One of the things that never fail to fascinate and amaze me is the English language and it is this obsession with English language that has made me a passionate reader of newspapers and magazines. I would say that I have been obsessed with newspapers and magazines since my high school years and I would also not deny that I always spend a sizable portion of my pocket money on newspapers and magazines. During the years I was in Delhi for my post-graduate studies, I used to subscribe to ‘The Times of India’ and ‘The Hindustan Times’ and my favorite magazines are the Frontline, Outlook, The Week and India Today. I no longer take these newspapers and magazines regularly but I still buy and read them occasionally.
Of late, my favorite reading material is undoubtedly our very own ‘The Morung Express’. I first came across this daily some six years back and ever since then, this local daily has slowly but surely come to hold a special place in my heart. It is now my present personal favorite daily because of some very special, personal and unique reasons.
Reason No.1
First, lets begin with the title. I find that the title ‘The Morung Express’ is really beautiful, unique and special. The term ‘Morung’ is not an English word. It is a word which is indigenous to the Nagas and Nagaland and so when a local daily here in Nagaland is named with this indigenous word, it gives a very traditional, indigenous and local colour to this newspaper. In other words, it gives a very ‘Naga-touch’ to this local daily making it very special, unique and totally recognizable from all the other local dailies in circulation in Nagaland today.
Reason No.2
Secondly, it is said that in order to live a safe, prudent and successful life, a man should learn and practice at least one proverb everyday. I guess the Morung Express goes by that philosophy because it always carries a deep rooted and thoughtful proverb at the top of its front-page. Besides the news and the writes-ups that are carried by the paper, I also always look forward to these proverbs which have many a times invoked deep thinking in me and have also ignited my morning mood on many occasions. Many of the proverbs published are very thought-provoking with universal and everlasting appeal. And yes, I have always believed that there is no better way to start a day than by reading a meaningful and deep-rooted saying or proverb.
Reason No.3
Thirdly, I believe that the front-page of a newspaper is the face of the paper because it carries with it the whole image and personality of the paper. Here also, the Morung Express scores magnificently. The manner in which this daily presents its headlines and top news in its front-page along with the very appropriate and high quality attractive pictures is always appealing and makes a very good and undeniable impression on its readers. Besides, I feel that the sizing done on the different news reports on its front-page is also excellent. Yes, I would like to give credit to the Morung Express for always making its front-page very attractive and pleasing to the eye. I say this because when we are involved in publicity and show business, looks really does matter a lot. Therefore, when someone is able to provide its newspaper or magazine with an attractive and appealing front-page or cover, it certainly makes an instant appeal and this certainly benefits the newspaper or the magazine in many ways.
Reason No. 4
Fourthly, a newspaper is intended not only to report and spread news to the public but also to make the various and many voices of the public heard by as many people as possible. And here again, the Morung Express gives the maximum space and opportunity to the public to voice out their grievances, concerns, thoughts, ideas and beliefs. There are many sections in the Morung Express daily through which the general public can do this. The regular sections like the Commentary, Write-Wing, Letters to the Editor, Perspective, Public Discourse, Public Space, Public Grievance Cell, Faith Leave and Naga Blog are all meant and provided for the general public to voice out their feelings and concerns on the many issues confronting us. Of late, the Morung Express has also come up with a supplementary copy called ‘Opinion’ through which the general public can take their voices to thousands and thousands of readers across the length and breadth of Nagaland and even outside.
Reason No. 5
Fifthly, I also love reading the editorial column of this daily. The matters and topics mentioned and discussed in the editorial column of this daily are short but always well written with powerful vocabulary and fantastic sentence construction. The short write-ups provided in this editorial column are also explicit, to the point, unbiased, issue-based and always very thought-provoking.
Reason No. 6
Sixthly, I also love the fact that the Morung Express publishes many of the articles with very appropriate and relevant pictures. As is rightly said, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. By just looking at the pictures, the readers can easily make out what the articles are all about. And the publication of the articles with relevant, appropriate and attractive pictures makes the articles very beautiful, attractive and special. I also thank the Morung Express for publishing some of my articles with good and high quality pictures. In fact, some of my friends have complimented me for the pictures which were published along with my articles. But here, the credit goes to the editor and the staff who were thoughtful enough to provide the pictures for my articles which made my articles very special and attractive.
Here, let me cite an incident. In June 2011, I submitted an article titled ‘Reflected Glories of Nagaland’ at the Kohima office of the Morung Express for publication. In this article I wrote about our legendary late leader A.Z.Phizo and the Morung Express did a very commendable job by publishing this article with a very nice and majestic picture of Phizo. After the publication of this article, some people complimented me not just for the article but also for the picture of our late leader which was published along with it. But here, let me clarify that it was not me but the good office of the Morung Express which provided and published the said picture thereby making my article very special and attractive. In fact, some youngsters have told me that it was through my article ‘Reflected Glories of Nagaland’ that they first saw the picture of A.Z. Phizo.
Reason No. 7
Seventhly, the Morung Express has also become special to me because of the people who are working in the office of this local daily. Very often I go to its Kohima office to submit my articles and write-ups. This gives me the opportunity to know and also interact with some of the people who are working for this daily. And I find that all these persons who are working for this daily are all very humble, friendly, courteous and people-oriented. In particular, let me mention about Miss. Thia who is an attendant at their Kohima office. She is someone with a pleasing personality and a lovely attitude and most of all, she is very public-friendly who is always alert and responsive to the calls and demands of the public. In fact, the Morung Express is lucky to have someone like Miss. Thia working for them and Thia is also lucky to be working in a people-oriented establishment like the Morung Express.
Reason No.8
Eighty, there is also an economic reason why I like the Morung Express. Till November 2010, I used to subscribe to all the prominent local dailies here in our land i.e. Nagaland Post, Eastern Mirror, Nagaland Page and the Morung Express. But slowly I began to discard the subscription of the other dailies one after the other. First, I gave up Page followed by the Mirror and then the Post. Now, I subscribe to only the ‘Morung Express’. I gave up the other subscriptions because there is no point in spending precious money on all the local dailies when I can get all that I want and need from the Morung Express. Thus, the Morung has been saving me a few hundred rupees every month.
Reason No. 9
Ninthly, no matter how many things we do, the first time we do something is always special. For instance, the first time we fly in an aero-plane in special, the first time we fall in love is special, our first day at college is special, our first child is special etc and etc. Likewise, the first article I ever wrote is very special to me. In my first article, I poured out my heart because I was fed up with the hypocrisy and the double-standard-ness that I saw all around me and because I had always yearned for the real thing. And here again, it was the Morung Express which published my first article and therefore the Morung Express will always hold a special place in my heart and life.
Reason No. 10
Tenthly, I also like and appreciate the fact that this local daily never delays, beyond a certain limited period of time, the publication of the many articles and write-ups it receives everyday. I have experienced this myself and have also heard about this from others. This is really important because some of the write-ups and articles lose its meaning and relevance after the expiry of a certain period of time.
To wind up, I don’t need to wish the Morung Express success because it is already successful. I don’t need to wish it popularity either because it is already popular. And for many people (including myself), the Morung Express is already their bread and butter…and the most perfect and satisfying way to start their day. This is the reason why I get restless and miserable whenever the newspaper delivery boy fails to turn up on time at my gate in the mornings.
And for myself, flipping through the pages of the Morung Express every morning and every evening has become not only a routine but also a pleasure, an addiction, an obsession, a craze, a passion and an indispensable necessity…
