A THOUNAWN ITNA

~Vz Vualnam

Nuam mahmah ke'n teh. Sim sese dah aw...  

'Bang hih e?'

'Om maimai.'

'Zing chiah i va pawt di uam?'

'Koi ah eita?'

'Thei tuanlou. Na hostel kiang khawng uh a lem nana ah.'

'Ah, utleh peih dah mai ni.'

'Peih ve maw. Sawtlou chik.'

'Peihlou kei voi. Tulai zaw thadah huailua.'

'Peih le teh hoih di hia aw. A'ihleh omnuam phot aw le,'

'Nang le.'

 

Kal khat nung in.

'Bang hih e?'

'Bang hih khollou.'

'Zing chiah kikhawm di k'ong tawn di aw.'

'Kou kikhop sawmlou kei ve ua.'

'Ba chia e? I va kikhawmkei di ua.'

'Ba chia le hi kholkei. Peih khollou.'

'A'ihle aw leh. Omnuam phot.'

'Nang le omnuam.'

'Bangtan tungta e?'

'Bangtan tung mahmah khang.'

'Bachia e? Lam-ethuailou lua hia?'

'Huai ngelkei ve aw. Kei lah kimuh theihna di hun zong a ka theihtawp a pang, amah lah kimuhlouh theihna dia a theihtawp a pang. Buaihuai veh aw.'

'Aw. Mi'n hon kimuhpih utkei le bang i loh tuan dia maw. Innlam va pai di hive chin, va kikhisiang leteh. Phawk nawnkei mai niteh. Bang hiam a chihleh midang le na va tuakkhamoh di hia.'

'Mi dang tuah di utkei veng aw. Hiai pen hithei mai leh hoih di hia. Kiiknawn chia sutzop dia koih phot di hi'n teh.'

Khua a niim diidiai a, ni suakta hiam suak nailou leng a theihtheihkei. Lianpu'n a sana a en a, dak guk bang ana ging thamta hi. Hanmuallam a en tou a, mei in a tuam thiithiai hi. A pawtkhia a, awl in hanmuallam a naih hi. Hanmual a galmuh in a hoh dekna han a puanvom silh mi khat mu hi in a kithei a, lah mei a kai phelhphulh ziak in a muchiang theikei. Awl in a naihphei zel a, numei samsau, a kawng tung tan pha a kai ngihngiah, a vom ngen a kizem khat in a nungngat hi. A khawl a, a lungsim ah sikha nungak chih khawng a hong suak a, a chimul bang a thou hial hi. Lah sikha nungak in khekol teng hial ke'n teh chi in a naihphei hi.

A naihphei kawm in a nunglam a akilawmdan apan a mel hoih didan khawng a ngaihsun a, dip hawmsim kiikiai in a naihphei zel hi. A thawm a zaak tak in minu'n kinunghei in a en a, a kimuhtuah tak un a ki-en gegu nilouh ua. Tua minu tuh a nunglam sang mah in leng a malam ah a hoihzaw in a kilawmzaw a, amai beem lampang a hi a, ahun geih a sa om litlet in a bawknate leng kilawm hungeih a bawk in, leh a thepnate leng kilawm hungeih a thep in Lianpu'n a mu a, hi bang singtang dawn a hichi bang a melhoih a va tuahkhak ding kilam-enlou lua ahihman in a hi heihuai zezen hi. A kizuundan apan in singtang nungak ahikei chih a thei hi. Tua bang a nungak melhoihtak in mithah neemtak a leh chialhuaitak toh a en nilouh tuh Lianpu a kipak gusim a, lah amah mi kizuun mi ahih khollouh ziak a tu zing nasan bang le sam beek hiat tellou a a pawtkhiat a kisiik gusim a, lah mi muh nung a va kizuut maam phing lah ut samlou ahihman in lungsim lemlou leiluai in a om hi. Sawt kuam a pau zosam omlou a a ki-et nilouh nung un Lianpu'n dang-awk sim in a hong paukhia hi.

'Kua mah omlou di ka sak leh nang nana om a. Bang hih e? Lianpu ka hi,' chi in pulaakna a kibawl hi.

Minu'n, 'Ka nu' han veh hi ve'ng aw. Nang la bang hih dia hong oi?' chi'n a dongthuk hi. 

