Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 14, 2010:
A coffin like wooden boxes which according to the director of Tribal Museum opined to that of British period in Manipur discovered in digging a pond at the land of one Laishram Madhumangol of Porompat Thawanthaba Leikai in Imphal east district.
According to Madhumngol, the coffin like box was discovered while digging a pond in his land yesterday afternoon at about 4 pm.
When he consulted on the object with persons working in the state art and culture department and informed officials of the state archeological department.
They assured of reaching there to examine the object but did not turn up.
Curious of knowing what could be the matter, locals people today dug downward further to the same area found another coffin like box which around 7 feet length.
Director of tribal museum, Gyneshwor who arrived there to examine the wooden boxes suggested that it could coffin of British period in Manipur.
As there was no sign of containing earth pot in the coffin like box, it could not be that of Meetei who used to buried dead bodies in the early period of time.
A stick and small box found together apparently as decorative item is very close to that used by the people of South East Asia.
There were no records of discovering similar object before in the state.
If it was not a coffin then it would be object brought by Awa (Burmese) during the historic event of seven year devastation (Chahi Taret Khuntakpa) when Maharaj Gambhir Singh ruled Manipur, he further opined.
According to the local elders, there was a high up land (Leibung) in the same area earlier which locals avoid entering the place due to fear.
There was an instant of gold pieces after lightening some 15 year back.
They still believed of a golden parrot there.
An official of the state archeology department, OK Singh who arrived later observed that material to be of prehistoric period but the same could be confirmed only after through examination.