Manipur's prowess and fame in days of yore
- Part 1 -

Dr Ibocha Soibam *

A review of the Book: 'Emergence of Manipur as a Nation State' by Prof. N. Joykumar Singh,
published by Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi.
Price: Rs. 900.
No of page - 282 .
Year of Publication: 2015

[An eminent historian of Manipur, Prof. N. Joykumar Singh had earlier published five books related with Manipur, such as Social Movements in Manipur, Colonialism to Democracy, History of Manipur from 1819 to1972, Religious Revitalisation Movements in Manipur and Revolutionary Movements in Manipur. The present book, Emergence of Manipur as a Nation State is the sixth book on his credit].

1. Contents of the book:

Th ebook narrates the growth of Manipur from its infant stage ofa principality, starting with the pre-historic stage of the state, thereby elaborately covering the period of unrecorded eras in the history of the state, the formation of a kingdom during the reign of king Nongda Lairen Pakhangba (AD33-154) and the consolidation of a sovereign country with national feelings that has culminated in the reign of Maharaj Garibaniwas (1709-1748). In all, it has seven Chapters.

Chapter 1 deals with the general aspects about the formation of the place, the rivers of the state, how the name of the state has come to be known as Manipur.Pages 17-21 are devoted in dealing with the matters concerning the names of the state at different periods of the history of the state. The writer is of the opinion that like the Hindu era system known as yugthe state also has her own era system as Hangko' and 'Chak'.

There were four Hangkos as
1. Ko Hangko,
2. Thoi Hangko,
3. Poi Hangko and
4. Tayo Hangko.

Just after the end of the Hangko, the era of Chak started, which were four in number as
1. HayiChak,
2. HayaChak,
3. Langba Chak, and
4. Konna Chak.

He further mentioned that the giving of different names of the state started from the chak era. (page 17).

The names of the land which were known at different periods were:
1. Hayi Chak-Tilli Kokton Ahanba,
2. Haya Chak-Mira Pokthoklam,
3. Langba Chak -Hanna Semba Konna Loiba, and
Konna Chak-Muwapalli.

In addition to it, the land was also known as Chakpa Langba, or Muwapalli, Wangam Tapthong Mayum Kuiba Lamthong Maphei Pakpaor Poirei Meitei, Kangleipak, Poirei Namthak Sarongpung or Mayai Koirenthak Sarongpung. The countries which are neighbouring to this country known the land as Kathe by the Burmese, Moglai by Cacharies, Cassay by the Shans.

Conjoined with the naming of the present state of Manipur, the authormentions about the naming of the land as Mekhale Desh, connecting with the event of the death of Sati, a mythical wife of Mahadev. Making a reference to the book Sanamahi Laikan, it is written that the name of the state has come to be known as Manipur from the time King Garibaniwas (page 20).

But it is still quite obscure from which date the state has adopted the name Manipur. On the other hand the name of the state (country) was known as Makhale till 1762 in as much as, it is clearly mentioned in the official treaty between the British East India Company and the king of Manipur of 1762 AD.

ii) The second chapter confines to the tracing of the existence of land of Manipur, based on the anthropological findings in the land. Based on the discoveries and analysis of the potteries, rocks and tools by O. Kumar Singh, (former Lecturer in Anthropology in DM College, Imphal, Manipur), the author mentions that the Phunan(a hill tribal village near Waithou Pat,ThoubalDistict) ware is ascribed as old as first millennium, BC. Tripod Ware as 1450 BC and corded Ware AS 4,460+120 years BC.

iii) After chapters 1 and 2 where the name of the state and probable period since when the land came into existence have been respectively narrated, the author has taken up the task as to who are the people who resided and now residing in this land. This constitutes the content of Chapter 3 of the book.Taking into account the contents in the puyas, the author gives his opinion that there were four groups of people in the land.

"Their names are Lai, Tin, Mee and Pong and they are considered as the ancestors of the people of this place." (page 75). In the latter stage, as outcome of the conflict the Lai and Tin left the place and onlyMee and Pong remained." Finally Lai and Tin group of People left the place and went to different directions and Mee and Pong emerged as sole authority and established a stable society." (page 75). The Lai people at the beginning lived on the hill top and the Tin people lived either on the middle of the hills or foothills or at the edge of water body.

iv) Chapter 3 continues with the mentioning that the clan formationand the intermingling of the different ethnic groups, thereby paving the way for the people's integration leading to the subsequent formation of a nation state, started from the reign of King Pakhangba in 33 AD. In this regard the author puts:
" ...the intermingling of these various groups of ethnic people had produced a new cultural and social synthesis in the later periods and ultimately it laid a very good foundation for the establishment of a unified social and political system for having a single national identity under the banner of a distinctive nomenclature." (page 81).

V) Chapter 4 (Kings in Proto historical Periods) deals with the institution of kingship in general. It starts with the nature of kingship as the man ordained to keep peace and render justice,to further the early happiness of his subjects.Later on with the changing pattern of society the divine concept of kingship came into eminence. Along with it, came the concept of king as personification of God with certain constituent prowess.

In the context of Manipur this evolution of the idea of kingship has started with the reign of king Pakhangba in 33AD. "Thus the concept of the divinity of kingship was emerged in this place with the coming of Pakhangba as king." (page 94).

The author supporting his viewpoint gives accounts of some of the kings who ruled the land as king with dignity as warrior, leader, and one who paid attention for the welfare and prosperity of the people, such as Kangba, Moria Phambalcha or Mari Phambalcha, Kaksuba or Kaksu Tonkonpa, Pitingkoi, Labich or Lalmicha, Sopainba and Puthiba.

To be continued..