'Kei le ka pa' han veh dia hong hi'ng.'

'Koi eita na pa han?'

Lianpu'n ama ua han a kawk a, 'Hiai mah.'

'Oh, na pa le buailai a si eive maw leh?'

'Hi. Na nu toh vaang kibang neikha uh eive. Lamdang tak ahi maw khovel a mi tuamtuam vaang in a kaihkhawm zeldan. Hiai khote maw nang?'

'Hiai khote chile buai zoh a peem. Lamka a. Nang la?'

'Hiai khote chih di hi'n teh. Kei ka hihleh laisim khawng a sawtpek apan omkhia, ka nute hiai khua a omden uh. Chik a hong hoh e?'

'Zanhal a.'

'Kuate' inn a tung oi?'

'Ka pu teh. Thangkhanmangte na thei hia?'

'Thei e. Tuzan chiah k'ong pawt di aw.'

'Nang thu ake.'

'Na min?'

'Nem.'

A dinna mun tuak ua ding dide in a dai vengveng ua, sawtkuam huchi'n a om dedu uhi. A denlam chiang in Nenem in, pai di ahihdan a gen a, Lianpu'n leng a zui a, pau ngellou in atonsuk uhi.

Lianpu' pa leh Nenem nute ahihleh Kuki gallai a Kaihlam a kaat zan a sikha ahi ua, huai ni a siteng han khat a avui uh ahi. Lianpu leh Nenem leng Kaihlam a a omlouh nung uh sawtpi hita mahleh tuni a nu leh pate' uh sih phatsia a a han uh veh ding a lamdang tak a hong zinkhawm kha ahi uhi.

Nitak in Lianpu ava pawt a, Nenem pu Thangkhanmangte'n Lianpu ahi chih a theih un lamdang asa mahmah ua, 'Ginsuanthang' ta Khamkhanlian maw na hih? Khua a na omlouhna uh sawtta a, hon kithei nawnlou ei maimah ve. A'ihleh nou Nenem toh kitheisa uh maw?' chi'n Nenem’ Pu Mang in Lianpu a dong hi.

'Kitheilou. Tuzing a ka pate' han veh dia ka hoh leh Nenem ana om a, huai a ka kitheih pat uh hiveh aw.'

Nenem' Pu Mang in a aw a khuah a, 'A kimu di tegel mah kimukha nei ve ua,' a chilel a, abaan bang mah a gen nawnkei hi.

Nenem leh Lianpu'n a thugen lamdang a sa ua, a kituak in bangziak hiam chih a dong kha zezen uhi.

'Huai zaw gengen tuak le hikei zel veh aw. Na hong kithuah di ua, hon thei mai nuteh,' Nenem' Pu Mang in a chilel hi.

'Mi su lakloh maimai a ka Pu Mang le. Ka Nu Kim awl in ka na dong mai di,' Nenem in a chi chiamnuih a, anui nanalh hi.

'Khawldih, thilkhat ka theikhia,' Lianpu'n a hon chikhia a, 'Nang minu k'on naak theihlua. Na nu Nu Niang ahihleh nidang a na inn uh huai field sak a bawng haute' phaitam hilou maw? Zuanmuat kung haute kha? Ka theilua. Na min phuah ni'n le ka nu toh k'ong hoh lotel uh. Hon pomkha zomah ka'ih bang aw. Mak na mahmah e,' chi'n a nui heemhuum a, Nenem in, 'Taktak a maw? Huailai in nang bang chia a lian na hita a eita? chi'n a dong a, 'Huai a maw, kum 5 khawng hita di kei ve, class ii ka hih lai uh hi di, huai naungek nang nana hih mahmah,' chi'n Lianpu'n lamdang satak in a gen thakthak hi.

Nitak in a lupna ah Nenem in a Pu Mang thugen a ngaihtuah khe phut a, lupna kiang a singlem om, a Pu Mang in a nu' nungaklai a a singlem a chih, chabi kikalh a kikoih hon zok a uttha a suak mahmah hi.

Zingkal in a Nu Kim kiang ah, 'Zan a ka Pu Mang in agen bang chidan eita?' chia a dot leh a Nu Kim in, 'Huai na lupna kiang a na nu' singlem hong le teh, huai ah na zon houh na mu diam maw. Huai a na muhke'h k'on hilh na di,' chi'n a dawng hi.

