Meitei also known as Manipuri, is a Tibeto-Burman language of northeast India. It is the official language and the lingua franca of Manipur and an additional official language in four districts of Assam. It is one of the constitutionally scheduled official languages of the Indian Republic. Meitei is the most widely-spoken Tibeto-Burman language of India and the third most widely spoken language of northeast India after Assamese and Bengali. There are 1.76 million Meitei native speakers in India according to the 2011 census, 1.52 million of whom are found in the state of Manipur, where they represent the majority of its population. There are smaller communities in neighbouring Indian states, such as Assam (168,000), Tripura (24,000), Nagaland (9,500), and elsewhere in the country (37,500). The language is also spoken by smaller groups in neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.
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.
Romi Meitei is an Indian film director, screenwriter and lyricist who works in Manipuri films. He is a recipient of several awards at film festivals organized in India and abroad, including a National Film Award.
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.
A Helloi or Heloi is a female nature spirit in Meitei mythology, folklore and religion. Hellois are often depicted in the forms of beautiful young women. They are often associated with seduction of men. They are the most powerful among the female spirits. They can cause diseases. The hellois are often known for their charming beauty, ecological balance and seduction of males. Hellois are sometimes seen as evil spirits in the forms of beautiful maidens.
Manipuri Language Day, is an annual celebration of the Manipuri (Meitei) language in India and Bangladesh on 20 August. It is the day in 1992 on which Manipuri was added to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, making it one of the official languages of India.
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.
The culture of Meitei civilization evolved over thousands of years, beginning in Ancient Kangleipak, continuing most notably into Medieval Kangleipak, while influencing the neighboring states and kingdoms, till present times.
The story of Uchek Langmeitong or Chekla Langmeitong is a Meitei folktale of Ancient Kangleipak. It is the story of a girl named "Hayainu" who turned herself into a Langmeitong as she was unable to suffer the ill treatments of her cruel stepmother.
Animals have significant roles in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei cuisine, Meitei dances, Meitei festivals, Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology, Meitei religion, etc.
The Meitei language, or Manipuri language, is a minority language in Bangladesh. It is spoken by around 15,000 ethnic Manipuris, mainly concentrated in the Sylhet Division. The Meitei language is also a second language for Bishnupriyas in Bangladesh.
Meitei language, officially and formally known as Manipuri language, is one of the official languages of the state government of Assam. It serves as the additional official language in all the three districts of the Barak Valley as well as in the Hojai district of Assam.
Yairipok Thambalnu, originally known as Sanoujam Chanu Thambalnu or simply as Thambalnu, was a Meitei lady native to Yairipok region of Kangleipak. She was a victim of intrigues and was forced to meet a tragic death in drowning in a flooding river.
The cultural heritages of Meitei civilization has classicism in diverse traditions of cinemas, dances, language, literature, music, theatre, etc.
Department of Manipuri, also known as Manipuri Department, is an educational department of studies in Meitei language, institutionally parented to the Manipur University of Canchipur, Imphal. It organises research works in Meitei literature, specifically in Meitei folklore and in Old Manipuri.
The Meitei people, also called Manipuri people, is one of the minority ethnic groups in Tripura. Meiteis call the land of Tripura as "Takhel" or "Takhen" in their language. In September 2020, their population was estimated to be approximately 23,779.
Pebet is a bird species mentioned in Meitei mythology and folklore of Kangleipak . It was believed to be a small sized bird, smaller than a sparrow. It was believed to be almost extinct.
Houdong, sometimes spelled as Haudong, appears frequently in Meitei mythology and Meitei folktales of the Meitei folklore of Ancient Kangleipak.
Khambrangchak is a bird species frequently mentioned in Meitei mythology, folklore of Ancient Kangleipak.
