|
|
History of Manipur |
|
The Ancient Period |
||
|
||
| Tang was
the 14th generation ruler of a tribe known as Qi who inhabited the
central part of the present day China. He founded the Shang Dynasty
(1523-1027 BC); therefore, also known as Tang-Shang dynasty by the
ancient Meiteis. They were known as the upper or higher class
of people. They domesticated horses and used them for transportation.
The rulers paid due attention to agriculture. They also developed
glazed potter, silk weaving and making of bronze vessels. It
appeared that a group of people from the Tang-Shang dynasty might
have moved West following the Yangtze river, and came down the
Ningthi turen (the Chindwin river), now in Myanmar, passed through
the Somra hill range and settled somewhere at the origin of the Ireel
river in Manipur. After settling there for many years, a leader from
that group followed the Ireel river and reached Koubru hill ranges
to the north-west (~35 km) of present day Imphal. The Tang-Shang people
settled along with Lei-Hou tribes, an Asiatic Tibeto-Burman group,
who were original inhabitants of Koubru. The Chief of Tang-Shang group married the daughter of Lei-Hou Chief, Sinbee Leima and established his kingdom around 1445 BC. He became to be known as Tang-Ja Leela Pakhangba (1445 BC-1405BC) (Tang-Ja=short name for Tang-Shang; Leela=who followed the Ireel trail; Pa=forefathers, Khangba=knew his forefathers, the Tang-Shang people). His wife gave birth to a son, named Kangba. Thus, the first Mi-Tei kingdom was established. Mi-Tei later came to be pronounced as Mee-tei, Mai-tei or Mei-tei at various period; but carries the same meaning. Kangba, son of Tangja Leela Pakhangba, ascended the throne after his father’s death. He named his kingdom - Tilli Koktong and constructed a Lai-Yum (a temple) for Saree or Sannamahi God at Waroiching. He ruled over his kingdom for 46 yrs. His wife was Leima Taritnu, daughter of Nongpok Ningthou at the eastern hills of present day Imphal. This indicated that the contact between the people of the North and the East started very early although these places were separated by water until the begining of the 1st centuary AD. At that time Manipur valley did not exist. King Kangba gave the name “LOKTAK” (LOK=water or stream in hillocks; TAK=vast or the end) for the vast water covering the valley. They used dug out boats to communicate between them. King Kangba and Leima Taritnu gave birth to a son- KOIKOI. It was expressed that King Kangba introduced “Sagol Kang-jei” the horse polo. Hence the name Kang-jei for the stick and Kang-droom for the round ball. The story of Ningthou Kangba, his father and his descendants were written down for the first time in a Meitei script “Ningthou Kangbalon” by one Maichou (Meitei scholar) named Thongak Kurumba on Thursday, the 3rd of Kalen (May) during the time of Khu-Yoi Tompok (2nd Century AD), the son of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, which was transliterated into Bengali script by Nongthombamcha Angou Luwang and published by Thokchomba Ibotombi in 1976. |
||
|
||
| Koikoi ascended the throne at the age of 25 yr. From this day, the dating of Meitei calender (Cheraoba) known as Mari-Fam was introduced. Hence, 1359 BC will be 25 MF, and 2000 AD will be 3364 MF in Meitei calender taking the birthday of KOIKOI as 00 MF. The surnames Koikoijam, Keirambam, etc. were started from this time. Mariya Fambal-Cha (Koikoi) and his wife, Lee-oi Nungoibee had two sons. His first son, Pong left his parents early to start his own kingdom, so his second son, Kaksu Tonkonba (Born on 3rd November, Meitei Hiyangei month, 1355 BC) became Meidingu (Ningthou or King) around 1329 BC. Meidigu Tonkonba was born prematurely at 8 months, hence the nickname Kaksu (for dwarf or not matured) was given when he was a child. Urum Khou-Chonbi was his Queen. | ||
|
||
| There were no recording of Mari-Fam (dates of kings) at this period. Meidingu Korou Nongdren was a great Pa-Khangba (he who knew his forefathers). During his time, all people lived peacefully and other groups also respected him. His Leima, Queen, was Thadon Leima Lairembi. They had two sons. Kuptreng, the elder was taught the art of administration whereas the younger, Sentreng was taught the art of leadership by his father. Accordingly, Sentreng became the king and Kuptreng became the administrator. | ||
|
||
| The region
where Myanmar (Burma), Tibet and China meet was once known as Khamtilong
or the region of Khams when there was no name for Burma, China, India,
etc. Khu, Nung, Lei, Hou, Chakpa, Mon, Lotha, Nga, etc. were the tribes
who lived in the region of Kham in the old days. Tai-Pong-Pan was
the name of the present Manipur known to the people of Kham-Nung.
For about 700 years, there were no rulers in what was known as Tai-Pong-Pan.
So some people of Tai-Pong-Pan invited Thongarel, Kham-Nung Saowa,
the great man of the Nung tribe, to rule over Tai-Pong-Pan. By that the time Thongarel was old enough. So he asked his younger brother Chingkhong Pireiton to go there and rule over the region. Poireiton had already lost his wife after having four sons and two daughters. Thongarel offered his second wife Leima Leinaotabi to accompany Poireiton who also accepted the offer. They crossed the narrow Chaukan pass from the region of Kham and sojourned in the Hukawng valley and followed the course of Chindwin (Ningthi) river and then trickled through the norther region of the present day Ukhrul district of Manipur to reach the source of Iril river. Poireiton settled somewhere near northern Kanglatongbi from where a vast water extent and swampy areas could be seen stretched towards the south. Poireiton worked hard for the unification of the people inhabiting along the Koubru hill range. In his journey from Kham, Poireiton was accompanied by tribes of Chakpa, Nung, Kham, Mon, Khu, Nga, etc. who were all neo-Tibetans. Under the leadership of Poireiton, all the people including the original Tang-Shang people lived and inter-married together. It appeared that they were Buddhists in approach. During his reign, the kingdom was known as Poirei-lam (the land of Poireiton) and the people were called Poirei-Meetei. The accounts of Poireiton and his followers’ migration were recorded in a msnuscript called “Poireiton Khunthokpa” in a perfect prose. |
