Chp 535. North East cuisine in Mumbai

So yesterday was a very fruitful and stomachful day!

Four days ago, I received a mail from Rushina, a very prominent food blogger, reviewer, consultant and owner of APB Cook Studio here in Mumbai. We met at a couple of those Coral Networking dinners I used to take part in, as we all shared the same passion for food, though of course she’s a much more professional cook and foodie than me while I’m just a self-proclaimed amateur foodie. Back then, she was also the consultant for Godrej Nature’s Basket while I was the creative lead at an Ad agency handling their account.

This time, she invited me to this new (and experimental) event called “Demo & Dine: Cuisines of the North East” that she was organizing at her Cook Studio. It was too good an offer to decline, and I was really curious to know what actually goes on at such “cook studios”.

So my RSVP was an immediate yes.

I reached the venue right on time, in spite of being delayed due to the “Equal Streets movement (though I admit it was indeed a glorious sight watching all the kids and artists play and perform right on the entire stretch of Linking Road, Bandra). 





I reached the venue with the help of Google Maps. Shrishti Plaza. Being a Sunday, the commercial building was deserted.



The studio was located on the third floor…



Just a few people had reached when I walked in, and they were just starting to set up the place





The introductions started and I quickly blended in. Some of the other invitees were food bloggers, so I had to keep introducing myself as, “I’m also a blogger, but I don’t write about food” :D

The event was conducted by renowned Assamese cook Gitika Saikia, who changed into her traditional Mekhele Chador before kick-starting the program.



She got right into it, starting with the Dau Jwang Sobai Jwang, a Bodo community dish where chicken is cooked with black dal.





As she demonstrated and taught us how to make this dish, she kept us enthralled and entertained with the history and folk tales of Assamese culture.



For those of you interested, here is the recipe of this dish. 


Dau Jwang Sobai Jwang - Chicken with Black Dal

For 4-6 people

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

500 gms chicken, skinless, curry cut.
100 gms black dal
Pinch of soda bi-carb
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsp ginger - garlic paste
1 bhut jolokia or 2-3 green chillies, chopped
Salt to taste
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp coriander leaves
1 tbsp black pepper, freshly powdered
2 tbsp mustard oil

Method:

1. Boil black dal with pinch of soda bi-carb till cooked
2. In a kadhai, heat mustard oil
3. Add onion, ginger and garlic paste and sauté 
4. Next add bay leaves
5. Add chicken pieces salt and turmeric powder
6. Let it cook till its juices are released
7. Add chillies and cover with lid for 5 minutes
8. Add boiled dal and mix it well
9. Cover with lid and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes
10. Sprinkle black pepper powder and chopped coriander leaves
11. Stir to mix and the dish is ready
12. Serve it hot with rice

Note: Assamese food is characterized by the use of an alkaline filtrate of ash obtained from burning dried fiber of plantain tree. This is used in place of soda while cooking and adds a distinct flavor to the cuisine.

And here is how the dish looked like once it was ready [Pic source: Rhea Mitra Dalal’s food blog]



After that, we moved on to the next item – Dohnaiiong, a special pork dish made in black sesame gravy, a delicacy from Meghalaya. Again Gitika made the dish from scratch, while occasionally pointing out how pork is one of the favorite food of most Northeasterners. Here’s the recipe:


Dohnaiiong - Pork with Black Sesame

For 4-6 people

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

500 gms pork belly, boiled and cubed
100 gms black sesame, roasted and powdered
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
3 green chillies, chopped
1 tbsp red chilli paste
Salt to taste
1 tbsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp mustard oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadhai
2. Add onion and fry well
3. Add ginger-galric paste and sauté 
4. Add boiled pork, chillies, salt and turmeric
5. Leave to cook for 10-15 minutes till fragrant
6. Add mixture of black sesame powder and water
7. Cover with lid and cook on low flame for 2-5 minutes
8. Occasionally stir in between
9. Dish is ready to be served with plain or sticky rice

And here is how the dish looked like once it was ready - 




After that, we were ready to dine feast!

