Charairongba (Old Manipuri: Chalailongpa) | |
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Ningthou | |
Born | Charairongba Kangleipak |
Died | Kangleipak |
Burial | |
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Dynasty | Ningthouja dynasty |
Religion | Meitei religion |
Occupation | monarch |
Kingdom of Manipur | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Charairongba - Old manipuri "Chalai-Longpa" (17th century CE - early 18th Century CE) also known as "Eningthou Ningthem Charairongba" was the Meitei king and the ruler of Kangleipak ( Meitei for ' Manipur kingdom ') from 1697 to 1709.
Charairomba (Meitei : ꯆꯔꯥꯢꯔꯣꯡꯕ, romanized: cha-rāi-rōng-ba or cha-rāī-rōng-ba) was born on Saturday May 20, 1673 CE. [1] He was the father of Pamheiba, the King that made Hinduism the official religion of Manipur.
In 1717, he ordered Pamheiba to invade Burma. The Burmese King had insulted Charairongba's daughter by asking for another daughter in marriage. Instead of sending his daughter, Charairongba sent his son Pamheiba along with a strong cavalry force. They crushed the Burmese in battle.[ citation needed ]
Meitei King Charairongba is also known for being a writer. He is best known for authoring the text named "Leiron". The Leiron is a Meitei language account of flowers bearing testimonies to the loves of nature and appreciations of its beauty by the ancient Meitei people of Kangleipak ( Meitei for ' Manipur ')). In the literary works, king Charairongba is described as a king with a glorious reign over ten tributary kings. He was also traditionally believed to be an incarnation of King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, the first able ruler of the Ningthouja dynasty. [2]
The "Leiron" (Meitei : ꯂꯩꯔꯣꯟ, lit. 'the account of flowers') written by Charairongba quotes the beauties of nature, among which the following is one of them:
Come spring and the first rumble of the approaching monsoon has been heard in the distance. Before long will the rivers flow with turbulent currents and it is the time of the year when Poireiton accompanied by Leinaotabi made his journey to earth. The hill glades now look velvety green and refreshingly beautiful with new sprouts growing in thick clusters and the blades of grass entwining with one another. The orchids begin to play with the gentle breeze. Domestic birds are flying out in search of new fruit. The young man eager to meet his love puts on the best bib and tucker and it is also the season when he most neatly grooms his hair to bedecked with the turban prepared in the best sartorial style. Indeed, he receives the season with gay abandon. When viewed towards the hills, they look invitingly attractive and no less is the valley. All the extensive fields and stretching roads seem to offer both delicious sweets to taste and pleasant spectacle to enjoy. Last year's barren trees have put forth new shoots and most of the leaves have become broad and green. Flowers by the foothill, that usually bloom early each year are all tinted red and the long path-ways by the vast pasture have been covered with them. Other flowers too, both in the hills and the dales, have put on a riot of colour. [3]
The Leiron contains description of 100 flowers and orchids, endemic as well as exotic species. The diction in the text is greatly archaic as well as endowed with swift rhythmic flow. [4]
Giving reference to King Khagemba and the Manipur Kingdom, the beauty and grace of Lei Kabok, also called Kabok Lei ( Gardenia jasminoides ), is described by King Charairongba, as follows:
It is a flower that remains ever fresh as not eaten by worms and is fondly sought after in the four corners of the country, eight directions, nay in all quarters. It is distinct for its beautiful shape, its tender stalk and for its pure white colour. It is a flower once nurtured by King Khagemba who preferred to take it with him even for his long home. It is a flower that comes handy to both boys and girls as a present of love. Such a luscious flower has blossomed forth in an unending array of white and definitely the season is of this flower. [5]
Other notable mentionings of the plant species include the "nongleishang" (Meitei : ꯅꯣꯡꯂꯩꯁꯪ), the "santhong maiba lei" (Meitei : ꯁꯟꯊꯣꯡ ꯃꯥꯏꯕ ꯂꯩ), "kusum lei" (Meitei : ꯀꯨꯁꯨꯝ ꯂꯩ, lit. ' Safflower '), "kakyai padam lei" (Meitei : ꯀꯛꯌꯥꯏ ꯄꯥꯗꯝ ꯂꯩ), "singut yenga lei" (Meitei : ꯁꯤꯉꯨꯠ ꯌꯦꯉꯥ ꯂꯩ), "thambal" (Meitei : ꯊꯝꯕꯥꯜ, lit. ' Lotus flower'), the "laiyen hanbi paothil lei" (Meitei : ꯂꯥꯏꯌꯦꯟ ꯍꯟꯕꯤ ꯄꯥꯎꯊꯤꯜ ꯂꯩ), among the 100s. [6]
Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India has 22 officially recognised languages. Sahitya Akademi, India's highest literary body, also has 24 recognised literary languages.
