Wanted another Haipou Jadonang in Naga Society

Paritranay sadhunam vinayshay cha duskritam,
Dharma sansthapanarthay sambhavami yuge yuge. (Gita chap. 4:7 & 8)

(Whenever the dharma (righteousness) is in peril and dark clouds (evil) descend on this earth, I come to this world. To protect righteousness, to destroy evil and to redeem dharma, I come to this world-Lord Krishna).

When the world was dominated with sins and sinners and the righteousness was all time low, Lord Krishna and Lord Rama came into human form (incarnation) to wipe-out sins and sinners and re-establish righteousness. Krishna enacted Mahabharat – war between righteousness and evil and in the process evil forces were wiped out from the face of the earth and righteousness was rejuvenated; Lord Ram enacted Ram – Ravana Yudha (battle) wherein Ravana (read evil) was killed by Ram (read righteousness). Similarly, several great men and women incarnated in the past with divine power to heal the humanity and redeemed the righteousness. Simultaneously, they cause total destruction of evil forces by violent and non-violent – both ways. There are certain diseases which can be cured only by cutting the affected portion of the body (surgery). In the same manner, there are certain evil forces which have to be eliminated by the use of weapons. Ram killed Ravana and Krishna killed Shishupal and Kans and caused death to Duryodhan and his unrighteous army. Ram re-established dharma (righteousness) by enthroning Vibhishan and Krishna did the same by coronating Ydhisthir as the emperor. Lord Gautama Buddha, Lord Mahavir, Chanakya upto Mahatma Gandhi – they all followed the path esteemed by Ram and Krishna and did the same act of dharma as per the demand of the time.

There is no dearth of divine persons in Naga society too. From time to time, they have come amidst Naga society to eliminate evil and redeem the righteousness. The leader of Khonoma battle against British rule and foreign religion was a must divine person. The revolutionaries of Mezoma and Kekruma followed the suit. The Thevopisumi martyrs were the same who preferred to die than to accept foreign rule and religion but the agents of foreign rule and religion condemned them as ‘satan’ and ‘wild’.

If we analyses the personality and wisdom of Haipou Jadonang, it will be established that he was a divine warrior of world level. As a spiritual soul, Haipou Jadonang was the Ram Krishna Paramhans, as divine warrior he was Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, as a social reformer, he was Swami Dayanand Saraswati (the founder of Arya Samaj) and as a composer of devotional and patriotic songs- he was Guru Govind Singh (the founder of Sikh Samaj). All these qualities rolled into one made Haipou Jadonang. He was a divine soul by birth who came in this world in 1905 at Kambiron village now

in Tamenglong district of Manipur. He used to go in trances (Samadhi) regularly sometimes even as long as ten consecutive days and nights (240 hours). He preached ancient eternal religion established by Naga forefathers. He founded Heraka religion and Heraka organization and its military wing to protect the ancient Naga society and fight the evil forces who were trying to convert Nagas into foreign religion and establish British rule over Naga inhabited areas. He was strict follower of ancient customary laws established by the forefathers. He did his best to reform the society on the foundations laid by the forefathers. He visited Bhuban Cave near Silchar, N. C. Hills and after prolonged penance he received divine power and enlightenment from Lord Tingwang. After return from Bhuban Cave, he organized Heraka Army to protect his people from white invasion and forcible conversion to foreign religion at gun point. He could halt the expansion of colonial rule. Because of the strong resistance posed by the revolution led by Haipou Jadonang to expansion of British rule followed by Bible and bullet, he was implicated in false murder case and Britishers hanged him on 29th August 1931 at Imphal. After Jadonang’s assassination by British rulers, the movement was led by brave lady Rani Gaidinliu then a girl of only sixteen years. The British rulers demolished the mandir at Kambiron established by Haipou Jadonang with a view to uproot the resistance posed by him and his Heraka movement. British Government planned a strategy. The white rulers found that it was very difficult for them to win over Rongmei Nagas in favour of British rule and they realized that it was only because of their Heraka religion. The Church has a long experience of two thousand years in the technique of conversion of the native people into Christianity and then diverting the converted section of the victim society against their own people and promote the Christians to establish the rule of supporting countries. This doctrine of Church worked effectively among Rongmei Nagas to which Haipou Jadonang belonged. The Church diverted all resources – man and money towards Rongmei Nagas and subsequently towards Zemis and Liangmeis as well. They planned to cut off the roots of Haipou Jadonang by demolishing Heraka mandirs and converting all Zeliangrong people into Christianity. The church spread propaganda that Jadonang was a Jadoogar (magician or althemist or satan). The Church leaders preached that the Heraka religion was nothing but a cult of satan and that all the followers of Haipou Jadonang would burn into eternal hell-fire. If Heraka followers wanted salvation, the Christian missionaries preached, they must worship living God- Jesus Christ and become a loyal Christian. Because of continuous condemnation and material support from international agencies, most of Rongmeis along with Zemis and Liangmeis have been converted to foreign religion. The Christian section of Zeliangrong society turned hostile to Haipou Jadonang and his Heraka religion. They discarded and disowned this great soul.