The rest of the menu had been prepared in advance because you can’t expect someone to make everything right on the spot as that would have taken a lot of time. Here is the entire menu:

Pasa from Arunachal Pradesh: A thin, fish soup with herbs
Mosdeng Serma from Tripura: Chutney made of fermented fish, tomatoes and herbs
Eromba from Manipur: Vegetable with fermented dry fish
Akhuni or Axone from Nagaland: Fermented soya bean chutney
Bai from Mizoram: Dish made by mixing veggies, bamboo shoots and rice
Dohneiiong from Meghalaya: Pork cooked with black sesame in light gravy
Dau Jwng Sobai Jwng from the Bodo community of Assam: Chicken cooked with black dal




For the base, we had sticky rice which is also popular in the North East. This is how it was served -







For appetizers, we were served this delicious drink made from amlakhi (amla) and hilikha (haritaki). 



A very refreshing drink indeed. After that, we all sat together across the table.

First up, was the Pasa, a thin, fish soup with herbs from Arunachal Pradesh.



The taste was divine. The side-serves were also placed in front of us. These include the Mosdeng Serma and Akhuni.





As you can see below, Mosdeng Serma is a fermented dried fish popular in Tripura, and Akhuni is a fermented soya bean chutney popular in Nagaland. We Mizos too have side dishes very similar to these two, with slight variations in taste and method of preparation.



One thing is certain, the preparation of such fermented dishes can be quite… how do I say it… a pungent experience for the untrained nose :) Maybe that was also one of the reasons why Gitika prepared these two dishes well in advance? :D

Soon, the table was filled. Below is Bai from Mizoram. I proudly exclaimed, “Yayyy that’s from my state”, and everybody applauded :P





Yummy food all around…







A POV look of my plate (by the way, click on all photos to enlarge at a new tab).





The white chutney paste you can see is the Eromba from Manipur. There are different types of Eromba, and the one we had yesterday consisted of mashed vegetables, bamboo shoots and fermented fish known as Ngari. 

After many more servings and spoonfuls of scrumptious delicacies, I was stuffed. And once everybody had their full, dessert was served.



Dessert consisted of puffed rice and small portions of Gitika’s own home-made jaggery. This was mixed with Amul fresh cream, and oh the taste was heavenly. Subtle sweetness went down smoothly and settled down with the spicy pork and chutneys I just had.



The ambience at APB Studio was awesome, and there were a lot of sample containers all around the studio, making it a true foodie’s haven.









Rushina also mentioned that APB Cook Studio conducts corporate cooking programs, cooking competitions, and various other cooking related events.

Once we were all done eating, we spent a lot of time sharing and chatting, mostly about the North East, so I definitely had a field day telling the others about our different cultures and practices. The digestion of food also became a cultural digestion as well. (did I just say that? :D )

The discussion topic also turned to some of the ingredients used in preparing the food that we just ate.



The above leaves are called “bahkhawr” in Mizo, but unfortunately I didn’t know the English name. It is a popular veggie dish or veg condiment in our Mizo society.

Gitika too bought her own bottles of pickles to sell.



I bought a bottle each of Pork pickle and Bhut jolokia, aka Naga chilli aka Raja mirchi aka Ghost pepper among many other names. It was the world’s hottest chilli for many years, but recently moved down to third place [source]



Nevertheless, it is still SPICY as hell! To give you an example of how hot this chilli is, here is a real life experience - I was once travelling from Aizawl to Delhi with my friend Michael Pautu. There was no incident on our Aizawl to Kolkata flight. But on our connecting flight from Kolkata to Delhi, the security guard detected a bottle of Bhut jolokia pickle in Michael’s hand baggage. Even though it was properly sealed, they immediately confiscated it. When we protested, they told us that extremely spicy chillis like Bhut jolokias are banned from carry-on baggage in flight because they can be weaponized and made into a bomb!!!! 

And all this time, I though the only explosion Bhut jolokia can cause is in the loo :D

Here is me having this awesome chilli for breakfast today along with home-made dosas and coconut chutney. Ahhhh the flavor blend was amazingggg!



Hoping to see such activities again soon. I had a truly awesome time. Thank you Rushina and Gitika!



