Chapter 2: Exploring the Midlands, England.

Did you know that the name “England” is often mistaken for “United Kingdom” or “Great Britain?” England is one of the nations that make up the U.K. The people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although a part of Great Britain are not too pleased if mistaken for English! You will find Scottish nationalist, Welch nationalist and Irish Nationalist amongst the British, as most of us know them. They are proud of their unique national identities and their history, not to mention their accents!
But what makes "the British" as they can be called utterly refined and civilized as compared to many countries of the world today is perhaps their unity in thoughts and action, their mannerisms, their love of their country and sensitivities to their environment and people in general. A sentence is not spoken without a greeting- “Hi there” or “Hello, excuse me” nor complete without a “Cheers, Mate!” or “Thank you.” Just simple words really, but like I always say – These words can sometimes move mountains of cultural and linguistic barriers. It is no wonder that other Countries could not match Britain in diplomacy and British Rule not so long ago.
The administrative divisions of England is simple. They have Counties and Burgs, which may be equivalent to Indian States and Districts, although with distinctive connotations. I found it most convenient to plan my travel itinerary at Coventry, where I stayed with the small but lovely and generous family of Dr. Bish Elangbam(as popularly known in his University hospital). I could explore England, staying in this Midland Town and get the best out of the famously picturesque English Countryside.

My first day was to visit the birthplace of William Shakespear - Stratford upon Avon. It was not very far from Coventry and we drove down to see Anne Hathaway’s Cottage and Shakespear’s childhood home. The apple orchard and the forest walk impressed us most. The motorway was incredibly beautiful and so were the houses as we crossed many beautiful towns and cities such as Warwick, Kenilworth, etc. enroute our destination. The houses were mostly built with embossed red brick in a typically English architectural style. I saw English Tavern, Inns and the famous Avon River of Stratford upon Avon. Some folk artists band were performing on the cobbled street and people would drop a coin or two as a form of appreciation. What amazed me most was the preservation of their greenery, exotic flowers and homes which all bore different characters and colors based on the area and history. Almost all the homes have been preserved since the 17/18th Centuries or even earlier. Castles and Churches have been preserved to attract tourists, perhaps also as a reminder of their great heritage.

The next morning was sunny to start with and quite unpredictable as English weather goes, it rained in the afternoon. I tagged along for an English lunch to Cotswold. Bish, Bebe and I drove down with the help of GPS to visit their old friends, Lady Belinda and her husband, who lived in a quintessential English mansion at a beautiful and remote farm of Cotswold. The drive was fabulous. We had different courses of meal as usual with red wine and cheese, beside the main course. Their mansion was also of 17/18th century and during post lunch tea, we discussed about the state of affairs of Manipur and history. Incidentally, Lady Belinda happened to be an author on Manipur POLO and perhaps, sparked by one of her ancestrial link with the colonial British era of Manipur, she continued to be fascinated by our history and people. On our return journey, we stopped to experience an English Pub in Cotswold, in one of the most romantic places on Earth! All credit to my wonderful host for giving me a new vista of English countryside and lifestyle.

To be continued.

THE FESTIVAL OF KANG OR RATHYATRA IN MANIPUR

The festival of Kang falls on the 24th of June for this year, 2009. Like Holi, This is another important festival of the Hindu Meiteis. All I know about Kang is that it is usually celebrated for about 7 to 10 days, depending on the auspicious nature of the calendar. It is during Kang that we get to eat lots of Khichri with Mangal Oooti and Laphu Iromba, a speciality item of the brahmins. The first day is marked by the Rathyatra, which I have painstakingly tried to show in my graphic. The Raths will be pulled by men, women and children to stop at the gates of those who offer fruits and other items as darshan to Lord Jaganath. The air is filled with the fragrance of the burning Barti which the faithfuls believe must be either 108 or 18 in number as the most auspicious number to be offered to the Lord. Very often, children are seen grabbing the fruits and other offerings after the prayers and singing Hari Sankritan. At night, one can witness Jayadep chongba and Chali by elders and young girls in Mandaps. Then, it is followed by the Khichri chaba as the concluding event for the day. On the last day, which is called "kanglen" the same pattern is followed.