A house of a newly-wed couple was destroyed in a fire at Zangkham village in Mon district of Nagaland on Thursday morning. The villagers wasted no time and built a new house for them as soon as the fire died down.
A then-and-now photograph, where smoke haze could be seen in front of the newly built house, went viral as netizens appreciated the efforts of the villagers tagging it as ‘this happens only in the Northeast’.
Khatnai Konyak, a villager told The News Mill, “At around 7 am on Thursday at Zangkham Village under Tizit Sub Division of Mon Dist Nagaland, a house belonging to newly-wedded couple burnt down to ashes while wife and husband went out for works. Villagers tried to save their belongings but the house was locked. Recently-harvested local grains, which they keeps at home for drying, also burnt completely.”
The couple, identified as Nokhat Konyak and his wife Hailem Konyak, could do nothing to save their belongings.
“After the fire went down, all came together to help construct a new house for the couple which was completed before 3 pm on the same day,” said Konyak.
Yanithung N Ngullie, Extra Assistant Commissioner (EAC) of Mon district told The News Mill, “It is a tradition of Konyak Naga society that whenever a member of the community faces such kind of adversity, they come together and help the needy. It is community collaboration.”
Ngullie said that probably the fire broke out from the kitchen.
The gesture was welcomed by the netizens with many congratulating the villagers for showcasing a great example of humanity. “With the influence of modern lifestyle, people are carried away by the material needs. However, the soul of human lays in social co- existence,” a Facebook user wrote. “This is the reason I love my Northeast people. Hats-off to my friends,” another user wrote.
Ngullie said that the district administration helped them by giving emergency relief and financial assistance. State Disaster Management authority also helped the villagers. Fellow villagers also rendered help by providing rice, grains and other useful materials.
