Imphal Times Supplementary issue 2 Editorial Gaudiya Vaishnavism : An Integrating force in Monday, October 15, 2018 the Amalgamation of Meitei Nation The state of the states By : Manindra Konsam, Editor, Sanathong Monthly INTROUCTION: The present day such groups and their independent brought Goddess Imoinu to the Meidingu Yaanglou Keiphaaba This very day the state under the third best Manipur with a geographical area principalities are mentioned in the Poirei Meitei Leipaak. From the (969-984 A.D.) introduced the of 22,327 sq. Km. is a land of hills recorded history of Manipur, viz. above two episodes, it is known pattern of embroidering Khoi (a Chief Minister in the country is reeling under and valley. The hills almost Angom, Khaaba, Ngaanba, that both the Goddess Panthoibi curve design) in the border of the the ‘General Strike’ called by a committee of occupied ninth-tenths of its total Luwaang, Khuman, Moiraang, and Imoinu was not concern as of Meetei womens’ Phanek Mayek representatives of armed proscribed groups. area. The valley being one-tenths Mangaang, Chenglei, Haorok the Meitei before. Goddess Naibi (stripe-sarong) which was This is also the very state where professors is only about 2,000 Sq. Km. of Konthou, Heirem Khunjaan, Panthoibi had been the only adopted by all the groups stretching plains in the centre of Thaanga Kambong, Haokhaa concern of the Khaabas till the amalgamated to the Meitei power. and students of the university are being surrounding hill ranges in all sides. Lokkhaa, Selloi Langmai, Maanting time Nongdaa Lairen Paakhangba However that was done in different paraded with hands cuffed for dissent and The surrounding hill ranges Maraang, Lera Khongnaang, devastated and brought the colours of distinctive stripe-sarong raising their voice against perceived bordered to divide mainland India Chakpa, Sektaa, etc. Khaabas under the Meitei power. to identify the women wearer of the in the northwest and Myanmar in 2. EMERGENCE of MEITEI and But after the Khaabas becoming a respective group she belongs. Such wrongdoings. In contrast to the declaration of the southeast. It also lies almost in MEITEI KINGDOM: part of the Meitei power, Goddess as : making Manipur a disturbance-free state by the the halfway between the tri- At the start of the recorded history Panthoibi became a common a. Ningthoujaa (Meitei) : Thambal new government especially when it comes to junctions of India-Burma-China. of Manipur, i.e. in 33 A.D., a group Goddess of the amalgamated machu phanek (indigo and red As such, the valley and the of men comprisingly drawn from Meitei power. Likewise, Goddess stripe). the overwhelming number of disruptions and surrounding hill ranges of Manipur different groups, led by one Imoinu was also the only concern b. Khaaba-Ngaanba : Chigonglei disturbances in the daily routine of the people naturally became an important Nongda Lairen Paakhangba, a man of the Luwaang and Khuman till phanek (golden and black stripe). of the state due to blockades, bandhs and station of migration and trade route from the Angom invaded and the reign of Meidingu Chalaamba c. Angom : Langhou phanek (black between South Asia and South devastated the group of Khaaba and thus became a common and white stripe). general strikes for the past many years, the East Asia. Alongside, it also who occupied Kangla and its bonding Goddess for the entire d. Chenglei (sharaang Leishaang restrictions and disturbances on the lives of became a cradle of civilization for nearby adjoining areas as their amalgamated Meitei power. As and Haorok Konthou) : Loirang the general public is on the rise, and the various remarkable groups of principality. After the Khaaba, such, an initiation of an evolution phanek (reddish and white stripe). thought of the condition of the other states people who came in search of land Nongda Lairen Paakhangba of a common bonding of cultural e. Luwang : Higok phanek (sky-blue for better living and glory. So, the established seat of power at the tradition for the integrated Meitei and black strip). ranked lower in the poll can only present an history of Manipur is the story of Kangla for his group which later power can be seen since the f. Khuman : Kumjingbi phanek alarming mental picture. Surprisingly, unlike the evolutionary amalgamation of bacame to be known as the Meitei beginning of the amalgamation of (dark blue and whitish stripe). last instance of general strike which was called varied cultures and societies and and started process of the Meitei Nation. However, in the g. Moirang : Hangampal phanek shaping of an unique cultural amalgamation to build a Meitei process of the common cultural (yellow and reddish stripe). just a few days back, the state government tradition for an integrated society nation by subduing different evolution for the amalgamated (Those trend of wearing distinctive has remained silent and refrained from issuing which was