Ps. I’d just like to quickly point out here that when I shared about this event on Facebook, a few people, mostly Northeasterners, criticized me because the entry for this event was priced at Rs. 2500 per head. First of all I’d like to say that I am not a part of the organizers and I had nothing to do with the cost :) Secondly, I can see from a Northeasterner’s point of view that spending 2500 for food they can easily make at home is atrocious. However, let me point out that the target audience for this event was actually non-Northeasterners who had never tasted Northeastern food, somebody who likes to experience different cultures, learn new cuisines and explore a less taken path. Apart from that, the cook not only prepared the dishes but taught the participants how to make them and personally interacted with everyone, explaining in detail about what to add and why. It’s not a typical restaurant model. And then there was the cost of infrastructure, manpower, electricity etc etc. I think 2500 is a reasonable cost if you take all that into consideration.

Chp 534. Separatist movements of North East India

My answer to a Quora question:

What does the world think about the separatist movement by the indigenous tribe of Northeast India?

Thank you for the A2A, but I must admit, this is a very generic question so I don’t think I’ll be able to give you a satisfactory answer. You'll have to understand that there are over 300+ different ethnic tribes and communities in the North East, all speaking different languages or dialects, and most of them have their own issues which may or may not be similar to the issues of other ethnic groups.

India had been, on many occasions, governed by the same ruler - like the Mauryan empire, Gupta kingdom, Chola dynasty, Pala empire, Tughlaq sultanate, Mughal dynasty, Maratha empire etc who ruled vast areas of present day India.

But as far as my knowledge on history goes, what is now “the North East” was never occupied by any of the large empires and dynasties (other than the British) that had ruled over what is now India in the past. Do correct me if I’m mistaken though.

At the western frontier, the Ahom Kingdom of Assam had successfully resisted the mighty Mughal expansion for many generations. Likewise, the once powerful Twipra Kingdom of Tripura too fought Islamic conquests relentlessly. And on the eastern frontier, the Kingdom of Manipur waged many wars with the Burmese Kingdom. The Ahom dynasty finally ended with the Burmese invasion of Assam in 1817, which was then subsequently annexed by the British East India Company. After that, it wasn’t difficult for the British to conquer the other Kingdoms that had grown weaker due to consistent wars, and the other smaller fiefdoms and chieftains of different tribes and communities scattered all across the nearby hills and valleys too fell under the Union Jack.

However, I don’t want to go too much into history as I am not a history buff, and many of us cannot trace back our heritage that further back. Like I said, I may be mistaken about some of the historical facts I’ve mentioned earlier too. Let’s deal with the present situation because that is what matters. The question is about the separatist movement by the indigenous tribe of Northeast India, and I’ll get right to that.

First of all, every Northeastern State has their own story to tell. In the case of Mizoram, the reason for the rise of insurgency was because of neglect from the Indian Government. You can read more about this in my Quora answer: What do people of Mizoram think about the rest of India? To keep a long story short, here is a gist of our insurgent history - After the British left, a terrible famine hit the region and no assistance was given by the Indian Govt and a lot of Mizos died, so everybody said they didn't want to be under a country that didn't care about its people and the entire region under the MNF rebelled, beating back the Indian army, so Indira Gandhi ordered the Air Force to bomb residential areas and then fighting between the MNF and the Indian army continued until the Peace Accord was finally signed in 1986, bringing in permanent peace to the State (*gasps for air*). For a more detailed answer, please do click on the link mentioned above.

Having said that, that was just the case with Mizoram. Other states have different reasons for rebelling. For example, leaders of the Mizo Union political party of Mizoram (which was known as the Lushai Hills district back then) agreed to become a part of Assam rather than Myanmar when the British said they were leaving and the Mizo insurgency happened only after the famine in 1958, but in the case of Nagaland, Naga Nationalism had been popular and growing strong even while the British were there. Many researchers attributed the Second World War to having a significant impact on Naga Nationalism because as we all know, the war was fought right on the doorsteps of Kohima, hence affecting many Naga tribes. The war and rehabilitation process further united many Naga tribes, especially when they came to possess many weapons left behind by the defeated Japanese army. Hence Naga insurgent groups had been fighting for a sovereign country right from day 1 of India’s Independence. Likewise, other States have different backgrounds and causes.

But the BIGGEST misconception people have about the violence in the North East is that, most people think all these insurgent groups are fighting for separation from India.

No they’re actually not.

