of Internal Affairs introduced the event to the audience, covering a lot of interesting topics.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then one by one, the four esteemed keynote speakers took the stage and left the audience in awe with well-articulated speeches and powerful presentations.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rJq974F.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/rJq974F.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All four speakers spoke about different fields, captivating everybody on the floor. The topics ranged from entrepreneurship to government policies for a more startup-friendly ecosystem to different skills required in today's age of AI to venture capitalism, and so on.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'm posting a video of the entire event further below. There are so many interesting and motivating takeaways from all their presentations, so I really hope you watch the video. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A few favourite points of mine are how Dinsanga reinforced the fact that good ideas are not limited to metros and cities but are very much in abundance at distant remote places. Ramsanga interestingly mentioned how the state and central governments are already preparing the youth on AI courses with support from the Ministry of IT. Rinkimi talked about unicorns and how companies get to that stage by disrupting the industry which really inspired the audience. And Danny gave very good demonstrations of the power and capability of AI, and how we must utilise that as a tool rather than opposing it, or even fearing it. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IPoF5Xk.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/IPoF5Xk.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The audience was captivated. The invitees also consisted of one representative from each college in Aizawl, and it was good to see them gain so much from the speeches. And when they report their experience to their respective institutions, it is bound to pique even more curiosity.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UB0xw0m.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/UB0xw0m.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The keynote event ended with an overwhelming ovation. It was truly a day worth spending. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After the keynote speeches, it was time for the brainstorming session.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And it was then that Fela dropped a bomb! :D Suddenly he announced that all special guests must also give a short speech!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Initially, when he invited me, he told me that it would be a brainstorming session about different topics. And so I read the portfolio of all the keynote speakers and prepared a list of topics regarding each of their specializations. I was ready to bring those points up so that they could impart their wisdom about it to us and we could all further discuss it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I mean, I thought that's what the event was going to be about. But nooo, he never said anything about us giving a speech!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So there were five special guests invited: Lalnunpuia - Director Zonet, Vanglaini family and founder of FamCart, Angela Zothanpuii - Director of LESDE, Nicky Puia - Stock trader and Hauva & Sons, Ruth Zothanpuii - Project Coordinator at KAAMT and former Secretary to Member of Planning Commission, and me - a farmer.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Though we were all hesitant to speak, there was nothing we could do when all eyes were on us. Angela didn't come due to last-minute office work, so she escaped. :D Mapuia, Ruth and Nicky eventually gave very inspirational speeches. They all talked about their respective line of work with so much passion and enthusiasm that it was contagious. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hpLVnFL.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/hpLVnFL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Mapuia shared his vast experience on OTT platforms and monetisation, and how Industry 4.0 is disrupting that sector, as well as his first-hand personal experience on how the digital revolution is affecting his print business. And I must admit, until that day, I realised I have only thought about how <i>my</i> job can be replaced by technology, but I've never really put myself in the shoes of family business owners who have to make the painful decision of laying off people due to technology.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/v7w9y8r.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/v7w9y8r.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ruth took the audience through a new and very refreshing topic of performing arts, and how the youth of Mizoram can utilise technology, giving a very good example of how Shakespeare had been integrated into Mizo plays that had really impressed the Planning Commission and National School of Drama.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7gCU3Sz.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/7gCU3Sz.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Nicky immediately took us down memory lane by talking about what life was like in the early digital days, giving an example of how much we used to struggle with Dreamweaver to make a website, lolz, those HTML coding days :D And how today we can just use AI to make a website. He gave many examples of innovative technological ideas he was involved in, as well as new ideas possible in today's technological age which really inspired the young audience.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When it was my turn, I decided to talk about two topics - Remote working and AI. Danny had already covered most of the things I wanted to say, so I had to talk more about my personal experiences. </span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dvdJskX.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/dvdJskX.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">However, I did make everyone do a small exercise on how we percept the same instructions, and yet the outcome is not the same in spite of that and then related that to how AI is only as efficient as the person operating it. It was good to see everybody taking part in the exercise.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MuJ9uiI.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/MuJ9uiI.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also tried to quell the fear of AI by demonstrating a few things AI would not replace, like human emotions and perceptions. I did a small interactive exercise on the decoy effect and how our human minds work in comparative marketing.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YdBU8f0.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/YdBU8f0.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Overall, yes, I was unprepared, and I said "right" like a bazillion times! :D But it was good to see that the audience had something to gain from it.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You can see the part where I was speaking in the video below, the video is hosted at the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports YouTube channel.</span></p>
<div class="YTcontainer" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rpi-_gi1HUE?start=5066"></iframe></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But I really do recommend you watch all the other speeches as well. There is a lot to gain from hearing all their insightful speeches, as they not only provided valuable knowledge and expertise in their areas but also instilled a sense of empowerment and motivation.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After this, it was the Q&A round. The energised audience asked all the keynote speakers very interesting and compelling questions.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/NB3rpOp.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/NB3rpOp.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/St89cER.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/St89cER.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And of course, the keynote speakers played their role to perfection, answering all questions with profound expertise and leaving the young audience thoroughly inspired and motivated.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZSTSVLT.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZSTSVLT.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ItpetuL.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/ItpetuL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sadly though, all good things must come to an end. We didn't have enough, but it was necessary to call it a day. We had the Vote of thanks delivered by Martha Lalzarmawii and mementoes were presented to all the keynote speakers.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3kdgarb.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/3kdgarb.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And with that, the memorable event was over.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UZK7jzL.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/UZK7jzL.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The keynote speakers with Fela and Ali Syed.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/2ZBeTJx.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/2ZBeTJx.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And then with us unprepared special guests in the background. :D</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qTzs0nn.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/qTzs0nn.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And finally with the entire TiLi team who had made this event a grand success.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cMJVzCl.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/cMJVzCl.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And oh, how could I forget about the snacks. There were tons of delicious food served after the event. To Aizawllers, this might be normal, but I hogged on every piece of scrumptious food like it was my last day on earth. :D</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XS2Ei1v.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/XS2Ei1v.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All in all, I was really glad so many of our young generations asked very interesting questions. To be frank, when I was their age, I was still playing with GI Joes. Mizoram really has a bright future, as the future of our state depends on the future of our youth.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/N84wPVM.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/N84wPVM.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kr5nsqH.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/kr5nsqH.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After the event, there was apparently an after-party type of function, but much as I would love to spend more time with such brilliant people, I had to rush back to Neihbawih because I had to feed my five dogs their dinner.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Such is the life of a single-dad farmer, but that's life. We battle each day as it comes. Thank you so much TiLi and G20 for such an enlightening event filled with profound insights and inspirations. Wishing everybody a great success. Cheers.</span></p>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-66885203982750867352023-07-15T09:39:00.001+05:302023-08-15T17:07:38.150+05:30Chp 885. Life of a single dad<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Life is tough when you're a single dad in your mid 40's with 5 kids.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/raVbX5z.jpg" target="_blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/raVbX5z.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Five rumbustious kids, all males, running everywhere in the house and destroying anything in their path. L</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ife is a whirlwind of chaos and turmoil, especially when there is no better-half around to help you manage the circus show.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The first thing I must remember when I wake up every morning is whether there is leftover food for them to eat or if I have to cook from scratch. If it's just warming up leftovers, then I can relax a bit, one of those rare breathers. If it's cooking, then I have to cook immediately before I even do my basics like brushing my teeth because the food has to cool down before breakfast time.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And they are such spoilt brats. Any food that is a little over 2 days old, they won't eat! My dad, rest in peace his soul, would have whooped my ass if I refused such food. But of course, I can't whack my kids because woke culture says it is wrong.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I really hate woke culture. How many times my kids woke me up in the middle of the night! So frustrating! Screw you, woke culture. Stop this culture of waking up your parents. Let me sleep, dammit!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Anyhoo, that cycle of cooking repeats in the evening again, after a day spent trying to spare at least 5-10 minutes every hour playing with them from my busy work schedule. After all, I definitely don't want any of them getting inspired by the song "Cats In The Cradle", if you know what I mean.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As dinner time approaches, I have to make sure I cook everything just the way they like it again, or else, tantrums.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But you know what?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Watching them munch away the food I toiled so hard with my bare hands and complained so much about, is all </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">replaced by a sense of fulfilment and joy. For in the act of nourishing their bodies, I am nourished by the light in their eyes, the warmth of their smiles. The hours spent labouring in the kitchen, the weariness that clings to my bones, it is all but a fleeting price to pay for the immeasurable reward of their happiness.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">All single dads out there will know how this feels.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Everything. Is. Worth. It.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">In the midst of all this, I no longer have the energy to cook <b>my</b> own food. Sometimes I order from nearby Sihphir town, and sometimes I starve. That is the sacrifice we parents make for our beloved children because they mean the world to us.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">And in the night, as I gently tuck them all to sleep, one by one, this is perhaps the only time they are obedient, lolz. As I sit in front of my PC trying to wrap up a few deadlines (deadlines I must meet so that I can continue feeding them), I glance at the peaceful embrace of their slumber, l</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ike wisps of moonlight, their breaths come soft and rhythmic, harmonizing with the silent cadence of the night.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I sometimes think, do they ever dream, "Daddy is still working" or "Daddy must make ends meet to give us a happier tomorrow"? Perhaps they do. Or at least they do that in my imagination.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As I switch off the lights to call it a night and make sure I have kept all leftovers in the fridge, I tuck in beside my eldest, because he's the only one who sleeps in the same bed with me. The rest have their own beds.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I know that tomorrow the whole cycle will repeat again. In addition to that, the number of times I have to clean their poop or give them a bath they hate will only make my daily routine harder. But as I said, it is worth it.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Being a single dad to five kids is tough, but the emotional benefits you get are truly rewarding. Cheers to all the single dads out there.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Ending this post with a photo of my five adorable kids sleeping peacefully.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bjXqVyx.jpg" target="blank"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/bjXqVyx.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-48449747170908898792023-06-28T07:20:00.018+05:302023-08-15T20:06:22.944+05:30Chp 884. Paying My Respects<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Last month, I finally came down from my secluded farmhouse on the hilltop of Neihbawih to the hustle and bustle of Aizawl City, because I had to take a flight to Mumbai to attend the memorial service of Sidharth Rao held at <i>his</i> farmhouse.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/eBAKtQK.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/eBAKtQK.jpg" width="100%" /> </a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">From my farmhouse to his farmhouse, a melancholic melody played across the moonlit skies, weaving a tapestry of unforgettable memories, hidden beneath a façade of smiles.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As I mentioned in my <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2023/04/fare-thee-well-sidharth-rao.html" target="_blank">tribute to Sid</a>, I owe him my entire career. He was not just my mentor or boss, he was my friend and flatmate. The least I could do was travel thousands of miles to pay him my last respects.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/GOVDYEq.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/GOVDYEq.jpg" width="100%" /> </a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">
[Happier days at our Mumbai apartment with the occasional celebrity guest]</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My mom and maid came to the farm to stay in my absence, and I bid a short goodbye to my dogs and left for the city.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I wanted to give Shweta our <i>mitthi puan</i>. A mitthi puan is our Mizo traditional cloth that is given to the family of a deceased, and back in the day, it was considered honourable as the puan was used to drape the body of the deceased.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Semantically speaking, it is actually a gift for the deceased. Like when my dad passed away and we received a mitthi puan, we didn't say, "We received a mitthi puan", the correct way of saying it was, "My dad received a mitthi puan". Hence, this way, </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sid could have a part of my culture with him one last time.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Unfortunately, by the time I reached Aizawl late in the night, every shop was already closed, and my mom who would have new puan with her, was at the farmhouse. Luckily for me, my eldest sister U Lapuii had new puan and she gave it to me, rolled in a newspaper just like how we do it here in Mizoram.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The next morning, I left for the airport.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">My flight plan was crazy!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Shweta had already booked a bed for me at their farmhouse where only 20 people could stay. And we're talking about Sidharth Rao, the Godfather and Original Gangsta of Indian digital advertising - there were hundreds of people planning to come for the memorial service and I was indeed fortunate to be one of the 20 people to get a place to stay at their farmhouse.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I definitely didn't want to reach late!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Their farmhouse was 3 hours away from Mumbai, and so calculating backwards, I had to land in Mumbai by at least 6 or 7 PM.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now that was a problem. If I took the 2 PM Aizawl - Kolkata flight, and then took the next 6 PM Kolkata - Mumbai flight, I would land in Mumbai around 10 PM and would only reach the farmhouse by around 2 AM, when everybody would already be asleep!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That was a definite no.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There was an earlier Kolkata - Mumbai flight, but I wouldn't be able to catch that if I took the 2 PM Aizawl - Kolkata flight. <b>However</b>, if I took the 10 AM Aizawl - Guwahati flight instead and then took the connecting Guwahati - Kolkata flight, I could make it for <b>that</b> flight!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so, that's what I did.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yeah, I went all the way up to Guwahati first and then took a connecting flight from there to Kolkata, and then took another flight to Mumbai. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Oh by the way, on that Guwahati flight, we nearly died! lolz. My friends <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lallawmsangi">LS Zadeng</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnopa.jongte" target="_blank">John Opa JohnOp</a> were also on that same flight so you know I ain't lying, they can vouch for it. We hit the motherload of all air pockets, we went freefalling for 5 seconds and everybody screamed for their lives. 5 seconds may not seem like much to you, but it freaking is when you're 10,000 feet above sea level!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once we landed at Guwahati, everybody disembarked (and congratulated each other that they were still alive) except for 6 of us who were on the connecting flight to Kolkata. Here is a video I took while we waited inside the plane :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p>
<div class="YTcontainer" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NPmxDeBMhhc"></iframe></span></div>
<p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That was the first time I personally saw the amount of quick "repair" the ground staff had to do in case of a severe air pocket incident. I saw them change at least 5 seats that were soiled with piss or shit or vomit. One of the flight attendants </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">was also injured quite badly and</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> had to be carried outside as she wasn't buckled up when that sudden dive happened, and a replacement attendant quickly arrived. The entire plane was cleansed and purified and then it was back to the usual.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The other passengers came in and my long flight continued. Changed planes at Kolkata and by nightfall, we were approaching Mumbai.</span></p>
<div class="YTcontainer" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yLeeslzhyY4"></iframe></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I truly miss this view below. Mumbai, the city of lights, the city that never sleeps.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/9jhtZpO.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/9jhtZpO.jpg" width="100%" /> </a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's been almost 10 years since I last landed in Mumbai because I never went back to Mumbai again after moving to Pune in 2015.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I landed at 7:30 PM and by the time I got my luggage, ate a quick dinner, took a short dump, and walked out of the terminal, it was almost 8:30 PM.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Shweta told me not to book a pre-paid cab from the airport to their farm as that would cost around 3K. Instead, she told me to book an Ola or Uber outstation cab as it was cheaper. I did just that. And turned out, it was indeed cheaper by almost 50%.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Oh Mumbai. So many memories! It was the place where Sidharth had made me become who I am today from literally a nobody. There are so many things I want to write about, but I'll refrain from that or else this post will be too long.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was a long 3 hours ride to Kharjat from the airport.</span></p>
<div class="YTcontainer" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ws1Vhz1149Y"></iframe></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I finally reached Sidharth and Shweta's farm - <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/entity/ChoI1K7aitzG5qHfARoNL2cvMTFmcV90cGxqbBAB?q=rising%20sun%20farms%20karjat&g2lb=2502548%2C2503771%2C2503781%2C4258168%2C4270442%2C4284970%2C4291517%2C4306835%2C4597339%2C4757164%2C4814050%2C4850738%2C4864715%2C4874190%2C4886480%2C4893075%2C4924070%2C4965990%2C4985712%2C4990494%2C72248281%2C72253256%2C72262106%2C72271797%2C72276651%2C72279098%2C72281254&hl=en-IN&gl=in&ssta=1&ts=CAESABpJCisSJzIlMHgzYmU3ZmI0YmRlM2MxYTRmOjB4ZGY0MzlhMzVjMTU2OTc1NBoAEhoSFAoHCOcPEAcYARIHCOcPEAcYAhgBMgIQACoECgAaAA&qs=CAE4AkILCVSXVsE1mkPfGAFCCwlUl1bBNZpD3xgB&ictx=1&sa=X&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link_btn&utm_source=htls&ved=0CAAQ5JsGahcKEwio1vy_3uL_AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAw" target="_blank">The Rising Sun Farm</a> by 11:30 PM. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was sooooo good to see Shweta again and I gave her a long, big hug. Sid's parents had already gone to sleep by then, but Shweta's mom was still staying up, waiting for me to arrive. So sweet of her.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Our dear friend Karan Bareja was there too, making me take a rum shot before I even paid my cab driver, lolz. I was ushered into the cafeteria, which was apparently the first (and only) building on the farm when Sid had initially bought it. Slowly, he and Shweta took it as a side hobby while running multiple corporations and start-ups, and transformed the entire barren farm into this premium yet rustic weekend getaway for the rich and powerful.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yup, their farm was NOTHING like my farm, lolz. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Very secludedly located away from the maddening noise with so many antique furniture and amenities, it was the perfect place for venture capitalists to finalise their next big investment, or company heads and board members to discuss mergers and acquisitions. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There were three different cooks running the cafeteria, with all sorts of delicacies served, after all, the culinary desire of their exclusive clientele must always be met. Here are a few photos of the farm cafeteria.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/UVdLthn.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/UVdLthn.jpg" width="100%" /> </a><div><br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/L0k6nYb.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/L0k6nYb.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></div><div><br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/BKV4Tmp.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/BKV4Tmp.jpg" width="100%" /> </a></div><div><br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/Zejfs2e.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Zejfs2e.jpg" width="100%" /> </a><br />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We had such a great time catching up on all our crazy old days and talking about Sidharth. Aunty (Shweta's mom) asked me about all the juicy secrets on how Sid and Shweta started dating, as I was the only one who knew about their initial romancing days, and so I spilled it all out that night. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Shweta laughed and cried so much. Tanya, Shweta's best friend, told me that that was the first time she was pouring out her feelings and emotions since Sid passed away, as she was just keeping everything bottled up till then. We were really happy to see her letting it all out. It's better to be a rollercoaster of emotions than an emotional train wreck.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As we continued talking about Sid, we also played only his favourite songs from the music system, and each song had a background story worth sharing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By around 3 AM, I ate their delicious dinner which was mutton and chicken something.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/uEwrIai.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/uEwrIai.jpg" width="100%" /> </a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After that, Karan took me to the cottage we were sharing, and everybody else too went to their respective cottages. Had a great sleep.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The next morning, I got to see more clearly how amazing our cottage was! Just check it out.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/Z1aV5rx.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/Z1aV5rx.jpg" width="100%" /> </a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Their rain shower in each cottage was Heavenly too. I made two short 30-second videos that I quickly edited on Inshot. :D Looks so nice naw? </span></p>
<div class="YTcontainer" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nlZpGRjuBwI"></iframe></span></div>
<br /><div class="YTcontainer" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YTvideo" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EVrHIhyP8NY"></iframe></span></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And the above videos were from just our one cottage, there's a similar setup on all the other cottages as well!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I went to the cafeteria for breakfast and </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sid's sister Natasha and her family were already there and we gave each other a long hug. We continued talking about all the wild Mumbai days while eating </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">delicious misal pav.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/cicoCYF.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/cicoCYF.jpg" width="100%" /> </a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Natasha too lived in Bandra and she used to come over to our apartment regularly when she wasn't flying (she's a badass commercial pilot). Sometimes we would have dinner at her apartment too, and other times we would all go on a weekend getaway together, like that time we all went to <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2015/01/chp-545-weekend-getaway-almitra-villa.html" target="_blank">Almitra Villa</a>, where Sid first fell in love with the idea of having his own farm.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> After breakfast, Natasha took me to the memorial garden where Sid's ashes were kept. I didn't take any photos as I felt it was inappropriate. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was located at the border of the farm, sealed in a concrete box, and a majestic tree cast its protective shadow over it. Natasha told me that the tree was auspicious. Rays of sunlight filtered through the leafy canopy and a small brook gently flowed right next to it, emitting an aura of serenity like a delicate lullaby, perhaps to signify that this was where Sid's weary soul had finally found eternal solace. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We spent some more time next to Sid's ashes, sometimes in silence and other times laughing at all the crazy things we did together.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But soon, it was time to get ready for the memorial service. The event management company had arrived and was already starting to set up.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/MY9v6w8.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/MY9v6w8.jpg" width="100%" /> </a><br /><br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/VAcVVdS.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/VAcVVdS.jpg" width="100%" /> </a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Those of us who stayed the previous night all helped Shweta in managing the upcoming event. Karan, Tanya and I along with the others welcomed all the guests who were starting to arrive one by one.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Most of them were giants of our industry (Indian digital space) and we showed them where to park their cars, where to have lunch, where the toilet is, which cottage to temporarily keep their luggage, where to change if they want to take a quick dip in the swimming pool, etc etc.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I met a lot of my former bosses and colleagues too. It was indeed nostalgic. Most of them had grown fatter, but then again, so did I, lolz. There were at least 10 to 20 co-founders or heads of successful startups and businesses, and all of them testified that Sid had played a crucial role in their endeavours.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I sneaked in for a quick lunch when the cafeteria was least crowded and quickly ate lunch.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/tJbRvTQ.jpg"> <img src="https://i.imgur.com/tJbRvTQ.jpg" width="100%" /> </a><br /><br />
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/3rC5coH.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3rC5coH.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After lunch, I had a bit of free time and so I went to look for my precious Saddam. The farmhands were taking him and the other dogs for a walk at the other end of the farm. When I saw Saddam, my heart just broke. He was so old now!</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wYU58IX.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wYU58IX.jpg" width="100%" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This was him in 2012 when Sid and I first got him, and the other photo below was taken in 2013 when he would just sleep peacefully in my arms, snoring softly like a mini thunderstorm. :D</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/faS7AZS.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/faS7AZS.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Though Saddam slept in Sid's room, he slept with me whenever Sid was away on a business trip. I felt a bit sad that he no longer recognised me or my smell, but then again, 10 years is a pretty long time too.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Soon, it was 3 PM. We wanted to wait a bit as many guests were still yet to arrive, but many of those who were already there had a night flight to catch. After all, it was a congregation of some of the busiest people in this cutthroat industry.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so, the memorial service started.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/MAjytYP.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MAjytYP.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The particular photo above was taken at the very beginning of the service. It might look like only a few people were there, but like I said, most of the invitees arrived a bit later, and there was also a large number of people standing a bit further away under the tree shades because the seating area was directly under the sun, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It was already so humid, and on top of that, a direct sunbath meant it was scorching hell. You can see my face completely flustered below. I too joined the people standing under the shade after this photo was taken and never sat down again.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/ICntIt1.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ICntIt1.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So while some of us were helping Shweta manage the event, the credit for this memorial service should go to Meghna, Tanvi and others who organised the entire thing. They were the ones who coordinated everything from inviting people, setting up the right date and venue, etc.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Meghna, or Meg as I fondly call her, was my copy boss at Webchutney. I learnt everything about copywriting from her. She was the one who saw my raw, unfettered creativity and moulded that into a powerful weapon of words. She not only taught me about copywriting but also guided me on how to understand different brand languages, how to conceptualise ideas properly, how to speak to a target audience more efficiently, and so on. That day, Meg was the MC.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/T0Cexhj.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/T0Cexhj.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After a very moving eulogy, Meg opened the floor to anybody who would like to share their story or testimonials.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">One by one, people stood up and shared their experiences. They were all so interesting and moving, with stories ranging from what Sid was going through when he first started Webchutney in 1999, the conversations he had with others when starting a new division, or how this or that got funded, and so on. So many great stories, all narrated by very well-articulated leaders. And most of the speech ended with how Sid had played a vital role in their careers, just like me!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Meg came to me and asked if I too would like to share my testimonial with everybody. I mean I would, but most of the stuff I would want to share was all very personal, and I was happy to have done that with our close circle the previous night.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">We took a short snack break.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/lll5sWU.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lll5sWU.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By then, there was a very large crowd. I met a lot of people I had met back when I was living with Sid, and it was so nice to say hi to them again. And then suddenly I met Mandeep Singh, our landlord! He apparently flew in all the way from Kuwait just to make it for the memorial service.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">He brought his daughter along, and he told me she got a very good internship all because of Sid's recommendation. Man, it wasn't just us digital marketing people, Sid's benevolence was affecting everybody.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also met our two former office-boys Ram Singh and Vijay, who took the effort to come by train till Kharjat railway station and took a bus from there. Everywhere I looked, there were people who had nothing but appreciation for what Sid had done for them.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Around 7 PM, the on-ground open-mic session ended and the online session started. This was for those who couldn't make it to the venue. Meg and the other organisers had already created a Zoom link and hundreds of people were online. They too shared their tearful testimonials one by one in front of everybody.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/d5U8NjO.jpg" style="text-align: left;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/d5U8NjO.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The event was finally over by 9 PM. A couple of people who had to go to the airport directly took a shower in our cottage, while others who had an early morning flight could stay over for the night. As for me, I packed my bags as I was leaving with Amit and Sonal.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I found Shweta at the cafeteria and I could make out she was extremely exhausted and emotionally drained, but being her, she was still putting up a strong and brave face. I gave her a long hug goodbye and then presented her our <i>mitthi puan</i>, while explaining its significance in our Mizo culture.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I promised her that I would come back to visit again.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">By the way, Shweta was personally gifting 2-3 boxes of mangoes to every person! She insisted that it was what Sidharth would have wanted, as the mangoes were all from their farm. All those trees you saw in the photos above were all mango trees, and with the region extremely humid, it had the perfect growing condition.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As I headed to Amit's car, I saw Saddam slowly stumbling and sniffing on plants, and so I spent a few more minutes with him. I tried my best not to cry, but to no avail. </span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/1bPH9So.jpg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1bPH9So.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Considering his current physical condition (old age, blind in one eye, bone issues) and emotional condition (Sid had looked after him since he was a puppy), there's a chance that I might not see him again when I visit next. Reading my old blog updates now like </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2012/11/chp-428-hello-saddam.html" style="font-family: helvetica;" target="_blank">Hello Saddam</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> about when he first came into our lives makes me even sadder.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A big thanks once again to Meg, Tanvi and others for organising this heartrending memorial service. Tanvi reached out to everybody asking for photos of Sid, and those photos were played on a loop in the background during the open-mic session.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">When I was looking for photos of Sid to send to Tanvi, I found many of them, some of which cannot be put online of course, lolz. But here are two photos I really love and that's because they were taken at Toto's, Bandra, Sid's favourite watering hole. It's the one place where Sid was always the happiest. And you have no idea how many business deals were done or career-changing advice given here. </span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/oydImq6.jpg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oydImq6.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div><br />
