Who are the Indigenous People of Manipur ?
- Part 3 -

Dr. Khomdon Lisam *

12.4. Are the Nagas the indigenous People of Manipur.

According to the Federation of Haomee, Manipur, the term Naga is the generic name comprising of 23 ethnic groups as follows:-

1. Aimol 2. Anal 3. Chiru 4. Chothe 5. Inpui 6. Kabui
7. Kharam 8. Koireng 9. Kom 10.Lamkang 11. Liangmei
12. Mao 13. Maram 14. Maring 15. Moyon 16. Monshang
17. Paomai 18. Purum 19. Rongmei 20 . Tarao
21. Thangal 22. Tangkhul 23, Zemei.

Like the Meiteis ,these 23 communities were also given the Yek Salai system by the king. The Yek Salai system, of some indigenous communities are as follows :-

1. Anal- 1. Murchal 2Masum 3. Pasen 4.Chantung 5. Runlal 6. Yasha 7. Hrangpung
2. Chiru . 1. Samia 2. Ashou 3. Achi 4. Sonam 5. Anam Bahai 6. Hua 7. Achon
3. Chothe and 3.Kom - 1. Yurung 2. Thao 3. Marim 4.Parpa 5.Rrangsai 6. Makal 7. Rakhung
4. Inpui -1. Riamroi 2 Bariam 3 Khumba 4. Inka.5.Bariamtak 6. Bariampaan 7. Balang
5. Kabui- 1.Kammei 2.Gangmei 3. Golmei 4.Lomgmei 6. Maringmei 6. Palmei 7. Paomei
6. Koireng- 1.Yaite 2. Sonthu 3. Leison 4.Tumtin 5.Tente 6. Walbe 7.Mikle
7. Kharam - 1. Sheiphu 2. Sheichel 3. Rangla 4. Rakhou 5. Seilou 6. Mareeyam 7. Kailam
8. Lamkang- 1. Suwngnem/ Sankhil 2. Khular 3. Dilbung 4. Shilshi 5. Tholung /Jangvei 6. Kangten 7. Leivon 8. Surte
9. Mao- 1.Ahui 2. Amei 3. Sinmarei 4. Akonglei 5. Asus Anem 6. Khote Lamei 7. Anui
10. Maram 1. Akhanosum 2. Soute 3. Ahongnu 4. Asom 5. Luklei 6. Lusae 7. Hakup
11. Maring - 1. Dalla 2. Raj 3. Dingthoi 4. Chongdur . 5. Sampur 6. Thoitak 7.Thangnga
12. Moyon and 10. Monsang - 1.Ruin Wangran 2. Chinir Numgohin 3. Sason Hungam
4. Songahir Khartur 5. Nguru Langrom 6. Sirbum Turip 7. Bungehir Charu
13. Poumai 1. Alui 2. Akhet 3. Ahim 4. Atao 5. Amei Hutae 6. Amei Hutei 7. Aman
14. Purum- 1.Haonam 2.Puinae 3.Seo 4. Louten 5. Hounae 6. Haotuk 7. Henttaogh
15. Tangkhul- 1, Duidang 2. Sadang 3. Khodang 4. Khapudang 5. Choudang 6. Sithudand
7, Kingdang ( 1. Jajo- 2. Ela 3. Shimprui 4. Shinglai 5. Ningsen 6. Shettei 7. Lhenyea
16. Tarao 1 Akheng Lentae 2. Atoilu 3. Puinae 4. Lourrei 5.Lanchi Siru 6. Alikleiill na 7. Alek

All the 23 communities have mongoloid features, ancestral land, customary land laws, specific indigenous dialects, culture, traditions and Yek Salai system which are the characteristics of Indigenous Peoples of Manipur. Therefore, all the 23 communities are the indigenous peoples of Manipur.

There are many folk tales about the blood relationships between the Meiteis and 23 communities particularly the Tangkhuls, Kabuis, Maram, Maring, Mao, Poumais. Apart from historical relationship, there are matrimonial and cultural relationships between Meiteis and Tangkhuls, Kabuis, Marams, Maring etc. The Meiteis and 23 commmunities mentined above are the only Indigenous People of Manipur. They are one and they wwe should remain as one

The existing 23 communities namely
1. Aimol 2. Anal 3. Chiru 4. Chothe 5. Inpui
6. Kabui 7. Kharam 8. Koireng 9. Kom 10. Lamkang
11. Liangmei 12. Mao 13. Maram 14. Maring 15. Moyon
16. Monshang 17. Paomai 18. Purum 19. Rongmei
20 . Tarao 21. Thangal 22. Tangkhul 23, Zemei
are the first settlers or natives, or aboriginals or Autochthnous or indigenous people of Manipur

