Imphal

HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY Laitonjam Leibaklotpi Devi

/ Monica Ingudam / Leave a comment

Mom’s Name & profession: Laitonjam (o) Leibaklotpi Devi, Cashier at Manipur Rural Bank, Imphal

What do you appreciate in your MOM and want to say Thank you for?

I just want to thank her for being there for me. She doubts if she’s a good mother coz at times she finds it hard to have family time coz of her work but as I grew up I know how much she has inspired me to strive for the best. Thank you for molding me into the woman I am today, for being such a powerful and empowered woman, for being an inspiration.

Any moment you want to say sorry about?

Well, it is indeed a blessing to know that there’s always this one person who bears no grudge and always hold on to me inspite of all the awful things I said. Being this impatient person that I am, I often lose patience and speak many things which I regret later. I just want to say sorry for all the impulsive words and for spilling over my frustrations to you.

“I love you Mama, Thank you for the miracle of life!”

Submitted by :Laitonjam Valentina, PhD Scholar (Human Development) at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.

HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY Mankhanniang Zou

/ Monica Ingudam / 1 Comment

“My Mom kept a garden for me”

My Mother kept a garden,
a garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things
that gave my life it’s start. 
She turned me to the sunshine
and encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
the seeds of self-esteem… 
And when the winds and rain came,
she protected me enough-
But not too much because she knew
I’d need to stand up strong and tough. 
Her constant good example
always taught me right from wrong-
Markers for my pathway
that will last a lifetime long. 
I am my Mother’s garden.
I am her legacy-
And I hope today she feels the love
reflected back from me 

Mom’s Name & profession: Mankhanniang Zou, House Wife (My Mom is good in cooking and she is a responsible Mother)

My appreciation being my mom is that she never gives up in me and to my brother and sisters. The love that my mom owed to us is the treasures which no one can discover she is always my hero. The words that my mom taught me, the courage that she offered me, the boundless love that she gave, the desire my mom have in me is incredible. I love her so much; my mom is my Worldly God.

Even when I makes a mistakes she don’t ignored me nor she rejected me and encourage me to be a better person through my mistakes. She struggle her life only for us (her 2 son’s and 4 daughters’). My mom is the one who feel the most pain when I am failures, and she is the one who can be happy at the most when I am success in life.

Nothing is comparable with my mom. When no one loves me, when no one wants to accompany with me, when no one forgive me, Mom is still there for me; hug me and say “ its ok my dear”!!!

The most things I would like to give thanks to my mom is that “a prayer to God that she always pray for me and for my brothers’ and sisters’ which she still keep praying till today” and “thanks God for blessing my Mom and Dad; living with us till today”

I am sorry mom to make you suffer; your sacrifice for my educations till today. But I promise I will make you happy someday, I pray to God Mom and Dad will live long and pluck the fruit that you planned on me. We may be from rural places, a farmer family (where there is no electricity, no mobile network, and no puce road) but someday your son’s will lead you to urban life where everything will work with electronic. I am not a shame to be what I am today,; Its cuz of you Mom, I am proud to have such a Mother Like you…!!!

“I LOVE YOU MOM”

Submitted by :Khamlianlal (Khams Zotal), Student social worker from Shillong, Meghalaya, India.

Episode 025 FindingTheVoices Part 2 Shanti Thokchom originally from Manipur sharing her struggles, lost, healing and life in America as a Single Mother

/ Monica Ingudam / 9 Comments

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This podcast is a continuation of last week’s podcast with Shanti Thokchom, who is working as a Nursing Assistant in an old age Home in Oklahoma in United States. In part 1 she shared about going through very hard times with her journey from Manipur all the way to America, going through her separation and lost of her husband.

In this episode, she shares about her life as a single Mother. She is a strong single mother, the rock for her precious little boy working very hard to secure the best future for her son.

She shares very interesting story of learning how to drive in America, her travelling experience within America as a healing process coping up with her loss.

Many immigrants in America can associated the struggle and fear in learning and driving in the freeways in America. And this lady travels all over without a GPS (still using paper Maps!!), sleeps in the car, travels with basic needs. It is a great learning experience to learn from her that you don’t need a lot of money to travel if you are passionate about travelling and seeing different places. All you need is the Gas money. She shares that she lives within her means and don’t need to dine in any fancy restaurants or stay in expensive Hotels or wear any branded clothes.

