Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing :: Part 1

Hemamcha Shobha *

RKCS Painting at Ibudhou Thangjing, Moirang, Manipur - Pix :: Recky Maibram

Origin

Moirang owes her origin to several legendary versions. Some versions are of direct origin from Chingoo Korou Awangba Lainingthou-the Supreme Sky God; while some others are in accordance with the ancient books called Puyas and their long chain of genealogy. But the most popular version with the greatest belief so far is the origin from the descendents of Lord Thangjing.

He, on His father's advice, created the habitable earth which is known and written in the Puya as Keke Hareppa, Moirang Ngangoi Hathaba, and prepared plans to settle over Keke Leikoi Pung, that is, over the fertile alluvial plain of Moirang river. Day by day and years after years, since time immemorial, His descendents climbed down the Sareng Chingbuk Chingsangmei––the present Thangjing Hill ranges and started settling down over the drier outskirts of the foothill plains and then by streaming through Ngangkha-Ngangkhum Lampak-meadow.

In the name and style of Thangjing Koirel Ningthouba He thereafter established the kingdom of Moirang which flourished on the southern bank of Loktak Lake. Since then, the Moirangs had their ancient history of her own through a long chain of genealogy dating back to over 7858 B.C. but now over 10,000 B.C. according to Dr. M.T. Laiba's proposed table - 2007.

The ancient Manipuri books called Puyas are generally found to be written in a short but expressive riddle-liked styles which need a lot of references to be explained carefully and correctly supported by authentic evidences. Very few books in limited numbers of this kind are found dealing with the naming of Moirang as place name; some are with the origin of the people of Moirang while others are with the source of Moirang Salai-Clan and the likes.

Puyas as References
Some worth mentioning Puyas in this context

In the first place, Moirang Leithinkai writes "Khuyolwo Leithinkai, Moriwo Leirambi"- means Khuyol destructs the pre-existed land or earth and Mori reconstructs Moirang. In a sense, it may be an expression of Mori's planning for settlement and habitation; and thereby the name of Moirang may be derived.

Again in other Puya, Leisemba Laigiwa, it is also mentioned as Moriwo Leisemba means Mori creates and constructs Moirang, hence the name of Moirang may be called so.

In the three Puyas namely Kangbarol, Pungkanbalol and Karallon, a short list of genealogy in common is mentioned as follow:
Hayi Chakti Moriya Phambalcha-Leima Urum Khaochonbi......
Mathang Langba Chakta-Leima Tanu Ningthou Kangbana......
Urelhanbana Moirang Pokye......
Langbana Moirangga Langtega Pokye......

the above lines in the quotation indicate in brief that Urelhanba while settling at Moirang Kiyang Engkhol gave birth to Moirang. Again Langba got two sons namely Moirang and Langte. Thus the descendents of Mori reconstructed and settled over there, as such the name of Moirang might have been originated in such a way from Mori+Lang to Moirang and later on, in a transformed way.

The Umanglon Puya describes that Kasa Nongthou Sidaba-the Almighty or the Supreme Sky God as a part to create the earth or land for human settlement produced Asiba as Taobi Loinai, and Apamba as Nunggang Maharaba and taught them the arts of living, eating, sleeping etc.-all human natures and needfuls. In due course Asiba or Taobi Loinai gave birth to Moirang Lai; Moirang Lai gave birth to Sandong Laiyingthou, but they were all none but one God. In this way Moirang might come up for uses.

In the two Puyas, Leihou Naophamlon and Moirang Kangleirol Lambuba, the similar line of views as the above one, if not fully identical is found that Kuru Sidaba wished for a suitable and habitable earth for human beings and for other living beings too. So Kuru by His divine power produced or made incarnated seven Goddesses, viz Chitnu, Thamnu Ahumnu, Areinu Tetnounu, Tongthangnu-Thererongba-Chanu; and one male God- Nganba by Himself, Nganba being descended from the Thangjing hills, searched for a suitable site for dwelling and settlement purposes.

At last, he found a bulging out mound formed by white Ants which was indeed formed and incarnated by Mother Earth-Leimarel in order to denote the place as the heart or centre of the Earth. Such a place is said to be the present site of Keke Kangla. In the Puyas, it was called as Nganba Sirai Kangcha Punglen Nongchu Yai of the ancient Moirang history. Nganba pleased and satisfied with the place or the site and thought that "Kanglei Asidi Lamdam Pheiye...... Mongba Irangyaibu Oinangeine" which means the land is fit for human settlement and therefore, decided to be the homeland, hence from Mongba to Mo and Irangyai to Irang means Moirang might have been coined and used thereafter.

