Chp 199. It's so lonely at the Top!

Latest EPL Standing as of September 22, 2008
Position	Team	GP	W	D	L	Pts	GF	GA	GD
1.	Arsenal	5	4	0	1	12	11	2	9
2.	Chelsea	5	3	2	0	11	10	3	7
3.	Liverpool	5	3	2	0	11	5	2	3
4.	Aston Villa	5	3	1	1	10	10	7	3
5.	West Ham United	5	3	0	2	9	11	9	2
6.	Sunderland	5	2	1	2	7	5	6	-1
7.	Hull City	4	2	1	1	7	5	8	-3
8.	Blackburn	5	2	1	2	7	6	11	-5
9.	Manchester City	4	2	0	2	6	9	7	2
10.	Fulham	4	2	0	2	6	4	4	0
14.	Manchester United	4	1	2	1	5	4	4	0

[This is just the appetizer. Read on for more! ]

Time for a brief football break!

I can’t believe I haven’t written any football post in a loooong time! A new EPL season has already begun and I haven’t written anything about my team Arsenal. Gasp, I am ashamed to call myself an Arsenal fan.

With new work and new commitment, I still find the time to watch ever single Arsenal game on TV here in Mumbai. And even though Mumbai may be divided on the whole marathi manoos incidents and who is supporting who etc, one thing is for sure though – Here in the suburbs of Andheri East, there is a HUGE Arsenal fan base! Lolz.

Lemme explain.

For many of us who don’t have dish TV and Tata Sky etc, we subscribe to this one cable operator. And that cable operator, the stingy bastard that he is, gives us only THREE freaking channels for sports. In those three channels, he gives us ESPN, Star Sports, Neo Sports, DD Sports, Star Cricket, Ten Sports and Zee Sports, selectively broadcasting only three channels at a time depending on the program that is currently going on.

We have to call him up to request for a change in those channels if a particular sports channel we want to watch is not being broadcasted, and depending on the majority, he switches the channels. And most of the time his number is engaged.

Of course, cricket is what’s shown on those three channels most of the time.

But then, the funny thing is, every single Arsenal match is shown! Suppose there’s an Arsenal game at 7:30pm. Till 7:29pm there is some boring cricket match on Star Cricket or NEO sports broadcasted, and then at exactly 7:30, the screen suddenly goes bzzzzz for a fraction of a second and then ESPN or Star Sports comes on, broadcasting the Arsenal game.

I likeee very mucheee.

I long to meet the other Gunners supporters around my area here in Andheri East. I want to know these other guys who are calling up our cable operator every time there is an Arsenal match. I want to meet them, and watch Arsenal games together. After all, Arsenal fans are ultra cool dudes, unlike ManUtd and Chelsea supporters who are greedy and obnoxious and only after money.

(pssst psssst… this is a football post. You really think there’s not going to be any ManUtd Chelsea bashing? )

The other day I was quite pissed.

I missed the UEFA Champions League match between Arsenal and Dynamo Kiev recently. So the next day, the first thing I did when I reached office was visit arsenal.com

And what do I find?

Suddenly arsenal.com is no longer mozilla firefox friendly! Aaaaargh.

Here are a few screen shots I took that day.







WTF is this? How the hell are we supposed to read the articles when the stupid embedded Ad is blocking half the article!!???

The Ad is a Flash application so I could not drag it away from the article, and there was no CTA (call to action) to close the freaking Ad.

The webpage looked fine using internet explorer though. And I hate IE. I hate anything that tries to monopolize a market just because they have the moolah (yeah sometimes the communist in me speaks louder than the capitalist in moi).

Compatible only with IE? This kinda goof-ups should happen only to ManUtd and Chelsea homepages, because it fit in perfectly with their ideology and so called team spirit. But not with Arsenal, which is about true talent and genuine football spirit.

Last night ManUtd and Chelsea played. Guess who won? The young Gunners! Lolz. The game ended in a draw, benefiting Arsenal by a great deal.

ManUtd are still not even in the top 10 even till now. I’m telling you, all that hype about Berbatov joining and Ronaldo choosing club loyalty over money etc is just plain BS. This time the Red Devils are going to be relegated. Hyuk hyuk.

You could see the desperation in the way they played. Ronaldo started his usual falling down tricks but that wasn’t enough to beat the Blues. Man, that Ronaldo guy falls down so easily, sometimes if I just shake my TV, there he falls!



And sometimes when ManUtd aren’t able to win any match, they start playing volleyball! You guys should have seen that goal attempt by Scholes the other night when they played against Zenit St.Petersburg for the UEFA CL. Or maybe he was attempting another "Hand of God" shot à la Maradona, except of course, this was not so subtle and it was more like a beach volleyball smash. Hahaha. What will these guys think of next?

Watch that hilarious video here, courtesy NaziSriLanka



Really that desperate to score?

