109:, their traditional enemy β, the martial ethos of the sect fitted to Pamheiba's expansionist ambitions; he converted in 1728 and, in the words of Rodney Sebastian, re-grammared the very concepts of kingship and the sovereign from within the religio-political authority of Ramanandi Vaishnavism, going on to adopt the title of "Maharaja" and identifying the region as the "Manipur" of Indian epical literature. Pamheiba also tried to unify the masses under a single religio-cultural authority, extensively Hindu-ising the cultural milieu in the process β mass-conversion rites were frequently held, translation of
342:
three other extant manuscripts β the one by Deva, and another two kept by
Nameirakpam Dinachandra and Moirangthem Chandra β and even other Puyas; this mentioned the libricide and even provided a short account of the event but Paratt notes the descriptions to be unreferenced and mostly from sources, which had little historical worth, having never been subject to textual-historical criticism. For what it is worth, Dinachandra's manuscript did not mention the event and Manipur Sahitya Parishad's latest edition of the Kumbaba has since silently reverted to the 1967 version.
74:, the region was immune from Vedic and Hindu influences; until at least the sixteenth century, the royal culture did not bear any signs of Hindu influence. In 1704, Charairongba, the incumbent King became the first royal figure to be initiated into Vaishnavism β coins inscribing "Sri Krishna" were minted in the aftermath and Hindu temples constructed for the first time but there is no evidence that the public sphere was affected to any substantial degree. Five years later, his son
216:β decided to commemorate the libricide in a heavily publicized event on 23 January, every year, and evoke nostalgia for the Meitei script which went into increasing disuse. The main function remains restricted to the Sanamahi Temple at Imphal. The attendees have grown in number over the years but of late, the event has taken on more peaceful forms; for an example, books are no more being burnt for portraying
146:
were burnt but copies were already made of them in secret; yet another mentions that they were transported out of the valley using secret messengers; yet another, that the puyas were written in water-resistant ink and preserved underwater. A few scholars have even produced lists of the burnt Puyas. It has also been propounded that the usage of
198:
and the claim soon made into every local publication. Carmen Brandt, Jyotirmoy Ray, and others have doubted the historicity of the libricide and criticized scholars who had uncritically accepted the popular narratives; they note that local sources give low and contradictory values about the number of
341:
The first manuscript to carry this emendation was copied by one
Kharaibam Deva in Bengali script, which Parratt found to be incomplete and in places, badly copied. In 1987, a second "critical" edition of Madhab's manuscript (see endnote e) was published by Khelachandra by extrapolating details from
145:
The precise date of the event is disputed. The details vary with authors and are often legendary in nature since they need to account for the sheer number of extant Puyas β some mention that the Puyas were scheduled to be incinerated but flew away from the fire; another version mentions that they
378:
Metei
National Front asserts the original event to have occurred on the 23rd of Wakching, a Thursday, in Sakabda 1651 (1729 CE). This date is disputed by other factions, who choose to commemorate the event on a different day. Even assuming the date to be true, the day would have been a Saturday.
176:. Some late apocryphal manuscripts do assert that Meitei texts were destroyed by the incumbent king Garib Nawaz on the 17th of Mera (?) in Sakabda 1654 (1732 CE) but these were likely forged to support the then-dominant collective memory of a libricide; all of them emend a word from
211:
The narrative about the intentional arsoning of the Puyas alongside a forced change of script occupies a prominent place in the collective memory of the
Meiteis; it has become increasingly popular in Manipur since 1979 when the nationalist-revivalists β under the banner of
142:β the ancient traditional texts of Meiteis β were destroyed at his orders with an aim of purging the traditional episteme; this narrative of libricide has gained immense popularity among Meiteis, notwithstanding the presence of hundreds of extant Puyas.
