'Meetei/Meitei controversy hexing community'
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 22 2022:
The controversy surrounding Meetei and Meitei nomenclature has become a hex for the community making the majority community of Manipur lacking self-knowledge, said RK Sanayaima, former chairman of a banned UG group.
He was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of a three-day Puya Awareness cum exhibition organised by N Khelchandra Singh Charitable Trust in association with All Manipur Manuscript Custodians' Association and Khwai Martial Arts Academy held at the residence of late N Khelchandra at Uripok Ningthoukhongjam Leikai, here, on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Sanayaima said that the controversy surrounding the Meetei/Meitei nomenclature is an unfortunate issue for the community.
Stating that keeping alive the controversy is not a healthy situation, he stressed the need for a resolution by bringing together experts in this held.
He also expressed concern over the lack of reference book in Meetei Mayek even though the script has replaced Bengali script up to the university level.
Highlighting the importance of Puyas, he said that these old manuscripts, which survive the holocaust, were kept hidden due to some episodes in the history.
It is time to bring out those manuscripts to the public domain, publish them in digital format and translate them in English language to present them to the global community.
Speaking on the issue of some sections of the society claiming the present script as unsuitable to read some old manuscripts, he stressed the need for finding a solution to resolve this issue while adding that the government should play a major role in this regard.
Trust chairman N Tombiraj said that they welcome the spirit of reviving original script of Manipur and Meetei Mayek 27 replacing Bengali scripts up to the university level.
However, there is still the need for further research and congregation in order to fill up the gaps and rectify some mistakes as the current script cannot read many of the old manuscripts, he added.
'Meitei Mayek Laigee Mayek', a book compiled by Yumnam Chaoba was also released at the event, during which around 300 Puyas were exhibited.
All Manipur Manuscripts Custodians' Association president K Bidhu Khuman, scholars and experts in the held of Puya also attended the event.