Hope you have a pleasant fortnight and an enjoyable experience reading our e zine.

Manipadma

Executive Editor

Fried Eye

While the world outside is buzzing with news both good and tragic, I would like to stick  to my own little world of Fried Eye today . Somehow I wouldn’t want to pollute my and also your sense of peace , calm and hope with ugly realities.

We decided to base our First May issue on Professions and Careers , in keeping with the significance of the day, but were very apprehensive on whether we will be able to pull it off or not. The intention though honorable was tough to implement and we started our hunt for people who really felt from their heart  for this topic and who were willing to share their learning experiences with us. We stayed clear from those analytical , mechanical write ups which were high on statistical quotient but low on emotional one and instead focused on true accounts of perseverance, passion and determination which led them to their goals or are leading them successfully to it.

And so, we found our heroes among the common people  , among ourselves and interacting with them and reading about their innermost desires and their journeys have been such an uplifting experience, that I am sure I will be feeling a sense of warmth and hopefulness for a long time.

Each account had a story and each story has something that we can learn from.We have Colonel Prem Chand’s dream Mountain Cruize, Shangreiwon Multhow with her unique Exotic School of Cooking at Dimapur, Shahwar our star author on Chain Reaction, Ms Eju Baruah, an aeronautic engineer and an aspiring pilot who might create history in the future , Jim Ankan Deka , Director Eastern Fare Music Foundation on Music as a career and Vinayak with his point of view about the global job scenario this issue for you. And of course our gems Sankhya , Tinam , Anupam on their own personal yet touching experiences. On a lighter vein we have some humor from the Medical Profession, Miss Cellany’s controversial yet candid view point and an anonymous letter from a Mother to a daughter for the other perspective.

This issue will hold a special place in our hearts for the treasure we have gained through their words and we hope that it gives you something to ponder and smile about this fortnight.

Manipadma

Executive Editor

Fried Eye

It is not so that I don’t enjoy interacting with you or addressing you all. In fact I am always eager to do so. But the strain doubles the moment I realise that I have to make sense and that, I have a responsibility to make sense, even at the cost of sounding cliched, over done and boring. Its a pity I cannot hope to be myself at the cost of looking like a fool, though a slightly interesting complete fool.

The other day I was watching a movie where it was stressed quite often that, just- Be Yourself. And though it sounds so very simple and logical, not to mention tempting, but is it that simple or easy? Can we always be ourselves? Can we afford to be our true selves every where?

No, I guess not or else that will not result in a much desirable picture. But nor are fakes desirable. As we know its no more about ‘black and white’ . We are all in fact shades of grey hence we cannot be completely ourselves. There has to be restraint, a sense of responsibility, a need for balance between the real we and ‘needed’ we.  Its all a psychological balance to make sense and make ourselves useful to the world including ourselves. So there has to be a speeding limit, a censor board and the likes. No doubt the universe is infinite for us to be free floating spirits, but our physical beings have been cramped in a finite space and we have to take care not to step on somebody else’s toe.

Though our theme this issue is The colors of Spring, it carries a lot of undertones regarding psychological issues along with some treasured words and moments with  Sunita Khaund Bhuyan and Kenny Basumatary plus many more. Hope you enjoy reading the issue as much as I enjoyed editing it.

Hope the year and years ahead gift you every joy you deserve.

with best wishes

Manipadma

Executive Editor

Fried Eye.

As the world continues to pass by through its myriad kaleidoscopic timeline, we decided to tarry a little to ponder about the so called “Fools” and we could not help but remember the phrase – Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.  How lucky we were to have some of the greatest fools like Galileo, Columbus, Vasco Da Gama, Yuri Gagarin who ‘rushed’ in where angels did indeed fear to tread.  And how ironical it is that the little knowledge that we have managed to aquire for our benefit about this vast mysterious universe is because of some far sighted fools who went against the tide so that their fellow beings could sail in comfortable waters.

Maybe the state that we are in , socially, eco biologically and every other “- ally” of the preceding two, needs some bold fools to deliver us all from the impending doom.  Not that we don’t have any , but we need some more, to dare, to experiment, to be different. Yes, we need some more “Fools” to make a big difference.  Hence in our April First Issue, we have tried to maintain and uphold the theme of – Being Bold and Duty Fool. We have an interview of musician Akashdeep Gogoi who tries to be different  with his latest offering Xurr ; Col Jay Mishra relates to us about his African Safari carried in two parts, the first being published this issue; we also have a feature on an  innovative presentation called Local Kungfu which has been widely acclaimed , Laveena speaks about the power of youth, Mishi about parasailing while Priyanka delivers about the power of Social Media, a technological boon of this century plus we have Shahwar narrating about his childhood daredevil acts Sankhya’s fiction on a bold theme and of course our regular features.

