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Meitei-Shan Relation
(From the Earliest Time to King Garibaniwaz)
By Heishnam Nilakanta
An Overview
It is said that the plateau is the cradle of different races and the river valley is a flourishing ground of the civilizations of the people. Manipur is a plateau, which consists of the hills and
the plains. This physical position thrills young researchers to rethink
the origin of the theory of the Meiteis. While the wide arch-shaped region
of the Southern Yunnan Plateau and the Shillong plateau are the home grounds of the Shans and
Mon-Khmers, probably the original home-place of the forefathers of the Meiteis is not far from the present valley but not beyond the present hill ranges.
It is believed that forefathers of the Meiteis were the hill people in the remote past. They mainly inhabited the Koubru ranges and its adjoining areas like Kanglatombi and Kangpokpi (1), Nongpok Keithelmanbi, Tharon cave and Kangkhui cave (2). However, they came down from the tableland, hill caves and surrounding areas towards the river valley after the formation of Imphal valley due to uplift in the southern mountain which led to reversal of the drainage system and pounding of water in the area where the lakes and swamps are found (3). When they entered the present Manipur valley, they were a least cultural possessed people. In this stage they were very busy to build up society by absorbing, amalgamating and suppressing the weaker ones.
The geographical position of Manipur clearly shows that the Shan territory is the direct northeastern neighbor of the kingdom of Manipur. According to Professor Fang Gouya of Yunnan University, "the ancient Shan races used to dwell in the wide arch-shaped region extending from the Red River to the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy River reaching as far as Manipur in India, that is the region covering what is now Laos, Northern Thailand, the Shan State of Burma, the Assam State of India and also the Southeastern part of Yunnan. He further states that ever since the first appearance of human beings in this region, it has been inhabited by the Shan races, the settlement has gradually thrived and developed" (4). Chen Lufan writes that the Shan people originated from the Homo Orientalis found at Yuanmou (5).
Of course, "the population of Tai communities of interior upland South East Asia steadily increased during the first millennium of the Christian era. Under such prevailing ecological and political conditions, there was found a slow expansion of Tai population in a western and southern direction. The coastal lowlands to the east and northeast were controlled and thickly inhabited by powerful Chinese and Vietnamese States. But the upland river valleys to the west and southwest, northern Laos and southern Yunnan were thinly populated by aboriginal Austronesian and Austroasiatic speaking groups who were the forefathers. Therefore, the expansion and movement of the Tais, according to their early chronicles phenomenon would make to hasten the widespread Tai migration and movement.
Manipur was the oasis surrounded by the barbarian, served as a harbor of different ethnic groups. Those immigrants who entered into the valley of Manipur would be provided the chance for further migration by hazardous mountain chains and the valley supplied abundantly all the livelihood materials. Neither in search of new areas nor as a usual military expedition in different successive period, a number of Tai-Long or Great Tai entered through Manipur valley. However, these Tais would come to Manipur through Maring Hills or Heirok ranges and up the course of Manipur River. Another route must be the northern Somara hill track via Samsok or Thngdut. "The Tai ethnic groups who came to Manipur in pre-state formation were the Kakching, Kabo, Khamaran, Senbi Khaki, Haokha and Lokha, Iwang Kouba, Kege, Ngangoi etc." These immigrants would contribute a considerable section of the population to form each clan communities of Manipur.
During the high time of the process of the Meitei state formation, a horde of the Shan immigrant led by Poireiton came to settle in Manipur. He was forced to acknowledge Pakhangba's suzerainty. Later on, his group was known as Ahallup. Another hordes of Shan immigrants led by different leaders like Thongaren, Nganghunthok, Nungouimthong, Khaba Panthong, and Poinaota etc. came to settle in Manipur. They readily accepted to amalgamate to the newly emerged Meitei society. King Pakhangba allowed Thongaren's group to settle at Nonglen Chingkhong (foothill) and came to be recognized as Naharup. Nganhunthok's groups were allowed to settle on Thanghi area. Nungouithong's group was ordered to settle in southeast. Khaba Phanthong's group planned to settle in the southeast. Khaba Phanthong's group planned to inhabit the northwest region (8). Poireiton Khunthokpa's text gives detailed information regarding the bringing of the edible and non-edible items, artisans and cattle rearers (9).
