Sanarembi Cheishra
Sanarembi Cheishra
Fungawari Singbul by B. Jayantakumar Sharma

Translation by Nganthoi Lourembam *

An illustration of Folk tale 'Sanarembi Cheishra' by Nganthoi Lourembam

Once upon a time there lived a King's servant who had two wives. The first wife was known as Yangkhureima and the second wife was called Shangkhureima. The first wife gave birth to a daughter called Sanarembi and a younger son. The second wife, Shankhureima gave birth to a daughter called Cheishra. When Sanarembi's younger brother was very small the King's servant passed away.

Yangkhureima's daughter Sanarembi was very beautiful. She was not only pretty but was graceful and for that reason people liked her and treated her well. And Shangkhureima's daughter Cheishra was ugly - Pajombi (the one with extra eyelid) and on top of that she was bad hearted. And thus the mother and daughter of Cheishra were extremely jealous of Sanarembi and her mother.

The family used to live happily when the King's servant Angamba was alive but after his death the condition of the family became worse day by day. The two mothers earned through wood cutting and fishing and thus brought up their children. During this time of struggle bringing up their children, the mother and daughter would not stop thinking to ruin Sanarembi and her mother's lives.

Once, Sanarembi's mother and Cheishra's mother came together for Longkhomba (a traditional way to catch fish using a round shaped tool) at Ngaral Thingen. Sanarembi's mother caught fish whenever she pulled up her Long (tool to catch fish) but Cheishra's mother caught snakes instead of fish. It was sunset and Cheishra's mother said, "Iche (elder sister) look, there are ripped fruits on top of Heibong tree (Ficus Racemosa) aren't they tempting? I'll climb up the tree to pluck some fruits and you should catch it from down. Let's go home after plucking some fruits. "

Cheishra's mother quickly climbed up the tree. She chose tasty and ripped fruits and dropped them off the tree for Sanarembi's mother. Cheishra's mother said from top of the tree, "lche, are they tasty?" and the elder sister replied, "Yes Inao (younger sister)."And thus the sisters continued talking and eating Heibong. Cheishra's mother said, "Iche, this time I'll drop the tastiest fruit. You should close your eyes and catch this with your mouth wide open. I'll drop it at the centre of your mouth."

Sanarembi's closed her eyes and kept her mouth wide open to catch the fruit. At this point of time, Cheishra's mother pulled out all the snakes from her Tungol (traditional tool to carry fish) that she had caught earlier and dropped them on Sanarembi's mother. Sanarembi's mother died after biting by snakes. Cheishra's mother threw the dead body below Phumdi (fauna) and came home with her sister's Tungol which contain fish.

Cheishra was happy to see her mother and when Sanarembi didn't see her mother she asked, "Imaton, (stepmom) where is my mother? Is she coming late?" Cheishra's mother replied to this, "Your greedy mom is waiting till her Tungol gets filled with fish. She is still fishing." Cheishra ate the fish her mother had brought. When Sanarembi didn't have fish to feed her younger brother she asked stepmother to lend her some fish and when her mother comes back she would pay back. Cheishra's mother gave her some Ngakha (kind of small fish).

Sanarembi's mother didn't return home till late night. Sanarembi and her younger brother were waiting for their mother's return leaning on a Pillar of the house and went off to sleep. Sanarembi's mother appeared in Sanarembi's dream and said, "My daughter, you and your brother are waiting for my return. But your stepmother threw snakes on me instead of Heibong and I died after being bitten by the snakes. I have reached the land of God so it is impossible for my return. Tomorrow when the Sun is about to raise you should come with the Long to fish, I'll appear in disguise of a Tortoise. You should catch and store me in Ishaifu (a traditional earthen pot). On the fifth day I'll become alive and let the three of us live together." Listening to this Sanarembi cried and woke up suddenly.

As instructed by her mother in Sanarembi's dream, she took a Long and went at the place where her mother told and started fishing. As she continued fishing she caught a small fish; Sanarembi cried, "Ha Ngakha! I am not fishing you I am fishing my mother" and set it free. And next she caught a Ngamu (Murrel fish) and said, "Haa Ngamu! I am not fishing you but I am fishing my mother" and released the fish in the water. Even after fishing for quite a long time she didn't find the Tortoise. Sanarembi wept, "Haa Palem (mother), my mother, where are you, your daughter is tired." Thus she wept with tears flowing down her cheek and continued fishing; then she caught the Tortoise. Sanarembi became happy. She took the Tortoise and kept it in Ishaifu.

May be it was destined Cheishra saw the Tortoise stored in Ishaifu by Sanarembi. Then Cheishra told her mother, "Mother, I want to eat Tortoise. I want to eat the one sister Sanarembi is keeping at Ishaifu." The stepmother said, "Hey Sanarembi, my daughter wants to eat the Tortoise you have stored in Ishaifu. Boil it and feed her." Sanarembi weeping with tears on her face started heating the Ishaifu to boil the Tortoise.

After sometime the Tortoise replied from inside the Ishaifu, "Sanarembi, it has reached mother's leg." Sanarembi removed firewood. Cheishra informed her mother. Cheishra's mother came inside and took out burnt firewood and put it on Sanarembi's head. Sanarembi wept and put the firewood back. "Sanarembi, it has reached mother's hip," said the Tortoise from inside the Ishaifu. Sanarembi cried and removed the firewood.

