Manipur Hosts' Cultural Event to Promote 'Tangkhul Culture'

A two-day cultural event was recently organized in a small hamlet in Manipur to promote the 'Tangkhul culture' among the youth, who are losing contact with their roots at a very high pace.

Pakshi mini stadium at Dungrei Junction, Hungpung, came alive with hundreds of young Tangkhul performers swaying to folk tunes.

The two-day cultural program themed "Awakening the Past Culture" was held under the aegis of New Vision, THYSO, Hungpung.

"This is a spectacular event. We need to preserve our culture. This is the second time this kind of event has been organized as we need to cherish our culture and today's program will be a great memory for everyone who is present here," said Thengminchon, the organizer hundreds of visitors thronged the venue to see local performers from Hungpung perform the traditional Tangkhul war dance.

The enthusiastic participants later took part in traditional Tangkhul games.

The main highlight of the event was the traditional fashion show, where the participants dressed in tribal attire walked the ramp.

The festivities highlighted the vibrancy of the age-old traditions and also helped the youth connect with their culture.

"The program is meant for the awakening of the great Tangkhul culture and we want to remember the customs and its culture. And also the presence of such a large crowd is really encouraging," said Manchangta, a visitor.

"I have a great attachment with not only the Tangkhul culture but with other cultures of Manipur and we should emphasize on preserving these age-old cultures," added another visitor Robert Somi.

Sneak Peek: Kim Kardashian Covers Glamour Magazine

Reality star Kim Kardashian never expected to have the success she has, as she tells Glamour magazine in their "Guy Issue."

On her success…

“I’d be foolish not to take some of these opportunities that are coming my way. We all know this can go away at any moment.”

On being a sex symbol…

“It’s definitely powerful. I don’t find myself as sexy as everyone thinks. I’m a lot more insecure than people would assume, but with little stupid things. When I get dressed, I’m always so indecisive.”

Landslides Threatening Tawang Monastery

Itanagar, Jan 7 : The monks at the over 300-year-old Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, the largest in Asia, are praying and lighting butter lamps before a colossal gilded statue of Lord Buddha because of the threat to its existence by landslides.

Massive landslides in September and December last year triggered by torrential rain occurred just below the monastery, founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680-81.

The monastery, which is home to over 570 monks, stands on the spur of a hill, about 10,000 feet above sea level and offers a picturesque view of the Tawang-chu valley.

"The monastery is not only national property, but priceless property of the entire world. If concrete steps are not taken in time, there is every possibility that continuous rainfall in summer and snowfall in winter will result in more landslides and complete damage to it," Guru Tulku Rinpoche, Abbot of the monastery, said.

"We have apprised His Holiness the Dalai Lama and he advised us to perform pujas and take up massive plantation around the monastery to protect it," the Abbot said.

The monks conducted various rituals and erected stupas to stop the occurrence of landslides, but the situation remained as vulnerable as before at the monastery, officially known as Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, he said.

A few monks from other parts of the world thought that a lake existed below the monastery, while elderly monks claimed that the landslides were the result of a curse by a spirit in the monastery on the large-scale pollution and destruction of the ecosystem around it.

Massive landslides, which were also recorded near the monastery during 1996-97, pose a danger to the main prayer hall, library, administrative building, monastery school, main kitchen-cum-dining hall, museum and 65 residences of monks, the Abbot said.

"We request the central and state governments and concerned departments to take steps to stop the onslaught of landslides to save the monastery," Guru Tuklu Rinpoche said.

The state government says it has apprised the Centre for taking measures to protect the monastery.

"We wrote to Mr S K Srivastava, additional secretary, union ministry of mines, who assured to send a team of experts from the Geological Survey of India soon to make an in-depth study on the crisis," Yeshi Tsering, secretary mines and minerals, said.

Retail Onion Rates Up By Rs 5-10/kg on Pak Export Ban Reports

New Delhi/Lahore: The government's efforts to boost onion supply suffered a setback with Pakistan banning exports of the commodity via Wagah border which pushed prices up by Rs 5-10 a kg, even as competition watchdog CCI ordered a probe into possible cartels among traders.

Retail prices of onion jumped up by Rs 5-10 per kg to up to Rs 65 in metros due to lower supplies from Pakistan.

As 300 India-bound trucks carrying 3,000 tonnes of onion had reached the Wagah border near Amritsar, Pakistan's commerce ministry imposed a ban on movement through land route, giving a shock to India.

Onion prices increased to Rs 60-65 a kg in major metros such as Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. "Retailers have jacked up prices on reports of ban by Pakistan," General Secretary of Tomato and Onion Merchants' Association in Delhi's Azadpur Mandi said.

