New Maram
The first seed of Catholic Faith under the spiritual leadership of C. Paul Yuishi (Tangkhul tribe) sprouted in Maram Khullen, the biggest and original village of the Maram (Tangkhul) tribe. The zealous missionary, Rev. Fr. Bianchi Peter initiated the new faith. Catholic Faith in the village among the pagans was hard because of the differences in their rites and ritual ideas. As a result, they could not profess and propagate freely their new faith. Therefore, they decided to leave the village and settle somewhere where they could practice their new faith freely. The pagan villagers suggested them to settle at Sangkhijang where John Paul II School is situated today, but some of them thought that it was too close to the village.
So they began to survey other places. Sarakhilung, the present Maram Project site, near Maram Bazaar was but the omens were not good. Those days, according to Maram custom, for any new endeavor omens were read through a dream. This, in Maram language is called “Mangdai”. Finally they chose “Ragaum”- where “New Maram” village is located today- as an ideal place for their settlement. The omens were good for this place. This place is continued to be the local church of the village with Ng. Pungdingoulung was made the land owner that they migrated from Maram and K. Kangtalu as the G.B. C. Paul Yuishi continued to lead the chief of the village and the touring catechist. This is how New Maram village came into being in accepting the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rev. Fr. Peter Bianchi supported the village in all ways – spiritually and materially. Many boys and girls were given help to study for several years. He did whatever he could for its well-being of the village. Later, Fr. Daniel came to this village and did the same for its upliftment.
In 1962 Rev. Fr. Peter Bianchi built the church and it was named as St. Joseph’s Church. In the same year, a Co-operative Society was established and a weaving centre set up benefiting many women including from neighboring villages.
In 1996 a thread spinning centre was opened. In 1997 a tailoring centre was started. In 2000 another weaving centre was set up under the sponsorship of CARPART (MANEDA).
During 2004-2005 Mr. C. Peter Tangkhul (IPS) extended the village playground and village approach road. Also, St. Joseph Church New Maram celebrated its Golden Jubilee on 15th January 2008, where most Rev. Dominic Lumon Archbishop of Imphal graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, and Rev. Fr. Guria Nestor SDB (vice provincial of Dimapur) as Guest of Honour. Many religious figures and dignitaries were also present.
Rev. Fr. M.D. Varghese SDB was the then Parish priest. L. Kishii Michael was touring catechist and P. Kangba John was the local catechist.
With God’s blessing on 6 November 2010, Sr. Christin celebrated her first profession and on 29 January 2012, Fr. Hingba Michal became a Catholic priest to spread the kingdom of God among men. Today, St. Joseph’s Church New Maram has 58 families with a total population of 337. We thank God for his abundant blessings upon us.
In 2008, MGNREGS a national flagship programme was launched in 2010. NERCORMP a joint project of IFAD, NEC and ministry of DONER, GOI was launched under which many development activities were taken up. Besides in 2013, an IWMP V Watershed Project was started. There also occurred disastrous events in the village to mention some major events.
In 1967, a wild fire broke out on the western side of the village in which 15 houses including a tailoring centre were burnt down to ashes. Seven years later, in 1973, another wild fire engulfed the eastern part of the village reducing the villagers to poverty and made them lag behind socially, economically and educationally. Fortunately, neighboring villages rendered some help to the villagers in their hour of crisis. The people of New Maram have not given in to these hardships and tragedies but are striving and endeavoring to overcome them with God’s help. New Maram is situated about 2 km to the East of NH-39 (now AH-2). To the East of the village is the Barak River that flows from North to South. The neighboring villages are Maram Bazar, Maram Centre and Ramlung. New Maram is the first village where Catholic faith was planted with the first converts moving to it from Maram Khullen. It was like a Biblical event (Exodus 3:7-9) where we see the Israelites being called out of Egypt to a promised land of Canaan.