~ Dr. S. Kipgen
….Janni a pa banjom
While the Manipuris (Meiteis) had their own script from the very early times there literature is very rich. As they mastered the art of writing, they developed the habit of maintaining records of their past in the form of royal chronicles, clan genealogies and other literary works that covered different branches of knowledge. They were maintained in the form of manuscripts written in the old script. These manuscripts cover varied subjects such as traditional faith, mythologies, rituals, astrology, description of nature, genealogies, description of different hills found in Manipur, study of clouds and so on. Even in the absence of scribes to keep records of their ways of life, a clear impression of their civilization and cultural status can be gathered from their
burials, dwelling houses, household articles, tools, weapon, musical instruments, paintings and also from folk memories. (J. Roy: 1958: 6) The ancient works of Manipuri literature prior to the 18th century i,e, pre-Garibniwaz period bear no date of composition and name of the author.

The introduction of Vaishnavism in Manipur in the18th century initiated a new course in the history of Manipuri literature. This brought them into intimate contact with the medieval Bengali Vaishnava literature. Religious sentiments, royal patronage and the effort of the Brahmin gave the Bengali language an important place in Manipur. It is found to be used in the official letters of Manipur addressed to the British Government of India. The influence of Hindu Brahmin was so great that some Manipuri poets began to compose devotional songs in Bengali. Till 1924 Bengali continued to be the medium of instruction in schools.

When the Meiteis became devout Vaishnavite Hindus, their dances and music also developed on the themes of Lord Khrishna. As such it became one of the four recognized classical dances of India. The work produced at the beginning of the 18th century made a departure from those of the previous period on account of their themes, diction and indication of writersí name and also dates of composition.
They are mostly writers inspired in the wake of the acceptance of new religion or for that matter new ethos though it is not without reaction from a section of Manipuri society.

Again in the larger context Meiteilon is spoken not only by the Meiteis alone in Manipur but also by the tribals of Manipur. It serves as a link language among the different communities. Besides, there are some people in Cachar district of Assam, Tripura, West Bengal, Bangladesh and Myanmar speaking Meiteilon. The national Sahitya Akademi recognized this language as one of the advanced modern languages of India. At the post graduate level, this language has been introduced at Universities like Guwahati, Delhi and North Bengal.

The Government also included Manipuri (Meiteilon) in the 8th schedule consequent upon the launching of intense movement for its inclusion as one of the advanced language in India. Besides, the Manipuri language with its growing literature was first recognized as one of the vernaculars up to B.A. by the Calcutta University in the early thirties. In 1972, the Department of Manipuri was established for the first time in JNU Centre at Imphal for post Graduate studies in Manipuri literature.

Though Manipur had a separate script of its own it had been long out of use. Bengali scripts are used for writing books. Attempts are now being made to restore the old script. It may be pointed out here that the adoption of Bengal school of Vaishnavism and the replacement of ancient Manipuri scripts by Bengali scripts had facilitated the promotion of cultural impact of Bengal over Manipur.

The Bengali script was one of those which spread to the present northeast region of India by 1390 A.D. Manipuri language with its Bengali script never made a real dent into the tribal society due to certain historical reasons. In this context it is pertinent to make a quick reflection of the history of the Kukis in particular and the tribal in general. Prior to the coming of the British the tribals had an exclusive and independent political existence of their own. They had never been within an integrated political structure or a unified administrative network of the kings of Manipur. In spite of various successful military expeditions against the hill tribes, the Meitei kings were unable to institutionalize their political domination over the former.

While some of the subjugated hill tribes owed mere allegiance to the Meitei kings and paid tributes, much of the tribal pristine mobility remained unaffected. They lived an independent way of living. It was only after the arrival of the British and the subsequent establishments of their foothold on the soil of Manipur, the Kukis or for that matter the tribals were bought under their political domination. While imposing forces impose their language and culture, the tribals continue to maintain their distinct identity for ages without being affected by external forces. Despite the absence of their own script, the Kukis did not adopt the Bengali scripts which has been widely in use among the Meiteis of the valley in the context of Manipur. The Meitei kings failed to bring the powerful and independent Kukis under their control. The political administration of the former was confined wholly in the valley. They were contended with whatever tributes they could extract from the tribal in the form of periodical raids and massacres. So long as the Raja enjoyed tributes, he remained contented. He did not think in terms of conquering the neighbouring tribal people and established their political domination or hegemony by way of annexing their land. The Rajas failed to evolve a long term policy to deal with the tribal people. They limited their activities to collecting tributes as noted above and sending punitive action against those recalcitrant tribes, and even obtaining military assistance mostly from the war-like Kukis for meeting external aggressions or for certain military expedition beyond his suzerainty or abroad.

When the British consolidated their foothold in the valley inhabited by the Meiteis, they brought the administration of the hill areas under their direct control leaving the administration of the valley in the hands of the Raja. The expansion of the British colonial administration in the hills brought changes of unprecedented nature among the Kukis. It had a far reaching positive consequence upon the traditional socio-economic life of the Kukis in particular and the tribals in general. It led them to march ahead from the tradition al way of life to modernity. The entry of missionaries among the tribal brought upon the socio economic and socio-educational life of the Kukis.

The arrival of missionaries and the consequent establishment of Church and educational institution initiated the process of epoch-making changes. It may be noted that the literate population in the state of Manipur was very low before India’s Independence. It picked up a momentum only after 1951. Mission headquarter was established in Ukhrul in 1886. Christianity has done so much for the shaping of the tribal society. It took them to greater heights with their service and dedication


banjom nalaiding …..