<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/9XQwtui.jpg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/9XQwtui.jpg" width="100%" /></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That's why earlier this month on June 2nd, Sid's birthday, friends of Sid and regular patrons of Toto's had put up this plaque to permanently adorn the walls of Toto's and immortalise Sid! SID 2679. Cheers indeed.</span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/qd5zycr.jpg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qd5zycr.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'll end this post with another photo I really like. I took this on June 2nd, 2013. An entire pub was booked for Sid's surprise birthday party, and in the pic is Anant Rangaswami, who was our regular guest at 4B Sea Hill apartment and Sid's very close friend. He passed away last year. Now I know the two of them are reunited once again and toasting together, having a jolly great time. </span></p>
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/9KBaqeY.jpg"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/9KBaqeY.jpg" width="100%" /></a>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All in all, it was a very memorable journey. A part of me was also satisfied that I participated or else I would have regretted not going for the rest of my life. I smiled as I headed back to my much less elegant farmhouse at Neihbawih, Mizoram.</span></p>
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</div>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-47443746007093967282023-06-21T00:10:00.028+05:302023-07-29T22:07:02.884+05:30Chp 883. Starting afresh... again<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This had been the longest break I've ever taken from blogging since I started blogging 19 years ago.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There were many reasons why I just lost interest in blogging for the past one year, from personal reasons, to having to use this platform's unfriendly User Interface that seems to be stuck in 2010, to having a completely screwed-up AdSense integration, to the simple fact that people just don't read blogs anymore.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6mW574s.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://i.imgur.com/6mW574s.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But being a blogger for 19 years, it has become a part of my identity now. It is who I am, whether I like it or not. So, here is me, an old fart blogger, cracking my knuckles one more time to give blogging one more shot.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I will be doing two things very differently this time though.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>#1. No more MS Word. </b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I always used to write my blog on a Microsoft Word document first. Back in 2004 when I first started blogging, internet was expensive. Gen-Z may never understand this, but I used to update my blog by going to a cyber cafe, google all the info I want to know about or require as references, copy them to a floppy drive, rush back to my hostel and then copy the files to my offline computer, read them, and then open an MS word file and start writing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Once I was done writing, I would copy the Word doc back to the floppy, run back to the internet cafe, open my Word doc from the floppy drive, copy the content and then update my blog. Phew!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yeah, life was something else back then.:D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And as the years passed by, technology improved. Pen drives replaced Floppies, and affordable home internet connections replaced Cyber cafes. Smartphones too entered the market and suddenly we had the internet right in our pockets! Who would have thunk?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">However, my habit of writing a blog post on an MS Word file never ceased. I continued doing that but I started facing a lot of issues.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Let me try to explain this as simply as I can. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back in the early 2000s (when Google had just acquired this blogging platform), I could just copy-paste whatever I wrote on a Word doc to my blog and that was it. Everything was fine.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Then came the change in Blogger.com's CMS (Content Management System) and suddenly everything I copied also copied the hidden MS Word unicode characters and pasted them on my blog update! It was a shitstorm of texts and strange symbols everywhere. And so I would first copy-paste what I had written on a Word doc <b>to</b> a Text document to remove all the formatting, and <b>THEN </b>copy-paste that to my blog again.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That worked for a couple of years, until Blogger.com suddenly decided to follow what Wordpress was doing back then and became a WYSIWYG editor. That is "What You See Is What You Get", meaning, whatever you type on any text editor, it will appear exactly like that online.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And so, again I had to change the steps in which I would copy-paste. The good thing about that is that if I had put a paragraph or <i>italics </i>on my Word document and copy-pasted that to my blog, it would also put a paragraph or <i>italic </i>in my blog editor, and so on.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All was well for a couple of years, until Blogger.com suddenly changed their CMS again. Now it was no longer WYSIWYG. I mean, it's still WYSIWIG to an extent, but <b>only</b> if you were typing on the platform's editor. Anything pasted from outside to the platform's editor was no longer WYSIWG. For example, a paragraph or a quote or a line break was no longer recognised as that after copy-pasting it. My blog post became a clusterfuck of words and sentences all joined together after copy-pasting!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After a couple of weeks of frustration, I found out the only way to tackle that was either to use this platform's editor directly, or to manually put HTML commands in my Word doc itself while writing my blog post.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I told myself I wasn't going to succumb to Google's demand. I'm a rebel, hell yeah. And so for every blog post I was writing on a Word doc, I was also including different HTML commands like breaks and paragraphs, as well as div, span, font face, size, alignment, a href, img src, etc., right in the middle of my blog content!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yeah, you really have no idea what was going on behind the scenes of my blog updates, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And that worked well when I copy-pasted from a Word doc to here, except for the fact that I had to spend so many extra minutes writing all the HTML commands.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The reason for all these restrictions is, I guess Google's marketing execs want bloggers to write directly on their platform itself, instead of using a third-party software. After all, more time spent on their platform means higher retention, longer session duration, more engagement time, higher CTR and conversion rate etc etc, which will give these execs a nice bonus on their next Quarterly meet. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now that I'm finally going to start blogging again, yeah, screw my defiance. I surrender to Google. I will be writing directly on this platform for any new updates from now on, including this post. I no longer have the time or energy to do those extra things. You win, Google. You happy? </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Kima - 0, Evil Corporation - 1. :P</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>#2. Image hosting sites. </b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is the second big change I'm making.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For years, the biggest headache I have when it comes to my blog update is where I'm hosting my images.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To a layman, let me explain. If you want to put an image on your blog post, you have to upload it somewhere and then embed that image on your blog post. The place where you upload it is called an image hosting site. Many people use the default Google Photos or Google Drive image gallery to upload their blog images now, but back then, there were no such things as Google Photos or Drive. We had to host our blog images elsewhere.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I selected Photobucket as it was the most popular image hosting site back then, and being a bit OCD about the way I arrange my image folders, I was able to do that neatly at Photobucket.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">All went well for a couple of years, until I crossed the free limit. I could no longer upload any new images unless I pay, and I really don't blame them for that, after all, they also need to earn some money right?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I became a premium member.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I think that happened around 2008'ish because I was working and had a credit card by then. Since I already had hundreds of blog posts and images, I didn't want to change my hosting service provider and so I was paying $9.99 per month with by credit card for the additional storage space and bandwidth.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And that went well for a couple of years, until 2017, when Photobucket dropped a mega bomb. They removed all free accounts, including lower-tiered premium accounts like mine that were paying </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">$9.99 per month, and suddenly charged an exorbitant </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">$399.99 annual fee to continue using their service!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That was such a dick move. By then I already had more than 650 blog posts with over 2000 images in my Photobucket account. My 650+ blog posts no longer displayed any images and all Photobucket accounts across the world were held at ransom. Yup, there was indeed a severe backlash. People started migrating to other service providers (we couldn't even access our accounts to download our old images).</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A year later, they introduced a much lower fee but I'm sure there were hardly any takers. They had already broken our trust completely.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I shifted to AWS to host my blog images and set up my own server there.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That went well for a couple of years and I was paying around </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">₹ </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">100 a month on bandwidth usage, sometimes up to </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">₹ </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">500 if I had a series of "hit" blog posts.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Now a bandwidth usage is the amount I get charged every time people visit my blog and view the images on that post. Let me explain it this way. Suppose I write a new blog post, where I have put 10 new images. I upload those images to my AWS server. Now when you visit my new blog post, my HTML sends a message request to my AWS server to display the images embedded in that post. Every time AWS displays an image to a new user, it charges me. That is known as bandwidth usage.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">And I was okay with paying </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">₹ </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">100 to </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">₹ </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">500 per month</span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">, you know, until CoVid happened and one of my blog posts went viral!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">It was the <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2020/03/chp-802-mizoram-setting-example-for.html" target="_blank">Mizoram: Setting an example for India</a> post, which had over a lakh views. Now, a lakh may not be much, but that post had more than 50 high-resolution images! My bandwidth usage charge was shooting up like crazy, in real-time! I was panicking (at the same time excited my post about Mizoram was going viral across India, with many renowned celebrities sharing it).</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I watched my bill shooting up every minute! I couldn't disable the images because there were like 1000 unique visitors every hour. And so I quickly resized each image quality from 10MB to 2MB and replaced it with the same file name in my AWS folder.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">That reduced my cost vastly, but it was still going up as the number of unique visitors kept increasing.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">And so the next day, I created a free account at Imgur, another popular image hosting site, uploaded the same images there and then edited that viral blog post and linked the images to my new Imgur account instead.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">The exponentially rising AWS cost finally stopped completely. Phew!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">You know how much my AWS bill for that month came to? </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">₹ </span><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">7000!!!!</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Yeah, that was so sad.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I stopped using AWS after that, and continued using Imgur for all my blog image hosting.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">But again, the problem with Imgur is that, even though I absolutely love it so far, who knows, one fine day, they just might go the Photobucket way and screw me all over again. After all, capitalism.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Instead, I might as well just host all my blog images here on Google Drive itself, especially since I am already paying extra for the additional 100 GB a year. Like, if Google decides to screw me one fine day, then it will be just Google screwing me and not 4-5 different companies screwing me together. The lesser of two evils, lolz.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">You hear that Google? You win this round too.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">The only problem is, like I said at the very beginning of this post, Blogger.com's UI is extremely outdated. Like, if I am inserting an image, whether I link the image to my Google Drive or Imgur, I only have the option of selecting which FIXED size I want the image to be displayed as here. Like seriously??? </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">We're living in the age of "responsive design" where people can access blogs from all sorts of devices, from desktop computers to tablets to phones to VR headsets to even a freaking washing machine. Fixed widths cannot cater to all these different resolutions because this platform's template hasn't been designed to handle it. And so keeping a fixed-width image will display differently across different mediums.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Hence, for now, the only solution to prevent this is to add the <img width="<b>100%</b>"> command in the HTML section of each blog post image. Sad.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">The other even sadder part is, Google Drive photos cannot be embedded directly on a blog. I mean I can see it on my browser after I embed it because I am logged in with my Google ID on my browser, but you won't be able to see it even if the image is set to public view.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">So apparently, there is a different embedded link for each Google Drive image link (which begs the question, what is the point of having the privacy setting of public or private then?). I know, such a roundabout.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">So, after a couple of trial and error and reading up different forums, I found the two best solutions to tackle this:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">The first is this <a href="https://dev.to/temmietope/embedding-a-google-drive-image-in-html-3mm9" target="_blank">post by Temitope Ayodele</a> who tells us to simply replace the Google Drive image link with a different link (mentioned in the link) and we just have to insert that image's ID in it. This works.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">The second is an <a href="https://www.labnol.org/embed/google/drive/" target="_blank">embedded link generator by Labnol</a> who tells us to paste the Google Drive image link, click "Generate" and it generates a new link that you can paste in your <img src> link. This works too.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">A big thanks to these two for helping me solve my problem. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;"><i>(<u>Edit:</u> One small difference I found out after publishing this post - In the first method listed above, Facebook will <b>not</b> fetch the image to display as a thumbnail when you post a link on FB, whereas in the second method, Facebook will display the image as a thumbnail.)</i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">I still don't understand why there can't be an option to get the embedded link directly from our Google Drive image link itself??? Why Google why?</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">You know how much pain it's going to be if I write a new post with 20-30 images in it and I have to follow the above 3-4 steps procedure for every single image? :( </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">By the way, Google Photos is considered to be more user-friendly and seamless than Google Drive for embedding blog images, but the problem is, you can't create sub-folders within Google Photos like you can in Google Drive (again Google, why?) As I mentioned before, I am very organised when it comes to storing my blog images. I keep all the images of a particular post in separate folders, each one numerically named and arranged alphabetically. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">That's the reason why I prefer Google Drive over Google Photos. I want a folder (for example, "BLOG") and within that, I want all the sub-folders of each blog post (for example, "001-xx post", "002-yy post" and so on). One solution is to make all these sub-folders in the primary level of Google Photos itself, but that would mean my primary level is going to be flooded with 800+ folders! If you have no qualms about where your photo goes, then by all means, use Google Photos.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">Anyway let's see, maybe in the future, Google will make it easier to embed images from Google Drive or at least give us an option to create sub-folders in Google Photos. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">And I hope they also finally wake up and remember they have a blogging division, lolz. Their official <a href="https://blogger.googleblog.com/" target="_blank">Blogger.com blog</a> is just so sad, where it's been 2 years since their last update, and before that, it was just one post a year. :D</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">We used to joke that maybe there is just one employee left in the whole of Google's blogging division who's overseeing everything, but I fear that is becoming more of a reality now.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; text-align: left;">So, whatever the future may hold, here is looking forward to many new blog posts in spite of all these hassles. Hope you all start visiting again. Also, yeah, I promise I won't be this technical in my next update. Cheers, everyone.</span></p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-49916270481381066672023-04-22T21:02:00.022+05:302023-04-23T19:06:19.336+05:30Fare thee well Sidharth Rao<p style="text-align: justify;">Circa 2008, I had decided to apply for a job for the first time in my life, no longer depending on my parent's pocket money.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">All my friends who knew me well advised me to get into advertising because of my passion for creativity. Problem was, I had never faced a job rejection before, which they told me I would surely face, especially since I was a college dropout and a fresher. And so in order to experience that, they told me to go for the best agency, face the rejection, and then start my career from a smaller agency. I did just that. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The number 1 digital agency in India at that time was Webchutney (now Dentsu Webchutney). I googled the office address at Juhu Versova Link Road and then walked right in the office, asking for a job :D</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The receptionist Rianna was shocked! Nobody had ever done that before. Rianna called up the HR Manisha, who then called up the Creative Director Nishi, who then called up the Mumbai Branch Head Poornima, who then called up the CEO in Delhi, Sidharth Rao.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Long story short, I was interviewed by HR, asked to come again and was interviewed by Nishi, and then asked to come again and was interviewed by Poornima, and then I got the job! What started as just an experience to get rejected, ended up in me getting my first-ever job.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was many years later that I found out when Poornima had called up Sidharth to tell him about the bizarre incident of somebody just randomly walking into office and asking for a job, Sid looked at my CV and saw that I was a college dropout. He immediately told her to give me a shot at an interview instead of telling security to throw me out, as he himself was a dropout. He knew from his own experience that not all dropouts are failures.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was that decision that changed my life forever.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I never knew Sid well for the first 2 years I was in Webchutney. He was the hotshot CEO and Co-Founder from Delhi who would occasionally visit our Mumbai office once every few months. I was just a junior copywriter then while he was in the upper echelon of management. But he would always greet me and everybody else with a "hi" and smile whenever he came down to Mumbai. And by everybody, I mean everybody, right from the top and middle management to the bottom feeders like me, all the way to the office boys, sweepers and security guards.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He was also always there at GoaFest, which is like the "Oscars" for advertising held at Goa annually, where all the top ad agencies of India would come together and prizes were awarded to the best campaigns and ideas. It was there that Sid and I first bonded well when my concept for Axe won Silver at GoaFest (Technically, we came first since there was no Gold awarded that year).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Also, the exact moment we bonded was hilarious. Sid had booked the entire beach shacks of Palolem for us to stay, and we were drinking and partying by the beach. It was quite late, maybe around 2 in the morning. I was just sitting alone at the edge of the dark beach, letting the waves gently hit me up to my chest and enjoying my high all alone, when Sid suddenly appeared out of nowhere near me and peed on the waves! I jumped out of the water like a freaking ninja on acid. He too was completely shocked to see me and apologised immediately while turning around. We still talked and laughed about that incident many years later.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As the years went by and we won more and more awards at GoaFest, Sid and I became closer. Eventually, I graduated from just brainstorming and conceptualizing ideas for clients to directly pitching those ideas to clients myself.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The one client meeting I will never forget was with Mahindra. Even though I was regularly meeting clients by then to pitch concepts and ideas, it wasn't out of the ordinary for one of my bosses like Nishi (Creative Director), Meghna (Copy Head), Saket (Tech Head) or Tarana (Client Servicing Head) to come along for the meeting, especially if it was a big or important client. But that day when Sukruta and I were about to go to Mahindra corporate office to pitch a campaign idea, Sidharth joined us!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He was visiting Mumbai right then, and decided to tag along. I was quite nervous that day when Sukruta and I were pitching to the head honchos of Mahindra because our CEO Sid was right there in the same room, silently sitting and probably judging us. We did win that pitch eventually, and years later, Sid told me he came along for that meeting because he personally wanted to see how I was interacting with clients.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As the number of accounts and pitches we won kept increasing, Sidharth too started spending more time in Mumbai than Delhi. In Mumbai office, I had the reputation for always being the first to reach the office and last to leave. But when Sid was in town, he gave me serious competition. And of course, he would show off and mock me if he reached before me :D Eventually, I became his regular drinking buddy, hitting the bottle together every night after a long day of intense work.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We found the perfect drinking partner in each other - somebody with high capacity who's still able to hold their drink. It was like a match made in Heaven. :D</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As a drinking buddy, I will always keep the secrets he had shared with me locked in my heart, but there is one secret I will reveal now, which I know Shweta won't mind too because they got happily married three years ago. Back when Sid and Shweta first started dating, I was the only one who knew about it. :D Ah what a clandestine life I had to lead in office. My tiny matchbox apartment in Jogeshwari East became our regular after-drinks crash pad, where Sid and I would sleep in the bedroom and Shweta slept on the couch outside (both of them were still based out of Delhi back then).</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was this super hilarious moment when we all got back at my apartment in an auto and I collected our laptop bags from the back of the auto and when we reached my floor, we realised I had also taken the poor auto driver's spare tyre!!! In the darkness and drunken state, I didn't realise I had also grabbed his tyre. I ran downstairs but the auto was already gone. Sid took a photo of me with the tyre, and many years later on my birthday, he surprised me with a beautifully framed photo of that as a birthday gift!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Ah yes, he always made my birthdays feel special. This one time when he promoted me to head a new (but small) experimental business division in Delhi directly under the COO Rahul Nanda, I moved out of my Jogeshwari East apartment and was temporarily staying as a guest in his rented duplex apartment in Bandra before I was supposed to move to Delhi permanently. I had just returned to Mumbai from a long meeting in Delhi with Kavin Mittal regarding the new venture. That day was my birthday. As I stepped into Sid's duplex from the airport quite exhausted and ready to crash, he told me, "Fucker, it's your birthday, freshen up and wear something nice, I'm taking you out somewhere fancy".</p><p style="text-align: justify;">And so he took me to AER, which was like the top-class lounge in Mumbai back then. It was the kind of place a person like me would never afford to go to. He even got Shenaz Treasurywala to join my birthday party and we had such a blast together! I will never forget that birthday.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Unfortunately, yesterday was another birthday I will never forget again either. As I was just about to sleep after celebrating my birthday with a few friends here at my home in Aizawl, Sumeet and Amit called me up to deliver the sad news that Sid had just passed away.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fuck. Till now it feels so unreal. I was beyond remorse. I wish I could be there for his cremation which was held at his farm in Kharjar today. I wish I could be there to console dear Shweta. I wish I could be there to be with dear uncle and aunty, with sweet Nat. All the fun times we spent together, all the memories.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After the Delhi experimental business plan didn't work out, Sidharth quickly pivoted and helped me start our own games dev company, guiding me all the way. I switched my role completely from a copywriter to a game designer! A radical change like that was possible only through Sidharth's vision because he believed in me.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Since I had already moved out of my Jogeshwari apartment, I was about to look for a new place in Mumbai again, but instead of getting a new place of my own, Sid suggested we rent a place together! We went house hunting and finally moved into this posh 3BHK at Sea Hill Apartment, right opposite Olives on Khar West.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course I couldn't afford the bloody 3 lakhs per month rent, lolz, even if split halfway or four ways :D But Sid made me pay only a very small amount, like the newspaper and other service bills, and the salaries of our two maids and one domestic help. That was it. I will never forget his generosity.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">What a rise it had been for me. From idolizing the man who had created the premier digital ad agency in India and somebody I thought I'll never get to hang out with, to being flatmates with him.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sid had taught me so many things in the years that we were flatmates. He mentored and groomed me into what I am today. I started watching completely different types of shows and docus I had never watched before. I had a front-row seat into the world of VC funding and Capital raising. He had daily meetings with powerful people at Toto's and sometimes he would call me and I would just drop everything and go sit among them and listen to their powerful conversations.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">He shaped my character too. This one time, we found out one of our maids had ripped us off. She had asked me for her salary and I gave it to her. The next day, she also asked Shweta for her salary again and she gave it to her as well, not knowing I had already paid her.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">That night we found out about her deception, and it wasn't the first time either. Sid was infuriated. However, he told me, "Kima, you're such a nice guy and everybody loves you, but people take advantage of nice guys in this industry. You have to be tough and ruthless if you are running your own company. You must fire the maid immediately tomorrow, I'm not going to get involved in this shit".</p><p style="text-align: justify;">That was the first time in my life I had ever fired anybody. Yes, it was hard for me to do so, especially with the maid crying and begging for forgiveness, but she had betrayed the trust we had in her. I did it and felt terrible about it, but Sid later patted me on the back and told me it was hard but necessary to do such things if I wanted to be successful.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Just recently, I had fired two of my chowkidars at my farm here in Mizoram. The reasons were justified of course, but I seriously don't think I could have done that had Sid never moulded me into what I am today.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, being ruthless wasn't Sid's only trait, he was also gentle, funny, caring and understanding. After all, you can't run the top digital agency in India and various successful startups by being a stuck-up dictator. One of the ways in which I judge people is by drinking with them and watching them get drunk. A person's true colour comes out when under the influence. With Sid, the drunker he gets, the nicer he becomes. That's when you know a person is truly good inside.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our nightly drinking sessions were very different too. Most people would talk about, you know, sex or politics or sports when they're inebriated. We on the other hand spoke only about our industry, new start-up ideas, new business opportunities, incubators, mergers and acquisitions etc. It was like, work never sleeps in Sidharth's environment. On the very few occasions we didn't talk shop, Sid would play Foster The People's "Pumped up kicks" on repeat. Sigh, those days.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">And speaking of getting drunk, another lesson I've learnt from Sid is to never handle anything financial when drunk. Sid would never sign even a simple cheque, even if it was 100% legit and safe, when he was drinking. He would do so the next morning. I have followed that mantra till today and I believe I have avoided many costly mistakes because of it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But no matter how wasted we got the previous night, when I woke up the next day (and believe me, I always wake up early every day, much to the irritation of my friends), Sid would already be up, reading yet another new book. The amount of books he used to order and consume was truly mindblowing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In all the years that I had spent with Sid, there had been only one time he was angry with me. After Sumeet and I started our own mobile gaming startup, we were in Delhi with our team there, working on a few projects, when we suddenly received the mail that our application for the prestigious "Start-Up Chile incubator" had been approved!