Chandrakirti Jila Changba

(Manipur), riding on elephants, on the way to “Jila Durbar” (“Jila Darbar”) to meet Lord Northbrook, the then Viceroy of India]]

The **Chandrakirti Jila Changba ()**, also known as the **Visit of Chandrakirti to Cachar, 1876**, or the '''King Chandrakirti's meeting with the Viceroy on the bank of the Barak river''', is a classical Meitei language literary text. It records the historic visit of Maharaja Chandrakirti to meet the British Viceroy and Governor General Lord North Brooke in 1876.

## Background 
In 1876, Maharaja Chandrakirti of Manipur received an invitation from Lord North Brooke to meet him on a yacht on the River Barak at Silchar, locally called Jila. Initially, the king suspected the British motives, but he did not want to offend them. He prepared for the meeting with a large retinue and armed personnel.

## Composition 
The text begins with a customary invocation addressed to Lord Vishnu, Sri Ramchandra, and Sri Govindaji. It praises the virtues and prowess of Maharaja Chandrakirti, also called Naojinglen Nongdren Khomba. The narrative starts with the receipt of Lord North Brooke’s letter, delivered through Mr. Brown, the Political Agent in Manipur.

While the king was eager to meet the British head, his officials feared it was a trap similar to the one faced by his ancestor King Khagemba in the sixteenth century. Chandrakirti reassured his officials, mother, and queens, and personally oversaw preparations for the journey across mountains and rivers.

## Royal journey 
 (Manipur), riding on the Meitei royal elephants]]

The journey involved careful planning and large-scale preparations:

* A contingent of 500 soldiers, skilled craftsmen, and laborers cleared roads and built rest houses.

* Suspension bridges were constructed over turbulent rivers.

* Separate groups of musicians and guards were assigned to secure ports of call, including Lakhipur in Cachar.

The king set out riding a decorated chestnut horse. He was accompanied by elephants, attendants carrying sacred icons, and musicians. Five hundred soldiers marched ahead, with canons firing and conches blown, creating a grand procession.

## Reception and conference 
On arrival, the Meitei king received a ceremonial reception by two thousand British troops. The king was flanked by his sons Kulachandra and Pheijaosana, and shaded by a canopy. The writers compared the scene to Soraren, the god of heaven, moving among divine beings.

During the conference, the king was accompanied by attendants holding fans, guards with swords, and musicians playing chamor. Lord North Brooke praised the king’s appearance, noting his grace both by day and night. The meeting discussed British plans to change outposts for trade and road construction. Chandrakirti returned home content and offered a feast and religious songs (Sankirtana) in gratitude to Sri Govindaji.

## Divine elements 
The text includes supernatural events to emphasize the king’s divine qualities:

* At a site where his ancestor Charairongba was struck by lightning, the guardian goddess Yumjao Leima appeared in human form.

* At the hill-river Eerang, the king saw Pakhangba, a divine snake, symbolizing protection.

* On the eve of the Cachar conference, Sri Govinda appeared in a dream, along with Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, to reassure the king.

## Heroic feats 
Chandrakirti inspired courage in his men.

* Leishang Jatra, a strong royal attendant, saved people when a cane-and-bamboo bridge over the River Gwai collapsed.

* Maibya Tamra Singh carried offerings and a royal document across nine mountain ranges within four days to fulfill the king’s wish before the conference.

These feats remain celebrated in the Khongjom Parva ballad.

## Style and legacy 
The writers used a noble, lucid style, avoiding foreign words while employing original periphrases. The work is valued for its originality and literary grace. Chandrakirti Jila Changba is considered the last major text in pre modern Meitei literature (Manipuri literature), with no subsequent comparable works.

## Related pages 
* Awaa Ngamba
* Khahi Ngamba
* Samsok Ngamba
* Takhel Ngamba
* Chingthangkhomba Maharaja Ganga Chatpa

## References