New Delhi dubbed the Pakistan's decision as "shocking", with commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma stating the issue has been taken up with the concerned authorities in Islamabad.

Pak's undiplomatic onion
"It is shocking and unfortunate that Pakistan has banned onion exports to India via land route...The matter has been discussed with the High Commissioner in Islamabad, who has already met the concerned officials there," Sharma said.

He said Pakistan has been asked to reconsider its decision or at least release the trucks carrying contracted quantity of the commodity.

As Sharma reviewed the situation with heads of government importing agencies STC and PEC, top secretaries of the ministries of agriculture, commerce and finance went into a huddle with cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar to find alternative supplies.

"I have concluded a contract with Pakistan via sea route. Onion will arrive at Mundra port(in Gujarat)," Commerce secretary Rahul Khullar said after meeting of the Committee of Secretaries.

The government of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, stopped onion exports to India this morning. The ban on exports has been imposed to control prices within Pakistan, a government spokesman said in Lahore. Meanwhile, the Competition Commission ordered a probe into the possible cartelisation by traders.

"The commission has held many deliberations to study the possibility of cartelisation by onion traders and prima facie there appears to be a case. So, we have taken a suo moto action in carrying out the probe," an official said. The Director General (Investigations) of the CCI will submit the report on probe within 45 days.

Pakistan bans onion export via land route

Pakistan has imposed a complete ban on the export of onion to India via Wagah-Attari land route, a development which may hit Centre's efforts in rein in skyrocketing prices of bulb in the country.

"Pakistan government has banned the supply of onion to India via land route," Customs Department (Amritsar) Deputy Commissioner R K Duggal said today, while adding that today no truck was allowed to bring onion by Pakistan authorities following the ban.

Local traders attributed the imposition of ban on export of onion by Pakistan government to prevent any spiralling hike in bulb prices in the neighbouring country.

Sudden ban imposed on export of onion has hit the traders of both the countries with Indian importers claiming that Pakistan had not even allowed the supply of almost 1,500 tonnes of contracted orders of onion.

"Almost 1,500 tonne of onion was yet to be supplied to us but Pakistan government has not allowed the local suppliers to fulfil their trade obligation," rued Anil Mehra, Amritsar-based vegetable merchant.

According to custom officials, between 100-150 trucks laden with onion were not allowed to enter Indian territory at Amritsar by Pakistan authorities on Wednesday and asked to return.

"When custom authorities (of Pakistan) have already given clearance to contracted supply of onion heading for India then why they (Pakistan) have stopped the supply," asked Mehra, whose 250 tonnes of onion imported from Pakistan got stuck following the implementation of ban.

Though Indian custom authorities claim that onion supply from Pakistan was allowed through rail route yet importers argued that Pakistan had banned onion export except sea route.

"Pakistan order clearly says no supply of onion will take place except sea route," traders asserted claiming that vegetable suppliers in Pakistan were agitating against imposition of ban on onion export.

Notably, close to 7,000 tonnes of onion had arrived since the commencement of onion export to India from Pakistan via land route. Because of the supply of Pakistan onion, prices of onion in Punjab and Chandigarh had come down from a level of Rs 60-65 per kg to Rs 45-50 per kg.

Even the Centre had abolished the custom duty on import of onion in order to rein in spiralling rates of bulb.

India and Pakistan had agreed to start cross border movement of trucks in the month of October 2007 after a gap of sixty years from Attari Check post at Amritsar in India to Wagah border in Pakistan with an intention of boosting bilateral trade.

Source: Agencies

Birthday Suite: Bipasha Basu

She has redefined the image of the Indian movie actress, by completely dispelling the myth that fair means beautiful! She is now being hailed as one of Bollywood's sexiest women to date.

Here is a pictorial ode to the bold and beautiful Bengali stunner.

Bipasha Basu was born on May 5, 1979.

The name, Bipasha, means a dark deep desire.

At the age of 16, Bipasha started walking the ramp in many fashion shows around the world. In December 1996, she won the Ford Supermodel of the World award.

Her debut film was Abbas-Mustan's 'Ajnabee' for which she won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award.

A hot favourite with gossip hawks, Bipasha is currently dating John Abraham. And the couple makes for regular Page 3 fodder.

Bipasha had launched a fitness video called 'BB Love Yourself' in February. She has now launched a fitness clothing line along with Reebok, with the same name.

