Relationship among Meetei, Khongjai, Lushai and Sukte Tribes

The tribes living in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Myanmar cannot be separated.  Enough historical evidence are there to prove that these tribes living in region have a common history. The Meetei tribes are very closely related with the Khongjai, Lushai, and Paite (Sukte) living in Mizoram and Myanmar nowadays.

Chibu Stone Inscription, Tonjang Village in Churchandpur District Manipur. Picture Credit : Art & Culture Dept. Manipur

When these tribes are living since generations, where is the question for a separate homeland or Territory? The question of Meetei concentrating only at Imphal Valley is a concocted history by self styled propaganda writers to create a separate homeland for the Kukis.  The relationship of Meetei tribes with Khongjai, Lushai and Sukte (Paite)  tribes need to be studied carefully for a united region.

Many historians are objecting to the use of word “Khongjai” as yelhoumee of Manipur. Some hinted that Khongjai came to exist in Manipur after Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (1819-1826). However, the Khongjai are living in Manipur much before that. During the reign of King Bhagyachandra (1787) several Khongjai chiefs living in Tuipui, Tuipong, Tuidong and Tuikha were punished for going against the loyalty of the Kingdom. This incident showed Khongjai were subject of Meetei king much before the reign of Bhagyachandra. Many of the Khongjai chiefs of Changsil, Nungsai, Nungtai, Tuiyai and Paron also came to show their respects to the King while he was returning from the expeditions. The King ordered his officers, Tensuba Dolai hanjaba to construct a new road from Kusu Valley to the Gwai (Barak) valley. Therefore the theory of Khongjai arriving in Manipur after 1826 is completely fictitious.

Manipur kingdom touched major parts of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Myanmar. As early as 1532, Manipuri attacked Tuisen which lies to the east of Aizawl, the Capital of Mizoram. The Chief of Tuisen, Langka Chakpa was captured and thereafter, the Tuisen gave tributes to the Meetei King, Kabomba.

Read More at https://themanipurjournal.com/2021/08/28/meetei-relationship-with-paite-and-lushai-tribes/

Is Congress Returning Again in Manipur?

Major Channels like NDTV, India Today and local political analysts gives Exit Polls for Manipur Assembly Elections 2017 in favour of Congress Party. Even people are well aware Congress party will return in Manipur. 

Other Exit Polls give clear win for BJP.  But how far Exit polls prepared by Delhi media are relevant?  These media knows little about Manipur and  the situations of the state in the last 3-4 months!  

BJP Manipur does not have any leader to stand tall against  Shri Ibobi Singh. That is the reason BJP Manipur goes to poll without Chief Ministerial Candidate.

This doesn't mean BJP wave is not there in the State. BJP which was like a non entity in 2012 elections , with less than 2% vote shares in 2012 Manipur Assembly Elections will rise to 27-30% vote shares.

There is a saying for Politics of Northeast. When there is Rain in Delhi, politicians  in Northeast used Umbrellas here! When 2012 elections was held, UPA government was at the Centre. There was neither BJP nor Narendra Modi. 

Even there was no takers for BJP ticket in the last elections.  Congress have to wrestle for power with All India Trinamool Congress. Since Mamata Banerjee's party was powerful in the Centre.

If Arvind Kejriwal is at the Centre, Shri Okram Ibobi Singh have to find stiff competition from AAP in Manipur. Therefore, it was not Modi Wave, but people's desire to be part of ruling government at the Centre.

Why, then BJP is failed to translate people's desire into mandates?

Why BJP lost its chance to form BJP government in  Manipur? Why Congress will be coming to power, despite 15 years of anti incumbency in the State? Why visiting Union Ministers and Honb'le Prime Minister's speech could not satisfy the voters?

Manipur Elections 2017 was to be fought on regional issues and BJP have failed to touch the sentiments of the people of Manipur.

It was funny to listen to Honb'le Union HRD Minister, Shri Prakash Javedkar Political speech like "Let BJP comes to power, we will make every government schools passout 100%".  Does the HRD Minister survey how government schools performed in BJP ruled States.

Manipur voters are not foolish enough to believe  every political speech which are for vote banks purposes.

Visiting Union Ministers failed to give a strong message to people, instead says economic blockades will be lifted after elections only, signalling remote control for economic blockades is with them.