Nenem leng thumu kisa in a Nu Kim' kiang ah a tahbi a kan a a Nu Kim in, 'Kum huaitan nung in kua'n kemlai leh na chi a eita,' chi'n a dawng hi.

Nenem in a tahla khetsiatna ding a zong vuvut a, a tawp in sek ginalou chik khat a mu a, huai a khense ding in a kisa hi. Khense ding a a kisakhial leh a chi bang a hong liing sim a, a khasiat tha bang a hong suaksim maimah hi. Sawtpi a sual a, atawp in a khentol thei khong a, diip kisai litlit a ahon leh a sung ah puan bangzah hiam leh lemlak buu lui taktak nih a om uhi.

Bang dang teng a khoihma in tua lemlak bu nihte a tawm a, alui gim nam khiitkheet khawng in a lung a suleng mahmah a, a kahtha bang a suak hial hi. Awl in a phen a, a nu' nungak tuunglai lem khawng ahi a, huchia a aphen zel lai in anu leh pasal khat lem a kilaak khawmna uh mun tampi ah a om a, a lim kilaakdan ua pan in leng kingai mahmah uh hi ding ahi chih a theihtheih hi. Huchi bang a lemlak mual taktak a etzel lai in a theihlouh kal in a mittui a hong taak hi.

Lemlakte a etzoh in awl in puante a baan et a, puanten bangzah hiam a om a, a baanbaan a phel a a etleh tulai a puante'n kithangte toh a kibang a, huai hun a le ana kithang khin eive maw chi in a nuih bang a za zezen hi. Puanzalum khat hoihtak a kikhep a om a, a phel leh a sung apan lai tampi ahong pulh zungzung hi. Tawm a a etleh laithon luitak ngen a hi ua, apa'n a kingaihlai ua a laithon khakte ahi de aw chia a etleh a khaaktu'n a min gelhlou in suai a kaihthoh a, pa ahikei a, kua hi hiam chih theihtheih ding leng ahikei. A laithon a pan in bel a nu' ngaihzawng pa ahi chih a theihtheih a, a thugelhte apan kingai mahmah uh ahi chih leng a chiang hi. A laithon khat apan in tua puanza leng huai mipa’ piak ahi chih atheihtheih hi.

A pa hilou ahihleh kua hi ding a de aw chi in theih a ut mahmah a, a theihtheihna ding thil dang a zon chiang in lah a mukei a, huai a lemlak a anu' lem kilakpih pa hi ngeingei ding in a ummoh hi. A sungte' kiang ah bel bang mah a dong tuankei.

Nitak a Lianpu a va pawt in, nitak teng a va pawt hive'n, Nenem in zing chia bang hih dek hiam chih a dong a, Lianpu'n bang hih dile nei tuanlou ahihdan a hilh tak in Nenem in sun chia va pawt ding in a chial a, Lianpu leng thumu kisa in a nui heuhau zezen hi. Kholai pawt innpai bang zaang vovok hi in a kithei a, Nenem in bang ding a sun pawt ding a zawn hiam chih theikei mah leh a pum in a pum kipah hi.

A zingchiang a nekham vaisap ding a ngaklah mahmah a, vaikuan dingte' kuankhiatma a va hoh pah leeklawk lah a ut hialkei a, a vaisap ding ngak in innsung-innpua akawmtuah nilouh hi. Vaisam ta ding a a gingtak tak in awl in a diangkhia a, a ngaihsutna a pai haat ngial hi.

A va tun in Nenem in inn a na zuut a, Lianpu'n, 'Kizen simpi khat le na hitawk di e,' chi'n a chiamnuih a, Nenem in, 'Hiai khawng kizenna a sim di ahihtak in i kizen houhke,' a chi'n a chiamnuih thuk hi. 'Ana tu phot aw aw,' chi in a innzuut a sunzom hi.

