Hi everyone!
READ India provided me many opportunities to study different cultures, be with them and develop a common understanding for Education and Development of the local communities through Community Library and Resource Centers.
From West Bengal to Manipur, a big shift in culture, thus setting up the Community Library and Resource Center was not tough. In early 2009, my next journey was to Manipur, Imphal to do the stone laying of the Library to be constructed on the land donated by the Community in Sanghaiprou village of Imphal where I met the Kabui tribes. I was dressed in a simple traditional Indian salwar kurta. I went straight from the airport to the launch of the Community Library and Resource Center. I knew only one person, Mr Newmei, who was invited in September 2008 to sign the MoU with Carol Erickson, the then Executive Director of READ Global and Bob Renu, the then Asia Director. This was my first trip to Imphal. Language was the barrier though the warm welcome made me comfortable. I still remember the lunch hosted by one of the Library Management Committee member in her house. Being a vegetarian, it was tough for me to select the dishes as I knew the dry fish was part of every dish, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian. I was amazed by the hospitality, the community lunch and it seemed that the whole village is one family. The traditional songs sung by the community women with their dance performances,
the beautiful women were dressed in their traditional attire and men too. People committed to the cause was visible. Education is the need along with the livelihood programmes. Weaving is the traditional craft which every woman knows and READ India was encouraged to support these women to enhance their traditional craft. I still remember, I was not able to stay at the hotel alone because of many barriers and above all, my fear. I remember, one of the girl from Sanghaiprau accompanied with me to the Hotel and stayed in my room. I made almost 10-12 visits after 2009 as I liked the community, the people, the library, the warmth. My colleague, Dr K K Mishra, Anthropologist joined me twice to study the culture, the people, the challenges in general and how READ could do better.
After making the Centre running in Sanghaiprou, the journey was continuing because READ Global used to bring many guests to Imphal as tourists and Sanghaiprou community always welcomed them with warmth, organising cultural programmes, traditional dances performed by men and women. I still remember one incidence when Dr Antonia Neubeaur was with her co-travellers, myself and one visitor from the travel business was with me. The welcome ceremony and inauguration of the building was organised. The elder community was made to sit in a row outside the building along with the guests. The plaque of the names of the local community contributions was displayed outside the gate of the building.
As per the traditional culture of the community, the young boys brought a big pig tied with ropes in a big basket, they cut the pig and brought the spine of the pig in a big plate in front of the eldest man and woman, they saw the spine and declared the auspicious occasion of inaugurating the building. The pig mutton was cooked in big pots and served with rice to the local community.
Later, to Metei Community, where I met with Mira Bai, the government servant holding a position in the State Department of Women and Child Welfare donated her building in Tubileima for the READ Center. The Community Library was established. It was a beautiful building and 100 women used to weave the cloth and were taking in the evening in a van donated by READ India to the Emma market and used to sell their cloth. This mechanism went very well and Mira Bai also supported financially to add more weaving looms to the programme.