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were ecstatic! Out of thousands of applications worldwide, only 100 were selected every year, and we were one of them! We were so happy that we partied immediately, getting drunk right there itself. It was much later that a very angry Sidharth called me up as he had just heard about the news from some other source. He was our main investor and company director, and we had completely forgotten to tell him about the news! :D Oh he was soooo angry with me, and at the same time extremely excited and happy too. :D </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'll never forget all the random gadgets he used to purchase, like our own personal fancy bar stand, or tetris blocks with lighting system, or party hats with lights, or vintage posters and Tintin comics, etc etc. He sure loved his toys, and deep inside he was but a mere boy. We also adopted a couple of puppies and kittens, and when some of them passed away, he would cancel all his plans and meetings so that we could go to the crematorium. He would wear dark sunglasses to hide his pain and tears.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">But he was always funny otherwise. He never stopped making fun of my tattoos (because we both have fucked up tattoos that we got when we were stupid). And he would never stop reminding me about the time I came home late at night from a business trip in Delhi and ate our dog's food from the fridge by mistake, and ended up with food poisoning the next day. How that never failed to make him laugh.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have hundreds of photos and videos of Sid, and looking through them now breaks my heart again. All the great moments we spent together, both on and off work. But he was a fiercely private person, so even though he is gone now, I will respect his wishes and not put any of our photos here. However, he had always encouraged me to keep writing, especially about social issues. In fact, that incident about me and Mumbai police where I had invited them for tea (the one that went viral) was written because he encouraged me not to be afraid, in spite of the negative backlash it could have caused me.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There are two things I have achieved and feel proud of when it comes to Sidharth. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">One was when I had finally succeeded in convincing him to try Android (those were the days when most upper management were extremely loyal to iOS and Blackberry, and us Android fans were treated as outcasts, lolz). He even bought the OnePlus One phone when it first launched in the US, tried it out for a week, liked it, and then resold the phone to me with a huge discount. And so I was one of the few people in India to use the OnePlus One phone back then, because it wasn't available in India yet, all thanks to Sid.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The second was when I finally convinced him to try out our Mizo delicacy made from fermented soybeans and shrimp paste. I used to cook occasionally because he loved my special fried potatoes (Bareja too would come over immediately when I cooked that). One day, since I was alone at home, I decided to make fermented soybeans and shrimp paste chutney. Sidharth came home earlier than usual and suddenly started sniffing around everywhere, peeping out of each window. I asked from the kitchen, "Wassup", and he replied while still looking everywhere, "Hey man, something died out here, I think it's a pigeon, the smell is everywhere". God I was so embarrassed :D </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I told him that it was the dish I was making and we had a great laugh. That night I made him have it and he absolutely loved it. Believe me, I don't think there are that many people who initially thought it was the stench of decaying flesh to <i>still</i> try it out with no hesitation. He was never afraid to try out new things, be it food or business ventures.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The day our start-up was acquired by Jetsynthesis and our team had to move to Pune to our new office was probably the saddest moment for me in Mumbai. I bid a tearful goodbye to Sid and Shweta. Sid had groomed me so much, from a clueless copywriter trainee to a senior copywriter to a start-up founder to a game designer. I owe him my <b>entire</b> career. Words will never be enough to express how much he will be missed by his family and close friends, but writing this eulogy gives me a small amount of solace.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Goodbye my boss, my friend, my mentor, my sensei, my flatmate, my brother. Hope you have an endless jolly time with Anant Rangaswami across the rainbow.</p>Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-51418669414695212642022-09-29T23:07:00.011+05:302022-10-04T22:47:59.124+05:30Chp 881. Champhai Trip: Into Myanmar!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<u><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Previous posts:</span></u></div></u><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-877-champhai-trip-part-1.html" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: On the way</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-878-champhai-trip-murlen-vapar.html" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: Murlen & Vapar</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/06/chp-879-champhai-trip-vanchhia.html" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: Vangchhia</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/09/chp-880-champhai-trip-lianchhiari.html" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng</a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so, finally here we are, the post that many of you are waiting for - Our clandestine and dangerous trip into Myanmar amidst the ongoing <b>Civil War</b>!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s a quick refresher course for the uninitiated.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last year, there was a sudden military coup in Myanmar. The democratically elected rulers were imprisoned overnight and the army generals took control of the country. This led to bloodshed and violent protests across the entire country, with the military junta on one side and basically everybody else on the other side.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The protestors quickly formed the PDF, the People’s Defence Force, and were immediately joined by other groups like the People’s Liberation Army, the Myanmar Royal Dragon Army, the Chin National Defence Force, etc. Existing ethnic armed groups like the Arakan Army, Kachin Independence Army, Karen National Liberation Army, Ta'ang National Liberation Army, etc. too all became an ally of the PDF.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Myanmar armed forces (also known as the Tatmadaw) had much more sophisticated weapons and superior technologies, but the opposition had the numbers (and the hearts). Hence the reason why even after more than a year, the situation is <i>still</i> at a stalemate today, with neither side unable to emerge victorious. Millions have already been displaced with tens of thousands dead. That is the situation in Myanmar as of today.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And yeah, we thought it would be a good idea to enter Myanmar during these dangerous times. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BweNKRu.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/BweNKRu.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, as I have written in my previous posts, I’ve recently visited Champhai for the first time in my life, getting to experience the breathtakingly beautiful flora and fauna of Vapar and Murlen protected forests, as well as a few heritage sites like Vangchhia, Laltumanu Lunglên Tlâng and Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It would indeed be a huge missed opportunity to not visit Myanmar, which was visible right in front of us. The only problem was that there was an ongoing civil war in Myanmar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nevertheless, we decided to try our luck, because I knew for damn sure that I would regret it if I returned to Aizawl after going that far without having the satisfaction of visiting Myanmar. Sure we could get shot and die a horrible death in the process, but as Alfred Lord Tennyson once said, Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. :P</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We soon reached the Indo-Myanmar Border Highway.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PlL0Dts.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/PlL0Dts.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you can see in the photo below, the village behind us on the hilltop is Mualkawi, and that road leads back to the town of Champhai.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ys608i8.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ys608i8.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was a smooth ride driving on the Indo-Myanmar Border Highway.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/92N95mh.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/92N95mh.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Xi0h7bU.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Xi0h7bU.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, our smooth experience was cut short because there was this massive landslide up ahead. An entire hilltop had caved down on the highway due to the incessant rain. Luckily, no lives were lost, but it would take a long time for the debris to be cleared, so in the meantime, everybody had to take a detour.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RtCyZk7.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RtCyZk7.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Suddenly, the road was no longer smooth. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rtz3S29.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rtz3S29.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We kept bobbling up and down the narrow dirt road, but the thoughts of stepping inside Myanmar continued to excite us.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hYKunWs.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hYKunWs.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We reached the village of Hruaikawn New, which had just 39 households according to the latest census.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pfHvMl4.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pfHvMl4.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wondered why they called it “Hruaikawn New” and not “New Hruaikawn”. It’s a literal translation from Mizo (Hruaikawn Thar) to English. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We saw a few makeshift camps of the Assam Rifles inside Hruaikawn New, and it was quite obvious the outposts were temporarily set up due to the landslide on the main highway.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/54lqXPw.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/54lqXPw.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We continued driving slowly due to the poor road condition. Our driver told us that we would have already reached our destination had we continued on the highway.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/POsdeKg.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/POsdeKg.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we reached the umbrella viewpoint! We all stopped to take a break from our bumpy ride and enjoy the view below.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/n4cFIwM.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/n4cFIwM.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below us, is the town of Zokhawthar, the last Mizo settlement on the Indian side.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vDfl224.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vDfl224.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Earlier, there was no such town. Instead, there was just a small village, separated by the river Ṭiau, with people living on both sides. On 15th August 1947, the good people of the village woke up to learn that those who lived on this side of the river were now Indians and those who lived on the other side were Burmese citizens.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Weird way to start the day huh? Your family members and neighbours who had lived next to you but on the other side of the river were now suddenly “foreigners”.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At least it wasn’t as bad as the Nagas who woke up to find that their bedroom was now in India while their adjoining kitchen was in Myanmar. :D Trust the white man to draw the international boundary with no thought given to the indigenous people who had been living there for generations.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually, there was migration here and there and the parts of the village which was on the Indian side soon came to be known as Zokhawthar, and the part of the village which was on the Myanmar side was called Khawmawi.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was overwhelming just to drive through Zokhawthar, especially when you think of its history.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wMdYQbR.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wMdYQbR.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QG4Py22.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QG4Py22.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the photo below, you can see some makeshift houses and tents at the bottom. That is a refugee camp, housing those Myanmar nationals who had recently fled their country due to the civil war.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IBYQLVX.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/IBYQLVX.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was told that the refugees who sought political asylum in Mizoram due to the ongoing civil war were usually people who lived deep inside Myanmar, who were directly affected or displaced due to the military shelling, or had a bounty on their heads. Those who lived near the border had not fled to India because the entire region was under the CNDF (Chin National Defense Force) and the CNA (Chin National Army), who were both allies of the PDF.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By the way, for my non-Mizo visitors, do know that Mizos and Chins are the same people. Those who live on the Indian side are called Mizos and those on the Myanmar side are called Chins.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we reached the famous border check-gate at Zokhawthar. Everything that you see on the other side of the gate is Myanmar, with a narrow bridge connecting the two countries.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/AatdnyR.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AatdnyR.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s me poking my finger into Myanmar. :D Take that, you evil junta, haih jishhh.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VRblzNo.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/VRblzNo.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you see below is a very romantic photo entitled, "Burma ramri nang nen". :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zeweE8i.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zeweE8i.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And of course, no border check-gate photography is complete without the traditional “Let me act like I’m opening the lock with my key” fake pose. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/yMMJ3nQ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yMMJ3nQ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The border check-gate is manned by the 2nd IR Bn of Mizoram Police, along with the 8th Bn of the Assam Rifles. Two heavily armed battalions, who, to this date, had never found any reason to fire a single bullet. With people on both sides of the border sharing the same language, culture, tradition and lineage, life is extremely peaceful here.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The armed police and para-military were all amused and smiling at me while I was doing all those shenanigans above. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The border gate is opened every day at 7 AM and closed at 6 PM, except of course currently it remains closed indefinitely due to the CoVid-19 outbreak followed by the ongoing civil war in Myanmar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But on happier days before the pandemic and civil war broke out, anyone could freely enter either side without any VISA or permit. This is due to a special agreement signed between India and Myanmar known as the FMR (Free Movement Regime) that allowed anyone to freely travel up to 16 KM on either side. People were also allowed to trade any goods, provided it was a head-load (meaning, as long as the goods were carried in person and not through lorries, trucks etc).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With the border gate currently shut, does this mean my childhood dream of stepping into Myanmar remains just a dream?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Acshully... no. :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Officially, yes, the gate is locked, so you can’t cross the border on the bridge. But what lies below a bridge? The river. That’s where people were <i>unofficially</i> crossing the border. Like I said earlier, people who live in this region consider Zokhawthar and Khawmawi as one entity. Family members live on either side of the river, and people need to cross the border every day for various reasons, like work, shopping, sports, education, marriages, funerals, medical reasons, community events, or just to chill with friends.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so we too walked under the bridge.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s this gaping hole below the international border wall which was large enough to fit through a person.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hN1pPwX.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hN1pPwX.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here we go!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TGK2MBu.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/TGK2MBu.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lFnhVCx.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lFnhVCx.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8xG7jB5.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8xG7jB5.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so we were on no man’s land, about to cross the rubicon.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/y1ytubg.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/y1ytubg.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Luckily for us, the river was quite shallow. There was this person next to us who understood that it was our first time (because of our obvious shrieks and exclamations) and he reassured us not to worry and that it was perfectly safe to cross the river as long as it didn’t rain.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/eUFJuPQ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/eUFJuPQ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so we waddled across carefully, gingerly stepping on the slippery stones. All the time, the only song playing in my head was Judas Priest’s “Breaking the law, breaking the law!” :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SnakYJ2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SnakYJ2.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we were on foreign territory! Hellooooo Myanmar!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IPo3qqc.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/IPo3qqc.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This was truly a special moment for me, because of two reasons.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#1. This was my first foreign visit! There had been so many times in the past when I was about to travel abroad, but the plan got cancelled or changed at the last minute. Like the last time I was supposed to attend a Game developers conference in San Francisco, or when my Chilean visa was approved and I was about to embark on a 6-months long start-up incubator mentorship in Chile, only for us to opt-out from the program 2 days before our flight.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#2. I was able to do this memorable visit with my girlfriend, the magnificent Lalani, with whom I would be creating many such wonderful memories in the future.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just walking inside a foreign country for the first time felt exuberating to me. I slyly eavesdropped on two strangers walking in front of me, trying to enjoy the satisfaction of hearing people speak in a foreign language, you know, to complete that feeling of being in a foreign land. Unfortunately, they were speaking in Mizo only. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The border gate on the Myanmar side was usually manned by the Tatmadaw, the Myanmar armed force, but of course there were none to see that day because the entire Chin region was under the control of the PDF and its allies.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was right then that I realised I wore the wrong freaking set of clothes! At first, it didn’t occur to us why people kept staring at me. It was only later that we realised I was wearing a complete camouflage uniform, which was a bit similar to the PDF uniform!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many of the people were probably thinking what the hell was I doing frolicking around in town and not at the outskirt of Rihkhawdar fighting the Myanmar army.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We didn’t want to venture too far from the bridge, so we stopped at the first restaurant that we saw up the road - Black Rose.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8Ug2iyR.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8Ug2iyR.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to try out authentic Burmese cuisine, but unfortunately, the place served only Chinese and Thai cuisine! That was really sad. I didn’t go all the way there to have freaking Chinese food. And so we decided to order mocktails.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4zf3F4T.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4zf3F4T.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can see the menu below - Chinese fried rice, fried noodles, Pattaya fried rice etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/r0lmsh0.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/r0lmsh0.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, the price of each item on the list might seem expensive, but those were in Kyat. We could pay in either Indian Rupee or Myanmar Kyat as both were accepted. The ongoing exchange rate that day was 1 rupee = 30 kyat.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I exchanged a 100 rupee note for 3000 kyats, just to keep as memorabilia. Apparently, the smallest denomination in circulation was 50 kyat. 10 and 20 kyats were considered obsolete, though not exactly demonetised, and I assumed that was because of the ongoing civil war.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They served us complimentary jasmine tea before our order arrived.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/u13icOq.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/u13icOq.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I drank it like how Myanmar people drank their tea because it’s important to practice the traditions of a host country.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/C3hPodX.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/C3hPodX.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just kidding, that was just me putting on some nonsense display. :P</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The mocktails were really good though.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RQMpOyQ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RQMpOyQ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I went outside and stood on the pavement for a while, inhaling the Myanmar air. There was definitely this heavy atmosphere of suspense and uncertainty around me. People seemed like they were just having normal conversations, but deep inside, I could sense a prevailing tinge of insecurity lingering in the air. After all, at any second, the Myanmar Air Force could suddenly appear in the sky and bomb the entire town to smithereens.</span><br /><br /><div>One thing you should know. The people here didn’t want independence from Myanmar. They were not separatists or rebels. They just didn’t want to be ruled by a dictatorial military force. I asked the owner of the restaurant why she and her family didn’t just move to India, which was like 5 minutes away. She replied, “Are you kidding me? We love this place, we love this country, this is where our ancestors had lived for generations. We’re not going to abandon the place just like that.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Very deep indeed. Respect.<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />It started raining after a while, and so we quickly finished our mocktails and ran back to our country.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VRT5jFX.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/VRT5jFX.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The river below us was already knee-high! We saw other people running back to India on the bridge itself, and so we just followed them too. :D After all, there is strength and persuasion in numbers. But first, a few photographs.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4fXcIdC.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4fXcIdC.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/oSySBgb.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oSySBgb.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A lover’s pic on a forbidden bridge. :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Ea75baU.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Ea75baU.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We all reached the locked Indian gate and begged the soldiers to open the gate for us. :D In a way, it brought back memories of when we would reach our college hostel after night curfew time and beg the watchman to open the gate for us. Except of course, in this case, we could get shot.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now I’m not going to say whether the soldiers opened the gate for us or not, due to legal reasons, and to avoid any disciplinary enquiries. Let’s just say there was this feeling of great relief once we were safely back on Indian soil again.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We started our return journey back to Champhai once we were done appreciating the freedom we enjoyed in our country.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wijo1NL.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wijo1NL.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tVlAU9u.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tVlAU9u.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goodbye Zokhawthar. Though my experience was short, it was well worth it. Hoping to visit again in the future, with a much more extensive travel plan, considering peace had prevailed in Myanmar by then.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like for example, I wanted to visit the beautiful Rih Dil so badly, because it is an important ancestral heritage of our people. Till today, school children in Mizoram would say, “The largest lake in Mizoram is Rih Dil. It lies in Burma.” Rih Dil is like our Mizo version of the rivers Acheron and Styx where souls of the dead were ferried across to the afterlife.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, we dared not visit it that day because we were told that Myanmar army snipers were perched on the adjoining hilltop, hidden from sight and headshotting any people they found wandering around the lake. (By the way, “headshotting” is a grammatically incorrect word now accepted in the gaming world).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The situation in Myanmar was truly sad. We talked about how difficult life must be for some of the people in Myanmar, and how lucky we were to be born on the other side of the river. Eventually, it was pitch dark by the time we reached the Border Highway again.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kOpF5Ka.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kOpF5Ka.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, it was an exhausting but rewarding trip. I’m so glad I got to finally visit all these places and I thank my wonderful girlfriend for the opportunity. I hope you enjoyed reading my updates so far and looking forward to your visit again.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until then, take care, everyone.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-1486694225076316672022-09-25T11:20:00.005+05:302022-09-25T14:24:51.809+05:30Chp 880. Champhai Trip: Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng.<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><u style="font-family: inherit;">Previous posts:</u></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-877-champhai-trip-part-1.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: On the way</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-878-champhai-trip-murlen-vapar.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: Murlen & Vapar</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/06/chp-879-champhai-trip-vanchhia.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: Vangchhia</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome back to my blog.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I took a short break from blogging to deal with various work here at my farm. I hope I can continue updating my blog regularly from now on.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Continuing with my series of Champhai blog updates, it was a really wonderful experience to visit the idyllic protected forest reserves of Murlen and Vapar, as well as the mythical land of Vangchhia with all their monoliths and historical legends. Next on our travel itinerary was Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From Vangchhia village, it took us around 1 and a half hours to reach the village of Dungtlang, where the historical site of "Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng" is situated.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/R0wHj8Z.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/R0wHj8Z.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng, just like Laltumanu Lunglên Tlâng in my </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/06/chp-879-champhai-trip-vanchhia.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">previous post</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, is another "hill of desiderium", a place of intense sadness, loneliness, melancholy and wistful yearning, this time, of Lianchhiari, the princess of Dungtlang village.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qMYdnep.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qMYdnep.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We passed a few Assam Rifles outposts on the way, which was a familiar sight because of the region’s proximity to the Burmese border.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xTN7X3G.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xTN7X3G.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we reached the village of Dungtlang.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/k80elpP.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/k80elpP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The village was like many of the other villages we had passed on the way - A few Assam-type houses, a few concrete buildings, proper electrification, a few vehicles, and a narrow but decently metalled “main” road running across the village.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IBG7vrU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/IBG7vrU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ThX48oB.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ThX48oB.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But of course, what sets this village apart from the others is the presence of the famous Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng. We soon reached the diversion from the main road on our right to reach our destination.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uf2tnGn.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uf2tnGn.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Going up that narrow dirt road, we passed a small check-gate with a signboard mentioning the entry fees. The gatekeeper was supposed to collect money from us, but he was nowhere to be found, lolz. We thought of leaving the money on the table but decided we would do that if there still wasn’t anybody there on our way out.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/F56Jtsm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/F56Jtsm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, I walked on Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng for the first time in my life. The signboard below mentioned that this was the place where the immaculately beautiful princess Lianchhiari resided, in a chiefdom that once boasted of more than 7000 households!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hsdd2lm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hsdd2lm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The signboard above also mentioned that one could see where the princess used to weave on her loom, including a small imprint made on the ground where the princess apparently used to rest her heels. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A selfie time with </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">my</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Lianchhiari. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/U7ULkR3.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/U7ULkR3.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We passed two graves on the way up. One belonged to the princess, and the other was her mother’s.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WMEuq82.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WMEuq82.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mKCKHor.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mKCKHor.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A short 5-minutes uphill trek later, we reached the top of the mountain.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Q4eoXvD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q4eoXvD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A stone engraving at the entrance proclaimed that this site had been identified as a “State monument” by the Art & Culture Department of Mizoram, and so any defacement or destruction of the surroundings could lead to a ₹ 3000 fine and 3 months imprisonment.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nJjafe5.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nJjafe5.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And of course there wasn’t a single security guard or authority in the entire area. We could have just defaced the entire place and nobody would know it was us. But that’s the beauty of our Mizo culture - Nobody does shit like that.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We reached the main attraction of the place at the peak - A protruding slab of rock.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/d3WB4Yd.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/d3WB4Yd.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Princess Lianchhiari used to sit on the edge, staring into the vast oblivion below, missing her beloved.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qDWLaPf.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qDWLaPf.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We did some touristy stuff :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZCqiQBL.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZCqiQBL.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I put some of our photos here, I'll briefly explain the significance of this place for my non-Mizo readers.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/aByZpv4.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/aByZpv4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was once a princess called Lianchhiari. Her immense beauty was well renowned across the chiefdoms of Mizoram. She was the daughter of Tluangzachhâwna, one of the chiefs of Dungtlang.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fU43RNA.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fU43RNA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now Dungtlang was one of the more powerful chiefdoms back then (this was circa 1700s). There were more than 7000 households under its jurisdiction, which was by no means a small amount, especially during those days. They definitely had a strong contingent of warriors ready to defend the village or raid a nearby settlement.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lZbkxjG.