133:
In contemporary Meitei culture, which bears a deep ambivalence towards mainland India (and Hindu ethos), Pamheiba's reign serves as a moment of rupture in their transcendental history. He is alleged to have violently suppressed
53:
itself. There is no historical evidence that the libricide happened. Nonetheless, the commemoration, organised by the Meitei
National Front and others since 1979, has been a critical tool in the spread of
168:
but such claims do not withstand scrutiny. Neither the manuscript in Meitei, preserved by the royal palace, mention any such event nor does the
Bengali transliteration by Thongam Madhab, a royal scribe,
78:
ascended to the throne; he followed Meitei funerary rituals upon
Charairongba's death and shew no inclination towards Vaishnavism, providing selective patronage to shrines for
138:, the local religion as referred to today, and imposed Vaishnavism on his subjects via oppressive means. In furtherance, many local scholars β though not all β hold that
66:
The
Meiteis β including the royal house β traditionally followed an indigenous faith of worship that revered nature, ancestors, and fertility gods and goddesses, called
190:
notes that the libricide was referenced for the first time in the works of
Khumanthem Kaomacha, a Brahmin balladist-turned-historian in his 1934 publication β
845:
105:, upholding it as the most appropriate sect for warriors. That Pamheiba had to face an increasingly recalcitrant Cachar and Tripura β even discounting
58:
and has mainstreamed a particular reconstruction of premodern
Manipur, which has come to be uncritically reproduced even in academic publications.
1078:
1048:
906:
872:
117:
were commissioned, Hindu cultural norms like prohibition on beef were legalized, and Meitei festivals were hybridized with Hindu ones while
199:
burnt scripts, highlight the numerous documents that were written in Meitei during and well after the reign of Pamheiba including the very
261:
In the absence of any source other than the royal chronicle, it is difficult to sketch a cultural history of premodern subaltern Manipur.
947:
Ray, Sohini (2015). "Boundaries Blurred? Folklore, Mythology, History and the Quest for an Alternative Genealogy in North-east India".
891:
282:
1098:
1004:"Refashioning Kingship in Manipur in the 18th Century: The Politico-Religious Projects of Garibniwaz and Bhagyacandra"
884:
The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur : the Cheitharon Kumpapa : Original Text, Translation, and Notes
270:
A copy of Bhagavata Purana was supposedly stolen off from a convoy of the Tripura Raj who were bringing it from Assam!
203:, and interpret Nawaz's attitude towards religion as one of strategic ambivalence than as one of missionary zeal.
90:; nonetheless, while Hindu temples were increasingly commissioned, patronage of Meitei sites continued as before.
308:
224:. Brandt notes these commemorations to "serve the construction of a history of oppression" and thus, strengthen
1103:
303:
A superficially edited version of Madhab's transliteration was published by Lairenmayum Ibungohal Singh and
213:
75:
990:
742:
121:
shrines were destroyed, images of Meitei deities dismantled and recast into coins, and worship of some
86:
tradition under one Bengali Brahmin and two years later, followed his father into being initiated as a
304:
102:
139:
87:
50:
162:
No primary source exists for the libricide. Some mention the event to have been chronicled in the
1060:
964:
935:
832:
799:
225:
164:
94:
55:
813:"Asserting Nationhood through Personal Name Choice: The Case of the Meithei of Northeast India"
774:
Brandt, Carmen (2018-01-02). "Writing off domination: the Chakma and Meitei script movements".
1074:
1044:
1025:
956:
927:
887:
868:
824:
791:
762:
987:
Cultural Fusion in a Religious Dance Drama: Building the Sacred Body in the Manipuri RΔslΔ«lΔs
369:
Other Meitei organisations have contested that this was the first commemoration of the event.
1015:
916:"Writing the Body: Cosmology, Orthography, and Fragments of Modernity in Northeastern India"
783:
754:
324:(lit. The Meitei Queen was destroyed (declared ritually unclean / excommunicated - ?).
245:
187:
71:
903:
The sacred alphabet and the divine body: The case of Meitei mayek in north-eastern India
147:
354:
1092:
803:
217:
151:
743:"To Include or Not to Include: An Attempt to Study the Language Conflict in Manipur"
252:, where old Meitei manuscripts were set to fire at the behest of Shantidas Goswami.
42:
787:
1038:
994:
1058:
Singh, Chabungbam Amuba (3 March 2014). "Puya Meithaba: The Date Controversy".
135:
17:
1029:
960:
931:
828:
795:
766:
758:
846:"Panthoibi Sindam Sanglen appeals not to differ the date of Puya Mei Thaba"
114:
1020:
1003:
968:
939:
915:
836:
812:
194:. Pandita-Raja Atombapu Sharma reiterated these claims in his 1952 work
1040:
Bonfire of Books: Cataclysmic Rupture in the Early 18th Century Manipur
351:
Kaomacha even listed the names of the 123 puyas, which were burnt. See
110:
106:
46:
221:
98:
605:
603:
49:
by a neo-convert Vaishnavite King, or to the original libricide of
83:
41:, refers to the annual commemoration of a legendary 18th-century
283:"Garib Niwaz Wars and Religious Policy in 18th Century Manipur"
244:
A 1996 publication on the history of Manipuri literature (by
578:
576:
453:
451:
449:
447:
445:
443:
441:
439:
437:
435:
500:
498:
279:
For an assessment of Garib Nawaz's religious policy, see
632:
630:
671:
669:
485:
483:
422:
420:
418:
416:
414:
412:
410:
408:
27:
Legend about the burning of ancient writings in Manipur
536:
534:
532:
530:
1037:
Singh, Aheibam Koireng; Singh, Sanasam Amal (2014).
