The culture of Meitei civilization receives many honours and recognitions in the national level of the Republic of India, either from the Union Government of India or from any other national level associations and organizations. Notably, the Ministry of Culture (India) officially recognises diverse intangible cultural heritages of Meitei people.

A postage stamp of India illustrating Sagol Kangjei (Meitei for 'classical Meitei polo')
Armenian stamp illustrating Manipuri classical dance, the "national dance" of India,[lower-alpha 1] the highest spiritual expression of the worship of Hindu deity Krishna,[4] as well as an intangible cultural heritage of Meitei civilization.[5]
Meitei king Ching Thang Khomba (Meitei for 'Rajarshi Bhagyachandra'), illustrated in a postage stamp of India

Architecture

In the Indian Navy

The crest of Indian missile destroyer, INS Imphal, illustrating the Kangla Sanathong (Meitei for 'Kangla Golden Gate') and the Kanglasha dragon lion, two of the most remarkable cultural heritages of the Meitei civilization

The crest of missile destroyer, INS Imphal of the Indian Navy, has an illustration for the Kangla Sanathong (Meitei for 'Kangla Golden Gate'), a part of the Kangla Palace (also called Kangla Fort), the historic seat of administration of the Meitei kings of the Kingdom of Manipur.[6][7][8]

In the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya

During June 2017, the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) of Bhopal built a replica of the Kangla Sanathong (Meitei for 'Kangla Gate'), one of the four entrances to the Kangla Fort, the historic seat of administration of the Meitei kings of Manipur Kingdom. To revitalise the vanishing but valuable cultural heritage of the Meitei civilization, the IGRMS museum added the "Kangla Gate" in the entrance gate of the Open-air Exhibition Tribal Habitat of the museum. The grand Kangla Gate in IGRMS was crafted by a group of seven traditional artisans from Manipur led by Ibomcha Meitei.[9] According to "The Free Press Journal", the number of traditional artisans was fifteen.[10]

During October 2021, a model of the Kangla Sanathong (Meitei for 'Royal Kangla Gate') was exhibited in the 72nd online exhibition series of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS). Kept in the Tribal Habitat Open Air Exhibition of the IGRMS museum, it was displayed online with the informative descriptions including photographs and videos.[11]

Cinema

In the National Film Awards

Clothing

In the Indian Parliament

Since 2023, Kokyet, a Meitei traditional headdress, is used as a uniform item for the marshals of the Indian Parliament (both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha[12][13]), as chosen by the Union Government of India.[14][15] The newly designed Kokyet drew inspiration from the "Salai Taret Kokyet" (Meitei: ꯁꯂꯥꯏ ꯇꯔꯦꯠ ꯀꯣꯛꯌꯦꯠ), possessing seven colours representing seven Meitei clans, combined with another Meitei traditional handicraft "Lamthang Khullak" (Meitei: ꯂꯝꯊꯥꯡ ꯈꯨꯜꯂꯛ).[16][15]

Dance and music

In the Sangeet Natak Akademi

Owing to its huge influences on the diverse cultural heritages across the Indian subcontinent, the Manipuri classical dance is recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi of the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India as one of the few primary classical dance forms of the Republic of India,[5] and is honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Manipuri annually.[17] Owing to the Meitei civilization,[5] the classical dance form, first formally developed by Meitei Hindu king Ching Thang Khomba (Meitei for 'Rajarshi Bhagyachandra') of the Kingdom of Manipur,[18][19][20] is considered to be the highest spiritual expression of the worship of Hindu deity Krishna.[4]

Language

In the 8th schedule to the Constitution of India

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
1. Short title.-This Act may be called the Constitution (Seventy-first Amendment) Act, 1992.
2. Amendment of Eighth Schedule. In the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution,-
(a) existing entry 7 shall be re-numbered as entry 8, and before entry 8 as so re-numbered, the entry "7. Konkani." shall be inserted;
(b) existing entry 8 shall be re-numbered as entry 10, and before entry 10 as so re-numbered, the entry "9. Manipuri." shall be inserted;

(c) existing entries 9 to 15 shall be re-numbered as entries 12 to 18 respectively, and before entry 12 as so re-numbered, the entry "11. Nepali." shall be inserted.

