Luwang | |||
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Profile | |||
Country | India | ||
Region | Manipur | ||
Ethnicity | Meitei people | ||
Chief | |||
Luwang Iputhou | |||
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Luwang is one of the seven clans of the Meitei people. Luwang consists of several Yumnaks which are native peoples of ancient Kangleipak (now Manipur), one of the States of India. [1] [2]
Luwang was the son of Iputhou Pakhangba also known as Konchin Tukthapa Pakhangpa and Nula Eebemma Huimuleima. He was born inside Kangla Palace, Imphal at noon where sunlight was somewhat white in colour. He ruled some parts of Kangleipak kingdom for several years. [3] Luwang Punsiba was one of the great king amongst Luwang clan, during his reign Hiyang Hiren was most popular in Kangleipak. [4]
The following are list of Yumnaks [5] (surnames)included in the Luwang [6] salai. [7]
Huiyen Lallong is a traditional Meitei martial art form. It is one of the Indian martial arts, originating from Manipur. In the Meitei language, Huiyen means war while Lallong or Lanlong can mean net, knowledge or art. Huiyen Langlon consists of two main subforms: Thang-Ta and Sarit Sarak. The primary weapons of Huiyen Lallong are the Thang (sword) and Ta (spear). The spear can be used in its non-missile form while up close, or thrown from afar. Other weapons include the shield and the axe. Unarmed combat incorporates hand strikes, kicks, and grappling (Mukna). Because of Manipur's cultural similarity and geographical proximity with Myanmar, huyen langlon is closely related to Burmese bando and banshay.
The history of Manipur is reflected by archaeological research, mythology and written history. Historically, Manipur was an independent sovereign kingdom ruled by Meitei dynasty but at different point of time it was invaded and rule over by other state and authority. The Kangleipak State developed under King Loiyumba with its first written constitution in the early 12th century. Manipur under the 18th-century king Pamheiba saw the legendary burning of sacred scripture.
Yumnak is a family name (Sagei) In the Meetei society, and they speak Meetei Language. The name Yamunak as Pronounced "yoom-naak". Ethnic yumnaks are used in the Meetei /Meitei community including the Meitei Pangal and Meitei Bamon.
The Ningthouja dynasty, also known as Mangang dynasty, comprises the descendants of the kings of Manipur. Ningthouja literally means progeny of King. It has 125 extended families. It was apparently founded by King Nongdā Lāiren Pākhangba in 33 CE.
Pakhangba is a primordial deity, often represented in the form of a dragon, in Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is depicted in the heraldry of Manipur kingdom, which originated in paphal, mythical illustrations of the deity. It is believed that the ancestor of one of the Meitei clans manifested himself as the Pakhangba.
Mangang is one of the seven clans of Meetei, which is among the Yek or Salai people of Manipur. It consists of several Yumnaks which are native peoples of ancient Kangleipak, one of the states of India.
Khuman Salai is a clan, which probably ruled parts of Kangleipak prior to subjugation by the Ningthouja dynasty (Mangang) c. 13th Century. The Khuman-Lon Puya records information about their rule. The rough translation of Khuman in English is a narrowed darkness.
Angom is one of the seven clans of the Meitei people, and as such speak the Meitei language. Angom consists of several Yumnaks which are native peoples of ancient Kangleipak, now Manipur state of India.
Moilang or Moirang is one of the seven clans of the Meitei people. Moirang consists of many several Yumnaks which are native peoples of ancient Kangleipak, one of the states of India. Moirang clan is considered most rich clan in terms of culture as reflected in Khamba and Thoibi.
kha Nganpa or Kha Nganba is one of the seven clans of the Meitei people.
Salai Leishangthem or Salang Leishangthem or Chenglei or Sarangthem Leishangthem is one of the seven clans of the Meitei people. Salai Leishangthem consists of numerous Yumnaks which are native peoples of ancient Kangleipak, one of the states of India.
Nongshaba is a lion god in Sanamahism and Meitei 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. Nongshaba was worshipped by the people of Moirang clan as a lineage deity and regarded as the father of the god Thangching. He is the greatest of the Umang Lais but he made his only son Thangching the chief deity of Moirang.
Yek also known as Salai are the collective of clans of the native people of Kangleipak (Manipur).The natives included among the yek include Anal, Tangkhul, Mao, Maring, Kabui, Chothe, Purum, Khoibu, and Kharam. The clan names come from various dialects and surnames but mean the same thing. All natives of Kangleipak are included in the 7 major yek or parent clan. It may be noted that the term Hao used to mean tribes by Meitei people may be the common name of the native of Manipur Kingdom as both Meitei and various other hao share deep similarity in culture and tradition.
