The Spirit of every Manipuri
- a 10th Anniversary collection -

By: Jayanta Oinam *

A little introspection could do wonders.
So many times, I had thought of writing "a thank you note" for all your services bestowed upon us with utmost care; without any prejudice. Indian media, collectively, as seen in its spurt with the ongoing chaos, not able to differentiate "what is" from "what is not", to the crisis of identity for an entity, has made us to believe that what we are being fed is not entirely what is needed. But the existence of e-pao.net, at least for us Manipuris, has indeed helped us to believe in good virtues of the medium considered sacrosanct and useful. And the best part is we don't have to pay single penny for it. It's right there in our desktop! Ever wonder, how many of us rely on e-pao.net's vast and incisive coverage and its varied spectrum that includes everything, everything of sorts, to say the least.

Yes, these pages; anybody can proudly stamp as their own, though it may be regional in its content and representation. But still, there is none that doesn't reflect regionalism even in this age of open market with no barriers. Every newspaper, portal and media carries first its constituency. Every single publication, every single broadcast has a basis and its foundation rooted into its society. And e-pao.net, too manifest that very facet, albeit for a smaller section of a huge country! There are numerous pages in this burgeoning web world dedicated to a specific section of the society or a group, but for a society laying dormant for centuries, it is the perfect representation of a collective angst to raise and grow and compete with other societies of the world, at the same time showcasing out rich heritage. Even more so with the minority tag, it serves the perfect foil to other domineering and dominant forces that includes occupation and exploitation. At least, we have a voice! I just can't imagine how we could have ended up with all the ideas and dreams without e-pao.net. Thanks a lot for giving us a platform, as it has rightly been attributed by so many of your beneficiaries.

For me, e-pao.net stands for the spirit of every Manipuri.

And what better time to express my gratitude, in the tenth year of selfless service to our society. In this moment, allow me to express some of my random thoughts borrowed and hibernated for some time, like many of e-pao.net's fans.

When we talk about such achievements like completing a decade in public service, many more things creep in, the way we perceive the way it is, good or bad. The reason: we are trapped in such a vicious circle where there is no escape, no solution. Precisely for a society like ours, it seems there is no hope. But, like any living dream, hope does exist. This is my firm believe. And, e-pao.net is one such means to translate that hope. For Manipuris hope unequivocally means peace and growth. Thanks again for being there, giving us hope.

So, here is the introspection! Are we proud without comfort? Whatever!

We are proud. Manipuris are proud of everything. We are proud of every battle we have fought, in the battlefields, in sport fields, on theatrical stages, everywhere that has a challenge. We are proud of our heritage, we are proud of our culture. Each one of us is proud of being a Manipuri. So to say, "the world is knowing". But up to what extent? I still doubt Sharmila is known all over India. She steadfastly challenge the very set up of the largest democratic country in the world, with her sheer willpower. It's not that we should sell her efforts but nobody is willing to profess a lady's ten year long fast, for whatever reason, how we could presumably think about our rights. This is the land that gave birth to the Gandhi, the epitome of non-violence and peaceful agitation. And there is none to report her efforts, neither to appreciate it except few righteous persons who dared to call themselves activists. What does it signify? Betrayal or a joke. I presumed thus. May be this world is still ignorant of our existence. Our struggle to rise and have a firm foothold has always been ignored and sidelined by the larger agenda meted out to satisfy the majority's end-game of exploitation. The carnage of occupation and pervading in-fightings are mere footnotes in the governmental report cards. So, where do we stand, for our identity, with a distinct tradition, with a language of our own and our dreams of self reliance? Very sad indeed! And the most unfortunate part is, we all know we are being ignored.

In this juncture, we need a medium to connect and build the awareness on what ails our society. Should we call it a propaganda machine! Every society needs a bit of propaganda, so that each one of us can think and act on same terms. Luckily, we have e-pao.net in its avatar as the platform. So, why e-pao.net should not exploit this opportunity! The very mention of e-pao.net brings a joy in our lives. We know, there is e-pao.net for us doing its bit to show the world what we are capable of.

Once again, my best wishes to e-pao.net for the year ahead. And lots of love to everyone associated with e-pao.net.