It was a great honour to talk with Eche Shanti, such a wonderful woman with so much positive vibes.

Music: Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko from yaadon ki baraat (This was a very popular songs during the time Eche Shanti was growing up and her favorite song)

Episode 024 FindingTheVoices Part 1 Shanti Thokchom originally from Manipur sharing her struggles, lost, healing and life in America as a Single Mother

/ Monica Ingudam / 23 Comments

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Today I am with Shanti Thokchom, who is working as a Nursing Assistant in an old age Home in Oklahoma in the United States. I really admire her strength and positive attitude towards life even after having gone through very hard times with her journey from Manipur all the way to America, going through different jobs of a private nurse, nanny, working in a daycare, working as a waitress, her separation and lost of her husband. Inspite of all the hardship, she pursued to get license to work as Nursing Assistant. She is a strong single mother, the rock for her precious little boy working very hard to secure the best future for her son.

She has a very interesting diverse background with a Hindu Meitei father and a Christian Kuki mother and she married an American. She shares her story about living with the differences in diversity and having stayed and travelled in different places in the world.

It was a great honour to talk with Eche Shanti, such a wonderful woman with so much positive vibes.

Music: Louri Chatpi by P Chandrakumar (This was a very popular songs during the time Eche Shanti was growing up and her favorite song)

About FindingTheVoices

/ Monica Ingudam / 3 Comments

Welcome to FindingTheVoices.

Today I am sharing about FindingTheVoices. It is a short presentation less than 3 minutes which gives the details about FindingTheVoices.

Thanks to all our listeners for all your support. Please keep your request for Guest Speakers, feedback and wonderful comments coming in.

Thanks to Hanubi Hanuba for the music. I love this music.

Episode 023 FindingTheVoices : Samurailatpam Sanahanbi Devi Social Activist, Cancer Survivor, Veteran Athlete and Best Mother from Manipur

/ Monica Ingudam / 7 Comments

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It is a great honour to celebrate “International Women’s Day 2013” hearing the story from 80 year old Samurailatpam Sanahanbi Devi, retired Lecturer Botany, Ex Principal DM College Commerce, Cancer survivor, Veteran athlete and Social worker and Activist from Manipur.

She shares her story of how she was mis diagnosed in Manipur when she initially went to consult Doctors. She was given medication based on the symptoms given by her, the doctor DIDNOT check her body, there was no x-ray or any follow up. Later, when he was in Delhi, it was found that she has colon Cancer and she came out as a cancer survivor after her surgery. Listen to her amazing story on her journey going through such hard times as a family.

Before being diagnosed with colon cancer, Sanahanbi participated in the half marathon 21 kms at the Asian Veteran Sports Championship held in China and won the gold medal. Listen to her interesting incident of getting lost 🙂

She also came fourth in 42 kms full marathon held at the world veteran championship Brisbane, Australia. It is amazing to hear how she completed 42 kms , the joy and excitement of people once she reached the destination.

She has very interesting broad outlook on diversity and mixed marriage, on love and relationships. She was awarded Best Mother 2002 in Manipur. This is an amazing treat to listen to her. She even shares how she met and got married.  She is involved in many Social organizations (Nupi Yaipha Lup, Advisor of Manipur State Pensioners association etc.) and remains active in participating many social causes(Look at her picture participating in the Protest against the Gang Rape in Delhi) at her age. Hats off to her, we have a lot of things to learn from her.

It is such a pleasure listening to her story and I love the way she tells it with her infectious laughter.

Music: Nuja Kanagee Chenglouno Chenglouno by N. Pahari (This was a very popular songs during the time Ema Sanahanbi was growing up and she had mentioned it very fondly during the interview)

Manipuri Food: Vegetarian Ushop

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For those who wants to know about Manipuri food, here is a sample picture of Manipuri Food, pure vegetarian, generally served in ushop in the temples or at home during religious gathering, death anniversary etc.

