Book analyses Manipur's timeline in history
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 25 2015: Release function of a book titled "Emergence of Manipur as a Nation State (from Prehistory to Mid Eighteen Century) authored by Prof N Joykumar Singh, Department of History, Manipur University was held at Lainingthou Eshing Chaiba Mandap, Khwai Nagamapal Paonam Leikai yesterday.

The book is being published by Akansa, New Delhi.

Works Minister Dr Ratankumar, Prof P Nabachandra Singh, Former Head, Manipuri Department and Director, College Development Council, Manipur University and Sapam Bheigya, President, Manipur Historical Society were the chief guest, guest of honour and president respectively.

Dr N Birchandra Singh, Department of History, Lilong Haoreibi College, Lilong and Prof MC Arun, Department of Anthropology, Manipur University, Canchipur gave critical exposition of the book.

Book analyses Manipur's timeline in history

Introducing the book, Prof N Joykumar Singh shared that his basic objective in writing the book was to show Manipur attained the status of Nation-State in a particular time in history.

Thus, the work deals with analysis of Manipur's timeline in history since the prehistoric times to the eighteenth century.

Dr N Birchandra Singh, Department of History, Lilong Haoreibi College, Lilong appreciating the hard work put in by the author in writing the book expressed optimism that such a book would certainly bring about positive changes in the career of Prof Joykumar.

He remarked that there are seven chapters in the book which deal with different facets of the Manipuri society in different historical epochs.

His work is based on the analysis of puyas, the ancient manuscripts of Manipur.

But he follows a scientific method and logically makes comparison between contemporary theoretical insights and the facts gathered in the puyas.

However, one also comes across grey areas in the work and the author leaves it to the readers in the form of questions.

This difficulty emanates largely on account of puyas not being scientific works per se.

What is new about Joykumar's work is the assertion that prehistoric time of Manipur was largely influenced by the Indic civilization.

Another noteworthy feature about the book is the way how Joykumar has handled a sensitive issue like the proto history of Manipur.

Overall, the book develops a coherent narrative on the unity and integrity of Manipur.

He believes that the work would be useful for future scholars.

Giving a critical insight of the book, Prof MC Arun said the book gives a horizontal dimension of the emergence of a Nation-State in the eighteenth century.

Vertically looking, most of the books written by Joykumar is associated with movement.

But the current book views the history not from a time-line period.

One gets the feeling that the book has been written in a retrospective manner.

One way of looking at Nation State is from the spirit of the people, or from the angle of ethnicity from a primordial perspective.

And the other way is looking at State as a result of the formation of communities in different historical circumstances.

Oja Joykumar gives a geographical and archaeological detail of Manipur as other experts have viewed.

His argument is that different communities make States at different times under special circumstances.

Therefore, he does not give a detailed account of peopling in Manipur.

He gives an account of how people in the process of interaction, say between the aromatic rice consumers and fermented food consumers but eaters of common rice (non-aromatic), results in formation of State.