History Of Manipur

The people of Manipur can be rightly proud of a very rich historical heritage. The annals of Manipur are traced to the times of yore.

Myriad of people have been migrating to this fertile land at various stages. Most of them have settled down here. The contributions of all these communities, tribes and sub-tribes have enriched the cultural firmament of Manipur.

They have been contributing not only to the field of culture but practically in all sectors of the state of Manipur. The entire gamut of socio-economic and political sphere has developed owing to this communal contribution.

This varied and vibrant tradition is reflected till date in the language, culture, literature and beliefs of the majority of the population that settled down in this place of Far East of India. Irrespective of wherever the people of this community lived in Manipur, they have been have been speaking a language that had many linguistic affinities.

This community is that of the Meiteis.

Besides the Meiteis, Manipur is also home to many other communities, tribes and sub-tribes who have made the state their homeland.

The people belonging to the Meitei community constitute the majority of the population of Manipur.

Linguists and historians have evolved the language pattern theory to trace the roots of the annals of this picturesque state of North East India.

The antique manuscripts and the styles of languages used in Manipur have proved to be invaluable tools for reconstruction of the history of ancient Manipur. It is from these sources that we get to know of the developments that have taken place in the spheres of Meitei tradition, culture, arts, sports, and history among others.

Here we provide only a bird's eye view of the glorious history of the Meitei dynasties.

The input has been taken from various sources including the online encyclopaedia.
 
In the Meitei language, ancient history is known as 'puwari'.

Historians have divided the history of Manipur into four periods. These are as follows:

(a) The Ancient Stage.

It includes the time 'before the birth of Jesus Christ;

(b) The Early Age.

This time period takes into account 13 centuries from the 1st A.D. to the 13th A.D.

(c) The Medieval or Middle Ages

The important incidents recorded in this stage include those that took place during an extension of four centuries viz., 14th A.D. to the 18th A.D.

(d) The Modern Age

This period includes the significant incidents in the state of Manipur from ther 19th A.D. onwards.

Let's try to walk down the annals period-wise

THE ANCIENT STAGE

The ancient or prehistoric phase of Manipur is traced to Chinese roots.

In fact, the Meiteis believe that their Mi-Tei dynasty was established in the present-day Manipur state of India by Tangja Leela Pakhangba in 1445 BC. He ruled Manipur for about 40 years, i.e., till 1405 BC.

Pakhangba is the 14th generation descendent of Tang who had established the famous Tang-Shang dynasty in the central part of present-day China in 1523 BC. This Tang-Shang dynasty continued its regime till 1027 BC.

In other words, the Pakhamba regime was flourishing in the modern-day Manipur when their siblings were very much wielding the strings of power in their ancestral home of China.

The people of the Qi tribe formed the base of this Tang-Shang dynasty. The majority of the Qi tribe depended on agriculture for their livelihood. 

The earliest Meitei script

The first Meitei script chronicling the ancient times of Manipur dates back to the 2nd century AD. This chronicle 'Ningthou Kangbalon' was written by Thongak Kurumba – a Meitei scholar (maichou) on the 3rd of Kalen (May). It was then the regime of Khu-Yoi Tompok, the son of Nogda Lairen Pakhamba.

The Meitei script was subsequently transliterated into Bengali by Nongthombamcha Angou Luwang. It was published by Thokchomba Ibotombi in 1976.

TANGJA LEELA PAKHAMBA: SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME

The name of the first ruler of the Mi-Tei dynasty in Manipur has significance. His earlier name is shrouded in mystery. It is quite later that he came to be known as Tangja Leela Pakhangba.

'Tang-ja' is the shortened form of the name Tang-Shang;

The middle name 'Leela' means the person who followed the trail of the Ireel river;

The last name 'Pakhamba' is made up of two terms. 'Pa' means 'forefathers', and 'Khamba' points to the person who knows his forefathers or the Tang-Shang people.

Therefore, Tangja Leela Pakhangba is the name of that Tang-Shang leader who led a group of the Qi tribe from the source of the Ireel river (in Manipur) along its trail to reach the hill ranges of Koubru which is situated about 35 km north-west from Imphal, the capital of Manipur state.

Historians feel that this group of people led by Pakhamba is a section of the larger group of the Tang-Shang dynasty who had left their original kingdom in Central China for some reason.

There are lots of theories as to what might have made them migrate. The most accepted cause appears to be the eternal search of agrarian people for greener pastures.

The larger Tang-Shang group then proceeded along the Yangtze river and then the Chindwin river (Ningthi turen) – now in Myanmar – crossed the hill ranges of Somra to finally settle down at an ideal place near the mouth of the Ireel river in Manipur.

It is from this place that Pakhamba and his followers followed the trail of the Ireel river to the reach the Koubru hill ranges. Finding the place ideal for agriculture, this group of people chose to settle down at that place. However, they had to first come to terms with the people of the Lei-Hou tribe, the original inhabitants of the Koubru hill ranges.

The Lei-Hou tribe belong to the Asiatic Tibeto-Burman ethnic group. This was done through a marital relationship whereby the leader of the Shang-Tang group of people married Sinbee Leima – daughter of the Lei-Hou tribe chieftain. They had a son. He was christened Kangba.

The chief of the Shang-Tang tribe now known as Tangja Leela Pakhangba established his kingdom near the Koubru hills in 1445 BC. He ruled Manipur for about 40 years, i.e., till 1405 BC.

KANGBA (1405 BC – 1359 BC)

Kangba, the son of Tangja Leela Pakhangba and Sinbee Leima, became the king after the death of his father in 1405 BC. He ruled for 46 years till 1359 BC.

Christening of the kingdom

The first step taken by Kangba was to formally announce a name for his kingdom. Kangba chose to christen his land 'Tilli Koktong'.

Temple construction

The other significant action undertaken by Kangba was to construct a temple (Lai-Yum) dedicated to the presiding deity Sannamahi or Saree at Waroiching. 

Naming of Loktak

The northern and eastern portions of Manipur remained geographically isolated from each other by a vast waterbody till the early part of 1st century AD.

In fact, this waterland covered the entire stretch that is now known as the valley area of Manipur.

It was Pangba who named this large stretch of water 'Loktak'.

The term 'Loktak' is made up of two Meitei words 'Lok' meaning 'stream or water on hills' and 'Tak' which connotes 'a vast mass'. The composite term 'Loktak' therefore refers to the vast waterland that covered the valley areas.

Cementing cultural ties

It is worth mentioning that despite this natural barrier there were cultural and maritime relationships among the people of eastern and northern portions since those hoary days. The people used dug-out boats to ferry themselves from one the eastern to the northern sides and vice versa.

Kangba took a major step cementing the ties by tying the knot with Leima Taitnu who was the daughter of Nongpok Ningthou – chieftain of the eastern hills of Manipur. They named their son Koikoi.

Introduction of horse polo

Meitei chronicles mention that Kangba introduced the sport of horse polo as 'Sagol Kang-jei' in his kingdom.

The term 'kang-jei' means the stick while the term 'kang-droom' points to the round ball that is beaten about by the horse riders while playing the game.