— THE CONSTITUTION (SEVENTY-FIRST AMENDMENT) ACT, 1992, 31st August, 1992[21][lower-alpha 2]

Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language) is one of the scheduled languages of India, meaning one of the official languages of the Indian Republic, recognised by the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.[22]

In the Central Armed Police Forces

Meitei language is selected by the Union Government of India as one of the 13 Indian languages, out of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic, to be used in the recruitment examination of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The decision, for all these 13 languages, was taken by an official agreement between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Staff Selection Commission,[23][24] and it will be converted into action from 1 January 2024.[25][26]

In the Indira Gandhi National Open University

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the largest university in the world, offers education in Meitei language as one of the 14 major "Modern Indian Languages" (MILs) for undergraduate students.[27]

In the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

Meitei language is selected as one of the 5 Indian languages, for publishing information on the Indian heritage by the Indian Government's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sponsored "Northeast Heritage" Web, besides Hindi and English.[28][29]

In the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Meitei language is selected as one of the 14 Indian languages, out of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic, to be made available in the Press Information Bureau (PIB) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India (GOI). The Meitei language versions of the press releases are presently available in Bengali script, but there is plan of changing the script into Meitei script (Manipuri script) in due course of time.[30][31]

In the National Education Policy

Meitei language is one of the 28 languages selected across the world, besides French, Sanskrit, Tamil, etc. to be used in teaching and learning in grades (1-5) by the "Unified District Information System for Education Plus" (UDISE+), as per the reports of the Press Information Bureau (PIB). It is a part of the National Education Policy 2020 started by the Union Cabinet of India.[32][33]

In the Prime Minister's Office

Meitei language is selected as one of the 11 Indian languages, out of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic, to be made available in the official website of the Indian Prime Minister's Office.[34]

In the Staff Selection Commission

Meitei language is one of the 13 Indian languages, out of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic, selected by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) of the Government of India, to be made available in the conduction of the Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff examination across the country. The Staff Selection Commission is one of the biggest job recruiting agencies belonging to the Indian Government. It mainly recruits people to "Group B" (Non-Gazetted Posts) and "Group C" (Non-Technical Posts) in diverse governmental ministries and departments.[35][36]

Literature

In the Sahitya Akademi

With nearly two dozen dailies and a good deal of periodicals,[lower-alpha 3] and more than 1000 ancient and medieval texts, written in Meitei Mayek (Manipuri script),[37] literature of Meitei language had been recognised and honoured by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, as one of the major advanced Indian literary languages, in the year 1971,[38] long before it was recognised by the Seventy-first Amendment of the Constitution of India in 1992.[21]

In the Union Public Service Commission

Meitei literature (also called Manipuri literature) is one of the optional language based subjects availed to the candidates for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions of the Government of India.[39]

Paintings

The Additional Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri K.K. Mittal, visits after inaugurating the 'Poubi Lai-The Story of a Giant Python', Single object exhibition mounted by the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Bhopal in collaboration with National Museum, New Delhi on July 21, 2015.

In the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya

Khambana Kao Phaba (Meitei for 'Khamba capturing Kao bull'), an oil canvas painting by Manipuri artists, depicting the capture of powerful Kao bull by hero Khamba, is one of the most well known museum series "Exhibit of the Month" of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya in India, exhibited for a whole month of July, 2019.[40][41][42][43]

Sculptures

In the Indian Navy

The crest of missile destroyer, INS Imphal of the Indian Navy, bears an illustration for the sculpture of the Kangla Sha (Meitei for 'Kangla's guardian dragon lion'), a divine mythical creature in Meitei mythology, Meitei folklore and Meitei religion.[6][7][8]

In the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya

Sculpture of Poubi Lai, being displayed

A 21 feet long wooden sculpture of Poubi Lai, a mythical creature of Meitei mythology and folklore, was exhibited in the National Museum, New Delhi and then in the Indian Museum, Kolkata,[44] and again in the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Bhopal.[45][46]

In 2015, the National Museum, New Delhi's exhibition of the wooden sculpture of Poubi Lai, the artefact was displayed for 42 days. The carving belongs to the permanent collection of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Bhopal. The object was declared as an "Object of National Importance". It was registered under "AA" Category of the Museum Collections.[47][45][46]

Theatre

In the Sangeet Natak Akademi

In the National School of Drama

In the Bharat Rang Mahotsav

Lairembigee Eshei (Meitei for 'Song of the Goddess[lower-alpha 4]/Song of the Nymphs'), a Meitei language play, written and directed by Ratan Thiyam, performed by the "Chorus Repertoire Theatre" of Imphal,[50] was shown as a closing play at the 21st Bharat Rang Mahotsav at Kamani Hall in Delhi.[51][52][53] It was also staged on the concluding day of the 9th National Prayas Natya Mela.[54]

Writing system

In the Indian currency notes

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) started the processes of adding Meitei Mayek (Meitei for 'Meitei script') in the Indian currency notes. Pankaj Chaudhary, the then Minister of State for Finance, addressed it to Leishemba Sanajaoba, an MP of the Rajya Sabha, on 8 November 2021.[55][56][57]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Manipuri dance form, along with the Armenian Hov Arek, are referred to as the "National Dances" (of India and Armenia respectively) during the Armenia-India joint issue of postage stamps.[1][2][3]
  2. ↑ Konkani and Nepali languages were recognised as scheduled languages at the same time when Meitei language was recognised.
  3. ↑ During that time, i.e. 1970s
  4. ↑ In Meitei language (officially called Manipuri), the word "Lairembi" means "goddess" and "Eshei" (or "Ishei") means "song". "-gi" is a suffix word to denote possession.[48][49]