According to D.K. Wayatt, "Characteristically, a Tai ruler would gather together the man of his muang (country) and form them into a military expedition, usually under the leadership of his sons. They would conquer or simply colonize a distant region and settle it with families from the parent muang, who would turn the forest into rice-fields and settle in organized communities ruled by the young prince. The ruler might organize such campaigns for a whole succession of his sons giving each a principality of his own to rule while enhancing the power of the parent muang. Sons might thus be sent out in order of their seniority, leaving the youngest son to inherit the domains of his father (10). In the case of Khun-Samlong, the brother of Maoshan ruler Hso Hkan Hpa, he was sent on expeditions to western countries purely for colonization.
The royal chronicle Cheitharol Kumbaba records that "after his expedition to Pasha (Bangal), Khun-Samlong proceeded to Tripura. From Tripura he entered into Manipur valley near Moirang and stayed at Apong Ingkhol (homestead of Pongs) for ten years" (11). Ney Elias in his Introductory sketch of the History of the Shans mentions that Khun-Samlong undertook his third expedition of Manipur (12), but in Hsen Wi chronicle the whole episode of Khun-Samlong's visit in Manipur was completely silent. According to Cheitharol Kumbaba the coming of Khun-Samlong (brother of Maoshan King Hso Hkan Hpa) in Manipur was during the reign of Naothingkhong who ruled Manipur from 663 A.D. to 763 AD (13). However, in the context of Mao-Shan, according to Hsen-Wi-Chronicle the period ruled by Hso Hkan Hpa, brother of the great general Khun-Sam-Long was from 1152 AD (514BE) to 1205 AD (567BE) (14). On the other hand, in his Early History of Manipur, W. Ibohal Singh fixed the date of Khun-Sam-Long's visit to Manipur at 1215 AD. During his tenure in the Meitei Kingdom, his main task was to change the habit and general way of life of the people (15). R.B. Pemberton writes that Khun-Sam-Long in consideration of extreme poverty of the Manipur territory remitted all tributes and appeared to have directed the adoption of certain observance in dress and diet, instructed to improve the habit and manner of the people who were in lowest stage civilization."(16).
As a usual routine i.e. military expedition, the seven divisions of the Shans attacked the Ikok lake region of Khuman principality. The Khumans were severely defeated and the Khuman territory was divisioned. The helpless Khumans sought military assistance from the Meitei King Khumonba (17) and hatched a strategy to defend and counter attack. With thunderous war cries, the Shans marched and attacked and in the fight Khuman Nganba Harukok was killed by the Shan attackers. There was tremendous pressure in the detachment area of the Poirei; so the king rode out his horse and with sword in his hand thundered and dispersed the seven divisions of the Shans. Several Shans were captured as war captives (18).
It was during the reign of Ningthouba that for the first time a Meitei king undertook an attack on foreign soil by crossing the mountain barrier. The Meitei kings always employed the means of plunder and destruction; but they had little idea of setting up control over the conquered areas of the Kabaw Valley. Such policy continued till the accession of Kyamba. King Ningthoukhomba made a secret survey in the Moirang Leiji Lam (South Western area). At that time, one Khuman immigrant named Amutarausu resided on the bank of the Loktak Lake of Kege, sent the official (Lambu) in charge of Chakpa village Konkhang Laichouba and another of Moirang to Tamu to set up a friendly relation. At Tamu King Ningthoukhomba with his noble Kongkhang Laichouba made a secret strategy to attack the Shan village of Tamu. At night the Meitei soldiers attacked and entered each and every Shan house. They chopped the head of the Queen of the Shan Chief. At the same night the Meitei soldiers returned to Poirei. The annoyed chief took a vow to avenge the assassination of his queen by killing Konkhang. The Lambu requested to identify the real raiders by checking the area where they took meal and leftovers of their food packets and found that they belonged to Moirang as the food packets found were covered with thamna. The Tamu chief therefore blamed the Moirang for the attack and Lambu was saved.
