Manipuri Textile from Bangladesh and Myanmar
- Art of Textile -
- Part 5 -

By: Mutua Bahadur *

Religious practice

Generally, Manipuris are Gouriya Vaisnavites. But, some Manipuris follow Poirei Apokpa cult which originated from Cachar district of Assam (India) around 1954. Besides following Poirei Apokpa, they have Apokpa Laining cult also. The Apokpa Laining cult also originated from Cachar district around 1960.

Though the Manipuris adopted Gouriya Vaisnavism they never gave up their tradition of service to umang lai. Lai Awangba of Narasingh tila (Brojonath tila) and Ima Ujao Lairembi (female deity) of Konagaon, Thongak Lairembi (female deity) of Madhappur and Nongdon Lairembi (female deity) of Sibagonj are some of the popular deities. Every Manipuri

house has a place for Sanamahi (household deity) on the south-eastern corner of the house. Manipuris celebrate kang chingba (Rath Jatra) every year. There is a tradition of offering evening service to Hindu gods by beating drums along with cymbals in the evening. Radha-Krishna, Gouranga Mahaprabhu, and Jaganatha are the popular Hindu gods of the Manipuri Hindus. These idols are of wood and metal. Those masks of sylvan deities, Lainingthou (male deity) and Lairembi (female deity), are made by fixing the bronze mask on a wooden

piece and decorated with clothes. Lai Awangba was installed and worshipped at Brojonath tila (earlier it was known as Narsingh tila) by Manipuri villagers.

Both masks of Lainingthou and Lairembi were there till 1994, but were stolen by some miscreants. Lainingthou (male deity) is covered with a pinkish piece of cloth like wearing a dhoti and Lairembi wears a sarong of pale red reaching the chest level. A thin green cloth covers her head. Both Lainingthou and Lairembi have nayil (ear rings).

New masks, in place of the lost ones, were installed in 2004. The idol of Mahaprabhu at Mahaprabhu temple at Konung leikai of Sylhet is adorned with a crown. And the right hand is in the posture of bhangi and left hand isshown hanging.

Historical monuments

As Manipuris started settling in Bangladesh, they built many brick buildings and temples. Most of the developmental works were done during the period of the Seven Years Devastation (1819-1826).

Manipuri Rajbari (palace of Gambhir Singh)

Gambhir Singh built a palace during the Seven Years Devastation (1819-1826) in an area of 60 acres out of Mirja forest after clearing it. There are some ruined monuments and one pond out of two is still there. The pond used by the Maharani is now filled up.

The sanggai-yumpham (palatial place) was encircled by seven brick walls and some ruined portions, among houses of Konung Leikai (Manipuri Rajbari), can still be seen. The sanathong (the royal gate) was storeyed There are stairs on the western side of the sanathong to reach the top. The height of the sanathong is 4m and the breadth is 4m. There are two entrance gates in the existing wall.

The present length of the wall is 22 m, and the height and thickness are 2.5m and 50cm respectively. Some of the portions of the gate, which was used for the backside exit, are still there. Different sizes of bricks were used for putting up walls and the sanathong.

Surki (a mixture of brick powder, limestone, molass and black gram powder) was used for the construction. Such ruins have been standing proudly in Konung Leikai. At Lamabazar, not so far from the palace, there are three temples of Pakhangba, Yumjao Lairembi and Nongsaba just opposite Madan Mohan College.

See a gallery photo of this Textile here.

To be continued ....

Mutua Bahadur

* Mutua Bahadur contributes to e-pao.net regularly. This article was webcasted on September 30, 2010.