Peshawar Tlangval

A hming chu “Alexander Mehboob” a nia, Pakistan-a ram bial pakhat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa  Ram bial huamchhung,  Peshawar-a khawsa a ni. Zirna lamah MA (Islamiyat) leh MA (International relation), M.Div a ni a. A pa hi zirtirtu a ni a, a pu hi Pastor a ni thung, a pami te 2 hi pastor an ni bawk. A pa pu hi Sikh sakhua aṭanga Kristiana inlet a ni a, hemi achinah hian an chhungkua hi rawngbawltu chhungkua an ni chho ta zel a ni.

Rev. Alexander Mehboob,  MA (Islamiyat), MA (IR), M.Div.

Tlangval harhvang tak, sa pan thler thlawr a ni a. Ka hmuh hmasak ber nia a chipui te Urdu ṭawnga bia a, a teikual vel ruai kha mitthlaah a la cham reng mai. Kamis ṭial leh kekawrtlawn ngalrek chen a haa, chappal a bun a, a kamis hi a benglut lem lo thung. A kamis kar aṭangin a kekawr benga a key chain khai – Pakistan Flag lem chu a lang zauh zauh bawk a, eng thuamhnaw pawh inbel se he keychain hi a khai reng a, a kawr awmah Pakistan flag anga siam lapel pin a bel reng bawk. A bak hmul a zuah kual a, a hmuihmulin a heh a khuh lek lek a, a ṭawng karlakah a tuai chho leh lawk ṭhin. A hmel en mai kha chuan khawilam ringthar nge maw niang le? Tih tur khawpa dawldang a ni a, he’ng laia Punjabi kan lo hmuh ve ṭhin te nen chuan an sa chu inmuk hleih tak a ni.

Mahni inuluk tak a ni tih erawh a hriat theih mai. Function pangngai chinah chuan puithiam kawr (clerical shirt) a ha a, pheikhawk pum a bun ap reng bawk. Chutianga a inthuam aţang chuan Pastor a ni tih kan hriat theih phah ta hlauh bawk a. Zan khat chu Cultural Programme kan hmanga, mahni hnam inchei dan a inchei tur a ni a, hemi ţum hian kan Peshawar tlangval hi Kurta var suit hain a rawn inthuama, chumi chungah chuan kawrchung dum a la ha hrama. Tuifinriat kam ṭiauphoa che velah chuan a la smart ber awm e.

Peshawar tlangval, St. Stephen Church kawtah

Alexander-a hian St. Albert’s College, Karachi aṭanga BA a zawh hnuin, Peshawar University aṭangin MA (Islamiyat) a zo leh a, Masters in International Relationship a zo bawk. St. Thomas Theological seminary, Karachi aṭanga M.Div. a zawh hnuah Pastor atana nemngheh a ni a, kum 2013 aṭangin Church of Pakistan hnuaia Faisalabad Diocese-ah Chaplain niin rawngbawl hna bul a ṭana, kum 2017 aṭangin Peshawar Diocese-a ṭhalai rawngbawlna enkawltuah a ṭang ta a ni. Pathianniah Pathian biak Inkhawm Urdu leh English Service an nei ṭhin a, Zirtawp chhun dar 12-ah “Lalpa Zanriah Sakramen” an kil a, tlai dar 5:30-ah “Damna inkhawm” an nei zui leh a, engemaw changin nilainiah inkhawm an nei ṭhin bawk.

Pakistan Kristiante chungchang sawi dunin Fk-i nen

Pakistan Rama Kristianna dinhmun

Chanchinthar kan dawn tam zawk hi Pakistan rama Kristian te dinhmun chhiat zia leh an chep zia hlirin a awh khata. Ringthar thah thu te Biak In suasam tih te hi kan hriat lar a ni. Chanchinthar thehdarhtu te hian chanchin dik tak emaw a nihna tak tarlan emaw ai chuan a nih bak hret, mi te ngaihven tur zawngin an chhuah fo ṭhin nia an sawi hi a tak tak emaw tih mai a awl ṭhin. Pakistan-ah hian kum zabi 18 chhoah khan Kristianna hi a lut tawha; Bristish sipai te leh Missionary ten Kohhran an lo phun daih tawh a ni.

