'Nupi Lan' The Courage and Ideal of Manipuri Women that nourish Manipur

Sanjenbam Jugeshwor Singh *

27th Nupi Lal Ningsing Lamjel from Nupi Lan Complex to Singjamei Super Market on 12 December 2018 :: Pix - Shanker Khangembam

Tonight is over,
a day is gone,
bind up the long fragile hair Devi
( Ngasi ahing lelle,
numita machat khare,
samlangpunsinlu Devi efafaribadu).

One 12th December is over ,another 12th December is coming, have you forgotten Ema? These are the wakeup call words of the courage and ideals of Manipuri women by Lamyanba Hijam Erabot.

Our Manipuri women started taking big strides independently with courage taking the ideals of “panthoibi”in the course of our History and civilization. In the course of our History, our Manipuri women has been unitedly and independently taking part in high level governance to save and led our society towards a progressive orientation.

The clear example of this is the First and Second NupiLan of 1904 and 1939. Both the Nupi Lans of Manipur were the movements by the Manipuri women to save our society for a strong and healthy Nation free from any sort of flaws and defects.

In many parts of our history the role taken by Linthoingambi, Tangjakhombi, Rani Gaidinlu and Leifol who was right arm of Herachndra during Chahi Taret Khuntakpa to save from enemies should not beforgotten.

The first Nupi Lan of 1904 took place after Manipur was under British Colonial rule. That was sparked by the angry Manipuri women against the order by the then British Assistant Political Agent Mr Dunlop to fetch teak from Burma (present Myanmar) and construct his Bungalow by the men from Imphal after it was burnt.

Manipuri women agitated against this order and stop the construction of Bungalow, making the order null & void. This was first and successful movement by Manipuri women against the British Colonial rule.

The second NupiLan took place in 1939.It was the beginning of a wider and bloodshed movement to root out the British Colonial rule from Manipur. It was during second World War between Allied Forces and Axis Power. To face the strong aggression of Axis Power (Japan) from South East Asia, British ( a partner of Allied Force) stationed their armies at Kohima, Shillong,and various other parts of Assam.

To feed their armies, the rice from Manipur were taken away in trucks loads by British in conspiracy with the selfish Marawari traders. Because of which, even this time of harvesting period no rice were available in Khwairamband Market to fetch.

The angry mothers of Khwairamband market started agitation against this . On 12th December 1939 they gherao the Darbar President and British Political Agent Mr Sharpe. They brought him at the Telegraph office and forced him to send telegraph to the Maharaj Chrachand , who was at Nabdweep at that time.

The commandant of 4th Assam rifle Maj. Bulfied who came to rescue the Darbar President along with the soldiers attacked our mothers with bonnets(Sangin) and sticks. To face this aggression bloods were shed from the soft and tender bodies of our mothers.

The bloods from the bodies of our mothers turned into manure of our land, because of our mother’s blood British and Imperial rule was defeated thus stopped exporting rice from Manipur.

This movement turned into a political movement to free Manipur from British Colonial rule. This movement was oriented by Hijam Erabot. As a result of this Nikhil Manipuri MahaSabha was splited into two. In a public meeting held at Yaiskul police Land, Erabot said, ” just for a handful of rice, we were given two handful of blood” so “revenge For Blood will be blood.”

For his statement, he was arrested and kept in Syllet jail and did not allow him to enter Manipur for long time. Thus the second NupiLal which was accompanied with the bloods of our mothers will remain in the memory of every Manipuri so long as our food rice exist on this Earth.

This is not the end of role taken by our Manipuri women. Our mothers have been struggling to save our youths from the intoxicants (like drugs, alcohol etc), from the fake encounters due to AFSPA which gave birth the movement of Meira Paibi, Nisa Band, etc.

Our mothers of olden days were illiterate but they fought for our cause without any arms showing the lights of our future generation, theirrole, courage and ideals are much higher than the present highly educated women.

Simply celebrating “nupi Lal” every year on every 12th December without the true spirit shown by our aged old mothers will have no meaning. So let’s follow the foot print of our mothers for a better future.