Meitei literature

Meitei literature

(Manipuri literature)

Meitei: Meitei Khorirol

Old Manipuri: Meitei Loinasinlol

British English: Meit(h)ei literature^[a]
Meitei literature ; (Manipuri literature) ; Meitei: Meitei Khorirol ; Old Manipuri: Meitei Loinasinlol ; British English: Meit(h)ei literature
	The Numit Kappa, a Classical Meitei epic text written during the 1st century, based on ancient Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism)
Stylistic origins	Meitei culture
Cultural origins	Meitei culture
Subgenres
	Meitei mythology; Meitei folklore; Meitei epics ; Epic cycles of incarnations; Meitei cinema;
Related topics
	Puya (Meitei texts) ; Puya Meithaba (Libricide of the PuYas) ; Meitei language movements ; Meitei linguistic purism movement ; Meitei classical language movement

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.^[2] Writing by Meiteis is assumed to go back to the Kingdom of Kangleipak in the early 12th century.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

Ancient Meitei literature

Chada Laihui

The Chada Laihui (Meitei: ꯆꯥꯗꯥ ꯂꯥꯢꯍꯨꯢ) is a historical document (puya), about the genealogy of the Meitei kings from their mothers' sides.^[6]^[7] It traces the genealogical account of the kings' mothers' lineage.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9] It is a supplementary document to the Cheitharol Kumbaba, the foremost royal chronicle of Manipur.^[6]

Moirang Ningthourol Lambuba

"Moirang Ningthourol Lambuba" (Meitei: ꯃꯣꯢꯔꯥꯡ ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧꯔꯣꯜ ꯂꯝꯕꯨꯕ) is a historical document (puya), which served as the court chronicle of the rulers of the kingdom in Ancient Moirang. It records the genealogy of the kings of the Moirang dynasty.^[10]^[11]^[12]

The chronicle also slightly mentioned about the history of the Zeliangrong people.^[13]

Medieval Meitei literature

Modern Meitei literature

Puyas

Epics

The Capture of the wild Kao (bull) by Khamba

The Dance before the King by Khamba and princess Thoibi

The Torture of Khamba by the Elephant

The Tiger Hunt by Khamba and his rival Nongban Kongyamba

Scenes from the Khamba Thoibi epic legend

The Numit Kappa ("Shooting the Sun") is a mythological text in narrative verse. It was published in English translation by T.C. Hodson (1908).^[14] A translation into modern Meitei was published in 1908.^[15]

Ougri (also known as Leiroi Ngongloi Eshei) is a poem written in archaic Meitei.^[16]

The sagas of the seven epic cycles of incarnations of the two divine lovers were originated from Moirang kingdom near the shores of the Loktak lake in Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur). Among them, Khamba Thoibi is regarded as the last and the greatest epic.^[17]

Chronicles

The Ningthourol Shingkak is a work written under Gharib Nawaz (Meitei: Pamheiba), written in the mode of "predictions" made during the rule of Khagemba (r. 1597–1652) and thus foretelling the birth and reign of Gharib Nawaz and his religious reforms. The Cheitharol Kumbaba or "Royal Chronicle" is a text written down in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, purportedly based on an older copy which was no longer available. It contains day-to-day transactions and occurrences the state.^[18]

Scriptures

The Meitei scriptures are texts regarding the Meitei religion (Sanamahism) as well as Meitei mythology. They are the sacred literature to the followers of the Meitei religion.^[19] Some of the puyas are regarded as scriptures, but not all of them.^[20]

Literary awards

Sahitya Akademi awards

Patriotic Writers' Forum awards

Notes

^ Most British scholars including Thomas Callan Hodson use the term "Meit(h)ei" instead of "Meitei".^[1]

References

^ Folk-Lore/Volume 23/Meithei Literature
^ "Akademi | Hasta in Manipuri – Part 1". Akademi. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
^ Naorem Sanajaoba, Manipur Treaties and Documents-Vol I,1993, New Delhi. Book I: "Twelfth Century Meetei Constitution To Pemberton Report".
^ According to K.B. Singh, The Meiteis of Manipur (1989 [1962]), p. 157, an archaic form of the script had developed by the 11th century, and it was in use until the early 18th century, when it was replaced by the Bengali script. By contrast, O.Tomba, The Need to rewrite Manipuri History, Imphal, 1993, claims that the script is a development of c. 1930, with all supposedly older documents being deliberate forgeries (Frans Welman, Out of Isolation – Exploring a Forgotten World (2011), 468f.)
^ George, K. M. (1992). Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-7201-324-0.
^ ^a ^b ^c Datta, Amaresh (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1.
^ ^a ^b International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics: IJDL. Department of Linguistics, University of Kerala. 2011.
^ Commission, Indian Historical Records (1973). Proceedings of the Session. Superintendent Government Printing, India.
^ Documents of Anglo-Manipur War, 1891. N. Debendra Singh. 1991.
^ Indian Literature. Sahitya Akademi. 1984.
^ Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology. Sahitya Akademi. 1997. ISBN 9788126003655.
^ "Moirang Ningthourol Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing Part 6". e-pao.net. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
^ Kabui, Gangmumei (2004). The History of the Zeliangrong Nagas: From Makhel to Rani Gaidinliu. Spectrum Publications. ISBN 978-81-87502-76-0.
^ T.C. Hodson, The Meitheis, 1908, London. Appendix II, page 180.
^ Chanam Hemchandra, Numit Kappa, translated and rendered into modern Meeteilon, 2008, Imphal, Manipur.
^ Ningthoujongjam Khelchandra, History of Ancient Manipuri Literature, Pub-Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, 1969.
^ Oinam, Bhagat; Sadokpam, Dhiren A. (11 May 2018). Northeast India: A Reader. Taylor & Francis. pp. 236, 237. ISBN 978-0-429-95320-0. The epics of the seven incarnations 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); Wanglen Pungdingheiba (hero) and Sappa Chanu Silheibi (heroine); Khamba (hero) and Thoibi (heroine).
^ "The manuscripts collected by W. Yumjao Singh consist of literary, historical, astronomical, astrological and miscellaneous other works of which mention may be made of Cheitharon Kumbaba, the Ningthourol Shingkak, the Poireiton Khunthokpa, Dharani Samhita, Srimat Bhagabat. The Cheitharol Kumbaba or the royal chronicle has been the most valuable for historical investigations, as it professes to record all the important daily transactions and occurrences of the State.... By orders of Jai Singh this book was rewritten as the former copy was no more available then". "The Nigthourol Shingkak is a work written in the way of prediction. It professes to predict all important events that would happen from the time of Khagemba downward. It, therefore, professes to be a work of the early 17th century. It is an anonymous work, and in this book, we see for the first time Gharib Niwaz's having had some Naga connection in his childhood." Jyotirmoy Roy, History of Manipur, 1958, p. 8.
^ "Meitei Script and Scriptures". e-pao.net. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
^ Laishram, Sadhana. "Conservation and preservation of Manuscripts in Manipur" (PDF).

