Arambam Bidhu : A living tale of a kings soldier

http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=13187

Thursday, 16 February 2012

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Arambam Bidhu : A living tale of a kings soldier

LD Miuzeeko Award held

IMPHAL, Feb 15: The 5th Laijon Digest Miuzeeko Award 2012 was held at LS Ground, Motbung amidst fanfare and musical extravaganza yesterday. Laijon Digest is a monthly magazine published in Thadou-Kuki dialect since 2006. The magazine initiated a step to promote and honour entertainers within the community by instituting the awards sin .....
16-02-2012 / Headlines / 0 Comments

More Family Courts mooted

IMPHAL, Feb 15 : Arambam Bidhu, now 93 years old has seen it all, survived it all and was one of the most trusted body guards of Maharaj Bodhchandra. Arambam Bidhu was born on December 20, 1918 in Langthabal Mantrikhong Awang Leikai. During the reign of Churachand Maharaj, Bidhu joined service as a soldier when he had not reached even 20. For his dedication to duty, Bidhu was entrusted several important works by the king. A Wedding Cavalcade Adds To The Traffic Congestion In Imphal Though 93 years old, Bidhu is still healthy. Though he has started bending a little bit, he can still move around riding a bicycle. During an exclusive chat with The Sangai Express, Bidhu said that he was once asked by Churachand Maharaj if he could kill his own parents after being inducted as a soldier. As prompted by a Naik he was sitting beside Bidhu, he replied in the affirmative. He recalled that he got Rs 7.50 as monthly salary. Bidhu was among 80 soldiers who were assigned the task of guarding the royal palace. Three years later, the younger ones among the 80 soldiers were transferred to the State Manipur Police (SMP) by an order issued by the Commandant Mr Hugh. At that time, SMP was commanded by one Inspector known as Khomdram IP. SMP personnel were detailed to fight in the WWII, better known as Japan Lan in Manipur, Bidhu narrated. Though Manipur Rifles was already raised by then, MR personnel were kept away from World War II. Though Bidhu enrolled as a soldier during the time of Churachand Maharaj, he was more acquainted and close to Maharaj Bodhchandra. From SMP, Bidhu was again assigned the task of guarding the royal palace. Maharaj Bodh-chandras first wife was a Nepali named Ishwari. On hearing about the impending Japan Lan, Bodhchandra directed Bidhu to escort the queen to Nepal. IMPHAL, Feb 15: Women community in the State are facing lots of hardships and inconveniences as the State has only one Family Court, said Human Rights Law Network (Manipur) Assis-tant Director Th Premlata. She was speaking as a resource person at a one-day legal awareness programme organised by Environment and Economics Management Ass .....
16-02-2012 / Headlines / 0 Comments

Lions club celebrates

IMPHAL, Feb 15: Around 30 persons of Kakching celebrated the formation of Lions Club of Kakching Greater at the auditorium of the Library and Information Centre, Kakching today. Lions CLub of Kakching Greater was formed in December 2011. A statement issued by Lions Club today informed that it plans to involve in campaign for diabetes .....
16-02-2012 / Sangai Digest / 0 Comments

ECI should exclude bogus votes at the time of counting

Sir, The recent elections to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly was supposed to be conducted under strict codes of conduct. So, the law-abiding citizens thought that boothrigging and voting through impersonation would, at last, become a history. It is true that voting through impersonation or proxy-voting has al .....
16-02-2012 / Letters to Editor / 0 Comments

A Gratitude

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16/2/2012 11:57 AM

Arambam Bidhu : A living tale of a kings soldier

http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=13187

Armed with a 303 rifle each, Bidhu and two other soldiers escorted the queen all the way to Nepal. On the return journey, Imphal-Dimapur road was found blocked which compelled Bidhu and his team to take Tongjei Maril road. By that time, Japanese army had already reached Nambol. They were apprehended by the Japanese soldiers and thrashed mercilessly. They were abandoned by the Japanese soldiers thinking that they were dead. After overcoming all the pain and obstacles, they managed to reach the palace, Bidhu recalled. On reaching the palace, Maharaj Bodhchandra promoted Bidhu to the rank of Naik. Two years later, he was again promoted to the rank of Havildar before becoming a Jemadar. Once he was promoted to the rank of Jemadar, Bidhu became very close to Maharaj Bodhchandra. Besides being a body guard of the king, he was also assigned many important tasks of the kingdom. Once the king accompanied by royal nobles and priests went to Khalong to offer a kritan there. The king and his entourage stayed at Khalong for about a month. One day, the king left behind his waist band in a latrine. He came to know it only when the entourage reached the foothills. At this, the priests and priestesses said that the waist band would not be found.
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Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses - Alphonse Karr. Ask a Rikshawala in North Delhi to take you to Chinky Vihar. Chances are that he will take you to Nehru Vihar, a place where you are greeted with vegetable hawkers, SHOUGREE LOURO, SHOUGREE LOURO .....
16-02-2012 / Articles / 0 Comments