563:
561:
517:
515:
513:
863:Kabui, Gangmumei (1991). "The Zenith and Decline".
1043:. Centre for Manipur Studies, Manipur University.
470:
468:
466:
8:
359:. Vol. 1 (1 ed.). pp. 68β70.
311:, which did not mention the events either.
1019:
711:
582:
504:
426:
844:Gurumayum, Maheshwar (12 January 2015).
699:
552:
865:History of Manipur: Pre-colonial period
747:Language Problems and Language Planning
660:
648:
636:
621:
609:
594:
489:
392:
248:) mentions the "historical bonfire" as
237:
882:Parratt, Saroj Nalini Arambam (2005).
723:
457:
907:University of California, Los Angeles
687:
675:
521:
399:
7:
949:Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society
1002:Sebastian, Rodney (December 2021).
980:(2 ed.). Eastlight Book House.
741:Aggarwal, Kailash S. (1992-01-01).
567:
540:
474:
82:. However, in 1715, he adopted the
125:s consigned only to the Brahmins.
101:arrived in his court; he preached
25:
989:(Thesis). University of Florida.
307:in 1967 from under the banner of
1071:A History of Manipuri Literature
624:, pp. 9β11, 15β16, 141β142.
776:South Asian History and Culture
811:Chelliah, Shobhana L. (2005).
353:Kaomacha, Khumanthem (1980) .
281:Parratt, Saroj Nalini (1989).
1:
867:. National Publishing House.
788:10.1080/19472498.2017.1411050
305:Ningthoukhongjam Khelachandra
170:
1069:Singh, Ch. Manihar (1996).
817:Anthropological Linguistics
1120:
985:Sebastian, Rodney (2019).
920:Anthropological Quarterly
612:, pp. 9β10, 16, 142.
309:Manipuri Sahitya Parishad
287:Intemationales Asienforum
154:began after this purge.
976:Roy, Jyotirmoy (1973).
759:10.1075/lplp.16.1.02agg
70:. Situated far outside
663:, pp. 10β11, 142.
651:, pp. xi, 9, 141.
597:, pp. 9, 16, 141.
322:Meetei Leima manghanye
129:Contemporary Narrative
886:. London: Routledge.
214:Meitei National Front
103:Ramanandi Vaishnavism
62:Historical Background
914:Ray, Sohini (2009).
901:Ray, Sohini (2000).
328:means queen whereas
97:, a missionary from
1073:. Sahitya Akademi.
1021:10.3390/rel12121041
460:, pp. 125β126.
320:The actual line is
35:Burning of the puya
1099:History of Manipur
1061:The Sangai Express
978:History of Manipur
226:Meitei nationalism
201:Cheitharol Kumbaba
165:Cheitharol Kumbaba
56:Meitei nationalism
1080:978-81-260-1586-3
1050:978-81-8334-057-1
874:978-81-214-0362-7
192:Manipur Itibritti
95:Santa Das Goswami
88:Gaudiya Vaishnava
45:in post-colonial
43:scripture burning
16:(Redirected from
1111:
1084:
1065:
1054:
1033:
1023:
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972:
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840:
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712:Gurumayum (2015)
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664:
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583:Sebastian (2019)
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519:
508:
505:Sebastian (2019)
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984:
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773:
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736:
731:
730:
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718:
710:
706:
700:Aggarwal (1992)
698:
694:
690:, pp. 254.
686:
682:
678:, pp. 253.
674:
667:
659:
655:
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643:
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628:
620:
616:
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302:
298:
293:(3β4): 298β302.
280:
278:
274:
269:
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260:
256:
250:Lairik Meithaba
246:Sahitya Akademi
243:
239:
234:
209:
188:Gangmumei Kamei
173:
160:
131:
64:
39:Lairik Meithaba
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1117:
1115:
1107:
1106:
1104:Meitei culture
1101:
1091:
1090:
1086:
1085:
1079:
1066:
1055:
1049:
1034:
999:
982:
973:
955:(2): 247β267.
