Manipuri Diaspora in Myanmar: Past and Present
- Part 1 -

Mutua Bahadur *

Mutua Bahadur delivering the CMS Lecture moderated by Prof. S. Mangi Singh, Director, CMS, MU.

Early History

It was during the Bagan period in the Eleventh Century that the Manipuris started settling in Myanmar, the wife of king Kyan Sit Thar happened to be a Manipuri princess. The present-day polo or 'goolie game' which has its origin in Manipur was played during the time of king Bayiunaung (1551-81 ) who belonged to the Taungoo period (Manipuris called it as Tongdoy). Many Kate horsemen served under this king.

In the year, 1558, the king of Manipur, Meidingngu Chalamba offered his daughter to king Bayiunaung to forge an alliance. Many members of the Manipuri royalty settled in Taungoo. Before and after 1648, war continued between the two neighbours - Manipur and Myanmar.

In the year 1702, The Tongoo Dynasty of Awa (Present day Myanmar) sent emissaries asking for the hand of Meitei princess. King Charairongba of Manipur gave his daughter, Chakpa Makhaongambi, to the then Awa king.

In the year 1732, the Manipuri king, Jayashree Garibaniwaj offered his daughter, Hmin Long Khang, to king Sa-ne in 1732. She had the privilege of enjoying taxes from Popa Town as a Popa Myoza.

In the year 1738, Jaishree Garibaniwaj Maharaja marked the eastern door of the Kaungmadaw Pagoda, situated at Sagaing, with his sword.

In 1735 Maharaja Garibaniwaj of Manipur collected cows and slaves from Myedu of Shwebo district after attacking it. He destroyed some villages and pagodas sending cavalry to the upper part of Myanmar. The Manipuri soldiers defeated Myanmarese soldiers.

Again in 1738, he was camping near Sagaing. According to the order of Maharaja Garibaniwaj, Kaunghmudaw Pagoda built by king Thalun of Myanmar was taken care of. The Maharaja entered the pagoda and put a sword mark on the eastern door of the pagoda.

In the year 1749, during the reign of king Maha Dhammarajadipati, the Manipuri king [ Jayashree Jitashaha, or Chitsai] gave his daughter to him. There she was conferred the title of Maha Devi. She, along with Princess Popa and her husband, the deposed king, was exiled to Hanthawaddy (Bago) when the Mons occupied Innwa. Interestingly she was installed as a queen by the Mon king and the title, Thirizeya Mingala Devi, was given.

In the year, 1757, King Alaungpaya took some Manipuris as captives and along with some others settled them at Sagaing and various parts of Amarapura dihstrict. He established a Kate cavalry with the number ranging around 2000. Siam (Thailand) was invaded by king Alaungpaya along with a Kate cavalry that had 500 horsemen.

Again in December 1764 Myedu (Hsinbyshim) of Myanmar invaded Manipur and took some Manipuris to Ava (it was the capital city between 1364-1555 and 1629-1752) as captives and settled them around the outskirts of the city. King Alungpaya developed a cavalry battalion out of Manipuri settlers. Then, king Alungpava invaded Siam (Thailand) with the help of 500 Manipuri cavalries.

In 1780 king Bodawpaya brought some Manipuris from Manipur to Mogok for working in ruby mines. And again in 1812, this king brought more Manipuris and let them settle there. In the year 1769, a Sino- Myanmar War took place during the time of king Myeidumin. A combined force of Kate horsemen, numbering around 500 and Myanmarese army, launched an attack against the Chinese.

In 1780 king Bodawpaya brought some Manipuris from Manipur to Mogok for working in ruby mines. And again in 1812, this king brought more Manipuris and let them settle there.

During the reign of Marjit Maharaja (1813-1819), king Bagyidaw of Myanmar invaded Manipur and the Seven Years Devastation took place in Manipur during 1819-1826. During the Seven Years Devastation, king Bagyidaw brought some Manipuris to Myanmar by promising job opportunities.

Under two instances, each numbering 30,000 of Manipuris were taken to Myanmar in the year 1820 and 1821. Gambhir Singh Maharaja of Manipur built up Manipur Levy with the help of the British and expelled the invaders from Manipur.

