Thongjao Village - Village And People - Land Of Pottery
- Part 1 -

Molung Angjoy *

Neelmani Devi firing her pots in her village, Thongjao, Manipur :: A film clip from Shampa "Beyond the Wheel"

2.1 LOCATION AND BOUNDARY.

Location of the village

Thongjao village is selected by the Department of Anthropology; Manipur University for the fieldwork Master of Science previous student is Thongjao village. Thongjao, one of the village of Schedule Caste people located in the eastern part of Manipur under the Jurisdiction of Thoubal district. Thongjao village is located at a distance of about 45 km from the capital Imphal. This village is inhabited by the Meitei’s.

Boundary of the village
The Thongjao village is bounded by Elangbam on the north, Waikhong on the south, Phandu ching on the east and Phumlel lakes on the west.

2.2 ORIGIN OF THE VILLAGE.

The people of the village have been living in this area quite for a long time since 500 years ago. They believed to have been migrated from Thongjao Lok (a land of pottery), Beshempur. From the very beginning their main occupation was pottery and sericulture.

During the time of king Garip Niwas, the state was in need of people who deal with pottery for manufacturing salt at Waikhong. So the people of Thongjao Lok were sent for the proposed.

They also believed to be settled for first time near Waikhong but in 1705-1748 due to unfavourable condition and over population so they have come to the present area, the Thongjao village.

According to the elders of the village, it is said that at the beginning only fifteen 15 household were settled at the area namely their clans were given below:
a) Shamshetshapam
b) Leimapokpham
c) Kharaibam
d) Wangjam.

At present there are around 1876 in population and 358 in household number all together in the village. The present name of the village Thongjao derived from the word “Thongjao Lok” their native village which means the bridge and river.

2.3 HYDROGRAPHY.

The people of Thongjao village depend upon the Phamdu Lok on the southern side of the village as their main source of water. Phamdu Lok, it is joined by pipe line and supplies to the villagers. Apart from that the villagers enjoyed hand pumps and there are two or three ponds in each Leikai. The pound water is used for bathing and household purposed.

2.4 TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION.

There is proper transport facilities is available within the village. The village is connected with capital Imphal and other neighbouring village with regular bus service. There is more than ten bus which services from Imphal to neighbouring village via the Thongjao village.

2.5 VILLAGE ROAD.

The village is connected with the neighbouring villages thought a pucca road which runs from Imphal to the village via Elangpokpi or Lammeidong and the road extended further to Sugnu and Kakching Khonou.

2.6 FLORA AND FAUNA.

The village is so rich in Flora and Fauna. The Flora and fauna of the village is given below in tabular form with its local name along with their English name.

TABLE NO. 1
FLORA OF THE VILLAGE

TABLE NO. 2
FAUNA OF THE VILLAGE

2.7 ELECTRIFICATION.

The village has the facility of electricity. Almost all the household used electric light excepting some poor families. Loktak project is connected to nearest transformer of the village.

2.8 CLIMATE AND RAINFALL

The village has moderate climate condition. There is variation in climatic condition according to seasons. It is winter from November to February and remaining months are known as summer season. October is the transitional period between winter and summer and so as the March is also transitional phase of summer and winter. During the winter season, temperature decreases and experience heavy dew fall at night. In April and May the temperature rises. The period from July to September is characterized by heavy rain falls. Wind blows from South West and cool breeze down the Hill in the evening. Humidity is high in the month of August and low in the month of March.

Minimum     Maximum     Season
18o C     28o C     Winter season
24o C     30o C     Summer Season

2.9 FIELD SITE

The Thongjao village consists of 15 leikai’s, some of them are Awang leikai, Makha leikai, Chirik leikai etc. The present study deals with all the leikais. There are more than 300 households. In this locality, one government school, Angal Wadi centre, one believer Church etc are located. More than 3 ponds, community hall, playground, Ibudhou Mayangamba etc. are distinctive features of this field site. CRPF camp is located near Chirik leikai. The leikai’s are interconnected through the intra village roads by foot or with the help of bicycles or vehicles or auto. The houses are distributed in cluster.

2.10 TOPOGRAPHY

The Thongjao village is situated at an average height of the 750 meters above sea level. The altitude of the village is not so low nor so height in comparison with those of the neighbouring village is situated on is the hical feature of the village situated on the plain region while few areas are situated in areas a bit elevated to that of the general topographical feature lying on the plain region.

Hill slopes comprise a margin of the village settlement area. The soil type found at this village comprises of red, clay and black in dimiaitive composition.

