) , image = Meitei and Latin transliterations of "Khamba Thoibi Sheireng".jpg , image_size = , caption = , subtitle =

National epic A national epic is an epic poem or a literary work of epic scope which seeks or is believed to capture and express the essence or spirit of a particular nation—not necessarily a nation state, but at least an ethnic or linguistic group with as ...

of the

Manipuris The Meitei people, also known as the Manipuri people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." is ...

National Romantic Legend of Manipur , author = Hijam Anganghal , original_title = , original_title_lang = mni , translator = Dr. Jodhachandra Sanasam , written = 1940 , first = , illustrator = , cover_artist = , country =

Manipur Kingdom 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 ...

(historical)
(current) , language =

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 ...

(officially known as

Manipuri 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 ...

) , series = , subject =

Meitei literature , 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 ...

(

Manipuri literature , 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 ...

) , genre =

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) , ...

Epic poetry An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. ...

, form = , meter = , rhyme = , publisher = , publication_date = 1940 , media_type = book , lines = 39,000 (8 volumes) , pages = , size_weight = , isbn = , oclc = , preceded_by = , followed_by = , wikisource = , orig_lang_code = mni , native_wikisource = The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng, also spelled as the Khamba Thoibi Seireng ( mni, , , Poem on

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 ...

), is a

Classical 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 p ...

epic poem based on the ancient love story of Khuman prince Khamba and Moirang 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 , ...

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 ...

kingdom of

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 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 north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...

). It is the magnum opus of Hijam Anganghal, the "Bard of

Samurou Samurou is a town and a Municipal Council in Imphal West district in the Indian state of Manipur. The town is about 13 kilometres from Imphal via Mayai Lambi Road and is on the banks of Imphal River Demographics India census, Samurou had a pop ...

". It is regarded as the

national epic A national epic is an epic poem or a literary work of epic scope which seeks or is believed to capture and express the essence or spirit of a particular nation—not necessarily a nation state, but at least an ethnic or linguistic group with as ...

of the

. It is regarded as the greatest of all the epic poems in

, with 39,000 verses, thereby being the third longest Indian epic poem, next to 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 ...

and the

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...

. The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng is often considered to be in a status of “ mahakavya” (), and its author Hijam Anganghal as a “ mahakavi” (). For composing the epic, Anganghal was honoured by the

Manipuri Sahitya Parishad , 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 ...

, with the title “Kabiratna” in 1948. The epic saga is based on the ancient classic of

Khamba and 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 ...

, also referred to as the ''"National Romantic Legend of Manipur"'' by

Suniti Kumar Chatterjee Bhashacharya Acharya Suniti Kumar Chatterjee (26 November 1890 – 29 May 1977) was an Indian linguist, educationist and litterateur. He was a recipient of the second-highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Vibhushan. Life Childhood Chatterji ...

, as well as one of the 7

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) , ...

, constituting the

Moirang Kangleirol The Moirang Kangleirol (), also spelled Moilang Kangleilol, is a encompasses a rich collection of history, literature, folklore, mythology, legends, and other accounts that were originally associated with the ancient kingdom of Kege Moirang ...

. Another remarkable achievement of Meitei cultural heritage, directly related to the Khamba Thoibi epic poem, is ''

Khamba Thoibi Jagoi Khamba Thoibi Jagoi (), also known as Khamba Thoibi classical dance or Khamba Thoibi ballet, is a traditional Meitei ritualistic and theatrical classical dance form,————— which is usually enacted as a part and parcel of the Lai Haraob ...

'' (), also known as ''Khamba Thoibi ballet'', which is a traditional Meitei

ritualistic A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, ...

and theatrical classical dance form, a part and parcel of the

Lai Haraoba Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with the Meitei people celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meiteilon. In this festival, the people worship ...

performances, performed in honor of God , the

national deity A national god is a guardian divinity whose special concern is the safety and well-being of an ethnic group (''nation''), and of that group's leaders. This is contrasted with other guardian figures such as family gods responsible for the well-be ...

realm. Notably, it is one of the classical cultural elements, giving inspirations to the rise of the

Manipuri Raas Leela , image = , alt = , caption = An illustration of the ''Manipuri Raas Leela'' dance, being depicted in a stamp from Armenia; transliterations of "Jagoi Raas" and "Manipuri Raas Leela", the terms in Meitei language (offi ...

classical dance drama form.

