Historical images set for public display
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 31: After decades of preserving some of the rare images of historical figures and life of Manipur in the 19th and early 20th century in its library, the Royal Society for Asian Affairs, London has given its permission for public display of more than 60 such rare photographs for the first time.

Announcing this during a press conference at Johnstone Higher Secondary School here today, N Ratan Meetei, secretary of Apunba Imagee Machasing informed that an exhibition of these rare photographs is being planned during the month of June-July at Imphal in consultation with the Art and Culture Department, Government of Manipur and Manipur University.

Photographs of Yubraj Tikendrajit(L) and Senapati Kullachandra(R) and copied from the original found in British Museum Picture Source: www.old-prints.com Limited, Scotland

Representatives of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs would also be invited to the exhibition, Ratan added.

He said that these rare photographs have been collected with the joint efforts of Dr Elangbam Bishwajit, who works in the British Health Services, his wife Sarita, Naoroibam Ratan of Apunba Imagee Machashing and Hijam Hemjit of Meetei Epa-Epu Salai Enat Khongul Leeba Lup.

He also credited Prof Gangmumei Kamei, Prof Joykumar and Dr L Kishorejit for their assistance and guidance in this regard.

The Society has given its permission to public display of these rare photographs after paying copyrights charges of 85 Pound for each of the photographs, Ratan informed.

He explained that the photographs which are to be exhibited are from the collection of Colonel John Shakespear, who was resident in Manipur between 1905 and 1914 .

The photographs captured the images of Khongjom War, the last war of independence fought by Manipuris against the British, British soldiers demolishing monuments and structures after the defeat of Manipur in the said war, the then condition of the world-famed all women market, Khwairamband Bazar, important rivers, roads and bridges and other historical figures.

Disclosing other plans, Ratan informed that to house these rare photographs and other materials collected so far, the joint team of Apunba Imagee Machashing and Meetei Epa-Epu Salai Enat Khongul Leeba Lup is all set to open a museum cum archive centre to be called Ibudhou Marjing Museum cum Archive Centre at Heingang within this week.

Among its collection, Ratan claimed the joint team has collected one rare article published in Le Bitil, a French journal on May 2, 1891 in connection with Khongjom War and celluloid films of Tangkhul, Maring, Khongsai, Mao, Thadou, Kabui and Meetei.

The team is also trying to collect rare documents which are being kept in the British National Archives, the British Library, the Imperial War Museum, the Alkazi collection of photographs and in the keeping of private collectors, he added.