Imphal Times Supplementary issue 2 Editorial Myth making and imagining a Brahmanical Monday, April. 2, 2018 since 18th century CE By Deepak Naorem when it is pointed out to them that 1954, which deals with the reign of Aryans. Grierson’s Linguistic RIP Tamo Khelen: You will Courtesy: http://raiot.in the region developed a written Raja Chandrakirti, Surchandra, Survey of India and Hodson’s The literary culture between 14th and 15th Kulachandra and Tikendrajit. Meitheis published in 1908 CE It is absolutely not farfetched to century CE. It is definitely not to It is important to remember that created quite a scandal in the royal be always in our heart argue that Manipur was imagined say that oral traditions are less Bijoy Panchali texts are court after they classified Manipuri It is natural - if you are born you will have to die one day. in the 18th century, some 250 years important, and in fact oral traditions commissioned and composed as a Tibeto Burman language and not Thousands are born every day and thousands died each days. ago. I must, however, caution myself continued to remain the foremost within the court, and written by an Aryan. This started a historical Among the people die everyday – few are remembered for the here lest my arguments are form of knowledge transmission in Bamon pundits. New narratives debate, perhaps the first one in the kind of service they provided for the people and humanity. Their misconstrued as denying the the region. Texts which are locally were introduced through these region, on the question of origin of names are engraved to the heart of every right thinking people. existence of state/states or known as Puyas were written mostly texts, such as a Brahamanical Manipur. Pukhrambam Parijat wrote And their names continue to shine in the future too. communities with distinct social, within the confines of the royal narrative of the creation/origin of Manipur Purabrita in 1917, under Among the few, Senior Journalist Khelen Thokchom, who political or cultural identities in the court. Likewise, Bijoy Panchalis the kingdom whose name Manipur the patronage of Maharaja left us all for heavenly abode yesterday, is one. To the younger region which is called Manipur were also commissioned and written appears in these texts prominently Churachand Singh as a response to journalist fraternity he was a mentor, an advisor and an today, one of the many provinces in the royal court. However many and a new genealogy of the kings Hodson’s work and reiterated the inspiration for all. To the people he was a critic, a messenger of of Indian ‘state….nation’. The do not consider it as a Puya of Manipur also emerged in these Aryan and Hindu origin of the truth. When he got free time he wrote satirical words at social states in this region were referred to depending on how one defines a texts. In Bhagyachandra Charit, it is kingdom and its people. As a result networking site Facebook. His every post at FB makes his friends by many names. Puya. If we are referring to all the mentioned that the kingdom was of the efforts of the Nikhil (Hindu) who are known either physically or virtually, ‘smile’. In 1799 CE, Francis Buchanan wrote written texts as puya, it is definitely created by lord Shiva in the last Manipuri Mahasabha, a Historical When he spared times with journalist colleagues, he made an article about the languages and a puya since it was commissioned Satya yuga. Lord Mahadeva, Research committee was formed, and no difference between young or old, new comers or experienced people surrounding the Burmese and composed in the court by the according to these texts was in investigations of materials on the one. He would make jokes that carry thousand meanings. He empire, and he wrote in the article of Pundits/Maichous. However many search of a place for the divine were started. indirectly inspired every one near him to stand up for truth and a rebellious people who inhabited scholars refrained from using the dance with his consort and they Under the guidance of the truth only. He redefined kitchen gardening not only for living the region between Sylhet in Bengal word Puya for Bijoy Panchali, found a place which was flooded. Mahasabha, Shri Mutum Jhulon but for own pleasure and for saving the environment. and Ava. He wrote that the people because in their understanding They could only see the tip of studied Bijoy Panchali, which Before his visit to Gujarat on journalists’ tour organized by inhabiting in the valley called Puyas are associated with pre- Nongmaiching hill, the abode of carried the ethos of the Meitei elites. the Manipur Legislative