, image = Numit Kappa.jpg , imagesize = , caption = The Numit Kappa, a Classical Meitei epic text written during the 1st century, based on ancient Meitei mythology and religion ( Sanamahism) , alt = , stylistic_origins = Meitei culture , cultural_origins = Meitei culture , features = , popularity = , formats = , authors = , subgenrelist = , subgenres = , subs1 = Meitei mythology , subs2 =

Meitei folklore Meitei folklore is the folklore and mythology of the Meitei people of Manipur Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the n ...

, subs3 = Meitei epics

Epic cycles of incarnations ) * Moirang Shaion ( omp, Moilang Shaion) * Moirang Sayon ( omp, Moilang Sayon) * Moirang Shayon ( omp, Moilang Shayon) , Mythology = Meitei mythology (Manipuri mythology) , Country = * Ancient Kangleipak (historical) * (present) , ...

, subs4 =

Meitei cinema The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but all the films made in different languages of the different communities in Manipur. The Manipuri film industry was born when ' ...

, relatedgenres = , base# = , pub# = , title# = , series# = , regional_scenes = , local_scenes = , other_topics = Puya (Meitei texts)

Puya Meithaba Puya Meithaba (''Burning of the puya'') refers to the annual commemoration of a legendary 18th-century scripture burning in post-colonial Manipur or to the original libricide in itself. Organised by the Meitei National Front (and others) since 19 ...

(

Libricide Book burning is the deliberate destruction by fire of books or other written materials, usually carried out in a public context. The burning of books represents an element of censorship and usually proceeds from a cultural, religious, or polit ...

of the

PuYa Puya may refer to: * ''Puya'' (plant), in the family Bromeliaceae * Puya (river), in Russia * Puya, a variety of Guajillo chili * ''Puya'' (Meitei texts), traditional or mythological texts of the Meetei people * ''Culoepuya'' or ''Culo'e Puya'', V ...

s)
Meitei language movements
Meitei linguistic purism movement
Meitei classical language movement Meitei literature, also known as Manipuri literature, is literature written in the

Meitei language Meitei (), also known as Manipuri (, ), is a Tibeto-Burman language of north-eastern India. It is spoken by around 1.8 million people, predominantly in the state of Manipur, but also by smaller communities in the rest of the country and in pa ...

of Manipur. An ancient institution of learning, the ''Luwang Nonghumsang'', later known as the ''Pandit Loishang'', collected sources of indigenous Meitei knowledge and philosophy until the 18th century. Writing by Meiteis is assumed to go back to the Kingdom of Kangleipak in the early 12th century. The Meitei script is a Brahmic abugida. It is known only from the ''Puya'' manuscripts discovered in the first half of the 20th century. 18th and 19th century manuscripts were written using the Bengali alphabet. The existence of the Meitei script in the 15th-century hinges on the authenticity of an inscription dated to the reign of Senbi Kiyamba.

Puyas

Meitei ''

Puya Puya may refer to: * ''Puya'' (plant), in the family Bromeliaceae * Puya (river), in Russia * Puya, a variety of Guajillo chili * ''Puya'' (Meitei texts), traditional or mythological texts of the Meetei people * ''Culoepuya'' or ''Culo'e Puya'', V ...

'' manuscripts have been discovered by scholars, beginning in the 1930s. These are chronicles, and evidence that Hindus arrived from the Indian subcontinent with royal marriages at least by the 14th century, and in centuries thereafter, from what is now modern Assam, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Dravidian kingdoms, and other regions. Another manuscript suggests that Muslims arrived in Manipur in the 17th century, from what is now Bangladesh, during the reign of Meidingu Khagemba. Meitei literature documents the persistent and devastating Manipur–Burma wars.

Suppression of Meitei Literature

After the adoption of Hinduism as state religion under Gharib Nawaz (1717), it appears that the Puyas were "burnt completely" at ''Kangla Uttra'' under royal orders, in either 1729 or in 1732. The ''Puya'' manuscripts discovered in the 20th century at best have a tenuous connection with the texts burned under Gharib Nawaz. Like the Hindu and Jain Puranas, the extant ''Puyas'' contain cosmology, genealogies of gods and goddesses, and royal chronicles.

