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Meitei people in Tripura

Meetei Mayek
This article contains the Meitei alphabet. Without proper rendering support, you may see errors in display.

The Meitei people (Meitei: ꯃꯩꯇꯩ ꯀꯥꯡꯂꯨꯞ), also called Manipuri people (Meitei: ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯀꯥꯡꯂꯨꯞ), is one of the minority ethnic groups in Tripura. Meiteis call the land of Tripura as "Takhel" (Meitei: ꯇꯈꯦꯜ) or "Takhen" (Meitei: ꯇꯈꯦꯟ) in their language.[4][5] In September 2020, their population was estimated to be approximately 23,779.[6]

Tripura Meiteis
(Meitei people in Tripura)
Cultural flag of the Meiteis
Manmohini Devi, one of the Meitei queens of Tripura, and the first female self photographer of India[1]
Total population
23,779[2] (2020)
Languages
Meitei language
(officially known as Manipuri language)
Religion
Majority:
Hinduism
Minority:
Related ethnic groups
other Indian people

In Agartala, the capital city of Tripura, Meitei speaking population is the fourth largest linguistic group of people, after Bengalis, Tripuris and Hindi speakers, according to 2011 census.[7]

The Tripura Meiteis are recognized under the OBC category in Tripura.[8]

History

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Main articles: History of Tripura, History of Manipur, Meitei history of Assam, and Meitei history of Bangladesh
 
Khuman Chanu Manmohini Devi, one of the Meitei queens of Tripura, with her husband, Bir Chandra Manikya, the king of Tripura[9]

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 Tripuri culture. 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.[10][11][12]

Language

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Main article: Meitei language in Tripura

Meitei language (Meitei: ꯃꯩꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ/মৈতৈ লোন, romanized: Meitei Lon), also known as the Manipuri language (Meitei: ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯂꯣꯟ/মণিপুরী লোন, romanized: Manipuri Lon),[13] 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.[14]

Meitei language was introduced in Tripura University since 2023.[15]

Displacement

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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.[16]

There were around 150 Meitei villages in Tripura during independence of India (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.[17][18]

Culture

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Main article: Meitei culture

Clothing

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Innaphi (Meitei: ꯏꯟꯅꯐꯤ) is a traditional Meitei cloth. A Meitei woman from Tripura,[a] achieved the National Handloom Award 2023 given by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India for her exceptional craftsmanship and dedication to the traditional art of handloom weaving Innaphi attires.[19]

Meitei women wear numerous traditional clothes such as Rani Phi (Meitei: ꯔꯥꯅꯤ ꯐꯤ), Wangkhei Phi (Meitei: ꯋꯥꯡꯈꯩ ꯐꯤ), Moirang Phi (Meitei: ꯃꯣꯏꯔꯥꯡ ꯐꯤ), Phige (Meitei: ꯐꯤꯒꯦ) and Phanek (Meitei: ꯐꯅꯦꯛ). Meitei menfolk wear Khudei (Meitei: ꯈꯨꯗꯩ).[20]

Festivals

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Main article: Meitei 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.[21] Some of its celebrations are helped by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of Tripura, alongside the traditional Meitei religious institutions.[22]

Monuments

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Statue of Paona Brajabashi

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In April 2019, Manipuri Literary and Cultural Forum, Tripura and Paona Brajabashi Foundation Tripura, together opened a statue of Paona Brajabasi (Meitei: ꯄꯥꯎꯅꯥ ꯕ꯭ꯔꯖꯕꯥꯁꯤ), a Meitei freedom fighter, to the public in Gouranagar, Tripura.[23]

Statue of Nupi Lan

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In 2023, All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) and Manipuri Literary & Cultural Forum, Tripura, collectively opened a statue of Nupi Lan (Meitei: ꯅꯨꯄꯤ ꯂꯥꯟ) to the public, at Gournagar in Khowai district, Tripura.[24]

Performing arts

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Manipuri dance performance in Agartala, Tripura

Manipuri Raas Leela (Meitei: ꯖꯒꯣꯏ ꯔꯥꯁ) is celebrated as a big festival by the Meitei Hindus in Tripura.[25] Wari Leeba (Meitei: ꯋꯥꯔꯤ ꯂꯤꯕ) is a traditional Meitei storytelling art tradition. Its popularity is declining among the Meiteis of Tripura.[26][27]

Religions

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Main articles: Traditional Meitei religion and Meitei Hindus

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.[28] The pantheon of Meitei deities of traditional Meitei religion (Sanamahism) is also kept alive by the Meiteis in Tripura. Notably, the Lai Haraoba (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯏ ꯍꯔꯥꯎꯕ) religious festival is annually celebrated in honour of numerous deities, especially God Puthiba (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯄꯨꯊꯤꯕ).[29][30][31][32]

Groups

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Notable people

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  • Khoisnam Birola (ꯃꯩꯇꯩ: ꯈꯣꯏꯁꯅꯥꯝ ꯕꯤꯔꯣꯂꯥ) a meitei poet from Agartala has been appointed as member in meitei Language Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi,New Delhi (2023 - 2027). She is the first meitei women who become member from outside Manipur [39]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ simultaneously with another Meitei woman from Manipur for the same cause