befittingly essential for groups with annexational expansion Meitei power, there are historical colours stripe-sarong by the Meitei diktats for punitive action against those who a nation building. of Meitei power and territory which evidences that shows: the Meitei women conforming to their Archeological evidences proved became to be known as Poirei also developed their own respective groups continued till the does not turn up for work. And unlike last time that the land of the present day Meitei Leibaak (the land of Meitei). distictive culture different from the Great World War II. But after the when the shops and commercial institutions Manipur had experiences of The amalgamation process so other groups they subdued and War, Meetei women started were forced open using security personnel, paleothic, neolithic, ancient and started since the time of Nongda amalgamated to their own power. trendsetting to wear any kind of medieval cultures which have Lairen Paakhangba continued by For such insertion, the followings stripe-sarong as they like and almost all the shops and business establishments affinity with the Hoabinhian and his subsequent lineal successors may be considered:-I. Meidingu continues to be still in vogue. remains closed and the streets bore a deserted are of non-Hindu origin. However, and completed during the reign of Ningthoukhomba (1432-1467 II. The Chakpas of Manipur is a look. For the representatives of the people in the courses of amalgamation Meitei King Chingthangkhomba A.D.) wanted to attack and strong group of people who came history of Manipur which started (1763-1798) by totally bringing the subdue the Moiraang but and settled in this land since early who set out with evident grit and declared from 33 A. D., by the turns of the principality of Moirang, a group of hasitated as both the powerful days.Their main settlement areas objectives of bringing change and positive 19th c. A. D.; Gaudiya Vaishnavism people with distinctively rich Khuman and Kabo were allies of with their religious practices which development in the state by focusing on of the Hindu emerged as the main cultural heritages completely into Moirang. Whereas the Kabo was had affinity to the Tantric culture of inclusive progress and thereby turning the integrating forceespecially among the Meitei kingdom and Meitei fold. friendly with the Meitei but the Mahayana Buddhist were in and the groups of people so 3. Process of CULTURAL Khuman remaind a great around the present day Bishnupur system around for the good of the state has amalgamated and known under one INTEGRATION in the adversary. So, the Meitei king (Lamaangdong). They were for all practical purpose been tweaked by the nomenclature : Meitei, the major AMALGAMATION of the MEITEI planned a conspiracy with the defeated and -5-brought within the very system to conform to its functions and communityof Manipur. NATION: Chief of Andro to make alleis with Meitei power during the reign of Now, this paper, from a journalistic Historically and logically, it can be the Kabo to attack Moirang. The Meidingu Kongyaamba (1324-1335 ways. Sad to say there are more disturbances point of views, is trying to concluded that the group of people Chief of Andro was sent to Kabo A.D.). But they continued to remain and disruptions on the horizon, and if the overview the evolution courses of led by Nongdaa Lairen Paakhangba for requesting help for Meitei to with their customary practices and present reactive manner of functioning is not history of Manipur where the who devastated the Khaabas from attack Moirang. Meanwhile a distinctive dialect. As such, The Gaudiya Vaishnavism of Hindu Kangla and established seat of night, Meitei secretly attacked Chairen, subdued and brought rectified in time, we are all in for a long haul religion became an integrating power for his group had no any Kabo and beheaded Kabo queen within the Meitei power during the of chaotic and uncertain days- probably months. force in the amalgamation process compact cultural tradition for a and placed the head atop the reign of Meidingu Telheiba (1335- The unmistakable restrictions and unshakable of the Meitei Nation : Manipur. For common bonding amongst palace gate of the Kabo. The 1355 A.D) also remained retaining the purpose, the following brief themselves as they were comprised Meitei attackers on their return left their customary practices; whereas instructions from the higher echelons of power factual accounts of history are with men from different groups scattering meal leftovers wrapped the Heirem Khunjaan, subdued at at the centre that contradicts the aspirations taken for a logical conclusion on (whose descendants became to be in lotus leaves to mislead them as the same time with the Chairen got and expectations of the people of the state the topic of this paper. Two-Day known as the Ningthoujaa group Moirang as it was a customary completely merged to the Meitei fold.