12.5. Are the Gorkhas / Nepalis the indigenous People of Manipur.

The entry of the Gorkha/Nepalis and their settlement in Manipur can be traced to 1819 at the earliest. The first batch of Gorkhas came to Manipur during the time of Maharaja Gambhir Singh.(1825-1834 ). In 1824, the Gorkhas of the 16th Sylhet Local Battalion, later to become the 8th Gorkha Rifles, were included in the Police Levy of Maharaja Gambhir Singh. To secure Manipur, Gambhir Singh raised an army in 1825 and recruited Gorkhas from Sylhet for it. The militia was named the "Victoria Paltan".

The nomenclature is a clear indication of the preponderance of Gorkhas in the army since the word "Paltan" is a Nepali corruption of the English "platoon". Having earned the trust of the British, Gorkha soldiers were detailed to protect all the Political Agents. They were also brought in as cooks, milkmen, traders and agriculturists. The number of Gorkha soldiers in Manipur increased when the East India Company moved the 23rd, 43rd and 44th battalions of the 8th Gorkha Rifles to Manipur around 1880.

Later, according to the records of the Chief Commissioner of Assam, 400 Gorkha soldiers from Golaghat and 200 from Silchar were brought in to Manipur. In 1891, more were relocated to the region from other places in Assam. Maharaja Chandrakriti's reign (1850-1886) too saw many Gorkhas coming in. It was generally presumed that Gorkha/Nepali Settlement in Manipur dated back to 1885.

In 1915, the 2nd Gorkha Rifles stationed at Imphal was replaced by the Darang Military Police when the renowned fighters were deployed for action somewhere in Europe. This very Darang Military Police stationed at Manipur was converted into the 4th Assam Rifles in 1917 and 80 per cent of its personnel comprised Gorkhas. Almost all the Gorkhas who came to Manipur on active service settled there permanently after retirement. The British government allotted land to the personnel of the 4th Assam Rifles first in Thangmeiband and later in special colonies in Eroisemba, Chink, Tangri, Kalapahar, Torbung, Maram, Imphal, Irang and Kanglatombi.

The ordinary Gorkha/Nepali people first arrived with their buffalo (Iroi) and cows, they were allowed to settle with their herds and first began their life in and around the capital. Later the place came to be popularly known as Iroisenba (buffalo rearing). Their process of settlement could be authenticated vide a dairy report of Major H. St. Maxwell, the political agent of Manipur from 4th to 10th October, 1891 according to which already the Nepalese are settling down with buffaloes and cows near the capital .

After 1945, many personnel from Subhas Chandra Bose's INA also made Manipur their home. The fact that Nepali literature's first poetical work in print came from Manipur is proof that the Gorkhas were fully assimilated into Manipur society and its social pursuits by 1894, the year that Tulachand Alay wrote and published Manipurko Sawai . ( Sanju Phuyal - Sangai Express dated 9 April , 2018 ).

After the death of Maharaja Churachand on 16 November, 1941, his eldest son Bodhchandra became the king of Manipur (1941-1955 ) with Ishwari Devi as Leima or Maharani on 21 November, 1941. Maharaja Bodhchandra was married with Nepali princess, Iswari Devi on 18 June 1941. Maharani Iswari Devi, the Nepali princess, was the eldest daughter of Prince Ramraja of Ramnagar of the then United Provinces and a cousin of His Majesty Maharaja Dhiraj, the king of Nepal.

Iswari Devi was also a grand daughter of His Highness the Maharaja (then Prime Minister) of Nepal, and also a cousin sister of Nepali Brigadier, Kali Bahadur of the Royal Nepal Army whose brigade of warrior Gorkhas were in Manipur during 1942/43 participating in the fighting of the British against the Japanese as one of its loyal Allies. Maharani Iswari Devi had no issue. At the time of arrival of the Nepali Princess in Manpur , 60 Nepali attendants accompanied the princess as apart of her entourage. The Maharaja settled them at Kanglatongbi.

