History of Moirang
Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing :: Part 5

Hemamcha Shobha *

RKCS Painting at Ibudhou Thangjing, Moirang, Manipur - Pix :: Recky Maibram

HISTORY

Towards Reconstruction

In between the views that history should not be oblated on one hand and the prevailing dark periods or the so-called the past unaccounted periods on the other, it is not an easy task to reconstruct ancient history. Moreover, ancient history by nature is always in a continuous process of rebirth and regrowth because of the light thrown on it from time to time. Thus historians in some ways have to depend on legends, myths, ancient chronieles; and available relics of sculptures, plates, pillars which Mr. CARLYLL expresses as 'distillation of rumours'.

Related to Manipur in this regard––oral history, oral literature and written records being the main sources of our history- their pure forms and longivity are to be well proved with the evidences found from excavations etc. So archaeology, exploration, excavations scripts, coins, monuments, recorded plates and pillars along with the study of culture and social anthropology, environmental norms; folkways, custom, tradition are all to be carefully dealt with as tools and techniques.

In such cases, the reconstruction process of ancient history, may be of Manipur, in any form may not be distorted. Keeping such views in minds the Meitei National Front, Manipur took up a bold step by organizing a seminar on and from the 8th june to 10th june, 2007 at Kangla hall, Imphal with a view to reconstructing or correction of the proto-historic periods of all the Salai-Clans Kings to an earlier period and to become a real history. A part of the proposed genealogical table based on Dr. M.T. Laiba's paper is herewith furnished for references.

PROPOSED GENEALOGICAL TABLE (restating here only the row numbers 1, 5 and 9)

SL	Probable Reigned	Mangang	Moirang	Khuman	Luwang	Angom	Khaba Nganba	Sarang Leisanthem
01	10000 to 5000	Konjin Tukthaba	Konjin Tukthaba	Konjin Tukthaba	Konjin Tukthaba	Konjin Tukthaba	Konjin Tukthaba	Konjin Tukthaba
02	5000 to 2000	Nongda Lairen	Hasa	Kurumlen Meinaiba	Thong Arel	Ahong Khamba	Khaba Leichik	Kaksuba
03	2000 to 500	Leisanglen Ashang Ngasaba	Ngangning-sing Atengba	Echaoba Ningthou	Singta Pung	Chingu Wang Reng	Khaba Leitham	Pitingkoi

In the seminar, the discussions of the majority of paper readers supported the reconstruction; and proposed and viewed that civilization might have flourished in Manipur so many thousands of years before Christian era and the various Salailel kings might have ruled in their respective kingdoms.

Let the hope for success in this venture be blessed by Eputhou Thangching; and the genealogical originality of the different Salai kings be corrected and reconstructed with the help of authentic documents from the concerned experts and scholars in the years to come; otherwise, controversies will be mounted and erupted from all quarters.

DESCRIPTION OF ANCIENT KINGDOM OF MOIRANG IN THE PUYAS

"Leirak Meirombabu Hanna Ngamta, Khongpal Lupakpapu Tengna Ngamtapa. Chingya Thera Thelming Hakpa Lamta Khuntarakye...... Thangnga leikai Manil Nai Yomlen Saikang Anganana loktak Khara...... Chakmom khambi Meirannana Pallamye....."

The above lines in the 'Moirang Kangleirol Lambuba' give a description about the vastness and thick population of the ancient Moirang kingdom. The layout of the roads and lanes of the then Moirang were so great in number and spread in endless directions that one could not come back or return.

The streams and rivers were so wide and numerous that cleaning and dredging of them were never completed; The population was so dense and thick, and widespread that even the hill plains and slopes were deforested for construction of dwelling purposes; all the eight Thangnga Leikais or sectors were happy and prosperous; their houses were so closely constructed that the slopes lean and folded against each other; the give and take of fire among the householders were prevalent; and even Loktak was used as pond for domestic use of water by constructing stairs and steps on the shore or bank.

Thus, Moirang though known in different names through the ages of the past historical periods as Keke Chaoba Pung Moirang Sanga Yai, or Keke Leikoi Pung, or Leitak Ngangoi Pung; or Loiren Sana Pung, was a land settled and ruled by various known and unknown divine personalities in the early periods of Pre-historic ages.

ANCIENT RULERS

The ancient kingdoms anywhere in the world should have ancient rulers, but to trace them out for re construction of ancient history becomes a tough task for the present historians. In this regard, and in the context of Moirang, the ancient rulers may be presumed as the mythological kings––Godly or divine personalities; the discovers; or the early settlers who inhabited and ruled at Moirang approximately between 300 BC to 9000 Bc, that is, before the reign of Iwang Puritlai Ngangningsing. It is written in the old book––Leisemlol Sakok Ariba––that Khoriphaba while waiting his wife Khoinurembi ruled as Keke king as early as 7909 BC.

