MWGSN and IIC: Press Release and Book Launch: The Cheitharol Kumbaba – Jan 30

Date: Monday, 30^th January 2012

30^th January 2012:  Manipur is presently is one of the most conflict-ridden states in India. Over 20,000 people have been killed in the last five decades. Today more than 30 armed groups operate in Manipur – ranging from small outfits to organizations with several thousand members. Besides them, dozens of battalions of the Indian Army and several units of Indian paramilitary forces are stationed throughout the state at the Indo-Burma-border.

However, very few know that the state was an independent kingdom with 3000 years of written history. Manipur literal meaning Mani- Gems and Pur-land is a beautiful state that nestles deep within a lush green corner of North East India. Late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India, paid a fitting tribute by describing it as “Jewel of India”. It is surrounded by blue hills with an oval shaped valley at the centre, rich in art and tradition and surcharged with nature’s pristine glory. Manipur lies on a melting pot of culture. It is birth place of Polo, a home for rich handloom and handicraft products.

The subject covers every aspect of Manipur and throws much light on relation with neighbouring areas namely Burma, Tripura and Assam as well as more distant areas like Bengal and Vindravan. Wildlife and shikar were always a popular sport with royalty all over the world, but one is amazed with the frequency of references about tigers and the mention of capture of 63 elephants in a single episode in 1780 Saka (1858 AD) during the reign of Maharaja Churachand Singh. Tiger conservationists will be no less alarmed when they compare today’s situation with the sizable tiger population of the past. There is also mention of a Raja of Assam seeking the then Manipur King’s help with a physician for his prolonged illness in 1770 Saka (1848 AD), and being cured in 6 months time.

No less surprising is the reference to very frequent earthquake and the number of lunar eclipses. The Manipuries were always keen sportsmen and their love for various sports and the game of polo are often mentioned in this volume. The accurate prophecies of Manipuri astrologers are highlighted as compared to their counterparts elsewhere. All in all, this is a volume with a mine of information which will throw much light on many burning subjects of today, whether historical or political, and these are aptly explained in the Foreword and Preface by two eminent personalities.

In addition the opinion of Marcus Thompson, MBA, BA, M.Phil., Oxford, UK, sums up the importance of this work.“As a foreigner and visitor to Manipur, interested in its history, I have been limited to reading the memories of British Political Agents (which in themselves are fascinating) but give a very one-sided perspective, and only one of events during the British period. Nepram Bihari’s book, The Royal Chronicle of Manipur changes this. The Chronicle focuses on events at Court, political and military upheavals, births, deaths, ceremonies… and tiger hunts. It also records other notable events, like earthquakes, droughts, floods and food shortages. There are elements of social, subaltern history also included, recording what ordinary Manipuries and their neighbours were doing. This translation into English makes available an unrivalled record of events to a wider audience.”

Also according to Former Governor of Nagaland and Manipur, O.N. Shrivastava “Dealing chronologically with the life, times and event during the reign of 76 kings-from lord Pakhangba (33 A.D.) to Maharajah Bodhchandra (1955 A.D.) it is by any standard an exhaustive compilation, replete with footnotes, glossary, references and agreements including the one between Maharaja Bodh Chandra and government of India. The book fills a historic void and needs to be valued as integral to the continuing cultural freedom of our country.The author by translating Manipur’s history from the Meitei script into English, has made almost 2000 years of developments in Manipur available to the global leader.”

On 30^th January 2012, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network & India International Centre are jointly organising Manipur – Past And Present: Panel Discussion & Book Launch Cheitharol Kumbaba: The Royal Chronicle Of Manipur written by Shri Nepram Bihari, at Conference Room No 1, India International Centre 40 Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi- 3, 6.30 pm.

Smt Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, Honourable Member of Parliament, will be the Chieft guest of the event, Mr. B G Verghese, renown writer, will chair the event, ShriPradyot Deb Burman, Head of Royal House of Tripura and Editor, The Northeast Today will be the Guest of Honour of the event and esteemed panelist of the event include Dr.Aparna Basu, Professor, University of Delhi (retired) and Ms. Priyanka Thakur, Lecturer, University of Delhi.

For more information, interviews etc. please contact:

Ms Binalakshmi Nepram

Founder, Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, Email: Binalakshmi AT gmail.com

Sujata.rk3 AT gmail.com

Website: www.cafi-online.org   Phone: 011- 46018541, Fax: +91-11-26166234