Assembly, something started disturbing themselves as ‘Moitay’, and those Hindu or non-Hindu traditions and many traditional deities. Mahadeva John Pratt argues that the first his mind very seriously. I went to his home to comfort him. We in the hills by many names. they find Bijoy Panchali lacking stood on this hill and dug a hole generation of the indigenous writers two of us sat together for a while. Instead of telling me what However, he argued the region was such attributes. Manihar Singh and with his trisul, a trident and drained (local scholars) 1 in Manipur actually disturbed him he taught me how to take decision at known by many names. The Jayanti Thokchom consider Bijoy the water. Thus the valley came into generally pursued an agenda which time of critical reporting. He suggested me how to extract the Burmese called it Kathee/Cussay, the Panchali as state chronicle which existence and a dance was saw Manipur as a part of the resource from experts while interviewing or anchoring Britishers in Bengal called it Meckley emerged with the adoption of performed in which all the gods Sanskritic Indian traditions and that programme like discussion hour at ISTV. I thought of spending and the Brahmins of the region Vaishnavism by the court in the 18th participated. According to the Manipuri had an Aryan origin. that whole day with him, but could not as I had another called it Munnypura. The existence century and J.B. Bhattacharjee calls narratives in the texts, the dance Similarly, Phurailatpam Atombabu assignment including a marriage ceremony of the daughter of of many names often confused the it a Bengali chronicle of Manipur. performed was the first Lai Haraoba. Sharma, a Brahmin scholar was a his close colleague (another senior journalist Irengbam Arun). Europeans so much that Rennel However, it did became the state The gods gifted the region with pioneering proponent of such views. Four days back we met again at ISTV discussion hour who prepared the first map of chronicle and did not replace many jewels to the region. Ananta, In 1940, he wrote Manipur Itihas, programme. Every time we met, he used to talking something Hindoostan and beyond laid down Cheitharon Kumpapa as the court the snake god also apparently took where attempts were made to show which made me happy and smile. That very day he sat quietly two Kingdoms, Cussay and chronicle. Bijoy Panchali comprises out his precious gem from his head that Meiteis were Aryans, and and again said that he was not feeling very well. Meckley in the first draft of his map. of five parts/volumes written over and granted it to the land, and hence Manipur was identified with As we started our programme discussing about the question He was also considering including 150 years between 1782 CE and 1954 it became covered with jewels. The Manipurna from the Mahabharata leak problem of CBSE, I was a little bit worried as I was told that Munnypura as the third kingdom CE. There are many manuscripts of text claims that from that day epic. The genealogy of the ruling he was seriously disturbed (personal problem I guessed). But to between Hindoostan and Burma. these texts; in Bengali in Bangla Lipi onwards the region came to be Ningthouchas were also linked to my surprised, when it came about issues he gave logical reply The two treaties signed with the and in Manipuri in Bangla Lipi. known as Manipur, or land of jewels. Brababohan, the son from the and also suggested many good things which could bring a change East India Company in 1762 and 1763 Then there are translations in These texts also traced the marriage of Hindu demi-god Arjun in the system. CE also referred to the region as Manipuri in Bangla lipi by L. Mangi genealogy of the kings of Manipur with Chitrangada, the princess of After the discussion hour, we stood together for a while at Meckley, and the king as Meckley Singh and L. Mani Singh and by to Babrubahana, the son of one of Manipurna. Atombabu’s work was BT road sharing a pub of cigarette in front of ISTV Network. He Raja. Moreover, revisionist Anganghal Singh in Manipuri the Pandava brothers Arjun and a indeed very popular during his times, never told anyone about his personal problem. But then I insisted historiography has also come up language in Bangla lipi which Manipuri princess Chitrangada. The and influenced many younger him to tell me what exactly, was that thing that made him unhappy with many names such as cannot be traced. text narrates how Babrubahana and historians. Such arguments are also and disturbed. Kangleipak and Meitei-leibak etc. Unlike Cheitharon Kumpapa, each his queen Urmila failed