Khamnu (/kʰəm.nu/) is a figure in Metei legend and folklore. She appears in the epic poem ''

Khamba Thoibi ) , Image_Name = Khamba and Thoibi (The Capture of the Wild Bull).jpg , Image_Caption = Khamba and Thoibi (The Capture of the Wild Bull) , Aarne-Thompson Grouping = no , AKA = Khampa Thoipi , Mythology = Meitei mytholog ...

''. She is the daughter of prime minister ''Khuman Puremba'' of

Ancient Moirang Ancient Moirang, also known as Keke Moirang, was an ancient civilization that flourished in the southern plains of the present day Manipur, India. The Keke Kangla served as the capital city of the kingdom since time immemorial. The major body of a ...

. Biologically, she is a daughter of King ''Chingkhu Telheiba'' of Ancient Moirang. She is the older sister of

Khuman Khamba Khuman Khamba or Moirang Khamba is a hero in Meitei folklore. He belongs to the Khuman clan ( mni, Khuman Salai). He is the hero as well as the protagonist of the Meitei epic poem ''Khamba Thoibi'' of the Moirang Shayon legends in the Moirang ...

. She is best known for raising her younger brother when he was a child. The two siblings became orphans during their infancy. Khamnu feared evil plots, she took her younger brother and fled her home town. They took refuge in the village of the Kabui chief in the hills. Khamnu and her younger brother Khamba were given fatherly care by General Thonglen and a nobleman called Chaoba Nongthonba before and after their time at the Kabui village in the hills. KHAMNU FEEDING HER YOUNGER BROTHER KHUMAN KHAMBA

KHAMNU FEEDING HER YOUNGER BROTHER KHUMAN KHAMBA

So she is often compared to

Kunti Kunti ( sa, कुन्ती, ), named at birth as Pritha ( sa, पृथा, ), is one of the prominent characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She is best known as the mother of the Pandavas and Karna, the main protagonists of the epi ...

of the

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...

because of the hard work she did to raise and care for Khuman Khamba.

Early life

Khamnu's parents died when her brother Khuman Khamba was still a baby, and life became very difficult for them. Khamnu went from place to place seeking work in Moirang. She husked paddy for some people. The women who owned the paddy paid her by breastfeeding the infant Khamba. In this way, she worked until she and her brother were both adults. To earn a living, Khamnu sold wood in a market of Moirang. One day, Princess

Thoibi ) , image= PRINCESS THOIBI TRICKED KONGYAMBA AND ESCAPED FROM HIM.jpg , caption= Princess Thoibi tricked Angom Nongban Kongyamba and escaped from him , alias= * Moirang Thoibi * Moilang Thoipi * Ewanglon Thoibi * Iwanglon Thoibi , gender=Female , ...

visited the marketplace. She noticed Khamnu, a strange new face. She befriended Khamnu gave her food and jewelry. Thoibi asked Khamnu to come with her when she went fishing in Loktak lake. So Khamnu accompanied the princess on the pleasure trip. Princess Thoibi visited Khamnu's house. Meanwhile, but Khamnu had gone out to the market. Thoibi gave her gifts to Khamnu's brother Khamba instead. The two fell in love and bound themselves by an oath before the God

Khuman Pokpa Khuman Pokpa ( mni, ꯈꯨꯃꯟ ꯄꯣꯛꯄ) or Khuman Apokpa ( mni, ꯈꯨꯃꯟ ꯑꯄꯣꯛꯄ) is the Apokpa (Ancestor God) of the Khuman clan. He is regarded as the founder of the Khuman dynasty. He is one of the three members of the M ...

. They drank the water in which a golden bracelet had been dipped and vowed to be lovers forever. After this oath, Thoibi addressed Khamnu as "sister".

Revelation of identity

Khamnu's younger brother Khamba went out among other men. He joined the wrestling club. While wrestling, Khamba defeated Nongban. Nongban was the champion of all the wrestlers in the kingdom. At Nongban's defeat, Khamba's long-hidden identity as the son of the great warrior Khuman Purenba became common knowledge. At this, Minister Nongthonba remembered the marriage engagement between Feiroijamba, his firstborn son, and Khamnu and went to visit her. Khamnu hid herself in the women's chamber. They cried tears and were very sad. At this, Khamnu came out. She received the gifts from them. From this time onwards, Khamnu and her brother Khamba were always supported by Minister Nongthonba, Minister Thonglen and Feiroijamba in every way of life.

Secret of the dangerous bull

Khamnu's younger brother Khuman Khamba was ordered to capture the Kao bull from the

Khuman kingdom "Khuman Leipaak" () (literally, ''"Khuman kingdom"'') was an independent powerful kingdom, ruled by the kings of the Khuman dynasty in Ancient Manipur. The principality flourished at the shores of the Loktak lake. Mayang Imphal, the capital city ...

. Khamnu told her brother the secret of catching the Kao bull and gave him a special rope. She said,

"This great bull was once the Lord of your father's herd. Go to him, speak your father's name in his ear, and show him this rope of silk."

On the day of the adventure, Khamba did everything as his sister had told him to do. This tamed the bull.

Marriage

Khamnu and Feiroijamba got married after the wedding of

and Moirang Thoibi. Her engagement had been made by Nongtholba and late Purenba a long time earlier.

Namesakes

Market

Khamnu Keithel (literally, ''"Khamnu market"'') was constructed at INR 9 crore (1.2 million US Dollar) under the project of Planning and Development Authority (PDA) in Moirang.

References

Other websites

{{Commons
Khamnu_archive.org

Khamnu_e-pao.net
Meitei folklore Meitei literature