Incident free third phase in UP election records around 57 per cent turn out Fate of 1,0168 candidates in 56 seats sealed
Lucknow, Feb 15 : Around 57 per cent of the electorate today exercised its franchise for 56 seats in the third phase of the UP assembly polls in which Mayawati's ruling BSP is facing a strong challenge from Congress, SP and BJP. The incident-free third phase of the seven-part elections in the state will decide the fate of three cabine .....
16-02-2012 / Headlines / 0 Comments

But I went up the hill and searched for the waist band in the area where the king had camp. I found the waist band hanging in the latrine. I came down and handed the waist band to the king. On recovering the waist band, the king whipped the priests and priestesses who predicted wrongly, Bidhu recalled. When Maharaj Bodhchandra went to Shillong during which the historic Shillong Accord was signed, Arambam Bidhu was the commander of the kings body guards who numbered around seven. As the king came out after signing Shillong Accord, it was writ large on his face that the king was crestfallen. Throughout the return journey, no one spoke anything. Every one was silent and we even forgot to eat, Bidhu recounted. After the journey to Shillong, Maharaj Bodhchandras health suddenly deteriorated and he never recovered. On his death bed, the king summoned me and said that his trip to Khalong had turned out to be digging his own grave, Bidhu recalled. Though Bidhu participated in the last rites of Maharaj Bodhchandra, he left the palace soon afterwards as he was no longer comfortable inside the palace. When Bidhu retired from the post Jemadar, he was around 55 years old. I never sought any personal favour from the king when I was very close to him. I was content that the king was satisfied with my service, Bidhu said.
16-February-2012 / Headlines / Our Staff Reporter / 2 Comments

Gorkha body demands for Gorkhaland

IMPHAL, Feb 15: Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh has demanded the State Government to adopt a resolution in the State Assembly for creation of Gorkhaland. The Parisangh also demanded for sending a recommendation of the same to the Union Government. A memorandum in this regard was submitted to Chief Minister O Ibobi by the represe .....
16-02-2012 / Headlines / 13 Comments

Repoll likely at month-end

IMPHAL, Feb 15 : Given the sheer large number of mismatched photographs detected during comparison of voters photographs taken on polling day and their EPIC photographs, it is likely that some polling stations would go to re-poll in the last part of February. The same task of photo comparison is being done by District Election .....
16-02-2012 / Headlines / 1 Comments

UNC relaxes ban for two months Breather for railworks

IMPHAL, Feb 15: The United Naga Council (UNC) has temporarily suspended the ban on construction work of Trans Asian Railway line after a two month period ending February 15. .....

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There are 2 approved comments.

Nambul
Commented on 16-February-2012 at 03:20:22

16-02-2012 / Headlines / 7 Comments

Many thanks to Sangai Express for this wonderful story.Really

The Three Wisemen From The Election Commission

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16/2/2012 11:57 AM

Arambam Bidhu : A living tale of a kings soldier

http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/sangai-express-news.php?newsid=13187

a living tale of a king's soldier. Why don't govt of Manipur consider giving some financial help to this living Tale who served Manipur in his prime.

of India
Introduction: The 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2012 held on 28th January and 4th February 2012, was a landmark in the history of Indian parliamentary democracy since independence in 1947. The Election Commission of India (ECI) under the able leadership of Dr SY Quraishi has made a bold and elaborate attempt to curbed el .....
16-02-2012 / Articles / 0 Comments

Kullajit
Commented on 16-February-2012 at 03:13:16

One wished your story should be more of a human-interest story. Also, since he is still survived and has clear mental picture during his trip to Shillong alongwith the Meidingu (King), we should try to extract more news or events leading to the signing of the accord, which means circumstances of all merits and demerits of why the accord was signed. This will (at least to some extend) pave the way and can give a live answer or testimony of the present political (insurgency) movement in Manipur. Nevertheless, your story gives a daring and truthful picture of those fateful days. Sometimes, late is better than never. And lastly one wishes a happy and beautiful long journey to Arambam Bidhu. Kullajit, Delhi

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