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lZbkxjG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lianchhiari fell in love with Chawngfianga, who was a “pasalṭha” of the village. A pasalṭha is a brave warrior with good virtue and public standing. It was one of the highest honours one could get at that time, and there were many ways to become one, like hunting a certain number of wild animals or going on a successful raid etc., but that is a story for another day.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BNZwA4m.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/BNZwA4m.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The romance between Lianchhiari and Chawngfianga didn’t go down well with the other warriors of the chiefdom who were hoping to marry her, and so, one sultry night, they barged into Chawngfianga’s house and ordered him and his family to leave the chiefdom. And just like that, he was gone.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jMEsPXU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jMEsPXU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although this story is indeed sad, at least it didn’t have a dark outcome like my </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/06/chp-879-champhai-trip-vanchhia.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">previous post</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> where the main protagonist Laltuma was murdered in cold blood. In this case, Chawngfianga was still very much alive. It’s just that, the lovers were separated and could no longer be together.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SyhuBdv.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SyhuBdv.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lianchhiari was devastated when she heard the news that Chawngfianga had migrated to a neighbouring village. One might even say this was the first instance of “ghosting” in our Mizo history :P She was extremely heartbroken that her beloved was no longer in the village. And there were no emails or WhatsApp messenger back then, so it was impossible to have a long distance relationship.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jZSJVHV.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jZSJVHV.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But Lianchhiari realised that she could still see Chawngfianga from the peak of a mountain! I mean, he was extremely far away, wayyyyy across the other side of the mountain range. Lianchhiari would just sit on the edge of a cliff the whole day, watching him work on his farm or play “inkawibah” (a Mizo traditional game).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QXjHprc.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QXjHprc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lianchhiari started spending her entire days watching Chawngfianga with tears streaming down her cheeks, missing him and the memories they had created together, until sunset brought darkness and it was time to head home. And then she would repeat that on the first light of the next day, sitting on the edge again and watching him with utter sadness.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually, the mountain peak came to be known as Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CMvI4PA.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/CMvI4PA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That is the story behind the name of this place.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course there’s more story after that, like nobody wanted to marry Lianchhiari after that because they knew her heart belonged to another person, until a man called Pâwngsena stepped up and married her (it was more of a pity marriage). Pâwngsena was a good man, and they had children.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JOw31QP.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JOw31QP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually, Chawngfianga too got married and had kids. And then they all met up again, caught up on old times, their children played together, and Pâwngsena even allowed his wife and Chawngfianga to spend the night drinking together (though technically he wasn’t okay with it and he spent the whole night on his bed restlessly spying on them from beneath his blanket, which came to be known as “Pawngsen tlaivar” in Mizo, an idiom which means a person unintentionally stayed awake the entire night without doing anything productive or useful).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/yLYZK5a.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yLYZK5a.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Both the families ended up becoming good friends for the rest of their lives, and even though this story didn’t have a happy ending, it wasn’t such a sad ending either.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0MAOmH7.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0MAOmH7.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon it was time to head back to our vehicle. At the base of the mountain, the tourism department had constructed a traditional Mizo village for non-Mizo tourists to see. You can see how a typical house was constructed back then, as well as how a waiting shed was built, along with menhirs that adorned the streets.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bTK51Q5.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bTK51Q5.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8iqfdfm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8iqfdfm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nn1dLRQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nn1dLRQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They also reconstructed a Zawlbûk, which is a dormitory for men. All the unmarried male warriors of the village would sleep in this dormitory together, so that it would be easy for all of them to rush out together in case their village was raided during the night.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0yKuzcj.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0yKuzcj.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Women, children and even married men weren’t allowed to step inside the Zawlbûk. Even the chief of the village himself as well as members of the royal family weren’t allowed inside. The only married man that could enter the dormitory was the commander of the Zawlbûk force.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the entrance of the Zawlbûk is a “bawhbel” which is perhaps one of the most valuable items of the village. It is a gigantic tree trunk and one must roll over it in order to enter the Zawlbûk. It serves as a good defensive fortification, and it also makes it difficult for a raiding party to quickly enter the dormitory to kill the warriors.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uS5IRDx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uS5IRDx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below is a typical Mizo house and how the interiors looked like.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3Jih00c.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3Jih00c.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WPjtHgz.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WPjtHgz.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two entwined lovers feeding love to each other. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CTsxMFh.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/CTsxMFh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span><div style="text-align: justify;"><div>And with that, our visit to Lianchhiari Lunglên Tlâng came to an end.</div><div><br /></div><div>To sum up, if you ask people what was so great about Princess Lianchhiari, some might say it was her beauty while others would say it was her sad emotional story that had inspired so many love songs and poems. I on the other hand would probably say it was her eyesight. Dayyymm that queen could see! She got some Hubble Space Telescopic level vision on her. :D </div><div><br /></div><div>Jokes aside, it was truly a great experience to visit the place and I hope you visit too. There are bus and sumo services from Champhai that you can hire, which will also take you to other tourist destinations nearby, like Hla Kungpui Mual (Mizo Poets' Square) and Liamsial Puk.</div><div><br /></div><div>On our way out, the caretaker of the area was finally there at the gate and we laughed as we paid him our entry fees. </div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div></span>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rH3LZg2.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rH3LZg2.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From there, it was a long drive back to our hotel. It rained a bit on the way, making the scenery around us even more pristine.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/823HbiV.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/823HbiV.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But before going back to Champhai, we took a short detour and went inside Burma! Do come back to read my exciting update on that. Until then, everyone, have a great day.</span></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-42478457473486499482022-06-22T20:57:00.004+05:302022-06-23T11:00:45.006+05:30Chp 879. Champhai Trip: Vangchhia.<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><u style="font-family: inherit;">Previous posts:</u></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-877-champhai-trip-part-1.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: On the way</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">- </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-878-champhai-trip-murlen-vapar.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: Murlen & Vapar</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Memories of the beautiful forests of Murlen and Vapar were still frolicking in my head the next morning, but there was no time to cherish those moments yet, as it was time for our next trip. We were going to visit the mystical and ancient ruins of Vangchhia!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6sDw9Wm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6sDw9Wm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dubbed by historians as the "Lost Civilisation of the Mizos", extensive archaeological research dated some of the menhirs and petroglyphs found at this excavation site to be as old as 600 AD!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visiting Vangchhia had been on my bucket list for a long time, and I was super excited to finally get an opportunity to visit it.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We woke up at 6:30 AM again, but unlike the previous day, we decided not to bother the staff at Champhai Tourist Lodge to make breakfast for us. Plus, the food wasn't </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">that</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> great. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It rained a bit in the morning so the weather was quite poignant and pleasant.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Dztxvsy.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Dztxvsy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We ate at a roadside stall, at this main intersection in Champhai.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YKLCETp.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/YKLCETp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YNsbP8Z.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/YNsbP8Z.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lUGjKM2.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lUGjKM2.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chhangban and Paratha, yummm.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/M7lmJFu.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/M7lmJFu.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After that, fuelled by the power of chhangban and paratha, we were ready for our trip. We drove through the vast paddy fields on the outskirts of Champhai town once again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/oh5bFm6.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oh5bFm6.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We passed a couple of memorial stones, reminding us that we were going to see even more significant ones at our destination.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UHNLcuQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UHNLcuQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We took the Indo Myanmar Border Road towards Zokhawthar village.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/B6nmrW1.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/B6nmrW1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mualkawi bazaar - This is a farmer's market where the farmers from Mualkawi village sell their fresh produce to the people of Champhai town.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/r4cXL9r.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/r4cXL9r.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Right after this market, we took the diversion towards Mualkawi village, leaving the well-metalled Indo Myanmar Border Road.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7bZQYC4.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7bZQYC4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Had we continued going straight in the above photo, we would have reached Burma via Zokhawthar village (which we did later but I'll write about that experience in another update).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We soon reached the village of Mualkawi.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Ceqtqjf.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Ceqtqjf.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/NvStpSv.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/NvStpSv.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were quickly out of the idyllic village in about 5 minutes.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ovOa9KS.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ovOa9KS.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, it was Kelkang village. This is one place that almost every Mizo is familiar with, because of a recent spiritual wave that had swept across Mizoram.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/J1yCPLn.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/J1yCPLn.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The actual spiritual camps and gospel revival programs took place on the hilltop of the village as you can see from my photo below.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PspVZLt.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/PspVZLt.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To see those places, we had to take another route to go up, where around 80% of the population of Kelkang resided. But since we were in a bit of a rush, we decided to keep driving. There were only just a few houses on the road below.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FmDkVY7.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FmDkVY7.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our journey continued.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lThHuZw.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lThHuZw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We reached the village of Dilkawn after just 5 minutes, lolz. Yeah, those were probably the closest two villages we saw on this trip in terms of proximity.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5Vfnog9.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5Vfnog9.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm sure in a couple of years as residents keep expanding, Kelkang and Dilkawn will eventually become one village.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/H3hoRIb.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/H3hoRIb.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next village on our route - Khuangleng, was around an hour away though.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the way, we saw a lot of forest destructions, which kinda left me conflicted because on one hand, we had destroyed all the biodiversity and natural ecosystem of the surrounding areas, but on the other hand, the land was being cultivated for farmland, which was essential for our sustenance.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3Px9xLF.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3Px9xLF.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By the way, you can click on all the images to enlarge on a new tab.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mgTmJh4.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mgTmJh4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wWwF6pQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wWwF6pQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we stood there watching the scene of the widescale jhum cultivation from the road above, I at least got to learn something new that day. What you see below is apparently called a "Lei ruang tuam".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RMuLdxw.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RMuLdxw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A "leiruangtuam" is a patch of mysterious round mould of soil that appears at random places, kinda like the crop-circles in American UFO stories. According to our Mizo folklore, it is a place of bad omen. Vegetation cannot grow over it, and building a farmhouse over it is known to have caused many horrifying and haunting phenomena. I'm talking about bodies being possessed by evil spirits and people going on a murderous spree crazy. Some people also believe that it is a mass grave of our ancestors, while others believe there are treasures buried under it but nobody is brave enough to dig it.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you can see in the above photo too, the villagers had clearly demarcated the circle and ignored it in their ongoing plantation.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kinda eerie, huh? :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyways, we continued with our journey. We passed Tuipuiral area, though not the village as that was on another route.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6aUUEwC.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6aUUEwC.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We saw more destructions of forestland along the way.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0qRmKUH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0qRmKUH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally we reached the village of Khuangleng.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Hox2SXi.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Hox2SXi.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There's a diversion to reach the village of Sesih from there.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Khuangleng is a beautiful village of around 400 households. According to Champhai Census handbook, the literacy rate of the village is above 97%. I think this is one factor that sets Mizoram apart from other Indian states. All the villages we have visited in this series of blog updates all have a literacy rate of above 95%, whereas the average literacy rate in rural India is 73.5%.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DOV3Xk6.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DOV3Xk6.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8AQmFFp.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8AQmFFp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After around 30 minutes, we reached the fork to go to Leisenzo village. We continued going straight.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/puh8fbH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/puh8fbH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally we reached Thinghrankawn.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/elbS1S6.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/elbS1S6.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thinghrangkawn, which falls under Tuipuiral village jurisdiction, is a very important junction that leads to different destinations on this side of Champhai district.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/EKN8upL.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EKN8upL.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the above photo, if you take the left, it will take you to Sazep and Vangchhia. If you continue going straight, it will take you to Leithum, Dungtlang, Samthang, Vaphai and Khawbung, and if you take the right, it will take you to Vanzau and Bungzung.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We took the left.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0J0gpVi.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0J0gpVi.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The above shed was constructed by Tuipuiral Group YMA in the year 2018 with the help of BADP, MLA and MP Funds.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We continued with our journey towards Vangchhia. The road was definitely smaller from the junction onwards.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wkiNzWA.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wkiNzWA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/GmqErIF.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/GmqErIF.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We soon reached the village of Sazep in under 30 minutes.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hYj59IE.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hYj59IE.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What is quite weird about this village is that, Google Maps will tell you to drive straight (in blue arrow below) but you'll have to take a route through their entire village (in orange arrow below) and then join the normal road again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RcVbeiu.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RcVbeiu.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can actually see the old route being blocked and the path where it joins the normal route again from the other side, lolz.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think maybe at one point in time, the route used to be that only, and then the people of Sazep village were like, "You know what, we don't think it's fair that our neighbours Vangchhia are getting all the limelight and hogging all the glory, while we're being ignored at the sidelines, why don't we just re-route the road through our village so that we may gain some economic benefits from their visitors?" :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok I don't know if that really happened or not, and no offence intended to the good people of Sazep village. This is quite normal anyway. Remember when the people of Sairang village held agitations and blocked the roads when the new Lengpui airport road was to be constructed because the (much shorter) new route was going to completely bypass their village? Fewer travellers do affect the local business.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another 30 minutes drive and we finally reached our destination - Vangchhia.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/aMhdNDB.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/aMhdNDB.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I had mentioned in my previous post, many villages had set up "CoVid check-gates" like the one you see above, where travellers were carefully screened, and in many cases, non-essential travellers like tourists weren't allowed to enter. Fortunately, things aren't like that now.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was this feeling of great emotional outburst as we entered the village of our ancestors. I could feel my blood bubbling with excitement as decades of DNA passed down to me from my forefathers became entwined in relentless fervour.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kKRGhqb.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kKRGhqb.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything was just so mystical and surreal in Vangchhia. Like this building architecture you see below -</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/GW6vw1W.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/GW6vw1W.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You may think it's funny to see a balcony door with no balcony, but actually, it was purposely built that way because our ancestors never believed in balconies, they thought a balcony was where evil spirits like a "lasi pitar" lived.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Mizo, dirty means "bal", and to call someone is "koh", and day means "ni", so "bal-koh-ni" was the day these evil spirits used to call out the names of dirty children for a bath outside, and then snatched them away when they ran outside. Hence, to avoid "bal-koh-ni", parents started constructing houses without a "bal-co-ny", and eventually, the evil spirit got frustrated and left. That's why our ancestors didn't have balconies.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok fine, I'm just kidding, I have no idea why there's no balcony in the above photo. :D :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We found the house of the VC President of Vangchhia, as he had prepared food for us (it would be advisable for you to do the same when you visit. Try to arrange somebody from this village to cook your food as it will be a long ride, plus there are no restaurants, and it is a good source of income for the villagers).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WfvqD7U.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WfvqD7U.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were a bit late so the food had to be reheated. It was a new experience for me to operate our traditional Mizo kitchen tools.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uyIhYBv.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uyIhYBv.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The food was ready within a few minutes. We were all starving from the long 3+ hours drive.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vF7sHPT.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vF7sHPT.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just like our previous visit to Murlen, the VC President of Vangchhia too had already left for his daily farmwork when we reached his house. Keep in mind that all these people are daily farmers. If they miss out even a day's work, their harvest suffers.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The VC President's daughter-in-law was in charge. She even gave us free homemade icecreams after our meal and they were yummm!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VS8DdEw.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/VS8DdEw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Won-to-fy!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/F5cntla.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/F5cntla.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is how I picture our honeymoon drive to be. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Considering how close the village of Vangchhia is to the Burmese border, it wasn't surprising to find these wontofy's in Vangchhia. Do read my </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-878-champhai-trip-murlen-vapar.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">previous post</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> on the origin of these versatile two-wheelers if you haven't yet.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We made our way to the heritage site after that awesome meal.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5FwckoD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5FwckoD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The village road led straight to the place and ended there.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8jEvGfB.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8jEvGfB.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ahhh hello gateway of my ancestors!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/T5Hn3so.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/T5Hn3so.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There's a ticket counter at the side where we had to pay to enter. It costs ₹ 30 per head.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Pe67dR1.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Pe67dR1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We bought a few handmade souvenirs of Vangchhia from a local sculptor, and he was so happy with our purchase that he offered to become our guide! <br /><br />Here's a placard at the entrance about the place. Not sure why it's written in Shakespearean English though. :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vXzntYS.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vXzntYS.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A mural of Vangchhia, pointing out all the important locations.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cZoPBpg.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/cZoPBpg.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we walked into the historical place, we were welcomed immediately by the sight of menhirs adorning the path.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/V8k1orH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/V8k1orH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These menhirs are long remnants of our ancestors and they were only recently discovered and excavated, thanks to the undertaking of Pu Rohmingthanga IAS, INTACH Mizoram (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) and ASI Guwahati (Archaeological Survey of India).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VYLhnT5.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/VYLhnT5.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By the way, if you want to see all the photos in higher resolution, you can click them / tap on them to enlarge on a new tab.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vFSo7tO.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vFSo7tO.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MGASuXc.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MGASuXc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Princess of Vangchhia Kingdom, with her Prince Charming. :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qtFdyiP.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qtFdyiP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The menhirs we just saw were merely the appetizers. Most of the other menhirs were inside this large enclosure behind a gate called "Kawtchhuah Ropui", which kinda means "The Grand Entrance" in Mizo (do let me know if you have a better translation).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5EoHwHn.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5EoHwHn.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Inside the inner sanctum, there were rows and rows of these magnificent menhirs.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3TFuaiU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3TFuaiU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/x3XvpwY.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/x3XvpwY.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Kl8oMi4.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Kl8oMi4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just so you know, these menhirs were arranged in such rows during the restoration campaign (2014 – 2018) undertaken by INTACH Mizoram and ASI Guwahati teams. These were </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">not</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> their original positions as most of these menhirs were excavated from the surrounding areas.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I guess they had put them all together here for the sake of security, and because it made such a nice attraction for tourists.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vn84AKB.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vn84AKB.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SLjDC4N.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SLjDC4N.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vTWhnS4.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vTWhnS4.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A big question archaeologists had asked was, where the hell did our ancestors get these stones from, because the surrounding topography of the place didn't have such rock formations. Some of them believed they must have dragged the gigantic stones from Ṭiau river many miles away!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's the thing about ancient people. They are known to have done such extreme CrossFit exercises long before it became mainstream. Look at Stonehenge too. Researchers believed those protruding megaliths were transported across more than 200km. And of course another easier conclusion is to believe they all did it with the help of aliens. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cYcHZNE.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/cYcHZNE.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WWlNUTM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WWlNUTM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another significant discussion that came up was on how our ancestors managed to carve these hardened stones. Did our ancestors discover iron or other forms of tools long before it was common? And the lack of any script, or hieroglyphic, on these carvings seemed to align with why we never had any written script until the British conquered our lands and gave us a new script.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WVcVTwM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WVcVTwM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zYQRQwP.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zYQRQwP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our newfound guide continued showing us around the place. He was a very jovial chap and answered all our queries. He was born and brought up in Vangchhia village, and he told us that for most of his life, the only way to enter and exit the village was through a narrow footpath. A vehicular road to Vangchhia was built only in 2010.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DMNNzzm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DMNNzzm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He told us that he along with the entire village knew about the menhirs long before other people came to know about them. They kinda knew the menhirs were important, it's just that, they didn't know they were going to be </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">that</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> significant, and softly admitted that a lot of people had used the stones to build their houses etc., until the ASI team arrived and informed them of the grand significance and declared it a heritage site.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thinking about how many stones must have been destroyed and their histories erased, one can't help but feel sad for that, but then again, you really can't blame the people too.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vo23bWv.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vo23bWv.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4ejesG0.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4ejesG0.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Kdkp2oQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Kdkp2oQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0pUpdSx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0pUpdSx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The carving below seemed to depict the chief of a village with all his subjects, jewellery and livestock surrounding him, though I thought it looked more like a great warrior displaying the number of enemy heads he had hunted.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HGcENJW.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/HGcENJW.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mqnsdBs.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mqnsdBs.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I had this moment of epiphany when I touched one of the great stones. The spirits of our ancestors appeared to me and told me that the colour of the famous internet viral dress was blue and black, and not white and gold. I knew it!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bTRRXzi.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bTRRXzi.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PVwau5x.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/PVwau5x.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KqnUIZl.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/KqnUIZl.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FunuufC.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FunuufC.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everybody was fascinated with the carvings. We explained everything to Akangsha too who was busy taking photos and completely mesmerised by the surroundings.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7RBLdfo.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7RBLdfo.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/NFNlnVy.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/NFNlnVy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I could have sworn I saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex in one of the carvings. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BdIqYcw.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/BdIqYcw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The birds below too looked like Pterodactyls but I was told that they were a crane and a hornbill. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/83CZ07r.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/83CZ07r.