By Ding Khuptong

The recent years have witnessed a radical sea change in the out-look of the people in this tiny land locked District of Churachandpur. The new generation with bare-it-all attitude has born ready to conquer the world with their own ideas and wishful thinkings. Suddenly we have become conscious of our physical appearances and mental outlook in every spheres of our lives. The reason –our craze for the ‘in-thing’ of the western culture to such an extent that we would not mind imitating them at any cost. A big thanks to the hi-fi information Era, we never lack behind what the world is up to in reference to the lifestyle. In short we are quick at aping and slow in learning.

It can be safety said with full conviction that we are becoming more out spoken and bold by drinking the nectar of foreign attitudes. Today, we seem to accept any ideas that have its roots from the foreign soil. The big issue that confront us today is the change in our perception of how life should be enjoyed at any costs.

So we believe it the west can talk about sex openly, we can be as open as them. This has given birth to a generation where sex is treated as a cheap commodity which can be bought and used at one’s desire. The ramifications are there for us all to see. Pre-Marital sex among the young teenagers is not new anymore. We do not see anything wrong with our sons and daughters mixing freely with the opposite sex, falling in and out of Love, meetings their love ones at a dingy restaurants….

Sex is now being openly discussed thus leaving little rooms for inhibitions. College canteens are full of talks about love and sex. Ten years back, even the word sex, was considered to be a Taboo. Today the scenario has changed drastically. Unwanted pregnancy is not a new subject anymore.  Teenage girls have no qualms about abortions. A walk to the district Hospital in the heart of the town where woman touts lure you to vanish away your troubles by offering abortion services is enough evidence of how our young girls are being made to sleep on the operating tables and aborting the still-born children.

Teenage boys and girls are mix freely and throwing away all the traditional values indulges in secret meetings that leads to the obvious things. With such state of affairs, it’s no surprise that pre-marital sex, abortion, unwanted pregnancy or the likes are no more Greek to us. The sad part is that we do not try to emulate the good qualities of the western life but only bent on following their lavish lifestyles.

Even the Adults have not been spared by the changing winds. The no. of ‘KANYA KATPAS or ILLICIT’ relationship between two married persons that are reported from time to time in the dailies, are just tip to the ice-berg. Extra-marital sex is becoming a way of life for those so-called devoted husbands and wives. The number of divorces rates that keep on increasing indicates that marriage is no more a scared affair and that sex is only a ‘ONE HOUR PLEASURE’.

Of course, change is the sign of times. In this noon light Era, we cannot help but change according to the wind. Change, we must, but not at the cast of the traditional values. Yes, we are changing but without proper agenda. The ultimate result for us to see is a disrespect to our social fabric which was once known to be a conservative society where sex is passed as the destination for one to start a family. We used to believed that sex was an ordeal and should be confined within the four walls of the room. But does it hold water any longer in this 21st Century ?

Let us face some bare facts. It is an open secret, that a numbers of abortion are being done in private clinics. Touts in hands with doctors swarm the hospitals offering services for abortion charging hefty sum. Yet, they are not short of customers, we are aware of it. The bitter truth is that we accept the trend as part of the changing times. It would not be wrong to say even parents are party to the act that make the doctors are the touts rich.

Some decades ago, The incurable Malady that strikes us at our face due to our arrogance and free-indulgence sex is AIDS. But AIDS is no more a strange problem in our society. Forget the statistics, think of how many of our teenagers done pre-marital sex knowingly or unknowingly. Among the married couple, there are many indulging in hetero-sexual activities, thus making them vulnerable to Talaq or divorce.

This can happen to you and me. Nobody is safe from that changing times though we think we can able to adjust it. Pre-marital sex and extra-marital affairs are two things we have imbibed without hesitation from the western world. The alien culture is here to stay. Fight as much as we can, there is nothing we can do to stop the onslaught considering the amount of formation and entertainment through the mass media.

The only way to make our young teenagers and the masses aware of such impending culture is education. Not only with text-books but through behavior changes. Parents and teachers can play an effective role in spreading awareness about unsafe and effect of sex. When we can accept sex openly, there is no reason why we should ignore sex education.

The writing on the wall is clear. Sex should not be reduced to mere three letter word. If we do not realize the grave situation, rest assured we will all ahead towards a deep abyss. So, let us join hands to prevent malaise rather than looking for the cure. The first step for the parents would be educating children on the aspects of sex such as menstruation, pregnancy, effects of pre-marital sex…………….only when our children can appreciate the essence of sex in one’s life, then there can be respect for sex.