“If you don’t love each other, at least don’t hate each other,” said Brigadier S. Prashanth of the 27 Sector Assam Rifles during the celebration of Panchsutra Recitation and National Women’s Friendship Day on September 17.
The event, themed “Empowered Together: Strengthening Communities through Women and Gender Equality,” gathered more than 2,300 Christian mothers from various tribes, all members of Self-Help Groups operating in Lamka, Churachandpur District, Manipur.
Panchsutra Recitation in Lamka is a solemn pledge in which participants publicly commit themselves to Christ, the Church’s mission, morality, unity, and service to the poor, akin to a Christian “creed” contextualized for their local struggles. It has become a significant tradition during major church events in the district.
“Blood is always red; God made us all as one,” Brigadier Prashanth reminded the audience, urging peace in Churachandpur, Manipur’s second-largest town.
Warning against the dangers of misinformation, he added, “As a soldier, I fear more the impact of mobile devices than the impact of a gun. Mobiles can spread rumors that cause untold harm. I urge mothers to teach their children good values instead of negative influences.”
The Brigadier highlighted the need for tribal unity and drew inspiration from Scripture: “Christianity is the one religion where, on every page of the Bible, there is a message about love, peace, and brotherhood. Every page invites people to embrace peace. Let us make Churachandpur beautiful again.”
Reflecting on his three decades of service, he stressed: “If there is peace, there will be development and prosperity in the region.” He called on mothers to invest in their children’s education and character, insisting, “They are the future. If we do not invest in them, there is no hope for tomorrow.”
Notable attendees included Darun Kumar, IAS, Deputy Commissioner & District Mission Director (MSRL), Churachandpur; Prakhar Pandey, IPS, Superintendent of Police; Vidyamari Sridhar, IAS, SDO/BDO and Block Mission Director, Lanva, Lamka South TD Block; C.S. Khongsai, SMM-FI, MSRL; A.K. Chakraborty, IG (Designate), STC BSF; Ghashyam Behwal, DIG Range CRPF; officials from Sericulture, Horticulture, and Forest departments; DDM NABARD; LDM; and all MSRL staff.
The program opened with a prayer by Pastor Langkhanthang, followed by the blowing of the traditional horn by Thangkholun Haokip, and the National Anthem played on the flute by Koylas Chochon. Highlights of the day included a tribal fashion show and cultural dance performances by the participating mothers.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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