Mizo: VÂNLAM ngaihna

“Chutichuan, Krista hnenah kaihthawhin in awm ve tawh chuan chung lam, Pathian ding lama thu Krista awmnaa thil awmte chu zawng rawh u. Chung lama thil awmahte chuan in rilru nghat tlat rawh u, leia thil awmahte chuan nghat lovin.” - Kolossa 3:1-2



“Vanlam Ngaihna” han tih chuan kan rilru ah lusunna emaw thihna lampang emaw a lo lang nghal deuh zat in ka ring. Ni e, kan hmangaih em em leh kan la thlakhlelh ngawih ngawih laia kan duhtak mai ten chatuan ram min han pan san mai hi chuan rilru hian vanlam a ngaiin kan hmangaih kalta te lenna hmun tur lam, rilru ah a cham reng thin a ni. A nih loh vek leh rilru hi a beidawng a, mahni intih hlum mai duhna te rilru ah a lo lang chuai chuai thei bawk.

Mahse, tuna ka thupui atana “Vanlam Ngaihna” ka han tih chhan chu lusun vang lam emaw, chhiatna leh lungngaihna tawh vang lam emaw a ni lova, a chunga ka Bible chang thlana kan hmuh ang khian, piangthar tawh, Lal Isua nun tawmpui ve tawh tute kan nih chuan kan rilru hian englai pawhin vanlam hi a ngai tur a ni tih lam hawi zawnga han sawi ka duh a ni.

A tlangpuiin mihringte hian (Kristian intite zingah bik hian), kan nawmlai leh kan hausakna in min tih nawm lai te hi chuan Pathian hi kan rilru ah hian a lang ngai meuh lova, a chhan chu min awitlei thei tur thildang kan nunah kan lakluh thin vang a ni a, mahse kan nawmna leh kan hlimna te chu a lo chuai a, chung hunah erawh chuan kan rilru in Pathian a au a, lungngaihna kan han tawh chiah phei hi chuan kan chhungril hi a rumin a rum tlawk tlawk thin a ni. Tawngtai tamah te, Inkhawm taihmak ah te, Camping-a luh duhna te kan put phah hial thin a ni. A engapawh chu lo nise, Pathian hnaih duhna keimahnia siamtu an nih chuan engpawh mai hi a tha vek a ni. Khawvela awm kan nih miau avang hian ringtute hian kan nunah harsatna tamtak kan tawkin, a chang chuan tluk changte pawh kan nei thin, kan nawm deuh leh kan hlimna in a vawrtawp a thlenlai ngat phei hi chuan vanlam hi kan hre chang tawh lo reng reng a ni, a chhan chu kan nunah hian thildang Lal Isua aia langsar zawk hi a lo tam em em mai thin a, chu chuan hmuh theih loh leh nghal kan Pathian leh min chhandamtu kan Lal Isua hmel hi a lo hliah leh mai thin a ni.

Mahse, Bible chang kan hmuh ang khian, misualte kan nih lai leh bawlhhlawh hlawm khawm kan nih lai, kan thlarau thleng maia Pathian laka thi kan nih lai meuh pawha hmangaihna avanga thisen far zawih zazwih khawpa tuartu, min chhandamtu Isua Krista rualin Pathian chuan min kaitho ve a, chatuana boral tur kan thlarau nunna leh kan sual ngaihdamna te nen Lal Isua chu Pa dinglamah a han thu ta a, kan aiawhin Pathian hmaah a han ding a, thiamloh channa reng awm tawh lovin, Lal Isua thisen hlu ah chuan a lungawi em em a ni.

Chutak chu a ni, Paula’n chunglam Krista awmnaa thilawmte chu zawng tura min lo hrilh, chutah chuan thihna in kan taksa a fan chhuah huna kan thlarau a kal huna he khawvela kan awmdan ang zela kan lawmman tur chu buatsaihin a awm a ni. Chu lawmman chhe theilo chu englai pawhin kan rilru ah suangtuahna nena mitthla chung zelin he khawvelah hian nung turin min ti a, he khawvel thil reilote atan chauh leh reilote hnua chhe leh mai thei chungah hian kan rilru te nghat lo turin min hrilh a ni.