Textual history

The epic poem of the Khamba Thoibi Sheireng was developed by Hijam Anganghal from the "pena sheishak" style of the traditional ballads ( mni, , }) sung by minstrels with

pena (musical instrument) Pena is a string instrument, mono string instrument falling in the lute category, slightly similar to some of the traditional Indian stringed musical instruments such as the ravanahatha, ''ubo'' or the ''kenda''. It is the traditional musical in ...

. It was adapted from the traditional Meitei

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

known as the " Khamba Thoibi ballad", which is practised even in present times, for a continuous duration of 20-30 days in diverse musical genres. The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng is regarded as the

masterpiece A masterpiece, ''magnum opus'' (), or ''chef-d’œuvre'' (; ; ) in modern use is a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or a work of outstanding creativity, ...

of Hijam Anganghal. The literary work was started in the year 1939 and it was completed in the year 1940.

Synopsis

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 ...

was a

terrae filius Terra may often refer to: * Terra (mythology), primeval Roman goddess * An alternate name for planet Earth, as well as the Latin name for the planet Terra may also refer to: Geography Astronomy * Terra (satellite), a multi-national NASA scienti ...

, brought up by his elder sister

Khamnu Khamnu (/kʰəm.nu/) is a figure in Metei legend and folklore. She appears in the epic poem ''Khamba Thoibi''. She is the daughter of prime minister ''Khuman Puremba'' of Ancient Moirang. Biologically, she is a daughter of King ''Chingkhu Te ...

, who spared no pains for his safety and well-being. By the time he became a youth, he wanted to be of some help to his sister and came out in search of work. On the day he first moved out of his house, he happened to enter the residence of prince Chingkhu Akhuba, the younger brother of King Chingkhu Telheiba, with its imposing house and spacious premises and there for the first time saw princess Thoibi, the only daughter of the prince, plying her needle in embroidery. The moment she saw Khamba, handsome and shapely in physique, she gave her heart away to him. But on the part of Khamba, at first he could not harbor such sentiments as he was conscious of his humble origin. Another man, Nongban, worked as a foil to Khamba. For a long time, there was no one in Moirang to beat him in race,

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

and hockey, but with the appearance of Khamba, he is defeated and deprived of this honor. At first, the prince took kindly to Khamba, and despite his offer to maintain the young man in his family, the latter insisted on singing for his supper which he did by tending the stall-fed fierce bull of the prince. As everybody was curious of Khamba's physical prowess, his sister then kept him in hiding for a while. Thoibi is heart-brokened and pines after him. From the grace of God

Thangching Thangching or Thangjing is a primordial deity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur). He is the ruling deity of the Moirang dynasty of Ancient Moirang. He rules supreme on the banks of the landlocked sea, Lo ...

, the two meet again on the Loktak lake. Their love is steady until the recalcitrant behavior and overzealous stance of Thoibi provokes her father to come in the way of the lovers in league with Nongban. Khamba's gradual rise in popularity amongst the people, winning of the King's favour with the recognition of his identity on account of his superhuman feats in sports and capturing a wild bull singlehanded further enraged the prince. A murder attempt was made on his life and subsequently Thoibi was sent to exile. However, this act could not, in the least, crush the heart of the lover. Thoibi, on her being called back from disgrace, had the opportune moment of joining with her love. Before the actual marriage took place and in a trial of fate, Nongban fell prey to a tiger which Khamba could overcome.

Structure

The epic contains 15

chapters Chapter or Chapters may refer to: Books * Chapter (books), a main division of a piece of writing or document * Chapter book, a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7–10 * Chapters (bookstore), Canadian big box bookstore ...

(Pandups) as well as 81 sections (Tangkaks). It consists of approximately thirty four thousand

lines Line most often refers to: * Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity * Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to: Arts ...

1st Pandup

In the 1st Pandup, there are two tangkaks.

2nd, 3rd and 4th Pandups

* The 2nd Pandup has only one tangkak named ''Kaang Saanaba'' . * The 3rd Pandup has only one tangkak named ''Een Chingba'' . * The 4th Pandup has two tangkaks, first one is ''Kangjei'' but the second one is unnamed.

