Cheitharol-Kumbaba And The Internet: The Gregorian Dating
- Part 2 -

Chabungbam Amuba Singh *

Beheading of Mr Quinton and the officer :: Picture from RKCS Art Gallery

(Continued from Part I)

In the first part of this article, I have discussed how records of eclipses of the sun and the moon can be conveniently used to accurately determine the Gregorian date of any event for which both the lunar date and the week-day (as recorded in a luni-solar calendar) are given along with the Saka year.

Using this methodology of “eclipses-as-milestones”, the Gregorian dates of some of the landmark events recorded in the Cheitharol Kumbaba have been determined and are furnished below:

Establishment of the Kangla by King Khagemba -- Saka 1553 Lamda 10 Wednesday = 31 March 1632 CE.

Birth of Charairongba -- Saka 1595 Inga 5 Saturday = 17 June 1673 CE.

Crowning of Charairongba -- Saka 1619 Lamda 10 Friday = 21 March 1698 CE.

Religious Initiation (Laiminglouba) of Charairongba -- Saka 1626 Shajibu 5 Wednesday = 9 April 1704 CE.

Death of Charairongba -- Saka 1631 Ingel 7 Sunday = 29 July 1709 CE.

Birth of Pamheiba -- Saka 1612 Poinu 22 Saturday = 23 December 1690 CE.

Crowning of Pamheiba -- Saka 1631 Thawan 23 Wednesday = 14 August 1709 CE.

Abdication by Pamheiba -- Saka 1670 Kalen 10 = 8 May 1748 CE Wednesday.

Death of Pamheiba -- The recorded date is Saka 1673 Poinu 26 Wednesday. There is some inconsistency here. The possible corrected date is Poinu 26 Monday = 13 December 1751 CE; or Poinu 28 Wednesday = 15 December 1751 CE.

Meitei Puya Mei-thaba: This is recorded as 'Meitei lairik manghanba on Saka 1658 Mera 17 Sunday' which date is 5 October 1732 CE. This editorial insertion is contested by almost everyone else. The currently accepted date of this tragic historical incident is 'Wakching 23 of 1729 CE' which is Saturday 22 January 1729 CE.

Birth of Chitshai (son of Pamheiba) -- Saka 1641 Wakching 26 Saturday = 3 February 1720 CE.

Crowning of Chitshai -- Same as Pamheiba's abdication = 8 May 1748 CE Wednesday.

Ascension to the throne by Bharat Shai -- Saka 1674 Shajibu 15 Saturday = 29 April 1752 CE.

Chingthangkhomba's first reign began on Saka 1681 Shajibu 7 Thursday = 4 April 1759 CE.

Chingthamkhomba's second reign began on Saka 1685 Thawan 29 Tuesday= 6 September 1763 CE.

Date of Shree Govindajee Nirpan = Saka 1698 Hiyangei 12 Friday = 22 November 1776 CE.

Installation of Shree Govindajee in the Rasamandal at Kanchipur -- Saka 1701 Hiyangei 11 Friday = 19 November 1779 CE.

Shifting of royal palace from Bishnupur to Kanchipur (during the reign of Bhagyachandra) on Saka 1701 Kalen 3 Tuesday = 18 May 1779 CE.

Shifting of royal palace from Kanchipur to Khwai-Khunpham Konthoujam (during the reign of Bhagyachandra) on Saka 1718 Shajibu 25 Monday = 1 May 1796 CE.

Death of Bhagyachandra -- Saka 1720 Mera 3 Friday = 12 October 1798 CE.

Crowning of Meidingu Labanyachandra --Saka 1720 Wakching 10 Wednesday = 16 January 1799 CE.

Death of Labanyachandra and ascension of Madhuchandra --Saka 1722 Poinu 27 Saturday = 10 January 1801 CE.

Ascension of Chourajit -- Saka 1725 Lamda 9 Sunday = 18 March 1804 CE.

Defeat of Chourajit by his brother Marjit at the eleven days battle at Kakching-- Saka 1735 Shajibu (latter) 6 Sunday = 27 March 1814 CE.

Ascension of Marjit to the throne-- Saka 1735 Shajibu (latter) 17 Wednesday = 6 April 1814 CE.

Defeat of Marjit by the invading Burmese and the beginning of the infamous Chahi-Taret-Khuntakpa (seven years’ devastation) -- Saka 1741 Wakching 12 Tuesday = 9 December 1819 CE.

Ascension of Gambhir Singh (second reign) -- Saka 1747 Inga 26 Sunday == 12 June 1825 CE.

Birth of Chandrakriti -- Saka 1754 Hiyangei 13 Tuesday = 6 November 1832 CE.

Death of Gambhir Singh -- Saka 1755 Poinu thasi Thursday = 9 January 1834 CE.