Rice

Row 1 (L to R):Chilly Pickle, Pakora thongba, Chak-hau (Black aromatic rice), X1, Peas Kang hou, X2, Pakora thongba X3, Pumkin thongba, X4, Chumphut

Row 2(L to R): Water Y1, Y2, Sinju, Laphu (Banana stem) Eromba, Y3, Bori Thongba, Sagolhawai thongba, Hawai (Dal) thongba, Peanut Kanghou, Y4, Paneer thongba, OOti Y5, Y6, Kheer, Y7, Y8

<X and Y value will be filled once I get confirmation on these items (this is not a formula 🙂 , Please help in filling in the X and Y values with the correct dish name>

Thanks to Jubachandra Sagolsem for sharing this picture.

Episode 020 FindingTheVoices : Ingudam Tomba Singh 80 year old man sharing his journey of getting education growing up from his Village Oinam in Manipur

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020 FindingTheVoices Ingudam Tomba Singh 80 year old Man sharing his journey of getting his education growing up from his Village Oinam in Manipur

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This is one of the most difficult and special podcast for me.

Today we have a very interesting story from an almost 80-year-old man. He shares about his earlier life growing up from Oinam village in Manipur and walking 3 miles to go to school at Nambol everyday after he does his chores of farming. He started farming at a very young age and explains the process of farming using a cow. He used Hay and ash to wash off the muddy feet and run to attend school on time. In his locality, he was known for walking so quickly that people can’t see his feet touching the ground.   I am proud to present his wonderful story about growing up from a village and how he strived to study against all odds and proving how important EDUCATION is. He wouldn’t care and gave up materialistic items, but made sure that all his 4 children are educated inspite of the financial constraints, treating sons and daughters equally. I believe in EEMUL : Ema Epa Mitna Uba Laini (Parents are living God) and yes he is my living God.   I am blessed to have the honour to talk with Ingudam Tomba Singh, retired from Lilong Houreibi College and Vice Principal from Oriental College, Imphal and my Father. And I thank FindingTheVoices for such a wonderful special moment where my Father is sharing his story and I came to know things which I didn’t know earlier.

He had to stop going to his school for 2 years as they were not able to effort his education and that left him totally heart-broken. He was and is  a person who believes in education. He was so heart-broken that he was smoking during that 2 years phase to cope up at that very young age of 1o years old. This was during the time of 2nd world war and as I was growing up he told many interesting stories about what the war and Japanese soldiers. Growing up, there was no electricity in his house and studying was mostly during daylight or using light from burning wood call uchan and from Kerosene lamp called podon.

He completed his school and went to D.M College and became teacher at Johnston Higher Secondary School. His first salary is Rs 100 per month as a teacher from Johnston Higher Secondary School and in those time that was a huge amount and had lot of value. He completed his Masters from Gauhati University and then started teaching at Digboi College in Assam. Later he came to Manipur and continued in teaching profession as a Lecturer in Zoology and Vice Principal at Oriental college, Imphal and retired from Lilong Houreibi College.

I really admire his honesty, keeping time and his word, most importantly his value of raising and educating his kids without any difference of gender. And we plan to have more episodes to follow and talk about raising, educating and treating kids equally without any differences based on Gender.

This podcast is in Meitei Lon (Manipuri) Language.

Episode 015 FindingTheVoices : 015 FindingTheVoices Sameeta Angom founder of Sameeta’s Spa & Salon and Sameeta’s Nails & Pedispa at Texas, USA

/ Monica Ingudam / 9 Comments

015 FindingTheVoices Sameeta Angom founder of Sameeta’s Spa & Salon and Sameeta’s Nails & Pedispa at Texas, USA

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Presenting Sameeta Angom originally from Manipur, a mother of 2 wonderful kids, started Sameeta’s Spa and Salon and Sameeta’s Nails & Pedispa at Houston, Texas, USA. She has many people working for her and she plans to expand her business adding more location in future. We had a very interesting talk which shows the importance of partnership, support and teamwork from your better half, balancing work and family life, glimpse of life running a Salon finding different strategy of marketing, employee management, customer services etc. a wonderful journey going through interesting turns in life from being a stay at home mom to starting a business of her own. Who would know a Botony Major would end up being a Cosmetologist?

Her Salon offers very reasonable prices for many different Spa, Salon, Nails and Pedispa services and has very interesting deals always, check out the price at her website.