Rev. Alexander Mehboob, Youth Coordinator, Peshawar Diocese, Church of Pakistan

Pakistan hi Islam dana inkaihhruaina ram a nih avangin sakhaw dang te tan hmalak erawh a har hle. An ram danah sakhaw danga inleh hi khap bur a ni a, chutih rual chuan sakhaw dang aṭanga Islam-a an inleh erawh chuan harsatna engmah an tawk ngailo thung. Islam sakhaw  vuantu Kristianah emaw, sakhaw dangah emaw inpe ta se, sorkara a inziahluh tirha a inziahluh dan kha Muslim a nih si chuan a sakhua kha sorkarin a thlak sak duh ta ṭhin lo a ni. Tin, hetiang boruak a thlen hian han rikhluai chang an neih ṭhin a, Kristian ten a pawng a puia tihduhdahna an tawrh loh thu leh an chunga hleilenna a nazawngin a thleng lo niin Peshawar tlangval hian a sawi bawk.

“Kristian te chu an taimaa, an rinawma, hna an thiam bawk” tih hi Pakistan rama ringlo mi ten Kristian te an hmuh dan a ni.

Pakistan Kristian ţhalaite

Pakistan rama ringtu te aw ka ngei aṭanga an ṭhalaite dinhmun leh ningkhawng han dawnsawn chu ngaihthlak a nuamin rilru a khawih teh e! Rawngbawl dan chi hrang hrang an neia, chung zinga danglam tak chu “Inter-Faith Youth Camp” (Sakhaw hrang hrang ṭhalaite intawhkhawm) kha a ni. Kar khat chhung teh meuh sakhaw hrang hrang ṭhalaiten intawhkhawm hun an hmang ṭhin a, chumi chhung chuan thil chi hrang hrang an zirho a, nunphung te, eizawnna kawng lam inkawhhmuhna leh inpumkhatna lam thu te an zir ber a, themthiamna kawnga hma an sawn theih dan tur te pawh an zir ṭhin bawk. He programme hi Church of Pakistan buatsaih a ni.

Pakistan rama Kristian te chanchin khunkhan takin kan sawiho

Tunlaina boruak hrang hrangin a chimbuai ve reng bawk. Kristian ṭhalai an inhlohna tam ber chu nupui pasal inneih vang niin an sawi bawk. Kristian tlangval tan Islam nula neih chu a theihloh tluk a ni a, an inneih dawn chuan tlangvalin a Kristianna bansana Islam a zawm emaw a nih loh chuan buaina nasa tak an tawk mai ṭhin. Chutihrual chuan Kristian nula leh Islam tlangval inkarah erawh harsatna a awm lem lo, nula kha Islam-a a inpêk mai avangin! Islam tlangval leh Kristian nula inngaizawng sawi tur an tama, nula ten an Kristianna an phatsan zel bawk si avangin Kristian te tan chuan channa nasa tak a ni a, Pakistan rama Kristian ṭhalai hruaitu te rilru tihahtu lian tak a ni.

Training chung zawnga zawhna ngah ber a ni hial awm e!

Ruihhlo avanga harsatna erawh an tawk lem lo. Islama dana rorelna a nih avangin drug leh ruihhlo dang a zalenlo a, ṭhalai zingah ruihhlo ngai an awm meuh lo.

Kristian ṭhalai nge nge

Eizawnna leh hna zawnna lamah sakhaw dang te aṭangin harsatna leh enhranna emaw an tawk ve lem lo. Chuti a hnehin Peshawar leh Hyderabad bawr vela Sawrkar leh mimal hna thawk tur phei chuan Kristian ṭhalai an duh ber lawi tlat si hi thil chhinchiah tlak tak a ni. “Kristian te chu an taimaa, an rinawma, hna an thiam bawk” tih hi Pakistan rama ringlo mi ten Kristian te an hmuh dan a ni. Keini ramah erawh “Kohhrana inhmang lo…” tih te hi hna siamtu te tehkhawng a ni lawia. KṬP ten inenfiah nan i hmang ang u. Pakistan Kristian ṭhalaite ang hian KṬP-a active tak te hi hnathawk tura min duh zawk theih nan theihtawp kan chhuah a ṭul hle mai.