References

  1. ↑ "Two new postage stamps celebrate Armenian, Indian national dances". panarmenian.net. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  2. ↑ "Two new postage stamps dedicated to "Armenia-India joint issue. National dances" theme | Lragir".
  3. ↑ "Two new postage stamps celebrate Armenian, Indian national dances". www.newsinfo.am. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  4. 1 2 Sarwal, Amit (2022-05-15). The Celestial Dancers: Manipuri Dance on Australian Stage. Routledge. p. 25. ISBN 978-1-000-62550-9.
  5. 1 2 3 "Dance | Ministry of Culture, Government of India". www.indiaculture.gov.in.
  6. 1 2 ""Befitting Tribute To People Of Manipur": Navy Unveils INS Imphal's Crest". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  7. 1 2 "Manipur's Kangla Palace, mythical creature adorn crest of Navy's 3rd stealth guided missile destroyer". The Times of India. 2023-11-29. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  8. 1 2 "Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh unveils crest of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyer Yard 12706 (Imphal)". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  9. ↑ Pioneer, The. "Kangla Gate of Manipur being built at IGRMS". The Pioneer.
  10. ↑ "Bhopal: Manipuri 'Kangla Gate' coming up at IGRMS". Free Press Journal.
  11. ↑ Pioneer, The. "IGRMS exhibits Royal Kangla Gate 'Kangla Sanathong' in 72nd online exhibition series". The Pioneer.
  12. ↑ "Manipur's 'Kokyet' Part Of New Uniform In Parliament - Eastern Mirror". 2023-09-13.
  13. ↑ "Amid ethnic mess, people cheerful as Manipuri 'Kokyet' finds space in Indian Parliament".
  14. ↑ "Parliament marshals to don Manipuri turban, Kokyet". The Times of India. 2023-09-15. ISSN 0971-8257.
  15. 1 2 "Manipuri Kokyet finds space in Indian Parliament". Imphal Free Press.
  16. ↑ Bora, Pallav (2023-09-15). "Strife-Torn Manipur Finds Place Of Pride In Parliament As 'Kokyet' Named Official Headgear".
  17. ↑ "Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards)". Sangeet Natak Akademi, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Archived from the original on 2012-02-16.
  18. ↑ Meitei, Sanjenbam Yaiphaba; Chaudhuri, Sarit K.; Arunkumar, M. C. (2020-11-25). The Cultural Heritage of Manipur. Routledge. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-000-29629-7.
  19. ↑ Kulasrestha, Mahendra (2006). Culture India. Lotus Press. p. 257. ISBN 978-81-8382-013-4.
  20. ↑ Balasubramanian, G. A beautiful life: Value education & life skills. Pearson Education India. p. 30. ISBN 978-81-317-6644-6.
  21. 1 2 "The Constitution (Seventy-first Amendment) Act, 1992| National Portal of India". www.india.gov.in.
  22. ↑ "Languages Included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution | Department of Official Language | Ministry of Home Affairs | GoI". rajbhasha.gov.in.
  23. ↑ "Manipuri among 13 regional languages approved for CAPF exam". Imphal Free Press.
  24. ↑ "CAPF Recruitment Examination In Assamese, Manipuri, Bengali, Odia & Other Regional Languages - NE India Broadcast". 15 April 2023.
  25. ↑ NEWS, NE NOW (16 April 2023). "Manipur CM lauds Centre for introducing Manipuri in CAPF exams". NORTHEAST NOW.
  26. ↑ BORA, ADREENA (15 April 2023). "Northeast | MHA approves constable exams for CAPFs in Assamese, Manipuri & Bengali also". NORTHEAST NOW.
  27. ↑ ANI (16 February 2023). "Kashmiri language introduced by IGNOU at under graduate level". ThePrint. In addition to these disciplines, the School has an elective basket of Modern Indian Languages on offer to undergraduates: Malayalam, Marathi, Odiya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Assamese, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Manipuri and Nepali.
  28. ↑ "Discover the Heritage of North East India ... English | हिंदी | অসমীয়া | Ka Ktien Khasi | Mizo ṭawng | Meitei | बड़". Northeast Heritage (in English, Hindi, Assamese, Manipuri, Bodo, Khasi, and Mizo). Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  29. ↑ "ভারতকি চিংখৈথংবা শরুকতা চৎনরকলিবা মৈহৌরোল পুথোকপা". Northeast Heritage (in Manipuri). Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  30. ↑ "PIB press releases in Manipuri : 25th nov15 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net.