And of course good ol’ Sir Alex was quick to come in his defense saying it was "instinctive". Lolz. More than 20 years that dude has been playing professional football and you call that instinctive? Yeah I agree. After all, that is how ManUtd have been winning most of their matches – through unfair means. You are so right, Sir Alex. That was indeed instinctive. All hail the Mancheaters United!

Chp 198. Different tastes, different humor.

Over 4 million viewers.

That’s the amount of people who tuned in to watch the first episode of Bigg Boss 2 on TV.

Over 11 million viewers.

That’s the amount of people who watched Bigg Boss 2 on its opening week.

Damn…


[Pic source: rediff.com]

I scoffed when the show first debuted. Well, now I am munching on a very tasteless humble pie. 11 million is no laughing matter.

*shakes head, goes to the kitchen, heaves a sigh, puts on blue jeans, submits visa to rude grey haired man, collects pension fund from bank, comes back to the lap-top, still shakes head*

I know it is bad manners to make fun of what people watch, but still… Bigg Boss? That too 11 freaking million viewers??? That’s like 11 million people I hope I’ll never be stuck in an elevator with, who’ll probably talk only about the previous night’s episode…

- did you see the nightie Payal wore? It was so horrendous!
- Sanjay is so funny, the way he makes tea and yawns…
- I think Raja has the hots for Sambhavna, because I think he was thinking about her the whole day…
- Watching the contestants go for their evening walk is so exciting and it makes my adrenalin rush! Such electrifying strides…
- I swear to God Rahul hums when he’s in the loo. Here, listen closer…

Arrrrrgh!

To me, all that kinda translates as, “Hey! I don’t have a life. Woohoooo.”



But then again, I shouldn’t judge people. That’s a bad thing to do. A huge chunk of these 11 million viewers would probably call me crazy too if they saw the kinda stuff I watch on TV.

I am a sit-com addict, and talk-show hosts and stand-up comedians like Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Ellen DeGeneres, Russell Peters, Ryan Stiles, Wayne Brady etc. Put them all in a house à la Bigg Show, and that’d be something I would definitely not miss. Something like “The last Comic Standing” maybe, which is another favorite show of mine.



I love people who make me laugh. Not surprising that my IDOL and HERO is none other than the great, oh so great, HOMER SIMPSON!





And that’s exactly what I love. A bunch of people cracking me up with hilarious jokes and puns. Sometimes I love to see people get roasted. And then sometimes, I love to watch people get hurt!

Does that make me a bad person?

By pain, of course I don’t mean in that evil, sadistic, malefic, psycho kinda way. I love shows like “Whacked out sports” on AXN where they show people getting hurt for doing silly silly totally unnecessary stunts.

And this is exactly the reason why I try not to mock people who watch Bigg Boss, because having stayed away from home for a long time, I know from experience that many people find it strange too that I enjoy watching boxing matches, The Contender, football fans fight etc etc.

Suppose during a basketball match, two people fighting for the ball suddenly banged their heads against each other… I would laugh, while most people would show genuine concern. Of course I wouldn’t laugh if there’s blood and broken bones and brain pieces. Duh! I wouldn’t laugh if I witness a horrible car accident, or a bomb blast victim, or a guy on youTube executed by a masked man wielding an AK-47. Those are extremely gory and make me nauseous to the core.

But if a defender kicks the ball into the referee’s urrrmm… thingie by mistake, or Adam Sandler throws the ball at that same spot [The longest Yard] or a kid inflicts immense pain on two adults [Home Alone], I laugh my ass out.

Yet there are those who see no humor in all that. To them, we have a crude sense of humor, and to us, they have no sense of humor. I guess all of us have our own criteria for definition, and the problem is, all of us try to measure everything according to what we are.

I still remember so well back in IIMB when Peeyush threw the basketball at the pillar (post) after scoring a big basket, as a sign of intimidation to the opponents, when the ball rebounded and hit him square on the forehead! I laughed out so much I nearly pee’d, and yet all the others around me were giving me a dirty patronizing look for laughing at somebody’s “misfortune”.

That is why I am extremely careful over here. I’ve learnt that everybody’s different, and just because people laugh at this kind of stuff back in Mizoram doesn’t mean that people outside Mizoram do.

What caused this big difference between people from the North-east and other Indians? Is it because of our tribal background? Back in Engineering college, the exchange students from Rwanda too loveeeee to laugh at each other when one of them goes through a minor mishap during a football/basketball game. So how come those Rwandans and Mizos share the same sense of humor? The two would have not even met, even as microbes, during the period of Gondwanaland.

The question I’ve often been asked regarding this is, “How would you feel if you tripped clumsily while running after a football and people started laughing at you? You’ll feel bad naaa.” And my honest answer? “No, why the heck would I feel bad about it?”

