Orissa Review July - 2008

A Note on Worship in

Dr. B. Tripathy

The North-Eastern region of , consisted of people of Manipur, the Meities of the valley are the states of Assam, Manipur, Tripura and a the most dominant one and are considered to be number of tribal pockets before 1947, assumes a very advanced community.4 , the much importance for the study of diverse culture founder of the Ningthouja dynasty in 33 AD, was and traditions that prevailed in the region the first known king of the ,5 throughout the ages. Besides the indigenous tribal and after him a series of kings ruled over the , as practised by various tribes in the plains kingdom of Manipur establishing a powerful and the hills, the area has witnessed flourishing of kingdom consolidating many neighbouring areas. Saivism, , Saktism, cult, Though some forms of Vaisnavism seem Tantricism and Buddhism in early and medieval to have flourished in the state since the 8th century period of her history. The cult of Jagannath, a AD, it became firmly established during the reign manifestation of god , was also popular in of Kiyamba in the 15th century.6 During the 1 some pockets of Assam, Tripura and Manipur, period of king Charairongba (1697-1709) as attested by literary, archaeological and oral Vaishnavism had its sound footing in the soil of traditions. Manipur. We are told in a traditional Meiti The state of Manipur, in the words of Pandit literature, entitled Bamon Khunthoklon that the Jawaharlal Nehru, 'A Jewel of India'2 can be inhabitants of Tripura, , Mathura divided into two geographical regions - the valley and Orissa migrated to Manipur during this and the surrounding hills. The valley area, known period. The king is said to be the first Manipur as Valley is surrounded by hills, on all the king to be formally initiated into Vaisnavism.7 The sides,3 where various tribal groups have their literature further mentions that from Svetaganga settlements. The state is a landlocked one, came a pious Brahmana named connected with the neighbouring areas with a long charya alias Rai Banamali with some of his border line, of which 352 kms are international companions in October 1703 AD. His wife borders with (erstwhile Burma) on the Krisnamayi, two Sudras and a Brahmana named east and Chin Hills of Myanmar on the southeast. Balabhadra Brahmachari are mentioned as At present the remaining 502 kms connect her members of his party.8 The pilgrims were received with other neighbouring sister states of North-East favourably by the king. It is stated that Rai India. Among the different ethnic groups of the Banamali introduced king Charairongba to profess

14 Orissa Review July - 2008 the Vaisnavite faith. The king along with his its name as the important centre of Vaishnavism courtiers said to have performed a fast on in medieval period. It can be assumed that the Wednesday about April 15, 1704 and formally Manipuri king would have invited the Vaisnava initiated to Vaisnavism.9 Banamali's descendants Guru to Manipur for propagation of Vaisnavism are called Guru Aribam. The king said to have in early part of 18th century AD. After acknowledged his gratitude to his preceptor by Charairongba, king Chourajit had his devotion assigning a place of honour to him and to his towards Lord Chaitanya and said to have sent descendants in festivals and ceremonies held in gold tangas to Puri, Nabadvip and Vrindaban to the palace. The king said to have placed a village, meet the expenses of the worship of Visnu.14 His a hill and 100 acres of rice field at the Guru's successor, Garibniwaz was initiated into disposal. He constructed a brick temple of Vaisnavism and worked for its cause by Radhakrisna at Brahmapur Guru Aribam Leikai. patronizing and constructing a number A nine-round brick house was also constructed of Vaisnava monuments.15 Thus, we see, in the in the honour of the Guru, which was destroyed later part of 18th century, the root of Vaisnavism by the Burmese in the early part of the 19th had already been strengthened in Manipur. 10 century. Thus the coming of the Guru from Puri Here it may be mentioned that when was a turning point in the history of Vaishnavism Vaisnavism was becoming popular in the Valley in Manipur. In this connection, it is to be noted of Manipur, the Vaisnava cult of Orissa in the that cultural interaction of various states of form of Jagannath cult became already popular Northeast including Manipur with Orissa was in some parts of Assam and Tripura, two 11 already existed from early historical period. neighbouring states of Manipur. The Instances are there to show that and Kalikapurana (9th century) and the Buddhist scholars from Orissa and Northeast Tantra (16th century), two celebrated texts of were responsible for maintaining cultural contact Assam, popularized the concept of Jagannath by between both the regions. It can be noted here linking Him with the important Vaisnava that one Ganga king of Orissa Anantavarman of Assam.16 The Yogini Tantra, while mentioning Chodagangadeva issued a copper plate charter the greatness of Jagannath attempts to link the in 1122 AD12 where the name of Brahmana, Hayagriva of Kamarupa with that of Visnusomacharya from Sringatikagrahar of Jagannath at Puri, which is reflected in an Kamarupa Visaya belonging to Parasara gotra Assamese text Manikuta of 1680 AD.17 and well-versed in Veda and was Interestingly enough, the Ahom ruler of medieval mentioned, who was honoured by the king at the Assam, said to have sent one delegation to Puri time of his brother's daughter marriage. It is worth for the worship of Jagannath, which is well- mentioning that the Tripura Maharaja Kalyan attested in the Buranjis, traditional court literature Manikya performed Tulapurushadanam, in which of the Ahoms.18 The biographies of Sankaradeva many renowned scholars from Mathura, Benaras, have dealt extensively regarding the impact of god Orissa and Setubandha arrived to receive awards Jagannath on the life and deeds of Sankaradeva, and dakshinas from the king in or around 1600 the Mahapurusha of Assam, who said to have AD.13 The point to be emphasized here that visited Puri once in 1490 AD and again in 1550 Orissan culture was not unknown in some areas AD.19 The writings of Sankaradeva attests to the of , and Puri had already earned fact. The popularity of Jagannath in the socio-