Sure, some of them do, like how the various factions of the NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) are fighting for a sovereign Nagalim (Greater Nagaland) consisting of areas inhabited by Naga tribes (this includes Nagaland and large regions of Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and even Myanmar). Again it has to be mentioned that Naga insurgent groups are not only fighting against the Indian government but even among themselves due to different ideologies and at times because of inter-tribe/clan rivalry.

Also try to keep in mind that all the insurgent groups I’m mentioning here may claim to represent their particular community, but keep in mind that not every person from that particular community accepts it as their representative or believes in their ideologies. It is pretty much like the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS/ISIL) claiming to represent all Muslims when in fact many Muslims are against them.

Coming back to the topic of separation from India, if we take a look at Assam, we have ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) fighting for a sovereign Assam nation since the 70’s. But other groups in Assam are merely fighting for a separate State, like the KLO (Kamtapur Liberation Organisation) wants a separate State called Kamtapur carved out of regions in western Assam and northern West Bengal inhabited by the Koch Rajbongshi community, while the KLNLF (Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front) wants self-rule imposed in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam inhabited by the Karbi people.

Sometimes, the demand changes with time. Some of those who had earlier demanded a sovereign region, now demands a State within India. The NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) initially fought for a sovereign Bodoland but is now focused on a separate State of Bodoland at regions inhabited by the Bodo community. The GNLA (Garo National Liberation Army) initially pushed for a sovereign Garoland, now demands a separate Garoland State carved out of Meghalaya.

And sometimes, it is about demanding an autonomous region, like the HPC(D) (Hmar People’s Conference (Democratic)) demanding a separate administrative unit under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India (Articles 244(2) and 275(1) - Provisions for the administration of tribal areas) at regions largely populated by Hmars within Mizoram, Assam and Manipur.

Again, some of these insurgent groups were created not for the purpose of demanding a separate region, State or Country, but sometimes to protect or defend their respective communities. For example, in Tripura, the NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura) and ATTF (All Tripura Tiger Force) were formed by the indigenous tribes of Tripura to combat the growing Bengali population within the State. In retaliation, the UBLF (United Bengali Liberation Front) group was formed to strike back at the tribes. Similarly, in lower Assam, the ACF (Adivasi Cobra Force) and AANLA (All Adivasi National Liberation Army) too were formed for the sole purpose of protecting the tribal people and tribal culture and they did not have any agenda to separate from India, though they were active in attacking migrant workers. In Meghalaya, the LAEF (Liberation of Achik Elite Force) demanded a separate Garo state so the HNLC (Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council) was formed by the Khasi tribes to combat the LAEF and GNLA.

Similarly, in Manipur, it is not just about secession but also about protecting one’s ethnic group. Manipur is inhabited by a vast number of different ethnic groups - You have the Meiteis mainly in the plains, and around 30 major tribes in the hills. The Naga group consists of Zeliangrong, Tangkhul, Mao, Maram, Maring and Tarao while the Chin-Kuki group consists of Gangte, Hmar, Paite, Thadou, Vaiphei, Zou, Aimol, Chiru, Koireng, Kom (yes this is the tribe that Mary Kom belongs to), Chothe, Lamgang, Koirao, Anal, Thangal, Moyon and Monsang (Source: The People of Manipur). Again, there are many debates about which tribe belongs to which ethnic group and some may disagree with what I’ve written here. According to the United Naga Council (UNC), the Naga tribes of Manipur are Anal, Maring, Moyon, Monsang, Lamkang, Chothe, Tarao, Chiru, Kharam, Inpui, Tangkhul, Zeliangrong, Mao, Poumai, Maram and Thangal. I hope we can avoid having this particular discussion on this post. If you’re interested, you can read this article on why there is a debate on which tribe belongs to which ethnic group - Politics of Ethnic Conflict in Manipur.

Hence due to the vast number of different ethnic groups, Manipur is no stranger to inter-ethnic clashes, with some of the prominent ones in the recent past being the Meitei-Pangan clash, the Thadou-Maring clash that escalated into a larger Kuki-Naga clash, the Kuki-Paite clash and the Meitei-Tangkhul clash with some of these clashes even seeing casualties of more than a thousand. Hence some of these ethnic groups have their own insurgent groups that run parallel governments in their respective regions of dominion. 