Cheishra's mother burnt Shanremabi's head. Sanarembi put the firewood back. The Tortoise said, "Sanarembi, it has reached mother's chest." Sanarembi said, "Mother, has our faith sealed to not meet you as a human being" and removed the firewood again. Cheishra put the burnt firewood on her step sister's head and put the firewood back. Thus Cheishra and her mother boiled the Tortoise and ate it. Sanarembi could not see her mother as a human being again.

Many years had passed; Sanarembi and Cheishra were all grown up; it was time for their marriage.

Once, Sanarembi and Cheishra had come to fetch water holding a Pun (earthen pot, round in shape specially made to fetch water) and a Sanabun (a pot with long neck and a big curve, mostly women carry it on their hips). At this time, the Prince and the Minister's son had come towards the bank of the river to drink water, riding on their horses. Looking at the beautiful Sanarembi who was holding Pun, the Prince fell for her and said, "I don't like the one who carries Sanabun but the one who carries earthen pot."

Cheishra felt dejected. The next day, as instructed by Cheishra's mother, Sanarembi brought Sanabun and Cheishra brought Pun to fetch water. The King's son and the Minister's son also came on the same day and the four of them met at the bank of the river. The King's son said, "I don't like the one who carried earthen pot but the one who carried Sanabun" and pulled up Sanarembi on his horse and took her till the Palace.

Sanarembi was very much disappointed to leave her younger brother at home. Even though she was living in the luxurious Palace she was not happy. For many days she didn't eat or drink. Later when she realised that her younger brother was kept at Palace, she got relief from her grief. After some days she got married to the King's son and became Leima Shija (Queen). As time passed by she gave birth to a baby boy.

The greedy mother and daughter never stopped thinking to ruin Sanarembi's life. And using their bad idea, they invited Sanarembi for a lunch at their home.

After having food Cheishra said, "Sister, let me wear your dresses and ornaments so that I can see if I look beautiful" and put on the dresses and earrings on her. After letting Cheishra wear the dresses for a while, Sanarembi said, "Dear, it's getting late, give me back my dresses and the ornaments." Cheishra pretended to be angry and said, "Oh! I cannot even wear your dresses for a while. Take it" and she took out and threw them all under the bed.

When Sanarembi went under the bed to take out the clothes, Cheishra's mother put the extremely hot water on top of Sanarembi and she died. All the clothes and ornaments of Sanarembi had been put on to Cheishra. Cheishra entered the Palace pretending to be Sanarembi. The King was also suspicious but didn't say anything. Thus, Cheishra pretended to be Sanarembi and lived as Leima Shija of the Palace for a while.

Once, the King's servant, Pangal Shajikloi (the one who cuts grass to feed animal) was cutting grass, a Lamkhunu (wild pigeon) looking at him said –
"Ha Ningthou Tukaoba
Icha Ningthou shigani
Fige Iyong Tatkani
Ha Pangal Shajikloi
Nabungoda Tamjaru
Nangna adum Tamdraba
Shagol Shamu sihange
Kukru ku ku khangmeitatta"

(She warned the King for his neglectful behaviour of even forgetting his own wife that nothing would go right. She also asked Shajikloi to inform everything to the King and if he failed to do so she threatened to kill all the horses and elephants.)

Shajikloi informed this to his King. The King also remembered the wild pigeon he saw in his dream once. The King came with a handful of rice at the place where the wild pigeon was chirping and said –
Chekla Chadi Nungshibi
Lamkhunu O! Cheknungshi
Ishanougi thawaina onba chek
Chekla nangna laklabadi
Nashabi eigi khubamda
Chekla nangbu tonglorao!
Se: Se: Nabuk thanna Charolao!

(The King asked the wild pigeon to land on his palm and eat the rice if she is his beloved wife's soul.)

The wild pigeon landed on the King's palm and ate all the rice. The King remembered what he was told in his dream that 'if he keeps the wild pigeon for five days it will become a human' and stored the bird in a Pun without letting anyone know. Cheishra became doubtful and cooked the pigeon. When the King was about to eat the curry he became suspicious and asked Cheishra. When the King came to know it was the pigeon he had stored earlier in the Pune he was very furious. Without eating a bit he threw it in the backyard. After some days a Heijang tree (citrus medica) started growing at the spot.

Heijang tree became tall and bore ripped fruits. As once told by Sanarembi in his dream to pluck the fruit and store it for five days in Chengfu (rice pot) and she would turn into a human, the King and put up fences around the Heijan tree. Looking at this Cheishra became very doubtful.

One day, Pangal Shajikloi was thriving to eat fruits and Cheishra informed him, "Eat Heijang which is growing in the backyard." Shajikloi plucked it and took it home. When he was about to eat it he had to go for an urgent work and left it inside the rice pot to have it later. Four days had passed and he remembered about the fruit. He took it out and when he searched for the knife to cut it he couldn't find it.

When he found the knife the fruit disappeared. Shajikloi decided to not eat it and left inside the rice pot. On the fifth day the fruit turned into Sanarembi. Shajikloi informed this new to the King. The King took Sanarembi back to the Palace. And the selfish Cheishra was given death penalty for her wrong deeds.

Thus, after facing al the troubles in her life Sanarembi lived again with the King as Leima Shija and they lived happily ever after.


** From Manipur folk tale Book called "Fungawari Singbul" by B. Jayantakumar Sharma