Editing Meitei language (section)

== History ==

[[File:Yumbanlol (Yumpanlol) - a 6th century Classical Meitei language copper manuscript text - in Meetei script - works on sensuality & relationship between husbands & wives and how to run a household in Ancient Kangleipak civilisation state.jpg|thumb|Yumbanlol (Yumpanlol), a group of 6th century Classical Meitei language [[Indian copper plate inscriptions|copper plate inscriptions]], written in [[Meitei script]].]]

The Meitei language has existed for at least 2000 years.<ref name="iias.ac.in"/>
According to linguist [[Suniti Kumar Chatterjee]], the [[ancient Meitei literature]] dates back to 1500 to 2000 years [[before present]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chatterji |first=Suniti Kumar |author-link=Suniti Kumar Chatterji |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32096/page/n187/mode/2up |title=Kirata-jana-krti |date=1951 |publisher=[[The Asiatic Society]], [[Digital Library of India]]; [[Internet Archive]] |location=Kolkata |publication-date=1951 |pages=157, 158 |language=en |quote=... The beginnings of this Old Manipuri literature (as in the case of Newari) may go back to 1500 years, or even 2000 years, from now. ...}}</ref>

=== First Millennium CE ===
The earliest known Meitei language compositions is the ritual song ''[[Ougri]]'' ({{Script|Mtei|ꯑꯧꯒ꯭ꯔꯤ}}), which was used in religious and coronation ceremonies of [[Kangleipak]]. It may have existed before the [[Common Era]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ayyappappanikkar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KYLpvaKJIMEC&pg=PA329 |title=Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections |date=1997 |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |isbn=978-81-260-0365-5 |pages=326–329 |language=en |author-link=Ayyappa Paniker}}</ref> [[Numit Kappa]] {{Meitei|ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ ꯀꯥꯞꯄ|t=The Shooting of the Sun}}, a religious epic that tells the tale of how the night was divided from the day, was also composed in the first century.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Wouters |first1=Jelle J. P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YseEEAAAQBAJ&q=Numit+Kappa+1st&pg=PT473 |title=The Routledge Companion to Northeast India |last2=Subba |first2=Tanka B. |date=30 September 2022 |publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]] |isbn=978-1-000-63699-4 |pages=473 |language=en}}</ref>

''[[Poireiton Khunthok]]'' {{Meitei|ꯄꯣꯢꯔꯩꯇꯣꯟ ꯈꯨꯟꯊꯣꯛ|t=The Immigration of Poireiton}} is a 3rd-century narrative work describing the establishment of a colony in Kangleipak by a group of immigrants led by [[Poireiton]], the younger brother of the god of the underworld.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Khelchandra Ningthoukhongjam |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466183/page/n121/mode/2up?view=theater |title=History Of Old Manipuri Literature |publisher=[[Digital Library of India]] |others=[[Manipur University]] Library, Imphal |location=India |pages=121, 122 |language=en, mni |chapter=Poireiton Khunthokpa}}</ref>
 
The ''Yumbanlol'', a [[Indian copper plate inscriptions|copper plate manuscript]] was composed in the 6th century or 7th&nbsp;century CE for the royal family of Kangleipak. It is a rare work of [[dharmashastra]], covering sexuality, the relationships between husbands and wives, and instructions on how to run a household.<ref>{{Cite web |others=Manuscript Treasures of India, [[Ministry of Culture (India)|Ministry of Culture]], [[Government of India]] |title=Vijñānanidhi: National Mission of Manuscripts |url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/34231921/manuscript-treasures-of-india-national-mission-for-manuscripts/88 |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Yumpu |pages=88, 89 |language=en}}</ref>

The ''Khencho'' ({{Script|Mtei|ꯈꯦꯟꯆꯣ}}), an early Meitei work of poetry was composed by the beginning of the 7th&nbsp;century CE.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Khelchandra Ningthoukhongjam |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466183/page/n97/mode/2up |title=History Of Old Manipuri Literature |publisher=[[Digital Library of India]]; [[Internet Archive]] |others=[[Manipur University]] Library; North Eastern States Libraries |location=India |pages=97, 98 |language=mni |chapter=Khencho |author-link=Ningthoukhongjam Khelchandra}}</ref> Although it is obscure and unintelligible to present-day Meiteis, it is still recited as part of the [[Lai Haraoba]] festival.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Ch Manihar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yiBkAAAAMAAJ |title=A History of Manipuri Literature |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |year=1996 |isbn=978-81-260-0086-9 |location=India |pages=14, 15 |language=en, mni |chapter=The Early Period (Ritual Songs)}}</ref>

