Prison Diary of Late Lamyanba Nk Sanajaoba
- Part 3 -

Aheibam Koireng Singh *

NK Sanajaoba Memorial Observation on November 11 2013 :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

He was shamed by herding to every room of the prison with two prisoners respectively pulling his long moustache from either side. One of the two who pulled his moustache really cried with shedded tears. While he pulled Sanajajaoba's moustache, he wiped his own tears with the other hand. That day, Chief Warden hued and cried angrily with red-eye using the mosst degrading foulthy language.

Sanajaoba doesn't utter any word other than, 'hujjur nangsu Meitei machani ko', meaning Hujjur, You too are Meitei. These few words sum up the inner thought of them all. While Sanajaoba was publicly shamed by herding to each room, Tomchou was worryingly bothered to makeshift the concealed written papers. Finally, he properly sealwraped it with a plastic and kept inside a broken commode of the toilet.

And some 'muk-matum; (tr., ink), he put it inside an empty packet of the Panama and after squeezing it deposited among the waste piles in the jail yard. But one Mangi who was in the jail at Room no. 13 in connection with the murder related case from Poirou had picked it up and taken to his room. Tomchou went after him and told him that there was bomb in what he picked up.

Poirou then with a shocking surprise gave it back to Tomchou with bewilderment. Then after collecting the ink, Tomchou returned the empty Panama packet to him. Inside the jail, empty cigarrete packet was much sought after as the alluminum foil inside it were used for roasting 'Ngari' (Fermented Dry Fish). Mangi picked it up also just to take that alluminum foil.

After Sanajaoba was publicly shamed, he then was kept in isolated cell without having contact with any other. His room was not so far from the one he earlier reside, but his compound was fenced with iron barbedware from the other. In the nightfall, he was seen troddling in his compound. They saw each other, but didn't have the chanceto talk. Sanajaoba no longer had pen and paper.

They were left with no means to communicate with Sanajaoba. But he throws out a thing above the barbed wire passing over it. It turned out to be a squeezed empty panama Cigarette packet. Tomchou picked it up pondering there must be something in it. To his surprise,he found a letter neatly written with a bottom of the match stick at the alluminum foil of the cigarette packet which was clearly legible.

Seeing it, Tomchou was surprised at the presence of mind and wit of Sanajaoba. He writes: 'Let the outside world know, there is atrocities going on inside the jail'. But there were no means to fulfill what Sanajaoba decreed. Shortly after that incident, Manipur Government had enforced Orissa Preventive Detention Act. Under Preventive Detention Act, Sanajaoba, Pahari, and Dr. Manimohan, some RGM members were all relocated at the new jail situated at the back of the Nambul River where Jadonang was hanged.

Major Akoijam Nilakamal, who was in the list of suspected RGM was also imprisoned along with them. Maybe because specific charges could not be framed against them, Tomchou and some four/five of them remained as ordinary undertrial prisoner. It had been lived so till the end of March 1970. Sanajaoba and others, who have been imprisoned under PD Act, after they have been shifted to new jail, enjoyed the status of 'B' class.

And accordingly, it was heard that they were allowed to write and their quality of food considerably improved. A get-together for the detainees was organised at the new jail on March 1970. Sanajaoba reminisced Tomchou and summoned him to attend by sending one warden. Tomchou also happily attended it. That was the last day for Tomchou to meet Sanajaoba and his other inmates in the jail.

That programme was also attended by most of the jail staffs and wardens. The opening song was 'Khomlang laman …' sung by Pahari without any orchestra. When, Pahari, in the climax, sang his heart out with the song, 'Chingleibakki Ema Manipur, Nadom ngallu, nadom satlu', everyone remain silent and unmoved. Most detainees also sang the song of their choice. Sanajaoba also showed his magical skills on the ocassion.

The magic he did was very simple. He took a 10 Paisa coin from someone and disappeared it. Afterwards, he claimed the disappeared coin was in the right pocket of the Chief Warden's coat, who was there among the guest. It turned out true. Then from among the crowd, started uttering that Sanajaoba engaged a young detainee to insert coin to the Chief Warden's pocket in advance.

Tomchou, after sharing the jail life of happy-sad moments with the other inmates, got eventually released on April 1970. Sanajaoba, along with others were still in detention. Tomchou then collected his scripts, and tried to meet and interview Sanajaoba before leaving. But unfortunately, he had heard that Sanajaoba had been relocated at Jiribam Jail and kept alone in solitary confinement.

Later, it too was heard that, Sanajaoba was relocated at Jiribam Jail due to his keen sense of observation, sensitiveness and readiness to protest injustice and any wrongdoing. After a Long spell, Tomchou met Sanajaoba after he was released following the granting of general amnesty to all the political prisoners.

In it he said, he was alone in Jiribam jail. His only friend was a 'Mongba' sheltered there in a nest at a corner of the roof. After living together for long, that tiny bird came down and rested on his shoulder. At that, he remain silently still and unmoved so that the bird would not fly away.

After releasing from Jiribam Jail and returned to the societal stream, he again started penning for 'Lamyanba'. His journalism became more impactfully powerful. Sanajaoba was truly a revolutionary nationalist and an activist who coveted for nurturing and preserving the ancient cultural heritage of Manipur. He didn't reside in tin roofed or concrete structure but in thatched roofed traditional house.

The roofing changes after a gap of two-three years and his friends from the hills and far and wide brought thatch in bullock carts for the purpose. His house and the traditional artifacts adorning it resembled a miniature museum. He very much loved the stories in the 'Puya'(tr., Ancient Meitei treatise), 'Chainarol'(tr., Laws Governing Combat). He scripted a play, 'Chainapung' (tr., Warfield) based on the story of combat between Khuman Chakha Moiremba and Heirem Kangbisu which was aired from the Imphal Station of All India Radio.

(As told by Athokpam Tomchou, and also referred to his article, 'Jailgi Punsida Lamyanba NK Sanajaoba', 29-30 November 2005, Poknafam, Vernacular Daily, Imphal.)


Concluded....