Manipuris settled in Myanmar at different places according to the suitability of their vocation. Those settlers were - skilled weavers, carpenters, painters, goldsmiths, rowers, soldiers, cavalry, indigenous physicians, priests and astrologers etc.

The existing Myanmar Manipuris who had settled there since early times participated in many happy and sorrow moments of Myanmar as Myanmar is their motherland in their hearts. Myanmarese Manipuri women brought fame to their adopted country and also helped it economically. Untouchability, caste system, social ostracism and assimilation to other communities have contributed to the slow extinction of the Manipuri community in Myanmar.

Ethnonyme used by the Myanmarese for refering to Manipuris

Manipuris are referred to by different names by the Myanmarese. Those Manipuri Brahmins are referred as 'Paona' while non-Brahmins are recognized as 'Kate'. The reason behind Manipuri Brahmins being called Paona was that they served as 'Purohit' (Priest) under the king of Myanmar.

The original word 'Purohit' came to be used as 'purna'. Due to non-avaibility of the intonation 'r' in Myanmarese vocabulary since earliest times, 'Ponna' was used for 'Purna'. But it is pronounced as 'Paona' instead of Ponna'. The Manipuri Brahmins served as the priests and counsellors at the royal court and also practised the art of astrology.

Places settled by Manipuris

Manipuris remain scattered in and around different parts of Myanmar, such as - Kachin state, Yangong division, Sagaing division, Shan state, Ayeyarwaddy division etc. Some of the old villages have vanished. Even the names of the settled areas remain forgotten by the new generations. Some of the existing Manipuri villages have been absorbed into Myanmarese society.

Manipuris have settled at Mytitkyina, Bhamo etc. of Kachin state. Different places of Mandalay division remain populated by Manipuris. Manipuris at present are settled around of Mandalay (Mandalay was the capital between 1857 - 1885). Just to the eastern side of the site is Nandawsae.

The word Nandawsae in Myanmarese does mean that it is on the eastern part of the original capital. Just to the western side of it is Minde-e-kin village. Those Manipuris settled at Myintut are the descendants of Manipuri cavalries that settled in this locality.

The word 'Myin' is for horse and 'Tut' is for army in the Myanmarese language. Around 15 km from Myintut is the village of Aheneitaw. The word 'Aheneitaw' stands for a village inhabited by very skilled medical practitioners.

Most of them are the descendants of those Manipuris who were forcibly taken to Myanmar to serve as medicine men. Just to the south-western side of the past capital arc villages - Kha-Kshetri, Awang Kshetri, Bamon Khunjao (Paonasu), Kshetri Khul, Ninglhem Purohit Khul (those inhabitants were serving Myanmarese kings as purohits), Lairikyengbam Leikai and Myint Mo Geve etc.

There is Dal Dale and Latthamar villages (the latter is known as Konjengbam Leikai) just near Amarapura (it was the capital of Myanmar from 1783 to 1823) of Mandalay division. A little distance away from Amarapura is Shrigram or Senga Manipuri village and also Gaave (Myanmarese know it as Yekyi pauk) village. Before reaching Sagaing, there is a Manipur village known as Shwekyet by the Mandalay road.

There is another Manipuri village called 'Hypi-kathe' (supplementary residents) in Mogok which is situated to the northern side of Mandalay. In 1780 king Bodawpaya settled Manipuris at Mogok to use them for ruby mining.

And again in 1812 the king added another 45 families, and had to settle them there. There are more of Kate (Manipuri) villages near Kyatpayen due to an increase in their population.

In 1916, one written silver scroll was found near an old pagoda in Kathe (Manipuri town). In that scroll it was written that in 1785 the right of ruby mining was in the hands of so - Thungyi of Kathe, Mogok. The Kathe town is adjacent to Kyatpyen.

In 1783, during Bodawpaya's time, Manipuri captives were used in the ruby mine. The place was known as Myaukywar by villagers during those days. They have identified themselves and the villages as Kathe for a long historical period. Lots of beautiful folk tales and man-made stories for those Kathes and Kyatpyen, settled around Mogok, were written in the parabaiks of Myanmar from an early time.

To be continued ....

** Proceedings of the Centre for Manipur Studies (CMS) Interactive Lecture Series, dated 17 September 2018, orgd. by CMS, Manipur University. Rapporteur: Aheibam Koireng, Asst. Prof., CMS, MU.