Chuvangin, Lal Isua ruala kaihthawh tawhte chuan vanlama kan chanvote a lo len deuh deuh theihna tur leh kan thlarauin chatuan meidil a luh loh na turin vanlam a roreltu kan Pathian ropui ber hi tih ila, he khawvelah hi chuan ringtute tan chuan hrehawmna a tam em em a, mahse mikhual mai kan ni tih in hre rengin, min chhandamtu Lal Isua hi tawlhbo san lo turin kan ke chheh te ti nghet ila, Amah ah chauh innghatin, midangte en tawh lovin, vanlam atanga min lo thlir rengtu kan Pathian hian min en liam mai mai lo a ni tih hi i hre reng ang u.

Ringtu hawikirte zinga chhiar tel kan nih lohna tur leh kan rilru in vanlam a ngaih em em theihna tura chakna min pe theitu Thlarau Thianghlim kaihhruaina chu chang thei theuh turin tawngtai ila, Pathian remruatna fing tak leh Lal Isua, kan aia Lal hmaa han ding chuan englai pawhin a hre reng che a, i tan a dilpui reng che a ni tih hre reng ang che. Vanlama thil awmah te i rilru i nghah tlat theihna turin Lalpa’n malsawm che rawh se.


[He thuziak tha tak mai hi ka thian tha em em mai, LALHRUAITLUANGA HMAR (Vala) ziah a ni. Bangaloire Mizo Christian fellowship official newspaper: Koinonia [vol.VI, Issue No.1 (April 1, 2011)]-ah editor ka nih laia ka chhuah a ni. He thuziak i chhiar zawh hian inngaihtuah la, Van lama thil awmah te i rilru i nghah tlat theihna turin inbuatsaih rawh le ka unau - Samuel Lalrozama Hmar. ]

English:MARTIAL ARTS - the estranged child of Mother India

If you ask our average Indian citizen, “what is martial arts ?”, he/she imagines either a kung fu film or video arcade game containing loud and heroic elements with plenty of arm waving and aggressive gestures. Sadly, many such folks do not even know that martial arts, arguably, took birth in ancient India, a country that now worships Cricket. A vast majority believes martial arts to be an export from the Orient. It appears that in our country, martial arts is like a tourist wandering with passport problems. The truth is, it is the long lost child of India that has not been given its due recognition.

Wrestling and boxing are considered the earliest forms of fighting for survival or sport. The oldest fighting records date back to over 5000 years in Indian epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata) and illustrated in scrolls in Egyptian tombs over 4000 years ago.

Martial arts evolved in ancient India. Two good examples are Vajramukti (thunderbolt fist) and Kalaripayattu (meaning fight school in Malayalam). The former was developed by the warrior caste or Kshatriyas. It consists of grappling, boxing, gymnastics, weaponry and the study of vital point striking. The latter developed in Kerala and is popular to this day. It is complemented by ‘nature-cure’ techniques and bone setting practices to treat those who get hurt while learning or practising this art. Also called ‘mother of all martial arts’, it involves 7 levels of physical agility, weapons handling and hand-to-hand combat.

Later, along with Buddhism, martial arts spread to Tibet as ‘Lions Roar’ and to China as Tai chi chuan, qigong, kung fu, shaolin boxing Xingyiquan, Baguazhang and Kempo; crossed over to Japan as aikido, karate, judo and ju-jitsu. In Taiwan, judo was developed. Reaching Korea, martial arts developed as Tae-kwon do.

