|
Manipuri literature is the literature written in the Manipuri language (i.e. Meeteilon), including literature composed in Manipuri language by writers from Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Myanmar and Bangladesh. It is also known as Meetei Literature. The history of Manipuri literature can be traced back thousands of years with the flourishing of its civilisation. Nevertheless, Puya Meithaba (burning of ancient Manipuri scriptures) cannot be overlooked in the history of Manipuri Literature. The terror event of history, the Puya Meithaba in 1729, during the reign of Meidingu Pamheiba (1709–1748), totally devastated the ancient Manipuri scriptures and cultural history. It began a new era of Manipuri literature. Most of the early literary works found in Manipuri Literature were in poetry and prose. Some of the books were written with a combination of both prose and poetry. Meetei scholars have broadly divided the history of Manipuri literature into the following periods: – ==Ancient Period== The Meeteis had a long tradition of writing. It is not completely clear when the archaic Meetei puyas (old scriptures) and Meetei Mayek (Manipuri Scripts) first came into existence. However, the written constitution of the country (i.e. Meitrabak or Manipur), Loiyamba Shinyen (1110),〔Naorem Sanajaoba, Manipur Treaties and Documents-Vol I,1993, New Delhi. Book I: "Twelfth Century Meetei Constitution To Pemberton Report".〕 during the regime of Meidingu Loiyamba (1074–1122), vividly connotes the practice of writing in this era. It has been further confirmed that from the time of Meidingu Thangwai Ningthouba (1467–1508), later as Kyamba, the Royal Chronicle – ''Chitharon Kumpaba'' was kept meticulously and continued until the end of kingship (Meidingu Bodhchandra, 1941–1955). As he was the worthy son of the mighty father Meidingu Ningthoukhomba (1432–1467) and warrior mother Linthoingambi, the kingdom was a full-fledged sovereign country, with much evidence for the considerable literary works during his reign. But the use of writing has been referred back to the Mariya Phambalcha (in BC) era by many Meetei scholars. The skill of writing was the prerogative of the professional scribes and scholars of the traditional Meetei culture, the Maichous. The later proliferation of religious, proto-scientific and astrological text would suggest that as time progressed, writing was expanded beyond these professional scribal classes. However, most the ancient Meetei puyas (scriptures) were anonymous and undated. The period from prehistory until the reign of Meidingu Charairongba (1697–1709), that is before the Puya Meithaba (1729), is considered to be the Ancient Period of the Manipuri Literature. Early Manipuri literature consists of ritual hymn, cosmogony, history, or folktales in prose and poetry. Most of the ancient Manipuri literature was written in archaic Meeteilon, which had attained the same fortune like Sanskrit and Latin language. A few of the notable works of ancient Meeteilon (i.e. Manipuri language) poetries are the following: ''Numit Kappa, Ougri, Khencho, Sana Lamoak'' (6th or 7th century), ''Ahonglon'' (11th century), ''Khoiju Lamoak'' (12th century), ''Hijin Hirao'', ''Ningthauron'' (17th century). The ''Numit Kappa'' is a common work.〔Chanam Hemchandra, ''Numit Kappa'', translated and rendered into modern Meteeilon, 2008, Imphal, Manipur.〕 The excerpt below in archaic Meeteilon is from the ''Numit Kappa'': ''"Haya he Liklaio / Yipungthou nongthourel o lahalnong / Laicha tarang ipakthakta / … … … "''. As one of the oldest literary works, ''Numit Kappa'' was written in archaic Meeteilon with Meetei Mayek (i.e. Manipuri script) in poetry verse. Though this ''puya'' was anonymous and undated, the researchers believed that it can be dated to the first century AD. Since ancient time, its verse had been used by Meetei Amaiba (priest) in ''Chup Shaba'' (a funeral ceremony). According to ''Tutenglon Puya'', the two sons of Khuyoi Tompok (154 AD), Yoimongba and Taothingmang, personally participated in the dredging of the rivers in Meitrabak (i.e. Manipur). The two royal brothers entrapped the giant bird (Kakyen Meengamba) and killed it. The ''Numit Kappa'' hymn was sung when the giant bird wounded Yoimongba. T.C. Hodson was the first English who attempted to translate this archaic Meeteilon literary work into English in his book ''The Meitheis''.〔T.C. Hodson, ''The Meitheis'', 1908, London. Appendix II, page 180.〕 Ougri The excerpt below, rendering in Meeteilon, is from the beginning part of the ''Ougri Sheireng'' (i.e. Ougri Poem): : ''"Hoirou haya haya … … … / He hupe he / Ougri O kollo / Lamlenmada madaimada / Kangleiyonda pungmayonda / Yoimayaibu Taodanbabu / Taoroinaibu Anganbabu /… … … … … … … "'' ''Ougri'', which was also known as ''Leiroi Ngongloi Eshei'', was also an anonymous and undated poetry written in archaic Meeteilon. But it is believed to have been written in the pre-Christian era.〔Ningthoujongjam Khelchandra, ''History of Ancient Manipuri Literature'', Pub-Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, 1969.〕 It was a part of Leishemlon Puya, the old scripture about Meetei cosmogony. Meeteis had been used it as the ceremonial hymn since the time immemorial. According to Meetei epic the ''Khamba-Thoibi'' in Moirang mythology, Ougri was sung by Thonglen as father of Khamba, when Khuman Khamba caught the Pamba Keiren (i.e. wild tiger) in Khoirentak. The Meetei festival ''Lai Haraouba'' is the observation of belief in Meetei cosmogony, and it interprets the philosophy by performing the Ougri Hangel Chongba. Amaiba (priest) and Amaibi (priestess), the spiritual guides of Meeteis, lead the Ougri Chongba and they perform very sincerely to avoid any fault in Ougri Chongba. Many of the Meetei Puyas (Manipuri Scriptures: viz- ''Naothingkhong Phambal Kaba'', ''Laishra Pham'', ''Panthoibi Khongul'', ''Cheithon Kumbaba'') mentioned the performance of this form of dance on different occasions. A few of the most notable works of ancient Manipuri literature in prose include: ''Panthoibi Khongul'' (prehistory), ''Nongshaba Laihui'' (prehistory), ''Sakok Lairamlen'' (prehistory), ''Poireiton Khunthokpa'' (3rd century), ''Kangla Haoba'' (5th century), ''Loyamba Shinyen'' (11th century)(), ''Naothingkhong Phambal Kaba'' (16th century), ''Khagemba Yumlep'' (16th century), ''Cheitharon Kumbaba''. The following scholars were the Royal Maichou (Scholar) during the reign of Meidingu Khagemba (1597–1652): Konok Thengra, Apoimacha, Salam Sana, Yumnam Tomba, Khaidem Temba, and Langgol Lukhoi. Among the notable works of these Maichous, the praiseworthy scriptures include: ''Shingkhan Laikhan'' and ''Kaibaron Puya''. Konok Thengra was an astrologer, and his great contribution was the prominent ''Kaibaron Puya'', which depicted the future of Royal life and country's fortune. It had witness with real phenomena in the history of Meitrabak (i.e. Manipur). The style of Manipuri literature, with its own indigenous culture and religion, was continued until the regime of Meidingu Charairongba (1697–1709). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Manipuri literature」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|