  31. ↑ Press, Imphal Free. "PIB website has news in regional languages now – KanglaOnline".
  32. ↑ "Education in Mother Tongue". www.pib.gov.in.
  33. ↑ "মমালোন্দা লাইরিক তম্বা". pib.gov.in (in Manipuri).
  34. ↑ "PMINDIA Multilingual Website now available in 13 languages Assamese and Manipuri versions of Prime Minister's Official Website launched". pib.gov.in.
  35. ↑ "Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh lauds SSC for deciding to conduct the Multi-Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff examination 2022 in 13 regional languages in addition to Hindi and English for the first time". www.pib.gov.in.
  36. ↑ "হিন্দি অমসুং ইংলিসকী মথক্তা অহানবা ওইনা লম-লমগী লোন ১৩দা মল্তি-তাস্কিং(নন-তেক্নিকেল) স্তাফ এজামিনেসন ২০২২ পাংথোক্নবা ৱারেপ লৌখিবগীদমক য়ুনিয়ন মিনিস্তর দোক্তর জিতেন্দ্র সিংহনা এস.এস.সি থাগৎখ্রে". pib.gov.in (in Manipuri).
  37. ↑ Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. p. 290. ISBN 978-81-7099-853-2.
  38. ↑ —Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. p. 290. ISBN 978-81-7099-853-2.
    —"Dr Thokchom Ibohanbi - first Manipuri writer to get Akademi award".
    —Hajarimayum Subadani Devi. "Loanwords in Manipuri and their impact" (PDF). sealang.net. In 1972 the Sahitya Akademi, the highest body of language and literature of India recognized Manipuri (Manipuri Sahitya Parisad. 1986:82)
  39. ↑ "Civil Services Examination, 2015" (PDF). Union Public Services Commission. 23 May 2015. p. 5.
  40. ↑ Pioneer, The. "'Khambana Kao Phaba' on display at IGRMS". The Pioneer.
  41. ↑ "'Khambana Kao Phaba' Manipuri Traditional painting on display". thenortheasttoday.com.
  42. ↑ Jha, Shuchita. "Traditional Manipuri painting 'Khambana Kao Phaba' on display". The Times of India.
  43. ↑ "Traditional Manipuri painting 'Khambana Kao Phaba' on display - Times of India". The Times of India.
  44. ↑ National Museum New Delhi (2015). Bulletin National Museum New Delhi Number 15. p. 4.
  45. 1 2 Bhanj, Jaideep Deo (22 July 2015). "The story of a giant python called Poubi Lai..." The Hindu.
  46. 1 2 "'Poubi Lai-The Story of a Giant Python' Single object exhibition begins at National Museum in New Delhi". pib.gov.in.
  47. ↑ "Snake tales". indianexpress.com. 28 July 2015.
  48. ↑ Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary (Definition of "Lairembi")". dsal.uchicago.edu. University of Chicago. Digital Dictionaries of South Asia.
  49. ↑ Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary (Definition of "Isei")". dsal.uchicago.edu. University of Chicago. Digital Dictionaries of South Asia.
  50. ↑ "LAIREMBIGEE ESHEI (SONG OF THE NYMPHS) – 21st Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2020". Archived from the original on 2022-11-01.
  51. ↑ "Song of the Nymphs directed by Ratan Thiyam - Footloose and fancy free with Dr.Sunil Kothari". narthaki.com.
  52. ↑ "Curtains come down on 21st Bharat Rang Mahotsav in Delhi - Times of India". The Times of India. 22 February 2020. The closing ceremony was followed by Laiembigee Ishei (Song Of The Nymphs), a Manipuri play by Chorus Repertory Theatre group, written and directed by Ratan Thiyam. It is a story of how we live in the 21st century -an era of globalisation, worldwide mobility, communication and information. It is woven around the importance of identity, tradition, and preservation of culture in modern times. The play tries to decipher the challenges faced by our rituals and traditions inherited from our ancestors.
  53. ↑ "Bharat Rang Mahotsav takes its final bow". The New Indian Express. A Manipuri play, titled Laiembigee Ishei (Song of the Nymphs), directed by Ratan Thiyam was also performed at the event.
  54. ↑ "पटना में मंचित हुआ पद्मश्री रतन थियाम निर्देशित "Song Of The Nymphs"" (in Hindi).
  55. ↑ "RBI to display Manipuri script on currency notes soon". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  56. ↑ "Meitei Mayek in currency notes likely soon". www.thesangaiexpress.com. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  57. ↑ "Manipuri language must be included in Indian currency notes: MP Sanajaoba in Parliament". India Today NE. 2021-02-13. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
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