India, Pakistan, England leh Sri Lanka palai te nen

Rev. Alexander Mehboob

Peshawar Tlangval, Rev. Alexader Mehboob nen hian SACYN Leaders Training 2017, Negombo-a intawng kan ni a, Hindi-in a ṭawng emaw ka tia, ka Hindi thiam ang angin ka bia a, anin Urdu-in ka bia emaw min lo ti ve thung a, “Urdu i thiam a ni maw” min ti awllo, thui erawh kan inbe thei lem hlei lo a, Hindi thiamin a tlin miau si loh chuan. Sapṭawng pangngai takin a 6awng thei a, a aw phawi pawh India rama Hindi hmang ho aw phawi ang tho a nih avangin hriat a harsa lo. Kan chamho chhung zawnga a ṭawngkam hmasa ber chu “inchungah thlamuanna awm rawh se” tih hi a ni. Traning-a tel ve, nula ho ten fiam tehah an neih a, thla te an lakpuia, an han lem fem vel ṭhin a, ani mi kulmuk chi tih takah a hnar nasa thei hle. Chumi hmu chak chuan a aia uar sauhin an han fiam ta ṭhina, a ṭang nasa ṭhin khawp mai.

Nepal leh Myanmar palai te nen

Tlangval hawihhawm leh bengvar tak a ni a, kan haw tur pawh min thlah thlap nghe nghe a. Training chhung zawnga zawhna ngah ber a ni ta hial awm e. Peshawar Diocese ṭhalai te zinga rawngbawltu pawimawh tak, an khaipa – coordinator a ni a. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province chhunga Kristian ṭhalaiten kawng hrang hranga hma an sawn theih dan tur ngaihtuahin Peshawar Diocese hian hma an la a, sakhaw dang ṭhalaite nen pawh thawhhona ṭha tak neiiin, innghirngho lovin, chak tak siin rawngbawl hna a kalpui mek a ni. SACYN Leaders Training-ah hian Pakistan aṭangin mi 3 an rawn tela, pakhat hi chu resource person a ni nghe nghe. Tin, England-a cheng, Pakistan mi, nula pakhat a rawn tel bawk.

Field Visit-ah team khatah kan awm dun

SACYN Leader’s Training 5th Module 2017 hi Negambo, Sri Lanka-ah neih  a ni a. Khawvel ram hrang hrang – Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, England, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan leh Sri Lanka aṭangin kan kalkhawma. India ram aṭang hian Kohhran 3 (CSI, Syrian Orthodox leh PCI) atangin kan kala, CKTP (Mizoram Synod) aiawhin Nl. Lalfamkimi (Fk-i) nen kan kal.

SACYN 2017 palai te

[Kristian Thalai Chanchinbu April 2018-ah tihchhuah a ni]

Ayubhowan: A Ceylon Diary

There’s a hymn by Reginald Heber (1783-1826) we used to sing, which read –

“What though the spicy breezes, Blow soft o’er Ceylon’s isle…”

Since then, the name Ceylon has been lingering in my mind. The Lord showed His mercy on me, and giveth me the privileged to experience the spicy breezes that blow across the Indian Ocean, for a week.  Like the hymnodist said, it was a beautiful country, which earnestly longed and sacrificed for peace.

Yet again, my camera was my diary, it freezes those moments, that portray Sri Lanka, the nation, that wished me “Ayubhowan” (May you live long).

Deities of the Kohomba

A twin percussionists played the Geta Beraya in a vibrant rhythm. The dancers swirl and swing to the groove of the percussions, and occasionally sang the vannam (a kind of recitation). Most vannam describe the behaviour of animals.

Kandyan dance is believed to originate from the dance performed by the deities of Kohomba in central Sri Lanka.

A group of dancer performing the Kandyan dance

The innaugural procession of the SACYN 2017 was led by these dynamic Kandyan dancers.

Family matter

A sweet smile was their response, as I point my lens towards them, a Sinhalese family. All through the week, I have noticed that the Sinhalese communities are a happy community.

A Sinhalese family – their simple gesture makes me feel at home

One of the major battles the Sri Lankan’s are facing is the battle, with nature, for land. Impact of climate change has been suffered by the country. Submerging of land is one of the major impacts. Land dispute between the Government and the citizens, especially the grassroots is another battle they are fighting. Submerging of land and the 30 years’ war the country had gone through enhanced the dispute.