15 Orissa Review July - 2008 religious life of the people is known from a copper between the Muslims and the . It is plate land grant of 1787 AD,20 remains of a mentioned that in the particular year, the number of Jagannath temples in lower Assam, oral Muharram and occurred in the same traditions prevalent in Kamarupa, in sculptural and day. The Nawab of , Gonarkhan, requested folk art of lower Assam.21 In the southern Assam the Hindus to defer the celebration of the Ratha territory of Cachar, the worship of Jagannath was yatra by one day. In the meantime Muslim subjects not unknown, as revealed from British document took law in their hands and assaulted the Hindus of early 19th century.22 In the Jayantia Hill (now to dissuade them from observing the festival. a part of state), there is one interesting dispersed the Muslims with the information in the form of a land grant. The said help of his troops. The grand festival in which the grant mentions that one Queen Kasabati Debee, king and his people participated was held as the consort of Bar Gosain, said to have made scheduled. Gambhir Singh was hailed as a gifts of some land for the worship of Basudeva, protector of by the people of Sylhet. Jagannath and Bhudhara () with the On his return to Manipur, he introduced the consent of Raja Ram Sinha in 1735 Saka (1813 worship of Jagannath.26 With his initiative, a twelve AD).23 Instance from Tripura refers to donation wheeled car was made and the Jivanyasa of fifteen drones of land to Brahmins to conduct ceremony of Jagannath was performed on a grand the daily of Lord Jagannath in Tripura era scale. The images of Subhadra and Balabhadra 1186 (1766 AD) by king Maharja were also carved. Infact, Gambhir Singh was Krishnamanikya.24 Even a few Jagannath temples responsible for introducing the festival of drawing were constructed in or around Agartala in 18th the car by the people to the accompaniment of and 19th century AD. The above discussion chorus song and dance. makes it clear that already in the 18th century; The Rathayatra locally known as the cult of Jagannath was not unfamiliar with some Kangchingba was thus introduced in 1832 AD people of Kamarupa, Cachar, Tripura and in Manipur. The Manipuri Vaisnavites observe Jayantia Hills. the Rathayatra of the Lord on the model of the Though Vaisnava cult of Puri gained ground Puri festival, which is revealed from a passage of in Manipur in 18th century, the beginning of Ratha the Meiti work Kumbaba.27 It is a famous festival yatra (car festival) of Jagannath started in Manipur of nine day duration in the bright fortnight in the only in 1832 AD, the credit for which goes to month of Ingen (June-July) with elaborate Manipuri king Gambhir Singh. The regional paraphernalia. Before fifteen days of the yatra, literature narrates one incident in connection with the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and the beginning of in the state. It is told Subhadra are bathed on the day of Snanayatra. how once the king of Manipur Gambhira Singh As per the tradition, on the day of the Rathayatra was invited by the British Government for taking (2nd day of Ingen) at the main gate of the palace part in the expedition against the Khasis. The of the king at Imphal, thousands of people Manipuri work, khaki ngamba provides a thrilling including the royalty, considered it auspicious to account of his exploits in war.25 On Monday, pull the ropes of the ratha. Every Krisna temple April-May 1829, Gambhir Singh left Manipur for in the state observes the Ratha festival with the Sylhet and could defeat the Khasis, when at Sylhet active support of the people, who contributes their he is reported to have quelled a communal riot mite to its success. The Darbar of Manipuri

