Ningthouja dynasty

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Ningthouja dynasty
In-29manipur.png
Royal coat of arms of Manipur
Country Manipur
Founded33;1990 years ago (33)
Founder Nongdā Lāiren Pākhangba
Current head Leishemba Sanajaoba
Final ruler Bodhchandra Singh
Titles King of Manipur
Deposition1949 (Merged into the Union of India)

The Ningthouja dynasty, also known as Mangang [1] dynasty, comprises the descendants of the kings of Manipur. Ningthouja literally means progeny of King (Ningthou means king and cha or macha means progeny in which ja is a corrupted word of cha). It has 125 extended families. It was apparently founded by King Nongdā Lāiren Pākhangba in 33 CE. [2]

Contents

History

By the beginning of the 1st millennium CE, the Ningthouja Dynasty began to emerge in Imphal River valley, overrunning the territory of the Khaba clan. They established Kangla as their seat of power. [3] From Kangla they absorbed the surrounding clan principalities of Luwang, Moirang, Khaba-Nganba, Angom, Sarang-Leishangthem and Khuman.

Since 33 CE till the rule of the last King Bodhchandra, Manipur was ruled by seventy-four kings, of whom the hallowed reign of Pakhangba, Naothingkhong, Loiyumba, Kiyamba, Khagemba, Charairongba, Pamheiba, Maharaja Jai Singh, Maharaja Gambhir Singh, Maharaja Nara Singh, Chandrakirti and Churchand are outstanding. [4]

Rulers

Royal Houses

Since 19th century the ruling family was divided into several royal houses. [5] They are:

  1. The House of Nara Singh (descendants of Maharaja Nara Singh (r. 1844-1850 CE) and Maharaja Devendra Singh (r.1850)) .
  2. The House of Karta (descendants of Maharaja Bhagyachandra (r.1762-1799 CE)
  3. Mantrimayum (descendants of Prince Ananta Sai)
  4. Lourungpurenmayum (descendants of Ibungshi/Prince Haricharan Sai)
  5. Urungpurenmayum
  6. Senapatimayum

Members of the Royal Family of Manipur since 1709 CE

The members of the Royal Family of Manipur since 1709 CE include: [6]

Members of the House of Nara Singh

Members of the House of Karta

Royal Titles

The royal titles [8] of Meitei princes are:

  1. Wangam for male members of the Ningthouja Dynasty.
  2. Meidingu for king.
  3. Ningthem for king.
  4. Wangol Ningthou for crown prince.
  5. Ningthemcha, Ibungshija, Ibungo, Ningthoumacha for princes.
  6. Sanawapihal or Sanahal for the eldest son of the reigning king.

The royal titles for Meitei princesses are:

  1. Wangamlon for the daughters of the Ningthouja Dynasty.
  2. Meetei Leima for head queen.
  3. Apambi Ahal for second queen.
  4. Leimakhubi Ahal for third queen.
  5. Apambi Naha for fourth queen.
  6. Shija and Ebemma for the princesses and wives of the princes.
  7. Tampha Wangamlon or Tamphasana for the eldest daughter of the reigning king.

Since the adoption of Hinduism in the 18th century the royal family of Manipur styled Hindu titles: [9]

  1. Maharaja, Shrijut, Manipureswar, Mekleswar for king.
  2. Yuvaraj for crown prince.
  3. Rajkumar for princes.
  4. Rajkumari for princesses.

During the reigns of Maharaja Churchand Singh (1891–1941) and Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh (1941–1955) their sons and daughters were given the high-sounding titles such as Maharaj Kumar and Maharaj Kumari. On the inherent title and privilege of the princes Major Maxwell, the then British Political Agent in Manipur and the regent of the young Raja Churchand Singh writes:"Rajkumars, or as they are called in Manipur Ninthou Machas, a Rajas, are very numerous; if, for instance, a Raja had eight sons and these sons were equally well blessed with male issue, the whole 64 grandsons would be Ningthou Machas, and their sons again, and so on." Rajkumars were a troublesome people, Major Maxwell observed and he gave them little encouragement. [10]

Notable Works on Manipur Royalty

Films on Manipur Royalty

(dated 1944, 7 min, 35 mm) [11]

(dated 1945) [12]

(dated 1941)

Books on the Kings of Manipur

(Imphal: Manipur sahitya Parisad)

(London, 2005). [13]

(Imphal: W. Ananda Meetei, 2010) [14]

(Imphal, 2005) [15]

(New Delhi: Akansha Publishing).

