Khuman Khamba

**Khuman Khamba** () or **Moirang Khamba** () is a man of the Khuman clan and the hero of the epic poem the Khamba Thoibi. Khamba is in the Moirang Shayon legend in the Moirang Kangleirol stories from Ancient Moirang. He is the son of nobleman Puremba of Ancient Moirang kingdom.

## Early life 
 were taken care of by Kao (bull) for a long time until Khamnu set it free.]]
Khamba's parents died when he was very young.  For a time, their father's friends Nongthonba and Thonglen took care of him and his sister Khamnu. But the two children were not happy with them. So they left and went back to the house they had lived in with their parents. They were happy there even though no one came to help them.

Khamba was brought up by his sister Khamnu. His sister went from place to place to find help and work. She husked paddy for some people. In payment, the women breastfed the infant Khamba. The two siblings grew up. To earn a living, Khamnu sold wood in a market in Moirang. One day, Princess Thoibi met Khamnu. The two became friends. Thoibi asked Khamnu many things. She gave Khamnu food and jewelry. Thoibi asked Khamnu to come with her on a fishing trip in Loktak lake. The king heard that the princess and her companions were to sport on the lake. So he ordered that no man should go to the lake. Khamnu told Khamba about the king's order. On the day of the fishing trip, she left him at home.

Khamba had a dream.

## Lover 
Once Princess Thoibi visited Khamnu's house. Khamnu's old house was full of holes. So, Khamba hid himself within a mat. Thoibi asked Khamnu about the very mat. Khamnu said that it was where she worshipped the god Khuman Pokpa. Thoibi knew Khamba was hiding there, but she pretended she did not know.  She asked if she could pray to the God. She prayed aloud to the God to allow her to worship him daily in the house. Khamba heard her and laughed. Khamba sent his sister to the market to get fruit. When they were alone Thoibi gave Khamba gifts. The made promises before God Khuman Pokpa. Both drank water in which a golden bracelet had been dipped. They vowed to be lovers forever.

## Things he did 
Khuman Khamba is famous for being the very best.  He was what a man should be. He had many adventures. 

Some of his feats are:
# Lifting up a heavy stone slab in a village called Kabui (Nung Thaang-gatpa) 
# Herding the prince's ox (San Senba) 
# Wrestling with Nongban (Mukna Saanaba) 
# Finding orchid flowers (Lei Langba) 
# Winning an unfair race (Pana Lamchel) 
# Catching the dangerous bull (Kao Phaba) 
# Hunting in the Torbung region (Torbung Sadaanba) 
# Killing the Khoirentak tiger (Kei Phaba) 
### Wrestling with Nongban: Khamba's identity and fame 
Khamba went out among the menfolk. He joined a wrestling club. Nongban was the best wrestler in the kingdom. He asked Khamba to wrestle with him. To everyone's surprise, Nongban lost to Khamba. Minister Nongthonba asked Khamba his name. At first, Khamba did not want to say who he was. He had already warned by his sister not to tell anyone about his true identity. Later, he told his name. But he did not tell his father's name.

### Finding the orchid flowers 
 danceing]]
King Chingkhu Telheiba made Khamba the *"Khuntak Leiroi Hanjaba"* (Floriculture Minister).  This meant it was Khamba's job to find flowers in the hills and bring them back. 
Kongyamba sent his men to learn how Khamba got the food. In the Palace, they asked the *"Ningon Lakpa"* (women affairs minister) if there had been a feast. 

During the dancing ceremony, Kongyamba and his noble wives danced first. Later, Khamba and Thoibi danced before God Thangjing's holy shrine. The latter's pairing was great. The audiences shouted with joy during the dance. Finally, Khamba and Thoibi knelt before God Thangjing.