Seriously. Why would I?

And like I mentioned earlier, all of us compare things based on what we are, and so that is why I am me and you are you and I am not you. Basic mathematics.

Enjoy Bigg Boss 2. Hyuk hyuk hyuk.

Chp 197. Acronyms time!

Here is a fun and interactive post for you all

Sometimes our online nick often reveals who we really are. Have you ever tried coming up with an acronym for your name? Try it, it is really fun. Come up with an acronym of your name or a friend and share it with me.

The only rule to this game is of course, you cannot use words like “the”, “on”, “at” etc in between the acronyms. It has to be one complete acronym.

----------------------------------------------

Here is to some of my blog friends from around the World. I know we haven’t heard much from each other in the past few months because of our respective commitments, but that doesn’t mean I have forgotten all the great times we used to have.

For my bartending American friend Bobby who has one of the most user-friendly blogs I’ve ever seen, it would be:

Bar
Operating
Busy
Bighearted
Yankee


The ever beautiful and helpful Mariuca:

Marzie
Always
Remember
If
U
Comment
Adoringly


The mysterious and quiet Emila, the Artist:

Enigmatic
Malaysian
Inexplicitly
Lucrative
Artist



Jesse, the sultry siren from Cape Town:

Jovial
Enchanting
South-African
Stimulating
Everybody



Ah Janice, the busy mother of two:

Juggling
Amos
Never
Is
Called
Easy


Jeanchia. See how beautiful and perfectly her acronym fits! I wrote this post when she went on a vacation many months ago.

Just
Enjoyed
A
Naughty
Cruise
Holidaying
In
Asia




See how much fun it is? Make sure the acronyms reveal who you really are. For starters, here is me:

Sexy
Adonis
Naturally
Dynamic,
Macho
And
Noble

You see the connection?

Hihihihi *alter ego dies from embarrassment*


My good friend Jerusha from Hyderabad, who loves to pull my leg all the time, would be:

Jerky
Endomorphic
Rotund
Urchin
Seducing
Hyderabadi
Aristocracy

muahhh, love you gurl



The good shepherdess Mesjay:

Mizo
Evangelist
Says
Jesus
Adores
You




And how can I forget my good chum mnowluck?

Man
Nearly
Old
Without
Love,
Ultimately
Copy
Kima



This is for my dear dear dear friend Almost Unreal. You know you shouldn’t have two parts on your online name. It only means you get double acronyms; double the fun!

Always
Loosing
Mentality
Once
She
Toasts ...(hic!)

Unquestionably
Needs
Romance,
Even
Any
Losers




To my brother BlackWhite, the webmaster of lawrkhawm.com who recently got married...

Believe
Lawrkhawm.com
Admin’s
Coaching
Kamasutra?

Wife
Happily
Is
Teaching
Everynight




Another person I proudly call my brother, Goldmember, my dear ex-roomie in Bangalore, enjoyyyy:


Girlfriends
Overdose,
Lovelorn
Desolated
Man
Easily
Moved
By
Emotional
Relationships



To Ben, founder of misual.com, who took me in as a guest for 1 month and ended up falling sick half the time

Boy
Explicitly
Never
Jokes
At
Misual.com
Is
Noteworthy


Well, the others like Daydreambeliever, Sekibuhchhuak, Toy Soldier etc, would love to come up with an acronym of your nick, but your nick are just too damn long!

Chp 196. Leave and License Agreement, Mumbai.

I’m a migrant.

I don’t deny it.

Plus, I can’t deny it because my facial features give me away.



Back in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore and Delhi, the first problem I always had was finding a place to stay. Having spent my entire school and college days in a hostel, no way was I going to live my independent life as a PG (paying guest).

And the moment I find a good place to rent, everything else is smooth from then on. I’m the kind of tenant Landlords love. I don’t blast music at weird hours in the night, bring home strange women (or men) back to the apartment, or sacrifice nearby stray dogs at a makeshift altar inside the apartment. I always pay my monthly rent on time, conserve electricity to the best of my ability, and smile at my neighbors.

According to me, there are three types of rentals.

First, there is the proper landlord-tenant agreement with the affidavit, stamp papers and identification proofs signed by a magistrate or other people with such authority.

Then there is the type of rentals in which everything is based on word of mouth. Landlord says the rent is this much and tenant says ok and landlord comes every month to collect the rent in cash and life goes on. Trust is the key word here.

Finally, there are those guys who hop from one friend’s house to the other, staying for a week at this house and then the next week at that house and so on. Most Mizos staying in a rented place know one or two such individuals who do that Such people seem to carry everything they need/have in just one traveling bag, and they never chip in with the rent or other bills, even though they usually pay for the booze (but again, they themselves drink the most anyway).

Last weekend I discovered there was a fourth type.

It’s actually the true Legal method of renting an apartment!