Karallon Puya writes about the identity of Nganba and the origin and spread of Salai–– Clan. His nine descendents were the originators of nine Salai as written in the Puyas viz

• Kangkoi to Pong;
• Teima to Meitei;
• Yangma to Mayang;
• Tesabol to Takhel;
• Urelkhuba to Kusu Pattan;
• Urelhanba to Moirang Thokchom;
• Erem to Pasa;
• Khabi to Khaki Chaoren and
• Langba to Moirang and Langte.

Out of the nine descendents of Nganba, Langba was one of them who ruled at Moirang and got two sons namely Moirang and Langte. In due course, Langte was converted and gone by as Kharam Langte while Moirang ruled at the birthplace-Moirang in about the Pre-historic period many thousands of years before Christian era begins; and since then his name might be used for the place, for the clan and for the people etc. In such a way, several mythological creative stories have been supporting about the origin of Moirang.

Modern Views

Modern scholars and researchers are of the opinion that the people of Moirang have their offsprings from Iwang––one of the nine Tai-Lais, scattering from the river Brahmaputra to Chin Hill with ruled subjects of Tai branches of the people of Kwang, Mungyang and Khuyons-(Tibeto-Tai hybrid and Khu+Yon-Wu Thamar sections of elec tribe); and from the Himalayan sub-tribes with the strongest elements, impacts, hybrids of
i) Kouba
ii) Keke Tai section of Mori, Khuyon etc.
iii) Ngangoi.

Before the arrival and settlement of Tais and conversion to Shans over the northern Burma territory - Kouba, Keke and Ngangoi had already migrated there from the Mirlap Shan and Kase Shan due to their internal conflict in the Himalayan regions through the route of the Napachik people and latter settled on the Southern bank of the present Loktak Lake.

In the meantime, Kouba came through Somora Tract and settled on the plateau north of Kanglatongbi; and climbed down the Koubru Hill, and then moved and passed towards the Southern ranges up to Khuroi Haora Lumlangtong in about 4th century A.D. thereafter climbed down finally on the plain of Keke Oknarel, Moirang Thangnarel that is, the present Ningthoukhong where the God Oknarel-Thangnarel temple is located.

Some scholars again opine that Thangjing koirel Lai is a Tai-Lai leader of a horde of the Tai-Lai;Tai Ngai Lao; Tai-Moi tribes etc. of Iwang, Kwang, Mungyang, Khuyon, Arong (Tai-Long ) being migrated from Mirlap Shan through the previous route Napachik and arrived at Mantak Thayai Lok or Loiren Sana Pung but the present Mantak is about 9 kms to the south of Moirang, and stayed there for the first time in Manipur; and moved northward along the western hill ranges of Moirang settled there for many years at the present Thangjing Hill till they finally descended down through Ngangkha-Ngangkhum Lampak-meadow; and created a settlement as homeland site.

So, as a conclusion, it may be presumed that the place Moirang may probably have from the impacts and influences of Moi, the Tai-Lai cognate and co-partners in the uplift of Thangjing plans for establishment of the settlement over there.

Conclusion

Dissimiliar views and opinions about the origin and source of Moirang whether as a place name or as a clan source, between the old and modern writers may be poles apart. However, after a critical analysis of the combined roots of the probable words from the old and new theories, some basic and synonymous words like moi,-Lai; Mori+Lang; Mongba Irangyai etc. may be from old genealogy or from modern scholastic view points are left as crystals .

In this way, the word Moirang may finally be arrived at or derived from such etimological origins, no doubt. Further indepth research works using modern tools and techniques will be needed and helpful for more fruitful writings.

To be continued....



About the Book:

Source Author: Hemamcha Shobha (b.1941), President of Moirang Thangjing Yageirel Marup [Register No: 1025/1972] and Chief Editor of 'Yageirol'.

Reproduced from Chapter-1 of his book 'Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing' for public by: Shanjoy Mairembam, London (UK), shanjoym (at) gmail (dot) com

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* Shanjoy Mairembam , resident of UK, regularly contributes to e-pao.net. He is sharing this book for public consumption and can be contacted at shanjoym (at) gmail (dot) com
This article was webcasted on February 27th, 2012.

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