Medieval Kangleipak

Medieval Manipur is the long period in the history of Manipur between the "ancient period" and the "modern period".^[1] It encompasses the 15th century AD to the 19th century AD.^[2]

Periods

Early medieval period

The medieval period of Manipur starts with the slow declining of the indigenous Meitei faith during the reign of King Senbi Kiyamba. In celebration for their victory over Kyang, the King of Pong presented Kiyamba with a golden box containing a stone known as Pheiya (Almighty).^[3] Kiyamba built a brick temple in the capital Lamangdong, 27 kilometres (17 miles) south of Imphal, in 1475 for the sacred stone. During this period, Bramins migrated to Manipur.^[4] Legend states that a Brahmin identified Pheiya as Vishnu and said that good fortune would come to the king and kingdom if rice boiled in cow's milk was offered to the deity.^[5] Lamangdong was subsequently named Bishnupur (Abode of Vishnu) in honour of the temple. Simultaneously, the little by little immigration of the Brahmins from the Bengal starts the onset of Hinduism in the kingdom.^[6]^[7]

Late medieval period

During the late medieval period, it was during the reign of Emperor Pamheiba that Hinduism became the state official religion in the kingdom, with the replacement of the indigenous Sanamahism in the 18th century AD.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11] Simultaneously, in 1729 AD, the Puya Mei Thaba, the burning up of the sacred scriptures took place in the Kangla by the order of the then monarch, Pamheiba.^[12]