Last Saturday I spent a solid 4 hours with my sister and our landlord at a Court here in Mumbai because of the “Leave and License Agreement”.

[Some websites refer to it as “Lease and License Agreement”, or are they different?]

The place where we had to go and register was at the Registrar’s office, Family Court, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (E).

When I first heard that we were going to a Family Court, I was expecting to see a lot of disgruntled family members fighting with each other, fat saas-bahus pulling each other’s hair and screaming, and even cases of domestic violence with the unfortunate beaten-up wife sporting a sad bruised eye socket. Nah, it was nothing like that.

The place was extremely calm, and dull. Our Agent told us at least 80% of the people there were for the same reason as us – to get the agreement registered.

“Family court is a civil court that deals with marriages, family-related issues, inheritance and settlement of disputes by conciliation. Anything involving violence is transferred to a criminal court,” our agent said.

Saw a very funny sight at the Court too - A man walking around and selling illegal pirated DVDs and CDs, right there in the freaking Court complex! Lolz. This happens only in India, seriously.

We paid our agent 4500 bucks. According to “customs”, the fee to be paid is shared 50-50 between the tenant and landlord, so we paid the agent 2250 bucks. He did all the running around and red-tapes and stampings and chai serving while we only had to sit outside and wait and wait and wait.

Occasionally we had to sign some papers and give our left-thumb prints on a few other papers and have our photographs taken by the official Court photographer.

The Agent explained that the Maharashtra Government is extremely strict now regarding all these procedures, especially with terrorism threats becoming more and more a reality.

I was still a bit dazed because I never used to go through so much trouble like this before just to rent a place. It feels so unnecessary, but at the same time one can’t help feeling a bit more secure.

And here’s the deal about the L&L Agreement. If you are not properly registered at a Court, your Housing society or Landlord can kick you out anytime he wishes, because… surprise surprise, you can actually claim that the house you’re renting is yours if you’ve been renting without signing this agreement for a certain period of time (I think it is 5 years here in Mumbai)!

Hence, your housing society can actually throw you out before you do that. This L&L Agreement assures the landlord that you won’t suddenly take over his apartment one fine day. And the contract has to be renewed every 11 months.

Which immediately brings to my mind a couple of Mizos I know who I’m sure haven’t gone to court to register for this.

Is this a serious issue that the Mumbai Mizo Association needs to handle and instruct every Mizos living in Mumbai to do so? I know most of them are still renting apartments on the basis of “trust” between them and the landlord as mentioned earlier, but one can never know what the future holds. Registering at the Court gives you so much more security.

And is this compulsory registration only for Mumbai? I’ve never heard about it at other States. Maybe it is something to do only with Maharashta, like how security deposits differ from State to State. In Delhi, the amount of security deposit I had to pay was only a month’s rent whereas in Bangalore the security deposit was 10 times the monthly rental!

The main intention of the L&L Agreement is to protect the landlord from the tenant claiming the apartment to be his. I mean, why are people so mean as to actually do that?

Anyway, this incident has made me less ignorant regarding this topic and it really feels good to learn so many new things.

Happy renting.

Cheers.



------------------------------------------------

[Addendum]

When I got home the other day, I quickly referred to my teacher, professor google, regarding this topic that I was not so aware of. For those of you who are interested in this topic, please carry on reading. I have listed out the most relevant news I could find on the Net for you.


Here is a Maharashtra specific statement release on the L&L Agreement.

Leave and License Agreement should be registered:

UNDER Section 55 (1) of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999, any agreement for Leave and License or letting of any premises entered into between the landlord and the tenant or the licensee as the case may be should be in writing and should be registered under the Registration Act, 1908. Section 55 (2) imposes the responsibility of getting such agreement registered on the landlord.

An explanation about the L&L Agreement by the Chamber of Tax consultant, with a sample form of the Agreement.

Leave and License Agreement:

The word ‘licence’ has been defined in section 523 of the Indian Easement Act, 1882 "where one person grants to another, or to a definite number of other persons, a right do or continue to do in or upon the immovable property of the grantor, something which would, in the absence of such a right, be unlawful, and such right does not amount to an easement or interest in the property, the right is called a licence.

Why 11 months period in Mumbai, answered by S.R.Agarwal, Advocate.

Leave and License – Why 11 months only:

There is a practice prevalent in Bombay that Leave & Licence Agreement in respect of a residential premises is entered into and executed for a maximum period of 11 months. The question arise whether it can be for more than 11 months.

Another interesting article! A must read.

Difference between "Rental Agreement" and "Leave & License Agreement":

There is a vast difference between the "Tenancy Agreement" or Lease Agreement and Leave and License Agreement. In the former, there is a transfer of interest, whereas in the latter, there is no transfer of interest although permission is granted. If the premises are given on Tenancy, there is an element of non-eviction of the tenant by the owner except on the grounds of eviction, mentioned under the Rent Act.