All these internal conflicts and disputes are a family matters of the country. But climate change…its a matter of the earthlings as a whole!

Life along the Salt Canal

Reclamation and submerging of lands has always been a subject in an Island ecosystem. Several lands are often washed off or submerged by the sea waters. The Muthurajawela wetland in Negambo, Sri Lanka is also among those, often submerged by salt water. A canal was built by the British to drain the salt water in 1802 and named it Hamilton Canal (aka Dutch Canal). At present, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area.

Settlement along the Salt canal

Houses are constructed along the canal, leaving only a narrow footpath, without a railing. It seems the settlers are well adapted to it, and never fell into the canal. On the contrary, I was told that a few moments before I shot this photo, a three-wheeler fell in it, but from the other side of the canal.

Fisherman’s agony
Fishing industry is one of the most blooming industries in the Sri Lankan economy. The government has envisioned a large scale fishing industry.At present, the fishing community comprises of the traditional fishing community with an improvised or modernised oruvas (sailing canoe). These fishermen are the grassroots of the society, continuing the fishing legacy for more than a century.

The Government’s new policy on the fishing industry is not so welcomed by them, as they have a suspicion that they will be overthrown by the corporate. The National Fishery Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) endlessly fights for the rights of the fishing community.

Fisherman untangled their caught

If the policy is empowered, not only the grassroots will suffer, but the method adopted by the fishing industry is detrimental to the environment; increasing the rate of erosion and submerging of coastal low lands. Fighting against both the climate change and the policy agonised the fisherman.

Fading glory

As the government is eyeing to enlarge the fishing industry, the traditional fishing communities, the grassroots of the society, are in despair. To them, fishing is not only a passion, but a life and a legacy.

With the advent of the corporate equipped with hi-tech fishing gears, the fishing legacy of the indigenous community is fading day by day, dwindling year after year.

A wife helped her fisherman-husband in picking the fishes and the crustaceans entangled in the net. Women play an active role in fighting for the rights of the fisherman.

There will be times when the traditional fishing technique will be seen only through art works, when the oruvas is only a museum collection. When those times come, they’ll ponder upon the good old days, their glorious days that fade…

Sanguine

After hearing all the country’s dark side, I met this young boy, who just came back from school. He was neither bothered by the past nor the future, but enjoyed the present. A confident smile was his reaction to the lens being aimed at him.

A Jolly and confident young boy of Negambo city.

He might not understand the struggle that the Lankan’s had gone through. He might not be aware of the bloody war that was fought. The consequences of the war were beyond his perception. But he’s enjoying the moment, he’s the new generation, a generation of peace and tranquility.

Walking the Negambo City

Negambo is a City on the west coast of Sri Lanka, north of the capital, Colombo. It is famous for its lagoon and beach.

A lottery counter in Negambo

A Lottery counter on the roadside had an ample amount of customers.

Street food- Almost all the food items contained at least a few pinched of sea food.

We were relentlessly searching for a street food hawker. We finally managed to find this guy. He might be a Sri Lankan Tamil, and the fruits that he hanged suggested he’s a Hindu.

A girl, waiting for a school bus

The internal politics of the country is beyond our knowledge. Many blamed the Government for not providing sufficient humanitarian aid to the civil war refugee. This picture, reminded me of those that still suffered the consequences of the civil war.

Peace – a Tamil gentleman

On the contrary, this Tamil gentleman gestured the sign of peace. Ironically, the Sri Lankan Civil War was fought between the Tamil separatist and the Sri Lankan Government.

Devotion
As she finished her noon prayer, a believer rejoicingly left the Church. She was sitting and praying at the back pew. She was wearing a hearing aid. I, oftenly, used to think that what the mainstream society called differently-abled are more devoted and consecrated to their faith.

A devoted believer

St. Stephen’s Church has a long history. Built in 1877 and consecrated on Jul. 31, 1880, was declared as Archaeological protected monument in 2011; and it belongs to the Anglican Church.

St. Stephens Church, Negambo

I bid goodbye to Sri Lanka on Oct. 14, 2017.

“Ayubhowan, Sri Lanka”