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The mithun below was obvious though.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xUmUd30.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xUmUd30.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another prominent image that frequently appeared was a circle-like shape which some believed to be a gong, while others said it could be a shield or a waterbag.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UYRTOvp.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UYRTOvp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Romance under the stars of our ancestors :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7IsXt4r.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7IsXt4r.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rYx0Muj.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rYx0Muj.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/2ElEBzD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2ElEBzD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ay3MdAM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ay3MdAM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CBcedEm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/CBcedEm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZDAhzNm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZDAhzNm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Believe me, these photos do not do justice to the location. You'd have to be there in person to feel the unexplainable phantasmagoric atmosphere that surrounded us.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jeFEH18.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jeFEH18.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fSkPFhB.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fSkPFhB.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/i7X5qsW.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/i7X5qsW.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then there were these dedicated daily workers who swept the area every day. Some of you may not notice, but the entire enclosure is filled with trees. Leaves fall every minute. They have to sweep everywhere at least twice a day, and thrice during autumn. A big kudos to them.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/sQbuJ97.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/sQbuJ97.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The path you see below is the ancient route our ancestors had taken to reach this place. It was cordoned off at the end to prevent the public from venturing on that road.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1wWCZRM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1wWCZRM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They had blocked the path to preserve the structure of that trail, and also because it was a precarious path. One wrong slip and you could fall hundreds of feet below to certain death. Our ancestors were definitely the original gangstas.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we were done admiring and absorbing the wonders of the place, we proceeded uphill to see the next attraction - the great defence system of Vangchhia.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/N6plJe2.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/N6plJe2.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our friendly guide continued leading the way.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TGyWPDb.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/TGyWPDb.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the way up, I saw these stacks of stones balanced neatly on top of each other and asked our guide if they too were put up by our ancestors, and whether our ancestors already had an intuition of creating order from chaos by arranging a motif of a zen garden.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/u8JRj3H.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/u8JRj3H.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He laughed and said those were the works of the sweepers. :D Apparently, they would entertain themselves by placing such stones as a prank around the area to amuse the visitors. Gotta love them. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally we reached the hilltop and saw the great defence system of Vangchhia village.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UKuNsFx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UKuNsFx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you see above and below are remnants of a small man-made cave. They used to have a roof above. Apparently, warriors used to sit inside and be on sentry duty.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/e7bQG2N.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/e7bQG2N.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From the cave, you have a bird's-eye view of the entire valley and hills below. One can easily spot rival clans or a raiding party approaching from this location. They also used to shout at approaching strangers, asking them to identify themselves first before they could proceed uphill.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Nh9BFAc.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Nh9BFAc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If it was a raiding party, one of the warriors would quickly run to the village and inform the other warriors sleeping inside the Zawlbuk (which is a dormitory for men) and they would all gather their weapons and run back to this spot. From here, they had a clear tactical advantage over the invaders. They would roll down boulders and throw spears, which would eventually repel the attacking force.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/cBNfZsX.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/cBNfZsX.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That is pretty dope.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we had taken enough photos, we walked across the peak to our next destination.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/d7HG5px.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/d7HG5px.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Laltumanu Lungleng Tlang, which means "Laltuma's mother's hill of sorrow".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nfAQMB8.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nfAQMB8.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So apparently, there was once a very handsome warrior in Vangchhia called Laltuma. He had dazzling hair and shimmering teeth, the stuff that would make a lady's knees go weak. He eventually caught the attention of the chieftain's wife. Some rumours even said they had a torrid affair.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The chief of course was super furious and jealous, but he could not catch them in the act. So eventually he sent his henchmen to take care of the problem, kinda like a mafia hit, you know, "Tonight, Antonio will sleep with the fishes" thing. In fact, that is exactly what happened to Laltuma.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So what happened? Well, can you see the Ṭiau river in the photo below?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WQuBcEr.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WQuBcEr.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll mark the river with red arrows so that you can understand better.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/X1cBspM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/X1cBspM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Ṭiau river you see in the photos above is currently the international boundary. Everything on the other side of the river is present-day Burma. But back then, they were all areas governed by different Mizo clans.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So one day, the chief's henchmen invited Laltuma to go fishing with them at Ṭiau river. Oblivious to their evil intention, Laltuma happily went along with them. Once they were in the river, as Laltuma dived underwater, the other henchmen continued pressing his head inside and eventually drowned him. Laltuma never returned to the village again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back at the village, Laltuma's mother waited for his return that night, and every night thenceforth. She was heartbroken, but there was nothing she could do about it. She would come to this spot every day and just sit on this same spot, looking at the Ṭiau river below and waiting for the return of her beloved son.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The spot eventually came to be known as Laltumanu Lungleng Tlang. The hilltop of sorrow and grief of the mother of Laltuma. Damn that's such a sad story. I can feel your eyes watering too, amirite?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rgJPNHc.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rgJPNHc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our visit was soon coming to an end. We were extremely grateful to our guide for explaining a lot things about the place. We gave him a good tip, which he declined of course, but we insisted. If you visit the place and find a guide, please don't forget to tip them as this is one of their main sources of income.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But of course, do read up on different archaeological and scientific findings too. Take what your guide says with a pinch of salt. For example, while most of the things our guide told us were true as we had some knowledge about them, he also told us that there was once a famous chief in Vangchhia called Marsiala, and he had made a set of stringent laws for the people.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The set of laws, known as "Marsiala dân", or "Marsial Law" in English, became so revered that when the British conquered us, they were fascinated with it and soon adopted it and that is what we now call as "Martial Law" across the world. Lolzzz. Comonnn that is the kinda stuff I would say. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But we kept a straight face when he told us that because we didn't want to be rude. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On our way out, I took a photo of the noticeboard. Do have a read.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0eRtAzN.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0eRtAzN.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So there was this funny incident - I had a sudden urge to take a dump! :D Don't blame me, it was a very long and bumpy journey and I ate so much at the VC President's house. The staff at the gate told me there's a toilet in the guestrooms above, and so we rushed there. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UuB7gqU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UuB7gqU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/GDNWLse.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/GDNWLse.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The guestrooms on top could be used by any traveller to rest or store their luggage while they visited the site. However that day, there was some problem with the water connection inside the toilets.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Sgt7Qbj.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Sgt7Qbj.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so I had to go fetch water with a bucket from a tap. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bRDg2yq.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bRDg2yq.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was so relaxed that I was finally able to relieve myself, though the girlfriend kept irritating me from outside the loo. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pE4pQk1.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pE4pQk1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was this ancient swimming pool built by our ancestors at the guesthouse section too. :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/37mQDQh.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/37mQDQh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so, our journey came to an end. We headed down and were soon on our way back.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DI3Wn0p.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DI3Wn0p.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Goodbye Vangchhia. Thank you for the great experience. What makes this journey even more memorable is that I got to do this with Lalani. Love you.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the way back, I took this one last photo before entering the village of Sazep. It is the spot I mentioned earlier above. A little further ahead, we could literally see the other side of the road, and there were some signs of an old road structure, but instead, we had to drive through the village. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XdRzIGs.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/XdRzIGs.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do visit my next update, where I'll be writing about our visit to Lianchhiari Lungleng Tlang. Until then, take care everyone.</span></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-81380568550917602902022-05-31T09:57:00.003+05:302022-05-31T11:53:27.009+05:30Chp 878. Champhai Trip: Murlen & Vapar.<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So after a tiring 9 hours drive from Aizawl to Champhai, we finally had a good rest at Champhai Tourist Lodge. For those of you who missed my previous post, you can read it here - <a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2022/05/chp-877-champhai-trip-part-1.html" target="_blank">Champhai Trip: On the way</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Champhai was truly beautiful. But there was no time to explore the town yet as we had a tight schedule - We were going to visit Murlen National Park.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/oJckRTy.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oJckRTy.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lalani and her team of wildlife researchers had work to do at the 200km<sup>2</sup> national park, and I tagged along because I wanted to explore the place, and also because it was my duty as the boyfriend to make sure Lalani wasn't eaten by wild animals. :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just like Dampa Tiger Reserve, Murlen National Park is also off-limits to the common people. If you want to visit the place, you have to get permission from the Field Director, who is currently the DFO (Divisional Forest Officer) of Khawzawl district.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, even though most of Murlen National Park lies inside Champhai district, it falls under Khawzawl wildlife territory and so the DFO of Khawzawl is in charge of the place, not the DFO of Champhai.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Murlen is around 50km from Champhai town. But yeah, don't let that distance fool you, you'll take more than 3 hours to reach the place due to the poor road condition. That's why we had to leave early in the morning.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We informed the staff of Tourist Lodge that we would like to have breakfast at 6:30 AM, and obviously, that was a problem because it was too early for them to cook anything new. But we told them we were fine with just "chaw ṭhing" (leftover rice and dishes from the previous night reheated).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next day, we woke up at 5:30 and got ready. Can you see me? OMG I'm invisible! :P</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/aYQydtW.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/aYQydtW.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below, you can see some parts of Champhai's iconic paddy fields from the balcony of Tourist Lodge.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7yv7BHu.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7yv7BHu.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We ate breakfast quickly and the kitchen staff at Tourist Lodge even made omelettes for us. Nice!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/84PLXyo.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/84PLXyo.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so we left Tourist Lodge by 7:30 AM.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ADKdds2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ADKdds2.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pWpATLP.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pWpATLP.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We stopped at Rokunga Point and bought snacks and refreshments for the trip. When we told the shopkeeper where we were going, he advised us to take the new road and not the old one.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I went and stood at the main traffic junction to pose for a photo. Two trucks and a car nearly ran over me! Apparently, they didn't see me standing right there in the middle of the road because all they saw was just a floating head. :P</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UdzPbrG.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UdzPbrG.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below are some shots of Champhai's paddy fields as we drove past them. I had never seen such a vast flat area in Mizoram.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/g4DsgKc.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/g4DsgKc.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lqrtr6i.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lqrtr6i.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To me, it was definitely a new experience to see this type of terrain <i>inside</i> Mizoram. If I was kidnapped from Aizawl while being blindfolded and this was the first location I saw, I would probably think I was on my way to Silchar in Assam, like somewhere at Lailapur or Bhaga.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After some time, the plain fields were slowly replaced by the usual rolling hills and soon we reached the village of Zote.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/AbJjSZT.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AbJjSZT.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've always wondered, if someone opens a bakery shop in this village, will it automatically be called Zote Bakery? :P</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the outskirts of Zote, we stopped at the famous "Sathâr point". This is a memorial erected by the people of Zote to remember their beloved Sathâr, a goral / wild mountain goat, that used to live nearby.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/AIwVqeK.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AIwVqeK.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">View from the location.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/trBCGBG.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/trBCGBG.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At the far distance (after the second hill range), can you see those settlements? I've depicted it with a red arrow. That's Burma. :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jSt302b.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jSt302b.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's how close we were to the international border. The Burmese village you can see above is called Bulfek, and the inhabitants are all Mizos, although they are known as "Chins" in Burma.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the other side of the road is a cliff known as "Sathâr khâm" because gorals used to frequent this region.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/P4Ip7TG.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/P4Ip7TG.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We continued with our journey. Just a few km before reaching the village of Ngur, we stopped again because there were like 5-6 huge vultures (Himalayan griffons) circling in the air. There was probably a carcass somewhere in the ravines below us.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FvELc7z.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FvELc7z.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SH9wWGR.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SH9wWGR.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rMy1psQ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rMy1psQ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These were the best pics I could take with my OnePlus 9R.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our driver RC-a also said that it could be the dead bodies of pigs that were attracting the vultures. With the outbreak of ASF (African Swine Fever) across Mizoram (and Champhai being the worst affected district), pigs everywhere were dying like flies and it was very much possible that some of the secluded farmers didn't follow the government's protocol of burying ASF-affected pigs. Sad…</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We soon reached the village of Ngur.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/If1h2Sk.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/If1h2Sk.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Apparently, Ngurthangvela wasn't from this village, much to my disappointment, and much to the irritation of my travel companions who had to bear such questions from me. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At Ngur, I saw another thing for the first time - Wontofy!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ysyuFFv.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ysyuFFv.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So the 2-wheeler that you can see above is called a "wontofy". It is like a scooty but it has gears, and they are brought into India from Burma (through the many porous borders). Hence, they're not registered under the Indian Motor Vehicles Act, but nobody's gonna take the effort of booking you at these far-flung villages.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Champhai town, of course, you can't drive one of these, as you'll be penalized immediately by the traffic cops, but in these villages bordering Burma, you can do whatever you want. It's pretty much like how you'll find the sons of rich farmers in Punjab or Maharashtra driving ATVs on their village roads but they can't do the same in the cities or highways because ATVs are not road-legal in India.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VmDiHIu.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/VmDiHIu.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you can see, wontofy is everywhere in these regions. It is the most common mode of transportation because it is affordable (black-market price) compared to other branded Indian 2-wheelers, and it is also strong enough to handle the steep slopes of Mizoram.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you know why it is called a "wontofy"? Because apparently, all these 2-wheelers are manufactured by different companies and brands, but the one common factor they all have is a 125cc engine. And so people started calling them "125" instead, as in the numbers "one-two-five", and when they pronounced that quickly, that too with a Mizo accent, it became "one-two-fy", hence wontofy.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fkBehMm.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fkBehMm.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And that is the story behind the origin of wontofy. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pretty cute, huh?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From Ngur, it took us around an hour to reach the village of Vapar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qG8yFKi.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qG8yFKi.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We were of course welcomed with the sight of more "wontofy" at Vapar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/MFvRdz4.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/MFvRdz4.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now what I noticed was, although these 2-wheelers weren't road-legal, all of them DID have a license plate! In Ngur, I saw some of the license plates were "Ngur-7, Ngur-21, Ngur-40" and so on, and in Vapar, they were displaying license plates like "Vapar-4, Vapar-21, Vapar-37" and so on.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I guess they all had to have unique license plates for an identification process, which was interesting to observe because they <i>still</i> followed a systematic form of order in an environment where it wasn't mandatory to have one. Perhaps this was a reflection of our Mizo way of life.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At Vapar, we drove around the village searching for the Interpretation Center.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/36UibdM.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/36UibdM.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, after we were given the wrong direction a couple of times, we found the place. In their defence, the people we asked didn't know what the "Interpretation Center" was because they all knew the place as just "Forest quarters". It was our mistake.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/P8JrMok.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/P8JrMok.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We picked up Akangsha from the Interpretation Center, who had been camping there for the past 6 months. She is one of Lalani's field researchers. I really admire her because she doesn't speak a word of Mizo but has absolutely no problem living in a remote village like Teirei (Dampa Tiger Reserve) or Vapar all by herself and working deep in the jungles every day!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That is so freaking impressive. I can never do such a thing, hell no.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some photos of Vapar village taken from the Interpretation Center.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0oqFlPo.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0oqFlPo.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Rjl5bnr.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Rjl5bnr.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nkqNEBi.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nkqNEBi.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We distributed some of our snacks to the local children nearby. A lot of them were speaking in Paite dialect and I was told that most of the Mizos in Vapar were Paites.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8sRZOFm.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8sRZOFm.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Akangsha joined our group and we left for Murlen by 10:30.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XCP4ITz.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/XCP4ITz.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the diversion one must take to go Murlen, which is the newly constructed road.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wWiSlYI.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wWiSlYI.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the right, you can see some parts of the main road. If you continue going on that route, you'll eventually reach Hnahlan village, you know, the famous village where our state government had asked the people to invest a lot of money to grow grapes for wine production, and then prohibited the sale of wine in Mizoram. Genius.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We continued on that newly constructed road. Most of the time it was narrow and uneven. Below are a few photos of that route.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/NEYrQ7R.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/NEYrQ7R.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4IptUpN.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4IptUpN.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uzTILzN.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uzTILzN.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6TtyQbf.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6TtyQbf.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And here's the best part. This route wasn't on Google Map (at the time of writing this post).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So this was one of those moments when you shouldn't rely on technology. If you search for a route between Vapar and Murlen, Google Map will show you the old route. This new route isn't registered on the map yet, and according to the map, we were completely off the road, somewhere in a thick forest or cliff, lolz.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/npCLTpB.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/npCLTpB.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The satellite image too showed no signs of this newly constructed road.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qaQPFjK.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qaQPFjK.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But we placed our trust in RC-a rather than a trillion-dollar technology and eventually, we reached the outskirts of Murlen village.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/LcTTp7Q.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/LcTTp7Q.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">By the way, you can see a gate-like structure in the above photo. We noticed this at every village we passed by, and RC-a said these makeshift gates were constructed recently during the pandemic outbreak to prevent outsiders from entering their respective villages.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello Murlen.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/0KuSuwR.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/0KuSuwR.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/61ADCAW.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/61ADCAW.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were less than 100 houses at Murlen. We headed straight for the house of the Village Council president, as we had to report to him that we were going inside the national park.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vxXJNHQ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vxXJNHQ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you can see from the above image, it was obvious that there weren't too many residents in Murlen, because the person we went to see was not just the President of Murlen Village Council, but also the Financial Secretary of Murlen YMA, the Secretary of Murlen Sports & Games Association, the President of Murlen PYD (Pentecostal Youth Department), and the Assistant Secretary of Rabung division PYD.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's quite a résumé there. :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reminds me of the joke we used to crack about a guy who was so competent and over-qualified at Church that he did the opening prayers and Bible reading, read the secretary report, went around the pews and collected the offerings, and finally went up to the pulpit to deliver the sermon. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, the VC President had already left for his farm. Almost everybody at Murlen is a farmer or a cattle herder. But his daughter told us that he was aware we were coming to visit and that we could go ahead with our schedule.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so we proceeded towards Murlen National Park from the village. We had to drive up a cobblestone road.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/AewvQzP.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AewvQzP.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">View of the village from above.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dkJven6.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/dkJven6.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon we joined the old Murlen road. No wonder we were told not to take this route because there was no way two vehicles could pass each other, unless you have some weird fetish for tumbling down a cliff.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/M1C56Gv.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/M1C56Gv.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We passed these old tombstones of some of the early settlers of Murlen village and some of them dated back to the early 1800's.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1XEL8PO.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1XEL8PO.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A view of Murlen from near the tombstones. Considering how you can get a bird's-eye view of the entire village from this location, I think the tombstones were purposely erected at that particular point so as to have this feeling of “ancestors watching over us” vibe. I could be wrong too.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mmznRTc.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mmznRTc.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After another 30 minutes or so of a bumpy ride, we soon reached the national park.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kW8ttg8.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kW8ttg8.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were these cute cottages called "Bear Lodge" (because apparently there were once many bears around the region) built by the Forest department, and any tourist could rest there or cook food inside etc.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JOzoukv.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JOzoukv.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The best part about Bear Lodge was that there were no caretakers around. The place was completely deserted, and anybody could take shelter in it. The Forest department trusted the community enough that nobody would exploit or desecrate the cottages.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qKETUMn.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qKETUMn.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But we didn't want to pollute or dirty the cottages, so we kept our belongings inside our vehicle.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ep57FBg.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ep57FBg.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We ate some of the cakes and bread we bought earlier and after that, we started our trek into Murlen National Park.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QX0qAc2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QX0qAc2.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just so you know, since we came from the newly constructed road, the official entrance of the national park is on the other side because it lies on the old road.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/IwNiY4L.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/IwNiY4L.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you're visiting the place as a tourist, you'll have to hire one of the forest guards as a guide because the large forest area not only has wild animals but dangerous plants as well. Below is a plant known as "Kangṭhai" (Stinging nettle). If you touch the leaves with your bare fingers or skin, it will bloody sting you!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4QoXosJ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4QoXosJ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The path was difficult at most places, but that didn't stop us from clicking photos.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3fHOmP5.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3fHOmP5.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xdLYScx.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xdLYScx.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lalani plucked some wild berries for me and they were juicy!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qOb8SHJ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qOb8SHJ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We continued with our trek.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Szqy2AF.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Szqy2AF.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/GM4r79g.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/GM4r79g.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes we would come to a sudden clearing like the one below. It was some sort of swampland and we had to be very careful where we stepped.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8ddFjcv.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8ddFjcv.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rTQa7Wh.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rTQa7Wh.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These small pockets of clearings were joined again by the usual thick forestry.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4apZJpA.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4apZJpA.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below is an ancient tree-cave that was once worshipped by our ancestors. According to our Mizo folklore, the first Mizo man was conceived from the tree below and he walked right out of the trunk from the hole. He had the power to extend his hands like tree vines and strangle his enemies.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/K3ZzpEK.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/K3ZzpEK.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok kidding, I just made that up :P But it sounded believable, naw? :D
Well, here's something I'm not making up - The entire place might look peaceful and idyllic to you and you probably wished you were there too. But believe me, it was SWARMING with "Vangvat" (leeches).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Leeches were everywhere on the ground, wriggling and twisting about like we were in some nightmarish alien movie. Some of the leeches were even bigger than my finger, like the one below.