Advantages of the L&L Agreement for Landlords.

Making money on Leave and License:

You have a vacant apartment. But, you will never rent it out. After all, what if your tenant decides not to vacate and makes your apartment his own. That's why tenancy has been put on the backburner and L&L is now the most popular option.

A Leave & License agreement does not give the occupants any ownership rights. The agreement only permits occupancy for a specific timeframe which could range from 11 months to 33 months. Should he refuse to vacate, the matter can be brought before the Competent Authority who will then take action.

A lease, on the other hand, generally refers to a plot of land and has a much longer timeframe which could extend to 99 years. Where a lease is concerned, the occupant can sub-lease it to a third party (if permitted in the lease deed), a right not given in the case of L&L.

Pro-tenant laws in India often inhibit rental market.

Pro-tenant laws in India often inhibit rental market:

Even with the application of the Lease and License Agreement system, it is still difficult for a landlord to protect his property from unwanted overstaying tenants. Even if contracts are enforceable in courts, the actual enforcement takes years or decades to accomplish.

Regarding family courts, this is a very good and detailed link regarding the Family Courts Act, 1984.

Establishment of Family Courts:

(1) For the purpose of exercising the jurisdiction and powers conferred on a Family Court by this Act, the State Government, after consultation with the High Court, and by notification,-

(a) shall, as soon as may be after the commencement of this Act, establish for every area in the State comprising a city or town whose population exceeds one million, a Family Court;

(b) may establish Family Courts for such other areas in the State as it may deem necessary.

(2) The State Government shall, after consultation with the High Court, specify, by notification, the local limits of the area to which the jurisdiction of a Family Court shall extend and may, at any time, increase, reduce or alter such limits.

Here is a good summary on the proceedings and duties of a family court.

Family courts under the family courts act 1984:

The purpose and aim of establishing the Family Courts is to protect and preserve the institution of marriage and to promote the welfare of children and provide for settlement of disputes by conciliation. The Family Courts Act extends to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir.

And then here is a list of the number of family courts in India

Ministry of Law and Justice – Department of Justice.:

After the enactment of the Family Courts Act, 1984, 61 Family Courts have been set up so far: Uttar Pradesh-16, Rajasthan-5, Maharashtra -13, Orissa-2, Karnataka-4, Tamil Nadu-5, Kerala-5, Bihar-2, Assam-1, Manipur-1, Andhra Pradesh-6, and Pondicherry-1. The NCT of Delhi has also been requested to take urgent steps for setting up the 15 Family Courts in the NCT of Delhi.

Regarding my earlier query on why domestic violence cannot be tried in family courts, here is a good result:

Court directive on Domestic violence:

The Kerala High Court has held that except magistrate courts no civil courts or family court had the jurisdiction to deal with an application filed under Section 12 of the Protection from Domestic Violence Act.

On the lighter side, this one is a MUST see. I came across it while searching for the location on wikimapia.

Family Court Building, Bandra Kurla Complex, East Bandra:

The seven courts of the Family Court under the Family Courts Act, 1984. Here they work overtime to destroy families and promote feminism and feminist fascism.

Lolz! I wonder who’s the disgruntled dude who wrote that.

Chp 195. Blood is spilled - a voice cries out.

Blood is spilled in the land of Peace.
Four innocent lives,
washed away like paper boat against a tempest.


Tonight four families weep in sorrow.
But pray, be strong,
for the whole of Mizoram weeps with you.


My Mizoram - land of such serene tranquility.
And yet today,
the radicals proclaim "T’is only the beginning"!


I wonder where the wind will blow from here.
Will we revert,
to the days when guns were louder than free will?


No, the power of conscience must not falter!
Kindred we are,
and no ethnic differences can refute that claim.


Memories open floodgates of Isaac L.Hmar.
Brutally murdered,
by the very same people with such bloodied hands.


Oh hatred, how quick is your execution.
With a flash,
you've delivered your judgment with no remorse.


Chaos and unrest you spew out like venom.
Mindless violence,
sounds contradictory to the paradise I call “Home”.


Did those four innocents spill blood in vain?
Hell NO!
for the Mizo kindred bond is now stronger than ever!


----


Rest in peace R.Lalrindika, B.Lalchunglura, Lalremthanga and David Rualthankhuma. God bless.

Chp 194. Interracial relationship: A 2-way street

[ Are Mizo women more anti-miscegenist than the men? Click here to skip this post and go directly to the bottom of the page to voice your opinion. Otherwise do spend a few minutes on this post and then participate. Thanx. ]


To all my Zo sisters. A serious Mizo-centric Post.

[Apology to my non-Mizo readers once again]

Before crossing a two-way street, we always look to the left and the right. But sometimes when vehicles travel in only one direction on that two-way street, we eventually end up looking only at that one direction whenever we cross that particular street.