References

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  1. ^ Sharma, Kamayani (2024-03-04). "A 19th-century Indian queen's photographic work has been obscured by history". Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  2. ^ "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue - Tripura". census.gov.in. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  3. ^ "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue - Tripura". census.gov.in. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  4. ^ Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary". dsal.uchicago.edu (in Manipuri and English). University of Chicago. p. 74. Retrieved 2024-05-29. takhel ꯇꯈꯦꯜ /tə.kʰel/ n. a former name of present Tripura (a northeast state of India), as known to the Manipuris.
  5. ^ "Tripura Meiteis living in misery, want Manipur government to look into the matter : 19th aug19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  6. ^ "C-16 Population By Mother Tongue - Tripura". census.gov.in. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  7. ^ "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India" (PDF). nclm.nic.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  8. ^ Press, Imphal Free (2013-03-25). "Meitei Manipuris in Tripura: lost moorings and old ties – KanglaOnline". Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  9. ^ Sharma, Kamayani (2024-03-04). "A 19th-century Indian queen's photographic work has been obscured by history". Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  10. ^ Bhattacharjee, Dr Bishwajit. "Matrimonial Alliances between the royal houses of Tripura and Manipur in the days of monarchy". Academia.
  11. ^ Singha, Memchaton. "Manipuri Queens in the Royal House of Tripura". Academia.
  12. ^ Singha, Memchaton. "Matrimonial Alliances between the Royal Houses of Tripura and Manipur in the Days of Monarchy". SSRN 2489572.
  13. ^ "Manipuri language | Manipuri language | Meitei, India, Tibeto-Burman | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 15 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Aboutus | Directorate of Kokborok & Other Minority Languages". kokborokoml.tripura.gov.in.
  15. ^ "TU to introduce Manipuri language, dance : 20th jul23 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  16. ^ "TRIPURA REBELS TARGET MANIPURIS".
  17. ^ "Tripura Meiteis living in misery, want Manipur government to look into the matter : 19th aug19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  18. ^ Takhellambam, Rabi (2019-08-18). "Tripura Meiteis living in misery, want Manipur government to look into the matter". News from Manipur - Imphal Times. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  19. ^ Irom, Bit (2024-07-29). "Two Meitei women from Manipur and Tripura gets National Handloom Award". NORTHEAST NOW. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  20. ^ "Meeteis in Tripura longing to learn making of traditional attires : 21st aug19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  21. ^ Press, Imphal Free (2015-01-14). "Tripura govt lists Meitei Lai Haraoba as state holiday – KanglaOnline". Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  22. ^ Arora, Sumit (2020-01-03). "'Lai Haraoba' ritualistic festival begins in Tripura". adda247. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  23. ^ "Paona Brajabashi statue unveiled in Tripura : 24th apr19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net.
  24. ^ "Nupilan statue unveiled at Gournagar". www.thesangaiexpress.com.
  25. ^ Das, Pinaki (2023-11-27). "Manipuris in Tripura celebrate Maha Raas festival". Northeast Live. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  26. ^ "Wari Leeba: The Declining Storytelling Tradition of the Meiteis of Manipur and Tripura – Journal of North East India Studies". Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  27. ^ Singha, Sukla. "Wari Leeba: The Declining Storytelling Tradition of the Meiteis of Manipur and Tripura Journal of North East India Studies". Academia.
  28. ^ Das, Pinaki (2023-11-27). "Manipuris in Tripura celebrate Maha Raas festival". Northeast Live. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  29. ^ "Tripura: 5-day Laining-thou Puthiba Lai Haraoba festival concludes". Northeast Live. 2022-01-18. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  30. ^ "'Lai Haraoba' Festival begins in Tripura – GKToday". www.gktoday.in. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  31. ^ "CM Biren offers prayers at Lainingthou Puthiba Temple, says will set up Manipur Bhawan in Tripura". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  32. ^ "Ibudhou Puthiba Haraoba festival underway in Tripura : 28th dec17 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  33. ^ Sharma, Kamayani (2024-03-04). "A 19th-century Indian queen's photographic work has been obscured by history". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
  34. ^ Irom, Bit (2023-12-21). "Tripura's Sorokhaibam Gambhini bags Sahitya Akademi award for Manipuri literature". NORTHEAST NOW.
  35. ^ "Tripura poet wins Sahitya Akademi award for Manipuri composition".
  36. ^ "Sorokhaibam Gambhini to receive Sahitya Academy Award". Imphal Free Press.
  37. ^ "Manipuri writer Sarita Devi from Tripura takes part in All India Women Writers' meet : 10th mar19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net.
  38. ^ Irom, Bit (2024-07-29). "Two Meitei women from Manipur and Tripura gets National Handloom Award". NORTHEAST NOW. Retrieved 2024-09-28. 
[39] Khoisnam Birola appointed Manipuri Language Advisory Board member (03 Apr 2023), The Sangai Express,
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