It was an Indian monk Bodhidharma (also known as Da Mo in China) who started it all. Born around 440 CE in Kanchi( the then capital of southern Indian kingdom of Pallava) into the warrior caste, he received Buddhist teachings from a young age and was also said to be proficient in Kalaripayattu, which he took across the Himalayas to Tibet and then to China and started what became known as Chan(or Zen) Buddhism. In the shaolin temple, he taught zen principles and yogic martial arts exercises to strengthen the weak and sickly monks who, after years of static meditation, lacked physical strength and vigour. Qigong and Shaolin kung fu developed thereafter.

To support the fact that Indian martial arts is the source of all others, let us look at two other aspects, namely "Lion’s roar" and "Internal energy". Tibetan Buddhist lamas for self-protection developed Lion’s roar. It uses the anatomy of the body both for defence and attack. It does not kill but makes the attacker temporarily incapable of action by clutching or striking such part of the attacker’s body to make it numb. This is exactly similar to the south Indian combat form Marma Adi(vital point strike) and Japanese Dim-mak(death-touch). Chi kung or Qigong which implies the use and development of internal energy called chi or qi is no different from the prana of Pranayam in Yoga. Chi isn’t something martial arts discovered. The gentle art (qigong or tai chi) is just a reference to its roots in Yoga and meditation.

Having said this, shouldn’t we be proud of our great culture and heritage? If we compare martial arts to Lord Krishna, China to Yashoda and India to Devaki- then yes; Yashoda did raise Krishna, but Devaki remains the original mother. Unfortunately some of the things that originated in India is not as appreciated in India as is revered elsewhere- be it Ayurveda, Yoga or Buddhism. Martial arts need good support and encouragement in India. A sense of awareness must prevail about the holistic benefit of learning martial arts, and not confining its significance to just self-defence, or a form of exercise. Every Indian woman must be encouraged to learn keeping in mind the need for self-defence and preserving one’s honour and dignity. Bruce Lee learnt and practised Wing chun which was conceptualized by two Chinese women some centuries back. Martial arts is a never-ending learning process, wherein at a philosophical or spiritual level, becomes a quest for self-realization. So Mother India – embrace your child and nurture it !


[The author,Mr. RATISH IYER, is a very good friend of mine; an ally in the aviation field and a fellow martial artist; and this is a second article of his writing that I'm posting. He is a student of Jeet Kune do, formerly trained in Karate on a basic level. A survivor of the terror attacks in Mumbai (26-29th November 2008, by Pakistani nationals which left 175 people dead and 308 injured), he returned to martial arts training after 15 years realizing that it was only Karate training in childhood that helped him remain steady and optimistic in those tense moments. The will power to defend himself even if it resulted in death is attributed solely to martial arts training which builds not only strength of body of mind, but also builds a strong character. May this Article bring light to the spirit of martial arts to all my compatriots - Samuel Lalrozama Hmar]

English: Your True FRIEND

He is

not just the one who’s there when you need him, but the one who’s there even when you don’t know that you needed him ;

not just the one who cares when you’re with him, but still cares even when you’re apart ;

not just the one who holds you tight, but the one who can set you free ;

not just the one who listens to what you’re saying, but the one who also listens to your silence ;

not just the one who directs you to the right path, but the one who influences you in the right way ;

not the one who thinks of you all the time, but the one who remembers you everytime ;

not the one with thousands of promises, but the one who does things at the right time ;

not the one who promises you the moon, but the one you who gives you just what you need ;

not just the one who will be willing to come and get you, but also the one who’ll help you stand firm where you’re standing ;

not the one who controls you for your own good, but the one who helps you understand your mistakes ;

not just the one who will always be there for you, but the one who’ll help you survive even on your own.

He is the one who knows that nothing lasts forever, and he is the one who wants you to be prepared for everything in life.

He is the one who loves you ; he is your true companion for life.


[These beautiful lines are compiled by Dr.EVELYN, a very good friend of mine. It'll be a wonderful thing to ponder on this note and try to live it out. - Samuel Lalrozama Hmar ]

English: A resurrected MARTIAL ARTIST

“As long as there have been people, there has been fighting. And as long as there has been fighting, people have devised ways of helping themselves fight.” – unknown



Nothing else can summarize in a better way my personal experience of the 26/11 Mumbai attack and how the dormant martial spirit woke up in the midst of terror and uncertainty.