Source: India Syndicate
Image Source: Bollywood Hungama, Movietalkies

Viral Video Changes Homeless Man's Life

Before this week, the name "Ted Williams" most likely brought to mind the phrase "Teddy Ballgame." Now, the name has become synonymous with "Golden-voiced," as a homeless man with that moniker has shot to stardom as a result of his breathtaking vocal chords.

Recently, videographer Doral Chenoweth III filmed a brief interview with the Brooklyn-born Williams, who -- until recently -- panhandled on the corner of a highway.

Yesterday, the video went viral, and has (at the time of this posting) racked up more than 5 million views on YouTube. This ascent is most likely due in no small part to the , which took up the cause after Reddit user and Columbus-dweller "shiggiddie" posted the video to the site after hearing about the interview on a local radio show.

"I had already seen the immense good the Reddit community is capable of doing," shiggiddie says. "I hoped that maybe through the community I might find out who this Ted Williams character is, and how we might be able to help him get on his feet with some work other redditors might want/need for their businesses, etc."

The results were overwhelming: "I received anywhere from 70 to 80 job offers for Ted in my personal messages alone over the past day and a half, some coming from people claiming to represent the interests of nationwide radio programs, television shows, businesses looking for someone to do their voice systems, ads, ads and more ads, musicians wanting Ted to contribute his voice to their tracks, and even radio hosts wanting him to join their shows as a full-time jockey," shiggiddie says.

"I haven't even gotten to the news sources asking me for more information, of which I'd guess I received personal messages from at least 20 to 25."

The video spread from boards like Reddit to viral culture blogs, leading to appearances on major news outlets -- from print to to television.

In fact, the awestruck Williams recently appeared on , where he he tearfully told viewers that he's on his way back to Brooklyn to reconnect with his 92-year-old mother. From the side of the highway to television to New York -- that's a pretty rapid and drastic progression.

But the trip back to BK isn't the biggest opportunity that this turn of events has presented for Williams -- his lightning-fast ascent to the viral video firmament has also garnered him job offers from the likes of the and the Cleveland Cavaliers (and, by proxy, Quicken Loans). The Cavs also offered him a house.

Quicken Loans President Jay Farner heard about Williams's great talent last night. "We're working on a lot of marketing over here at the company, voiceover work, commercials and websites and all kinds of things for Quicken Loans and a variety of our companies who would need that. People heard the voice and thought that might be a great fit. And when I saw that he was in Ohio, I thought that was excellent because the Cavaliers are right there and we've got a Quicken Loans web center down there. We're kind of partial to helping folks in the Midwest."

Dan Gilbert, the principal owner of Cleveland Cavaliers, is also the founder and chairman of Quicken Loans, so the companies tend to work together rather closely. Still, the job would mostly entail doing voiceovers for the Cavs's arena.

When asked about the housing offer, Farner replied: "Heck, we're in the mortgage business, we're one of the largest lenders in America. Houses are something we know and do pretty well, we figured that it would make sense to find a home for him -- a place he could get established, get on his feet. Hard to start a new job if you don't have a place to call home."

Williams hasn't accepted the offer yet, but Farner says that the talented man seems excited by the prospect -- and the feeling is mutual.

"When you're looking for voice talent or someone to go out there and represent your brand, you could do all the focus groups in the world, you're never going to get 4.5 million people to tell you someone has a great voice," Farner says. "If 4.5 million people think a voice is great, that's about the best focus group you could ever get."

Manipur Dailies Begin Publications

Imphal, Jan 7 : Manipur local daily newspapers numbering around 12 that had stopped their daily publications for almost a week, began to hit the stands from today.

The local newspapers were circulated across the State as usual from this morning after the State scribes resumed their normal duties.

Media houses failed to bring out their daily editions since December 29 last year after the scribes under the aegis of All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU), an apex body of the journalists community in the State, launched an indefinite cease-work strike in protest against the arrest of editor of a local vernacular daily Ahongsangbam Mobi (55).

Mobi who was arrested for his alleged links with a militant organisation was released on bail after he was produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Imphal West yesterday.

Salam Imocha, CJM, Imphal West released editor of the daily titled Sanaleibak on bail. However, the editor will have to report to the said court every Sunday until further ruling.

On December 29 morning, police arrested editor Mobi for his alleged links with Kangleipak Communist Party (Tabungba group) and had been in police custody since then.

Rejecting the allegations of the police, members of All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU), an apex body of scribes in the State, had launched an indefinite cease- work strike besides staging a sit-in demonstration since then forcing the media houses to stop publishing daily newspapers till January 5.