Hope the next fortnight we achieve in bringing out the daredevil side of you through our e zine and make it amemorable experience for you.

Once again celebrating the sweet innocent foolishness in us, Happy April Fools day.

Manipadma

Executive Editor

Tinam Bora

Copy Editor

Should I call it an omen that the issue I am invited to edit and one which I gladly accept , runs into so many technical blocks? I would certainly call them signs, but not omen nor would I consider myself marked by fate. I could never do that – self derogate and denigrate that is. Signs of struggle they are no doubt and of tough times, but no, they do not dither me.

Coming back to my being in the editorial chair, I was specifically requested to stress on how it felt or how it might feel to the women out there to be an Indian women. The double tagging did throw me off for a while for I had never thought of nor tried to think in similar lines. But yes How did it feel? Or How would it feel?
How did it feel to be born amidst cheers of “Goddess Lakshmi has arrived”? I guess, elated.
But again what if one had to listen to those snide remarks of “a daughter? They should have aborted it”?
How had I felt when my parents had proudly flaunted my achievements to envious neighbours, stressing on the fact that they were liberal people who never used to differentiate between their sons and daughters?- Lucky , if I remember well.
But how would you feel if in the same breath you are forbidden to stay out late and move
unescorted as because you are a girl?
How does it feel to have coaches, trains, buses specially earmarked for you? How does it feel when people are extra courteous to you just because you belong to the fairer sex? Touched!
On the other hand , how would it feel to be raped, molested, murdered and abused without any hope of justice?
How does it feel to belong to a culture and tradition that believes in respect and protection of their females ? As in Raksha Bandhan? The sacred vows of marriage?- Proud!
And then later how does it feel to see the uglier side of the same traditions and culture? Dowry? Honour killings? Flesh trade?
I guess in the end, all I feel is that the life of a woman is one big irony. And maybe the reason I had never ever given a thought to it (and hence had been blissfully unaware in the truest sense) was because I had always believed in the ‘I’ in me rather than the ‘woman’ within. The day when a woman believes in the ‘I’ in her will be the day she will be truly empowered and every day will be HER day .
Keeping in mind the theme of our issue this time, we have brought before you some very interesting write ups and conversations. We have the super achiever in Sumitra Senapati , from WOW with us this issue and also have featured women who have shared their treasured experiences with us. Hope this issue brightens your coming fortnight and stirs some pleasant memories in your minds.
Cheers
Miss Cellany.

Assisted by the Editorial Board – Manipadma, Radhika Baruah, Sankhya Samhita and Tinam Borah

When I was in school love was an entirely different emotion. Well I did not really have much understanding of it. Most of my education on love came from films like Dil and Maine Pyar Kiya. Yes, I happen to be filmy! And that is what love was for me. And then as I grew older and towards adolescence I was stuck in a confusion. While some part of me believed it was a waste of time, the other part found love fascinating. The hangover of filmy ideas was still there.

And then I fell in love for the first time. Back then I truly believe in the age old Hindi film saying – “Pyar sirf ek baar hi hota hai” (You fall in love just once). And this was it. I was in love and she had to the person I get married to. What happens after marriage I had no idea. And then there was the first break up. And then another love story. And then another! Needless to say I had stopped believing that you fall in love just once.

Interestingly every time I fell in love, it was very different reasons. Each girl had something that I had started to believe was important for the girl to have for me to love her. And also over the years what I sought out of the relationship grew in dimension. On the hindsight, the way I look at love changed over the years, and more ways than I figured out. I presume that’s what age does. And experience.

Interestingly even the very films that gave me my first idea about love have changed. Dear old Bollywood has moved from churning boy meets girl college romance to Chalte Chalte, Luv Ke The End, Pyaar Ka Punchnama… and yes an outrageously badly made but landmark film about same sex love ‘Dunno… Na Jaane Kyu’!

With this issue we at Fried Eye decided to give ourselves and you all a chance to express the way we look at love and probably understand the emotion better! Individual point of views, personal stories, interesting anecdotes and examples or just plain fiction! And we hope you enjoy this even as you celebrate the season of love in your own way!

Yours faithfully!

Issue editor

Shishir Gautam!