Even though the presence of insurgent groups prevented ethnic clashes in some cases, in other cases, it was the rivalry between such insurgent groups that resulted in wide-scale ethnic conflict. For example, the KNF (Kuki National Front) and the KNO (Kuki National Organization) demanded a separate State of Kukiland to be carved out of the five hill districts of Manipur – Ukrul, Senapati, Churachandpur, Chandel and Tamenglong as there is a large Kuki population living in these districts. However, this sent out a direct challenge to the NSCN-IM (National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah faction) who had plans of “Greater Nagaland” (mentioned earlier) whose proposed plan included the four districts of Ukrul, Senapati, Chandel and Tamenglong as they also have a large Naga population. This led to a long ethnic war between the NSCN-IM and KNF/KNO of Manipur.

And to make matters more complicated, the Meiteis of Manipur were dead set against the creation of either Kukiland or Nagalim from Manipur. UNLF (United National Liberation Front), the oldest and most prominent Meitei insurgent group in Manipur promised retaliation if NSCN-IM or KNF/KNO carried on with their agenda. Meanwhile, this situation became awkward for the PLA (People’s Liberation Army), another prominent Meitei insurgent group whose aim was to liberate Manipur by uniting the Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas of Manipur. PREPAK (People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak) is also another such muti-ethnic insurgent group of Manipur recruiting members from the Meitei, Naga and Kuki communities. Now you understand how complex the whole situation is. There had also been cases of the KNF clashing with the ZRO (Zomi Revolutionary Army) due to a dispute in taxation of their respective ethnic members, hence leading to the Kuki-Paite ethnic clash of 1997-98.

You’ll have to read a lot in order to understand or even know about the situations at these places, hence the reason why I initially mentioned that this is quite a generic Quora question. Plus it is not something even most of us Northeasterners ourselves have much of an in-depth knowledge on - we usually tend to know the history of our own respective State/community and the insurgent groups within that State only (like how I am well versed about Mizoram) and knowing about each and every ethnic group and conflict in the North East usually involves months or years of research and doctoral studies done by academicians, defense personnel and media groups. I won’t be surprised if I too am mistaken about some of the different ethnic clashes and insurgent groups I have mentioned in this answer because there are so many different sources of information.

I really hope I didn’t make this answer sound like the North East is a terrible and violent place to visit, especially after one of my recent Quora answers What are the things to remember before visiting the Northeastern States? started seeing a lot of traction and upvotes. It is not! The North East is a beautiful place to visit and most of the areas are extremely peaceful today. Many of the ethnic clashes I have mentioned in this answer happened years ago, and today, many ethnic groups co-exist peacefully. Yes, there may still be an occasional incident here and there, but I frankly believe it will not escalate like before because most of us are sick and tired of living in violence and apprehension.

Also remember that many of the insurgent groups I have mentioned are no longer active too, while some of them have just 10-50 active “soldiers”. Yes, there may still be districts and pockets here and there where some of the outfits run parallel government (taxation and protection) but it is definitely not as bad as it used to be.

To come together as one and co-exist peacefully, we usually don’t talk about our past. I am one of the elected representatives of our recently set up “North East Helpline Mumbai” here in Mumbai, and none of us (representatives from all eight States) talk about any of the past conflicts back home or publish posts on our forums that may cause division between different Northeastern communities. This was the banner we used at the recent NorthEast United FC versus Mumbai City FC match.

It’s like how I asked some of my friends from Rwanda who studied at my college (PSG Tech, Coimbatore) about the Tutsi-Hutu conflict. Their first reaction was, “How the hell do you know about that?” and I was like, “Hotel Rwanda is one of my all-time favorite movies and I have seen it more than 20 times”, and then they told me that they never discuss that incident among themselves, and even among their batch of around 80 exchange students, nobody identified himself as a Tutsi or a Hutu. I totally agree. The past is the past. We move past it.

If you really want to understand the complexity of the insurgency in the North East, it is pretty much like the current conflict in the Middle East.  Quoting from the source – “Sir, Iran is backing Assad. Gulf states are against Assad! Assad is against Muslim Brotherhood. Muslim Brotherhood and Obama are against General Sisi. But Gulf states are pro-Sisi! Which means they are against Muslim Brotherhood! Iran is pro-Hamas, but Hamas is backing Muslim Brotherhood! Obama is backing Muslim Brotherhood, yet Hamas is against the U.S.! Gulf states are pro-U.S. But Turkey is with Gulf states against Assad; yet Turkey is pro-Muslim Brotherhood against General Sisi. And General Sisi is being backed by the Gulf states! Welcome to the Middle East and have a nice day.”