Again it may be quoted that "Moirang Leipak Ngakngampa Thonglen Haying Khoicha, Keke Kayapa, Khuyol Yangkhong Champakana...Phungka Thikpi Meipham Hongna......" - means that the pre-existed rulers before the arrival of Eputhou were Thonglen Haying Khoicha, Keke Kayaba and Khuyol Yangkhongchamba, who ruled with a well established settlement even preserving fireplaces etc. The origin and wherefrom of those settlers are yet difficult to trace out. It is because of the fact that rebirth and regrowth in the ancient history of Moirang might occurred during the said periods, therefore needed to search more for reconstruction of ancient Moirang history in the right ways.

"Ewang Puriklai Keke Ponglen Hanpa...... Ngangningsing. Atengpawo Touna Kouye" - the words in the Puya show that Ngangningsing is the first king of Moirang though the exact periods and years are not mentioned but most probably it may date back to many thousands of year before Christian era. But in Th. Tutesor's book - Keke Hareppa Ngangoi Leisemba' - it is roughly estimated that the reigned year of Ngangninsging might be between B.C. 288-BC 215. According to Moirang Ningthourol (genealogy)- Ngangningsing is listed as the first Moirang king while his elder brother Nganghunthok ruled at Koubru.

The first seven Kings in series are Ngangningsing; Hamsha; Phang Liklai; Yoiba; Narong; Mayamba and Sunuja - who are thought as godly kings or divine human kings and yet their reigned periods may probably occur during Pre-historic period of ancient Moirang. Besides, it is found in the old texts-Puyas that there were some pre-rulers or the forefathers of Ngangningsing so to say; or the descendents of the king named MOIRANG.

They are furnished in serial wise - Yucheng; Yukourel; Sana Khing Khing Langba; Hepu Kangchikpa; Ngacheng Leitakpa; Urel Hanba; Urel Khuba; Nganghunthok, Ngangningsing.

Their periods might happen in the early parts of the pre-historic periods of ancient Moirang history. Again in the book - Keke Hareppa Ngangoi Leisemba it is written and found that four more kings are added ahead of Yucheng viz Arangba; Tomahaba; Nungmu and Kurumlen Meinaidaba and estimated their periods between BC 907 to BC 288. So a common, scientific and consensus calculation in fixing the probable periods supported by authentic evidences is a must and become an imperative need of the day so that ancient rulers can be pointed out in a systematic way.

HISTORY OF MOIRANG

Dawn

Iwang Puriklai Phang Phang Pomlenhanba was the 8th king in the genealogy of kings of Moirang and truly, the history of Moirang begins with his coronation in 52 BC on the prestigious Keke Kangla. It was during the period when the Hun dynasty of the ancient Chinese Golden Age between BC 208 to 08 AD ruled in China. By dint of his power and wisdom he could establish a firm footed, stable and independent Moirang kingdom around Loktak lake in ancient Manipur.

As an abled administrator he took up for the first time the developmental works connected with social, cultural; religious and political affairs. By expanding, reconstructing and decorating the then Keke Kangla building and its complex site, he was coronated introducing the system of coronation for the first time in history and to be followed by the successive rulers of Moirang.

He introduced coronation war, a kind of expansionist policy, that is, extension of territory by conquering and subduing the neighbouring regions or villages before and after each coronation. Since then 'Coronation War' was institutionalised partly as an expansionist policy and partly to prove the worthiness of being a king of Moirang.

In the religious matter; he started praying and worshipping of Loktak Goddess; Ayang Leima Ahal and Atombi; Lai Haraoba festival; agricultural festivals like Louka, Loukum, Lai loutaba and praying and ritual offering to Pukhri Pung and Koujeng Pung,etc.

To be continued....



About the Book:

Source Author: Hemamcha Shobha (b.1941), President of Moirang Thangjing Yageirel Marup [Register No: 1025/1972] and Chief Editor of 'Yageirol'.
Reproduced from Chapter - 2 of his book 'Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing'
for public reading by: Shanjoy Mairembam, London (UK), shanjoym (at) gmail (dot) com

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* Shanjoy Mairembam , resident of UK, regularly contributes to e-pao.net. He is sharing this book for public consumption and can be contacted at shanjoym (at) gmail (dot) com
This article was webcasted on April 06 2012.

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