Hungpung chiefs clan traces Hungshi roots to Mangang
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, October 04 2023: The Hungshi Shangva clan in Hungpung village, one of the major Tangkhul villages in Ukhrul district, has traced its ancestral roots to the Mangang clan, the Meetei king's lineage.

The clan has been at the helm of the customary administration of Hungpung village for years.

"This is the outcome of the 18-yearlong research conducted by the history research committee set up by the Hungpung Hungshi Shangva (HHS)," disclosed AS Boniface Hungshi, the chairman of HHS, during a press con ference at Naga Gate in Hungpung village on Wednesday.

He claimed that, through the research work, the ancestral bloodline of the Hungshi Shangva clan of Hungpung and the Mangang clan of Meetei King has been traced, based on the establishment of the relationship between the Khongrei King, Hungpung King, and Meetei King, who were three brothers born to a king's daughter.

"Until recently, the Hungpung king's family or clan was just known as Ahungshi � the King's clan.

So, a search was made to trace the ancient roots of their ancestors, and it was found that Mangang Ningthouja was the proper Salai name of the three brothers.

Mangang was translated into the Tangkhul dialect as Hungshi," Boniface added.

According to Boniface, there has never been any king's family or clan's name like Zimik' (meaning Sun) in Hungpung (Hundung) history, as well as in the Meetei Puya historical record.

'If there had been any name or title like that, then, as per historical facts, the same would have been found in the Vashimhung clan of Hungpung," he noted.

The press conference was also attended by members of the history research committee of HHS, namely Barnabas Hungshi, Ningkhanpam Hungshi, AS Innocent Hungshi, Vareingam Hungshi, and Wungkachui Hungshi.

Ningkhanpam related the ancestral relationship of the three kings of Khon-grei, Hungpung, and Meetei King.

He related how the ancestors of these three kings came to Makhel from Thibungmei (now Kohima) after generations of migration from Central Asia.

"In Makhel, a triune baby boy was born to the daughter of the king.

The eldest son was named Riso (Khongreihung), the second son was named Hiipam (Hungpunghung), and the third son was named Mahza (Meeteihung).

After some years, the brothers along with their clan members moved to Kojiifu village.

After a brief stay there, they decided to look for a better fertile land.

The dowager - the mother queen gave them a precious stone with blessings and told them to settle where the stone would drop by itself".

He claimed that, after searching and looking at various places, the precious stone which the eldest carried on his back fell by itself at Khongrei (Khongdei), so they settled there.

"It is still there," he said.

But as their number grew, the sec ond and the third brothers wanted to settle in land of their choice; so they, the three went a little away from the village and raised up three big boulders (hearth) for cooking their parting meal.

The stones are still there in Khongrei (Khongdei), he said.

The committee members claimed that the eldest son stayed back, but the younger two left Khongrei/Khongdei, and after long years of winding search, they finally came to Hamleikhang, Hungpung village.

Subsequently, the third brother too decided to settle in the plain of Yaingangpokpi/Oknaopokpi, Imphal as Meetei.

Proximity allowed the youngest one to visit the second elder brother at Hungpung from time to time.

In Vashimtang, Hungpung, there is a spring well called Meetei Rakhong, meaning Meetei spring well.

Just southeast of the well is the Mafarung (a place for keeping the Meetei King's elephant), they claimed.

Much later when the seat of administration was passed on to his younger brother from Vashimhung (elder brother - King), the Meetei kings came there and left footprints on the stone slabs.

These can be seen in the courtyard of the Hungpung King, they mentioned.

According to the committee, the legendary story has it that in the very beginning, the immortal being (Pakhangba) created seven maidens for his better halves.

The first one was Leikak Leiyarem.

"Pakhangba's spirit came upon Leikak Leiyarem and overshadowed her as a 'sun,' and she conceived and gave birth to a son.

Thus, it is written, 'Numitna Gollaka Mangang Ningthouja pokee' .

Some wanted to take the 'Sun' name, but the Sun was Pakhangba's spirit, the son's name is Mangang Ningthouja.

There are seven Salai; and Salai can be solely colours, not any objects," the committee added.

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