One of the best-preserved early Meitei language epigraphic records is a [[Indian copper plate inscriptions|copper plate inscription]] dating to the reign of King Khongtekcha ({{reign|c. 763|773|era=CE}}).<ref name="aponpath.com">{{Cite book |last=Devi |first=Yumlembam Gopi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxqeDwAAQBAJ&q=8th%20century%20copper%20plate%20inscription%20manipur&pg=PA25 |title=Glimpses of Manipuri Culture |date=16 June 2019 |isbn=978-0-359-72919-7 |pages=25 |publisher=LP |language=en}}</ref> During the same time period, Akoijam Tombi composed the ''[[Panthoibi Khonggul]]'' ({{lang|omp|{{Script|Mtei|ꯄꯥꯟꯊꯣꯏꯄꯤ ꯈꯣꯡꯀꯨꯜ}}|}}), an account of the romantic adventures of the [[deification|deified]] Meitei princess [[Panthoibi]].<ref name=":Glimpses_Panthoibi_Khongul">{{Cite book |last=Devi |first=Dr Yumlembam Gopi |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxqeDwAAQBAJ&dq=panthoibi+khongul&pg=PA119 |title=Glimpses of Manipuri Culture |date=16 June 2019 |publisher= Lulu.com|isbn=978-0-359-72919-7 |pages=119 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Second Millennium CE ===
[[File:The first page of Loyumba Silyen (Loiyumpa Silyel) - 11th-12th century Classical Meitei language Constitution of the then Kangleipak civilisation state - in traditional Meetei Mayek writing system (Manipur State Archives).jpg|thumb|The first page of Loyumba Shinyen, the 11th-12th century Meitei-language constitution of Kangleipak.]]

In 1100 CE, a written constitution, {{meitei|ꯂꯣꯏꯌꯨꯝꯄ ꯁꯤꯜꯌꯦꯜ|la=[[Loyumba Shinyen]]}}, was finalised by King [[Loiyumba]] ({{reign|c. 1074|1112|era=CE}}) of [[Kangleipak]]. It was a codification of the proto-constitution drafted by King [[Naophangba]] in 429 CE.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sanajaoba |first=Naorem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vO-vtI8NuxIC&dq=loyumba+shinyen+final+document&pg=PP2 |title=Manipur: Treatise & Documents |date=1993 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-7099-399-5 |pages=2 |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sanajaoba |first=Naorem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9eYC4tjzyi4C&dq=loyumba+shinyen+written+constitution&pg=PA304 |title=Law and Society: Strategy for Public Choice, 2001 |date=1991 |publisher=Mittal Publications |isbn=978-81-7099-271-4 |pages=304 |language=en}}</ref>

Before 1675 CE, the Meitei language experienced no significant influence from any other languages.<ref name="iias.ac.in">{{Cite web |title=A History of Manipuri Language – Indian Institute of Advanced Study |url=http://iias.ac.in/events/a-history-of-manipuri-language/ |access-date=17 November 2023 |website=iias.ac.in |publisher=[[Indian Institute of Advanced Study]] (IIAS), [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Education]] (MoE), Government of India |language=en-US}}</ref> Beginning in the late 17th century, Hindu influence on Meitei culture increased, and the Meitei language experienced some influences from other languages, on its [[phonology]], [[morphology (linguistics)]], [[syntax]] and [[semantics]]. At the same time, the Hinduised King [[Pamheiba]] ordered that the [[Meitei script]] be replaced by the [[Bengali-Assamese script]].<ref name="iias.ac.in"/>

[[File:ANDRO INSCRIBED STONE.jpg|thumb|An 1822 CE stone recording a royal decree attributed to King [[Ching-Thang Khomba|Jai Singh]] ({{reign|1759|1762|1763|1798}}), erected at [[Andro, Imphal East]], Manipur]]

In 1725 CE, Pamheiba wrote [[Meitei translations and literary adaptations of the Mahabharata#History|Parikshit]], possibly the first piece of Meitei-language [[Hindu literature]], based on the story of the eponymous king [[Parikshit]] of the [[Mahabharata]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Ch Manihar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yiBkAAAAMAAJ |title=A History of Manipuri Literature |date=1996 |publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] |isbn=978-81-260-0086-9 |location=India |page=135 |language=en}}</ref>