Ananta Sai

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Ananta Sai
Meitei Prince
"Ananta Sai" in Meitei script and Bengali script, a prince and minister of Medieval Manipur in 18th century CE.jpg
Born(1725-08-29)29 August 1725
Kangleipak
Died Kangleipak
Issue Prince Khuching
Era name and dates
Medieval Manipur: 18th century CE
Regnal name
Mantri Ananta Sai
House Mantrimayum
Dynasty Ningthouja dynasty
Father Pamheiba
MotherLairikyengbam Chanu Haripriya
Religion Hinduism
OccupationMinister of Medieval Manipur

Mantri Ananta Sai (alias Ananta Shai or Ananta Sain) was a Meitei prince of the Ningthouja dynasty of Medieval Manipur. He was an uncle of Gaurisiam and Bhagyachandra. He recomposed the lost royal chronicle of Manipur in 1780. [1] He and his nephew, Bhagyachandra started the Heikru Hidongba festival after the installation of Lord Bijoy Govinda and Lord Shri Govinda. [2]

Contents

Background

Ananta Sai was the seventh son of King Pamheiba, born to his ninth queen, Lairikyengbam Chanu Haripriya. [3] Pamheiba was expelled from the palace by his third son, Chitsai in 1748 and out of Manipur in 1750 due to jealousy. [4] [5]

Conflict with Bharatsai

After Chitsai's treachery was found out, his younger brother, Bharatsai expelled him out of Manipur in 1752. [6] [4] [7] However, he also conspired against his nephews, Gaurisiam and Bhagyachandra. Sangkoi Tapa (Bharatsai) ruled so poorly that the people started to turn against him. Ananta Sai, who was also the king's younger brother and nobleman, conspired against Bharatsai on behalf of his nephews. [8] [9]

One of Bharatsai's noblemen convinced him to get rid of his nephews. He initially refused, but after being pressed on, he made the decision to murder his nephews. After learning of this, Wayenbam Chanu Chakha Maring Loikhombi fled to the Huntung village and then the Maring village with her sons, Maramba (Gaurisiam) and Bhagyachandra. Ananta Sai could only put up with this at his own risk. On behalf of his nephews, Maramba and Bhagyachandra, Ananta Sai led his army against Bharat Sai. [8]

Ananta Sai told his men: [10]

"My elder brother Shyam Sai was a noble son of a worthy father. He was also the natural successor to the throne. As misfortune would have it, he died without ascending the throne. God will be pleased if his sons Gourshyam (Gaurisiam) and Bhagyachandra are installed to the throne. Besides, their legitimate title is unquestionable. I will place them on the throne alternatively for a period of five years."

Ananta Sai then dethroned Bharatsai and made Maramba the king, and Bhagyachandra the crown prince. [10] As soon as Maramba ascended the throne in October 1753, he expelled Bharatsai to Inwa (Ava). [6] He then ruled with his younger brother, Bhagyachandra alternately for 5 years. [11]

Tenure

Ananta Sai was the Prime Minister of his nephew, Bhagyachandra. [12] Before Maramba died, he sent Ananta Sai and Jagannath Das to meet Harry Verelst in Chittagong in September 1763. They went to finalize the treaty terms of the Anglo-Manipuri pact in 1762. [13] The treaty then was confirmed on behalf of Maramba. [14] [15] [16]

Contributions to religious aspects

In 1779, when Bhagyachandra started the Ras Leela dance, Ananta Sai and few others specialised it with unique compositions. [17]

In November 1783, Ananta Sai, who was the Nongthonba (revenue collector), inaugurated a pond, which came to be known as Mantri Pukhri (lit. 'Minister's Pond'). [18] [19] [20]

In December 1788, Bhagyachandra established the idols of Shri Bijoy Govindajee. The idol was then worshipped by Ananta Sai who honored it with a brick temple. [21] [22] The Shri Govindajee temple was under the care of Bhagyachandra, while the Shri Bijoy Govindajee was under the care of Ananta Sai. [23]

Later descendants

Prince Ananta Sai is the patriarch of the Mantrimayum (House of Minister) family of the extended royal family of Manipur. [24] His descendants are responsible for Shri Bijoy Govinda worship and the annual Heikru Hidongba festival. [25] [26] The temple of Shri Bijoy Govinda is now managed by the descendants of Prince Ananta Sai. [25]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Romanticizing monumental antiquarian past delaying change Manipur context Part 1". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
  2. ↑ "heigru hidongba". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
  3. ↑ Somorjit Sana, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs (2010), p. 66.
  4. 1 2 Banerjee, Anil Chandra (1943). The Eastern Frontier Of British India, 1784-1826. pp. 33–34.
  5. ↑ Parratt, The Court Chronicle: Volume 1 (2005), p. 168-169.
  6. 1 2 Singh, Aheibam Koireng; Hanjabam, Shukhdeba Sharma (2022). Manipur-Myanmar Historical Connections. Concept Publishing Company Pvt. Limited. p. 73. ISBN   978-93-5439-079-1.
  7. ↑ Brara, N. Vijaylakshmi (1998). Politics, Society, and Cosmology in India's North East. Oxford University Press. p. 56. ISBN   9780195643312.
  8. 1 2 Somorjit Sana, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs (2010), p. 139-140.
  9. ↑ Rahman, Syed Amanur; Verma, Balraj (2006). The Beautiful India - Manipur. Ess Ess Publications. p. 51. ISBN   978-81-8405-024-0.
  10. 1 2 Somorjit Sana, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs (2010), p. 140.
  11. ↑ Somorjit Sana, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs (2010), p. 141, 145.
  12. ↑ Chatterjee, Suhas (2000). A Socio Economic History of South Assam. Printwell Publishers Distributors. p. 72. ISBN   978-81-7044-518-0.
  13. ↑ Tarapot, Phanjoubam (2003). Bleeding Manipur. Har-Anand Publications. p. 117. ISBN   978-81-241-0902-1.
  14. ↑ Somorjit Sana, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs (2010), p. 149.
  15. ↑ Gosvāmī, Rajarshi Bhagya Chandra (2002), p. 25.
  16. ↑ Parratt, The Court Chronicle: Volume 1 (2005), p. 174.
  17. ↑ Sampath, Vikram (2022-10-26). Bravehearts of Bharat: Vignettes from Indian History. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. pp. 314–315. ISBN   978-93-5492-828-4.
  18. ↑ Gosvāmī, Rajarshi Bhagya Chandra (2002), p. 42.
  19. ↑ Somorjit Sana, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs (2010), p. 175.
  20. ↑ Singh, R. k Jhaljit. A Short History Of Manipur. p. 202.
  21. ↑ Somorjit Sana, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs (2010), p. 194.
  22. ↑ Devi, Dr Yumlembam Gopi (2019-06-16). Glimpses of Manipuri Culture. p. 164.
  23. ↑ Sharma, Laimayum Bishwanath; Hanjabam, Shukhdeba Sharma; Singh, Aheibam Koireng; Sharma, Kakchingtabam Ruhinikumar (2021-01-01). Vaisnavism in Manipur: Volume 1: Experiences on Life, Culture & Belief. Concept Publishing Company. p. 183. ISBN   978-93-5439-016-6.
  24. ↑ "Being a Rajkumari by Tanya Sana". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  25. 1 2 Lisam, Khomdan Singh (2011). Encyclopaedia Of Manipur (3 Vol.). Gyan Publishing House. p. 670. ISBN   978-81-7835-864-2.
  26. ↑ Encyclopaedia Indica: Princely States in colonial India. Anmol Publications. 1996. p. 55. ISBN   978-81-7041-859-7.

Bibliography

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