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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. Native to the Meitei people, it is spoken by around 1.8 million people, predominantly in the state of Manipur, but also by smaller communities in the rest of the country and in parts of neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh. It was used as a court language in the historic Manipur Kingdom.
The Meitei people, Meetei people, or Manipuri people is an ethnic group native to Manipur. They form the largest and dominant ethnic group of Manipur in Northeast India. They speak Meitei language, one of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic and the sole official language of Government of Manipur. The Meiteis primarily settled in the Imphal Valley region in modern-day Manipur, though a sizable population has settled in the other Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. There is also a notable presence of Meitei people in the neighboring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
The Kangla, officially known as the Kangla Fort, is an old fortified palace at Imphal in the Manipur state of India. It was formerly situated on both sides of the bank of the Imphal River, now remaining only on the western side in ruined conditions. Kangla means "the prominent part of the dry land" in old Meetei. It was the traditional seat of the past Meetei rulers of Manipur.
Bishnupriya Manipuri, also known as Bishnupriya Meitei or simply as Bishnupriya, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Bengali–Assamese linguistic sub-branch. It is a creole of Bengali language and Meitei language and it still retains its pre-Bengali features. It is spoken in parts of the Indian states of Assam, Tripura and Manipur as well as in the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh. It uses the Bengali-Assamese script as its writing system. Bishnupriya Manipuri, being a member of the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, was evolved from Magadhi Prakrit. So, its origin is associated with Magadha realm. The Government of Tripura categorized Bishnnupriya Manipuri under the "Tribal Language Cell" of the State Council of Educational Research and Training. Its speakers are also given the "Other Backward Classes" status by the Assam Government and notably, there is no legal status of the Bishnupriyas in Manipur. In the 2020s, the Bishnupriya speaking people started demanding that the Assam Government should give them the status of “indigenous people” of Assam and treat the same like other indigenous communities of the state.
Garib Niwaz was a Meitei ruler of Manipur Kingdom, ruling from c. 1709 until his death. He introduced Hinduism as the state religion of his kingdom (1717) and changed the name of the kingdom to the Sanskrit Manipur (1724). He changed his royal name from his birth name Pamheipa to the Persianate "Garib Niwaz".
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.
The Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, also termed as the Manipur Sahitya Parishad, is a literary council dedicated to the active promotion and the development of the literary works in Meitei language in India. It takes one of the vital roles for the development of the Meitei language and Meitei culture, in national as well as international levels. It has its branches in Imphal, Jiribam, Bishnupur and Thoubal inside Manipur and in Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya outside Manipur.
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.
Yumjao Leima or Yumjao Lairembi or Yumjao Lairemma is the mother goddess of house, household, royalty, rule and power in Meitei mythology and religion. She is designated as the all time ruling Queen Mother. Legend says she assumes a human form in white clothes and blesses kings. She is one of the divine incarnations of Leimarel Sidabi.
Leima Lainaotabi or Leinaotabi is a goddess in ancient Meitei mythology and religion. She is the youngest wife of God Thongalel of the underworld kingdom. Thongalel sent her to be the wife of Poireiton, her brother-in-law. Lainaotabi gave birth to a son with Poireiton. Her legend says she made the first clay pot. She was worshipped by the people of Ashangbam clan.
Pureiromba is a God in Meitei mythology and religion. He is the giver of rain and agricultural prosperity. He is one of the major Umang Lai deities. He is the Ancestor God of the Angom clan of the Meitei ethnicity.
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 Nongmaiching Ching, also known as the Selloi Langmai Ching, is a mountain in Imphal Valley, Manipur. It has an altitude of around 5,133 feet (1,565 m). It is a holy pilgrimage site for the Meitei people. In Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism), it is a sacred mountain and the abode of God Nongpok Ningthou and Goddess Panthoibi. In Meitei folklore, the Nongmaiching is described as the hill that produces "the seven days of a week".
Pengsiba or Pengshiba was a ruler of ancient Manipur. He was a successor of Khui Ningomba and the predecessor of Kaokhangba. In the 4th century AD, during the reign of his era, Manipuri traders reached out on horseback to upper Burma and China. He is one of the nine kings who are associated with the design of a historic flag.
Ningthou Kangba was a ruler of Ancient Kangleipak. He is traditionally seen as having invented Sagol Kangjei, the earliest form of the modern day polo sports. He was the son of King Tangja Leela Pakhangba (1445 BC-1405 BC) and Queen Sinbee Leima. He was the consort of Queen Leima Taritnu, daughter of a king named Nongpok Ningthou of the Nongmaiching Hill in the east of Imphal.
Meidingu Naokhamba was a ruler of Ancient Manipur. He is the successor of Kaokhangba and the predecessor of Naophangba. During his reign, Manipuri traders reached out on horseback to upper Burma and China. Besides the Cheitharol Kumbaba and the Ningthourol Lambuba, he is also mentioned in the Chengleiron. Naokhamba abducted the wife of King Thangyi Khongjromba of the Chenglei tribe when she was heavily pregnant. Later, she had a son named "Naophang Ahanba". During his reign, Chingjen Naran Panggalba, the king of the Chengleis left Kangleipak for westward lands.
Khui Ningomba was a ruler of Ancient Manipur. He was the successor of Emperor Taothingmang.
The Loiyumpa Silyel, also termed as the Loyumpa Silyel or the Loiyumpa Shilyel or the Loyumpa Shilyel or the Loyamba 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.
Women have significant roles in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei dances, Meitei festivals, Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology, Meitei religion, etc.
References
- ↑ George, K. M. (1997). Masterpieces of Indian Literature: Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu & Urdu. National Book Trust. ISBN 978-81-237-1978-8.
- 1 2 Ray, Asok Kumar; Chakraborty, Satyabrata (2008). Society, Politics, and Development in North East India: Essays in Memory of Dr. Basudeb Datta Ray. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-8069-572-8.
- ↑ Sana, Raj Kumar Somorjit (2010). The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs: From 1666 CE to 1850 CE. Waikhom Ananda Meetei. ISBN 978-81-8465-210-9.
- ↑ Sanajaoba, Naorem (1993). Manipur: Treatise & Documents. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-399-5.
- ↑ Sanajaoba, Naorem (1993). Manipur: Treatise & Documents. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-399-5.
- ↑ Devi, Lairenlakpam Bino (2002). The Lois of Manipur: Andro, Khurkhul, Phayeng and Sekmai. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-849-5.
- ↑ Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-853-2.
- ↑ Bahadur, Mutua (1988). Jewelleries of Manipur. Mutua Museum.
- ↑ Tensuba, Keerti Chand (1993). Genesis of Indian Tribes: An Approach to the History of Meiteis and Thais. Inter-India Publications. ISBN 978-81-210-0308-7.
- ↑ Brara, N. Vijaylakshmi (1998). Politics, Society, and Cosmology in India's North East. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-564331-2.
- ↑ Irene, Salam (2010). The Muslims of Manipur. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-828-4.
- ↑ "Islam in India - Wikipedia". en.m.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 2021-08-31.