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Robin S. Ngangom
Robin S. Ngangom
Ng+ngom
Simil)rly, the poem from supplying person)l det)ils )bout Ng)ngomʼs childhood,
growing up )nd then fin)lly )b)ndoning his homel)nd )nd migr)ting to Shillong
moves on to invoking migr)tion )s ) gener)l univers)l phenomenon in M)nipur,
motiv)ted by politic)l ch)os )nd unrest th)t informs the public sp)ce.
The poem tr)ces the )dv)ncement of ) society in tr)nsition by looking )t its three
m)in ch)r)cter portr)its: the mother, the son )nd the d)ughter-in-l)w.
Even when the times )re ch)nging )nd the sons )re le)ving their homel)nd, the
figure of the mother continues to surf)ce )s ) powerful rock, who m)n)ges to
withst)nd public, politic)l )nd priv)te uphe)v)ls.
M)nipur. The l)st st)nz) of the poem, however, underlines the horror of the
“young boy” turned “m)n” who discovers th)t even )fter le)ving home, he could
not improve his fortune. The compromise he is forced to m)ke in )n )lien l)nd
underscores the tremendous urge of the young boy, who left home “to be ) m)n”.
The Str+nge Aff+irs of Robin S. Ng+ngom.
This is his most )mbitious )nd politic)l poem.
The multiple voices th)t the poetic voice )dopts reson)tes the individu)lʼs desire
for freedom from multiples levels of oppression, domin)tion, subjug)tion )nd
tyr)nnies.
The poetic )gend) is f)irly )mbitious )s it gr)du)lly tr)ces the entire bloody
history of M)nipur; step by step looking )t )ll those reprob)te f)ctors th)t h)ve
reduced his folks to the present st)te of degener)tion, “something h)s ch)nged
me”- the shell shocked, fr)gmented psyche:
The invoc)tion of M)mmon, is not just )n ironic subversion of invoking gods )nd
muses )t the beginning of the poem, it )lso shows ) glimpse of the ) ruined world
with c)pit)lism, )nd commerci)liz)tion.
The politic)l crisis does not )llow the domestic, priv)te sphere to rem)in
un)ffected. Bre)king down in essenti)l rel)tionships; Thereʼs )n overl)pping
between love )nd guilt:
The moment the lover wishes to rekindle his love rel)tionship )nd revive those
e)rlier feelings of love, he experiences ) rude shock. His beloved, just like his
motherl)nd, h)s )lre)dy been r)vished.
The )buse of women h)s become ) norm)tive )spect of this society; their
existence is shrouded under the thre)t of r)pe, )ss)ult, molest)tion )nd so on. It
is interesting to note, th)t the lover h)snʼt m)n)ged to protect his pristine
innocence either. He is )lso ) p)rt of ) simil)r crowd, ) crowd m)rked out by
degener)ting )nd f)st dec)ying mor)l v)lues.