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gharib Nawaz (Manipur)</span> King of Manipur from 1709 to 1751

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charairongba</span> Meitei ruler

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surachandra Singh</span> Ningthou & Maharaja

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Cheitharol Kumbaba, also spelled Cheithalon Kumpapa, is the court chronicle of the kings of Manipur. The oldest extant version was copied in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, as "the former copy was no more available". It is the main source for the list of pre-modern kings of Manipur, tracing the genealogy of the ruling Ningthouja dynasty back to a ruler named Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, said to have ruled for more than a century, from 33–154 CE. It is to the Meiteis what the Buranji is to the Assamese and the Yazawin to the Burmese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raja Nara Singh</span> King of Manipur

Nara Singh also known as Chingthanglen Pamheiba and Meetingu Lairen Nonglen Sendreng Manik Khomba, was a ruler of the Kingdom of Manipur. He ruled first as regent from 1834 to 1844 and then as king for a period of six years from 1844 to 1850. His subjects called him ‘Eningthou Nungsiba’ or ‘our beloved king’.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manipur (princely state)</span> 1110–1949 kingdom in South Asia, now Manipur state, India

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Moirangthem Kirti Singh is an Indian writer, scholar and educationist from Manipur. Born on 1 February 1943 at Kongba Uchekon near Imphal to M. Borajao Singh, Singh completed his education from Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Imphal and D. M. College, which were under Guwahati University during those days, securing a BA (Honours) and MA in philosophy. Later, he obtained a bachelor's degree in Law (LLB) from LMS Law College, Imphal in 1965, followed by a doctoral degree (PhD) in 1972, making him the first Meitei to be awarded a PhD. He is also the first Meitei to receive a DLitt. He served various colleges in Manipur as a member of faculty and has also been involved in social activism.

The Sacred Jackfruit Tree is a historical site in the Indian state of Manipur where a jackfruit tree growing on the small hill of Kaina was used to carve images of Hindu god Krishna. Rajarshi Bhagya Chandra, earlier known as Shree Jai Singh Maharaja, the King of Manipur in the 18th century, had a dream in which he received instructions from Krishna to carve His images from this tree. Accordingly, seven images of Krishna were carved from the jackfruit tree and installed in various temples in Manipur and in the neighboring state of Assam. One such temple is the Shree Govindajee Temple at Imphal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nongshāba</span> Ancient Meitei Lion God of Manipur

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meitei inscriptions</span> Inscriptions of Meitei language

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irai Leima</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of Meidingu Nara Singh</span> Monument in Imphal, India

The Statue of Meidingu Nara Singh, also known as the Statue of Maharaja Narasingh, is a bronze sculpture located at the Kangla Sanathong, the western entrance gate to the Kangla Fort in Imphal. Meidingu Nara Singh was a Meitei monarch and the sovereign of Kangleipak.

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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.

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.

References

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  2. Kabui, Gangmumei (1991). History of Manipur. New Delhi: National Publishing House. p. 75. ISBN   81-214-0362-6.
  3. Kabui, Gangmumei (1991). History of Manipur. New Delhi: National Publishing House. pp. 67–94. ISBN   81-214-0362-6.
  4. Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur Past and Present. New Delhi. pp. ii. ISBN   81-7099-041-6.
  5. Hemchandra, Chanam (2004). Meihaobarol Sangai Phammang. Imphal.
  6. "Members of the Royal Family of Manipur".
  7. Horace, A. Laffaye (2009). Evolution of Polo. North Carolina: McFarland. p. 13. ISBN   978-0-7864-3814-3.
  8. Parratt, Saroj Nalini Arambam (2005). The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur: 33 to 1763. New York: Routledge. pp. see glossary. ISBN   0-415-34430-1.
  9. Kabui, Gangmumei (1991). History of Manipur. New Delhi: National Publishing House. pp. 251–259. ISBN   81-214-0362-6.
  10. see Manimohan, Karam. Nupi Lan. Imphal.
  11. Singh, G (Jemadar), Honawar, P H (Lieutenant). "The Coronation of Maharaja of Manipur". Royalty. Indian Public Relations Film Unit. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  12. "The maharaja's dancer". dance.
  13. Parratt, Saroj Nalini Arambam (31 March 2005). The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur. Chronicle. Routledge. ISBN   9780203444276 . Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  14. Sana, Raj Kumar'Somorjit (2010). The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs. Chronology of kings and rulers. W.Ananda Meetei. ISBN   9788184652109 . Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  15. Joychandra, L (1995). "The Lost Kingdom". Royal Chronicle of Manipur. Prajatranta. Retrieved 31 October 2011.