Accordingly the Kabaw-Meitei combined force invaded Moirang and defeated the Moirangs (19). Once again in 1443, Ningthoukhomba invaded Akla Chingdompok inhabited by the Kabaw Shans from five directions. A large number of Kabaw Shans were massacred. In this battle, the Meitei king captured the elephant of the Akla Chief and soldiers as war booties (20).
The reign of Meidingu Thangwai Ningthouba popularly known as Kyamba marked the commencement of the opening of a new chapter regarding the Meitei-Shan relation. In a greater extent, the power of the Meitei State in the middle of the 15th century AD was highly reflected in the military aggrandizement and territorial expansion (21). Besides the raid and plunder, the establishment of Meitei control was inaugurated during his time. However, Khekhomba the king of the Pong kingdom proposed to join in a combined military expedition in the Trans-Chindwin basin in 1470 (22). The invasion was a great success. The most important feature of the Meitei-Shan relation during the reign of King Kyamba was the conclusion of a friendship treaty, which was the dynamic cause for the fixation of the boundary between the Pong and the Meitei.
Cheitharol khumbaba- the royal chronicle records the terms clearly: "In the north east, Mungkhong Mungyong was handed over to Manipur and the area of the dwarf mango groves was given to Pong; in the east, it was upto Loijiri hills, in the south upto Miyotong. Regarding Samjok (Thangdut) the eastern portion was handed over to Pong and the western portion was handed over to Manipur". G. Kabui states that "the major portion of Kabaw Valley was annexed to Manipur" (23), after such friendship treaty.
After the death of King Kyamba, about more than a half century there was no competent successor who could continue to maintain a strong political grip over the Shans of Kabaw Valley. But King Mungyamba was able to re-establish Meitei control over Kabaw valley. In 1565, King Mungyamba dispatched an expedition to Munkhong in the eastern fringe of the Kabaw Valley. By defeating the Shan ruler of Mungyang, the Meiteis captured several guns, a golden statue of a cock, five chiefs, horses and a war messenger. Besides these, the king defeated as many as one hundred chiefs and Thamung, the chief of Akla. In 1571, 1572, 1582 and 1597, the king respectively invaded the Shan areas of Kabaw Valley. The most notable work carried out by King Mungyamba was making Khamran as a boundary line between Manipur and the Shan states in 1578.
It is rather appropriate to mention that King Khagemba paid more attention to the consolidation work of the conquered areas than vast military conquests. Therefore, all of his military campaigns in Kabaw Valley were mainly against the tributary states. In 1602 king Khagemba dispatched an expedition against Kyang. By defeating Kyang king Chou-Seng, he captured 177 captives (25), Queen Chou-Soi and one temple builder. All houses of the Kyangs were also destroyed in the expedition. He also raided tje Chakpa village of Ango Ching (Ango Hill) (26). King Kyamba also invaded Samsok in 1607 in which he took sixty people as captives. In 1614 and 1647, King Khagemba made a series of raids against Kyang. In 1632 a number of Shans came to settle in Manipur (27). There were some minor raids were carried by King Khunjaoba and his successor Paikhomba.
It was during the reign of Charairongba that there a relaxation of Meitei control over the Kabaw Valley for almost twelve years. This highly encouraged the Burmese to encroach the said area. Hence, King Garibaniwaz fought not only the Shan chiefs but also the newly encroaching Burmese in the Kabaw Valley area. Cheitharol Khumbaba records that King Garibaniwaz sent seven military expeditions against Samjok in 1717, 1720, 1737 and 1748.
In fact, the Meitei-Shan contact brought a manifold impact in different spheres. From time to time the Shans entered Manipur from the time of pre-state formation down to the 18th century AD. Probably the Shan immigrants were absorbed and amalgamated by either force or conciliation. They contributed a sizeable section of population to form the clans like the Mangang, the Luwang, the Angom, Khaba Nganba and the Chenglei etc. By and large such happenings would definitely bring a technological, cultural advancement and socio-political development. The immigrants and war prisoners (Shans) were gradually integrated into Meitei society. It helped increase the population of the kingdom.
