History of Manipur

This article covers the history of Manipur, India. Manipur was also known as Kangleipak after Kangla, its former capital city.
Prehistory


Ancient
The imperial history of Ancient Kangleipak began with the reign of Tangja Leela Pakhangba in 1445 BC.
The game of polo (Sagol Kangjei) was invented during the reign of King Kangba (1405 BC-1359BC), the successor of Tangja Leela Pakhangba. This remarkable achievement was recorded in many ancient Meitei scriptures including the Kangbalon and the Kangjeirol.

Rulers
There is a genealogy of ten successive foremost rulers in ancient Kangleipak kingdom.   
Name of the rulersPeriod (in Christian year)Period (in Maliyapham year) Taang-jaa Lee-La Pakhangpa1445 BC- 1405 BC -Ningthou Kangba1405 BC- 1359 BC00 MF- 39 MFMaliyapham Palcha1359 BC- 1329 BC39 MF- 69 MFNingthou Kaksuba1329 BC- 1297 BC69 MF- 101 MFNingthou Tonkonba1297 BC- 1276 BC101 MF- 122 MFNingthou Pottingkoi1276 BC- 1251 BC122 MF- 147 MFNingthou Laanbichaa1251 BC- 1229 BC147 MF- 169 MFNingthou Sapaiba1229 BC- 1209 BC169 MF- 189 MFNingthou Puthiba1209 BC- 1199 BC189 MF- 199 MF
After the reigns of these ten kings, there is a great historical gap, from 1199 BC to 44 BC.
Name of the rulersPeriod (in Christian year)Period (in Maliyapham year) Samlungphaa44 BC- 34 BC1354 MF- 1364 MFPoireiton34 BC- 18 BC1364 MF- 1380 MFSingtabung18 BC- 08 BC1380 MF- 1390 MFPaangminnaba08 BC- 01 BC1390 MF- 1397 MFLuwang Khunthiba01 BC-  05 AD1397 MF- 1403 MFLuwang Punshiba05 AD- 33 AD1403 MF- 1431 MF
After this, the reign of Nongta Lailen Pakhangpa started from 33 AD, with the annexation of the Kangla by the Ningthouja dynasty.

Geography
There were seven independent kingdoms ruled by the seven clan dynasties in Ancient Kangleipak. These seven principalities had their own capital cities. 
Capital citiesRespective kingdomsRuling dynastiesImphal KanglaImphal Ningthouja (Mangang) Luwangsangbam KanglaLuwangsangbamLuwangNongyai LeikoipungMayang ImphalKhumanKongba Maru KanglaKongba MaruAngomMoirang KanglaKeke MoirangMoirang SalaiTaknakha Puruk Soupi KanglaTaknakha Puruk SoupiKha NganpaLeishangkhong KanglaLeishangkhongSalai Leishangthem

Culture
Most people of ancient Kangleipak were farmers tied to their lands. Their dwellings were restricted to immediate family members.

Architecture
The ancient architectural designs of common houses were believed to be sustainable, eco friendly and affordable. It gives a cooling effect during hot summer and a warming effect during chilling winter.

Religious beliefs
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The ancient religion of the indigenous ethnicities of the hills and the plains is the Sanamahism. The abstract concept of the space time entity is the ultimate God creator of the universe.
Beliefs in the divine and in the afterlife were ingrained in ancient Kangleipak from its inception. The ancient rulers were based on the divine right of kings.

Lallup system
Lal-lup system (literally, Lal means war; lup means club or association or organization) was a predominant system in ancient Kangleipak. According to the system, every men of indigenous ethnicity of above 16 years of age was a member.

Technology
The development of metallurgy was well advanced in the Kakching region in Ancient Manipur. It used various techniques and methods to extract iron ores and convert them into usable forms.

Gallery

Medieval
The Medieval period of history of Manipur was between the "ancient period" and the "modern period". It encompasses the 15th century AD to the 19th century AD.

Early medieval period
The start of the period is typically taken to be the slow collapse of the Ancient Meitei faith, during the reign of Meidingu Senbi Kiyamba (1467-1507). It was during his reign the Brahmin people migrated to the kingdom and the microscopic volume of Vaishnavism proceeded with the worship of the Pheiya (sacred stone from Pong kingdom) as Hindu God Vishnu.

Late medieval period
During the reign of Emperor Pamheiba Garib Niwaz (1709-1748), the name of the kingdom was changed from "Kangleipak" into "Manipur". It is during his regime the religion of the entire Meitei ethnicity was forcibly converted from Sanamahism into Hinduism. In 1729 AD, Puya Mei Thaba, the historic burning of the sacred scriptures of Sanamahism took place.

Gallery

Modern
The modern history of Manipur is the period from the Seven Years Devastation from the Burmese Empire to the present day.

Seven Years Devastation

The Burmese invaded Manipur several times but the most notable one was in 1819, during the reign of King Marjit. The Burmese occupied Manipur from 1819 to 1826. During this time, Manipur was devastated and there was chaos and anarchy everywhere. This dark period is called Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (Seven Years Devastation).

Manipur Levy

There were exploitations of the Manipuri Levy, which was the first standing army of Manipur, born out of Manipur National Struggle against the Burmese rule during the Seven Years Devastation.

Anglo-Manipuri War

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In the year 1891, the historic Anglo-Manipuri war (Manipur's National Liberation Struggle) took place. The Manipuri soldiers showed their might in the losing battle, sacrificing their lives for the motherland. The combat ended with British victory.

Japanese bombing

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Japanese bombing in Imphal took place several times in the history of Manipur, thereby creating high casualties to the people of Manipur. The first bombing was in the year 1942, heralding the beginning of the Second World War in Manipur.

Related pages
 Kangleipak Kingdom
 Puya Mei Thaba
 Bihu Loukon
 Stonehenge of Manipur
 Kuranganayani

References

Sources
Ancient

 Discovery of Kangleipak
 The Kingdom of Manipur
 Thawan Thaba burial discovery A medieval findings lost amidst tragic ignorance By Phanjoubam Chingkheinganba

Medieval
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.History_of_Manipur.History_Of_Medieval_Manipur_1
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.History_of_Manipur.History_Of_Medieval_Manipur_2
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.History_of_Manipur.History_Of_Medieval_Manipur_3
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Ethnic_Races_Manipur.Origin_of_the_Meiteis_3

Further reading
 https://www.imphaltimes.com/it-articles/item/15075-hinduism-in-manipur 
 https://www.jstor.org/stable/44156597?seq=1
 https://www.jstor.org/stable/44145476?seq=1

Modern
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.History_of_Manipur.Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Martyrdom_of_Tikendrajit_Thangal_1&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Martyrdom_of_Tikendrajit_Thangal_2&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Martyrdom_of_Tikendrajit_Thangal_3&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Martyrdom_of_Tikendrajit_Thangal_4&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Martyrdom_of_Tikendrajit_Thangal_5&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Martyrdom_of_Tikendrajit_Thangal_6&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Martyrdom_of_Tikendrajit_Thangal_7&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur

Further reading
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Pu_Ngulkhup_Kuki_War_of_Independence_1&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Pu_Ngulkhup_Kuki_War_of_Independence_2&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Pu_Ngulkhup_Kuki_War_of_Independence_3&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur
 http://e-pao.net/epSubPageSelector.asp?src=Pu_Ngulkhup_Kuki_War_of_Independence_4&ch=manipur&sub1=History_of_Manipur&sub2=Historical_War_Manipur