Waikhom Shana

IMPHAL, Apr 27:The INA flag which was hoisted for the first time in Indian territory is still existing in good shape.The flag is in the custody of YA Shishak of Shangshak in Ukhrul district, who witnessed the Indo-Japanese war at Shangshak. He also served as a peon in both the Maratha Infantry and Japanese Army in diffetent periods of time.

The tricolour flag is made of Khadi and has a tiger printed on it. YA Shishak says the flag was the first INA flag which was hoisted first in Ukhrul by the INA. The INA complex built at Moirang was supposed to be made in Ukhrul but the late ex-chief minister Koireng build it at Moirang, he said. YA Shishak was in Class III when the Indo-Japanese war took place at Shangshak. The Maratha Infantry took him in their ranks as a peon. After some time he was caught by the Japanese Army who again made him work as a peon for them. He was taken to Tokyo twice by the Japanese, he said.

YA Shishak is now living near Shangshak war cemetry in Ukhrul. His small house is a museum of sorts preserving relics of the Indo-Japanese war. In the courtyard there is a long iron chassis of a Japanese tank. Inside the house are photographs of Japanese officers and soldiers with their names, a map used by the Japanese army, a Samurai sword with its cap and head gear and photographs showing the lifestyle of Tangkhuls during the Shangshak war. He said he was keeping these Japanese documents because they were fighting for the independence of India.

YA Shishak is now seventy years old. He says many documents and photographs were burnt along with his shop in the past. But he is happy maintaining the remaining documents and photographs. He showed the INA flag only when he came to know that the persons visiting his museum were mediapersons. He called them inside and took out a flag from an old aluminium box kept under a side table.

The museum cum home of YA Shishak is a treasure for the state and the country and needs to be protected and preserved with use of modern technology.

The war cemetry of Shangshak also needs protection, development and maintenance. The names of the vilagers who lost their lives in the Shangshak war is missinng from the memorial stone. In the Indo-Japanese war at Shangshak eight Maratha Infantry officers and sodiers of the British Royal Army along with many villagers lost their lives in fighting the Japanese army advancing from Burma side.

 

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