Terming the police charges as ‘extreme injustice’ and demanding ‘unconditional release’ of the editor, AMWJU President Khogendra Khomdram in a memorandum to State chief minister said that editor Mobi being the Vice-President and spokesman of the union, was authorised to settle a number of stand-off between media and militants in Manipur following government’s failure to provide a secured environment for media in the State.

From early nineties onwards, six journalists were shot dead in Manipur besides making attempts at physical and mental harassment. Manipur dailies had refraomed from publication on October 18 and 27 last to protest militants’ diktats on what to print and what not to.

Peace And Conflict: A Tenuous Link

Assam did not oppose Rajkhowa’s bail. It is an acknowledgement that issues of underdevelopment and fear of the Assamese identity being swamped, which birthed Ulfa in the first place, are yet to be resolved

By Sudeep Chakravarti

There are compelling weather systems developing in India’s east. The release on bail of United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa) chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa in Guwahati this past week is one such. Rajkhowa has asked for the release of several jailed colleagues in both India and Bangladesh for the peace process to move ahead conclusively.

If it were to, it would bring to an end one of eastern India’s most violent and embedded insurgencies. And it could help transform Assam into a robust economic engine.

On the face of it, it might seem odd that Rajkhowa is putting on a show of bravado when, as a leader of a cornered, even discredited, group he ought to be on the defensive. But it shows the complicated nature of peace and conflict in these parts. A significant point is that the government of Assam did not oppose Rajkhowa’s bail. It is an acknowledgement that issues of underdevelopment and fear of the Assamese identity being swamped, which birthed Ulfa in the first place, are yet to be resolved. And the Assamese wish to sort it out to their own satisfaction.

This would be only the first significant step in Assam; the Bodo development and autonomy issue is yet to be resolved; Bodo rebels hold out.

In Nagaland, the two largest rebel groups, National Socialist Council of Nagalim led by Thuingaleng Muivah and Isak Chishi Swu, and a rival faction headed by K. Khaplang, have been in long-stuttering ceasefire talks with the government. Over the past two years, representatives of the two warring factions and lesser Naga rebel groups have met in civil society- and church-led peace and reconciliation talks. The political establishment in Nagaland is alive to this dynamic. The logic is straightforward: for the Nagas to meaningfully engage with Indian authorities and bring closure to the tragedies and ignominy since 1947—when Naga rebels opposed an arbitrary merger with India, leading to retaliation by Nehru—they must first reconcile contradictions among themselves.

It will be unwise at this point for India’s security establishment to crow about victory, that it has after decades managed to grind down several major rebellions in Assam, Nagaland, and the multi-ethnic cauldron of Manipur—which has recently seen the capture of Raj Kumar Meghen, chairman of a leading Meitei organization, United National Liberation Front; and some Kuki groups signing “suspension-of-operation” agreements with the state government. The reasons for grinding down range from scaled-up anti-rebel operations to rebels falling prey to the rigour of maintaining operations at high pitch, to losing initial idealism, to an India-friendly government such as the one led by Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh denying anti-India rebels sanctuary and even helping in the arrest of several.

In no case has it taken place exclusively on account of better development, lessening of kleptocracies, and the acknowledgement by the Indian government—and various political formations that run it—that regional and sub-regional identities in what is erroneously called North-east India have needs and minds of their own. (Mizoram is the exception, and that, too, bribed out of rebellion with an overly generous provision for government jobs.)

The reasons that led to the region’s myriad rebellions continue to exist—peace, intended peace, or not. Moreover, I have heard from several bureaucrats and police officers tasked with administering the Indian government’s will and testament at the grass roots in this region that, more often than not, those in-charge of the “North-east” in New Delhi—whether in the home or defence ministries, the key satrapies—are either disinterested or clueless about the complexities in this region beyond keep-China-out, and Delhi-knows-best. The relative spread of federal powers and responsibilities in what is known in these parts as “Mainland India” continues to be largely absent here. The driving imperative is that of an economy of conflict—a treasure trove of siphoned government funds and unfulfilled projects. The civic wrecks that are Guwahati, Kohima and Imphal offer only a passing—though significant—feel of the malaise.

There are several fine reports, such as the Vision 2020 document, that detail prospects of prosperity in India’s eastern extremity; of it being India’s bridge to South-east Asia. The region’s mineral and human resources are spoken of in seminars as the next big thing for India. From 1 January, the government of India has relaxed permit regulations for foreigners visiting Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, to draw tourists. Such laudable exercises are unlikely to get far until the basic causes of alienation and resentment are addressed.

Sudeep Chakravarti writes on issues related to conflict in South Asia. He is the author of Red Sun: Travels in Naxalite Country. He writes a column alternate Thursdays on conflicts that directly affect business.