<a href="https://i.imgur.com/pqy1YBF.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pqy1YBF.jpg" width="100%" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We had to check our shoes and pants every 10 minutes or so, and we made sure our pants were either bound at the ankle or tucked inside our socks.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ilEFDVk.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ilEFDVk.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we came to this large grassland patch and it was sooo beautiful. The photos below don't do justice to it at all, you'll have to be there in person to experience the exquisite feeling.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UGmUGXt.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UGmUGXt.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BleT5nU.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/BleT5nU.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lalani and her team entered the adjoining woods to check the camera-traps Ankangsha had placed earlier. RC-a and I decided to wait for them in the open space.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HUh6SsX.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/HUh6SsX.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jKZXrpR.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jKZXrpR.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We enjoyed the beautiful surroundings for some more time and eventually headed back to our vehicle. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We quickly walked across the bloodcurdling field of leaches on the way back, and once we reached Bear Lodge, we removed our pants and checked ourselves thoroughly for any leeches that might have slyly crawled up our ankles and thighs. :D</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/spqV9XS.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/spqV9XS.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trust me, if a leech had bitten you, you wouldn't notice it because they secrete some kinda analgesic serum that numbs the pain, and they would happily keep sucking your blood until you are just water. :P</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we were all satisfied there were no leeches sucking on us, we headed back to Murlen village. We passed a few more tombstones.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pXfeB1u.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pXfeB1u.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we reached Murlen village, and as you can see below, it also had a pandemic check-gate on this side too.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/gZOrRJj.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/gZOrRJj.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the "Welcome to Murlen" signboard that will greet you if you take the old road.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zxbTfOb.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zxbTfOb.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/3D3WF9W.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/3D3WF9W.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We went to the VC President's house again and luckily for us, he had returned from his farm. He made tea for all of us and while Lalani continued to have a conversation with him regarding the national park, I roamed around the village to take some photos.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4JjqLdq.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4JjqLdq.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/l2OjhlF.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/l2OjhlF.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The village had a few Churches belonging to the UPC, Baptist and Presbyterian denominations.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5lauFgJ.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5lauFgJ.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They also had a public toilet constructed under the Swachh Bharat Mission, and you gotta admit, even if you're not a fan of the BJP government, the development work they've done is notable. Who would have imagined such a remote village like Murlen would benefit from this scheme?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wXuWGAA.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wXuWGAA.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I love about the above toilet is that the compartment for the disabled was labelled as "Divyang". Divyang means "divine person or possessed with divinity" in Hindi, and it was PM Modi's order that the disabled (or specially-abled / differently-abled) should be renamed as Divyang to prevent discrimination.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I applaud such initiatives.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I walked around the village for some more time and saw this cute house that housed buffalos underneath it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fTwVGJS.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fTwVGJS.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FpdKOB5.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FpdKOB5.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon it was time to head back to Champhai, as we didn't want to reach after dark.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/knUYhYA.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/knUYhYA.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The cows of Murlen too were returning from pasture to their sheds as we left the village.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/t1ccfNi.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/t1ccfNi.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hGsQjGc.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hGsQjGc.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A candid photo of Lalani sleeping :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TGYHsDl.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/TGYHsDl.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A bump here and a bump there, we traversed the road less mentioned on Google Maps once again. Finally, we joined the metalled Hnahlan-Khuangphah road. No more bumps.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/NJy25oN.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/NJy25oN.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On reaching Vapar village, we asked for directions to a restaurant, as we were all quite famished.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/oiADeZl.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oiADeZl.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We stopped at this roadside restaurant called Dingtea's Tea shop.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/imJAmpU.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/imJAmpU.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The shopkeeper, a middle-aged motherly woman (whom I believe was <i>not</i> Dingtea) spoke to us in Paite dialect. We politely replied in Mizo and she switched to Mizo seamlessly.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ordered a plate of chow. I've had "chow sa tui leih" (meat broth poured on chow) before, but that was the first time I was having "chow chana tui leih" (chickpea gravy poured on chow). Weird combo but it wasn't bad, and I ate it without complaining because I assumed it must be a Vapar tradition.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/x6kAo5A.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/x6kAo5A.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so our journey to Murlen and Vapar ended. We waved goodbye to Vapar.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1sQUBn4.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1sQUBn4.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meanwhile, the sun was about to set on the horizon.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ghHETo7.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ghHETo7.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We stopped at this beautiful stretch of road to take some photos and admire the wonders of nature.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PPsfLm3.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/PPsfLm3.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The view of the valley and distant hills was so picturesque and mesmerising, especially when the sunset was giving that natural golden-hour effect.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/AsbhQ5m.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/AsbhQ5m.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Couple's photo time :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FdlXRsK.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FdlXRsK.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nZX0CRi.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nZX0CRi.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One last group photo before we continued on our journey.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zFUWWwO.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zFUWWwO.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We reached Ngur village. They seemed to have some water connection issues, with people politely forming a queue to wait for their turn at the village well.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1AboiwG.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1AboiwG.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Somewhere along the road after exiting Ngur village, we suddenly came across two women running on the road.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/p0dBqv2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/p0dBqv2.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I asked my travel companions if that was what we called in Mizo as "Mo tlân" to which nobody bothered to reply :P.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Considering the wilderness on that stretch of road with not a single house present, the only logical conclusion was that they were running to Zote village from Ngur village, which was a good 10 km stretch. That's a very impressive exercise regime (unless of course they were playing a game of "tag" and they took it a bit too far :P ).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">More sunset photos taken from our moving vehicle.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DWCbSG1.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DWCbSG1.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4qtbrTP.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4qtbrTP.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally we reached Zote village.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bz21cfz.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bz21cfz.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From there, it was just a matter of minutes before entering the town of Champhai.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/9p3R4dU.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/9p3R4dU.jpg" width="100%" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We headed straight back to Tourist Lodge. Overall, it was a very successful but exhausting excursion. We took bath and headed out again to have dinner at a nice restaurant in Champhai, but I'll write about that in another post.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Come back again for my next update where I'll write about our visit to Vangchhia and its historic (and mysterious) monoliths, and how I was possessed by one of the ghosts of our ancestors (ooohh, suspenseful music playing in the background).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So until then, take care everyone.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-26614084777599836362022-05-25T09:51:00.007+05:302022-05-25T11:29:23.993+05:30Chp 877. Champhai Trip, part 1.<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Three years ago when I had retired from the Corporate world and headed back to Mizoram permanently, one of the first things I wanted to do was to tour Mizoram.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wanted to travel across my state because I had never seen most of the places outside Aizawl district. I wanted to know Mizoram better, get to know my roots, visit all the important heritage sites and dance to the songs of my ancestors.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, just as I was preparing for my road trip, CoVid-19 happened, and we all know what happened after that - Lockdowns after lockdowns. We lived in perpetual fear and stopped all non-essential travels.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I came to know a very special woman during the lockdown period and we soon fell in love. Call it a pandemic miracle if you will. And thanks to my girlfriend Lalani, I did get to visit Dampa Tiger Reserve for the first time [Do read my "Dampa Journals" </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/02/chp-850-dampa-tiger-reserve-how-to-get.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">part 1</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/03/chp-851-dampa-tiger-reserve-where-to.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">part 2</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/03/chp-852-dampa-tiger-reserve-things-to-do.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">part 3</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/03/chp-853-trekking-at-dampa-tiger-reserve.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">part 4</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/03/chp-854-farewell-to-dampa-tiger-reserve.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">part 5</a> <span style="font-family: inherit;">if you haven't yet].</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two weeks ago, I went on my second trip with Lalani, and this time it was to Champhai district.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/OdchRKy.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OdchRKy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of you may just shrug it off, wondering what's the big deal. You've probably been to Champhai many times (or even live there) and it's just "meh" to you. But to me, it was a big deal because it was my first visit to Champhai, that too with my babee <3.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was super excited and inquisitive, asking all sorts of questions like, "What language do they speak there, what currency do they use, etc etc." Ok fine, I didn't ask </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">those</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> questions but I was indeed truly looking forward to the journey.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the day of our travel, we all woke up at 5:30 AM and waited for our cab to pick us up from our respective homes. The weather was gloomy and dark, and we prayed that it wouldn't rain because the roads would be terrible and terrifying then.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FHU2WXb.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FHU2WXb.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lalani had hired a Bolero from Adelphos Car Rental and the owner of the rental service RC-a was our designated driver. Nu Chhuangi (aka Ruatfela Nu) was also supposed to join us for the trip but she cancelled in the last minute due to other work.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qigRMqh.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qigRMqh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We passed Bawngkawn traffic point at 7:07 AM. That would be the start of our journey.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Champhai, here we comeeee!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lNrVydN.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lNrVydN.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">RC-a told us that it would take around 6 hours to reach Champhai, if there weren’t any landslides on the way. We kept our fingers crossed.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Till Tuirial, the road seemed ok. Not great but not bad either. But once we crossed Tuirial bridge and drove into Tuikhurhlu, the ongoing NHIDCL road construction began.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/gZdwhg3.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/gZdwhg3.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a mega road project spanning the entire state, undertaken by NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation) under the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/lIhDWc8.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lIhDWc8.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The main objective of this project is to widen the existing National Highways of Mizoram, and the project currently includes NH-06 (Seling to Zokhawthar), NH-102B (Keifang to Manipur), NH-302 (Lunglei to Tlabung) and NH-54 (Aizawl to Tuipang).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/420uAM1.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/420uAM1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To my non-Mizo readers, let me explain it this way. Remember India's first expressway? That's the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, built in 2002. Like me, many of you must have travelled on that stretch of road. Such an awesome feeling to be zooming on that expressway at 120 kmph, right?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ulvOpWz.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ulvOpWz.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[Photo by Pratham Gokhale/Hindustan Times/ Getty Images]</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Mumbai-Pune Expressway was built at an estimated cost of ₹ 1,600 crores, and while most of the stretch is straight, there are a few places where small bridges and tunnels had to be built because of the terrain condition across the Western Ghats.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Mizoram though, it would cost many times more to do the same. Our entire state is made up of rolling hills, ranging from an average height of 3,300 feet to rising as high as 7,000 feet. Constructing a bridge to connect two roads on opposite mountain ranges would cost crores in expenditure, and this would be just one section, there are hundreds of such locations spread across the entire state.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so, the most feasible solution to improve road transportation in Mizoram is to widen the existing narrow and precarious roads. That's what the ongoing NHIDCL projects are about.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although this method is cheaper, it comes with its own setbacks too, like increasing the frequency of landslides and fatalities. It also affects the environment and biodiversity. Perhaps that is the price we must pay for "development".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, coming back to our journey, we stopped at the town of Seling for tea (because they were <i>selling</i> tea there, get it, harhar). We had </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2020/11/chp-839-mizo-paratha.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">parathas</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, channa and boiled eggs along with our tea. We ate a lot because we planned to have breakfast at Kawlkulh, which was still 3 hours away.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a main bifurcation at Seling where taking the right will lead you to Serchhip, Lunglei, Hnahthial, Lawngtlai and Siaha, while the left will take you to Saitual, Khawzawl and Champhai.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/abVvAYM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/abVvAYM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We continued our journey towards Keifang.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Below are some photos I took of the ongoing road project. As the road is widened using JCBs and other heavy machineries, the excess soil is dumped over the edge, which not only destroys the biodiversity below but blocks the ravines and pollutes the rivers, as you can see from the photos below. This is currently a big concern in Mizoram and a “Save Mizoram Rivers” forum was recently created by activists and green warriors.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dwFSO9A.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/dwFSO9A.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/X31C17B.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/X31C17B.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bUAu5PQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bUAu5PQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nQ8xQ8a.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nQ8xQ8a.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZxNsIgD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZxNsIgD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the edges of the hills are carved out from below, the rest of the soil above becomes more loose and unstable, drastically increasing the chance of a landslide.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was drizzling the entire time too and I got quite scared that we would be caught in a landslide, but RC-a who had frequently driven on that route reassured us that the chance of a landslide taking place during rain was quite bleak and that the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">real danger</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> was actually </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">after</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the rain when the sun started to shine again!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">RC-a explained that during a rain, the rainwater stays inside the soil, which gets evaporated once the sun starts to shine again, and that eventually makes the soil loose, hence causing a landslide. I'm no geologist, but I think that deduction makes a lot of sense. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For instance, I, who was earlier praying it shouldn't rain, was suddenly praying it shouldn't </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">stop</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> raining after listening to that unsolicited crash-course on the anatomy of a landslide. :D :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But we did witness a few landslides along the way, minor ones, and there were places where we had to stop and wait for a JCB to clear the debris blocking our path.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TMKfUUo.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/TMKfUUo.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vrNbbo7.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vrNbbo7.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes we had to wait for 10 minutes, other times it was longer. The best thing to do in such a situation was to enjoy the breathtakingly beautiful scenery around the place.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/huCV3Hp.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/huCV3Hp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We even stopped for almost an hour near Kawlkulh village because of a large landslide.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And here's what I love so much about our Mizo community - around 30 minutes before reaching that blockade area, a construction worker in a trench coat was shouting to every vehicle passing by that there's a blockade before reaching Kawlkulh and so people who were planning to have breakfast at Kawlkulh should reconsider about having breakfast at Dulte instead (which is a village just before Kawlkulh).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I mean, come on, that was such a typical Mizo thing to do. Nobody was paying him to warn people about the road-block ahead, he wasn't going to gain anything by standing in the middle of the muddy road under the rain, but he did it anyway because he was concerned that some people could be hungry due to the delay.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we proceeded, a few vehicles in front of us stopped at the roadside restaurants at Dulte. We, on the other hand, decided to keep going and wait for the landslide to be cleared because RC-a had already ordered breakfast for us at his regular joint in Kawlkulh and he had even ordered vegetarian dishes for Lalani.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just so you know, the roadside restaurants across Mizoram serve very good food but it is usually non-vegetarian. Even most of the veggies served are boiled with non-veg, so do keep this in mind if you're a vegetarian tourist planning to visit the rural regions of Mizoram.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once the roadblock was cleared, we finally entered Kawlkulh with our empty stomachs growling louder than the distant thunderstorm brewing on the horizon.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mampuii Hotel, Kawlkulh.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/suHYhJM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/suHYhJM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our meals were served immediately as soon as we entered the restaurant. All the dishes were laid in front of us, which included fried chicken, boiled chicken, boiled pork, roast pork, fried beef, spicy non-veg soup etc., and every item was unlimited! Gotta love that.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YUbrS0U.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/YUbrS0U.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JDGThyW.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JDGThyW.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The meal costs ₹ 200 per head, and you can order extra items like fried eggs and boiled eggs, which are charged separately.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While this system is practised by most roadside restaurants across Mizoram (except in the cities of course), some places do follow a different system. Like, if you travel north to Kolasib and decide to eat at Bualpui village, over there you'll be served more variety of vegetarian dishes but you'll have to order non-veg dishes separately (at an extra charge).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Someone once told me that Bualpui follows this system due to the high number of non-Mizo tourists who stop to eat there (the highway connects Assam directly).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we had our fill at Kawlkulh, we continued with our journey. We were running late by around 2 hours already.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was so full from the delicious meal that I fell asleep almost immediately! :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Ao5Ao8H.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Ao5Ao8H.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't even remember entering and exiting the town of Khawzawl. But I did wake up a couple of times to our vehicle spinning wildly on the muddy road (the term we use is “dancing”). RC-a told us that on such road conditions, it was futile to steer and the only thing one can do was to accelerate in the hope that our vehicle would automatically follow the tread made by earlier vehicles. That was reassuring, lolz.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The road wasn't always bad though. We would have this long stretch of very wide metal road, seamless and perfect, like as if you’re travelling on the Autobahn in Germany, and then suddenly there would be this stretch of prehistoric muddy, slippery and bumpy road, which was again joined by another long stretch of completed highway. Yeah, it could give you a bipolar disorder.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But then disaster struck us at Chhungte village, just before reaching Champhai town. One of our tyres blew up, probably because of the road conditions.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QlSUJK8.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QlSUJK8.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We helped RC-a as much as we could replacing the tyre with a spare.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Ou4osee.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Ou4osee.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was nice to enjoy the view of Chhungte village and I took a few photos. We also relieved ourselves at an adjoining public loo.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/e6ZfIYS.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/e6ZfIYS.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qpPoRsp.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qpPoRsp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lalani calculated the number of hours we had lost and whether it was still possible to do the official work she had planned to do on that day.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/uYW9rGH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uYW9rGH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, it wasn't.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We continued with our journey. Houses on the outskirts of Champhai town were soon visible on the adjoining hills.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FrmTDIX.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FrmTDIX.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we entered Champhai! Woohooo!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/a7lRx64.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/a7lRx64.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We headed straight to our accommodation - Tourist Lodge.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/LcivyCg.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/LcivyCg.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Helloooo Champhai Tourist Lodge :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vIjOVoB.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vIjOVoB.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We reached our destination at 4:22 PM. So calculating this from the time we crossed Bawngkawn traffic point (7:07 AM), we took 9 hours and 15 minutes to reach Champhai from Aizawl. Without the landslides, you could probably do the same trip in 6 hours.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We didn't see much of Champhai on that day as it was getting late. By the time we had all unpacked, showered and changed into fresh clothes, it was already dark. We headed straight to the cafeteria in Tourist Lodge and had dinner.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/sV3WhmE.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/sV3WhmE.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/EgRMMeJ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EgRMMeJ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm sorry to say the food wasn't that great. Everything was kinda bland. But then again, it's Tourist Lodge after all. The accommodation rate is cheaper than normal hotels as it is run by the state government, so one shouldn't really have high expectations while staying here. The staff were very helpful and friendly too, and that was nice.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so, that was it. My first visit to Champhai. I'll write about all the different places we visited and explored in my next updates, including the time we crossed into Myanmar illegally and the military junta shot at us but we were rescued by John Rambo… Am I making this up? Read my next update to find out. :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-15064730277729974852021-12-04T07:17:00.001+05:302021-12-04T07:43:10.773+05:30Chp 876. Dobby's journal: Finally, Neihbawih!<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, after travelling across more than 2500 KM from Uttarakhand to Mizoram, I reached my destination - Neihbawih!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dobby here. Welcome back to my blog update.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For those who are new, I am a one-year-old Indian pariah dog rescued from the street of Dehradun. I've been updating pappa Kima's blog with my journal for some time now. In case you missed my previous two posts, you can read them by clicking the links below:</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/11/chp-873-dobbys-journal-leaving-dehradun.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Dobby's journal part 1: Leaving Dehradun</a></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/11/chp-874-dobbys-journal-hello-mizoram.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Dobby's journal part 2: Hello Mizoram</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was indeed an unforgettable journey to travel all the way from Dehradun to Neihbawih.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/4yIUKdy.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4yIUKdy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After such a long journey, it was good to finally reach Mizoram, the home state of mommy Lalani and pappa Kima.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/I3sLlrH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/I3sLlrH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was completely tired and malnourished by the time I reached mommy Lalani's home at Bungkawn Vengthar, Aizawl, Mizoram.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not that I didn't have anything to eat. My handler uncle Prince and my two new uncles, uncle Tesawma and uncle U Ruata gave me plenty of food, but I just didn't feel like eating anything. I missed mommy Lalani and Dehradun so much!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UAazVjO.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UAazVjO.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BNPDuDD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/BNPDuDD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every day, I would just stare at the road endlessly, waiting for mommy Lalani to reach Mizoram too. I spent many years and decades doing only that.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Zae6hMi.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Zae6hMi.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit. Mommy Lalani reached Mizoram the very next day, but it felt like years to me because I missed her so much.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yayyy, finally in the loving arms of mommy Lalani again!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xoZJChw.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xoZJChw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I also finally got to meet pappa Kima for the first time. Our first time meeting was a bit awkward.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/hAWAMFD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/hAWAMFD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But soon I warmed up to him. He's such an amazing and sweet person!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RvXqKmf.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RvXqKmf.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every day he would come to mommy Lalani's house and spend the whole day with us.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rDFxhXQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rDFxhXQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes we would just sleep together on the bed, just the three of us - me, pappa Kima and my new sister Maggie.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/CAwdoX8.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/CAwdoX8.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pappa Kima would always bring food for mommy Lalani and me whenever he came.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/C8WAopq.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/C8WAopq.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rHVrQj9.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rHVrQj9.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was going to miss mommy Lalani so much.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1UY1gFQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1UY1gFQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I tried to disturb her as much as I could before she headed back to Dehradun. Just for old time's sake.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/UHkrD9R.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UHkrD9R.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This one time, uncle Tesawma took me, mommy Lalani and pappa Kima to their farm at Bungbangla.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6gmb7mY.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6gmb7mY.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even though I enjoyed the journey, I got motion sick again and vomited along the way. Mommy Lalani spent the entire journey cleaning it up :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Vy2t8J2.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Vy2t8J2.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy Lalani's farm was beautiful and I finally got to run around a lot.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bQBsP7o.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bQBsP7o.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HY3GFn1.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/HY3GFn1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ran in the mud as usual, and mommy Lalani had to clean me up, as usual.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SgBzBmA.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SgBzBmA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I really love mommy Lalani's farm, but she told me it wasn't safe for me. There was a quarry nearby that would blast this really loud explosive sound all the time, and the people around the farm were known to do "bad things" to my kind.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We soon headed back to mommy Lalani's house.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love mommy Lalani's house too, but to be honest, there was hardly any space for me to run around. That's the problem with most houses in the city. They were not built for us doggos to run around. Very selfish hoomans.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/W4GJWZN.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/W4GJWZN.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just like Dehradun, I was still up to my mischief in Aizawl, like digging through the garbage bin even though I had good food on my plate.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8yKokfx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8yKokfx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And just like Dehradun, mommy Lalani or one of my uncles would punish me.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mLkYHt6.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mLkYHt6.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every time mommy Lalani had to leave the house for work, I would miss her so much.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/KTKlAn7.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/KTKlAn7.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And finally, the dreaded day arrived. The day mommy Lalani had to go back to Dehradun. That was a very sad day. :(</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ASNNE9H.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ASNNE9H.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The initial plan was for pappa Kima to take me directly to his farm from mommy Lalani's house once she went back to Dehradun.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, pappa Kima suddenly had a toothache! It was probably because of all the food and sweet stuff he ate with mommy Lalani. They really ate so much! All they did together was eat, eat, and eat.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so, pappa Kima made an appointment with a dentist. Because of that, pappa Kima couldn't take me to his farm, and so he took me to his home instead.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/upChiB6.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/upChiB6.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But at pappa Kima's house, his own dog Snowy was hell-bent on not having me in the house! Pappa Kima's family tried their best to calm Snowy down but he was beyond any control. This is Snowy.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Qc9YeIx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Qc9YeIx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, it was decided that I would stay at pappa Kima's cousin's house temporarily. They all lived together in one colony anyway, so pappa Kima was right next door.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ekHmAdH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ekHmAdH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I spent the night there at uncle Hriata's house.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/5bRpA7u.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5bRpA7u.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pappa Kima's sister aunty Deedee too came to see me all the time to make sure I was adjusting well.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DO303kk.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DO303kk.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I managed to sleep a bit. But I kept missing mommy Lalani more and more. The next day, I cried so much that pappa Kima had to come down and stay by my side the whole day.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/OxXicV1.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OxXicV1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8JKilGZ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8JKilGZ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pappa Kima was the only familiar face I knew so it was understandable. I was calmer once he was around.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SZlAdhX.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SZlAdhX.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xL2Zdjs.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xL2Zdjs.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I played a bit at uncle Hriata's lawn and even managed to get stuck one time. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/EzgigwL.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EzgigwL.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wasn't allowed inside the house though, and so I would just peep at them to see what they were doing inside.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/yEhKnJO.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yEhKnJO.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The problem was, I needed a lot of attention to distract me from the fact that I missed mommy Lalani so much, and uncle Hriata and his family couldn't give me that attention, after all, they had their own life to run.