Haipou Jadonang Malangmei

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E-Pao! Manipur - Haipou Jadonang Malangmei

By: Akham Gonmei *

I remember when Manipur State first declared a half holiday on 29th August, 1981 to mark the 50th Death Anniversary day of Haipou Jadonang Malangmei, Veteran Freedom Fighter. I was Secretary of HJM Death Anniversary Celebration Committee during that time.

Common people including Government employees, students and children were well informed about the patriot born at Puilon village, Tamenglong district, Manipur in 1905.

He was a Pioneer Freedom Fighter among the Nagas and in the North Eastern region of India who fought against the Colonial Britishers in the organized manner. Historians called it as 'Naga Raj Movement' and Haipou Jadonang Malangmei was regarded as the Naga Raj himself.

Nagas resisted the imperialists, the Britishers since 1832 for a long time till friendly term had emerged for co-existence without written treaty in 1880. And in Manipur the Britishers had to face stiff resistance in 1890s.

Tributes being paid to Haipou Jadonang on his death anniv - 2007
Picture Courtesy: TSE

After a gap of half a century period a young dynamic leader Haipou Jadonang Malangmei emerged from the Western hill of Manipur to drive out the imperial forces from the native land in 1920s.

It was like 'a bolt from the blue' for the proud colonialists as no one dared to question them for fear of repression. Historians and other writers while projecting the charismatic characteristics of the socio-religious and political leadership of Haipou Jadonang Malangmei had provided short explanations about his full identity in nomenclature and the fact that the entire north eastern region including Manipur should have been proud of the movement.

As the whole of Asian nation were fighting against the Britishers that time any anti-British revolutionary movement big or small ought to be accepted positively as a common factor of interest. Haipou Jadonang Malangmei should now be reflected in full by any writer or researcher to provide clearer identification.

I regret to note that the latest school books have reflected a wrong surname as 'Jadonang Zeliang' which amounted to total negligence or wilful defiance on the part of the writers who have no difficulty in finding out the truth about a Manipuri Village Kambiron (Puilon) where no one of the surname 'Zeliang' lives.

And it is regretted that the same has been done to 'Rani Gaidinliu Pamei' as many writers indicated as 'Rani Gaidinliu Zeliang' though no 'Zeliang' by surname ever lived at Longkao (Nungba) village in Manipur West.

As 'Rani' has been entitled for Gaidinliu Pamei, the title of traditional respect 'Haipou' has been associated with Jadonang Malangmei i.e in full 'Haipou Jadonang Malangmei'.

This is one important factor that the actual name with surname as supported by a declaration of the village chairman of Puilon (Kambiron) and another Court affidavit produced by Shri Kanam-sinpou Malangmei, Secretary of 'Malangmei Clannish Union' should set things right once for all.

And it is applicable to all other freedom fighters to refer to their complete names like Rani Gaidinliu Pamei, Rani Luxmi Bai of Jhanshi, Prithiviraj Chauhan, Abraham Lincoln, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatama Gandhi), Jawaharlal Nehru, AZ Phizo, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Jananeta Hijam Irabot and others are glaring examples.

I partake the befitting homage with glowing tributes being paid to Haipou Jadonang Malangmei on his 76th Death Anniversary celebration 29th Aug, 2007.

Related Articles:

Haipou Jadonang : A freedom fighter

Akham Gonmei wrote this article for The Sangai Express . The writer is the Ex-Literary Secretary, Naga Student Federation . This article was webcasted on August 28th, 2007

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