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Maharajas used to make special allotment of funds worship Jagannath with Khubak Isei, he is for the celebration of the chariot festival which expected to invoke god by reciting the verse of every year starts from Sri Gobindaji temple near Gitagovinda. the royal palace at Imphal. A few other rituals are performed by the On the day of the yatra, the images are Vaisnavite Meiti in the Jagannath temple. On the carried out on the Ratha to the accompaniment eleventh day of the bright fortnight in the month of music, offering of fruits by individual of Ingen, the people observe Harisayana. In this householders.28 Sometimes persons stand behind festival, the idol of the Jagannath is laid in water the image and fan it with a yak tail fan, while in ceremoniously. Hariutthana is celebrated on the procession. The structure of the Ratha is like twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Kairen Kaijo and its ambari (head portion) takes Kartika which marks the awakening of god the shape of Burmese pagoda. The daily Jagannath from asleep. The ritual consists in the recitation of Jayadeva's Dasavatara in the awakening of god and the performance of evening is an essential ingredient of the festival. In Kirtana. On this day, youths and virgins indulge every village temple, Dasavatara is sung in stealing the fruits and sugarcane from nearby before Jagannath by old and young alike to the fields. Congregational walking in the night accompaniment of dances. The rite also sanctions sometimes leads to fighting and abduction of the offering of rice and dal cooked in oil (Khichri) girls.30 and the priests distribute the Prasad among the A number of Krisna temples are noticed in Vaisnavas. The Meiti including the royalty Manipur Valley of 18th - 19th century. The considered it auspicious to pull the ropes of the images worshipped in the village temples are those Ratha. The nine day programme of devotional of , Krisna, Jagannath, Subhadra, Balaram, music and dance is followed by the preparation Gopaladeva, Saligram, . of khichri and mangalutti on lotus leaves. Two Icons of wood of Jagannath, Balabhadra and kinds of dances i.e., the Jayadeva dance and Subhadra have been noticed in various parts of Khubak Isei dance are the gift of Rathayatra to Manipur. A fine icon of Jagannath located at Manipur culture.29 The Khubak Isei is the dance Bijoygovinda temple at Imphal is represented with performed to the accompaniment of musical arms but no hands and the body is without legs sounds made by the clapping of hands. It became and head is almost flat. He is painted in black popular in Manipur after the Manipuri accepted the Gaudiya form of Vaisnavism. In the Jagannath colour. Balabhadra and Subhadra are also of the temple, Puri, when Chaitanya resided for the latter same form though different in size and white in part of his life, the sight of the chariot of Jagannath colour. These icons are dated to early part of 19th 31 threw the Gauranga into rapturous mood of Radha, century. feeling the pang of separation when Krisna was The traditional Meiti literature do mention invited to participate in the function. In another regarding the visit of Manipuri Vaisnavites to Puri instance, Radha fainted while Krishna left for in the British period, which is well-supported by Mathura in the chariot of Kamsa. The sentiment archival documents.32 It is told that the Vaisnavite of separation is beautifully expressed in Khubak Manipuri kings were kind to the mendicants Isei. The dance is in two forms i.e., the tandava coming from Puri, Sylhet and Nabadvipa. No and the lasya form. If a villager is unable to doubt, Puri being the abode of Jagannath and