A innzuut a zoh in a kiphiatsiang a, room a va luut in lai khat a hon tawikhia a, Lianpu pia in, 'Hiai suai kua a ahi di, ni dang a eikhote khat a hi di,' chi'n a ensak hi. Lianpu'n a muh phet in a hong nui a, 'Hiai eivele ka zonzon. Ka pa a eivoi,' awl in a hon chi a, 'Ka pa toh na nu nidang a ana kingai uh eive. Ke'n le na nu'n ka pa a laithon khakte tamsim ka kem a, himahleh min a kigelhlouh ziak in kua hi ding hiam a khaktu chih ka thei zoulou ing a, lah mi kia le kan tuan khollou ing a. Na nu'n na pa a piak romol khat le om,' Lianpu'n a chi a, om lemlouhna khat nei mah a bang ua, a nui teektuuk uhi.

'Zingchiah bang na hih dia?' Lianpu'n a dong a.

'Hih di le om tuankei,' Nenem in a dawng a.

'A'ihleh zingchiah na laithon kepte hon tawi inla khomual a khiang kungpi nuai ah va hoh ni. Ke'n le kei laithon kepte kon tawi di,' Lianpu'n a chi a.

'Bang a chia eita khiangkung nuai sese ah na chih? A mun le ka theihlouh pi?' Nenem in a chi a.'A tangthu om eivoi, huai mun ah k'on hilh di. K'on tawn na di. Zingkal an neek kham chiah.' 'Poilou.''Nang bangtan om sawm e?''Damleh kal nawn kho pai ka sawm hia. Nang la?''Kei zaw tukha sung beek ka om di. Bachia e na kin ngei e.''Kin chihmawk a, hun in hon daih nawnlou ahih chia. Ahimhim a nang tua bang hih e? Simlai maw sem maw?''Sem chih di hinteh. Nang la?''Kei tukum a graduate.''Mabaan la?''Thei nailou. A hun leh a mun zil. MA zilna dia entrance exam ka piak himhim hia, bang a chi diam ah.''Eh, nou baalke nei hilou maw? Zingkal chiah ana huan ve. Sun chia neek di. Malta keu kangam gawivui toh.''Baalke va chih pentak. Hakai le om, sihmai le om, kawlkai le om. A vek in ka na huan di.''A hoih lawtel di huai.'

***

Lianpu' pa leh Nenem nu tuh a nungak-tangval tuung ua pan kingai ahi ua, khosung-khopua in a gen kheukhou uh ahi. Kuapeuh in kitenglou ding himhim a agintaaklouh uh ahi. Khosung a vai khat peuhpeuh, nopna hileh dahna hileh, khat a teltheihkei leh khat leng tel utlou khop a kingai ahi uh. Singlam-tuilam a kizui in khovel a amau gellou midang omlou bang mai a nuamsa ahi uh. Vaipai chiang a khomual a sawlseh chih bang midang in chiing nawn ngellou napi in amau geel sawl kiseh den uhi. Tua a kisawlseh zelna mun uh khomual a khiangsing nuai tuh a khote un amau tegel veng min tamsak in 'Laivengte' Zawlmual,' a chi hial uhi. Azing-azan a kimu himahle uh laithon kikhak bang a thangsak mahmah ua, a kikhak zihzeh uhi.

Huchia kua mah englou a nuamsa tak a omlai un nikhat tuh a hinkhua uh lumlet ding thu a hong piangta hi. A khua ua mi hausa lawi, Pa Pumthang te'n a tapa pa uh Lamka a laisim a om, BA zou phet khat a ding in Nenem' nu a va heel uhi.

A Lianpu' pate hitaleh, a Nenem nute hitaleh khosak haksa tuaktuak ahi ua, tua Pa Pumthang tuh a sawkpen uh ahi. Pa Pumthang mah leng mi kiphaltak ahi a, mi'n leitawi ding a va nget chiang ua athawn a ana kiksak mengmenglou mi ahi.

Tua bang a Pa Pumthangte Nenem' nute' inn a a va lenglaat chiang un Nenem sungte'n leng a Nenem pen mi toh ki-it kingailai hia chi in hehpihna chiang nei mah le uh a haksat ni ua a sawkpen pa uh nial ding ngamlou uhi. A Nenem' nu' maban ding mah leng a ngaihsutsak chiang ua hiaite innsung ah khakhe le uh nuamsa zaw ding a, gim leh tawl a semlou a om thei ding a, Lianpu' pa toh kiteng le uh loukhou a tul ding hi a, achih chiang un haksa sa sim mah le uh a na aw mai uhi. A Lianpu' pate mah leng Pa Pumthang' tung a leiba tampi nei ahih zawkmah chiang un paungam ding dinmun ah dinglou uhi.