Development is a word of change. We criticize policies and loopholes with depressing figures and tales and fail to understand the cultural flux within a tribe which involves kinship and clans in the process of development. If we think about development of tribe, it has to have a form, take shape and change a set of behavior.As Huntington aptly puts, the clashes between civilizations may not primarily be ideological or economic, but mirrors a cultural clash.

With my recent exposure to the tribes in the isolated islands of Andaman and Nicobar, glimpses of cultural clashes were observed. Perhaps the best example was of Jarawas who are compressed by their primitiveness and their desire to be contemporary. So are the changes happening among the tribes from Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh which constitutes the largest segment of tribal population in India, with some of them, their cultures are set to be extinct. For the uncountable tribal population from states of North-East India, the cultural stress has ripped open the diversities of India and the turmoil has spread even deeper with sub-tribes in the fray

In this issue of Fried Eye, we bring you tribal stories from different space and time, traditional cultures which have their own system of interpreting nature’s laws and have evolved their own system of sustaining and healing. With this issue, we have tried to understand their behaviors, their attitudes and their culture in a given set of environment. We have at best tried to feature first hand exposition and experiences by different writers who have come across them and felt them as a culture.

Happy Reading Folks!

Issue Editor- Sanzeeta

P.S – Due to some  unavoidable circumstances, we had a delay while publishing the issue. we regret the delay and thank you for being patient.

co-ordinator – Manipadma

Speaking of dreams, it was the dream of Papa Rock or Amit Saigal (as affectionately he was known) which has made the foundation for todays Indian Rock scene stronger, after he almost singlehandedly started Rock Street Journal and continued his zealous efforts towards promotion and strengthening  of the Indian Rock music scene. His untimely demise shocked many of the persons whom he had personally known and encouraged and promoted in their musical career. It certainly left a big void in the Music world which will be hard to fill. May his dreams be fulfilled by the next generation of music enthusiasts.

We have in our current issue dealt with the other lesser known perspectives of Music, so as to bring before you some comparatively unknown yet interesting tidbits about Music, which in itself is a vast topic and can be never completely covered even if we put two issues together on it.

Hope this festive weekend, you have an enjoyable time reading it and of course we will be  happy to know your feedbacks which you can mail us at editor@friedeye.com

Once again A happy new year and a Happy Bihu and Pongal to everyone of you

Manipadma

Executive Editor

Fried Eye

How time flies. It seems like yesterday when we started off. 1^st January, 2010 changed our lives forever (forever is a big word but we would take the liberty to use it here). And to think of it, it is 1^st January, 2012 already. We had a dream that we tried to execute starting from that day. As time passed by dreams of other people joined ours and it became a bigger dream day by day. Never did we imagine that we would be part of something like Fried Eye and we thank destiny that it chose us for this. Our happiness only attain its pinnacle when we dig the archives of Fried Eye.

It is very difficult to say how we did in these two years. It is up to you to decide. We received criticism both gentle and rude in these two years and we always strove to do our best. Based on your feedback,we sometimes improved and sometimes we failed, but the effort was always 100%. Even after 2 years we still haven’t been able to figure out accurately a particular style of content that a reader might expect. We are constantly changing and exploring different styles and perspectives. Some complain that we have changed from what we started but it is totally out of our hands. We simply let ourselves free, and are going sometimes by instinct and at times wherever we are being taken to by destiny. We know that might not be exactly a great way to proceed. So, we request all of you to guide us and point us our strengths and weaknesses and what you expect of us. We will welcome every suggestion of yours and endeavor to be better in days to come.

Anniversaries have to be celebrated. All the more if it falls on New Year’s Day. We are celebrating our special day with this special issue, filled with the world of graphics and animation. We hope that you may explore this upcoming field with deep relish and we, from Fried Eye have done the best we could to make your animated journey spectacular.

Lastly, I would like to thank all our readers, contributors and well-wishers of Fried Eye. You are the people who make us going. Wish you all a splendid New Fried Year.

Regards,

Fried Eye Team

The thought of peace also brings in me reflections of the last month when the ‘messenger of peace’ Dr. Mamoni Raisom Goswami passed away. In this issue as a special tribute to her everlasting memory we present before you an interview published for the first time online that Baidew had given for the school students. It is our earnest hope that today’s youngsters will be inspired to emulate the life and principles laid down by Dr. Goswami in her life. This issue also contains another interview of an extraordinary person, Omi Gurung and also of the band POT FM.

We, at Fried Eye would like to wish everyone of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. With promises to bring in a new and better Fried Eye next year, I am signing off.

-Manjil P. Saikia,
Guest Editor
Technical Supervisor,Fried Eye