Mumi's Mizoram

Mumi could not quite accept the fact, during initial days, that Agraa did not have a phone and wondered why I had to move to such a place. I then had to travel to Vijaypur on our Rajdoots about 18 kms and we talked about once in 10 days. Mukesh, the PCO owner, became a friend over the 2 years! My love for bike rides there I would dwell on some other time. 

Move to Baghmara took place sometime during 2004 and it was funnier. I could not call the land lines in Gujarat for they were locked; mumi however could call me up. I did talk to the district BSNL head and got to know that along with locking Jammu and Kashmir the department had ended locking up calls to Gujarat as well! I recall the person at BSF run PCO telling me 'bhaisaab kahan transfer ho gaya aap ka'. Yes the Border Security Force also ran a PCO besides illegally logging the Baghmara Reserve Forest! Many a times when mumi called (i.e. when the phone worked) she could hear more of the rain on tin roof as opposed to my voice. 

Jumping on to Saiha during 2007 I realized that I had fresh company - that of a mobile phone. The place that Anirban had narrowed down on (something I will ever be thankful to him for) besides being placed in an endearing and lazy part of the town was located amidst 3 mobile phone towers with the BSNL office visible from the window. It was here that I got into daily chats with mumi and they covered a wide range from my learning how to cook to sharing of interactions with lovely human beings as I moved around!

Some of these chats and of course our later conversations as I moved to Baroda she has put in form of a article which she says I badgered her for and I share below. It appeared in the Sunday Edition of Janmabhoomi Pravasi published from Mumbai. The phone clicked image was not quite visible while the PDF in Gujarat did not budge and allow me to bring it in here. Finally put in the image fine. Will be happy to send in the PDF over email ~

A meeting with Dr. Devy was the reason the piece began and quite thankful to him for that.