944:
911:
898:
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879:
873:
860:
841:
823:(2): 169β216.
808:
782:(1): 116β140.
771:
737:
735:
732:
729:
728:
726:, p. 127.
716:
704:
692:
680:
665:
661:Parratt (2005)
653:
649:Parratt (2005)
641:
639:, pp. 16.
637:Parratt (2005)
626:
622:Parratt (2005)
614:
610:Parratt (2005)
599:
595:Parratt (2005)
587:
585:, p. 142.
572:
557:
545:
543:, p. 120.
526:
509:
494:
492:, pp. 15.
490:Parratt (2005)
479:
462:
431:
427:Sebastian 2021
404:
391:
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208:
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159:
156:
148:Bengali script
130:
127:
63:
60:
26:
24:
18:Puya Mei Thaba
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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904:
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893:0-415-34430-1
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826:
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772:
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764:
760:
756:
752:
748:
744:
739:
738:
733:
725:
724:Brandt (2018)
720:
717:
713:
708:
705:
702:, p. 31.
701:
696:
693:
689:
684:
681:
677:
672:
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666:
662:
657:
654:
650:
645:
642:
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623:
618:
615:
611:
606:
604:
600:
596:
591:
588:
584:
579:
577:
573:
570:, p. 39.
569:
564:
562:
558:
554:
549:
546:
542:
537:
535:
533:
531:
527:
523:
518:
516:
514:
510:
507:, p. 52.
506:
501:
499:
495:
491:
486:
484:
480:
476:
471:
469:
467:
463:
459:
458:Brandt (2018)
454:
452:
450:
448:
446:
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442:
440:
438:
436:
432:
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423:
421:
419:
417:
415:
413:
411:
409:
405:
402:, p. 11.
401:
396:
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207:Commemoration
206:
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61:
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52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
31:Puya Meithaba
19:
1070:
1059:
1039:
1014:(12): 1041.
1011:
1007:
986:
977:
952:
948:
923:
919:
902:
883:
864:
853:. Retrieved
850:Imphal Times
849:
820:
816:
779:
775:
750:
746:
734:Bibliography
719:
707:
695:
688:Kabui (1991)
683:
676:Kabui (1991)
656:
644:
617:
590:
548:
522:Singh (2014)
400:Singh (1996)
395:
374:
365:
355:
347:
337:
332:means books.
329:
325:
321:
316:
299:
290:
286:
275:
266:
257:
249:
240:
210:
200:
195:
191:
186:
181:
177:
163:
161:
152:Meitei Mayek
150:in place of
144:
132:
122:
118:
92:
79:
67:
65:
38:
34:
30:
29:
174: 1925
158:Historicity
1093:Categories
995:2464172212
926:(1): 132.
905:(Thesis).
855:2021-05-23
568:Roy (1973)
541:Ray (2000)
475:Ray (2015)
387:References
136:Sanamahism
1030:2077-1444
1008:Religions
961:1356-1863
932:0003-5491
829:0003-5483
804:148911026
796:1947-2498
767:0272-2690
753:(1): 31.
196:Pakhangba
93:C. 1720,
72:Aryavarta
991:ProQuest
969:43307692
940:25488260
837:25132326
115:Ramayana
76:Pamheiba
218:Meiteis
111:Puranas
47:Manipur
1077:
1047:
1028:
993:
967:
959:
938:
930:
890:
871:
835:
827:
802:
794:
765:
330:Lairik
222:Hindus
182:Lairik
99:Sylhet
37:), or
965:JSTOR
936:JSTOR
833:JSTOR
800:S2CID
326:Leima
232:Notes
178:Leima
140:Puyas
107:Burma
84:Sakta
51:Puyas
1075:ISBN
1045:ISBN
1026:ISSN
957:ISSN
928:ISSN
888:ISBN
869:ISBN
825:ISSN
792:ISSN
763:ISSN
113:and
80:lais
68:lais
1016:doi
784:doi
755:doi
220:as
180:to
123:lai
119:lai
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1024:.
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1006:.
963:.
953:25
951:.
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924:82
922:.
918:.
848:.
831:.
821:47
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798:.
790:.
778:.
761:.
751:16
749:.
745:.
668:^
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512:^
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289:.
285:.
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171:c.
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1018::
997:.
971:.
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909:.
896:.
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858:.
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806:.
786::
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769:.
757::
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555:.
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477:.
429:.
33:(
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