History of Manipur

The history of Manipur (Kangleipak in ancient times) is reflected by archaeological research, mythology and written history.

Manipur became a princely state under British rule in 1891, the last of the independent states to be incorporated into British India. During the Second World War, Manipur was the scene of battles between Japanese and Allied forces. After the war, Maharaja Bodhachandra signed a Treaty of Accession merging the kingdom into India. It was made a union territory in 1956 and a full-fledged state in 1972.

Prehistoric Manipur

Further information: Prehistory of Manipur

Manipur has recorded evidences of prehistory or pre literary history of the mankind.

Human settlement

Few attempts have been made to establish the earliest human settlement in Northeast India, and it is generally thought to have been uninhabited by archaic humans prior to late Pleistocene due to unfavorable geographical conditions. This is however disputed and Northeast Corridors are proposed by some scholars to have played a defining role in early hominid migrations and peopling of India.

Paleolithic

A few paleolithic sites (Khangkhui, Napachik , Machi, Somgu and Singtom) have been located in Manipur. Though, in absence of good chrono-stratigraphic context of the founds and their cohabitation with remains of other ages, accuracy of such identifications remains open to critiques. The existence of Hoabinhian-like complexes remains disputed, as well.

Most scholars don't discuss a paleolithic age in Manipur (and Northeast). Manjil Hazarika, in his 2017 survey of prehistory of Northeast India, rejects that there exist plausible grounds to deny presence of Paleolithic culture.

Neolithic

Multiple neolithic sites have been identified in Manipur; they include Nongpok Keithelmanbi, Napachik, Laimenai, Naran Siena, and Phunan. Considered to be part of a larger South East Asian complex, the identifications are primarily accorded on the bases of stone tools and pottery (esp. cord-impressed ware); characteristic cultural identifiers of the Neolithic (agriculture, animal rearing etc.) are yet to be located and their development chronology is subject of active research. Hazarika notes the Neolithic culture in Northeast to have began some four thousand years after that in the Gangetic Plains.

Roger Blench, in agreement with George van Driem's reconstructions of archeo-linguistic history of South East Asia, proposes that Northeast India accommodated a diverse group of foragers since neolithic age, who learned agriculture and animal rearing c. 4000 B.C before migrating eastwards and establishing the Tibeto-Burman (TB) phylum. Meiteilon, lingua-franca of Meiteis belongs to the TB phylum. Hazarika notes the Manipuri sites to have an abundance of three-legged pottery and cord-impressed ware, very similar to the ones found in Southern China and Thailand, and hypothesizes that Manipur might have been the melting pot of Neolithic impulses from adjoining regions.

Chalcolithic and beyond

Hazarika notes the broader region to not show evidence of any significant cultural transformation, upon the dawning of Copper Age (and then, Iron Age). The state has an abundance of megaliths of various shapes, serving distinct purposes.

The valley region has been long inhabited by distinct yeks (clans), who probably migrated from Southern China during the late Iron Age, sometime before the Christian era. The hills house tribes, who are probably of autochthonous origins.

Ancient period

Further information: Ancient Manipur

Medieval period

Further information: Medieval Manipur

Modern period

Further information: History of modern Manipur

The Temple of Shri Govindaji in Imphal, is the center of Meitei Vaishnavism of the Meitei Hindus in Meitei world.

Historical documentations exists in the form of written records about Manipuri history in these spans — the geopolitical history of the region along with the ethno-linguistic background of the inhabitants are largely recorded. The primary source has always been found in the Cheitharol Kumbaba (henceforth, Ch.K.) — the court history of the Kings of Manipur — which dates the first king to 33 C.E. Ch.K. is a Meitei chronicle — Meitei was one of the clans, the Ningthouja dynasty.

The initiation date of 33 CE was arrived upon by the scribes via astrological calculations.

Many authors have used Puyas, archaic Manipuri manuscripts in their reconstruction of Manipuri History.

The continued existence of clan identities and leadership is one reason for the bewilderingly diverse historical traditions of Manipur. Each clan wrote its own creation myths, religious histories, clan genealogies, and dynastic accounts of noble houses. Nongta Lailen Pakhangpa established the Meitei rule by subjugating Poireiton. The first seven kings mentioned over Ch.K. — Pakhangpa, Tompok, Taothingmang, Khui Ningngongpa, Pengsipa, Kaokhongpa & Naokhampa — ruled till 411 C.E.

Naokhamba was succeeded by Naophangba, and was succeeded by his son Sameirang, who fought a successful battle over the Angoms, a fellow clan. The next ruler was Ura Konthouba and his reign saw some warfare with "Selloi Langmai". After his reign, Naothingkhong became the next king.