to conceive shared by Indian nationalist Well, the thing which he was worried was the rotten system These various names represent of the five volumes of Bijoy Panchali an heir to the throne. They prayed historians such as R. C. Majumdar of our society. The culture of suppressing people, who wanted competing political and cultural deals with the genealogy and heroic to the sun god for a child, which and Suniti Kumar Chatterji who change by using means which sometimes made him voiceless. visions for the region. We should deeds of various kings of Manipur was granted to them in the form an claimed these regions for the Indian At 58 he had a young and energetic mind. But then like every also not forget here that parts of the who embraced Vaishnavism. The egg which was rejected by queen nation. father or husband, he wanted his wife to be respected by all and Manipur state are claimed by other five volumes are: volume 1- Urmila. The sun god asked Yamraja However such works and arguments his son and daughter to be the best. Except having some political movements today. By mid Garibaniwaj Charit; Volume 2- to keep the egg till the beginning of have been widely discredited by moments at late evening and morning he hardly found time to 18th century CE, a particular political Bhagyachandra Charit; Volume 3- the Kali Yug. When Kali Yug began, generations of historians and spend his only belongings. At 58 he knew he will retired soon and cultural vision was promoted Gambhir singh and Nar Singh Charit; Goddess Laxmi descended to political commentators. It began in a and he was little worried about his son’s and daughter’s future aggressively in the region aided by Volume 4- Chandrakirti Charit and Manipur with the egg so that the movement during the 1930s and 40s as he would be retiring after 2 years. the royal court at the expense of the Volume 5- Surchandra, Kulachandra child hatched from the egg will which sought not only to reform the Another thing which he told me was about an incident which others. Munnypura or Manipur, a and Tikendrajit Charit. The become the king. The egg was corrupt and exploitative he felt that he had not committed any wrong except cracking brahmanical imagination of the commissions of Bijoy Panchalis are received by the chief of Angom clan, Brahmananical Hinduism under the some jokes as he usually did to many of us. However, When I region began to be identified with recorded in Cheitharon Kumpapa. Pureiromba. When the egg hatched, Brahma Sabha, but to reject the insisted him to tell me about it he said, it was late, he would the region by the beginning of the It is recorded, ‘On 15th of the month the boy Jabishtha or was Brahmanical religion altogether. tell me some other day. When I started my two wheeler bike to 19th century. This was achieved of Langban (Aug/Sept), Ibungshi born along with 5 snakes named They rejected the efforts of go back home, he said, “that incident is the only thing that through a careful and meticulous Mantri, Lairikyenba Kirtichandra Sarang-Leishangthem, Luwang, Atombabu and others to bring the really hurt me, and I am left in such a situation that I have to myth-making by the Brahmans who and Tulsi Narayan, the hanjaba (an Moirang, Khuman and Khaba. The Meiteis within the Aryan Hindu keep quiet as I have great love for my son and daughter”. are locally referred to as ‘Bamons’ official) completed the composition text further says that another snake tradition, and strongly rejected the I could not trace out what that incident was which kept such or Manipuri Bamons. It is also of Bijoy Panchali of King emerged from the navel of Aryan origin of the Meiteis. Naoria a courageous journalist mum his mouth even though I had heard important to point out that we Garibniwaz’. The first volume, Pakhangba, and it was named Phulo, Takhellambam Bokul and him many times arguing with the most powerful men of this should not treat Manipuri Brahmins Garibniwaj Charit, was initially Ningthoucha, and then all the others played significant roles state. as a single monolithic category. written in 1782 CE in Manipuri snakes turned into men, and along during these movements. Naorio Rest in peace Ta Khelen, you will always be in our heart. Brahmins migrated to the court of language in Bangla lipi, later with Pureirongba became the Phulo wrote and published as many Hope the truth about Tamo Khelen’s worries comes up from Manipur in different waves and rewritten in Bengali in 1872 CE. This ancestors of the seven salais/clans as 22 books on different subjects someone who knows about that incident. many of them were imposters and text follows