Manipur is a state in northeastern India, whose capital is Imphal. The capital is surrounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanmar, Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the south.
The state covers an area of 22,327 square kilometers (8,621 sq mi). The Meitei language (officially known as the Manipuri language ) is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state, originally spoken by the Meitei people and by the Naga Kuki Zomi and other small communities. Diversity of Sino-Tibetan languages.
Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian economic and cultural exchange for over 2,500 years. It connects the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia to Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, regions in the Arctic, Micronesia and Polynesia enabling the migration of peoples, cultures and religions.
During the British Indian Empire, the state of Manipur was one of the princely states. Between 1917 and 1939, some of the people of Manipur put pressure on the institutions for democracy. In the late 1930s, the Principality of Manipur negotiated with the British administration and chose to remain part of the Indian Empire rather than part of Burma, which was seceding from India.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, these negotiations were cut short. On August 11, 1947, Maharaja Buddhachandra joined India and signed the Treaty of Accession.
Later, on 21 September 1949, he signed the Treaty of Amalgamation, merging the state with India, making it a Part C state. The merger was later disputed by factions in Manipur, as it was done without consent and under duress. Disputes and differing visions for the future led to 50 years of rebellion in the state for independence from India, as well as frequent incidents of violence between ethnic groups in the state.
From 2009 to 2018, the conflict was responsible for over 1000 violent deaths. Manipur represents about 53% of the state’s population, followed by various Naga tribes at 24% and various Kuki/Zomi tribes at 16%. The main language of the state is (also known as Manipuri). About 41% of the state’s population is tribal (as per the 2011 census) and they have dialects and cultures that are mostly village-based. The ethnic groups of Manipur follow different religions.
According to the 2011 census, Hinduism is the dominant religion in the state, followed by Christianity. Other religions include Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Judaism.
Manipur has a predominantly agricultural economy with hydropower generation potential. It is connected to other parts by daily flights through Imphal Airport, the second largest in Northeast India. Manipur is the home of many sports and the origin of Manipuri dance, and is credited with introducing polo to Europeans.
Alternative names
The word “Manipur” is derived from two Sanskrit words (Maṇi), meaning jewel and (Purǝ), meaning land/place/abode, Manipur translates as “bejeweled land”.
Historical texts refer to Manipur as Kangalipak or Meitelipak. Sanmahi Likan writes that in the eighteenth century the authorities adopted the new name of Manipur during the reign of Medingu Pamheba.
Neighboring cultures had different names for Manipur and its people. The Shan or Pong section is called Kasey , Burmese Kathe and Assamese Mekli . In the first treaty between the British East India Company and Medingu Chingthangkhomba (Bhagyachandra), signed in 1762, the state was referred to as “Mekle”.
Bhagyachandra and his successors issued coins inscribed “Manipureshwar” or “Lord of Manipur” and the British dropped the name Meckley. Further, the text Dharani Samhita (1825-34) popularized the Sanskrit legends of the origin of Manipur’s name.
history
The history of the Manipur Meites is written in Puyas or Puwari (ancestor stories), namely, Ningthau Kangbalon, Chethol Kumbababa, Ningthaurol Lambuba, Poiriton Khunthokpa, Panthoibi Khongkul, and others in ancient script, which is Meitiar script. Thai script. The historical accounts presented here were eye-witness recordings and rulings of Meitei kings and Maichou [simple](Meitei Scholars)
Hill tribes have their own folklore, legends and legends. Manipur was known by various names such as Tilli-Koktong, Poirei-lam, Sanna-Leepak, Mitei-Leepak, Mitrabak or Manipur (present day).
His capital was Kangla, Yumphal or Imphal (present day). People here were known by various names, such as Kiva. Puwari, Ningthau Kangbalon, Ningthaurol Lambuba, Chetherol Kumbababa, Poiriton Khuntokpa, recorded the events of every king who ruled Manipur for more than 3500 years till 1955 CE (over 108 kings in total).
A 14th-century inscription from Pagan mentions Kasan (Manipur) as one of the 21 kingdoms under Mong Mao’s ruler Thonganbwa (1413-1445/6) who was later captured by the governor of Taungadwingi.
Ningthau Kangba [ simple ] (15th century BCE) is considered to be the first and foremost king of Manipur. There were times when the country was in turmoil without rulers and a long historical gap existed between 1129 BCE and 44 BCE. In 1891, when the British defeated the Meitis in the Anglo-Manipuri War of Khongjom, Manipur lost its sovereignty that had lasted for more than three millennia. In 1926, it became a part of the Pakokku Hill Tract districts of British Burma until 4 January 1947.