And that’s exactly what interracial relationships are today. We have forgotten about the fact that cars can run from the other side too.

Mention “Interracial relationships” to any Mizo or at any Mizo community discussion forum, and the only thing most people will think of is a “Mizo girl + non-Mizo guy” relationship. After that, everybody jumps into a long never-ending discussion about hnam feeling, hnam pride, culture clash etc. Take a quick glance at some of those opinionated discussions, and all you’ll read is the same ’ol thing since the dawn of internet.

What most people never think or talk about though, is a “Mizo guy + non-Mizo girl” interracial relationship, because everybody, including women, are hung up on that “Mizo girl + non-Mizo guy” syndrome.

People don’t realize how much more difficult it is for a Mizo guy to get into an interracial relationship. Yet, many women just assume it is easier for us and continue to talk about their own difficulties and the problems they face from their community, and some even compare Mizo men to non-Mizos, and exclaim how non-Mizos are so much more mature and liberal in accepting such kinds of interracial relationships.

Ouch.

Ok, we shall discuss about the evils of comparing men based on our race or ethnicity at other posts, because some women treat us as if we are nothing but a piece of meat hanging in the dingy discount section of an underperforming supermarket surrounded by flies and germs, whose selection criteria by the consumer (women) is based solely on the meat’s age, breed, and the amount of fat present.

For now, let us leave this unhealthy practice of comparing men aside and take a look at the two-way street of interracial relationships.

I’ve gone out with quite a number of non-Mizo girls in the past. And most of my interracial relationships didn’t work out for more than a year because there was always a problem later in the end, either from the girl’s family or her community.

If you have a non-Mizo boyfriend or husband, sometimes people from our community may not treat you kindly because we are a highly insecure lot not even constituting 0.01 percent of the Indian population. I am not justifying such unfortunate activities with those sociological issues, but at least they don’t come to your house in the middle of the night armed with hockey sticks and chains just because you’re in an interracial relationship. That’s the kind of BS I had to put up with back in college in Tamilnadu, because the few North Indians studying in our college vehemently objected to the fact that my girlfriend was "one of theirs", a Marwari from Rajasthan.

On many occasions, they threatened to break my limbs if we didn’t end our relationship, straight out of a soapy B-Grade Hindi movie. Crazy? Nah, I had similar problems in Hyderabad with the local guys too over a local girl, and again in Bangalore. Same story everywhere.

Honestly, can you ever picture a group of Mizo guys thrashing a non-Mizo just because he married a Mizo girl? Sure some of them may bitch, but beating up the person just because of that is out of the question.

On the other hand, have you heard of honor-killings? Does the name Rizwanur Rahman ring any bell? Or other victims (men and women) like Du’a Khalil Aswad, Anooshe Sediq Ghulam, Tina Isa, Ghazala Khan, Samaira Nazir, Aqsa Parvez, Fadime Sahindal, Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu, Hatun Sürücü, Arash Ghorbani-Zarin [source: Honor Killings ] or if you want you can visit this website for more details: ICAHK [International Campaign Against Honor Killings].

You speak of mere alienation from some of the Mizos just because you are in an interracial relationship. Well, I can show you real scars all over my body as a result of the fights I had because of interracial relationships.

You end up hating the Mizo community just because of some of the treatment you get from some section of our society? Look at me: In spite of all the terrible experiences I went through, I have no grudge against the non-Mizo or Mizo community. Don’t let a few sore apples spoil your entire perception.

You speak of racism? I abhor racism of any kind, be it towards Mizos or non-Mizos, and I agree some guys talk rubbish about Mizo girls going around with non-Mizos. I don’t encourage that kind of talk. But again we are talking about the two way street here. Trust me, the amount of crap I used to get from Mizo girls just because I was going around with a non-Mizo was far far far worse than all the stuff Mizo guys talked about. The less said, the better.

And this is exactly the crux of the whole matter. Some people are so busy playing the role of the victim that they’ve unknowingly become the perpetrator. Instead of complaining about the resentment you face from Mizo men, take a moment off and imagine your brother marrying a non-Mizo, say a Tamilian. Does the picture that comes to your mind appeals to you? If not, then my dear, I believe you have absolutely no rights to complain about your issues. Remember, it is a two-way street.

A Mizo guy going around with a non-Mizo is definitely not smooth.

Do you think Pu Manzuala, the former Chief Secretary of Mizoram, had it easy? Believe me you do not want to hear all those horrible stuff the women of our locality used to say about him because he married a non-Mizo. None of the men ever used to say anything like that. I cried my heart out when Aunty Renu passed away, and till now I still remember all those wonderful picnics our two families used to go to, and those boiled-egg sandwiches she used to make especially for me. She even taught me how to swim on one of those picnics. She treated me like the son she never had, and I treated her daughters u-Joanna, u-Margu, Pari and Olivia as my own sisters. But after her sudden sad demise, we all simply drifted apart.