Meitei, officially known as Manipuri, is a Tibeto-Burman language of northeast India. It is the official language and the lingua franca of Manipur, as well as one of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic, included in the 8th Schedule to the Indian Constitution. It is one of the advanced literary languages, recognised by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters. It serves as one of the recognised educational and literary languages in Assam and Tripura. Native to the Meitei people, it has around 3 million total speakers, and is used as L1 by around 1.8 million people, predominantly in the state of Manipur, and as L2 by different ethnic groups, in different parts of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. It was used as a court language in the historic Manipur Kingdom, in accordance to the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947.
Meitei literature, also known as Manipuri literature, is literature written in the Meitei language of Manipur. An ancient institution of learning, the Luwang Nonghumsang, later known as the Pandit Loishang, collected sources of indigenous Meitei knowledge and philosophy until the 18th century. Writing by Meiteis is assumed to go back to the Kingdom of Kangleipak 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 centuries were written using 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. The first printed Manipuri book, Manipurer Itihas, appeared in 1890 from the Baptist Mission Press, Calcutta. Though the kings of Manipur had established contact with the British from the middle of the eighteenth century onward the real impact of the contact came much later. Johnstone Middle English School, based on the western system of education, was started in 1885 at Imphal, and in 1891 Manipur lost its independence to the British. British domination facilitated the introduction of new systems in the civil, political and educational spheres, which hastened the process of modernization in Manipur, exposed as it was to new ideas and influences.
Panthoibi, also known as Nongpok Leima, is a goddess associated with civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom in the mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. She is a consort of the God Nongpok Ningthou. She is considered to be one of the divine incarnations of Leimarel Sidabi and is also identified as a form of Goddess Nongthang Leima. She is worshipped mainly by the Meitei people in Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Nongshaba, also spelled as Nongsaba, is a Lion God in Meitei religion (Sanamahism) and mythology. He is also regarded as a king of the gods. He is credited with producing light in the primordial universe and is regarded as the maker of the sun. He is worshipped by the people of both the Ningthouja clans as well as the Moirang clans. God Nongshaba was worshipped by the people of Moirang clan as a lineage deity and regarded as the father of God Thangching (Thangjing). He is the greatest of the Umang Lais in Ancient Kangleipak but he made his only son Thangching (Thangjing) the chief deity of Moirang.
The Henjunaha Lairoulembi, also known as the Henjunaha Lairuklembi, shortly known as the Henjunaha, is a legendary epic love story of Henjunaha Yangleingamba and Thongnang Lairoulembi. It is one of the epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore, that is originated from Moirang province of Ancient Kangleipak.
Nongpok Ningthou, also known as Sovereign of the East or King of the East, is a deity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. He is the ruling guardian deity of the eastern direction. Legend says Nongpok Ningthou and Panthoibi got united in the Nongmaiching mountains. Later, they were worshipped as the civilization giving deities in Meitei religion.
Phou Ningthou is a deity in Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism) of Ancient Kangleipak. He is the God and the divine male personification of the agriculture, crops, fertility, grains, harvesting, paddy, rice and wealth. He is the consort of Phouoibi (Phouleima), the goddess of crops and agricultural fertility.
The ancient legend of Khuyol Haoba and Yaithing Konu is one of the epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore, that is originated from Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak. It concerns the fateful love of Khuyol Haoba, an orphan man, for the beautiful Yaithing Konu. Khuyol Haoba was the son of late Khundouremba, a court official of Moirang. Yaithing Konu was the daughter of Luwang Huiningsumba, an influential nobleman of Moirang.