Khongtekcha was the next king; a successful battle over the Moirang clan is noted, and he ruled for ten years. After a gap of eleven years, the next king was Keirencha, who ruled for fifteen years. He was succeeded by Yarepa, who reigned for twenty two years. Nothing else is noted about these two kings. The next four kings were Aayangpa, Ningthoucheng, Chenglei Yipan Lanthapa and Yirengpa, who ruled for a combined total of 253 years. All of them are noted to have emerged victorious in varied kinds of warfare over fellow clans — Aayangpa subdued the Nongyai Khumans, Ningthoucheng raided Houkei, Lanthapa captured a group of Luwangs, and Yirengpa defeated the Moirangs as well as Khumans.

Loiyumpa was the next king, and Ch.K. records his reign in considerable detail. He is credited with the initiation of the first 'constitution'.

He was succeeded by Loitongpa, who emerged successful in some non-described battles on eastern fronts, probably waged over autochthonous ethnic groups. After a rule of twenty eight years, he was succeeded by Aatom Yoirenpa, who ruled for thirteen years. Yoirenpa was chased out by his brother and had to take refuge with the Khumans. Under Yiwanthapa, who reigned for thirty two years, a successful war was waged on the Khumans and their chief queen was murdered. The next ruler was Thawanthapa. In a thirty six year long rule, he subdued multiple internal and external threats. Whilst allying with the Khumans once, in a raid against the villagers of Hairem, he went on to defeat the Khumans later.

The next king was Chingthang Lanthapa, who defeated the Khumans as well as Kamus, in his eleven year long rule. Thingpai Senhongpa succeeded him; nothing significant is noted except that he ruled for 5 years. Puranthapa, the next king, re-defeated the Khumans at Pairou, consolidated the territories of Koupa Koutai, and conquered the Chakpas. Khumompa became the king in 1263 CE and went on to ally with the Khumans to successfully ward off an invasion by the rulers of Kabaw Valley. A battle over the mountain-folks of Hao was also waged and their king Maimumpa was captured. Moirampa succeeded him, and again defeated the Khumans as well as Moirangs. Other battles against the Kekes and people of Makihao are noted; Korirong was captured.

Thangpi Lanthapa ruled for twenty two years and trounced the Moirangs as well as the Loipi Haos; Tengkongbi and Marem Namngapa were captured. Kongyapa ascended in 1324 went on to succeed him.He was succeeded by Tenheipa, who reigned for twenty years and engaged in a multitude of warfare. Nothing is mentioned about the next ruler Tonapa, except that he reigned for five years. Then, Tapungpa ascended to the throne. His regime saw successful warfare against the Loipi Marems, before he was assassinated by Khamlangpa, the king of Chingsong, after thirty five years of rule. Again, there is a scarcity of information about the next king Lairenpa; he reigned for five years and there were no king for five, after. Punshipa's reign went till 1432, and was witness to numerous clashes including one with Moirangs. Ningthoukhompa ruled from 1432 to 1467. He routed out the Moirangs, and repulsed a rebellion by the Tangkhuls of the mountains.

See also

• Manipur (princely state)
• Human rights abuses in Manipur

Bibliography

• Beemer, Bryce (2013). The creole city in mainland Southeast Asia: Slave gathering warfare and cultural exchange in Burma, Thailand and Manipur, 18^th - 19^th c. (Thesis). University of Hawai'i at Manoa. ProQuest 1513230576.
• Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd – via archive.org.
• Hazarika, Manjil (2017). Prehistory and Archaeology of Northeast India: Multidisciplinary Investigation in an Archaeological Terra Incognita. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-947466-0.
• Brandt, Carmen (5 December 2017). "Writing off domination: the Chakma and Meitei script movements". South Asian History and Culture. doi:10.1080/19472498.2017.1411050. ISSN 1947-2498.
• Naorem, Naorem Malemsanba (2015). "Centrality of body politics in Thokachanba's script and cultural revivalism in Manipur". Colonialism and Resistance: Society and State in Manipur. London: Routledge. ISBN 9781315638317.
• Parratt, Saroj Nalini Arambam (2005). The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur: The Cheitharon Kumpapa : Original Text, Translation, and Notes. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-34430-1.
• Post, Mark W.; Burling, Robbins (2017). "The Tibeto-Burman Languages of Northeast India". In LaPolla, Randy J.; Thurgood, Graham (eds.). The Sino-Tibetan Languages (2 ed.). Routledge. pp. 213–242. ISBN 978-1-138-78332-4.
• Sebastian, Rodney (2019). Cultural Fusion in a Religious Dance Drama: Building the Sacred Body in the Manipuri Rāslīlās (Thesis). University of Florida. ProQuest 2464172212.

External links

• Manipur princely state, History and genealogy

• Manipur State Archives