He regained his freedom on 14 August 1947. On October 15, 1949, Manipur was united with India.
Medieval
By the medieval period, intermarriage had become common among the royal families of Manipur, the Ahom kingdom and Burma. Medieval manuscripts discovered in the 20th century, particularly the Puyas , provide evidence that Hindus from the Indian subcontinent intermarried with the royal family of Manipur at least as far back as the 14th century.
In subsequent centuries, royal consorts also came from what is now Assam, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and other South Indian states. Another manuscript indicates that Muslims arrived in Manipur, now Bangladesh, in the 17th century during the reign of Medingu Khagemba. Socio-political unrest and wars, especially the incessant and devastating Anglo-Burmese wars, affected the cultural and religious population of Manipur.
Imperial period
Main article:
Manipur (State)
In 1824, the ruler of Manipur formed an alliance with the British Empire in the Indian subcontinent, which became responsible for the external defense of Manipur. The British recognized that the state was internally self-governing as a princely state.
During the Second World War, Manipur was the scene of several fierce battles between the Japanese invaders and the British Indian Army. The Japanese were beaten back before entering Imphal, a turning point in the Total War in South Asia.
Medieval
By the medieval period, intermarriage had become common among the royal families of Manipur, the Ahom kingdom and Burma. Medieval manuscripts discovered in the 20th century, particularly the Puyas , provide evidence that Hindus from the Indian subcontinent intermarried with the royal family of Manipur at least as far back as the 14th century.
In subsequent centuries, royal consorts also came from what is now Assam, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and other South Indian states. Another manuscript indicates that Muslims arrived in Manipur, now Bangladesh, in the 17th century during the reign of Medingu Khagemba. Socio-political unrest and wars, especially the incessant and devastating Anglo-Burmese wars, affected the cultural and religious population of Manipur.
Imperial period
Main article:
Manipur (State)
In 1824, the ruler of Manipur formed an alliance with the British Empire in the Indian subcontinent, which became responsible for the external defense of Manipur. The British recognized that the state was internally self-governing as a princely state.
During the Second World War, Manipur was the scene of several fierce battles between the Japanese invaders and the British Indian Army. The Japanese were beaten back before entering Imphal, a turning point in the Total War in South Asia.
modern history
After the war, British India moved towards independence, and the institutions that existed on its side became responsible for their own external affairs and defense without joining either New India or New Pakistan.
The Manipur State Constitution Act of 1947 established a democratic form of government, with the Maharaja as the head of state. Maharaja Bodhchandra was summoned to Shillong to merge that state with the Union of India. He is believed to have signed the merger agreement under duress.
Subsequently, the assembly was dissolved and Manipur became part of India in October 1949. It was made a Union Territory in 1956. and a fully developed state in 1972 through the North-Eastern Territories (Reorganization) Act, 1971.
Manipur has a long history of insurgency and inter-caste violence.
The first armed opposition group in Manipur, the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), was formed in 1964 and declared that it wanted to gain independence from India and create Manipur as a new country. Over time, many more groups emerged in Manipur, each with different objectives and drawing support from various ethnic groups in Manipur.
The People’s Revolutionary Party of Kanglipak was formed in 1977 and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was formed in 1978, which Human Rights Watch said received arms and training from China.
In 1980, the Kanglipak Communist Party (KCP) was formed. These groups began a series of bank robberies and attacks on police officers and government buildings. The state government appealed to the central government for help to deal with this violence
From 1980 to 2004, the Government of India referred to Manipur as a disturbed area. This term (designated by the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Governor of a State) refers to a territory where extraordinary laws can be exercised under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
The laws allow the military to act in private and public spaces alike, with unlimited renewals to detain individuals for up to 24 hours, conduct warrantless searches and shoot and kill individuals who break the law, carry weapons or gather in large groups. More than four as well as giving legal immunity to the military.
Since the 1980s, the application of the AFSPA has been the focus of human rights concerns. Violations in the territory, such as arbitrary killings, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and enforced disappearances. Its continued application has led to numerous protests, notably the prolonged hunger strike by Irom Sharmila Chanu.
In 2004, the government raised the alarm after a violent attack on a local woman . The rape of a Manipuri woman, Thangjam Manorama Devi, by members of the paramilitary force of the Assam Rifles led to widespread protests, including a nude protest by the Meera Pybis Women’s Association.