Magazine cover follows....

So, finally after a long wait North East Sun gave us the cover story. But unfortunately, the final print got something wrong and my article for which I spend three sleepless night o write twas given credit in my friends name. For correction, a fortnight to wait. That's too long, so here is the original article I wrote, "The Story Behind Our Recent Show" and I am pretty sure many of you will never get to see the actual magazine itself as it is only distributed in India. Of course, this article was printed with a little editing.

Me, Cynthia and Jithuw (From left)

I am not the best but I am one of the best and I pray, even Jithuw and Cynthia have the same thinking. I hope this is a good way to start off with our story. This is not my story, neither this is Jithuw Pfuzeh’s story, nor Cynthia Kolakhe’s story. This is our story. This is “Random Lives and North East India”. This is us. Though just the beginning, we have come a long way.

When Mr. Kallol Dey (Principal correspondent at North East Sun) requested me to write about us and the story behind our recent show “Random Lives and North East India”, in front of Café Coffee Day one fine evening, I readily accepted his offer on the spot. I knew what I was going to write. But then, when I started to penned it down, I realized I barely knew anything about either Jithuw or Cynthia. I was completely lost. I couldn’t even find a word to start with. It was like; the dictionary had just run out of words. This is very me (lost every time within myself) but I needed to start. This cannot be just another story. It has to be good. It has to tell our story. I seriously needed a journalist perspective.

September or October of 2010, we met Cynthia over a cup of tea at a common friend’s place. I don’t remember now if it was a morning or an evening. Jithuw and I were roommates for nearly two years at that time. It was not the best of time, but I guess everything has its best time and it came. I was not painting for nearly 5 years, just some random sketching on my sketchbook when I get bored. Colors were totally forgotten. Jithuw was in his third year. He was busy with his studies and as a roommate, I know, he was barely painting. He was rather actively taking part in posters making at college competitions. But Cynthia must have been painting seriously at that time. I heard she did a solo show and also, she was into T-Shirt designing in collaboration with a clothing store at Lajpat Nagar, because a friend text me to go and check out some of her creations. I didn’t go and that’s funny. But let me take a wild guess here as I don’t remember exactly, it must have been that day that the seed of “Random Lives and North East India” was sown somewhere within us. Of course, the name “Random Lives and North East India” didn’t take its birth at that point of time. It came in much later. It was not a day of introduction. We have met quite a few times. Especially during our Mao student union function in Delhi, where we collaborate with some of our few other friends and worked together as a team from interior designing to choreographing fashion shows. Actually, by then we had become quite a very good friend.

Me, Cynthia and Jithuw (Bottom to top)

Unlike any other projects that we had worked together previously, “Random Lives and North East India” was something personal and dear to every one of us individually. It was not a project completed within a week or two. It was our baby and it took its time to grow up. It first open its eyes within our laughter, it took its first steps over dinners, adolescence, then time for teenager came with confusion and dilemma and finally when the time came for our baby to take the world, we knew we would do everything within our limited capacities to bring out the best. There was no going back. We hired the best curator we could find, Kapani S Kolakhe. Then, Jithuw and Cynthia was running around and meeting up people for sponsorship. They were hardly sleeping. They didn’t mention it, but I knew it through their sleepy eyes (especially Cynthia, funny!!!). It was going rough and soon we couldn’t keep up with it. I quit my job but it didn’t bring in the desired result. It was frustrating and I guess it was the worst phase we went through. We didn’t know what to do first or last, or whom to meet. Already limited resources were draining up fast with no returns. One meal a day was a luxury of time we could afford. Sleep deprived and some people we met even added to the already grave situation. And unfortunately we had to delay our show. From far, quitting seems like the best option but that option we wouldn’t take. Then, the wind changed its direction.

Me with my recent work

Indus Flavors steps in, the first sponsor Jithuw and Cynthia could tap in. Then sevendairy.com opened us with a new window. Sponsors started to flow in, we grew even stronger. Time was very limited and we needed publicity. We had to divide our works; Jithuw and Cynthia would handle the sponsors and printing part, and I would run after the media. I ask our curator Kapani to go along with me. Hindustan Times agreed to do us a story and we are still very much thankful to that sweet lady at HT whom Kapani and I met. White Smile and JK Construction agreed for sponsorship. Asian News International agreed to broadcast us on DD News, Asian Age was going to give a very good story. North East India Foundation extended their hand of brotherhood and became one of our sponsors. Financial and moral help came in from visionaries and, from families and friends. And finally, one very sweet and beautiful young lady joined us through the journey and gave us a very beautiful and encouraging story through Morung Express.

Resident Commissioner, Mr. Jyoti Kalash and Deputy Resident Commissioner, Mr. John Chawang, Govt. of Nagaland, stood by us and willingly offered Nagaland House to showcase our works. North East Sun gave us the big brother hand from the beginning and still continues. Indo-Bhutan Photography (indobhutanphotography.com) left behind cherished memories through their amazing photographs and with their continual help since our journey started. It started as an individual dreams and most likely a social cause, if it ever worked out. Hopes were tiny but still were hopes. We needed a fire to kindle. And we got that from everywhere and everyone. Jithuw will later say “The theme Random lives and northeast India came as a random choice and so is my profession as an artist”. And to Cynthia, “it’s about our life with full of surprises and serendipity. Being open to unexpected turns in the road is an important part of success”. Two days exhibition and it turned out to be a big success. Crowds thronged the venue and Jithuw says, “Our exhibition brought in many media, hundreds of crowds from students to professors, diplomats, officers to retired persons, foreigners and many Delhites”.

The rectified version of the article i wrote

“Random Lives and North East India” is a journey of the three of us spanning over a year. A journey, through the path of inspirations and depressions, understandings and misunderstandings, laughs and fights but it did leave behind traces of us along the path through the success that we achieved after the show. It was a path less taken, I would say, by our own people. But we took it and we are proud for that.