The Gorkhas /Nepalis were settling in the Hills illegally by bribing the Kuki Tribal Chiefs who technically own all land in their villages. Kishore Thapa, a Nepali was elected three times as MLA from Kangpokpi Constituency in 1974 , 1980 and 1984 General Elections .
(https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Kangpokpi_ (Vidhan_Sabha_ constituency)

Past Arrangement to settle the Gorkha/Nepali by the Manipur Government

The Govt of Manipur decided to shift the Gorkha/Nepali Gwalla to the northern part of the Manipur Valley creating a Gorkha/Nepali reserve (18 miles long) in between Sekmai and Kanglatongbi in 1915 and later on partially extended up to Maram, Siddim Pukhri and lrang Part-I & II (Manipur State Administrative Report 1915-16 Chapter - V, No. 2 Para V. Durbar Resolution 1 dated 17th February 1015).

With the creation of the Sekmai Kanglatongbi Gorkha Grazing Reserve the Nepali graziers begin to settle within the reserve areas of Kangpokpi, Sapermeina, Shriwani, Keithelmanbi, Paspati, Kalapahar, Santolabari, Chandraman, Irang, Maram, Siddim Pukhri, in 1918 survey of the Gorkha/Nepali Reserve area was carried out w.e.f. 19th June 1918 to 7th January 1920 and Patta was issued for the Gorkha/Nepali graziers who applied for agricultural land.

The extract of the resolution is, "Sengmai (Sekmai) Amasung Kangpokpi Anigi marakta Nepali (Gurkha) Tahalnaba haudoklakpa Political Agent gi 1915 CE the 3rd February Tarik ki note pare, Mashakki wahaudok Pumnamak Yare. The Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed at Kathmandu on 31st July 1950 by Prime Minister of Nepal, Mohan Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana and Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Chandreshwar Narayan Singh came into effect on the same day.

This treaty permits free movement of citizens of both the countries across the border without any passport or visa, live and work in either country and own property or do trade and business in either country. This treaty was executed when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister of India with a view to strengthening India's position in matters of defence and foreign affairs. In the context of Manipur, the Nepalese are mostly concentrated in Kanglatombi, Leimakhong, Kalapahar and Kangpokpi of Senapati district and in Serou village of Sugnu of Thoubal district, Gwantabi and other places.

Gorkhas /Nepalis and Indian Constitution

Indian Gorkhas are citizens of India as per the Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs Gazette Notification no. 26011/6/88-ICI dated 23 August, 1988 (Indra Misra, Joint Secretary to the Government of India, on the Issue of Citizenshipa of Gorkhas ) As from the commencement of the Constitution, that is as from 26-1-1950, every Gorkha who had his domicile in the territory of India, that is, in the territories which on 26-1-1950 became part of or constituted the territory of India as defined in Article-1 (2) of the Constitution of India and-
(a) Who was born in the territory of India or
(b) Either of whose parents was born in the territory of India.
(c) Who had been ordinarily resident in the territory of India for not less than five years before such commencement shall be a citizen of India as provided in Article 5 of the Constitution of India

This is true in case of Gorkhas /Nepalis already settled in Manipur . New arrivals are not covered by this constitutional protection.

Population of Nepalis/Gorkhas in Manipur

As per the 2011 census, Tehsils with the largest proportion of Nepalis are Sadar Hills West (33.0%), Saitu-Gamphazol (9.54%), and Lamshang (10.85%). Districts with the largest Nepali population are Senapati - 39,039 (8.15%), Imphal West - 10,391 (2.01%) and Imphal East - 6,903 (1.51%).

This is how the previous censuses counted the number of Nepali speakers in Manipur:
o 1961 Census: 13,571
o 1971 Census: 26,381
o 1981 Census: 37,046
o 1991 Census: 46,500
o 2001 Census: 45,998
o 2011 Census: 63,756

That, before 1st December 1946 some parts of hills in Kanglatongbi and places of Senapati area were occupied by the Nepali graziers and there was not a single tribal in that area at that point of time.

Places where the Gorkhas/Nepalis settled in Manipur

The places where the Gorkhas/Nepalis settled are -lroisemba, Kabrung, Ingkhol Makha Thangba, Khunga Tampak, Kalapahar, Kadangbal, Koirengei, Khundrakpam, Kangpokpi, Leimakhong, Nilkhutti, Gwalltabi, Tingri, Matriphukhri, Pheidinga, Sekmai, Serou village of Sugnu and Kanglatongbi

Panchayati Raj and Gorkhas/Nepalis in Manipur

Panchayati Raj was extended in the Gorkha/Nepali reserve area. Three Panchayat had been constituted by the Political Agent in Gorkha/Nepali reserve area namely Kanglatongbi, Kangpokpi and 'range consisting of five (5) members and one President in each of the Panchayat and were kept under the judicial member of the Manipur Durbar.

