jourNE to Andro
- Part 2 -

Nelson Elangbam and Rajkumar Somorjit *

Making of Pottery, Andro

Brewing liquor (Yu) is a household industry in Andro village . Three types of Yu are produced. They are Waiyu, Atingba and Kalei (also known as Yu Ngou). Waiyu and Atingba are rice beer and the last one the distilled liquor.

The ingredients use in making Yu are rice and hamei, a mixed product of rice flour and a kind of hop called Yangli. Their wine jars are very similar to those wine vessels found in ancient Greece.

Many Yumjao( traditional Meetei houses) and Sanggoi can be seen in the Andro village. These houses are made of slatted bamboo. The roof is thatched with local grass called ee.

Traditional Meetei Yumjao / Traditional Meetei Sanggoi

Social Organisation:

The population of Andro is divided into two panas- Ahallup and Nahalup- according to their lineage. The Khullakpa is the social head of the village.

A Talk with Andro’s Khullakpa

In the past the Khullakpa was appointed by the kings. Today the post of Khullakpa is elected by the elders of the village. He is assisted by a council of Phamdao Ningthou. There are seven Phamdou Ningthou .

Khullakpa is the most powerful status of the village. Below him there are Lupllakpa, Khunjahanba, Khabamlakpa, Yupanba , Pakhanglakpa and Nahalakpa.

The majority families of this village are Phanjaobam, Chingakham and Salam. There are around sixteen extended families in this village. These families are organized into two social groups called Nahalup Pana and Ahallup Pana.

There are two Shangs (departments) for Naharup and Ahalup. All the sagei (extended families) are equally affiliated to the Panas. For instance, the Chingakham family is affiliated to Ahanlup and Khunungmayum to Naharup. These two Pana organise all the religious ceremonious such as Lai Haraoba, Langban Lai haiba etc. A man is enrolled in his Pana after 6 months of his marriage. He is declared a member of the Pana after he offers one hen or 100 rupees to the department.

During the period of kings the power of Khunlakpa (village chief) had a big responsibility in executing the law and order of the village. In 1964 CE Panchayati Raj is introduced by the India Government.

Under this Act the Andro village has become Nagar Panchayat and the judicial powers and functions are executed by the Panchayat. The powers of Khunlakpa and his council are confined only in religious and customary functions with the abolition of the royal dynasty of Manipur after the state was merger to India in 1949 CE.

Religion and Rituals:

Temple of Panam Ningthou, Andro

Fire worship is a typical characteristic of the people of Andro and it is evident from the shrine of Panam Ningthou, which is one of the three main shrines of the Andro village. The other two shrines are Pureiromba and Chingsonba. The villagers preserve a sacred fire place inside the temple of Panam Ningthou. It is popularly known as Andro-gee-Mei, "The fire of Andro".

According to their oral tradition this fire has been kept burning since it was brought by Poireiton and his wife Reima Leinao Tabi in the first century CE. The villagers keep the fire uninterruptedly burning on daily rotation. There are around four venerations for ancestors inside the temple.

All the rituals are associated with agricultural cycle. The Lai- Haraoba ritual of Panam Ningthou is restricted for outsiders. It is observed in the spring.

In the temple complex there are two buildings or Shanglen for Ahanlup and Naharup. There are also two youth dormitories known as Koso, where unmarried boys and girls hang out during the Panam Lai Haraoba.

Koso, Andro

Cultural complex of Andro:

Living Museum, Andro

This cultural complex is managed by Mr. Mutua Bahadur and the villagers of Andro. In this complex there are many artefacts of historical and cultural significances.

Different Kind of Traditional Houses Found inside the Living Museum, Andro

There are also many prototypes of traditional tribal houses, rock engraving, totem poles etc. There are also many 19th century paintings including the paintings of Badra Singh and Yunjao Sana.

Concluded ....

Note

The Travelogue "jourNE to Andro" was filmed on 28th August 2011 with a hope to share the beauty of Andro, Manipur. The film has already been broadcasted in ISTV on 10th Oct 2011 at 7pm. The same is also available online at the below links :-

1/ E-pao:- Part 1:- & Part 2:- .
2/ ISTV :- Link here

References:

1. Manibabu Mayenglambam, Pottery of the Andros of Manipur: A study on Ethnoarchaeology, (Manipur University: Ph.d. thesis, 2005).
2. Ibungohal .L and Khelchandra, N (ed), Cheitharol Kumbaba (Imphal: Manipur Sahitya Parishad, 1967)
3. Parratt Saroj Nalini Arambam (ed), The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur, vol I (New York: Routledge, 2005).
4. Sana Rajkumar Somorjit, The Chronology of Meetei Monarchs: 1666 CE to 1850 CE (Imphal: W.Ananda Meetei, 2010).
5. Ibemhal Thounaojam , Haoreima Sambubi (Imphal: Arambam Samarendra, 2000)
6. Narendra Moirangthem, Meihourol (Imphal, 2005)
7. Hemchandra Chanam, Meihoural Sangai Phammang (Imphal, 2004)