the birth and career of which today constitute the Meetei on Meitei philosophy and religion, fortune seekers who travelled in Maharaja Garibniwaz (1709-1748), society. Eventually, Pakhnagba of and was directly responding to the disguise of Brahmins. Moreover, his matrimonial alliances, his the Ningthoucha clan became the works of Atombabu Sharma and they belonged to different sects and religious pursuits such as first king of Manipur. Similarly, many Mutum Jhulon Singh. In 1934, he denominations and were often exiled pilgrimages and endowments to myths were created by these texts. published a work, Meeitei CONDOLENCE to Kubo, Ava and Arakan for temples and his military exploits in These texts aggressively sanskritised Houbham Wari, which describes the It was with a sense of deep shock and utter disbelief that the news political and religious dissents in Burma, Cachar and Tripura. The the names of the kings, the rivers, the origin of the Meiteis or Manipuris of the sudden expiry of Shri Thokchom Khelen, Special Correspondent the court. Many of them actively second volume, Bhagyachandra mountains and villages and older with a plea to acknowledge their real of Telegraph at RIMS Hospital due to a cardiac arrest, was received in took part in the making of a Charit was written much later, traditions and deities were identified identity. Similarly, in 1940, he wrote the morning on the first of April. A man who loved life and was in his Brahmanical Manipur through composed by one Gunendra in the with Vaishnavism. and published another work, ‘Eigi profession for about thirty years and had due to his dedication and myth-making. Vaishnavism received year 1932 CE. This volume deals By the beginning of the 20th century, Wareng’, which criticized the commitment being regarded as one of the conscience keeper of royal patronage only in 1704 CE, with Raja Bhagyachandra(1763- these myths were accepted as misinterpretations and corruptions contemporary Manipur will be missed by not only his family and the when Raja Charairongba embraced 1798), and it deals with his birth, his unquestionable truth by the elites. The followed specially by Manipuris journalist fraternity but by the common man who reads his columns and consecrated idols of Hindu wars with the Burmese, his exile to ruling elites considered themselves as and suggested ways to realize their and who listens to his dissection of events in the local TV channels. gods and subsequently built a Cachar and Ahom capital, and his Kshatriyas, sons of Arjun and as correct history, religion and identity. temple dedicated to Vishnu in the religious pursuits such as the Shri Khelen is a good human being, with his ever helping hand to year 1707 CE. Such traditions were construction of the Govindaji new initiatives. He was kind enough to support the initiative of followed by Raja Garibniwaj who temple in Kangla, introduction and WHENEVER YOU SEE CONSTRUCTION AND neScholar and related activities and expressed his happiness that the transferred the responsibility of composition of Raj Lila and MINING EQUIPMENTS, JUST THINK OF US venture was successful and regards it like his child, enquiring now taking care of the shrines and lais/ Rajeshori Pala, consecration of Sri and then about its progress. deities from the amaibas/amaibis Govindaji idol and finally his We have lost not only a good friend and a keen supporter but also (priest/priestess) to the Bamons in pilgrimage/retirement in Navadip in a man committed to his profession. We convey our deep condolence 1723 CE and subsequently Bengal. Similarly the third volume, to the bereaved family members and share their grief at the time of demolishing of many pre- Gambhir Singh and Nara Singh their great loss. Vaishnavite shrines. The Charit was compiled in 1935 by the succeeding kings also followed the same person Gunendra, which May his soul rest in peace in the heavenly abode! policy of popularizing Vaishnavism recounts the reign of Raja Gambhir in the region. Myth-making was Singh (1825-34) and Raja Nara Singh

neScholar done in many ways, but this article (1844-50), their birth, wars against _ will engage with one dominant form the Burmese and introduction of of myth-making by writing texts Rath Yatra festival (Kang Chingba) (size 8x5 cm)

Letters, Feedback and Suggestions to ‘ Times’ called Bijoy Panchalis. and Jalakeli Pala. The fourth and the ) can be sent to our e-mail : [email protected]. The region is often associated with fifth volume was composed by L. orality and oral traditions, and it is Mangi Singh at the order of

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