History & supernatural phenomenon of Makhan village

Ngammang Malangmai *

Liangmei Traditional Festival at Makhan Village in January 2009 :: Pix - Jinendra Maibam

Liangmai historical narratives from Makhan village, Senapati district depict the connectivity between myth, reality and material culture of this tribe. An oral narrative about vibrant ancestors with their wit or heroic exploitation continues to fascinate the globalized Liangmai audiences even today. There's no precisely written history about Makhan village since many centuries passed and yet narratives which were further handed down from generations to generations still exist.

Sanskritized Manipur Maharaja from Imphal valley has maintained religious-political linkages with this Liangmai Makhan village since the past several centuries, and it's a matter of honor that this village was mentioned in Meitei's historical chronicle "Chaitharol Kumbaba 1470 AD".

Here, the Manipur Maharaja from Imphal valley occasionally visited Makhan with his contingents to explore the economic and social geography of this tribe, and on special occasions sent his royal messengers to pass on the messages to this Liangmai people.

The Makhan village and the Maharaja of Manipur have frequently held misconceptions about the modus operandi, land and settlement and the topographical position that had compelled them to fight against each other's on many occasions. The Maharaja with armed forces attacked the village and the village suffered loss in many occasions.

However, tradition holds that the village and the Maharaja have cultural ties and relationship. Ceremonial lighting of fire from the valley region that passed on the symbolic message of cultural ties as brotherhood with the Maharaja was of a significance. The Maharaja used to tour the hill areas also but sometimes the Royal messengers were too killed by the villagers by mistake.

Makhan village was unsuccessfully tried many times by the invading Burmese armed forces to capture it during their 7 years reign in Imphal valley. Plausible reason for the Burmese unsuccessful campaign to take control of Makhan village was that the existing male and female stone monoliths have supernatural forces erected at the entrance site.

And the monoliths symbolize victory, protection and conquer of the host Makhan village; and auspiciousness of these monoliths was highlighted to the invading Burmese forces by one of their people who has vast knowledge about it.

Taking cognizance of this fact; the Burmese forces who had previously invaded Makhan decided to take these monoliths to Imphal valley so that they could attain victory and prosperity in any spheres of warfare. Unless those male and female stone monoliths were brought to Imphal valley, the Burmese forces would not be able to enslave Makhan villagers.

Therefore, a plan was methodologically adopted for this very purpose. To take it to Imphal valley, the Burmese sent a platoon of army and they began to drag these monoliths towards the direction of the Liangmai's Genlongriang village. In this juncture, the army platoons were all crushed to death by these male and female stone monoliths in a magical way.

Resultantly, the Burmese left these stone monoliths and returned to Imphal valley. With the arrival of new Christian faith, Makhan village people used this male stone monolith as the cross-over memorial festival stone. The Liangmai's fortune tellers in retrospect began to remind Makhan elders to bring back the left-behind female stone monolith; and these two monoliths should be erected and placed together, else misfortunes will fall upon people of the village.

Mythical beliefs and superstition became a historical reality from 1721 when a tribal Liangmai woman namely Wimaraniu Abonmai hailing from Makhan was betrothed to a neighbouring Meitei deity "Koubru".

According to prevailing narrative within the Sekmai fraternity and older generation of Makhan people, this woman with her female friends was casually going through the lake nearby Sekmai area, otherwise known as "Kouzenglaima pad" i.e., Kouzenglaima's lake. She wanted to pee near the bushes and reportedly asked her friends to wait for her.

However, it turned out that she was practically invisible from that very spot. A voice from that spot uttered an echo stating "I am not coming back; I am married to this local deity, stop looking out for me". As such her friends returned to Makhan leaving her behind. Years later, Liangmai fortune tellers have reminded through visions and dreams that Wimaraniu is the wife of deity of mountain "Koubru".

Another common narrative in Makhan is that Wimaraniu Abonmai used to be visible from a distance, but when people went there she simply vanish. Till 1920s, there exists a Bamboo plant which was used as a walking stick by Wimaraniu Abonmai before her abduction, and she had planted it on a particular spot.

Ancient generation of the people of Makhan claimed to have seen that bamboo groove and villagers such as Kajanbou, Athangbou and Keboliu also claimed to have seen the bamboo plant with their own eyes during the formative years.

From 1721 onwards, neighbouring Meitei's from Sekmai requested the Liangmai of Makhan village to donate a woman's attire for Koubru's wifeduring their festive session called "Lai Haraoba" i.e., Festival of Gods. This request was accepted and a tradition of attire for Wimaraniu Abonmai was annually donated every year during Lai Haraoba festival.

Woman's attire called Tanina in Liangmai dialect was offered in the name of Koubru's wife. Till 1940, a Makhan village woman named Nampisiliu Abonmai used to weave it to be offered for Wimaraniu Abonmai during Lai Haraoba festival of Sekmai's Meitei community.

Common narrative stated that every time whenever the traditional attire was offered in the name of Wimaraniu Abonmai, a child happened to die annually at Makhan village during the Lai Haraoba festival. Therefore, this practice of donation of the traditional attire has been stopped after 1940.

History interpreted through facts, events and acculturation process as observed among Liangmai of Makhan village, Senapati district, Manipur continued to motivate the upcoming research scholars as there's a vibrant primary source in the form of folktales, attires and various arts.

(Translated in English by Khamdong Asen Newmai)