Airlifting of fuels (once or twice) as advertisement ahead of #ModiInManipur, turns out to be an eye soar to the the people. Why BJP playing cheap politics with the sentiments of people? Instead of taking stern action against economic blockades, BJP is indirectly supporting Economic Blockades.

Here's top 10 reasons gathered from voters across the State which goes poll recently. Will these points be a factor for the return of Congress in Manipur once again?

1) BJP failed to keep its promises of 100 days announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014.

2) At least 20-30 BJP leaders who have worked hard before  Shri Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister left the Party, dissatisfied with the state leadership policies.

3)  State BJP leaders could not able to translate the brand image of Prime Minister vision of sacrifice, honesty and transparent among people.

4) BJP Manipur follows opposite theory of BJP - "Nation First, Party Next and Self Last". Instead it was, "Self First, Party Next, Nation Last."

5)  Instead of giving perfect examples of good governance of Shri Narendra Modi, BJP Manipur keeps on comparing the misrule of Congress government. When people asked about State Integrity issues, BJP will counter, Congress is responsible. People knows what Congress is doing since last 60 years, But what people want from BJP is to do different from Congress.  Blame Game politics of BJP have annoyed people.

6) People in Manipur do not accept the fact that their politicians  are dominated by people from other States. Recent intrusion of Manipur politics by Shri Hemanta Kumar Biswas (NEDA convenor from Assam) is not in good taste. How could Manipur politics be played by a Politician from Assam who recently deflected from Congress?

7)  BJP Manipur is waiting for buying deflected Congress MLAs and Ministers. Instead of grooming their hardcore workers and leader who have sacrificed for the party were ignored and given preference to those MLAs and Ministers from Corrupt Congress. (Corrupt Congress is a term given by BJP only). But, happy to embrace those MLAs.

8) Not a single issue of Manipur were discussed or supported sincerely, be it fake encounter case, ILP issue or Economic blockades.

9) And most important issue is Indo-Naga Framework Agreement which was signed between BJP and NSCN (IM) on August 2015. Why this Pandora box was kept hidden by BJP? Double Standard politics played by BJP leaders.

10) BJP Manipur failed to take actions against Corrupt Congress leaders and could not translate its campaign motto "SAVE MANIPUR".   Not a single BJP leaders clearly define how to Save Manipur by BJP.

Lastly, it was not a fight between Congress and BJP, but it was surely a fight of old underdogs of BJP against new parachute candidates of BJP!

Relation between Anal and Meetei Tribe

History of Manipur will be incomplete without knowing about #Tangkhul Sarang Pakhangba, Funal #Maring Telheiba, #Chothe Thangwai Pakhangba, #Kabui Salang Maiba, Wangpuren of #Anal.

Don't be proud of two terms #Kuki and #Naga given by some foreigners. Know your roots, your identity and culture.  No force can erase the history of Manipur. Citing some researcher's view, "...Mao-Maram and Tangkhul ladies were the queens of Manipur from time to time. Notably, Ingallei, queen of Paikhomba, Nungthilchaibi, queen of Pamheiba, from the Mao-Marams and queen Leisana of Pakhangba from the Tangkhuls."

After the Nongban clan, Nongyai from the Khuman Clan gained the ascendency. He has nine children and established their settlements at Mongba Sangai. His eldest son, Kaobi was the progenitor of the Khuman clan. The youngest son, Angou became an Angom. Another son became a Tangkhul.

When Kege (Keke) became the ruling clan, it brought in three clans namely, Khaba,Tangba and Chakot. Khaba became Khamaran tribe, Tangba became Tangkhul tribe and Chakot became the Chakot tribe. The Kege clan went southwards and merged with the Moirang clan. All these clans existed around 2000 BC, after King Kangba era.

An Anal tribe living in the Chandel District of Manipur. (photo courtesy - HL/Google image)

Even, the Anal tribes living in Chandel district of Manipur cannot be separated from the Meetei tribes. Wangbrel, one of the nine deities who protect the south direction married an Anal lady named Shangnu of Anal Khullen. Wangbrel was the God of Water. Homage is regularly paid at the Shrine, erecting two stones of which the bigger one symbolises Wangbrel while the smaller symbolizing Shangnu.

(Excerpt from the forthcoming book TANGKHULS ARE MEETEI TRIBE)