Meitei people in Tripura

The Meitei people (), also called Manipuri people (), is one of the minority ethnic groups in Tripura. Meiteis call the land of Tripura as "Takhel" () or "Takhen" () in their language.

In Agartala, the capital city of Tripura, Meitei speaking population is the fourth largest linguistic group of people, after Bengali, Tripuri (Kokborok) and Hindi, according to 2011 census.

The Tripura Meiteis are recognized under the OBC category in Tripura.

 History 

There were royal matrimonial alliances between the royal houses of Tripura and Manipur during the days of monarchies. Numerous Meitei women became queens of Tripura kingdom. Kings of Tripura married not only Meitei princesses but also many Meitei girls from the commoners' families. Numerous Meitei queens of Tripura contributed to the public welfare works of the kingdoms. These frequent marriage alliances not only brought good relationship between the two kingdoms but also the cultural assimilation of Meitei culture with that of Tripura. Besides the royalties, the tradition of marrying Meitei ladies were even practised by many nobles of Tripura. The Meitei subjects of these Meitei queens came from Manipur and settled in Tripura. These started the early settlements of the Meiteis in the land of Tripura.

 Language 

Meitei language (), also known as the Manipuri language (), is one of the seven officially declared minority languages, besides Kokborok and Bengali, recognised by the Government of Tripura.
Its promotion and development are done by the Directorate of Kokborok & Other Minority Languages, established in August 2012.

Meitei language was introduced in Tripura University since 2023.

 Displacement  
A militant group named "National Liberation Front of Tripura" targeted and forcibly displaced numerous minority Meiteis, especially peasants, from their settlements to other places in Tripura.

There were around 150 Meitei villages in Tripura during Indian independence (1947), but the number reduced to less than 100 in the 2010s. Mekhli Para was founded in 1798, and was first inhabited by Meiteis, but it does not have any Meetei inhabitants in the 2010s.

 Culture 

 Clothing 
Innaphi () is a traditional Meitei cloth. A Meitei woman from Tripura, achieved the National Handloom Award 2023 given by the Ministry of Textile, Government of India for her exceptional craftsmanship and dedication to the traditional art of handloom weaving Innaphi attires.

Meitei women wear numerous traditional clothes such as Rani Phi (), Wangkhei Phi (), Moirang Phi (), Phige () and Phanek (). Meitei menfolk wear Khudei ().

 Festivals 

Tripura Government recognised Meitei festival of Umang Lai Haraoba (Lai Haraoba dedicated to the Umang Lais) as one of their state festivals in 2015.
Some of its celebrations are helped by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of Tripura, alongside the traditional Meitei religious institutions.

 Monuments 
 Statue of Paona Brajabashi 
In April 2019, Manipuri Literary and Cultural Forum, Tripura and Paona Brajabashi Foundation Tripura, together opened a statue of Paona Brajabashi (), a Meitei freedom fighter, to the public in Gouranagar, Tripura.
 Statue of Nupi Lan 
In 2023, All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) and Manipuri Literary & Cultural Forum, Tripura, collectively opened a statue of Nupilan () to the public, at Gournagar in Khowai district, Tripura.
 Performing arts 

Manipuri Raas Leela () is celebrated as a big festival by the Meitei Hindus in Tripura.
Wari Leeba () is a traditional Meitei storytelling art tradition. Its popularity is declining among the Meiteis of Tripura.

 Religions  

Daughters of the Meitei kings of Manipur, who became queens of Tripura, built numerous temples and established multiple cults of different deities in Tripura. Among the Hindu deities, the cults of Krishna, Radha, Madhav, Govinda, etc. were established.
The pantheon of Meitei deities of traditional Meitei religion (Sanamahism) is also kept alive by the Meiteis in Tripura. Notably, the Lai Haraoba () religious festival is annually celebrated in honour of numerous deities, especially God Puthiba ().

 Groups 
 Manipuri Literary and Cultural Forum, Tripura
 Notable people 
 Khuman Chanu Manmohini Devi (), a Meitei queen of Tripura, wife of Tripuri King Bir Chandra Manikya, and also the first female self photographer of India.
 Sorokhaibam Gambhini (), a Meitei poetess from Tripura, who won the Sahitya Akademi Award 2023.
 Konjengbam Sarita Devi (), a Meitei writer who represented Tripura in the "All India Women Writers' meet" organized by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.
 Nirmala Sinha (), a Meitei woman from Barasurma village in Dhalai District, who was awarded the National Handloom Award 2023 by the Ministry of Textile, Government of India.

 Related articles 
 Meitei people in Assam
 Meitei people in Bangladesh
 Meitei people in Myanmar

 Notes 

 References 

 Other websites 

Category:Meitei people
Category:Tripura