The story of Ura Naha Khongjomba and Pidonnu | |
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Folk tale | |
Name | The story of Ura Naha Khongjomba and Pidonnu |
Aarne–Thompson grouping | no |
Mythology | Meitei mythology |
Country | Ancient Kangleipak (historical) India (present) |
Region | Moirang, Manipur |
Origin Date | During the reign of Moilang king Iwang Puriklai Laijing Punsiba (1138–1210) [1] |
Related | Meitei folklore, Meitei literature |
Part of a series on |
Meitei mythology |
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Mythsportal |
The ancient legend of Ura Naha Khongjomba and Pidonnu (Meitei : Khongjomba-Pidongnu) is an epic cycle of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore from the Moirang kingdom [lower-alpha 1] of Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur). [1] It concerns the love and adventures of the forgotten prince Ura Naha Khongjomba for the beautiful woman Pidonnu. [2] [3]
Ura Naha Khongjomba (Old Manipuri : Khongchompa; regnal name: Iwang Puriklai Khongjomba) (1210–1263) was the biological son of King Laijing Ningthou Punsiba (1138–1210) [4] of Moirang and Lady Tonu Laijinglembi, but he was born in the house of his foster father, Kadeng Thangjahanba, the second husband of Tonu Laijinglembi. [5] [6] [7] [8]
Pidonnu (Old Manipuri: Pitonnu; also spelled as "Pidonu" or "Pidongnu") was the daughter of a nobleman of Moirang. [5] [6] [7] [8]
King Laijing Ningthou Punsiba is unaware that his biological son Khongjomba was born into the house of Kadeng Thangjahanba. Unable to produce any further sons and lacking an heir, he consults his courtiers court and chooses a young man named Nidrām, on the strength of his princely moral standards, to be his successor. [5] [6] [8]
After Kadeng Thangjahanba dies in the prime time of his life, his wife Tonu Laijinglembi is afraid that her son Khongjomba will come to harm if his true parentage is revealed. She flees with her young son into the hills, seeking asylum in the house of her husband's friend, the chief of Leihou tribe. There she lives until her son grows to manhood. During that time, as planned by God Thangching, the people of Moirang forget about Tonu and Khongjomba, and thus refuse to help them upon their return to the town. Now living in poverty, Khongjomba collects firewood daily for Tonu to sell in the market. [5] [6] [8]
One day, Khongjomba meets Lady Pidonnu during a game of kang (a traditional Meitei game) played between ladies and gentlemen. Nidrām, the royal heir, becomes immediately jealous. He sends his men to attack Khongjomba, but they are overcome by the powerful Khongjomba. Nidrām thus looks for other ways to harass Khongjomba. [5] [6] [8]
A special day arrives where the ladies of Moirang participate in a large fishing event at Loktak Lake. It is customary that men were not allowed near the lake on this special day. As Khongjomba wanders around the lake, he is caught and beaten by Nidrām and his men. Tonu runs to King Laijing Ningthou Punsiba to save her son's life. The king remembers that Tonu was pregnant with his child when she left him. Tonu then reveals Khongjomba's true parentage. King Laijing Ningthou Punsiba is surprised and alarmed. Without delay, he crowns his true son Khongjomba as the sovereign of Moirang, and discards the appointed heir Nidrām. [5] [6] [8]
Later, the two lovers King Ura Naha Khongjomba and Lady Pidonnu are married and live happily ever after. [5] [6] [8]
Indian epic poetry is the epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent, traditionally called Kavya. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata, which were originally composed in Sanskrit and later translated into many other Indian languages, and the Five Great Epics of Tamil literature and Sangam literature are some of the oldest surviving epic poems ever written.
Moirang is a town in the Indian state of Manipur, best known for the tentatively listed UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Keibul Lamjao Conservation Area (KLCA), covering Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP), the world's only floating national park, the buffer of Loktak Lake and Pumlen Pat. It is best known for the being the place of origin of the ancient epic legend of Khamba and Thoibi, one of the seven epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore. Nationwide, it is also famous for the INA War Museum in the INA Martyrs' Memorial Complex, where Colonel Shaukat Malik of the Indian National Army hoisted the Tricolour for the first time on Indian soil on 14 April 1944. It is situated approximately 45 km (28 mi) south of the state capital Imphal. It has an area of 269 km2 (104 sq mi) with a population of 62,187 in 67 villages. There are 12 Panchayats in this block.
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In Meitei mythology and folklore, the epic cycles of incarnations in Moirang is a cyclic epic of seven incarnations of two divine lovers in the kingdom of Moirang in the realm of Ancient Kangleipak.
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The ancient legend of Kadeng Thangjahanba and Tonu Laijinglembi is an epic cycle of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore from Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak. It concerns the fateful love of Kadeng Thangjahanba, a skilled blacksmith, for the beautiful Tonu Laijinglembi.
The ancient legend of Wanglen Pungdingheiba and Sappa Chanu Silheibi is one of the tales of incarnations described in the Moirang Shayon. Moirang was an independent kingdom, but later became a province of Manipur. It concerns the tragi-comic 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 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.
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Kumcha Lempi, also known as Kumja Lembi, is a woman in Meitei mythology and folklore of ancient Kangleipak. She is known for being a victim of an attack by a tiger in Khoirentak. Her tragedy is frequently mentioned, narrated and retold in the Moirang Kangleirol legends, usually by the Pena playing balladeers till present times.
Iwang Puriklai Laijing Punsiba (AD 1138-1210) Kadeng Thangja Hanba - Tonu Laijinglembi; Khongjomba - Pidongnu
Apart from several other works based on the theme of love, mention may be made of the literature coming from the Moirang region of Manipur. A civilization situated on the magnificent Loktak Lake, the culture of the Moirang clan has been noted. Numerous manuscripts of the Moirang region dwell on the theme of love. One of the most popular stories refers to the seven pairs of lovers who are regarded as incarnations of the same souls in different generations or ages. The seven cycles are Akongjamba (hero) and Phouoibi (heroine); Henjunaha (hero) and Leima Lairuklembi (heroine); Khuyol Haoba (hero) and Yaithing Konu (heroine); Kadeng Thangjahanba (hero) and Tonu Laijinglembi (heroine); Ura Naha Khongjomba (hero) and Pidonnu (heroine)...