Yup, sometimes it is more or less as complicated as that.

EDIT: Lolz, I thought this was an A2A, but I could not find it anywhere at the bottom (you usually see that “Asked to answer by xxx” at the end of an answer). So I went through my long list of old notifications and finally found this. Lolz, this was never an A2A, I’m such a Quora noobie!

Chp 533. The Silence that we all missed

Last night, a lot of people watched NorthEast United FC and FC Goa battle it out at the ongoing Indian Super League. The match ended in a draw, with veterans like ex-Arsenal players Robert Pires and Andre Santos unable to take advantage of a much younger home side. Those of us who saw the match would definitely have an opinion about the game or how the players performed.

However, what none of us who were watching the match on TV or online Live-streaming noticed was this.



Yes, a 30 seconds moment of silence was held by the players of NEUFC and FC Goa before the kick-off.

We never saw this on TV or Live stream because it went into commercials at this time. Only those who were at the stadium witnessed this, and the whole stadium came down to a complete silence for 30 seconds.

What was the reason for this?

A moment of silence before a match in football is usually honored to mourn the death of a fellow football player, as a way of showing respect or tribute to the dearly departed. It is a professional etiquette football players show to each other, although it doesn’t always have to involve a player, like for instance how Newcastle United recently held a minute of silence before their match, in remembrance of their two fans who were among the victims of the unfortunate Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.

In yesterday’s case, it was because of this football player.



Peter Biaksangzuala.

Peter was an MPL player. MPL stands for Mizoram Premier League, and it is the highest state-level association football league in Mizoram. And for a State crazy about football, the turnout for any MPL match is always huge, with fans screaming out slogans and cheers and jeers that echoes across the entire valley.

He played for the team BVFC (Bethlehem Vengthlang FC) and just last week, they had a match against CWFC (Chanmari West FC). The atmosphere was highly intense, with CWFC leading by one goal, when in the 60th minute, Peter scored an absolute stunner to put the scoreline at 1-1. BVFC fans erupted in joy and Peter went on to celebrate his goal with a series of somersault.

Unfortunately, he landed badly on his back.


[Pic source: ZoFooty]

What felt like one of the most momentous occasions, took a complete turn in a matter of seconds. He had to be substituted and was rushed to the hospital.

Most people thought the injury wouldn’t be serious, and everybody continued watching the match.

It was only later that friends and family of Peter learnt that the injury had affected his spinal cord and he had to be put on a ventilator!

And yesterday, Sunday 7:00 AM, the devastating news that Peter had succumbed to his injury in spite of the best efforts from doctors to save him, sent shockwaves across the tiny State of Mizoram. Peter breathed his last, but not before donating his eyes and other vital organs.

It was such a tragedy for such a talented young player to die that way – for celebrating a goal.

Many of my Facebook friends too changed their profile pictures to his, in order to honor him. Condolences messages were posted everywhere. His funeral in Mizoram saw a HUGE turnout, especially from football fans and players of other football clubs in Mizoram. People from all walks of life turned up to accompany his body till the grave. His club BVFC announced that they were going to retire his jersey number (the highest honor a club can give to a player, meaning no other players playing for the club can ever have that jersey number as it now permanently belongs to Peter).



And last night, this tribute crossed State-lines as NorthEast United FC and FC Goa observed a 30 seconds moment of silence in memory of Peter.

I just wished the telecast never went into commercials right then. But since it did, here is me telling you about the unseen story, the silence that we all missed. About the 23 years old defensive midfielder whom most of us have never heard of, but as football lovers, fans and enthusiasts alike, we all share the pain of losing someone in such a bizarre manner. All because he celebrated his goal. Only if you’re crazy and passionate enough about football will you understand the adrenalin rush of scoring a goal and celebrating it. And in the end, it was indeed a deserving tribute to a fallen player, especially with former legends like Robert Pires and others paying their last respects.

RIP Peter.

Chp 532. Things to remember before visiting NE

This is my answer to a Quora question:

What are the "things to remember" before I start off to travel the most of Northeast India?