First reign of Chandrakriti (Ningthem Pishak) with Nara Singh as the Regent -- 9 January 1834 to 27 January 1844 CE.

Crowning of Nara Singh -- Saka 1765 Fairen 19 Thursday = 8 February 1844 CE.

For the period 1844 CE to 1941 CE, the editors of the Cheitharol Kumbaba published by the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad (2nd edition) have appended many foot-notes giving the Gregorian dates of many events recorded in the Chronicle, presumably consulting with some old Bengali Panjeeka (almanac). Interestingly, for the entire period of the reign of Maharaja Bodhachandra (7 November 1941 to 9 December 1955 CE), the editors have not provided any foot-note giving Gregorian dates, except on two occasions which refer to the visits of the Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 23 October 1952 and 28 March 1953.

Below I furnish some dates pertaining to this riveting period:

Ascension of Bodhachandra to the throne on the expiry of Maharaja Churachand Singh = 7 November 1941.

Formal coronation of Bodhachandra (presumably on the order of the Viceroy of India) -- Saka 1863 Shajibu (latter) 15 Wednesday = 01 April 1942 CE.

Japanese bombing of Imphal:

(1) Saka 1864 Kalen 25 Sunday = 10 May 1942 CE; at Nungyunbi, Khoyathong, Palton, Engineer, Majorkhond, Thangmeiband, Chingmeirong, Mantrikhongang.

(2) Saka 1864 Inga 1 Saturday = 16 May 1942 CE; at Keisampat Wahengbam Leikai.

(3) Saka 1865 Shajibu 15 Tuesday = 20 April 1943 CE; Khurai to Khomidok. About a hundred people having a religious feast at Chingangbam Gulap's mandop died. The next day (Wednesday) also saw bombing inside the Kangla which led to burning of the residence of the Bor Saheb (Political Agent) at Sanjengthong and burning of many houses at Wahengbam Leikai, Keisampat, Tera Keithel etc.

(4) Saka 1865 Lamda 20 Wednesday = 15 March 1944 CE at Sagolband; at Kongpal Heinoubon on the next day (Thursday); also at Kharman and Heingang on Friday.

Visit of the Viceroy of India to Manipur --Saka 1866 Thawan 18 Monday = 7 August 1944 CE.

Maharaja Bodhachandra made many trips to Shillong. The following trip has immense historical significances: To Shillong on Thursday 17 July 1947 CE; Back to Imphal on Monday 4 August 1947 CE.

At midnight of Thursday the 28th day of Thawan of Saka 1869 (14 August 1947 CE), the British Government handed over Manipur to Shreejut Maharaja (Bodhachandra). The next morning, Friday the 15 August 1947 CE at 7.10 am the Maharaja and the Maharani sat down in worship at the Kangla and at 7.40 am, the Manipur national flag carrying the emblem of Pakhangba was hoisted at the State Durbar.

On Langban 5 Friday (17 October 1947 CE), three Congressmen staged Satyagraha near the palace gate.

On Langban 12 Friday (24 October 1947 CE), the tri-colour flag of the Indian National Congress was hoisted and flown alongside the Manipur national flag carrying the emblem of Pakhangba at the Kangla.

Shri Lairenmayum Ibungohal, B.A. B.L. of Manipur attended the Bharat Bhumi Pandit Sabha (Convention) on Saturday Thawan 13 of Saka 1871 (6 August 1949 CE) to discuss the issue of replacing the English language (by an Indian language).

On Saturday the 15 September 1949 CE, Maharaja Bodhachandra went to Shillong and returned on Sunday the 25 September 1949 CE. This was the historic mission which had grave consequences for the political future of Manipur. On Saturday 15 October 1949 CE, the governance of Manipur was taken over by the Dewan. On Thursday 24 November 1949 CE, Maharaj Bodhachandra went to Shillong and came back on 4 December 1949 CE.

On Thursday 11 January 1951 CE, the Governor General of India visited Manipur.

On Thursday 28 October 1952 CE, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, arrived at Imphal.

On Saturday 28 March 1953 CE, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India arrived at Imphal and the next day, U Nu the Prime Minister of Burma arrived.

On Wednesday 24 February 1954 CE, Rajendra Prasad arrived at Imphal from Delhi.

On Thursday 3 November 1955 CE, the Home Minister of India (Govind Ballabh Pant) arrived.

Bodhachandra Maharaja expired on Friday 9 December 1955 CE at 9 am.

I conclude with the hope that providing the Gregorian dates of the events recorded in the Cheitharol Kumbaba will raise the value of the Chronicle as a historical resource. It is to be emphasised that the method of using the eclipses of the sun and the moon as 'mile-stones' can be adopted to determine the Gregorian date of any event for which both the lunar date and the week-day are given along with the Saka year.

(Concluded)