Damn, just writing about this particular part of the article brings back a lot of painful memories... I can give you so many other examples like that. Unpleasant ones. Stuff that will make you sick…

I’m sorry if you find this post a bit pugnacious, but I just can’t take it anymore when I see some of our women repeatedly complain about how unfair it is because "Mizo guys are xenophobic… Mizo guys are not open to interracial relationships… Mizo guys are this… Mizo guys are that… blah blah blah” as if the women are completely free of any blame!

I’ve heard many women speak out about how we guys can marry anyone we like whereas they face a lot of roadblocks and speed-breakers. That’s truly a gross misconception. Trust me, we guys have it much harder and worse; we just don’t kvetch about it.

A man is “supposed” to be the head of the family. And you know how most Indians regard us "chinkies" in the social strata – as untouchables or even lower. Imagine in a typical Indian household when such a person is the head of the family. Imagine how her parents, relatives, colleagues and friends would feel about that person. Believe me, you are most fortunate to be a woman. Especially a Mizo woman. No dowry issues, no caste issues, no gotra issues, and best of all, no need to run for your life if you marry somebody your parents objected to.

Hey. Interracial relationships are never easy in any close-knitted small society. That’s a world-wide sociological phenomenon. The smaller and fewer the members of that society are, the more they will resist to outsiders “diluting” their dwindling bloodlines. I am not saying it is good or bad. All I am humbly asking for, is to please stop mentioning that our Mizo society is unfair because of the partiality shown to guys when it comes to interracial relationships. Partiality, my ass. We guys are handed the worst crap.

Always remember that it is a two-way street.

--------------------

Author’s addendum:

Are Mizo women actually more anti-miscegenist than the men?

Please feel free to point out your answer on this. Any opinion is welcome. Comment is completely unmoderated and anonymous comment is activated.

My answer is yes. And my theory on the reason why Mizo women are like this is simply due to the “hunted becomes the hunter” psychological phenomenon.

In College, the guy who gets ragged the most in 1st year usually becomes the most vicious ragger in 2nd year. Likewise, a victim of racism usually becomes a racist eventually.

I have noticed many Mizo women at “phai” speak viciously against “vais”. They look upon other Mizos with “vai” partners in disgust. And ironically, such women have gone around with “vais” in the past! I believe that is where their anger is stemming from. They faced so many criticisms during their romantic years that they have now become worse than those who criticized them.

Seriously, it’s true. Take a look at the woman who speaks out the most about relationships with “vais, midums and saps”. The bitterness and anger in her tone is much more disgusting and harsh than any Mizo guy I’ve heard speaking about “hnam feeling”. And such women always had such a relationship in the past with the very people she speaks out against now.

Could this be the reason?

I’m not a psychologist nor have I done any research on this topic. These are just excerpts from my observations. Please feel free to disagree.

Chp 193. Flashback

11:30 PM

Abhishek Chopra fell on the blood stained floor.

"What have I done!!!???" He asked himself.

Lying on a pool of blood next to him were the lifeless bodies of his wife Sheranya and his good friend Jimmy Zothanpuia.

He was still clutching the large kitchen knife he had just used to stab his wife and Jimmy over and over again. The past five minutes felt like a bad dream to him. It was so surreal, but there he was, getting a taste of how real it was.

In a fit of rage he had taken the life of his wife and his friend Jimmy. He had just found out they were having an affair. Now as he sat on the floor dazed, he wondered whether it was really worth taking their lives for that.

He looked at the blood stained knife again. He contemplated for a few minutes and then finally took a deep breath and with full force plunged the knife deep into his stomach.



11:16 PM

"What???"

It was Jimmy exclaiming in surprise.

He had just spent the past 45 minutes drinking with the Chopras. He had known Abhishek Chopra for more than a year now ever since his colleague and good friend Sheranya got married to him. He was there on their grand wedding day and he even teased Sheranya about why she was not dancing in a Bollywood movie style on her wedding.

The moment Sheranya introduced him to Abhishek, they became close friends. Since then, he would swap stories about his home town Aizawl - Mizoram, with Abhishek and Sheranya.

But that night, there was something strange about Abhishek. He did not seem to be in his usual cool self. He did not laugh to Jimmy’s jokes, and even if he did, the artificiality was obvious.

Jimmy looked at Sheranya…

Suddenly Abhishek stood up and shouted, "Bastard, I know what you and my wife are doing behind my back!" He pulled out a large knife from under the cushion.



10:05 PM

ding dong…

The bell to the Chopra apartment rang melodiously.

Sheranya ran to the door. It was Jimmy, who greeted her with a smile.