Epics

The '' Numit Kappa'' ("Shooting the Sun") is a mythological text in narrative verse. It was published in English translation by

T.C. Hodson Thomas Callan Hodson (1871–1953) was the first William Wyse Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, where he was a Fellow of St Catharine's College, notable for his writings on Indian anthropology and for coining the te ...

(1908). A translation into modern Meitei was published in 1908. ''Ougri'' (also known as ''Leiroi Ngongloi Eshei'') is a poem written in archaic Meitei. The sagas of the seven

epic cycles of incarnations ) * Moirang Shaion ( omp, Moilang Shaion) * Moirang Sayon ( omp, Moilang Sayon) * Moirang Shayon ( omp, Moilang Shayon) , Mythology = Meitei mythology (Manipuri mythology) , Country = * Ancient Kangleipak (historical) * (present) , ...

of the two divine lovers were originated from Moirang kingdom near the shores of the Loktak lake in

Ancient Kangleipak The Manipur Kingdom was an ancient independent kingdom at the India–Burma frontier that was in subsidiary alliance with British India from 1824, and became a princely state in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in the west and Briti ...

(early Manipur). Among them, Khamba Thoibi is regarded as the last and the greatest epic.

Chronicles

The ''Ningthourol Shingkak'' is a work written under Gharib Nawaz ( mni, Pamheiba), written in the mode of "predictions" made during the rule of Khagemba (r. 1597–1652) and thus foretelling the birth and reign of Gharib Nawaz and his religious reforms. The ''

Cheitharol Kumbaba ''Cheitharol Kumbaba'', also spelled ''Cheithalon Kumpapa'', is the court chronicle of the kings of Manipur. The oldest extant version was copied in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, ...

'' or "Royal Chronicle" is a text written down in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, purportedly based on an older copy which was no longer available. It contains day-to-day transactions and occurrences the state."The manuscripts collected by W. Yumjao Singh consist of literary, historical, astronomical, astrological and miscellaneous other works of which mention may be made of Cheitharon Kumbaba, the Ningthourol Shingkak, the Poireiton Khunthokpa, Dharani Samhita, Srimat Bhagabat. The Cheitharol Kumbaba or the royal chronicle has been the most valuable for historical investigations, as it professes to record all the important daily transactions and occurrences of the State.... By orders of

Jai Singh Jai Singh may refer to: * Jai Singh I (1611–1667), ruler of Amber kingdom in India and a Rajput general of the Mughal Empire; also known as Mirza Raja Jai Singh * Jai Singh of Mewar (1653–1698), ruler of the Mewar kingdom in India * Jai Singh II ...

this book was rewritten as the former copy was no more available then". "The Nigthourol Shingkak is a work written in the way of prediction. It professes to predict all important events that would happen from the time of Khagemba downward. It, therefore, professes to be a work of the early 17th century. It is an anonymous work, and in this book, we see for the first time Gharib Niwaz's having had some Naga connection in his childhood." Jyotirmoy Roy, History of Manipur, 1958, p. 8.

Literary awards

Sahitya Akademi awards

* Sahitya Akademi Award for Meitei *

Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for Meitei Sahitya Akademi Translation Prizes are given each year to writers for their outstanding translations work in the 24 languages, including Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language), since 1989. Recipients Following is the list of r ...

Yuva Puraskar for Meitei Yuva Puraskar relates to books published by an author of the age of 35 and below as on January 1 of the year of the award. It is given each year to young writers for their outstanding works in the 24 languages, since 2011. Recipients Following ...

Patriotic Writers' Forum awards

* Pacha Meetei Literary Award * R Kathing Tangkhul Literary Award * Dr Saroj Nalini Parratt Literary Award

Notes

References

External links

Sahitya Akadmi Award
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manipuri Literature Meitei literature Ancient Indian literature Ancient literature Asian literature Bangladeshi literature Classical literature Culture of Manipur History of literature History of Manipur Indian literature Indian literature by language Literature about race and ethnicity Literature by ethnicity Literature of Indian independence movement Meitei culture Meitei language Religious literature South Asian literature Southeast Asian literature