5th Pandup

6th to 11th Pandups

* The 6th Pandup has four tangkaks, first is ''Lamjel'' , while the remaining are unnamed. * The 7th Pandup has fifteen tangkaks, with the first one being ''Kau'' , while the rest being unnamed. * The 8th Pandup has two tangkaks, first being ''Ukai'' , but the second is unnamed. * The 9th Pandup has three tangkaks, the first is ''Heijing'' , but the rest are unnamed. * The 10th Pandup has a single tangkak, named ''Torbung Sadanba'' . * The 11th Pandup has only one tangkak, ''Samukhong'' .

12th Pandup

13th Pandup

14th Pandup

15th Pandup

The 15th Pandup has one tangkak, ''Khamba Thoibi Luhongba'' .

Analysis

While analysing the Khamba Thoibi Seireng, Padma Vibhushan awardee Indian Bengali scholar

Suniti Kumar Chatterji Bhashacharya Acharya Suniti Kumar Chatterjee (26 November 1890 – 29 May 1977) was an Indian linguist, educationist and litterateur. He was a recipient of the second-highest Indian civilian honour of Padma Vibhushan. Life Childhood Chatterji ...

commented on Hijam Anganghal, the author and the epic, like this: Writing on Akashwani

All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All a ...

(AIR), L. Damodar Singh said about the literary work as: Some scholars compare the Khamba Thoibi Seireng with the Shahnamah, the national epic of

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

and the Kalevale, the national epic of

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

, as well as the Sigurd the Volsung by

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He ...

Translations

* The direct English version of the epic poem is translated by Dr. Jodhachandra Sanasam in 2017, for which he received the prestigious "Nongthombam Kunjamohan Singh Translation Award 2017", bestowed by the "Sahitya Thoupanglup".

Public response

In the year 2014, an academic symposium on the topic ''"Khamba Thoibi Seirengda Mityeng Ama"'' ( mni, , , A perspective on the Khamba-Thoibi Poem), regarding the epic poetry of Hijam Anganghal, was organised by ''"Nongchup Haram Khorjei Lup"'' (NAHAKHOL) at Public Theatre Hall,

Nambol Nambol is a Town of Manipur, India. It Stretches across one of the major heartline of Highway Known as Tiddim Road.The General functionalities are under administration of Nambol municipal council Most part of Nambol comes under Bishnupur distri ...

Phoijing in

Bishnupur district Bishnupur district ( Meitei pronunciation: /ˌbɪʃnʊˈpʊə/) is a district of Manipur state in northeastern India. Origin of name Its name is derived from a Vishnu temple located at Lamangdong. Geography Bishnupur town is the administrat ...

. A book titled ''"Khamba-Thoibi Seirengda Mityeng"'' was also published by NAHAKHOL on the occasion. The "Hijam Anganghal Singh Memorial Lecture 2020-21" was organised at the Artistes’ Dormitory of the Directorate of Arts and Culture in

Imphal Imphal ( Meitei pronunciation: /im.pʰal/; English pronunciation: ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (also known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the fo ...

by the Manipur State Kala Akademi. In the event, scholars discussed about the "Khamba Thoibi Sheireng", as a great contribution of Hijam Anganghal to

, that justifiably earned him the title " Mahakavi" ().

In popular culture

* ''"Khamba Thoibi"'' ( mni, ) is a 1997

feature film, based on the epic story by Hijam Anganghal, produced by Moirangthem Nilamani Singh for Anjana Films, and directed by M. Nilamani Singh.

Bibliography

* Khamba Thoibi Seireng, by Hijam Anganghal Singh, 1986 * Moirang Kangleirol, Khuman Khamba Seitharon, by Laisram Mangi Singh, 1980 * Khamba Thoibi Seireng Ahumsuba Saruk, by Hijam Anganghal
Full text of "Khamba Thoibi" and poems of Manipur
* Samukhonggi Bichar, by Hijam Anganghal Singh, 1997
Hijam_Anganghal_Singh, by Elangbam Dinamani
* Abridged from T. C. Hodson's "The Meitheis", 1908

Notes

References

External links

{{Authority control Epic cycles of incarnations History of Manipur Indian literature Meitei culture Meitei folklore Meitei literature