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Meitei literature (Manipuri literature) Meitei: Meitei Khorirol Old Manipuri: Meitei Loinasinlol British English: Meit(h)ei literature[a]
The Numit Kappa, a Classical Meitei epic text written during the 1st century, based on ancient Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism)
Stylistic origins	Meitei culture
Cultural origins	Meitei culture
Subgenres
Meitei mythology Meitei folklore Meitei epics Epic cycles of incarnations Meitei cinema
Related topics
Puya (Meitei texts) Puya Meithaba (Libricide of the PuYas) Meitei language movements Meitei linguistic purism movement Meitei classical language movement

Part of a series on
Meitei people
History Mythology Folklore History of Manipur Manipur (princely state) List of Manipuri kings Ningthouja dynasty
Culture Language Classicism Literature Arts Dance Script Architecture Cuisine Calendar Cinema
People Meitei people Burmese Meiteis
Religion Sanamahism Hinduism Vaishnavism Islam Christianity in Manipur
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v t e

Meitei literature, also known as Manipuri literature, is literature written in the Meitei language 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.^[2] Writing by Meiteis is assumed to go back to the Kingdom of Kangleipak in the early 12th century.^[3] The Meitei script is a Brahmic abugida. It is known only from the Puya manuscripts discovered in the first half of the 20th century. Manuscripts of the 18th and 19th centuries 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.^[4] The first printed Manipuri book, Manipurer Itihas, appeared in 1890 from the Baptist Mission Press, Calcutta. Though the kings of Manipur had established contact with the British from the middle of the eighteenth century onward the real impact of the contact came much later. Johnstone Middle English School, based on the western system of education, was started in 1885 at Imphal, and in 1891 Manipur lost its independence to the British. British domination facilitated the introduction of new systems in the civil, political and educational spheres, which hastened the process of modernization in Manipur, exposed as it was to new ideas and influences.^[5]

The Chada Laihui (Meitei: ꯆꯥꯗꯥ ꯂꯥꯢꯍꯨꯢ) is a historical document (puya), about the genealogy of the Meitei kings from their mothers' sides.^[6][7] It traces the genealogical account of the kings' mothers' lineage.^[6][7][8][9] It is a supplementary document to the Cheitharol Kumbaba, the foremost royal chronicle of Manipur.^[6]

"Moirang Ningthourol Lambuba" (Meitei: ꯃꯣꯢꯔꯥꯡ ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧꯔꯣꯜ ꯂꯝꯕꯨꯕ) is a historical document (puya), which served as the court chronicle of the rulers of the kingdom in Ancient Moirang. It records the genealogy of the kings of the Moirang dynasty.^[10][11][12]

The chronicle also slightly mentioned about the history of the Zeliangrong people.^[13]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (April 2023)

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (April 2023)

Puyas^[14] are Meitei manuscripts written in Meitei script. They encompass a wide variety of topics such as religion, mythology, chronicle, folk medicine of Meitei people, history etc.^[15] Archaic Meitei script which consist of 18 alphabets is derived from Wakoklon Puya^[16][17][18] Puya manuscripts have been discovered by scholars, beginning in the 1930s.^[19][20] The chronicles of puya state that Hindus arrived from the Indian subcontinent with royal marriages by the 14th century, from what are now modern Assam, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Dravidian kingdoms, and other regions.^[20] Another manuscript suggests that Muslims arrived in Manipur in the 17th century, from what is now Bangladesh, during the reign of king Khagemba.^[20] Cheitharol kumbaba and other puya such as Ningthourol Lambuba documents the persistent and devastating Manipur–Burma wars.^[21]

Lists of Puya

• Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya

• Nongsamei Puya

• Samsokngamba Puya

• Nongsamei Puya

• Nongkhai Puya Amailon

• Cheitharol Kumbaba^[22][23][24]

After the adoption of Hinduism as state religion under Gharib Nawaz (Meitei: Pamheiba) (1717), the Puyas were "burnt completely" at Kangla Uttra under royal orders, in either 1729^[25] or in 1732.^[26]

The Puya manuscripts discovered in the 20th century at best have a tenuous connection with the texts burned under Gharib Nawaz.^[26] Like the Hindu and Jain Puranas, the extant Puyas contain cosmology, genealogies of gods and goddesses, and royal chronicles.^[26]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2022)

The Capture of the wild Kao (bull) by Khamba

The Dance before the King by Khamba and princess Thoibi

The Torture of Khamba by the Elephant

The Tiger Hunt by Khamba and his rival Nongban Kongyamba

Scenes from the Khamba Thoibi epic legend

The Numit Kappa ("Shooting the Sun") is a mythological text in narrative verse. It was published in English translation by T.C. Hodson (1908).^[27] A translation into modern Meitei was published in 1908.^[28]

Ougri (also known as Leiroi Ngongloi Eshei) is a poem written in archaic Meitei.^[29]

The sagas of the seven epic cycles of incarnations of the two divine lovers were originated from Moirang kingdom near the shores of the Loktak lake in Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur). Among them, Khamba Thoibi is regarded as the last and the greatest epic.^[30]

The Ningthourol Shingkak is a work written under Gharib Nawaz (Meitei: 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 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.^[31]

Sanamahist scripture
Laihui Nongshapa Laihui Pakhangpa Laihui Sanamahi Laihui Nongarols Khongjomnubi Nongarol Konthoujam Nongarol Other texts Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Sakok Lamlen Phouoibi Waron Panthoibi Khongul Poireiton Khunthok Numit Kappa Nongban Pombi Luwaoba Leithak Leikharol Leishemlon Hichan Hilao
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The Meitei scriptures are texts regarding the Meitei religion (Sanamahism) as well as Meitei mythology. They are the sacred literature to the followers of the Meitei religion.^[32] Some of the puyas are regarded as scriptures, but not all of them.^[33]

• Sahitya Akademi Award for Meitei
• Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for Meitei
• Yuva Puraskar for Meitei

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

• Aribam Syam Sharma
• Heisnam Kanhailal
• History of Manipur
• Meitei mythology
• Khwairakpam Chaoba
• M. K. Binodini Devi
• Meitei inscriptions
• Rajkumar Singhajit Singh
• Ratan Thiyam
• List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Meitei

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meitei literature.

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Folk-Lore/Volume 23/Meithei Literature

• Sahitya Akadmi Award
• Manipuri Literature Archived 24 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine
• Books Reviews