Editor,
This is in response to the news report titled “Mizos celebrate statehood day with blood donation in Shillong” (February 21).
It was the 39th Mizoram Statehood Day.
Now, how were the Mizos of Shillong commemorating it? Through voluntary blood donation, the camp was organised by the Young Mizo Association (YMS) and the Mizo Students Union (MSU), by treating it as a day dedicated to service and giving back to society!
Despite such acts of selflessness, this was hardly a matter of surprise! After all, gallant-hearted Mizos are indeed one of a kind!
Guided by Tlâwmngaihna (Mizo code of conduct), the community act extremely cooperative towards each other with their mutual relationship being absolutely selfless – upholding humbleness in service particularly to the needy, sick, disabled and widowed under any and all circumstances.
Based on the relationship of mutual trust, Mizoram highways are witness to unique stalls without shopkeepers! Prices are on display, cashbox on a table. Absolute honesty prevails in transactions. These stalls are called ‘Ngah Loh Dawr’. Thanks to this spirit of love, respect, trust, honesty and selflessness, Mizoram always features among the happiest states of India!
Next comes cleanliness, which is next to godliness. Indians in general pay mere lip service to it, but do they implement it in the real world? Streets, parks, river banks, sea coasts, public transport, bus terminus, railway stations or tracks wouldn’t be so dirty, filthy and nauseating.
In contrast, anybody will get awestruck on witnessing the acts of the Mizos availing newly launched Guwahati-Aizawl railway service after completion of the Bairabi-Sairang stretch in Mizoram! Not the gleaming coaches, rather the commitment of the Mizos to keep the train spotlessly clean should teach all the essence of maintaining civic sense in the public sphere.
Just like one doesn’t need to go to Germany or Canada to witness how traffic discipline (vehicles to pedestrians) is required to be maintained, just a step into neighboring Bhutan will be enough; similarly there lies no requirement to visit progressive nations of Europe or Far East, hop on the Mizoram-bound train and learn what transport cleanliness is all about!
Since the Mizos take pride in upholding civic values, which are reflected in the litter-less clean streets of Aizawl, the same attitude gets reflected among the train passengers too! Yes, so as not to make the coaches dirty, the Mizos tie their food waste in small bags and hang them neatly beside their seats! Not through enforcement of strict laws, rather their in-built nature and culture inspire them to act so. Such is their way of life and hence train coaches get treated as shared property in their dictionary of life and so deserve entitled respect and dignity!
And just like in Bhutan where even sharp bends get negotiated through cautious approach, by even ignoring “Horn please” inscribed upon mountain walls, so as to maintain calm and silence; traffic is also “silent” in Aizawl with total absence of honking thereby bringing a paradise of peace!
Yes, the so-called “mainland” India (“proud” and haughty) have a great deal to learn from the “marginal” Mizos in several matters including female emancipation, castelessness and a spirited positive lifestyle too.
Kajal Chatterjee,
Kolkata
