Laphumaton : Translated from "Manipuri Fungga Wari"
- Part 1 -

James Oinam *

An illustration for 'Laphumaton'

Laphumaton: Translated from 'Manipuri Fungga Wari': Part 1
Book Title: Manipuri Fungga Wari
Compiled and Edited by: I.R. Babu Singh
Publisher: Sahitya Academy
Printer: Jaishree Press, Calcutta
Year: 2005

Once upon a time, a widow lived with her son. The widow brought up the son by herself and when he grew up to become a handsome young man, she told him, 'Son, your father asked you to earn your own wealth.'

On hearing this, the boy took a fishing line and went to the river to catch fish. By god's grace a golden lotus got caught in the hook. He brought the golden lotus back to his house. Placing the lotus on his mother's hands, the boy said, 'Mother while fishing, instead of a fish a golden lotus got caught in my hook.'

'Son, let us offer this lotus to the king,' thus saying the widow went to the king and offered the golden lotus.

The king was enamored by the golden lotus, and he ordered her to bring the plant that gave the flower. 'Within three days from now you must bring the plant or else you and your son will be exiled from this kingdom,' he declared.

The widow returned home and informed her son, 'Son, the lotus flower you brought, we are to give its plant within three days or else we will be banished from this land.'

Laphumaton replied, 'Mother let me go in search of plant. Pray to god that my journey is fruitful.' Saying this he went to the east.

Upon reaching a distant land, he came across princess Shabireima who was bathing near a pond with her friends.

Seeing Laphumaton briskly coming towards them, the princess told her friends, 'Friends I will marry that man.'

The girls kidnapped Laphumaton, 'O young man, the princess has made up her mind to serve you.' And they took him to their palace.

'What is this? Why have you taken this man as prisoner?' enquired the king of the land.

'Maharaj, the princess has asked us to take him as prisoner because she wants to marry him,' answered the girls.

'If my child wants it, let it be so,' agreed the king and gave her daughter to Laphumaton.

After this he also married another princess called Nganureima of another kingdom.

'My lady the king gave you to me. However, I came here due to a punishment by the king of our land. I have to go but will return soon,' Laphumaton told his wife.

Laphumaton left them and continued with his journey. On the way, he met yet another princess called Khunureima.

Princess Khunureima said, 'Young man, I want to take you as my husband' and kidnapped Laphumaton. The king of the land immediately gave her daughter to him as wife.

'O king, I came as punishment from the king of our land. I am looking for the plant that gave a golden lotus.'

On hearing this, the king said pointing to a pond, 'Young man, the plant that gives golden lotus grows in the pond that you see there.'

Laphumaton found the lotus plant growing in the pond. Before uprooting the plant, Laphumaton prayed, 'Despite growing in dirty, soft, and hard land, just as you lotus does not have any dirt or water upon you by god's grace, please cleanse me of my misery.'

Then he waded into the water and uprooted the plant and returned back home. He went to the house of Khunureima and took her with him.

Then he went to Shabireima's house and took her also with him.

After taking Nganureima also, he returned home to his mother with his three wives.

'Mother I have come back with the lotus plant. Take this and offer it to the king,' he told her.

The mother was overjoyed, and she asked, 'Son who are these three beautiful girls and where are they from?'

The daughters-in-law approached and touched the feet of the widow, and she embraced them. Then carrying the lotus plant the widow went to the palace. She offered the plant to the king who planted it in a pond with due diligence.

To be continued.....