MANIPUR Friends, today I wish to inform you a little about MANIPUR---its old history, as observed, viewed and written by SIR E. GAIT in his book-‘ A HISTORY OF ASSAM’, which was written in 1905. “ The state of MANIPUR, consisting of a small but most fertile valley, isolated from the neighbouring kingdoms by an encircling zone of mountainous country, inhabited by wild and warlike tribes, has long had an independent existence .It was known to the SHANSA as, ‘ Ka -se’ and to the BURMESE AS ‘Ka-the ‘, the AHOM CALLED IT ‘ MEKHELI’ and the KACHARIS—‘MAGLI ‘, while old ASSAMESE name for it is ‘MAGLAU ‘. The MANIPURIS proper were regarded as –“ the descended of a TARTAR colony which emigrated from the north west border of CHINA, during the conflicts for supremacy which took place between the different members of the CHINESE and TARTAR dynasties in the 13th and the 14th centuries.” Their features clearly show that they belong to the MONGOLIAN stock and their language is closely allied to those of the KUKJ tribes, which border them on the south. “ They have records which carry back their history to the 13th year of the CHRISTIAN ERA. Between that date and 1714, only 47 kings are enumerated” The year 1714 IS REPUTED TO HAVE BEEN a NAGA chief and who became a convert to HINDUISM, taking the name ‘GARIB -NAWAZ ‘ or ‘patron of the poor’. His people followed his example and they observed the rules of caste of ceremonial purity .They call themselves ‘ KASHATRIYAS ‘. But whatever his ancestry, GARIB-NAWA proved himself an exceedingly able king and a most successful leader and under him the MANIPURIS emerged from the obscurity. Between 1725 AND 1749, he waged a series of successful wars against the BURMESE and captured many important towns. His son UGAT SHAH alias KAKILAL THABA, sowed discontentment among his followers GARIB-NAWAZ was compelled to go into exile and was murdered at his son’s instigation .This was the beginning of an internal war and the power of MANIPUR, speedily collapsed. In 1755 and in 1758, the country was overrun by the BURMESE and part of it was annexed by them. “ In 1762, a treaty was signed by JAI SINGH, THE MANIPURI king with the BRITISH GOVERNMENT, whereby, the BRITISH undertook to assist in the recovery of the lost province and in1763, a BRITISH troop left CHITTAGONG. They reached KHSPUR, near BADARPUR, but suffered so much from the continuous rainfall and from disease that they fell back to JAYANAGAR and were recalled to BENGAL.” The BURMESE again attacked in 1765 and JAISING was defeated and forced to flee to CACHER. He returned as soon as the invaders left. He removed the man, whom the BURMESE had raised to the throne, but the BURMESE soon came back and defeated him near LANGTHABAL. Then he obtained help from the AHOM king RAJESWAR SINGH and by 1768 he was once more seated on the throne. “ His troubles were not yet over. During the next 14 years, he was driven no less than 4 times to exile, but at last he seems to have made his peace with the BURMESE and from 1782 till the end of his reign, he was left undisturbed.” In 1799, JAI SINGH died, IN THE COURSE OF A PILGRIMAGE. His eldest son HARSHA CHANDRA succeeded him, but was murdered after two years, by the brother of one of his father’s wives. JAISINGH’S second son MADHU CHANDRA ascended the throne but after 5 years he met the same fate. A third son CHURJIT SINGH ascended the throne, but the fourth son MARJIT SINGH engaged in a series of conspiracies. With the help of the king of AVA, CHURJIT became a RAJA AGAIN IN 1812. He killed all the followers of his brothers and all likely candidates to the throne. “ MARJIT retreated to MANIPUR while CHURJIT established himself in the south of CACHER. MARJIT got himself into trouble with the BURMESE, who again invaded his country and drove him to CACHER” “ In 1823, his nephew PITAMBAR SINGH led a force to MANIPUR and after overthrowing a man named SHUBOL, who was installed by the BURMESE, proclaimed himself king. CHURJIT’S brother GAMBHIR SINGH , marched against him with a small force and defeated him. “ He fled to AVA, but the country was so utterly exhausted that GAMBHIR SINGH was unable to maintain his troops there and was forced to return to CACHER. A quarrel between him and CHURJIT caused CHURJIT to retire to SYLHET, when he tendered his interest in CACHER to the EAST INDIA COMPANY. “ Meanwhile , GAMBHIR SINGH possessed himself of the whole of south CACHER, except HAILAKANDI, which was held by MARJIT.” “ At this stage, the BURMESE, who had returned to MANIPUR AND WERE IN POSSESSION OF THE BRAHMAPUTRA VALLEY, threatened to annex CACHER. This was prevented by the BRITISH. GAMBHIR SINGH was helped to recover possession of MANIPUR and also the KUBO valley. His position as RAJA was confirmed by the TREATY OF YANDABO, which was executed between the BRITISH and the BRMESE in 1826. “ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 09:11:01 +0000
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