Talitemsu
I am happy to share a short life story in remembrance and in loving memory of my younger brother, Late K. Mayanger with all those who have come to attend his Memorial Service following which the mortal remains will be given a final burial in the family graveyard at Alichen on the 30th year since his departure from this world. Late K.Mayanger was the second son and fourth child of Late Kilemsüngba and of Longkhum village and Late Imtimerila of Changki village.
He was born on the 23rd of April 1948 and was baptized by Rev. Medem on the 12th of October 1968. His birth brought such an ecstatic delight that out of sheer excitement, my father physically lifted him up and said, “I will name this baby boy Mayanger.” Mayanger was a progenitor of the Longkumer clan, who had been known to have an outstanding personality.
During his childhood days, being the favorite son, our father was in the habit of taking him around the forests for household chores every winter. During one such occasion, out of exhaustion, he sat under a tree and started singing, “Who is he deep distress, fasting in the wilderness” as a source of solace and relaxation.
One morning, while all the members of the family were having morning meals, he suddenly said, “Mummy, I had a wonderful dream last night. In the dream, I saw that I was going to the east towards Bethlehem.” In his early days, he would always insist on singing his favorite song, “Wait and murmur not” at the family worship. During his school days, he had also become a member of Light of Life, a Bible Correspondence Course, and successfully completed various correspondence courses offered by it.
The sporting trait, which he had inherited from his maternal uncle Late Dr. T. Ao had become to bloom while he was doing his PU Science in St. Edmunds College, Shillong. Some of his achievements in the field of sports were: he was awarded the Best Athlete in the 3rd Nagaland Inter College Tournament 1970.
He was selected to represent the Guwahati University Football Team in the Inter University Football Tournament in Patna in the year 1970 while he was studying in Fazl Ali College and was then the Games and Sports Secretary. The exceptional performance of late K. Mayanger in the field of Games and Sports while studying in Guwahati University is still remembered and held in high esteem till today by his contemporaries.
He had completed in the National Physical Efficiency Test conducted in the year 1975 in the state of Nagaland and had successfully qualified for the award of ‘Three Star’ Merit Certificate. He won Senior Championship Title in men’s Table Tennis (Singles) conducted by Mokokchung District Table Tennis Association 1975. He was a Seasonal Club member and was a regular player of its football team. He also served the club as its secretary.
Leaving behind him all the attractions of superficial life and following the footsteps of his paternal uncle Late Imkongmeren, the then Vice President of Naga National Council, he finally saw his destiny in the fight for an Independent Nagaland and consistently pursued the path for which he stood till the last moment of his life. In one of the letters we received from him, he wrote, “Everything is available here. People do business and buy things they want but I don’t want to disgrace myself by doing such work. It would be of great help for me if you can manage to send some money to buy materials for office work. I even need the transistor radio that is lying in the house.” Letters were written in shreds of paper scraped from light cardboard boxes.
Following the last letter, there was a long silence. We could only hear the whispering sounds of the leaves. It was during this long period of silence that his soul had already begun the journey to the east towards Bethlehem.
Here are some excerpts on Late K.Mayanger.
1. “Star of the Guwahaty University” in ‘Night of the Guerillas’ by Nirmal Nibedon.
2. “Like all men with a vision, you dared to dream the beautiful dream and to follow the star you ever saw” by Tubu Kevichusa in ‘The Star you ever saw’ published in The Platform dated 11th November 1982.
3. Esterine Iralu in her article ‘Naming Rights’ published on the 13th October 2004 in the Nagaland Post, mentioned about the magnanimity of heart that Late Mayanger possessed.