### Winning the race: Annual Sports Championship 
Nongban Kongyamba was jealous of Khamba. Every year, the rulers of each Pana (State Province) chose a man to go to the kingdom's sports contest. Khamba's ruler chose him. Nongban's ruler chose him.  That year, the contest's foot race was longer than it had been before.  Khamba and Nongban both ran a race: Khamba far very fast with his chest low. Nongban ran fast with his head high. Nongban could not run fast for as far as Khamba could.
Khamnu shouted "Run on Khamba, for your father's honor." Finally, Khamba ran to the end of the race. He was the winner, and Kongyamba was second. Both saluted the king. The king was more pleased with Khamba. He gave Khamba a coat with gold thread in it. The queen gave Khamba very good clothes. The ministers also gave him gifts.
Khamba and his sister Khamnu offered many of the clothes to the old men and women. Kongyamba told the King,
"God Thangjing had spoken in my ears and I have his behest upon me. Verily said the God, I am sated with offerings of flesh and fish, but this year, my heart longs for the sweet savour of the flesh of the mighty bull that lurks in the reeds that border the water of the lake. My servant Khamba vows that he will bring it for my honor and for the welfare of the State."
The king of Moirang told Khuman he could marry Princess Thoibi hand if he caught the bull. Then the king of Moirang and the king of Khuman both agreed the people could come watch.  They built a large arena and many people came.
Khamba did everything as his sister told him to do. The wild bull became calm. Khamba put a rope on the bull and began to walk back to the arena.  But Kongyamba came and pretended he had caught the bull.  He lied to the people. He said he had caught the bull and not Khamba.  The two kings did not know who told the truth. So they asked Kongyamba to fight the bull again, where people could see. Kongyamba was afraid of the bull and climbed away. Khamba faced the bull bravely. He once again captured the bull. After some time, her father changed his mind. So, Thoibi was asked to come back from the exile. Meanwhile, Thoibi's father secretly told Nongban Kongyamba to forcibly elope his daughter from her return journey. 
Thoibi met Nongban. She pretended to be friendly with him. She asked him to let her ride on his horse. He agreed. So, Thoibi rode Kongyamba's horse. 
Surprisingly, Thoibi galloped off on the horse towards Khamba's house. Khamba received her from the long time exile at his house. They wept for their reunion.  The place where Khamba killed the tiger was near a Kom village. 
The King offered rich gifts to Khamba. He offered him great lands. Khamba was also given the rights of fishery, clothes of honor and titles of high fame. He was made the master of a salt-well.
Khamba went to a hill village of a tribesmen group. He sought help from Kabui Salang Maiba, the tribal chief. The tribal chief offered him two basketful of fruits. The chief also added some gifts for the princess Thoibi, his sister Khamnu and for Khamba himself.
On the day of gift reception, Kongyamba brought his gifts. At his 
arrival, Thoibi pretended to fell with fever. So, Thoibi's father told Kongyamba the princess' health condition. Then, Kongyamba left. Few moments later, the Crown Prince had gone to met the King. Thoibi instantly arose. Gifts from Khamba were received by the Queens and their maids warmly.
As a result, they fought. Khamba threw Kongyamba's men upon the ground. Khamba knelt upon Kongyamba's belly. He pressed Kongyamba's throat. He was about to kill Kongyamba. But Kongyamba's men dragged Khamba off. They beat Khamba. His clothes were torn. They bound him so that he could not move. The Prince also came up on his elephant. He told the men to beat him. They fastened him to the elephant's leg with ropes. However, the elephant driver knew that Khamba was innocent. So, he bound him leaving him some spaces to breathe.
Then they stimulated the elephant to harm Khamba. But God Thangjing let it not to move. Finally, Kongyamba hit the elephant with a spear to move in pain. But it did not harm Khamba. 
In that night, Goddess Panthoibi told Thoibi in her dream that her beloved man was bound by her father’s orders to the elephant and was nearly killed. Thoibi arose and took a sword. She immediately came to the spot for Khamba. The criminals feld from the spot. She cut the ropes that bound Khamba to the elephant. She rubbed his limbs so that blood could flow through them.
### Kao, the sacred bull 
In 2010, the Laihui Ensemble produced an opera named *"Kao, the sacred bull"*. It is based on the story of capturing Kao (bull) by Khamba.
### Khambana Kao Phaba 
In 2019, a painting titled "Khambana Kao Phaba" (Lit. Khamba capturing the bull) was exhibited in the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) Museum, Bhopal.
### Kao Faba 
In 2020, the legend of Khamba capturing Kao (bull) was produced in its theatrical form named as "Kao Faba". It was displayed in the Iboyaima Shummang Leela Shanglen, Palace Compound, Imphal.

## Related pages 
* Khamba Thoibi
* Nongban
## References 
## Other websites