The beginning of the conquest of the Kabaw Valley by crossing the mountain barriers indicated the strength of military aggrandizement and territorial expansion. The occupation of the Kabaw Valley further reflected the state apparatus and the development of state in a full-fledged scale. It was during the reign of King Kyamba, that Manipur became an internationally recognized power, when he concluded a friendship treaty with Pong king Khikhomba.
In every raid conducted by the Meitei kings to the Kabaw Valley area, they plundered wealth as war booty. It would help to enhance revenue of the Kingdom. The control of the Kabaw Valley enabled the Meitei King to possess rich agricultural products as well as vast natural resources, which could make Manipur a rich and powerful state.
The establishment of the contact between these two nations and the integration of the Shans to the Meitei society had an impact on technological advancement and development in economic activities. In fact, a great innovation was brought in the making of fishing tools like kabawloo (a fishing trap made of small piece of bamboo), Taijeploo (a fishing trap made of piece of bamboo and cane), metal pots like gong and Senbung, cotton thread processing pots and tools like Lashing Pondeng (a cylindrical shaped pot made of pieces of bamboo and cane), Huitre (bow like tool by using Huitre cotton is made of fiber inside Lashing Pondreng), Kaptreng (a tool which is made of wood to take out cotton seeds), Tawot (a tool to roll threads) etc.
Footnotes:
1. B. Kulachandra Sharma, "Ancient principal Tribes of Manipur with special reference to Hill Tribes", The S.R. Institute of Manipur Studies, 1987, Imphal, p1.
2. N. Sanajaoba (Ed.), "Manipur Past and Present", New Delhi, 1986, pp. 59-60.
3. Sultan Ahmed Ansari, "Aspects of the Geography of Manipur", Delhi, 1985, p.3.
4. Chen Lufan, "Whence Come the Thai Race - An Inquiry", Kunmeng, 1989, pp.129-30.
5. Ibid, 135
6. D.K. Wyatt, "Thailand: A Short History", New Haven, 1984, p.5.
7. B. Kulachandra Sharma, op. cit., pp. 2 & 7.
8. O. Bhogeshwor Singh, "Ningthourel Sheireng Ahanba Saruk", Imphal, 1967, pp.190 91.
9. M. Chandra Singh,"Poireiton Khunthong", Imphal, 1995, pp.8-9
10. D.K. Wyatt, op. cit., p.9.
11. L. Ibungohal & N. Khelchandra (Ed), "Cheitharol Kumbaba", Imphal, 1967.
12. J. George Scott, J.P. Hardiman, I.C.S. (Compiled). "Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan State", in five volumes, Rangoon, 1900,p.223.
13. J.George Scott, J.P. Hardiman, op.cit.,p. 239.
14. Ibid., pp. 228, 241.
15. W. Ibohal Singh, "A History of Manipur (An Early Period), Imphal, 1986, p.54.
16. R.B. Pemberton, "A Report on the North Eastern Frontier of British India, 1935, Calcutta, p.23.
17. "Cheitharol Kumbaba", op. cit., p. 10.
18. Bhogeshwor Singh, Ningthourol Lambuba", Imphal, 1987, pp. 167-68.
19. Ibid., pp. 218-222.
20. Ibid., pp. 224-225.
21. "Cheitharol Kumbaba" op. cit., p.8
22. Ibid., pp. 8-10.
23. Ibid., pp. 19.
24. Ibid., pp. 21.
25. O. Bhogeshwor Singh, op. cit., p. 280-82.
26. "Cheitharol Kumbaba" op. cit., pp. 24,30,33.
27. Ibid. pp. 24.
28. Ibid. pp. 87, 89, 105, 107.
29. A.R. Colhnquon, "Ethnic History of Shans", New Delhi, 1985.
30. Milne Lesline, "Shans at Home ", London, 1910.
(Courtesy: The Orient Vision)
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