, image = Numit Kappa.jpg , imagesize = , caption = The

Numit Kappa Numit Kappa ( mni, ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ ꯀꯥꯞꯄ, /noo-meet kaap-pa/, Shooting of the Sun) is an ancient mythological epic literary work, written in Meitei language of Manipur. The work is believed to be written around or before 33 AD. The Epi ...

, a Classical Meitei epic text written during the 1st century, based on ancient

Meitei mythology Meitei mythology or Manipuri mythology ( mni, Meitei Mi Lai Tingi Wari) is a collection of myths, belonging to the religious and cultural traditions of the Meitei people, the predominant ethnic group of Manipur. It is associated with tradi ...

and

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

( Sanamahism) , alt = , stylistic_origins =

Meitei culture Meitei may refer to: *Meitei people, of Manipur, India **Meitei language **Meitei script **Meitei architecture *Denechandra Meitei (born 1994), Indian footballer *Loken Meitei (born 1997), Indian footballer *Ningombam Bupenda Meitei (born 1987), Ind ...

, cultural_origins =

, features = , popularity = , formats = , authors = , subgenrelist = , subgenres = , subs1 =

, 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) The Puyas ( mni, ꯄꯨꯌꯥ) are archaic Meitei language manuscripts. They encompass a wide spectrum of themes including genealogy, literature, history, royalties, administration, creation and cosmology, philosophy, poetry, religious beliefs ...

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 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 ...

Meitei language movement The Meitei language movement ( mni, Meitei Longi Kongjang), also known as the Manipuri language movement ( mni, Manipuri Longi Kongjang), is any linguistic movement undertaken by the literary, political and social associations as well as organis ...

Meitei linguistic purism movement The social movement of Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language) to attain linguistic purism is advocated by literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as notable individual personalities of Bangladesh, Myanm ...

Meitei classical language movement The social movement of Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language) to achieve the officially recognised status of the "Classical language of India" is advocated by various literary, political, social associations and organisations a ...

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 ...

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 ...

. 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 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 ...

in the early 12th century. The Meitei script is a

Brahmic The Brahmic scripts, also known as Indic scripts, are a family of abugida writing systems. They are used throughout the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and parts of East Asia. They are descended from the Brahmi script of ancient India ...

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 Bengali script or Bangla alphabet ( bn, বাংলা বর্ণমালা, ''Bangla bôrṇômala'') is the alphabet used to write the Bengali language based on the Bengali-Assamese script, and has historically been used to w ...

. The existence of the Meitei script in the 15th-century hinges on the authenticity of an inscription dated to the reign of

Senbi Kiyamba ) , title = Ningthou, Meidingu of Kangleipak (Manipur) , titletext = , more = , type = , image = "Senpi Kiyampa" (Ancient Meitei name) and "Senbi Kiyamba" (Modern Meitei name) of the Meitei king, the rule ...

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 Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

, 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 ''

'' ("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

). Among them,

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 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 King Khagemba (Conqueror of the Chinese; 1597–1654), was a monarch from the Kingdom of Kangleipak. He also introduced a new form of polo and new apparel styles. Under his regime he focused on a new form of Manipur and built many markets in d ...

(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 The Sahitya Akademi Award has been given each year since 1955 by Sahitya Akademi (India's National Academy of Letters) to writers and their works, for their outstanding contribution to the upliftment of Indian and Meitei literature ( Manipuri ...

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