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The Quiet Lessons of Distance

Aben is a small village situated in the hills of the Tamenglong district. The village is home to about 80 odd households of the Zeme Naga tribe. During the monsoon or after any heavy rainfall, the village becomes completely cut off, and for a good part of the year, it remains without electricity. The people there are engaged in agricultural activities such as their traditional Jhum or with newer forms such as monoculture plantations or Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT).

One of the biggest challenges is connectivity because of kacha roads. The nearest town, Jiribam, is 70 km away but takes about 8–10 hours to reach. This makes life difficult for people in the village. Access to basic education, health, and market facilities is beyond their reach. But the roads and the current situation doesn’t dampen the spirit of the villagers, and they go ahead with their daily life. They grow what is needed and survive by themselves. Press enter or click to view image in full size
Recently, I was encountered with a situation which is common for the people in the village. The roads to Jiribam were inaccessible, and there was practically no way to get out of the village. The journey that I embarked on to get out of the village showcases the resilience of the people in the area and paints a grim picture of the hardships the same people must face in their day-to-day lives.
The journey started early in the morning after food at around 7. Seven of us started walking from the village down to the Jiri river, which borders Assam and Manipur. It was an 11 km walk to the nearest village in Assam, Tatephai, which has road connectivity. We walked for three to four hours through the jungles and hills and crossed small streams. Resting by the stream for a while to regain our energy. Then came the real challenge of crossing the Jiri River, to my expectation, there should have been a bridge or a boat to cross the river. But the bridge was washed away by the recent monsoons, and the villagers were advocating for a new one with the MLA.
The only way was a bamboo raft to cross the river. It was exciting and scary at the same time. But when I was crossing the river with the help of the people I was travelling with, I realised the hardships people accept with a smile. It pained me to understand the horrors of their lives, which we around the world take for granted. Press enter or click to view image in full size

About the author: Pratip Ganguly is the Senior Manager — Community Development at Sunbird Trust, based in Manipur. He has worked closely with communities in Manipur, leading engagement initiatives with a strong focus on agricultural livelihoods and rural development, guided by a belief in participation, trust, and shared ownership.

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