- Written by CVL Hmangaihzuali, Fifth Semester, Media Technologies, 2023
Another day, the same old routine set by the 64 years old lovely lady as she slowly start to make her way to her shop in Jingkeing. She starts her day by praying and ask God to guide her throughout the day. She happily opens her shop and take out her knife and start peeling Kwai. Bundles of Items hanging like decorations and plants waiting for there forever home. Different kinds of books and Bibles placed neatly behind the front shop and different designs of coats and bags hanging like a big wardrobe. This is the shop of Pi Darthangpuii, a 64 years old female bread winner of the family. Life is like a soft and gentle breeze hitting the face on a misty morning for Pi Puii. However managing the shop and her family have not been easy and will never not be easy. Unfolding the story of a woman whose purpose in life is to feed her husband, her two sons.
Rough hands which tells a story of a hardworking human. Pi Puii was born on the 8th of August 1960 in Lamka, Manipur. She is the eldest daughter amongst the six siblings, after her parents divorced when she reached her early teenage years. She was sent away to stay with her aunt for many years and was abused physically and mentally, missing her parents, siblings and her home; Pi Puii did not have a choice but to suffer. Though situations may vary for her, she was given education when she passed 12th grade, her father remarried and so, Pi Puii returned back to her home where she worked as a teacher in Don Bosco school. But due to Mizoram fighting for Independence from the British rule in the year 1895, they then migrated from Manipur to Myanmar due to her father’s position in the military. After few years of living in Myanmar, they then moved back to Manipur for few months and there she and her now husband Pastor Remnghaka fell in love and went to Shillong to get married.
Her life is like coffee, it melts your soul on a cold winter day with its warmth. However, if you leave it for too long, the coffee loses its warmth. Pi Thangpuii moved to Shillong after her marriage for couple of months but due to her husband’s work as a pastor, they had to move to Delhi for several years. There they had their first son, in the year 1990. Unfortunately, after having their first child Pi Puii lost five childen in her womb. After long five years of staying in Delhi, they decided to move back to Shillong as her husband decided to settle down and retire as a travelling pastor. The desire to have another child filled both the hearts of the couple. Although Pi Puii’s health does not live up to par to have a child again, they decided to try once more. With prayers and desperation in their hearts, on the year 1997, their second son was born.
After their second son was born, they managed to rent a shop in Jingkieng in the year 1998 which made them the first Mizo to ever own a shop in Jingkieng, opposite to the football ground. Then, the headquarters of the Church in which her husband is a pastor decided that it would be convenient for them to make income as at this point Pastor Remnghaka decided that it is time for him to retire as a travel pastor. The headquarters made the decision and entrusted them to take care of the Synod Book room of Shillong. The back side of their shop is a book room where people can rent books and also buy Bible while their front shop is a normal shop filled with snacks and daily needs.
Now, in the present time. Her eldest son, John is working outside Shillong and is independent whereas her younger son Martin is still studying and doing his internship. Her husband is at home making household items that they need and help Pi Thangpuii with their business. Her daily life starts with waking up early in the morning to water her plants, prepare breakfast for her family and their two students from Aizawl, to walking towards her shop to sit and earn for their rent and daily needs.
And I quote, “ Sometimes life can be depressing and I feel like giving up, but if I give up my family will have no food to eat, no money to pay rent and no place to go. My eldest son’s income is too less to back us up and my younger son is still studying. Then, I will think to myself and say, “ it is okay, why worry when we have God and I have repeated that same thing over and over again for the past 50 years of my life"
Commentaires