Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanmar, Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the south. The state covers an area of 22,327 square kilometres (8,621 sq mi) and has a population of almost 3 million, including the Meitei, who are the majority group in the state, the Meitei Pangals, Naga tribes, Kuki/Zo tribes and other communities, who speak a variety of Sino-Tibetan languages. Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian economic and cultural exchange for more than 2,500 years. It has long connected the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia to Southeast Asia, China, Siberia (Russia), Micronesia and Polynesia, enabling migration of people, cultures and religions.
Imphal is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace, the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a moat. Imphal is spread over parts of districts of Imphal West and Imphal East, with the former having the major part of the city's area and population. Imphal is a smart city as part of the Smart Cities Mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
Meitei, or Meetei is a Sino-Tibetan language and the predominant language and lingua franca of the state of Manipur in northeastern India. It is one of the official languages of the Government of India.
The Meitei people are an ethnic group native to the state of Manipur in northeastern India. The Meitei primarily settled on the valley region in modern-day Manipur, although a sizable population have settled in Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram; with notable presence in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
The history of Manipur is reflected by archaeological research, mythology and written history. However, with the finding of old lost Puya called Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya which was written around 1398 BCE at the time of King Mongyamba, the kings of Kangleipak need to be updated. Since ancient times, the Meitei people have lived in the valleys of Manipur alongside the highlanders in the hills and valley in peace. Pangal (Muslims) people settled in the valleys during the reign of Meidingu Khagemba in the year 1606. Since then, they also lived along with the Meitei.
Meitei literature or Meetei literature is the literature written in the Meitei language.The sources of indigenous Meitei knowledge and philosophy was accumulated by an institution of learning called Luwang Nonghumsang.Individual authors were not named,as it was a product of many scholars for the collective of Meitei ideology,philosophy. The presence of writing among the Meiteis is assumed to go back to the Kangleipak state under king Loiyumba in the early 12th century. The Meitei script is a Brahmic abugida. It is known only from the Puya manuscripts discovered in the first half of the 20th century. Manuscripts of the 18th and 19th century used the Bengali alphabet. The existence of the Meitei script in the 15th-century hinges on the authenticity of an inscription dated to the reign of Senbi Kiyamba.
Ashangbam Minaketan Singh is regarded as the founder of Modern Meitei literature. He was born as the only child to Ashangbam Jivan Singh and Medhabati Devi on 2 May 1906. His grandfather Ashang Kut, also known as Ashangbam Phura Hongba, served as a soldier in The Maharaja of Manipur's army. In March 1891 he played a part in the assassination of British officials and was thereby sentenced for transportation on charge of murder. He was sentenced twenty five years of life imprisonment at Kalapani Jail, which is now located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
In Meetei society, the sagei or family name is known as Yumnak in Meetei Language. Pronounced "yoom-naak". Ethnic yumnaks are used in the Meetei /Meitei community including the Meitei Pangal and Meitei Bamon. The Meitei community lie largely in the Northeast India, mainly in Manipur, Next in Assam, Tripura and a few in Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya. Some live in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Cheitharol Kumbaba, also spelled Cheithalon Kumpapa, is the court chronicle of the kings of Manipur. The oldest extant version was copied in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, as "the former copy was no more available". It is the main source for the list of pre-modern kings of Manipur, tracing the genealogy of the ruling Ningthouja dynasty back to a ruler named Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, said to have ruled for more than a century, from 33–154 CE. It is to the Meiteis what the Buranji is to the Assamese and the Yazawin to the Burmese.
The Ningthouja dynasty comprises the descendants of the kings of Manipur. It has 125 extended families. It was the single ruling dynasty of the erstwhile kingdom of Manipur. It was one of the longest-lasting dynasties in the world. It was founded by King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba in 33 CE. The reign of Ningthouja Dynasty continued until the abolition of the privy purse and royal entitlements by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi through a constitutional amendment in 1971.
Rajkumar Shitaljit Singh, also known as "RK Shitaljit", was a noted writer, scholar and educationalist of Manipur. He was born on 18 August 1913, and died at the age of 95 at his residence at Keishamthong Top Leirak, Imphal on 8 June 2008.
Lamkang is a Naga language spoken by Lamkang Naga of Manipur, India, with one village in Burma. The Lamkangs are mostly settled in the southwest and southeastern parts of Manipur. The language has been influenced by the state language Meitei as the people have been in contact with Meiteis, and as Meitei is used as a lingua franca among local tribes. There are current language documentation efforts by native speakers including Bible Translation by Mr. Swamy Tholung Ksen under the Bibles International, Pautum Ren the collection of traditional stories songs Children's story book Knao Bu Then, Naoluwng Paomin, published by SIL, and the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights (UDHR) and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) translated by Sumshot Khular, and videography of traditional dances and stories and work on creating a standard orthography.
Aimol (Aimal) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Aimol people of Manipur, India. It is considered endangered and has less than 6,000 speakers worldwide.
Haobam Ongbi Ngangbi Devi was an Indian classical dancer and musician, known for her expertise in the Manipuri Dance forms of Lai Haraoba and Raas. She was honored by the Government of India, in 2010, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.
Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra Singh was an Indian writer, lexicographer and historian, known as the author of Manipuri to Manipuri and English, the first modern general dictionary in Meitei language, which was published in 1964. He was a fellow of the Sahitya Akademi and Sangeet Natak Akademi. The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1987.
Rajkumar Jhalajit Singh is an Indian writer, historian, gandhian and academic, best known for his book, A Short History of Manipur. Born on 14 September 1924 at Yaiskul Hiruhanba Leikai, Imphal, in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur to Maipak Sana and Ningthemcha Rajani Devi, he did his schooling at local schools and graduated from Guwahati Cotton College. His post graduate studies were at Calcutta University from where he secured his master's degree (MA) in Economics, followed by a graduate degree in Law (LLB). He was active in student politics during his college days and participated in the All India Students' Congress, held in Delhi. He carried on his political activities after studies and was involved with Indian National Congress as a member of the Assam Congress Working Committee and as the general secretary of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee. His contributions are reported in getting Manipur seceded from the undivided Assam state and eventually getting it full statehood.
Yengkhom Roma is an Indian actress who predominantly appeared in Manipur film. She is a resident of Imphal, Manipur, where she was born in 1945 to Yengkhom Birendra and Yengkhom Ongbi Mani. Besides acting, she has also directed a documentary film titled Jagoida Katthoklabi Suryamukhi Devi. She also worked as an assistant director in the film Ashangba Nongjabi.
Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi was an Indian novelist, short story writer, playwright and a member of royal family of Manipur.
"Panthoibi" is the Goddess of power, war, combat, courage, peace, romance and prosperity in Sanamahism as well as in Meitei mythology. She is worshipped mainly by the Meitei people in Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Bangladesh and Myanmar. She is considered to be one of the divine incarnations of Leimarel Sidabi, the goddess of earth and the highest goddess in Sanamahism. She is also identified as a form of Goddess Nongthang Leima.
Manipur has a wide collection of notable art and cultural displays.