"Sher," Jimmy said and hugged her as she opened the door.

"Jim, thanks for coming," Sheranya hugged him back comfortably.

"He’s been drinking the whole evening. I guess he had a rough day in office today. But he was quiet normal when he reached home this evening…"

"I’ll handle him, don’t worry…" Jimmy said, and then quickly added, "Hey regarding those smses…"

"We’ll discuss about that later. Right now go to my hubby and do whatever you guys do."



8:21 PM

ring ring…

"Hey Sher. Whassup?"

"Jim. Hi. You’re at home?"

"Yeah, I’ve just reached."

"Abhishek has been drinking for quite a while now. He’s even bought a new bottle of rum and he insists that you come over and drink with him!"

"Hahaha! Well as a matter of fact, I was planning to drink tonight anyway. Might as well do with him."

"Really? You don’t mind? Thanx! Can you reach here by 10’ish?"

"Sure thing. Anyway I have a good reason to see you, if you know what I mean…"

Sheranya giggled and then disconnected the call.



6:17 PM

As Abhishek read the messages in Sheranya’s phone while she was in the shower, his whole world turned upside down. His fingers trembled and everything around him became hazy. His heart beat accelerated and darkness seemed to swallow him up.

He read the smses once again, for the hundredth time.

"Darling, are you sure it’s safe for me to come over tonight? I think he’s starting to suspect something is up. What we do is amazing but I’m afraid he’ll hear the moans and screams eventually! Lolz."

"My love, I don’t know how long we can carry on like this behind his back. I know we can never tell him about our relationship, but I miss you so much… your gentle touch… your kiss… and the way we hold each other and fall off to sleep, even if it is only for a short while because I have to leave your apartment before he wakes up…"

"I know you told me not to sms you today, but I just can’t help it. I love you so much, and knowing you can read my messages in any other way delivers a brief warmth to my heart. I think I’ll slip in at your place tonight after he sleeps… Muaah."

He couldn’t breath.

He looked at the sender’s name once again, and still couldn’t believe it. The messages were from Jimmy.



5:02 PM

Abhishek reached home and took a shower immediately. The evening Mumbai rush hour was tiring and frustrating as usual.

After a good 20 minutes long shower, he could feel the energy slowly flowing back to his body again. He moved to the living room and switched on the TV. Seinfeld. "Ahhh", Abhishek sighed in delight.

Just when Jerry Seinfeld was about to crack one of his golden witty remarks, Sharenya entered the house.

"Hi honey!"

"Hi sweetheart. How was your day?"

"Argh. Usual stuff. Had a fight with the auto driver again because of a faulty meter. I wish I have a car too! I’m going to take a quick shower and then I’ll join you for dinner."

"Ok."

Sharenya threw her hand bag next to Abhishek and ran into the bathroom immediately. Her mobile phone rolled out and it caught Abhishek’s eyes. With no particular reason, Abhishek mindlessly took the phone and began browsing through it. Games… his "snake" record was still there. Music… she was still listening to "Rise up" by Yves LaRock.

And then he went to her sms inbox and he froze.



3:32 PM

beep beep…

Sheranya looked at her phone. It was an sms from Jimmy.

"Darling, I’m so sorry about last night. I couldn’t come over to your place because of the obvious reasons. Tonight I promise I will be there once he falls off to sleep. I long to slip in underneath the blanket besides you again and celebrate the love we have all night long. Love you. Muaaaah."

She blushed a bit. She got up from her office cubicle and looked at where Jimmy was sitting. She made eye contact with him and smiled. She pointed at her mobile and Jimmy smiled back.



8:00 AM

The day didn’t start off well for Jimmy at all. First of all, the water supply to his apartment got over just when he was in the middle of a shower. And then his maid demanded an increment on her salary for cleaning the dishes everyday.

"Bloody hell, you came to work only four times the whole of last month!" Jimmy thought. But then, like any bachelor living in a bachelor pad in busy Mumbai, he shrugged it off and agreed to her demands.

He screamed at his kid brother, "Mapui, wake the hell up! You’re getting late for school! I’ve left 50 bucks for you on top of the fridge. Try not to spend it all." Then he hurriedly dressed up so that he could beat the early morning Mumbai rush hour.

On his way to work, he dropped his phone. "Fuck," he muttered.

When he finally reached office, he went directly to Sheranya Chopra.

"Morning Jim."

"Morning Sher. Uh…. Sweetie, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

"Well, my little bro has been staying with me for the past two weeks or so, and I don’t want him to know that my girlfriend stays over for the night… kinda like the whole big brother setting a good example thingie… And then this morning, I dropped my freaking phone on the way to office. The display is completely screwed. I can see the sender’s name but the rest of the messages are completely distorted. Can I forward the smses I receive from my girlfriend to your phone so that I can read them there?"

"Of course!" Sher replied.