External links

Sahitya Akadmi Award
Manipuri Literature Archived 24 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine
Books Reviews

[2] Most British scholars including Thomas Callan Hodson use the term "Meit(h)ei" instead of "Meitei".^[1]

[1] Folk-Lore/Volume 23/Meithei Literature

[3] "Akademi | Hasta in Manipuri – Part 1". Akademi. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.

[4] Naorem Sanajaoba, Manipur Treaties and Documents-Vol I,1993, New Delhi. Book I: "Twelfth Century Meetei Constitution To Pemberton Report".

[5] According to K.B. Singh, The Meiteis of Manipur (1989 [1962]), p. 157, an archaic form of the script had developed by the 11th century, and it was in use until the early 18th century, when it was replaced by the Bengali script. By contrast, O.Tomba, The Need to rewrite Manipuri History, Imphal, 1993, claims that the script is a development of c. 1930, with all supposedly older documents being deliberate forgeries (Frans Welman, Out of Isolation – Exploring a Forgotten World (2011), 468f.)

[6] George, K. M. (1992). Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-7201-324-0.

[Chada_Laihui-7] Datta, Amaresh (1987). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: A-Devo. Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-1803-1.

[Chada_Laihui_2-8] International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics: IJDL. Department of Linguistics, University of Kerala. 2011.

[9] Commission, Indian Historical Records (1973). Proceedings of the Session. Superintendent Government Printing, India.

[10] Documents of Anglo-Manipur War, 1891. N. Debendra Singh. 1991.

[11] Indian Literature. Sahitya Akademi. 1984.

[12] Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology. Sahitya Akademi. 1997. ISBN 9788126003655.

[13] "Moirang Ningthourol Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing Part 6". e-pao.net. Retrieved 18 February 2023.

[14] Kabui, Gangmumei (2004). The History of the Zeliangrong Nagas: From Makhel to Rani Gaidinliu. Spectrum Publications. ISBN 978-81-87502-76-0.

[15] T.C. Hodson, The Meitheis, 1908, London. Appendix II, page 180.

[16] Chanam Hemchandra, Numit Kappa, translated and rendered into modern Meeteilon, 2008, Imphal, Manipur.

[17] Ningthoujongjam Khelchandra, History of Ancient Manipuri Literature, Pub-Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, 1969.

[18] Oinam, Bhagat; Sadokpam, Dhiren A. (11 May 2018). Northeast India: A Reader. Taylor & Francis. pp. 236, 237. ISBN 978-0-429-95320-0. The epics of the seven incarnations 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); Wanglen Pungdingheiba (hero) and Sappa Chanu Silheibi (heroine); Khamba (hero) and Thoibi (heroine).

[19] "The manuscripts collected by W. Yumjao Singh consist of literary, historical, astronomical, astrological and miscellaneous other works of which mention may be made of Cheitharon Kumbaba, the Ningthourol Shingkak, the Poireiton Khunthokpa, Dharani Samhita, Srimat Bhagabat. The Cheitharol Kumbaba or the royal chronicle has been the most valuable for historical investigations, as it professes to record all the important daily transactions and occurrences of the State.... By orders of Jai Singh this book was rewritten as the former copy was no more available then". "The Nigthourol Shingkak is a work written in the way of prediction. It professes to predict all important events that would happen from the time of Khagemba downward. It, therefore, professes to be a work of the early 17th century. It is an anonymous work, and in this book, we see for the first time Gharib Niwaz's having had some Naga connection in his childhood." Jyotirmoy Roy, History of Manipur, 1958, p. 8.

[20] "Meitei Script and Scriptures". e-pao.net. Retrieved 25 February 2023.

[21] Laishram, Sadhana. "Conservation and preservation of Manuscripts in Manipur" (PDF).

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