Every Panchayat used to have an officially appointed 'Chowkidar' (a watchman) to assist the Panchayat, and the Chowkidar was given a chapras or a (copper plate) with Number Viz the chowkidar of Kanglatongbi was 297, Kalapahar was 209 and that of lrang Part II was 01. (A history of Manipur by Jyotirmoy Roy, Vice Principal, D.M. Colllege, Imphal. East Light Book House, 20 strand Road , Calcutta, second Edition, 4 June, 1973 )

Gorkha/Nepali in Manipur Civil Police

The Manipur Civil Police was under the direct control of His Highness Raja. The civil police force of one consisting of one sub inspector, 4 head constable, two writer constable and 24 constables. Of the four head constable one was a Gorkha and three Manipuris. The constable was armed with batons only. There was an Out Post under a Gorkha head constable on the north of the valley to preserve order in the neighboring Gorkhali/Nepali settlement. Since the year 1897 certain taxes have been levied and collected through the State Police but in that year it was decided that the land revenue office should undertake the collection.

This arrangement was again changed in 1903 when it was decided to appoint a special Muzadar a retired Indian Gorkha Army Subedar Major was selected to fill the post and accordingly RB SM (Rai Bhadur Subedar Major) Gopal Singh, a Gorkha was appointed Mauzadar to collect the grazing tax and another two mauzadar (l) RB SM Jitraj Limbu and (2) Durlab Singh Chhetry were appointed respectively (after the post fell vacant). One Subedar Hem Chand Singh Chhetry of 44th Gorkha Rifles who was appointed as mauzadar, died in 1881 and his memorial erected for his valor in Kangla still exists.

Did the Gorkhas / Nepalis in Manipur face Forced Displacement

Gorkhas /Nepalis in India have faced violence and ethnic cleansing, especially in the north eastern states. In 1967, more than 8,000 Nepalis were driven out of Mizoram, while more than 2,000 in Manipur met with the same fate in 1980.
(https://blog.com.np/2010/06/08/khasi-nepali-ethnic-conflict-in-meghalaya-india/)

Sacrifices of Gorkha/Nepalis for defending the Sovereignty of Manipur.

Subedar Niranjan Singh Chhetry was arrested on 2nd May, 1891 and hanged by the British on 8th June 1891 at the Western gate of the Kangla for defending the sovereignty of Manipur. It proved that the Gorkhas /Nepalis sacrificed their lives for defending the sovereignty of Manipur.

Alleged Import of Gorkhas/Nepalis from Nepal to Manipur

Nowadays, there are allegations that some of the existing Gorkhas /Nepalis are importing their friends /relatives from Nepal to Manipur. The modus Operandi is that a busload of Manipuri Gorkhas/Nepalis will travel to Nepal and the same bus will bring another busload of foreigner Gorkhas /Nepalis from Nepal. Some of the existing Manipuri Gorkhas/Nepalis are reportedly indulging in this business at regular intervals. Their intension is to increase their population so that they may have their representatives at the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

From the above information, it is now clear that the Gorkhas / Nepalis are not first settlers or natives or aboriginals or indigenous people of Manipur. They came from Nepal and they are foreigners but they are bonafide citizens of Manipur. Bravery, loyalty and honour have made the Gorkhas.Nepalis the toughest soldier in the world. Bravery, loyalty and honour are at the heart of Gurkha culture, as exemplified by their motto, which translates as "better to die than be a coward".Jun 6, 2018. The Gurkha warriors of Nepal have been in the international spotlight recently, after it was announced that they will provide security during this month's summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong UN in Singapore

The existing Gorkhas /Nepalis people are born and brought up in Manipur. The Manipur King did not arrange to have any blood relationship between Meiteis or Nagas with the Gorkhas /Nepalis. Some Gorkhas /Nepalis might have married with indigenous people of Manipur. Those Gorkhas /Nepalis who ave married the indigenous people may be categorised as indigenous people of Manipur, The remaining Gorkhas /Nepalis are the citizens of Manipur.

As Citizens of Manipur, they can contest elections and take part in all political, economic, social , cultural and developmental works in Manipur. But they are not the indigenous people of Manipur. Being citizens of Manipr, they should not indulge in importing Gorkhas/Nepalis from any other Country/ State for the sake of ensuring peace and development in Manipur.


To be continued .....