Lianpu' pa leh Nenem nu tuh a mangbang mahmah ua, lah bang mah a lohtheih uh a omkei hi. Azawn-angau ziak ua a itna uh dautuan hilou a, a neihzohlouh ziak ua a itna uh midangte a sang a neuzaw tuanlou a, naak sang in sum leh pai in a lei zohlouh itna nei ua, zawnna leh ngauna in a lakmang theihlouh itna nei uhi. Tu a zawn leh ngau ziak a tua a itna uh thusim saklouh a om mai ding tuh a pona mahmah uhi.

Kitaipih ding achih chiang un lah a khonung thu ding a ngai ngamkei ua, Nenem nu ngial in houh anih ua kithat khawm mai ding hialtan in a gen hi. 'Nang toh lou in bang chi'n ka hing thei dia eita? Nang tellou a hinna bang a phattuamna om eita?’ Chi in Lianpu' pa' ang ah a kap hithit phet hi. Lianpu' pa'n a sam awlawl a zuut hianhian in, 'Kithah i chih khawng mi dawilokte' vai ahi. A dawnna ahikei. Kihih haat in. Pathian in ei a dia hoihzaw hon geelsak le hithei ahi. Ke'n le naa salou ka hikei. Kei le sihmai utlou ka hikei. Khovel in ka taksa hon phelkhap sak bang ahi a, tu in tuh khut leh khe kimlou, piangsual bang mai ka hita. Himahleh kua ka hi hiam chih hiai khovel ka lak nuam. Ka puukkei ding. Ka ding teitei ding. Nang leng huchi bang a na chihsam ka hon ngen. Amah toh kiteng le chin nuam na sa zaw ding. Ke'n zaw azing-azan a lou hon khohpih louh ngal piak ding dang ka hon neikei..'

Tua bang a agen lai in Nenem' nu'n a pautuh a, aw liing dedelh in, 'Hiaite zaw hon hilh sese ke'n. Leitung a hauhsakna tengteng sang in ka hon itna manpha ka sa zaw,' a chi a, Lianpu'n, ' Hilou ahi, ta khawng na hon nei ding a, skul khawng a hong kai chiang un na hon thei ding. Khovel ah it kia i itkei a, i ne in i dawn a, i silh in i teng a, hiaite taksapna mun ah itna leng bangmah ahi tuankei. Lawm hoihpen i hi tawntung dia, a si masa zawzaw puan in i kituam di aw. Pathian in bangziak a hiai bang thil i tung a hon tungsak hiam chih amahmah in thei na'n teh. Hiai i ki-itna pichin theikei mah le hang mangthang lou a koi hiam a a hong gahkhiat lam-en ni,' a chi ngitngit phet hi.

Huai nung in Lianpu' pa Lamka lam ah a va zin a, kum khat hial a va ommang hi. Nenem nu'n ahihleh pasal a va nei a, Kaihlam mah a a khosa uhi. Lianpu' pa leng kum khat zoh in a hong kiik a, a khote mah uh zi a nei in a khosa uhi.

Huchih lai in Kuki gal in a hon pha hi. A lauhthawng gige bang un ni khat tuh Kukite'n a khua uh a va luh peetmah ua, nanzoh vual ding a hihlouh man un zingkallam in inn a halzou khong uhi. A taina lam uah Lianpu' pa leh Nenem' nu a va kimukha ua, himahleh vangsiathuai tak in a kibukna uah galte'n va phawng in a kaplum ua, mun khat ah a sikhawm uhi. Huchi'n a kichiamna uh a si masasa puan a kituam ding a chih uh tangtun ngai tuanlou in leh lungzuan' thuak sauzaw tuan omlou ding in a nih un a sikhawm uhi. Vaang in amaute tung a hehpihna suah a, tuma kum sawm lai khawng a a lunggulh uh a nih ua kithah a sihkhawm ding chih, lah a hih ngamlouh uh, vaang in tua hihsak ahi mai hi. Himahleh tua a piak ding vanglak bang hang a kum hiaizah ngak sese hi hiam chih kuamah dawntheih ahikei. Bang teng hileh chikmah chiang a kikhen nawnlou ding a han khat a sialkhawm ahi ua, a kha uh a lungkim mahmah ding.