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, it was decided once again to shift me to pappa Kima's eldest sister's house next door. Oh boy, so many transfers! :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At aunty Lapuii's house, pappa Kima's nieces Mamuani and Pensy were ecstatic to have me around! My two new cousins!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QGc3eoN.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QGc3eoN.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8uLB3hA.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8uLB3hA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aunty Deedee too came down and spent a lot of time with me again at aunty Lapuii's house, while pappa Kima had to meet the dentist twice, to get two molars extracted.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/EBpvY0W.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EBpvY0W.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aunty Lapuii's house was very cosy. But again, like most houses in the city, I didn't have much space to run around.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/saUhYUF.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/saUhYUF.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was always excited to see pappa Kima whenever he came downstairs to visit me, and he was still as sweet as before even with two molars extracted.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/m53FXWQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/m53FXWQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My new cousins Pensy and Mamuani made sure I had the best comfort they could offer.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/A1P2JyU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/A1P2JyU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, once pappa Kima's dental issue was solved, it was time to take me to my original destination - Neihbawih.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/nO2ZMfz.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/nO2ZMfz.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pappa Kima knew I would get motion sickness again was it was a long drive to his farm from the city, and so he laid down towels on the seat for me to vomit. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ZlHwNEi.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ZlHwNEi.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Weeeeeeee. I really enjoyed watching the Aizawl traffic pass by.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/ODxh34l.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/ODxh34l.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Disaster upon disaster, once we reached Neihbawih, the road leading up to pappa Kima's farm was under construction! And so he took me up the long and bumpy road on foot, keeping me on a leash the whole time.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6im24MP.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6im24MP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aaaaanddd finally, we reached my new home! Oh man, so much drama right?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/yGJ1qIG.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/yGJ1qIG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I made myself home immediately on pappa Kima's bed, signalling to him that this was my bed now and that he should sleep on the floor. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rhhTr8B.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rhhTr8B.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And with that, my long journey from Dehradun to Neihbawih finally ended.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will be updating pappa Kima's blog again about the awesome time I'm having here at Neihbawih, so please do keep visiting. I really love Mizoram and get ready to see many breathtaking photos soon. Until then everyone, woof woof.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-40643519394097572892021-11-16T10:19:00.003+05:302021-11-16T11:52:13.411+05:30Chp 875. Encounter with a Snake!<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've had my fair share of encounters with different species of snakes, from the tiny garden variety of non-venomous snakes to the extremely venomous politicians who create communal or racial discord for the sake of gaining votes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I really wasn't prepared at all when I came face to face with a 6 feet long cobra last week!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WPHcTmc.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WPHcTmc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've been staying at our farm for more than a year now. And for the past 1 month, I've had the delightful companionship of our adorable dog Dobby. Some of you may have read his guest articles on my blog - "</span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/11/chp-873-dobbys-journal-leaving-dehradun.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Goodbye Dehradun</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">" and "</span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/11/chp-874-dobbys-journal-hello-mizoram.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Hello Mizoram</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I won't write much about Dobby's experience here at our farm as he wants to write those posts himself, so do visit again to read </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">his</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> upcoming updates.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/GNCq6CG.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/GNCq6CG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything became merrier and happier at our farm with Dobby by my side, except last week when we encountered a cobra! I almost got a heart attack, not because I'm fearful of snakes but because I feared for Dobby's life as the cobra was in full attack mode, ready to strike him!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So here's what happened.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dobby and I wake up every day at 5:30 AM. That's farm life for you. I let him out of the farmhouse after that so he can pee and poop and do any other business required, while I start getting ready for the day. I make my bed, freshen up, make coffee, cook breakfast, wash the dishes, sweep the farmhouse etc etc.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He eats breakfast at around 8, and once he's full, he usually lies down on the lawn in front of our farmhouse basking in the warm sunlight, while I prepare to eat my breakfast.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/9Z0VW8N.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/9Z0VW8N.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That fateful day, while I was eating my breakfast, I heard Dobby bark from the lawn. He barks at anybody entering our farm, like </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">bawngchawphur</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (cowherds looking for fodder) or farmers from neighbouring farms who use our farm as a shortcut to go to their farm.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But this time, his bark was unusually longer and more aggressive. I started having a bad feeling about it so I went to the window to look at him. He was actually barking in the opposite direction, towards our barn!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/PizRq2M.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/PizRq2M.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was like, "What the hell?" and ran outside immediately.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">None of those </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">bawngchawphur</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> or neighbouring farmers come near our barn so I was thinking it could be drug addicts looking for items to steal, or probably some wild boar who ventured too far away from the forest area.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Dobby saw me run out from our farmhouse, he ran towards the back of our barn and continued barking. It was only when I reached there that I was completely shocked. He was barking at this big ass cobra!!!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/QgQoPJI.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/QgQoPJI.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In all my time of living at the farm the past one year (or the many times I used to visit the past 20 years), I had never seen a cobra. I've seen those small scrawny snakes many times and they didn't bother me as they just slithered away. But a freaking cobra? Hells no! I never for once thought there could even be a cobra at our farm.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I grabbed Dobby by his collar immediately and pulled him back inside our farmhouse and locked the gate.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vBQkjdC.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vBQkjdC.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once inside the safe enclosure of our farmhouse, I called up Pi Thuami immediately. She's one of our neighbouring farmers. Luckily for me, she was already working at her farm and she said she's sending Pu Huma down right away.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Tl9fVxw.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Tl9fVxw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As all our farms are connected with little or no boundary walls, a cobra in our farm is as dangerous to me as it is to them too.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I saw Pu Huma running towards our farmhouse with a stick, I opened the gate again as I wanted to take him to the back of our barn where we spotted the cobra.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But bloody hell, the moment I ran outside the gate, the freaking cobra was right next to me IN FRONT of our farmhouse. It must have slithered all the way around our barn towards our farmhouse while I was speaking to Pi Thuami on the phone.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I completely didn't see it. It would have definitely bitten me had it not been for Dobby's warning! I jumped away just in time and Dobby threw himself between the cobra and me as I regained my composure.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I panicked and hurled whatever I could find around me towards the cobra - empty water bottles, twigs, YMA cups and even a </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">tualhmunphiah</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (Mizo version of a besom broom). None of them hit the snake of course and it only made it more aggressive.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was already standing as tall as me, head completely spread flat and hissing loudly at the two of us, ready to strike. My biggest fear was that Dobby would lunge at the cobra so I was screaming at him the entire time not to attack.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think the snake was distracted or confused with the mixture of Dobby's vicious bark and my shrill scream because it didn't notice Pu Huma who was running towards our farmhouse the entire time. As soon as he reached our spot, he whacked the snake right on its head with his long bamboo stick.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/LU76Cz6.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/LU76Cz6.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<i style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">Whack, whack, whack.</i></div></i><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I grabbed Dobby by his collar again and held him tight, while Pu Huma continued beating the snake. Finally, the snake was motionless and then Pu Huma took out his sharp </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">chempui</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and chopped off its head.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything felt so unreal. My heart was beating faster than Pu Himanta Biswa making up yet another lie on why Mizoram retaliated against Assam.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pu Huma then took the dead snake (and detached head) with him to discard at a nearby cliff.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/g66rHnV.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/g66rHnV.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Man, that was such a harrowing experience for me. More than my life and well-being, I was worried about Dobby's. The little idiot had never encountered a venomous snake before. One bite from the cobra and that would be it for him. :(</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Had he just barked at the cobra from a safe distance, I would be okay with that, but watching him just inches away from the cobra ready to pounce, man, my heart stopped beating right then!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dogs very rarely survive a fight with a venomous snake. That's a fact. Yes, they end up killing the snake eventually, but because of the snakebites inflicted on them during the fight, they too eventually start frothing in the mouth and die too.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With no anti-venom with me or clinics nearby (the nearest is Vety college at Selesih), that would have been Dobby's last day in Neihbawih. I thanked God profusely for keeping Dobby safe.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was still shaken up after Pu Huma left. I called up another farm neighbour Pi Zuii and hired her for a half-day chore. I spent the rest of the day locking up Dobby inside the farmhouse while Pi Zuii and I sprayed FIRE (Paraquat Dichloride 24% SL) herbicide all around our farmhouse, barn and yard.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The logic was that the herbicide won't kill snakes but it will kill all the grasses and plants, thus making snakes more visible next time. Pi Zuii and I also cleared all the garbage around our farmhouse because they attract rats, which in turn attract snakes.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Lalani also told me to make a compost pit for leftover waste disposal far away from the farmhouse as that would also pull away the rats from our farmhouse, ergo, the snakes too. <br /><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I still can't fathom why that cobra came towards us. Even Pi Zuii and Pi Thuami were surprised. According to their vast experiences with snakes in Neihbawih, they said the snake </span><u style="font-family: inherit;">always</u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> slithers away from humans as it is their survival instinct. So why did </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">this</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> particular cobra behave unnaturally? That was so scary.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trust me, I really didn't want to kill the snake. I only wanted Pu Huma to help me scare the snake away, but unfortunately, it resulted in the loss of its life. Apart from the needless violence, we could end up disrupting the ecology too. The increase in the rat population in Mizoram is already attributed to the demise of the snake population.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Likewise, Lalani told me that currently in Mizoram, the population of cobras has increased exponentially because people killed a lot of King cobras, the main predator of cobras. Could that be the reason why we just saw a cobra so brazenly approach human settlement in broad daylight?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All our actions have consequences, especially when it comes to the balance of nature.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As of now, I'm extremely careful whenever I venture out from our farmhouse. I always carry this long bamboo stick with me now and I look everywhere first before taking any step, lolz.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I trekked downhill to buy my weekly supplies from Pi Biki's shop (the nearest shop from our secluded farm), I narrated the incident to her and the number of times I must have cleared our thick overgrown terraces cutting weed and tilling the soil without being aware of a cobra nearby, and how I don't think I can do those ever again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She laughed and said, "Snakes are so funny, right? When it is alive, we aren't scared of it because we're unaware, but once it is dead, we are so scared of it".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">True indeed! :D</span></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-56450300500011700082021-11-14T11:08:00.005+05:302021-11-14T12:09:42.981+05:30Chp 874. Dobby's journal: Hello Mizoram!<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Woof woof and welcome back to my blog.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok fine, pappa Kima's blog. But my update.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's pick up from where we left off last week.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jO7v1zF.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jO7v1zF.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I mentioned in my </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/11/chp-873-dobbys-journal-leaving-dehradun.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">previous post</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, mommy Lalani had decided to send me home to Mizoram so that I could live a happy life at pappa Kima's farm.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy Lalani and pappa Kima spent a lot of time looking for a service to send me to Mizoram from Dehradun. They called up many people.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the services Pappa Kima found was "</span><a href="https://carrymypet.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Carry My Pet</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">" based in Delhi. Pappa Kima spoke to this person called Shariq (8929919756) and he was a really nice guy. He gave pappa Kima a good discount too, costing a total of INR 66,592 to deliver me from Dehradun to Guwahati (inclusive of air freight, road transit, documentations, pickup, food, service charges and other applicable taxes) with INR 18,600 refundable upon returning the cage.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, the problem was that "Carry My Pet" could transport me only up to Guwahati airport. Mommy and pappa had to make their </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">own</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> arrangement to ship me from there to Aizawl, which was not possible for them.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, mommy Lalani found another service called "</span><a href="https://globalpetcab.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Global Petcab</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">" based in Bangalore. They were not only able to deliver across the Northeastern states but had many experiences in doing so. Their active </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/globalpetcab/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">facebook page</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> also had a lot of testimonies.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy Lalani spoke to this sweet lady called Jaspreet Kaur (8050653543) from "Global Petcab" and the total cost of doing a complete door-to-door delivery service from Dehradun to Aizawl came to INR 70,000.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so, "Global Petcab" was hired to take me to my new home.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was really going to miss everything about Dehradun.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/6OAer7v.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/6OAer7v.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like I mentioned in my previous post, a sweet gentleman came to mommy Lalani's house at 4 in the morning and picked up me in a nice car.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/2n5Rssv.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/2n5Rssv.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HHEgGDU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/HHEgGDU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/OlWzlup.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/OlWzlup.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I bid a sad farewell to mommy Lalani and Dehradun. Goodbye macaques, goodbye princess, goodbye Anjali aunty, thank you all for the wonderful time.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From Dehradun, my handler drove me straight to Delhi airport. I puked quite a lot on the way as I get motion-sickness on long-distance drives.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy Lalani said it's because I almost died when I was a baby and that my tummy was very bad, hence the reason why I still cannot travel long-distance without puking.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Global Petcab" was in continuous touch with mommy Lalani throughout the journey. They even created this WhatsApp group which consisted of mommy Lalani, Jaspreet aunty and the different handlers who were in charge of me. Our locations and activities were updated to the group in real-time.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I mean, I really didn't think it was necessary for the handler to take a photo of me every time I peed or pooed on the way, but if that makes mommy Lalani worry less, I am happy about it.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At Delhi airport, my handler did all the necessary paperwork like processing my tickets, documents, certificates etc, and after that, this nice doctor who was stationed at the airport appeared and examined me for some time. Finally, he said everything was in order and then gave me an injection. I was starting to feel sleepy.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They put me in a large cage with water and food after that.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/i0fi6kf.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/i0fi6kf.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/7n97w8N.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7n97w8N.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To be honest, I was a bit scared to be put inside that cage, but somehow I didn't protest much as I was already feeling very drowsy and tired.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dMM3w37.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/dMM3w37.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember people carrying me across a very large stretch of road and putting me inside this very large vehicle. I saw people getting inside the vehicle from a different entrance but it wasn't like any other vehicle I had seen before in Dehradun. It had wheels but it also had wings like the ducks I used to chase near WII lake. So weird.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They carefully placed me inside that long cylindrical vehicle and that was all I could remember. I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep after that.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I woke up, I felt this bitter taste inside my mouth and my tummy felt strange. I was still feeling groggy and light-headed. A bunch of people were carrying my cage away from that long cylindrical vehicle.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WoF8rOG.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WoF8rOG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was thinking, "Make up your damn minds, hoomans, you've just put me inside that thing, and now you're taking me outside again? What's wrong with y'all?"</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Suddenly, this nice man appeared in front of my cage and said, "Hello Dobby, my name is Prince. Welcome to Guwahati!"</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guwahati? Whoaah, that was fast! How long was I asleep?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/R9poJMG.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/R9poJMG.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was another long drive from Guwahati airport to the city. I was starting to feel better after drinking some water and eating a few biscuits Prince gave me.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/oDAfpSn.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/oDAfpSn.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We spent the rest of the day applying for ILP and other required documentation. Mommy Lalani was continuously checking my progress on the WhatsApp group.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was a slight problem with my transportation because apparently there was this issue between Assam and Mizoram where lives were unfortunately lost, and so the border check-gates and inter-state travel were extremely scrutinized.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy Lalani called up many of her contacts and finally, we were able to enter Mizoram by nightfall. A big thanks to the LO of Guwahati Mizoram House, the DC of Kolasib district and the Vetenirary officer of Vairengte for assuring us a seamless passage into Mizoram.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was around 15 hours of travel from Guwahati to Aizawl by road, and I ended up puking a lot on the way too. But Prince understood my situation and we would occasionally stop along the way so that I could take a breather and also relieve myself.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/qpfCAFf.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qpfCAFf.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/gtb8ytx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/gtb8ytx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fact that the roads in Mizoram were super winding made it worse for me. I kept puking until there was nothing left to puke out. It was also raining heavily in Mizoram, and so with the windows rolled up, Prince and our driver had to bear the smell of my vomit the entire way. I really feel sorry for them.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we reached mommy Lalani's house in Aizawl by afternoon! Hello Mizoram!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/e6FMY8j.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/e6FMY8j.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Crm282W.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Crm282W.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was really nice to meet uncle Tesawma and uncle Ruata. They already had another dog called Maggie, who didn't really like me at first. And so they kept me on leash at the veranda. I felt sad, but at the same time I knew mommy Lalani was reaching home the next day too, so I was happy.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overall, I was extremely tired from the journey but in the end, it was all worth it. Mizoram is so beautiful!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1gnnTAh.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1gnnTAh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A big thanks to "Global Petcab" for taking such good care of me. If you want to send your doggos or cattos to a different location, please do use their service.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pappa Kima would also like to add this information he recently learnt too that apparently in India, layover for pet transportation is extremely expensive. That was the only reason why mommy Lalani could transport me to Guwahati because there's a direct flight from Delhi to Guwahati.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Otherwise, if I were to take a connecting flight from Kolkata to Guwahati, it would have been double the cost, because all processes like fitness certificates, freight charges, medication etc had to be done again!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To keep it simple in dog-mathematic, it costs 100 chewy bones for me to travel from Delhi to Guwahati via direct flight, but it will cost 200 chewy bones for me to travel from Delhi to Guwahati via Kolkata layover!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So complicated naw? No wonder hoomans don't seem to advance much. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, pappa Kima hopes that you'll find this information useful next time you want to transport a beloved pet.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll update this blog again about my experiences in Mizoram next, so please do visit soon again. Until then everyone, woof woof.</span></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-39407000193000588512021-11-03T14:43:00.001+05:302021-11-03T14:44:42.850+05:30Chp 873. Dobby's journal: Leaving Dehradun.<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello and woof woof. My name is Dobby and I will be taking over my pappa Kima's blog occasionally from now on, so I hope you visit this blog regularly for my exclusive updates.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/s3NJIq7.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/s3NJIq7.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trust me, my posts will be much more interesting than pappa's updates.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, where do I start?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is so exciting!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, for starters, I am a 1-year-old "local" breed. Some of you may also refer to me as an "Indian" or "Desi" dog, while others use more distasteful words like "stray" dog, but the correct term is actually an "Indian pariah dog".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yup, that's what I am. A proud Indian pariah dog. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I never knew my real mommy and daddy, all I remember was coming into this world with a lot of pain. There were just dirt, hunger and diseases all around me, and I thought I would not survive my first week of existence, until mommy Lalani saw me dying at a roadside and rescued me!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vjrtFOm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vjrtFOm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She took me home from the streets of Dehradun and slowly nursed me back to health. She inserted all sorts of pointy pins into my body and made me eat many bitter tablets. She painstakingly cleaned me up completely and for the first time in my life, I realized those worms and other creatures attached to my body were actually not supposed to be there at all!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/l0ta54w.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/l0ta54w.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tKEalJh.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tKEalJh.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It took around a month for me to completely recover and mommy Lalani was always there by my side to take care of me. Soon I was able to sit up on my own and even start running around.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xJWh1mP.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xJWh1mP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was then that I learnt mommy Lalani had named me "Dobby" after this House Elf character from Harry Potter. But I think I look much better than him. What do you think?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/X9sdyAD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/X9sdyAD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy Lalani treated me like a royal prince. She said something about "Covid-19" and that the reason she could give me all her time at home was because of the ongoing lockdown. I didn't understand what that was but I was so glad she could give me all her attention.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/sboTBoH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/sboTBoH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/tQ3nVmU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tQ3nVmU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes she would scold me when I was naughty, but in my defence, all I wanted to do was play with things, and is it my fault that they get destroyed so easily? Humans should make things more durable, I swear.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RUnchVx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RUnchVx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She also scolded me when I played in my favourite mud. Such a killjoy right?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/wB5yuGQ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/wB5yuGQ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But most of the time mommy Lalani loved me, and I love her so much in return.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/rPDQLRU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/rPDQLRU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/95i2cpg.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/95i2cpg.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, the "Covid-19 lockdown" that mommy Lalani had talked about was soon over. It was time for her to start travelling for work again and that was sad.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As she had to regularly travel for a week or two, she left me with aunty Anjali whenever she was away. Even though I love spending time with all the other doggos there, I miss mommy Lalani the most.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Gtr1x9j.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Gtr1x9j.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XezLmNb.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/XezLmNb.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There was this one time mommy Lalani came back home from one of her long trips, and when she came to pick me up from aunty Anjali's place as usual, there was something different about her. She was happy and excited to see me, just as I was, but there was this new sadness inside her.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was then that I learned mommy Lalani's own mommy had gone to a better place. I cuddled with her as much as I could, hoping to return the love that she had given me when I was almost dead.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/DXtsiVm.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/DXtsiVm.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon it was decided that mommy Lalani would send me home to Mizoram to live with pappa Kima because of her continuous work trips, as it was also getting expensive to put me in other people's care.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hadn't met pappa Kima yet but mommy Lalalni was always on the phone with him every day, morning, noon and night, so I guessed he must be a good guy.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pappa Kima would regularly order nice chewey bones for me all the way from Mizoram. He even gifted me a lovely cake on my birthday (although I only got to eat one small piece and mommy Lalani ate the rest).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/1URoogk.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/1URoogk.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was really looking forward to meeting him. But I was going to miss all the time I spent with mommy Lalani, including all the daily evening walks she took me around the WII campus.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/54IwqH9.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/54IwqH9.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy Lalani assured me that at Pappa Kima's farm, I wouldn't even need to be harnessed and that I could run around free as a bird everywhere. That sounded very nice.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, mommy Lalani told me that there are no macaques to chase around and tease back in Mizoram. I was ok with that. I was actually starting to get bored with them.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Before sending me to my new home, mommy Lalani did the final steps of preparing me for the journey, like giving me my second dose of vaccinations and also snipping my balls off. :(</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/diQa4mD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/diQa4mD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/B8mYAYJ.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/B8mYAYJ.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/TGBsRmA.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/TGBsRmA.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I miss my balls.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, once I was healed (ball-less but still with a lot of balls), the dreaded day arrived.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Time to say goodbye to my dear mommy Lalani. We both didn't sleep properly that night. I could hear mommy Lalani crying in the dark. Thankfully, because of her cry, she couldn't hear me crying either.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/HjJz28Q.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/HjJz28Q.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next morning before dawn, a sweet gentleman arrived at her doorstep and he whisked me away.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/j2MZL4N.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/j2MZL4N.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And just like that, it was goodbye Dehradun, goodbye mommy Lalani.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll end this post for now, as pappa Kima is giving me the looks because I'm taking over his computer for too long. Be sure to visit again to read about my long journey home and my experience with Mizoram.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until then, everyone, woof woof.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-89746114023647032452021-10-15T23:05:00.003+05:302021-10-15T23:23:14.860+05:30Chp 872. WhatsApp backup recovery FAILED.<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In my </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/10/chp-871-things-you-may-not-know-about.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">previous post</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I wrote about how WhatsApp can automatically delete your account if you're inactive for more than 45 days.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After my phone conked, I bought a new phone, but I wanted to recover my old WhatsApp local data before installing WhatsApp on my new phone. Eventually, I spent more than 3 months trying to recover it and finally gave up.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/76XSxkw.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/76XSxkw.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I installed WhatsApp on my new phone and tried to sync my old Google Drive backup, I discovered that </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">WhatsApp automatically deletes your account</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (hence deleting everything including your Google Drive backup) if you install WhatsApp on a </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">new</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> device using the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">same</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> number after being </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">inactive for more than 45 days</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Such a tremendous loss for me... :(</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, yeah, I'm starting as a completely fresh user on WhatsApp again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, in this post, I want to share my attempt to recover my local backup from my dead phone. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some of you may wonder why I took more than 3 months trying to fix my phone. The reason is simple - Bloody Corona.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mizoram, unlike other states in India, had seen the strictest lockdown restrictions in the country. Ever since the second wave hit India, Mizoram had been under lockdown almost the entire time. And so, due to that, it was not possible to take my phone to a repair shop.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I decided to order the required parts from Amazon and tried to fix it myself.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's when I met the biggest hurdle.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amazon delivery to Mizoram was fluctuating between "close" and "open" during the past 4-5 months. One week we could place our order, and the next week the very same item showed "cannot be shipped to your location" notice, which again was removed the next week after that and we could place our order again, and so on.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And even if we managed to place an order during that very small window frame and our orders were approved and despatched, items that arrived at Mizoram (Vairengte check-gate) during active lockdowns were automatically returned!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even if the items managed to enter Mizoram during a non-lockdown phase, we again had area-wise "containment zones" (depending on covid positive rate surge within a particular locality). Such "containment" lasts for just a week or two, but if the items reached Aizawl and the locality of the main Amazon office was under containment during the same time, the items were returned!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And finally, even if the main office wasn't under containment when the items arrived, if the delivery location (my address in this case) was declared a containment zone, again, the items were freaking returned! Seriously, why couldn't they just wait for a week and leave the items in their warehouse till then?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aaaaaaargghhh. Now you can understand my frustration?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course every time my orders were returned, I was refunded the full amount. But that's not the point. In fact, I was at a point where I no longer gave a sh*t about the refund, all I wanted was just my bloody orders.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After many cancellations spanning across 3 months, I finally received all the parts I had ordered. Phew!!! Here are the three elusive items:</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">OnePlus 6 BLP657 battery from </span><a href="https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0913788MW" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">The Black Store</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/gCCPEFv.