প্রতিধ্বতি the Echo ISSN 2278-5264 প্রতিধ্বতি the Echo An Online Journal of Humanities & Social Science Published by: Dept. of Bengali Karimganj College, Karimganj, Assam, India. Website: www.thecho.in Manipuri Queens in the Royal House of Tripura: A Historical Study Memchaton Singha Asst. Prof., Dept. of History, Rabindra Sadan Girls‘ College, Karimganj, Assam Abstract Manipur and Tripura are two important states of North east India with a long glorious history of their own. Both the states maintained cordial relationship from the very early period despite regular intervals of conflicts. Marriage alliances between the royal families of Manipur and Tripura were common which began from remote antiquity and continued till 20th century. The instance of first marriage alliance between Manipur and Tripura is recorded to be occurred during the reign of Tripuri king Taidakshin around 5th century A.D. However, the most notable cases of matrimonial alliances between Manipur and Tripura started towards the end of 18th century. The Rajas of Tripura married not only Manipuri princesses but also many Manipuri girls belonging to plebeian family. Among them many girls were inhabitants of Tripura who came during the Burmese invasion of Manipur. The marriage alliances not only brought cordial relations between the two kingdoms but also there was cultural assimilation. The tradition of marrying Manipuri girls were even followed by many noblemen of the Tripura royal family. Tripura also witnessed various public welfare works that was contributed by the Manipuri Maharanis. Thus, we find that the Tripura royal house was filled with descendents from the Manipuri queens. The present state of Manipur and Tripura are the native kingdom of Tripura also merged situated in the North Eastern part of India. with the Indian Republic in 1949. Thus, Manipur is geographically bounded by geographically it is only a portion of Assam Nagaland in the North, Mizoram in the that stands between Manipur and Tripura. South, Cachar district of Assam in the West From ancient times Manipur and and Burma in the East. Manipur enjoyed the Tripura were the two independent princely status of an independent princely state up to kingdoms. In the early period Manipur was 1981. It was only after two years of Indian called by the Tripuris as Mokhali/Mekhali independence that Manipur was merged in and to the Manipuris the kingdom of Tripura Indian Union on 15 October 1951. Whereas, was known as Takhen/ Takhel. The word the state of Tripura is bounded by ‗Takhen‘ has come from the Bengali word Bangladesh in the north, south, and west and ‗Dakhin‘ which means South. The people of to the East lays the states Sylhet used to call Tripura ‗Dakhin‘ which 7 of Assam and Mizoram. It was a princely was pronounced by the Manipuris 18 state during the British rule. Like Manipur, as Takhen. They deviate the ‗d‘ sound Page Volume-I, Issue-IV, April 2013 প্রতিধ্বতি the Echo ISSN 2278-5264 changing to 't' and that of 'i' sound changing during 5th century A.D. However, due to to 'e' due to their speech habit. During their discrepancies in the chronology of Tripura princely regime they were neighbouring kings no date can be accepted as states and came into contact with each other trustworthy. Again, the state chronicle of in many occasions such as for trade, Manipur ―Cheitharol Kumbaba‖ recorded diplomacy, dwelling, matrimony etc. There that in 1609 A.D. Akhoicham girl ‗Yangnu‘ are many instances of elephants brought to wife of the king of Takhen (modern Tripura) Manipur from Tripura. Besides, the went to her country. But, we do not find any kingdoms came in close contact with each further details about this marriage. other for political interdependence when The most notable cases of there were rapid invasions of Burmese in matrimonial alliances between Manipur and Manipur and that of Pathans and Mughals in Tripura started towards the end of 18th Tripura. The relation between the two century. At the end of the century in 1785 kingdoms was filled with occasional A.D., Rajdhar Manikya II ascended the conflicts and war fares. There were several throne of Tripura and ruled up to 1804 A.D. cases of hostilities between Tripura and In Manipur, his contemporary raja was king Manipur particularly between 16th to 18th Bhagyachandra alias Joy Singha (1759-1761 centuries. These were in 1533, 1634, 1696 & 1763-1798 A.D.). During their rule the and 1724 A.D. The most remarkable armed first historically important marriage alliance clash between Manipur and Tripura took took place. The old Raja Bhagyachandra of place during the reign of Tripura king Manipur was a religious person and after Dharma Manikya II (1717-1733 A.D.) and installing his eldest son Labanyachandra as the Manipuri king Garib Niwaz or Pamheiba new king of Manipur started for pilgrimages (1709-1748 A.D.). In this