17 Orissa Review July - 2008 considered as a holy place for Vaisnavite Hindus, Also one can see, Hemachandra Goswami (ed), used to attract pilgrims from nook and corner of Purani Asam Buranji, Gauhati, 1922, p.166. India including Manipur. Till today, Jagannath is 19. Nego, Maheswar., Sankaradeva and His Times, worshipped by the Manipuri Vaisnavites with love Gauhati, 1965, p.307. and devotion. 20. Choudhury, P.C., Ketakibari Satra: A Vaisnava Institution at Gauhati, Journal of Assam Rsearch Notes & References Society (JARS), Gauhati, 1972, pp.68-72. 1. Tripathy, B., Jagannath Worship in Assam, 21. Dasgupta, Rajatnanda., Art of Medieval Assam, Bharati, vol.25, Banaras Hindu University, New Delhi, 1982, p.143. Varanasi 1998-99, pp.93-102. 22. Banarjee, A.C., The Eastern Frontier of British 2. Media Sub-committee, 5th National Games: India (1754-1826), Calcutta, 1986, p.23. Introduction to Manipur, Imphal, 1991, p.1. 23. Ryanjah, Dianghummon., The Jaintia Landgrant 3. Bhattacharyya, M., Gazetteer of Manipur State, Proceedings of North History Calcutta, 1963, p.1. Association (NEIHA), 27th Session, Shillong, 4. Kabui, Gangmumei., History of Manipur: Pre- 2007, pp.94-102. Colonial Period, New Delhi, 1991, p.12. 24. Sastri, Rabindranath., Influence of Sanskrit on 5. Singh Ibungohal, L. and N. Khelchandra Singh the people of Princely Tripura in S.B.Shah (ed), (ed), Cheitharol Kombaba, (Manipuri) Imphal, Tribes of Tripura - A Historical Survey, Agartala, 1966, p.1. 1986, pp.39-57. 6. Kingh, Kirti M., Religious Developments in 25. Singh Ibungothal, L., & N.Khelachandra Singh Manipur in the 18th and 19th centuries, Imphal, (ed), op. cit., p.225. 1980, p.120. 26. Ibid., p.229. 7. Singh Ibungohal, L., & N. Khelachandra Singh (ed), op. cit., p.56. 27. Singh Kirti, M., op. cit., p.166. 8. Ibid., p.120. 28. Johnstone, James., My Experiences in Manipur 9. Singh, Sanahal, R.K., Manipur Itihas, Imphal, and Naga Hills, London, 1896, p.144. 1963, pp.47-48. Also see, T.C.Hudson, The Meitheis, London, 10. Singh, Kirti M., op. cit., p.121. 1908, pp.104-07. 11. Tripathy, B., Orissa and North East India - A 29. Sharma, A., and M.Amubi Singh, The Brief Study in Cultural Interaction, Utkal University, Description of Manipur Dance, Imphal, 1958, Journal of History, vol.xvii, , 2004, pp.4-5. pp.45-53. 30. Singh Kirti, M., op. cit., pp.265-66. 12. Banerji, R.D., History of Orissa, vol.I, 1930, 31. Singh Bheigya, S., Sculptures of Manipur in pp.232-241. Bhaskar Chattarjee (ed) History and 13. Sen Vidyabhusan, K.P. (ed), Sri Rajamala, 2nd Archaeology, New Delhi, 1986, pp.186-190. Cahar, Agartala, 1333 Tripura era, p.175. 32. Archival Documents such as Charles Grome 14. Singh, Sanahal R.K., op. cit., pp.86-87. Report of 1803 (preserved in Orissa State 15. Singh Kirti M., op. cit., pp.124-25. Archive Bhubaneswar) mentions the flow of 16. Tripathy, B., Aspects of Ancient Contact from various parts of Nepal and North between Orissa and Assam, The Orissa East India to Puri, the Jagannath Ksetra in early Historical Research Journal, vol.xlvi, No.2, 19th century. Bhubaneswar, 2003, pp.119-28. 17. Neog, Maheswar., of North-Eastern India, New Delhi, 1984, pp.22-25. Dr. B. Tripathy is a Reader, Deptt. of History, Rajiv 18. Bhuyan, S.K. (ed), Assam Buranji by Harkanta Gandhi Central University, Rono Hills, Itanagar, Sadar Amin, Gauhati, 1930, pp.20-23. .

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