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/gCCPEFv.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">USB Charging Board Port Flex Cable from </span><a href="https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B085XCQ4MY" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Shinzo</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/xL0mHFD.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/xL0mHFD.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">14-in-1 Professional Mobile Tool Kit from </span><a href="https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B0799KKHGM" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">MMOBIEL</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/BKGzVKy.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/BKGzVKy.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And with those items finally at my disposal, I was ready to perform my first ever OnePlus 6 operation!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/p8jsIkM.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/p8jsIkM.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The hairdryer above belonged to my sister and I used it to heat the back panel of the phone so that it would loosen up the glue and I could easily pull it open using a suction.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I watched a lot of YouTube video tutorials and one of my favourites was this </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VulpmDZBJV4 " style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">video by Wit Rigs</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. I must have watched the video at least 100 times, by-hearting every little step.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/L7rB4mx.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/L7rB4mx.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But as the saying goes, doing something by theory and practical are completely different. For instance, opening up the back panel was tough AF!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the above video (and other videos uploaded by different techies), they easily heated the back panel and opened it. They made it look so easy, lolz. In reality, though, things weren't like that. I eventually ended up "tripping" my sister's hairdryer, much to her anger :D. I had to go and borrow another hair-dryer from my neighbour.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, I managed to crank it open, cracking the glass back panel in the process.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/XmzuM33.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/XmzuM33.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Aq7eKNp.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Aq7eKNp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I lamented my loss, but at the same time, I was elated that I could finally open it. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's the opened back panel.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/WgB7iGU.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/WgB7iGU.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I followed every step that was mentioned in the above video.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/bYlLtoH.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/bYlLtoH.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The "magnetizer" tool that came with the tool kit was extremely helpful. Once unscrewed, I could just take the tiny screws out from the tiny hole using the magnetizer tool directly (or rubbing my screwdriver to it so that it transferred its magnetic property).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/8STOFsN.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8STOFsN.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything went on well after that. No hiccups. I was starting to think God didn't hate me after all. :)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/f6OezRq.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/f6OezRq.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then of course, it happened. Murphy's Law. The final screws that needed to be removed were stuck! No matter what I did, what tool I used, they couldn't come out.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/U1jJXtk.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/U1jJXtk.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aaargh. So close to the final step!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guess what I did instead then?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/VkSzWz1.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/VkSzWz1.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I attached the new battery, and then took the new USB port cable and attached it to the phone motherboard </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">directly</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and then connected the charger to it! And yes, my phone started charging! :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/o99jrpR.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/o99jrpR.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/G6Kupfd.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/G6Kupfd.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FDuC1l8.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FDuC1l8.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I'm a genius!" I exclaimed to myself. :D :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Slowly, my phone was charging up. I was sooo excited because I was finally going to bring my dead phone back to life again!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/mOLTFjz.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mOLTFjz.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While it was charging, I tested my phone and it rebooted, with no issue!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SKhm0Wg.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SKhm0Wg.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But that's where I think I made a very fatal mistake. You'll find out about this a bit later below.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so my phone slowly kept charging and charging, and finally, it was 100% again!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/dQ2evc8.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/dQ2evc8.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With trembling hands, I detached the charger. I could hear an imaginary drum-roll in the background as I pressed the power button again...</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nothing happened.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pressed it again and again, and again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nothing.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was starting up just a while ago while I was charging the phone, what the hell happened?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so I decided to screw back all the screws properly, thinking there must be a loose connection as it was still opened up. But even then, the phone was still not switching on.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I opened up all the screws again, removed all the parts, and then attached all of them again and tightened all the screws. I didn't even need to refer to the YouTube video anymore as I was becoming a pro at it.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once done, I pressed the power button again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Still nothing!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was really starting to panic. I watched many other videos and read many forums, and finally decided to dismantle the motherboard and have a look at the power circuit.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/aaehxKp.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/aaehxKp.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/pJQxwky.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/pJQxwky.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was then that I noticed one thing!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the YouTube video, the cable leading to the power button looked like this (circled below) -</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/jsQHm4H.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/jsQHm4H.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whereas MY phone power button cable looked like this -</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/FdZhNyY.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/FdZhNyY.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Can you see the burnt-out cable in my phone above (circled)?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That was probably why my phone was not starting up. But then, how did it start up while I was charging the phone earlier?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I looked at the photos I had taken earlier, when I had first opened the back panel, the photos taken before I had attached the battery and USB port cable. I wanted to investigate this anomaly.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It was then that I noticed, in the first few photos, </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">the power cable was perfectly fine!</b></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/Q2fDnVi.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q2fDnVi.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not a mobile phone repair expert nor do I understand circuit boards, but I do know that a wrong voltage can blow a fuse in an electrical wiring system.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fact that I had connected the battery and USB charging port so <b>unorthodoxly</b> must have somehow fried the power cable when I switched it on while it was charging.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aaarrghhh, why was I so damn impulsive!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Had I not done that, had I just waited patiently, I don't think this would have happened. Alas. I paid a price for my impetuosity.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ordering a new power cable would again take so many days, and that didn't guarantee a full phone recovery either. Finally, I said, "Screw this!" and installed WhatsApp on my new phone without retrieving my old local backup, hence losing every WhatsApp data in the process.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now you know the story behind it. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-82044414734877355642021-10-13T19:59:00.003+05:302021-10-13T20:11:53.940+05:30Chp 871. Things you may not know about WhatsApp.<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm finally back on WhatsApp again after more than </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/08/chp-869-two-months-without-whatsapp.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">3 months of inactivity</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That's a really long time to stay out of touch with friends and family. It gave me a mixed feeling of both anxiety (fear of missing out) and tranquillity (bliss of missing out).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/vmbV90W.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/vmbV90W.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But it also taught me a very important lesson - Thou shalt not be greedy. There is this old Mizo proverb - "Duham chu channa", which means, "Greed leads to loss".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In my attempt to eat the icing on the cake, I ended up destroying the entire cake.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So what happened was, </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/07/chp-861-goodbye-oneplus-6.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">my phone suddenly died</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 3+ months ago. I couldn't access my local WhatsApp backup file as my phone was completely dead (battery + USB port fried).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the last time I did a complete cloud backup of my WhatsApp data to my Google Drive was more than 2 years ago.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Long story short, I wasn't successful in my attempt to retrieve my local backup from my dead phone, and after 3 months of failed attempts, I finally decided to install WhatsApp on </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/07/chp-864-hello-oneplus-9r.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">my new phone</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and do </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">only</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> a Google Drive sync, thinking that I may not get back my recent messages but I'll at least get back all my messages from 2+ years ago.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Something's better than nothing, right?</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And that's when I learnt that WhatsApp automatically marks your account as "inactive" </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">if you don't use it for more than 45 days</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> (can be due to idleness, no internet coverage or uninstallation).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you start using WhatsApp again or reinstall WhatsApp on the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">same</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> device again after 45 days of inactivity, your account will automatically be activated again, giving you no problem at all. You won't even know this process had taken place in the background. Everything will be normal for you.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">However</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, after 45 days of inactivity, if you install WhatsApp on a </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">new</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> device using the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">same</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> phone number, then WhatsApp automatically considers your phone number to be "recycled" and is being used by a different user, and so it automatically </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">deletes your WhatsApp account</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and creates a new one! [</span><a href="https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/account-and-profile/seeing-your-phone-number-already-in-whatsapp" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">source</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">]</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aaaargh, I didn't know that!!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because I installed WhatsApp on my new phone after 45 days of inactivity, my WhatsApp got deleted immediately, and so I was automatically removed from </span><u style="font-family: inherit;">all</u><span style="font-family: inherit;"> groups, my profile picture and status were deleted, along with my block list, mute list, sticker collection etc., and worst of all, my </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Google Drive backup was also deleted</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">!!!!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, in my attempt to retrieve my recent messages, I ended up losing not just them but my entire WhatsApp data and settings!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So do keep this in mind if you're experiencing a similar issue. Make sure you install WhatsApp on your new phone </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">before</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 45 days of inactivity if you don't want WhatsApp to delete your account. Do learn from my mistake.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But my disappointment wasn't as devastating as my girlfriend's though.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Lalani's mom </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/01/chp-847-in-remembrance-of-nu-mahlimi.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Nu Mahlimi passed away</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> on 14th January this year, it was a very difficult time for her and her family. But they were strong and somehow managed to pull through. Life slowly got back to normal for them. Her mom was still there in their various family WhatsApp groups, and they continued chatting in the groups like it was normal.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And then suddenly one fine day, 4 months after Nu Mahlimi's sad demise, Lalani and her brothers all woke up to the heart-piercing WhatsApp message that </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">"Nu Mahlimi had left the family groups"</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That was such a shattering notification to read, opening up old wounds all over again. The emotional repercussion was intense. It was a feeling nobody should ever live through again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So apparently, WhatsApp automatically deletes an account if it is inactive for more than 120 days. [</span><a href="https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/account-and-profile/about-inactive-account-deletion/?lang=en" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">source</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">]</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Such a heartbreaking incident. If only I had known about this, I could have warned her about it and her brother could have just logged into WhatsApp from Nu Mahlimi's mobile phone. But I only found out about this as I was researching for this post.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I hope at least I'm able to warn you all about this so that you may not experience such unpleasantness in the future. If your loved one had left this world and you want to keep his or her presence continuously felt in your WhatsApp groups, make sure somebody who has access to the person's phone is using WhatsApp at least once every 3-4 months.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<u style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><u style="font-family: inherit;">To sum up, as of today, October 2021 -</u></div></u><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><ol><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Your WhatsApp account will automatically be deleted after 120 days of inactivity.<br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Your WhatsApp account will automatically be considered as "inactive" after 45 days of inactivity.<br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">After 45 days of inactivity, if you install WhatsApp to a new phone using the same phone number, your WhatsApp account will automatically be deleted and a new one created.<br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">ALWAYS back up your WhatsApp data to cloud - Google Drive (for Android users) and iCloud (for iPhone users), at least once a month.<br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">But keep in mind, your Google Drive WhatsApp backup will automatically be deleted after 1 year of inactivity.<br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Your Google Drive WhatsApp backup will also automatically be deleted if your WhatsApp account is deleted.</span></li></ol></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, there is a difference between automatic "group leave" and manual "group leave". We all know that if you manually leave a WhatsApp group, the admin cannot add you again to the same group immediately, so as to prevent harassment etc [</span><a href="https://www.techzim.co.zw/2018/05/whatsapp-admins-can-no-longer-add-group-members-who-have-left-the-group/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">source</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">]. The only way to join a group you've just left is through a "join invitation" link (or wait for some time).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, if you leave a group because of automatic WhatsApp deletion like in my case above, then the admin can add you back immediately.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This surprised many of my friends in the groups too, as they wondered how I could be added to the group again right after I had just left the same group. The reason is simple - My WhatsApp account was automatically deleted and a new one created immediately when the above process took place, and so technically, the admin was adding a </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">new account</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and not my old one.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So those are the important points to remember the next time you use WhatsApp again. I'll end this post for now and in my next post, I will write about my hilarious and unsuccessful attempt to retrieve my WhatsApp local backup from my old phone. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until then, everyone, take care.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-25969605511026399882021-09-14T23:11:00.001+05:302021-09-14T23:11:57.682+05:30Chp 870. Must Watch: Ted Lasso<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<span><div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In today's blog update of "must-watch TV series that aren't very popular among our Mizo community", let me introduce you to "Ted Lasso".</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ted Lasso is a comedy-drama currently on its second season. It is absolutely funny and quirky, and I know that a lot of my Mizo friends will like it too because it revolves around football, a sport that most of us worship.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/kJRLG6t.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/kJRLG6t.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The plot of the show is quite unique - A second-division university football coach from America is hired to become the new football manager of a Premier League team in England. However, the catch is that he's an </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">American football</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> coach who had never coached (or even understands) real football (also known as "soccer" to these Americans).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At first, I was like, "Hoohum, is it going to be one of those clichéd plotlines with clumsy dialogues and corny humour where they realise they've made the mistake of hiring a wrong coach?" But the opening scenes clearly showed that this transfer was intentional.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was also a bit hesitant in the beginning because I thought there would be a lot of American football jargon used, and that is a deal-breaker for me because I don't watch American football nor am I interested in it, but thank the football gods, it wasn't like that.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although the show is supposedly based in the UK, it is an American show, so there's less of those dry and sarcastic British humour we all love and instead has a lot of American humour filled with hilarious one-liners and dad jokes.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, yes, don't expect it to be like some of your favourite British sitcoms like "The IT Crowd" and "Derry Girls", or even BBC's classics like "Mind Your Language", "Yes Minister" and "Allo Allo". The humour is closer to shows like "Schitt's Creek" and "Mythic Quest". But whether it is British or American humour, I'm okay with either, just as how I absolutely love </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">both</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> the UK and USA versions of "The Office" (Yes, we exist!).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The show streams exclusively on Apple TV+, which may be a problem for many Mizos as it isn't popular here in Mizoram compared to other OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ Hotstar. But you can always "Arrr" it, if you know what I mean.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The show is about how Ted Lasso managed his new football team, dealing with many issues both on and off the pitch. There's a lot of feel-good factor involved during the show guaranteed to warm your heart and motivate you. And some of the witty quips are downright hilarious. Here are 5 of my favourite quotes so far...</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#1. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">"I haven’t seen someone that disappointed to see me since I wore a red baseball cap to a Planned Parenthood fundraiser."</i></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#2. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">"In my mind, you gotta have three things to be a Premier League team. 1) You gotta play physical. 2) you gotta give 100 percent until the final whistle and 3) you gotta be sponsored by a Middle-Eastern airline."</i></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#3. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">"I haven’t seen a pass that soft since my high school drama teacher asked me to mow his lawn."</i></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#4. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">"Will you explain to me how that was offside? No! I'm not arguing, I'm asking you. Seriously! Explain offside to me. It makes no sense."</i></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">#5. </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Rebecca: "How do you take your tea?"</i></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">Ted: "Well, normally right back to the counter because there’s been a terrible mistake."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You must watch the show for hundreds of other such funny scripts. There are a lot of really corny dad jokes and puns too, like, "We're having salads in my office. Caesar you later." and, "I thought you said you were allergic to horseradish? Nah, I said I'm allergic to horses </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">and</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> radishes."</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Believe me, it is worth spending your time on this show.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And personally speaking, I love the fact that this sitcom isn't about the clichéd "underdogs winning in the last few seconds" kinda storyline and this makes it more realistic and refreshing to watch. In fact, the team actually loses quite frequently, and as an Arsenal fan, that is something I can really relate to right now. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of Arsenal, Ian Wright made a cameo appearance as a football pundit too. :D Other famous football pundits and presenters who appeared in the show include Seema Jaswal, Arlo White and Chris Powell. Mike Dean too was featured, lolz.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly though, real football players aren't in the show (yet), though the team played against clubs like Manchester City, Spurs, Liverpool etc. But one can't dismiss the fact that there are many similarities between the sitcom players and real players, like Roy Kent is definitely based on Roy Keane, Jamie Tartt is based on David Beckham, and so on.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I hope you get to watch this TV show, and let me know your feedback. Trust me, you won't regret it.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until my next post, people, take care.</span></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9191295.post-9632476815525921232021-08-29T14:23:00.008+05:302021-08-31T10:41:33.055+05:30Chp 869. Two Months without WhatsApp<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's been more than 2 months now since I stayed off WhatsApp.</span></div><span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not by choice though. Long story short - my phone suddenly died without any warning. A permanent death. I bought a </span><a href="https://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/07/chp-864-hello-oneplus-9r.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">new phone</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and synced all my data (contacts, apps, google pics, etc) to it. However, the last time I did a "cloud backup" of my WhatsApp data was more than </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">3 years</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> ago!</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yeah, that was stupid of me.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If I install WhatsApp on my new phone now, I won't be able to retrieve the past 3 years' data as it is lying as a "local backup" in my dead phone. And with the battery and USB charging port of my old phone no longer functioning, the only way to retrieve that local backup file (without dismantling my phone and accessing the hard drive by brute force) is to replace the battery and USB port (which involves some amount of dismantling as well, but not as complicated).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Call me sentimental, but I like to treasure past moments. Those 3 years' data are precious to me, especially the part when I quit my job in the corporate sector and all the messages my girlfriend and I exchanged. Installing WhatsApp on my new phone without that will create a completely new backup file without any of those messages.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And yes, XDA developers forum did post a method to </span><a href="https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/guide-merge-multiple-whatsapp-backup-file-into-one-no-root-required.3142974/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">merge two different local backups</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, but the process is quite complicated, so I've decided to wait until I can retrieve my old backup file before I start using WhatsApp again.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hence, the reason why I'm not on WhatsApp for more than 2 months now.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Phew.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since I'm not on WhatsApp, some of you might assume that I'm being arrogant or </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">inchhuang</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for not replying to your messages (not that I receive many messages anyway).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/SPvWJCP.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/SPvWJCP.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I received a few calls from friends and cousins during the past 2 months, asking me why I didn't reply to their messages on WhatsApp. My dear childhood friend and neighbour Muansanga (from our RYDERS group) even confronted me the other day while I was shopping for groceries at our local market, sternly asking me why I had blocked him on WhatsApp! :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once again, I had to explain that I didn't block anyone or ignore any messages.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">The Solution:</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Replacing a phone battery and other components is not as easy as it once used to be. Remember the good old days of monophonic ringtones and Nokia 3310 when we could just remove our phone battery any time we want? Good times.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/fV5dbYc.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fV5dbYc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most smartphones of today no longer have a detachable battery, because having an integrated battery helps in making the phone slimmer, lighter, tighter, faster, cheaper and safer. A small price to pay for technological improvement.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The downside is that the only way to replace a phone battery now is to:</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(1.) Give it to a repair shop or authorized service centre (which I don't feel secure about because of the amount of sensitive data and passwords stored in my phone)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(2.) Go to a friend who knows how to do this and ask him to replace it in front of you (which is hard for me because I don't know such people, and even if I do, commute is restricted by the lockdowns and my work at the farm)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And finally (3.) Do it yourself by purchasing a new battery and watching YouTube tutorials on how to replace it (which is again risky because it isn't a very simple procedure, and most of the batteries sold online are unreliable. On top of that, online shopping deliveries to Mizoram were also closed for many months due to the pandemic and Assam border issue)</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because of all those hassles, I'm living life without WhatsApp for now.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/JGFwsKt.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/JGFwsKt.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<b style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">So, how does it feel like to live without WhatsApp?</b></div></b><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know, this question may seem ridiculous or even sound privileged, but the fact is, unlike other social media networks, WhatsApp has become a necessity today.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One can stay away from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media if you really want to, as they are just additional entertainment and distractions to your life (unless you're using them as the main source of communication for your start-up venture). There may be some amount of FOMO - the Fear Of Missing Out, but it is not </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">that</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> big of a deal to disconnect or deactivate one's account.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, WhatsApp has been integrated so deeply into our daily lives now that it has become almost impossible to live without it. Today, WhatsApp is the number 1 messaging app used globally, and according to </span><a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/2018/whatsapp/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">statisca</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, there are more than 2 billion active users every month.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In India alone, there are currently more than 390 million active users on WhatsApp according to </span><a href="https://backlinko.com/whatsapp-users" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">backlinko</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, and the total number of Indians on WhatsApp including the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">not very active ones</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is estimated to be more than 500 million.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I still remember when WhatsApp was first launched in India back in 2010. That was during the dark era of Blackberry supremacy, when BB users would look down upon us Android fanboys, mocking us with their irritating and snobbish voices in a demeaning way.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They were so freaking proud of their BBMs (their Blackberry exclusive messenger service), talking about it at almost every opportunity they came across. Pitch meeting? BBM. Football match? BBM. Romantic dinner? BBM. Funeral rites? BBM. I'm sure that was what Blackberry users used to scream out during sex too, "Ahhhh... OMG... I'm coming... BBM... BBM... BBM!!!"</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And so you can imagine my joy when WhatsApp was launched for us Android users, the geeky minority. But back then, in 2010, it wasn't popular yet. In fact, I only had FOUR contacts to chat with on WhatsApp for a very long time! Two of them were my colleagues at work (Vishnu and Abbas, my fellow Android brothers-in-arm at office) and the other two were my Mumbai Mizo friends TBC-a and Mapuia (MBA-a).</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/EFFXk76.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/EFFXk76.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">That was it. Just 4 people to chat with on WhatsApp. :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yeah, WhatsApp had come a long way since then.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today it is so difficult to stay away from WhatsApp. It's no longer about socializing and leisure chit-chat </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">timepass</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">, people are now actually using it for work and other official purposes.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As cheaper smartphones and affordable data plans penetrate even the most rural corners of our country, WhatsApp's user base is growing at an exponential rate. Even back at my farm in Neihbawih, all my neighbouring farmers including the daily labourers and farmhands all use WhatsApp now.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In fact, I swear I saw some of the cows and pigs around my farm chatting on WhatsApp the other day. :P</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jokes aside, the popularity of WhatsApp within our Mizo community is astronomical.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Almost everybody is on multiple WhatsApp groups here in Mizoram today, from the different Church-based groups to YMA groups, family groups, association groups, department groups, union groups, trade groups, office groups, student groups, teacher groups, information groups, initiative groups, etc etc., not to mention the thousands of friendship-based groups. Any news or information is quickly transmitted through this medium.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/YYTfGEj.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/YYTfGEj.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even in my locality Chaltlang, all important information like the distribution of ration or gas, funeral announcement, vaccination drive, latest CoVid-19 news, and lockdown SOPs are all announced through our "official" locality WhatsApp groups.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So yes, I am missing out on ALL that because of my exclusion from WhatsApp. I have become so out of touch with the latest Mizoram news or gossips that I'm feeling like a hermit living in a cave. But at the same time, I've never experienced this much peace and tranquillity in a looong time too. Ignorance is bliss, they say. How true.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like for example, I only learned about the recent Mizoram-Assam border clash 2-3 days later, lolz. And by the time I caught up with the news and wrote my </span><a href="http://mizohican.blogspot.com/2021/08/chp-868-assam-mizoram-dispute-lies-and.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">3-part blog post series</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> debunking the lies made against Mizoram, the situation was already resolved and people had already moved on to other topics, lolzzz.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yeah, that was sad.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But there is one reason I'm quite relieved about not being on WhatsApp, and that is the rise of the "WhatsApp uncles and aunties". These are people who forward blatant lies and distorted facts at the touch of a button without making any attempt to verify them first, all because it is "easy to do so".</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've been on Twitter long enough to know that this is a trend across not just India but worldwide as well. We mockingly call such people "WhatsApp University graduates". :D</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/B9dTfOS.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/B9dTfOS.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The amount of misinformation such people spread through WhatsApp is astonishing. And I'm not just talking about people forwarding this fake news to their respective groups. Some of them actually take the time to translate such nonsense to Mizo, word by word, sometimes spanning 30-40 paragraphs, </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">and then</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> forward them to different Mizo groups. Damn.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yeah, some people really do have too much time in their hands. Literally.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm just glad I don't have to read all those misinformation because of my hiatus from WhatsApp, as I sometimes tend to get "triggered" on reading such absurd lies. It's extremely relieving to stay away from all that, to be honest. And yes, there's a term for that apparently, and it's called JOMO - the Joy Of Missing Out.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://i.imgur.com/zCYkYZc.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/zCYkYZc.jpg" width="100%" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[image credit: </span><a href="https://theoatmeal.com/comics/fomo" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">The Oatmeal</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">]</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Online delivery to Mizoram had finally opened again last week and I ordered a new OnePlus 6 battery (BLP657) and USB Charging Board Port Flex Cable, along with a tool kit comprising of suction, magnetizer, demagnetizer and set of anti-static screwdrivers. Let's hope the battery and charging port aren't defective, fingers crossed.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There's a rumour going on that OnePlus will be offering </span><a href="https://www.india.com/technology/oneplus-offers-free-battery-replacement-for-oneplus-6-oneplus-6t-oneplus-5-oneplus-5t-oneplus-3-and-more-4917168/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">free battery replacement</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, but I'm sure this will take some more time even if it's true, and anyway, there are currently no OnePlus outlets in Mizoram, so this is a useless announcement for me.</span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If all goes well, I will be back on WhatsApp again soon. Hoping to see you all on my next post. Stay blessed and take care, everyone.</span></div></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
Mizohicanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09644240783333879705noreply@blogger.com3