Today, the bottom of Naga society is upside. There is no righteousness in Naga society. Every body is talking about the peace while working against the peace. Since all the Naga writers-editors, journalists, correspondents, authors and thinkers are Christian having allegiance to this Church or that, they could not come out of the bondage and yolk of Church. They could not act as a free, unbiased and independent thinker. The Galileo was, Bertrand Russell was. Archimedes was. Solzhenitsyn was and Einstein was. Now, Salman Rashdie is, Tasleema Nasreen is. Why then there cannot be an independent thinker in Naga

society. It is because of the dearth of free thinkers and independent social and religious reformers, Naga society is facing the crisis today in ever walk of life. Naga society must not depend on Church because the root of Church is in foreign country. But it requires courage to do so. One can not sale two boats at a time. One has to come this side of the river or the other side. One can not live on both sides of the current. Similarly, Naga society has to follow the ideals set-forth either by Haipou Jadonang or by American Christian Missionaries. Both can not be amalgamated. While speaking as Chief Guest in Silver Jubilee function of Zeliangrong Heraka Youth Organization on 3rd October 2003 at Old Tesen Village in Peren District Shri Tiameren Ao, then a Cabinet Minister in Neiphiu Rio Government said – “It is said that Zeliangrong people are backward in many respects. But how and why a society can remain backward which has great leaders like Haipou Jadonang and Rani Gaidinliu. In my opinion, it is only because that Zeliangrong people could not recognize their own leaders while whole country honors them as great National Hero and freedom fighter at par with all others in other parts outside Northeast region. If the people from Zeliangrong area wish to develop, they must emulate the ideals set-forth by them. ”

Today, Naga yo uths are adopting the path of violence. It is because these youths – the vital section of the society, don’t see a role-model in Naga society to follow. The corrupt politicians and swindlers cannot be a role-model to the adolescent mind. The underground leaders can also not be so because they are preaching the cult of violence and hedonic consumerism. The slogan of sovereignty is no more alluring. The life of Church leaders and Bible Preachers are found as ordinary as of any common person of the society. This is the reason that violence in Nagaland is prevailing from last sixty years and today it is more in degree.

It is here in this turbulent situation lies the light of Haipou Jadonang who preferred to die than to sacrifice his religion and freedom. The Naga society is in dire need of another Haipou Jadonang who can pull-out Naga society out of crisis. The extreme sacrifice of brave Haipou Jadonang and his divine life can inspire the Naga youths to follow the path of Dharma (the righteousness). Remember, Haipou Jadonang is a great National Hero of Bhratvarsh whom the the nation salutes for his bravery and extreme sacrifice for salvaging the Naga society.

- Jagdamba Mall
27/8/2008