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September 2026—some reading on Manipur

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 End of September already. 

I have been reading books by foreign authors about the outside world. Fiction and Non-fiction. Imaginations of people from far-away lands. Happenings of distant places. I do learn a lot and enjoy reading them. But I know almost nothing about my own place. It feels hollow. I gotta fix that, don't I? 

I went to this library, which recently organised an exhibition and brought home some books about Manipur. Surprisingly, I was absorbed in the reading. Some of the essays were really interesting. And I got to learn more about my place. That's good. 

Some notes:

People of Manipur have been living in the midst of a conflict zone for the last five to six decades. People outside might know of the conflict that erupted in May 2023. That's not the only one. Oh no.

"In contemporary Manipur we witness a three-way contest of the so-called territory of Manipur, the concept of United Manipur as opposed to the idea of fragmenting the age-old state's boundary for an independent Naga Nation and a Kuki homeland- a classic case of ethnic triangle in a cauldron"~ K Ruhinikumar Sharma

Read about the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891- a war between unequal powers. British doing British things. Condescending big brother attitude. Interfering in the internal affairs of others.

Read about media in Manipur. I especially liked the Prison Diary of Lamyanba NK Sanajaoba: Pioneering Investigative Journalist of Manipur. Funny. Interesting. If they make a movie on this, I'd watch. 

And other essays. One by Rajendra Kshetri, a 2015 lecture but still relatable, is worth mentioning. "Unfortunately, we do not have the habit of asking simple basic questions....we do not address basic issues and questions. We have a tendency of overlooking/by passing what is fundamental to our existence and survival." Talking about electricity, drinking water, local area development issues. Yeah, we still have these.

I also read:

Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari.

"We need to realize that the problem of how to build trust between humans is more urgent and more fundamental than the problem of how to develop AI."

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

"It's a shame that people all over the world can't have that kind of love in their hearts. There would be no wars, slaughter or murder; no greed or selfishness. It would be the kind of world that God wants us to have- a wonderful world." Imagine saying this and killing a coon or letting your dogs do it the very next instant.

And cutting down a big tree to kill a coon is not okay. I mean, come on!


Started two others books, haven't finished.

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