From the compilation ‘Khunung Eshei Nachom “by Lourembam Bedabati, this ballad “Lashing” is an ode to the cotton flower
Translated in English by: Dr. Aheibam Koireng
Resilient and yet so beautiful, these blossoms survived in the rocks and unfailingly accompanied humans from the cradle to the grave. In its journey as a life companion, this cotton flower as a cloth and held the newborn in its embrace when the baby takes the firstbreath of ‘earth-air’. When in its youth, the same flower gave work to the human hands and livelihood. A gift of exchange between the dwellers of hills and vales, this flower facilitated the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood in the land of the past and at the end, on the final journey to the land of eternal life, yet again the flower provided cover to the body. A call to the youth to save this precious life companion from extinction as a climax to this ‘flower-ballad’ makes it ever more relevant in the present when the world realizes how cotton cloth is the true life companion when artificial fibers prove toxic and harmful in every way both to the body and soil. Human imagination could only delight at the prospect of a flourishing livelihood means if only we make an effort to make the flower to fill the hills and the vales again.
Chingdai Pakhuli haa Mendo Ningthou
Into his rocky land wedded the flower
The Maring youth skilled at farming
Spade in hand
Did sow the flower
When on the fifth day
The flower had perished not
But had instead germinated.
And when the flower did bloom
The petals began unfurling
The Maring youth skilled jhum farmer
The farming-knife in hand
Did cut the bamboo hastily into shivers
Soft and good looking they were soon woven into baskets
The flower that became of Nongbaan’s tongue tip
Up to the brim it was filled
And to the rhythmic steps ‘heihei’
Sold it at MeidingolKeithel.
When as an infant the Earth-air was first felt the flower did embrace to nurture
And along with the smoke of death
Did journey to the spirit-world the human body it shrouded
It is the flower that accompanied the human till the realm of the guardsmen of Death.
When hundred damsels die
Hundred lads are awaited
When hundred lads die
Hundred damsels are awaited
When life soars up the heights in flames
The white clothes did canopy
The lifeless human body
When put up on the fire
Together in flames when the body catches fire
When the human
Stepped into the world
It was this flower that accompanied
Haada flower beloved
Oh blossoms, you are adored!
The name of the flower,
Tender and delicate, I will call you ‘Lashing’
When settlement began
Civilization started
Stories of days long gone
When fathers and fore father started to migrate
The flower did accompany
The name of the flower
Sung in echoes blossoming on the mountains, the cotton flower
Glowing in the golden land of Poirei,
The flower that partook in ‘creation’
Up to the land of death did accompany
Glowing in the land of Poirei this flower
Befriending gift between dwellers of hills and vales, this flower
The fame gone far and wide, this flower
Befriending gift of hills and vales, this flower
Tender cotton oh beloved flower
Would be lost, precious flower
Oh young men and women hear you,
Come let’s save this ‘awakening flower’
Would surely extinct this ‘precious flower ‘
Oh flower wedded to the central PayangPadaivillage .
More delicate than the lush jhum fields of my fatherland Tangkhul.
Copper colour you resemble
The petals when looked upon
Cock’s feet you resemble
At the forefront beloved
Of the world you thought of shining
Fair lass of Heigang
Pretty lass of Lamgang
Daughter of Anaan Naanphon she is
As rare as the melei orchid
The lass of the Heigang Lamgang
The lass of Anaan Naanphou
Hanging on her back in the hillsmen baskets
Did reach the golden market
Your glorious name
A human I am, I sing of you
Lasing
Chingdai Paakhulihaa Mendo Ningthou
Nungairaktabuongbi lei
Maringnahaa Pam heiba
Yotlenkhutapai
Malemleikantou
Leiraangi khongul leerubdi
Singelsumitlollamde
Leiraangtounoudumhullami
Leiraangnaleisattamlakpa
Singelnamakafallakpa
Maringinahaa Pam heiba
Kamthithangjoukhutapai
Khongyanwaabutanasai
Leihoukhongdranamiba
Nongbaan tangja leiton aonbi lei
Leiraang ipomai sijille
‘Hei-Hei’ khongthangda
Meidingol keithelda yollare
Taibang malang faobadana owoklei
Thambal meikhu khuhaalam yaikaithin tam
Khamnung maikei paangbada namuku maikuptuna
Haathougaak masaigon paangminababu leinida.
Nura chaamana siraga
Paakhang chaamana ngainaching
Paakhang chaamana siraga
Nura chaamana ngainaching
Tha waikhong kaehulwaibada
Korou phingou thaktak haan
Thawai yaodraba hakchaagna
Khambi meithakta thambada
Meiriga meiwaiminnabada
Namu taibangna maalemda
Kongdarakpa matamda
Loinaraklaba singelnida
Haada leirang leinungshi
Singel nungbu nunshijei
Leirang koloi mamingse
Sinou lashing kougeko
Poirei khundaraklaba
Taibang khulginglaklaba
Meina waitaangnasam
Pathaang Phutaang khunthokngeidagi
Loinarakaba leirang
Singel maagi koloibu
Khonthang yeina saknari
Chingda saatpi lasinglei
Poirei sana ngaanalei
Taibang leise myoanalei
Amang tharei loinalei
Poirei saana ngaanalei
Chingtam chaana khudolei
Mingchat maiyong yaanalei
Ching tamchaana khudolei
Sinou lasing nungsilei
Maangkhiba tare pamulei
Saabisanoukanna lei
Kansilaogaba yakailei
Mangkhrabadine lasing lei
Maangba soidre pamulei
Payaang padai khullen yaidaongbi lei
Taangkhul epaam paamnoubu henna nouna
Ngaanabisingel louwutaabadi
Kori chinbunmaanbi lei
Leirang leina taabadi
Kairei yengkhong maanbi lei
Mairong thaabalei nungshi
Taibang ngaangebu khallkl
Heingnang chanu shakhenbi
Lamgaang chanu fajabi
Anaan naanphou chanuni
Melei masagumna taangbini
Heingaang lamgaang chanuna
Annan naanphouchanuna
Sanaa keithelyourakle
Singel kolloidi ahenba
Taibang eihaakna seithajei.