2.11 IMPORTANT PUBLIC PLACE.

(a) Religious place

There are two Religious places in the village namely the Thongjao Believer Church and Ibudou Mayanganba Temple.

THE THONGJAO BELIEVERS CHURCH.

There is one church in the village called Thongjao Believer church. It was established in the year 2007, villagers belonging to Christian believer worship there in every morning and evening Sunday.

Division
Pastor     ..........................     Hidam Ranjit
Secretary     ..........................     Sh. Roma
Treasurer     ..........................     Tamubi
Missionaries      .......................... (1) Gaitri
          ..........................(2) Shangbangnabi
          .......................... (3) Enaobi

Roles of pastor and Secretary

The role of pastor is to conduct church services and spread the message of Jesus Christ thought Sermons and to look after the poor people and to perform various ceremonies. The main role of Secretary is to register death, birth, transfer of member etc.

Role of Church in the village

The church serve as a meeting place where various ceremonies are conducted like Marriage, Baptism, Death, Birth rituals are some ceremonies are held here.

IBUDOU MAYANGANBA TEMPLE.

The main religion followed by the people of Thongjao is Hinduism. There is only one Temple in the village called Ibudou Mayanganba in which rituals ceremonies were performed respectively. However each every house following Hinduism has a separate place reserved for the Meitei’s Shanamahi who is taken as the Supreme protector for the member of the house.

(b) Education centre

There is only one education centre name as Thongjao L P School in the village for giving Primary education to the children of lower income families. There are only eighty (80) pupils and it run from classes Nursery to class five. The medium of instruction is in English. The present Government teacher posted in the school are Y. Thoiba from Lammeidong as Head Master and TH. Irabot from Thongnaojam as assistance teacher.

There are many Standard English school, High school and colleges in the nearby village. Nowadays young boys and girls are enthusiastic in studies. Almost all the children go to school located nearby the village.

(c) Play ground

There is two play ground and both the ground were near the road side as there is two clubs in the village namely The Thongjao Union Clubs and Social Welfare Clubs. Both the ground covers about 500x200mm and is of rectangular in shape. Every youths of the village including small boys and girls enjoyed varieties of outdoor games at both the play ground. Sometimes sports festivals were also observed.

(d) Youth Clubs

There is two youth Clubs in the village namely Thongjao Union clubs and Social Welfare Clubs. The Thongjao Union Clubs which was established in the year 1965 bearing register number 668/1965-1966. The Social Welfare Clubs was established in the year 1982 bearing Register number 4440 of 1983.

Both the clubs has an Executives body consisting of President, Secretary, Assistance Secretary, Treasurer and Executives members. The main aims and objectives of the two clubs are to uplift the people of Thongjao village.

(e) Police station
The village is under the Jurisdiction of Waikhong Police station. The village enjoyed a very congenial and peaceful atmosphere under the protection and vigilance of this police station

(f) Postal office
The villagers got postal facilities from the Kakching post office and also from Waikhong branch post office.

(g) Market place
The nearest shopping and markets place of the villagers are at Waikhong and Kakching. The stall are arranged in raw seasonal fruits and vegetables are available in the market, apart from petty, shops for tea, meat, pharmacy etc. are also opened. Day today needs are obtained from the small grocery shops of the village.

(h) Health centre
The village does not have proper health centre. The villagers go to the nearby primary centre.

(i) Cremation ground
There is two cremation ground in the village. No exact name is given for this two Cremation ground. According to their location the first one is known as Ngakrapa which is at the entrance of the village. While the other one is called Cherik Tampak which is located at Cherik leikai.

(j) Anganwadi centre
Women and Child Welfare projects are functional through the establishment of Anganwadi centre in the village. These centres are responsible for Mother-Child Welfare and benefits of the Anganwadi Scheme are made available to the people of the village. For this purpose there are five functional Anganwadi centre with ten staff member.



To be continued.....

Video Related to Thongjao and Andro

• jourNE to Andro - Part 1 :: Ooba
• jourNE to Andro - Part 2 :: Ooba
• The Coil Pottery of Manipur in Andro and Thongjao :: Part 1 :: Ooba
• The Coil Pottery of Manipur in Andro and Thongjao :: Part 2 :: Ooba

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* By Molung Angjoy (Anthropologist, Field Research) contributes regularly to e-pao.net. The sender can be contacted at mljoyakanshowa(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was webcasted on Ocotber 16, 2011.

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