How Kangleipak Becomes The Cradle Of Man
Review of "Kangleipak : the Cradle of Man"

Jayanta Oinam *

One of the learned readers of my book, Kangleipak : the Cradle of Man sent to me the following message

The humble writer of the book feels very happy and is very much encouraged by the message of the learned reader. The writer has now a chance to show his cleanliness of his mind from the bias in favour of some or against some. The main thrust of the message is a possible bias of the writer of the book against some theories propagated by some people regarding the origin of the Homo sapiens on the surface of the earth.

The main reasons behind the conclusion in the book of the writer that Kangleipak is the Cradle of man are three in number :
1. The up-to-date scientific findings of Paleoanthropology and other related scientific findings in the subject,
2. The mythologies, traditions, folklores, folktales of the indigenous ancestors of ancient country Kangleipak, and
3. The recorded facts in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The writer faithfully reasons in the treatise putting the three different sources of knowledges mentioned above in equal importance. Some times, the writer's learned readers of the book may find, the writer is bias in favour of the mythologies, traditions, folklores, folktales of the ancient Kangleipak, but certainly not in favour of only learned professor Jia Lanpo of China and his scientific findings.

Professor Jia Lanpo, one of the most famous Paleoanthropologists of China and the world, after a long about 40 years dedicated and selfless service in Paleontology, anthropology and Archaeology under the Government of People's Republic of China published his book , Early Man in China in 1980, after a long mental application in scientific fields of the paleontology, Anthropology and Archaeology with vast experiences of the excavations etc. in the scientific subjects in China and Asia, with knowledges of the other parts of the world, the Professor writer comes to the conclusion 'For the reasons stated above, I am for the assertion that man's place of origin is in southern part of East Asia' under the heading 'where is the 'Cradle of Man' in his book, Early Man in China. Then the professor Jia Lanpo draws the following map regarding the place of the origin of Homo Sapiens on the surface of the Earth :

In the map above of the professor writer, the learned readers will definitely see the ancient Kangleipak included in the most possible areas of the origin of Homo Sapiens. Ancient Kangleipak (present Manipur) with an arrow and a black dot is inserted by the writer of this article for ready reference of the area of ancient Kangleipak (present Manipur). The above map of the Professor writer is a product of well reasoned thought supported by vast knowledges of Paleontology, anthropology and Archeology gained by the writer professor in his selfless and dedicated life, and as such is a thing of high respect and honourably receivable.

The Professor writer is no more and the Professor might not even dream of a small hilly country, Kangleipak even as Manipur in his lifetime. His drawing of the map of the most possible areas of the human origin on the surface of the earth, is an irresistible conclusion dictated by his experiences and knowledges in Paleontology, anthropology and archaeology. The learned readers will see the map of the Professor writer at page facing page 2 of his book, Early Man in China.

Secondly, the attention of the learned readers is drawn towards the mythologies, traditions, folklores and folktales of the indigenous peoples of ancient Kangleipak propounded by writer of the KANGLEIPAK : THE CRADLE OF MAN, in the book.
1. Kanglei Sana Leimayol, Laina thapa lamdamni,
2. Awang Koubru asuppa,
Leima-lai khunda ahanba,
Nongthrei Ma-u lingliba,
Irik mapan tharabi,
O Lainingthou !
3. Lagang Faiba, Mahou Taobei of the Kabui community.
4. Makhel Khongnangbot mythology of Senapati District etc. etc.
are all living mythologies, traditions, folklores, folktales of the indigenous communities of the ancient Kangleipak still giving the messages to the present generation of life origin and human cradle in Kangleipak. These things had been explained well in the book KANGLEIPAK : THE CRADLE OF MAN.

Very unfortunately, the writer of the book, KANGLEIPAK : THE CRADLE OF MAN has not propounded in the time of writing the book, one very very important living folklore, folktale of the indigenous people of ancient Kangleipak. Now, the writer will explain a bit in detail of the folklore, folktale that was left out. The indigenous people, specially the Meetei race has the mythology, folklore, folktale etc that the Sanamahi Lainingthou creates Man.

It is a folklore heard everywhere in Kangleipak as a Funga Wari. It is a clear living message of the buried ancestors of the ancient Kangleipak lived in Kangleipak many thousands years ago, that Kangleipak is THE CRADLE OF MAN.

Let us now remember what is the Funga Wari generally heard in every home. Salailel Sitapa (the space personified . Ipa Sorarel by the Meeties at present) ordered to Sanamahi Lainingthou, his eldest son, to create man, as it is a duty for sanamahi Lainingthou to create man. Sanamahi Lainingthou created immediately a thing which is said to be a man. Salailel Sitapa did not agree it was a man. But Salailel Sitapa told to His son that the thing created cannot be destroyed in vain, and let it go to the water giving a soul. Salailel Sitapa gave the thing created a soul, named it as Namu Mitam Nga and let it go to the water.

