Excerpts from the book LAMCHWA

1.

Coal dumped on roadside

Seven years back, coal mine owners started stockpiling their coal near the eastern bank of the stream which was near the main road. During the rainy season, acidic water from the coal piles drained into the stream and the pool, making the water acidic. The tadpoles, their parents and other resident fellow creatures didn't like this water that burned their eyes and ate into their skin. They slowly began to disappear from the pool. Now, no living animal lived in the pool; the herbs and grasses too had vanished. Only the trees and shrubs in the grove were resilient enough to remain standing there – silent witnesses to a silent massacre.

2.

Lamchwa changing the Tyre for Mr. Kiang

‘What honour? What dignity?’ Kiang retorted. ‘How could I have insulted your honour and dignity when you have none?’

Rocky replied, ‘You think so? Is that dog Lamchwa worth more to you than me? I, who have served you for much longer than him!’

Kiang replied in a firm voice, ‘Yes, a faithful dog is worth more than a snake that bites the hand that feeds it!’

Rocky was incensed at Kiang’s words. He flared, ‘A snake, you call me! A snake?’ He shook Kiang as he said this and continued, ‘Now, I will give you a taste of this snake’s poison!’ He motioned to his cohorts and said, ‘Bind him!’

3.

Lamchwa and Pynhun during one of their field trips

She returned with a jug of drinking water and placed it on the bedside table next to the glass. She looked at him and thought that he was already asleep. She pulled the blanket over him and also put the extra blanket over it. She then walked noiselessly to the door and switched off the light and was about to leave the room when she paused a second and then walked back to the bed silently. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead and then jumped back in surprise when she heard him say, ‘Kiss me here too; just half an inch below the nose, please!’

She scolded him mockingly, ‘Tut! I thought you were already asleep! Go back to sleep now. You need to rest and get up early tomorrow morning.’

‘Okay, Madam.’ He said and wished her good night. She wished him back and left the room shutting the door behind her.

Lamchwa was still smiling as he re-arranged his pillow and straightened himself on the bed. He replayed Pynhun’s parting words in his mind and it made him smile with delight. She had said to him, ‘Good night my darling; sleep well. I shall come to see you in your dreams!’

4.

One of the many waterfalls in Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya

The sun had disappeared from the horizon, but its golden rays lingered on, among the clouds and around them with an orange hue. As Pynhun looked towards the western sky, she saw the scattered clouds glowing from the sun’s last rays. The cotton ball clouds had a golden lining, that shone very bright around their uneven perimeters, and it made her wonder that whoever first said that every cloud had a silver lining had probably never seen these clouds with their bright golden lining. She hoped that the dark clouds, which hovered over their minds and hearts, also had a golden lining to them.

She rose from her seat and beckoned to Salan to walk back home, and as they walked slowly along the village path, they wrapped their hands around their bosoms; it was mid-September and the evenings were getting colder. Nature was preparing her children with this prelude to winter.

5.

Pynhun and Lamchwa - deeply in love

Lamchwa was overwhelmed with ecstasy. He began to say, ‘Pynhun... I cannot tell you... I do not have the words to express... I am so very happy that you said those words to me. All my deficiencies vanish and are perfected by those three words! Tell me I am not dreaming!’

Pynhun did not answer him. Instead she moved closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder and rested her head on his chest. He held her with his eyes closed and head leaning back, thinking that if this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up from it!

They remained holding on to each other like that for a very long time – their hearts connected and in silent communication. There was no longer need for words - the courtship dance had ended and each had finally found its mate.