The ancient legend of Wanglen Pungdingheiba and Sappa Chanu Silheibi is one of the epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore, that is originated from Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak. It concerns the tragedic romantic adventures of Wanglen Pungdingheiba for his ladylove Sappa Chanu Silheibi . Wanglen Pungdingheiba was a skilled craftsman known for making musical instrument pung. Lady Sappa Chanu Silheibi was a skilful weaving artisan. Both the lovers are equally noted for their talents and good looks, thereby becoming the matters of envy of many young men and women in the kingdom of Moirang.
The Mahabharata is one of the epics of Sanskrit literature that is translated as well as literarily adapted into Meitei language, thereby creating a space for Hindu literature within the granary of Meitei literature.
The Nungpan Ponpi Luwaopa, also known as the Nungban Pombi Luwaoba, is an ancient Meitei language narrative epic text (puya), about the legendary story of a prince of the same title, belonging to the Luwang dynasty, who got back successfully the life of his wife Koubaron Namoinu (Lainaotabi), from the hands of her former consort Thongalen, the God of death and the ruler of the underworld. It is an old story of near tragic end. In the legend, there are fights between a mortal and the gods. It mentions about the dowry system of the then ancient times. It is, in a sense, the reverse of the Chothe Thangwai Pakhangba.
Thāron or the Thārol is an ancient Meitei language text (puya), about the lore of the twelve lunar months of a year. It is the foundation for the Meitei calendar. It describes the changing pattern of nature in the following months. It is one of the masterpieces of the writers of the ancient times.
The Loiyumpa Silyel, also termed as the Loyumpa Silyel or the Loiyumpa Shilyel or the Loyumpa Shilyel or the Loyumba Sinyen, is an 11th-12th century ancient Meitei language written constitution, regulated in the Ancient Kangleipak during the rule of King Loiyumba. In 1110 CE, its format was finalised from a promulgation of the proto-constitution, drafted in 429 CE by King Naophangba. Historically, it is the first written constitution, and one of the well recorded Ancient Meitei language texts of the kingdom. Its Constitutionalism was replaced by the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947, that was functional until Manipur was merged into Republic of India on October 15, 1949.
The Chainarol, also known as the Chainalol, is an ancient Meitei language text (puya) which records the armed combats of various gladiators through different periods of history of Ancient Kangleipak. It consists of 27 stories of real life incidents of the dual fight between different gladiators.
Chakpa Makhao Ngambi was the Burmese queen of Toungoo dynasty of Kingdom of Ava and the Meitei princess of Ningthouja dynasty of Kangleipak. She was the Queen consort of King Taninganway of Myanmar, until her abdication after having a son. By birth, she was a first-degree relative of King Charairongba of Manipur Kingdom and a second-degree relative of King Pamheiba Garib Niwaj, Charairongba's successor. Her abdication from the Burmese throne caused a long time international conflict between the Meiteis and the Bamars.
Many Chings play significant role in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology and Meitei religion (Sanamahism) of Kangleipak.
Many pāmbīs play significant roles in the different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei cuisine, Meitei festivals, Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology and Meitei religion (Sanamahism) of Kangleipak.
The Tutenglon is an ancient Meitei language text, based on the saga of the two Meitei princes, Yoimongba and Taothingmang, who took upon themselves the superhuman task of dredging the channels of the biggest and the longest rivers in Kangleipak, the Iril River and the Imphal River. It also describes about the flood that happened during the reign of king Ngangoi Yoimongba in Ancient Kangleipak. The text also mentions that Yoimongba and Taothingmang are the two sons and Lairoklembi is a daughter of Meitei king Khuyoi Tompok. Princess Lairoklembi was married to the chief of Koubru.
Ancient Meitei literature, also termed as Old Manipuri literature, is literature written in the Ancient Meitei language from the earliest texts until the time of King Pamheiba of Kangleipak. All the ancient Meitei literary works are written in the traditional Meitei script. The ancient Meitei language texts, written in Meitei script, are conventionally termed as "the Puyas".