If you like this post and you are a member of Quora, please do upvote my answer :D In case I got any info wrong or missed out any important point, please do let me know in the comment section.

Answer:

Ok here are 20 points that I think one should remember before traveling across the North East:

1. Keep in mind that every Northeastern state is different from the other. First and foremost, some of the States require a permit just to visit, depending on who you are. Since you didn’t specify your background, I’m just giving you three categories of visitors -

a) In case you are a foreigner, you no longer need to get an RAP (Restricted Area Permit) or PAP (Protected Area Permit) to visit Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland. You just have to register yourself at the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) of the particular State within 24 hours of arrival. Don't forget to take your passport, visa and other documents as well (my brother-in-law is English, so we usually go directly to the FRO straight from the airport whenever they visit). However, to visit Arunachal Pradesh, you still require a PAP.

b) But if you are a foreigner from Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Afghanistan, then you need a clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs to visit the four Northeastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.

c) If you are an Indian citizen, then you need an ILP (Inner Line Permit) to visit the three Northeastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram. You don't require any permit to visit the other five Northeastern States (Manipur, Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura and Sikkim). Even people from other Northeastern States have to apply for an ILP to visit these three mentioned States. In case you want to read up more about this ILP, you can refer to my Quora answer regarding the same.

2. If you can afford it, I would advise you to carry at least two mobile phones (or a dual sim phone) with different service providers and roaming activated on both, because due to the mountainous region, sometimes a particular network is available at a particular location only and vice-versa, and unlike other telecom circles, it is very difficult to use the network of different service providers on roaming over there. I recommend Vodafone / Airtel / Idea.

3. If you are travelling towards any of the capitals or main cities, make sure you take time to enjoy the journey to your destination. Enjoy the view, stop frequently, take photos of the hills, waterfalls and mist covered mountains, or the hilariously cute BRO road signs you'll find in abundance. Trust me, the cities aren't that great compared to the tranquil serenity in the outskirts, especially if you yourself are from an urban area.

[Pic source: indiatoursandtravelsdotcom]

4. As others have already mentioned, try to avoid the entire region during the monsoon! You'll face floods in the plains and landslides in the hills. Yes one of the most beautiful moments in the hilly sections of the North East is that moment right after a rain, but you also run the risk of being delayed/stuck due to landslides.

5. Be nice to the locals :) Smile, be polite, and don't be loud! Northeasterners are usually very quiet, shy and soft-spoken. Most people are extremely helpful in assisting tourists when approached politely.

6. I'm sure this must be obvious, but I think it needs to be mentioned. Be aware of the vast racial and cultural differences of the NE people from that of the rest of India. Don't express shock or surprise when you see them or even try to imitate their language mockingly, we'll find that gravely insulting. At the same time if you take a genuine attempt to speak in the local language (maybe through a translation app on your smartphone) they'll quickly bond with you. Also, do not be surprised if you see many indigenous people who aren't of the mongoloid race. Not everybody from the NE has mongoloid features, so don’t ever ask them questions such as, “How come you don’t look like a Northeasterner?” That is as offensive as asking the ones with Mongoloid features, “How come you look like a Chinese?” No matter how we look, all of us are extremely proud and protective of our respective heritages.

7. Again, regarding the language, do take an attempt to read up a bit about the particular Northeastern State you're planning to visit. Most of the States are inhabited by a group of different tribes or communities with completely different language or dialect, so sometimes the person may find it insulting if you ask him how come he doesn't speak x language just because another person from the same State does. Overall, at most places, you can manage with English or Hindi.

8. Keep in mind that there is Total/Partial Prohibition in the three States of Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland (though Mizoram has amended this act recently, it will be enforced only when the next assembly session starts). This means you won’t find alcohol (that easily) at these places, and you are not allowed to carry booze with you while entering these three States. I mean, you can of course, but if you get caught, it’s not going to be a very pleasant experience for you. And yes, the security at some of the check-gates are extremely vigilant due to the insurgency issue in some regions.

[Translation: An alcohol check-gate in Mizoram, aptly nicknamed “The Gate Of All Regrets” because if you were carrying booze and you’re checked, you regretted, and at the same time if you didn’t carry alcohol for fear of being caught and there was nobody on duty at the check-gate, it led to regret again!]