This Funga Wari found a place in the ancient puya, scripture Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Ama-Ilon Pukok Puya. Namu Mitam Nga of the Puya at present known as Ngamu Mitam Nga. At present the Meetei people use it as a scape-goat. Every year in the beginning of the year, a Ngamu Mitam Nga is set free to the water for everyman and woman telling to the fish .you should carry all sorrows, misfortunes, illness etc. for this year.. This scape-goat is also performed in marriages for the bride and bridegroom for their lives.

Please note the meaning of Namu Mitam Nga in the vocabulary of the Meetei Race. Namu/Ngamu Mitam Nga = Namu or Ngamu is the name of the fish. Mitam = Mi + tam = mi means man, human being + tam means tamba, tamduna further means in-the-aim of, aiming at a desired thing. Therefore, mitam means in Kanglei vocabulary a thing or a living being created aiming at the creation of a man, a human being. Nga simply means a fish in the water in common Kanglei vocabulary. Therefore, Namu / Ngamu Mitam Nga means a fish in the water created in the aim of creating / creation of a man, a human being.

After creating a Namu Mitam Nga, the Sanamahi Lainingthou created innumerable living beings like snakes, birds, animals etc. But Salailel Sitapa could not agree it was a man, a human being. Lastly Sanamahi Lainingthou created a .Yong.. In Kanglei vocabulary .Yong. is the common name of all monkeys. Salailel Sitapa did not agree it too was a man, a human being. Sanamahi Lainingthou surrendered to Salailel Sitapa, the God Father that he could not make/create a man, a human being. Lastly, Salailel Sitapa advised to his son to create a man, a human being looking at His Image in His Own Pupils of the eyes.

Thus Sanamahi Lainingthou created a man, a human being looking at the Image in the Pupils of Salailel Sitapa, the God Father. Salailel Sitapa, the God Father accepted the last creation of Sanamahi Lainingthou as man, a human being and told to His son that a man, a human being is the last creation of God. This creation of a man, a human looking at the Image of Salailel Sitapa, the God Father is found in the scripture called Puya of the Meetei Race.

This is the human creation theory of the Meetei Race, a Funga Wari being told to the younger generations by the old generations from the time immemorial. This is a creation theory or an Evolutionary Theory of a man/a human being peculiar to the Meetei Race of Kangleipak, in this particular area on the surface of the Earth. This is a clear message of our great buried ancestors to us the Living generations of Kangleipak telling us Kangleipak is the Cradle of Man.

Now please see the following photocopy :

This a clear vindication of a Kanglei Funga Wari or a Folklore, a folktale by modern science. Thirdly, the attention of the learned readers is drawn to pages 24, 25 of the Guinness Book of World Records. In the world records book under the heading 'EARLIEST MAN' the following is written :
'Evidence Published in August, 1969, indicated that Ramapithecus, from the northeastern Indian sub-continent, was not less than 10,000,000 years old and Australopithecus, from Eastern Africa, 5,500,000 years old'.

This evidence of 1969 is definitely a Paleoanthropological evidence favouring the origin of man in Kangleipak, disfavouring the origin of man in Africa vindicating the mythology, tradition, folklore, folktale of the indigenous forefathers of Kangleipak. To the knowledge of the writer, there is not a single claim of a particular area on the surface of the Earth to be the Cradle of Man supported by scientific findings and mythology, tradition, folklore etc. together upto this day.

What the writer of the KANGLEIPAK : THE CRADLE OF MAN asserts is that Kangleipak as the area of Human origin on the surface of the Earth is supported by sciences, mythology, tradition, folklore, folktale of the ancient Kangleipak and the history of origin of the present Meetei Race. If the writer had no knowledges of the mythology, tradition, folklore etc. of the indigenous ancestors of Kangleipak, the writer will never have a zeal for writing the book even if he was given hundreds of Paleoanthropological and archaeological scientific evidences. The greater part played in the writer's book, KANGLEIPAK : THE CRADLE OF MAN and his assertions are mythologies, traditions, folklores, Folktales, history of origin of the Meetei Race and Puya, the scripture of the present Meetei Race, not the scientific findings of respected Prof. Jia Lanpo of China.

The conclusion of the writer in the book, KANGLEIPAK : THE CRADLE OF MAN is an irresistible conclusion of his deep knowledges of mythology, tradition, folklore, folktale etc. of Ancient Kangleipak helped by his knowledges of sciences connected with the origin of Homo Sapiens on the surface of the Earth.