battle Tripuris to many secret religious places of India. On were severely defeated by the Manipuri his journey he also visited Tripura and troops. In order to commemorate the halted back at Agartala, the capital for some glorious victory over Tripura, a book was days. During his stay he gave one of his written called ―Takhel Ngamba‖ (Tripura daughter princess Hariseswari in marriage to Conqueror). The book gives an excellent Tripura king Rajdhar Manikya II. This detail about the arm clash. However, despite marriage was effective in bringing cordial such hostilities, matrimonial relationship relations between the two states. Raja Joy between the two states continued which Singha then left for his pilgrimage by river helped to maintain their age old friendly ways. Rajdhar Manikya helped him by relationship. Matrimonial alliances between supplying 15 boats for the river journey and the two kingdoms began from centuries also gave seven hundred silver coins to Raja back. In this regard, the first reference of Bhagyachandra for his travelling expenses. Tripura–Manipuri matrimonial alliances is The new queen Hariseswari brought along recorded in the royal chronicle of Tripura with her the idol of ‗Sri Radhamadhav‘ ―Sri Rajmala‖. According to the chronicle, which was installed in the royal compound. Tripuri raja Taidakshin, grandson of King The king brought the priest of the temple, Trilochana married a princess of Mekhali some musicians, some noble men and maid (modern Manipur). But, the details of the attendants of the queen from Manipur and marriage is absent in the sources. They are gave them settlement near the royal house at silent about name of the princess as well as a village called Mekhlipara. But, of her father. The renown historian. R.M unfortunately, at present no Mekhli inhabits 188 Nath stated that the marriage took place in the village. When the capital of the Page Volume-I, Issue-IV, April 2013 প্রতিধ্বতি the Echo ISSN 2278-5264 kingdom shifted from old Agartala to the wooded and full of birds which was very new Agartala (Nutan Haveli) during the convenient for hunting and games. He also reign of king Krishna Kishore Manikya constructed a rest house at the place. At his (1829-1849 A.D.) the deity of the ‗Sri old age the Raja also married a Manipuri Radhamadhav‘ was brought to the new place Brahmin girl called Purnakala who was and installed to the north of the royal palace. appointed as cook in the Tripura royal After the name of the Radhamadhav the kitchen. This marriage was not supported by place came to known as ‗Radhanagar‘. the Manipuris of Tripura. It was Many Hindu festivals like ‗Maharas‘ were superstitious believe that it was a sin for a performed in this temple every year as it is kshatriya to marry a Brahmin girl which will done in the ‗Sri Sri Govindajee‘ temple of lead to misfortune of the king. Raja Krishna Manipur. Thus, Radhamadhav temple Kishore Manikya made Purnakala his chief became famous for Manipuri Rasa dance queen but he did not take the Maharani and many pilgrims from places like Dhaka, Purnakala to the royal palace. Therefore, he Sylhet and Chittagong visits the temple only built a house at Haidra (Dholeswar) for the to view the ‗Maharas‘ dance. Rani where she was kept along with some The policy of marrying Manipuri attendants. From that time in 1838 A.D., the girls by the Tripuri raja continued thereafter. construction of new capital or Nutan Haveli Sri Kailashchandra Singha in his book at Agartala began. Thus, Rani Purnakala ―Rajmala Ba Tripurar Itihas‖ has written became one of the factors behind the that during the Burmese invasion of establishment of a new capital at Agartala. Manipur in 1819 to 1825 A.D. which is The king Krishna Kishore Manikya was called in the history of Manipur as the killed by thunder in 1849 A.D. ‗Seven Years Devastation‘ many Manipuris Maharaja Krishna Kishore Manikya had to flee from their native land and many was succeeded by his son Ishan Chandra of them took shelter at Tripura and later Manikya who ruled from 1849 to 1862 A.D. permanently settled. The then Raja of The new king also had three Manipuri Tripura Kashichandra Manikya (1826-1829 wives. They were Moirangthem Chanu A.D.) was fascinated by the beauty, Muktabali Devi, Keisam Chanu Jatiswari cleanliness and plethora of health of the Devi (she was mother of Maharajkumar Manipuri girls. In 1826 A.D., he married Navadipbahadur, father of Indian famous princess Kutilakha/Kutilakshi of Manipur. musician Sachin Deb Barman) and He also married three other Manipuri girls Khumanthem Chanu Chandreswari Devi. who were the settlers of Tripura. After the Maharani Muktabali and her family were death of Raja Kashichandra Manikya, his inhabitance of Sylhet. Ishanchandra son Krishna Kishore Manikya (1829-1849 Manikya brought her and her brother A.D.) ascended the throne of Tripura.