9. Depending on what time of the year you're planning to visit and which State you're planning to visit, plan your clothing carefully. Some places are extremely cold in winter while others are horribly hot and humid in summer.

10. Also read up on the seasonal festivals of the different States, those are the best times for tourists to visit. Some of the popular ones are the Hornbill festival of Nagaland, Bihu festival of Assam, Autumn festival of Meghalaya, Athurium festival and Chapchar kut festival of Mizoram, the occasional rock concert and music festivals in vibrant Shillong and so on. And in the case of Mizoram, I personally know a few tourists who unfortunately visited Aizawl during Christmas season :) Bad timing indeed, because everything shuts down during this period for 2-3 weeks. Traffic is closed throughout the city during the day (no vehicles allowed on the roads) as the entire city comes out to do their Christmas/New Year shopping or celebrate Christmas with carols and parades. Visit Mizoram during this period only if you want to experience this unique feature.

[Hornbill festival in Nagaland]

11. Although I don’t need to tell you about the different food cuisine you’ll find in the North East because that is an obvious situation at any new place, I just want to mention about the timing/frequency that most people are usually not aware of. In many Northeastern places like Mizoram, we do not have a concept of “lunch”. We eat just two main meals a day - breakfast and dinner, which are both extremely heavy. “Lunch” consists of just a simple tea break and maybe light snacks. So brace yourself not just for a cuisine change but a timing change as well.

12. Moreover, brace yourself for a contrast time difference. Keep in mind that the Northeast lies on the eastern side of Bangladesh which itself is 30 minutes ahead of India. It’s fair enough to say that the Northeast is at least 1 hour ahead of IST, but since we follow IST, sun rises and sets very early. A large majority of the population would be well asleep by 7-8 PM and the streets dead quiet, even in the center of the city. Get ready for that.

13. It is better to book your hotels or accommodations in advance. Also, I’d like to warn you that the quality of hotels aren’t as great as in the Indian metros. And I feel the service industry kinda lacks behind in the North East. So don’t be surprised if waiters or bellboys don’t exactly do their jobs up to your expectations.

14. Always try to get a local guide wherever you go.

15. Don’t rely much on credit cards. In fact you can leave them at home if you want. Take plenty of cash with you, along with your debit cards that you can use to withdraw from the ATMs.

16. And as is a golden rule in any place you’re visiting for the first time, always ask your host or the hotel attendant about the cost of taxi fare from x to y location you want to visit.

17. Never hesitate to take a fresh morning walk from your place of accommodation. Observe the early morning life around you or the idyllic sunrise amidst the sprawling hills. Let the chirpings of morning swallows or crickets transport you to a heavenly abode of new delight.

18. Another important point to remember - The North East is known for its rich cultural and traditional attire, with beautiful woven cloths, shawls, dresses and headgears. However, don’t be surprised if you don’t see people wearing such traditional clothes when you reach there! We usually wear them only on important functions and occasions :)

[Pic: Nagaland’s talented Tetseo Sisters]

19. Last but not the least, try to keep in touch with the local news. Most people think the North East is one entity, but actually, we too have a lot of our own internal issues and inter-ethnic clashes now and then between different tribes and communities. Though such disturbances don’t escalate, it can lead to some unrests and usually 2-3 days bandh, hence preventing you from moving around. While this occurs rarely, it does happen now and then, so I’m just giving you a heads-up on this. Keep a track of the local news as you move around. Small disturbances like that shouldn’t hamper your visit, especially if you are not worried about the fact that most of these Northeastern States you’re planning to visit are under the draconian AFSPA law :)

20. Bonus pointer :) - If you know the right people at the right places, it may be possible for you to slip into Myanmar. That’s right, I’m talking about crossing the International border here. But of course this may not be legal and I am in no way encouraging anyone to break the law, but I’m just saying sometimes one can visit Myanmar due to the porous border with some of the Northeastern States bordering Myanmar, where one can walk into foreign territory, drink Burmese brewed beer, swim at the pristine Rih Dil lake, and pay for your food using Burmese Kyat and then come back to the Indian side at the end of the day, giving you that cheap satisfaction of having “travelled abroad” :) :P

[Rih Dil, Myanmar]

So hope these 20 points help. Do enjoy your trip to the North East. Cheers (except of course in some States :P )