I work for a European airline as Cabin Crew. The night of 26/11, I was resting peacefully in room 1511 of the Trident Mumbai hotel until I woke up startled by a phone call from a colleague about the crisis. The media coverage sent shivers down the spine as I watched the TV in utter shock and disbelief. My Indian colleague, put up in a few rooms away from mine, on the same floor knocked the door. She was petrified by the events and came to stay in my room. Hardly 30 minutes after she entered, we could hear somebody screaming out for help in the floor. It was my European colleague and though I sympathized with her anxiety, I had to stop her from doing something that could invite trouble. So I stepped out cautiously checking for any danger lurking in some elevator or staff passage and quickly moved to her room. After explaining to her the situation, she agreed to join us in my room. It was a risk again to head back to my room, but we made it!

We stayed awake silent, alert and not knowing if we should proceed to the emergency exit or not. We didn’t know how many terrorists present, on which floor, when the rescue team would arrive…nothing! To make matters worse, even the TV broadcast was unavailable and we depended only on sms’s and phone calls. Only a handful of snack packets and juices in hand, we managed to survive until the morning of 28/11/08- the day we were rescued!

Back to the situation- one sms that was a rumour but initially scared us was that the terrorists were planning to enter rooms randomly and shoot anybody they spot. We were agitated; the ladies proposed to head for the exit, whereas I urged them to stay back as I felt we were still safer in the room. All the time, I was missing my family- especially my pregnant wife who was due to deliver in mid-December. What if I can’t see her again? My child???…. With closed eyes, like a flash of light, my heart and mind was filled with a surge of will power and I felt the warrior in me rising up from a deep sleep of nearly 15 years. As a child I had learnt Karate to a basic level. Immature then, that moment I felt a strange determination and courage to take on any force, just to go back HOME. Truly said- crisis is the test of character.

I organized all potential weapons in the room for self-defense- iron box, ironing board, water kettle, candle stands, fruit knife, belt, and wooden fruit tray and dress hangers. Strategies devised, we waited and waited from 27/11 until 28/11 morning when we were rescued.

The next day I was home to the delight of everyone. I was glad my wife was alright. But then, on 1st December’08, she went into labour and my new life was celebrated with a gift from God – a healthy sweet little baby boy. I have named him ‘Jishnu’ which means victorious and one of the 10 names of ancient warrior prince Arjuna.

In May 2009, I started learning Jeet Kune Do, to continue the journey of self-discovery that I had abandoned some years back. I owe my existence to my martial arts training, which showed me my true self, and making me realize that each day passed is your victory in the duel with death. I have not quit my job but reflecting back on the ordeal, it feels great to be alive to see my child growing up before my eyes. I have started appreciating all the little things in life. I express my gratitude to the brave soldiers, my company, friends, relatives, colleagues and my love to all my near and dear ones whose motivation, love and prayers have made it possible for me to live so happily.


( note: names of colleagues and the organization have been deliberately withheld by the author for genuine reasons)

[The author,Mr. RATISH IYER, is a very good friend of mine; an ally in the aviation field and a fellow martial artist. He is a student of Jeet Kune do, formerly trained in Karate on a basic level. A survivor of the terror attacks in Mumbai (26-29th November 2008, by Pakistani nationals which left 175 people dead and 308 injured), he returned to martial arts training after 15 years realizing that it was only Karate training in childhood that helped him remain steady and optimistic in those tense moments.The will power to defend himself even if it resulted in death is attributed solely to martial arts training which builds not only strength of body of mind, but also builds a strong character.
A Mizo language version (translation) of this article was published in the Bangalore Mizo Weekly newspaper - BMA AW, Vol. XV Issue No. 23,dated Sept 06, 2009; when I was the editor of the same. - Samuel Lalrozama Hmar]