***

A zingkal vaikap nung in Lianpu'n a laithon kep teng tawi in Nenem a va tawn a, Nenem leng ana manta a, a laithonte leh puanza sakhau a guang in khomuallam a zuan uhi. Khomual ah khiangsing upa mahmah khat a pou a, tua khiangsing nuai mun nuamtak ahi a, vaikuan leh paite a khawl thapai uhi. Tua khiangsing omna khomual tuh a a khote un a nu leh pate ziak a 'Lailamte' Zawlmual' chihloh uh ahihdan Lianpu'n Nenem a hilh hi. Tua bang a a nu leh pate' uh kihellai ana mukha khiangsing nuai a a hong kithuah chiang un a ngaihsutna uh hong kidang in a chimul uh bang a thouthei hial hi.

Huchi'n a laithonte uh a sim ua, a khenchiang in a nuih uh a za a, a khenchiang in a khasiat uh a suak a, Nenem bang houh a mittui a paak niuniau phet hi. Sawtlou kaal in ni ahong suun a, neek dia a puak uh baalke, sihmai, kawlkai, hakai chihte malta vui leh chi toh toih in a ne ua, a lungsim guk tuak un a lungkim mahmah uhi.

'Kalnawn chiah maw pai na sawm?' Lianpu'n a dong a.'Ka sawm tuh hia, a lem leh.''Innlam a vai kin nei maw?''Huchi le hi tuankei.''A'ihleh huchi bang kalnawn om lai inla, a nawn chiah i paiton ke.''Theilou maw. Sawt ki-om lawta a. Ka sungte'n paihak hon sa lawta di uh ka chi a hiveh aw.''Hon tai uleh kei hon ngoh le teh,' chi'n Lianpu a nui a.'En le maw.''Et nawnnawn ngailou. I ton di a ka. I nu leh pate' tanchin tampi i kankhiak di om eivoi.'

Huchia hun a zatkhawm sung in ni a hong niam a, vaipaite' lapma in innlam a zuan uhi.

Nenemte' inn ah Lianpu azing-azan in a va tung a, kineel deuhdeuh in ahong kithuahthei mahmah ua, a khote un a tanchin uh thei a, a nu leh pate' uh tanchin toh abulhtuah chiang un a khasiat zezen uhi.

Ni khat Nenem in Lianpu' kiang ah pailou dia a khouhna mang a hihdan leh amah toh ton lemsa ahihdan a hilh a, Lianpu lungkim kisa in a hi heuhuau zezen hi.

Lou khawng kuan khawm in, khenchiang in Lianpute' lou ah, khenchiang in Nenem' pute' lou ah, nuam a sa ngial uhi. Lounawl khawng a be-ai thang khawng vil in hun a zang ua, a chimkei hial uhi. Khenchiang in khonawl a reserve gam ah a va vaak ua, pateh tampipi peuh a va bot uhi. Nenem in linggap amuh in a deih mahmah a, a kaina singkung lah a sangsim a, Lianpu singkung haang kholkei mahleh lou zoulou hih ding utlou in lau sim pipi in a va kah a, linggap peuh inn a hon tun lemlum uhi.

Khavei huchia gamlak a hoh khomual a hong tun un Lianpu'n Nenem a houpih a;

'Nem, thil khat k'on gen aw?''Bang thu eita?''Tangvalte'n nungakte' kia a genzelte uh. I nu leh pa'n a suk tangtun zohlouh uh en i tangtungsak mai diam?''Thil khat na hon chiam thei diam?''Bang eita hon gen ve.''Chiam thei di maw theilou di gen phot aw.''A thu theilou in chiamthei mawklou e. A thu hon hilh ve, kipaktak in ka hon chiam khamoh di hia!''Hiai n'on chiam thei diam, kua hiam in a huahsak ziak a na khut apan a hon suhlouh ding uh!''Na pa'n na nu a piak khosakna aleh nih ka hon pe ding!'

A kumnawn tu bang hun in Kaihlam tang tuh biakinn a kitenna dak ging in a thawn zuaizuai a, khotang in lah a tanchin a theihsa uh ahihman in kuapeuh kitenna uap ding a kithalawp chiat uhi. Huchi in huai ni in sawtpi a gen ding uh tangthu a piang hi.

©Siamsinna leh Vakiangbu