Khuman Pokpa or is the Apokpa, or ancestor god of the Khuman clan. He is regarded as the founder of the Khuman dynasty. He is one of the three members of the Mangang Luwang Khuman in Meitei mythology and religion. He represents the time of the sunset and the night.
Kshetrimayum is a Meitei ethnic family name (surname). It is a Meitei yumnak. Its literal meaning is “House of Kshatriya”. This surname was given to the descendants of Hindu Kshatriyas, coming from outside Manipur and who first started settling down in Manipur during the reign of king Chalamba and king Gambhir. They were originally Brahmakshatriya from north-eastern part of Karnataka and western Orissa, some of these people migrated to Manipur in the above said time, subsequently settled and got absorbed into Meitei society. This surname does not belong to any Yek Salais since Yek Salais were already formed during the reign of Pakhangba well before their arrival in Manipur. Notable people with this family name are:
The ancient legend of Khamba and Thoibi is a classic, as well as one of the epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore, that is originated from Ancient Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak . It is referred to as the "national romantic legend of Manipur" by Indian scholar Suniti Kumar Chatterjee.
Meidingu Hongnemyoi Khunjao Naothingkhong was a Meetei ruler of Ningthouja dynasty of Ancient Manipur. He was the successor of Ura Konthouba and the predecessor of Khongtekcha. He ran away from the Kangla at the age of about 10 or 12 years and went to live along the Shelloi Langmais in the Nongmaiching Hill in the eastern Manipur. He was mad in love with Pitang-nga, a Langmai girl and married her. They lived in her parents' house. This is the first reference to the matrilocal residence in the history of Manipuri ethnicity. According to ancient sources, he has six wives from different clan principalities of Ancient Manipur. In fact, he has nine total wives, out of which three are childless. So, in general cases, it is regarded as he has six wives. He married Princess Ewanglon Namun Chaobee after engagement. Luwang Ningthou Punshiba of Luwang dynasty gave training of state craft and the art of governance to Naothingkhong when he was a prince. Besides, the great-grandson of Luwang Ningthou Punshiba married Naothingkhong's daughter.
Meidingu Naophangba was a Meetei ruler of Ningthouja dynasty of Ancient Manipur. He is the successor of Naokhamba and the predecessor of Sameiraang. He promulgated a proto-Constitution in 429 AD, which later grew into the Loyumba Shinyen, a written constitution in 1100 AD, during the reign of King Loyumba. He is one of the most outstanding figures in the history of Meitei architecture of Ancient Manipur. He laid the foundation stone of the Kangla, the "Namthak Sarongpung", which is the holiest place to the Manipuri ethnicity. During his reign, the coronation hall in the Kangla was inaugurated and a hog was sacrificed. According to the Loyumba Shinyen, he took command from Mangang Luwang Khuman for the administration of justice in the kingdom. According to the Chakparol, the ten villages of the Chakpas separated during his reign. It was right from his reign that the newcomers (immigrants) were assigned and admitted to the yek salai (clans) and the yumnaks (families) of the Meitei ethnicity. According to the Thengkourol, copper and brass were imported from Burma and China during his reign.
Mangang Luwang Khuman is the triple deity of supreme divinity in Sanamahism, the Meitei religion. The three deities are Mangang Sitapa, Luwang Sitapa and Khuman Sitapa. They are also regarded as the progenitors of the Mangang dynasty, the Luwang dynasty and the Khuman dynasty, the three of the seven ruling clan dynasties of Antique Kangleipak.
Ningthoujam is a Meitei family name in Manipur and other north eastern parts of India. It is part of the Mangang clan or yek salai. "Ningthou" means king and "jam" means progeny and is a popular suffix added to Meitei surnames.
All the Meetei surnames originated from the seven clans of Meetei. There are altogether 716 surnames in Meetei society (Ayekpam, 1993). These clans have their specified numbers of surnames given below.
The number of Yumnaks of each Salai varies according to the size and strength of the Salais. Ningthouja, the ruling Salai, has 125 Sageis, including Kanghujam, the lone Sagei of Ningthouja Ariba; the Angom 62, Khuman 67, the Luwang 58, the Moirang 67, the Khaba-Nganba 21, and the Chengleis (Sarang Leisangthem) 35. Thus there are all altogether 465 Sageis of the original Meiteis belonging to the seven Salais. However, Prof Gangmumei contended that there is a discrepancy in the total number of Sageis or Yumnaks as given by him with that of Hudson and Ibohal are 448 and 712. Each of these Sageis is descended from a common ancestor, the founder of the Salai (Salai-apokpa).