Bor Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi (by M.K. Binodini) :: A Book review

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Bor Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi : Books from Maharaj Kumari (MK) Binodini

"Miyamgi Yeknabani nung-se, eigisu yeknabani nung-se.
wahang kharagi damakta lepkhibani namang maktada.
paokhumdamak piyu hairaga karigi thamoisu pirak-pa ??? "

One day, I heard these lines sung by our very own You-Tube singing sensation June Neelu. It was so beautiful and serene. The lyrics told a story full of pain, yet a pain of love everyone desires to behold. When I asked her, if she had written it on her own, she told me it's a cover of a song called "The Surrender" sung by two famous Manipuri singers, Roshibina, and Sando.

I immediately searched for it. Now I got a duet. It's like a conversation of two broken hearts, deeply in love. Roshibina was singing in Manipuri and Sando, with his husky voice, kept on rendering those beautiful words in English with such an elan. Then I shared it on my facebook wall and downloaded in my phone. I couldn't let it go. It's so beautiful. It lingers. Whenever I travel, the song would be playing in my ears and me, just like a thinker, would imagine and build a story on my own.

The story I was shaping up was all inspired and instigated by this single piece and it was so enthralling and captivating that I decided to write it down. Then someday, I came to know that the song is based on a book written by M.K. Binodini with the name "Bor Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi". You would say, it's there in the beginning of the song sung by Roshibina and Sando. Yes, it is there, but at that time I was obsessed with the song and nothing else.

You call it a thrill to know the story or a writer's zeal to see if his story resembles the same. I started looking for this book. I kept asking my friends. Some had even read the story and told me the beautifully written tradition and culture of Manipur. But I was more interested in knowing the love story between the Manipuri Princess and a British political Agent.

Finally, thanks to a friend of mine, Boddhachandra, I received the book, The cover was a white silhouette of a Manipuri bride in Potloi. With lots of excitement and enthusiasm, I opened the first page. There was Sanatombi on the dead-bed. I kept on reading as the writing kept on juggling the stories of different times without even dropping it once. It went on so smooth with laughter, sweetness and innocence.

I loved the way how the writer portrayed the situation of women, even the royal ones, in those days. At the same time, the strong-headed and fearless young Sanatombi was such a pleasure to read and the most interesting part was the typical way of conversations that happen between children and even between the younger ones and the elder ones.

She never gave up or retreat when a boy tries to overshadow her. She would do whatever she had been tried upon. I loved it when his step brother told her that he is going on an elephant to watch "kwak jatra" and how Sanatombi also managed to get on to it. kudos girl!!! Every page took me to another level, I never realised when did I reach each and every phase of her life.

The book told the story of the kith and kins of Manipuri kings, how a king lost his kingship because of his own blood. It was disheartening to read that the monarch of Manipur was lost to the outsiders, the British. The British reign had taken over and Sanatombi was then married. It was so inspiring how this princess, who had always lived a royal life, now, was leading a normal life and trying to cope up on her own.

The story was beautifully told and it triggered me to read more and more. But one thing that still kept me going was to find out the intense and the very unusual romance which was yet to come. I was almost halfway through the book and still the essence of love wasn't delivered. I was worried that I have missed it! It was then that Maxwell appeared and the writer had rightly portayed his character, the gentleman.

As the story went on, and Sanatombi and Maxwell had more and more interactions, the story gets clearer. In between, what I found missing was the intensity of Sanatombi's hatred for the British Agent, Maxwell was pictured and wriiten the way he was and it was well done. But the sourness that Sanatombi had was a bit missing. But the story had to move on.... There were very less of their conversations but whatever it was, it was a 'sweet surrender'.

Their relationship and mostly because of Maxwell's behaviour, it was obvious for people to spread gossips, though it was true. This registered a bitter and evil thought in Sanatomi's husband's mind. Then M.K. Binodini took the words to part them apart. Santombi's marriage was in danger and Maxwell was blamed to be the reason. Embarrased and broken-hearted, Maxwell took himself aback and decided not to intefere. In the meantime, he had to leave Manipur and it was towards the end of the story. I was like WHAT!!!!!

They haven't married yet. How can he leave? I was relieved when I read the next chapter and found out that Maxwell returned after two years. He such a gentleman to overlook his failed love and focus onto the welfare of the people of Manipur. He had become a favourite amongst the locals. What happened next was what I would call- a gentleman's brave gesture.

When he heard of Sanatombi's failed marriage and the separation, he was shocked. But he was still in love with her. Not to give her up, against all odds, he took the step of marrying Sanatombi. The sour and bitter life was now gaining its effervescent sweetness back. Life was all over again beautiful both for Sanatombi and Maxwell. Love prevailed and excelled. But as it is always said that true love always part.

Another incident took a turn against Maxwell and the responsibilty of their people generated a distance between Sanatombi and Maxwell. The time had also arrived, the end of the British Agent's duty in Manipur. I don't know how should I end it. Just like M.K. said at the end her book, she was scared to end the story, I too feel the same. I would say they parted.

But why??? It feels so bad, Why Sanatombi couldn't accompany Maxwell to England or Why Maxwell couldn't retire and settle down in Manipur with his love? But as I read the story till the end, I realised they were not some youngsters who would do whatever they felt was right. They were representatives of their Nations and yes, they had surrendered to each other and at the end they had surrendered their love.

Finally, I would just love to add this, that the title of the song "The Surrender" suits the meaning of the entire story. There was surrender in every phase of the story. There was a heavy weight on my heart after reading this book, especially because I wanted a happy ending but I knew it was not possible.

That is what life is, things you expect hardly happens. "Bor Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi" is a must read not only for Manipuris but even for the British. There is always a good and a bad in every society. Love knows no boundary, no good, no bad. It just happens and one cannot be blame or feel guilty about it.