Taliakum: The Paddy Field

Taliakum: The Paddy Field Nagaland Naga Nation

The Paddy Field

Thirty years ago, Imti saw his dad and mom killed right in front of his eyes in the paddy field. The Indian army were looking for Naga soldiers who made an ambush just outside the village. The Indian army personnel said that some Naga soldiers had run towards the paddy field and they accused his mom and dad of hiding them. So, in a minute bullets from the wicked Indian army ran through his mom's and dad's bodies and that was how his hope and life dashed into pieces. It was an impossible scene for a 10-year old boy.

Tonight Imti is at the inaugural function of his 10th international office in Tokyo. His office headquarters are in Rome. Despite the din and the jubilant atmosphere around, he has a prick in the heart. He longs for his mom and dad. He can still flash that incident in every detail. Now he is overwhelmed and tears well up as the heart becomes heavier by the minute. He cannot bring back his parents. Only his memories give him courage to push on in life and make it big in his career. And today he has crafted a niche in his life and been travelling all over the world sharing humility and sincerity with everyone he meets, right down to the persons who mop the floors of his offices. He remembers Jesus' words: "To serve and not to be served." He respects everyone because his parents taught them that being a Naga is to be a humble person. He still remembers his parents' advice to keep that Naga spirit going on. All these things are churning in his heart as he stands humbly and respectfully in his own office. But of all that are running around his heart, he has one thing in mind: to go back to Naga Land his homeland and pay a visit to the paddy field and have some fun like he used to during his childhood days.

It's been thirty years since he left Naga Land with some friends, sneaking through Burma and finally reaching southern China. He went to the north of China to work in the coal mines to earn a living and after earning enough money he went to America to study medicine. After completing his studies, an Italian pharmaceutical giant hired him. And eventually he could create a lot of medicines under the able funding of the company. They were patented so his worth and service grew higher. He kept on climbing the ladder always remembering his bleeding parents' last words in the paddy field:"Do well in life. Keep up the Naga tradition of humility and sincerity."

This winter he is going back to Naga Land with his family to visit the paddy field and feel with his palms the very ground on which his parents bled to death with multiple bullets crissrossing their bodies. The rivers will be clear because there is no rainfall around. There will be some paddy crabs, if he is lucky. He will enjoy the sight of a couple of trouts playing through the crystal water. Of all, he can't wait to grab hold of a catapult and vanish into the thick trees nearby and test his catapult skill. The paddy field is a reminder of his legacy and he is proud of it.