What do you do ?

During a recent trip to Rishi Valley I was asked if I would like to address the junior assembly (which I happily agreed to) and warned that the students asked too many questions !!

I shared the story of my walk to a meeting place at a village in Nagaland

I started from the foot-ball field, which also has a volley-ball court, at one end of the village

I then came across young people at the amphitheatre

Just nearby was a community place with painted walls

Couple of pines had fallen at the corner

As I walked further I saw people had stocked firewood 

Reaching next locality I saw a house with a tin-roof (oil-cans)

While another had beautiful carving and different colour

Just besides was a house which had maximum look-alikes 

Around the corner I saw the garage which looked familiar

I reached the destination and saw the wooden-box which I recalled from last time; a grain storage-place

Tea was getting ready at the center of the room

I reached in time and finally the meeting began

And now : few of the many questions

Where are you from?

What is that skull?

Does skull also have medicinal property?

Do all families own mithun?

Is mithun costly?

Which village is this?

How far is it from Kohima?

What language do the people speak in Nagaland?

Are you able to talk with people there?

Have you gone to the forest near the village?

Have you seen animals in the forest?

What is the state animal and state bird of Nagaland?

What is stored in the box?

What is the main food of people there?

Is mithun skull hung outsides homes of strong people?

How may times have you gone to this village?

Why did you go to this village?

Why are there no trees on top of the hill?

And one that has stayed with me since : 
What do you do?

Chatting as the images appeared on the large screen and replying to these questions I had fun and exceeded time. This was one of the rare instances where I was happy to do so. As John Locke nicely put it : 'There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men'.

Many thanks to Rishi Valley, Radha, Santharam and Koustubh.

Some images of homes from Nagaland here.