Khamba and Thoibi

Moirang was created by the God Thangching (Thangjing). The first King of Moirang at the beginning era of the kingdom was Iwang Fang Fang Ponglenhanba, who was born of Moirang Leima Nangban Chanu Meirapanjenlei. He attacked tribal villages, brought Thanga under his rule, and fixed his boundaries to the north, where the Luwang King bore sway. He brought in captives, and buried the heads of his fallen enemies in the Kangla or Royal enclosure.^[11] Then the God Thangching bethought himself that the King and^[11]his subjects were so prosperous that they were likely to forget their duties to him, and after taking counsel sent seven Gods, Yakhong Lai, to frighten the King and his people. At night there were mysterious sounds, but the soldiers at first could find no one. Then, when the sounds occurred a second time, they became aware of the Gods, the Yakhong Lai, and reported what they had seen to the King, who took counsel of his ministers. They besought him to call the famous maibi Santhong Mari Mai Langjeng Langmei Thouba. She was in the fields cultivating, but came running, whence (says the historian) all the dwellers of Moirang say apaiba ("to fly"), instead of chenba, ("to run") which is the ordinary Meitei language word.^[b] The King begged the maibi "very respectfully to raise the Khuyal Leikhong which the angry storm raised by the Gods had blown down, and by way of showing his respect said, "If you cannot raise the Khuyal Leikhong, I shall kill you." The maibi persuaded the seven Gods to tell her the hymn, and ordered her to convey a message to the King, who was bidden to send all the maibas and maibis of the country to sleep in the temple of Thangching wearing their sacred clothes. When she went to the Khuyal Leikhong she saw Pakhangba there. She raised the edifice by means of the hymn and then gave the message to the King, who bade the maibas and maibis go and sleep in the temple of Thangching in their sacred clothes. There in their dreams they were instructed to divide the people into sections, some for one duty and some for others. Then the village offices were created and their order of precedence fixed. The maibas chant the name of the God and the maibis ring the bell. Then, when they had told the King all the wonderful things communicated to them in their dreams, they were bidden to do as the God had said. Then the King died and was succeeded by his son Telheiba, so called by reason of his skill with the bow. In his, and in the following reigns, there were raids against tribals and various villages.^[12] Then we get into complications, for in the reign of King Laifacheng we are told, the Khumans were wroth with^[12]Konthounamba Saphaba and compassed his death. They took him into a wood and fastened him to a tree and left him, but by the aid of the Gods he broke the creeper and made his way to Moirang where he married and had a son. He left Moirang, and went to the land of the Meiteis. The King kept the child, who by favour of the God Thangching grew so strong that the folk of Moirang begged the King to rid himself of the lad, for he would supplant the King. So they put the lad in chains for seven years, and all that time there fell no rain in Moirang. Then the God Thangching appeared to the lad and told him to ask the King to take off his chains. Then the King set the lad free, and the rain fell, but many had died of fever and cholera. The King implored the lad to pardon him for his cruelty and promised him, that when he was dead the kingdom should be his for seven years, even as many years as the years of his bondage. So it fell out, and for seven years the lad reigned as King where he had been in chains.^[13]

Raids against Luwangs on the west against tribal villages, which the historian observes still pay tribute to Moirang, are all we have for a brief space covering some hundred years. The God Thangching kept his interest in the fortunes of the kingdom, and visited the King in his dreams and instructed him in many matters. The village grew and spread, so much so that in the reign of King Thanga Ipenthaba, the small hill of Thanga was broken and the water let out. Then at the instance of two Khuman women the King slew the King of the Khumans whom he met by chance hunting. In a later reign, Moirang is invaded by the Khumans who assembled a force in boats. This force was defeated, and in return the Khuman villages were fired. In the reign of King Chingkhu Telheiba (skilful archer of the hill village), a Khuman, Aton Puremba, shot nine tigers with his bow and arrows and brought their skins to the King, whosought a gift worthy of the hunter's prowess. He would notgive him clothes or such things. He had no daughter, so hegave him his wife, and by her the bold hunter had two childrenKhamnu and Khuman Khamba. Both their parents died, and by dint of begging from door to door, Khamnu got food for herself and herbaby brother. Day by day the lad grew in strength and courage. So swift was he that none could race against him.^[13]So strong was he that he and he alone dared to seize a mad bull that was raging in the land. Then Chingkhuba Akhuba, brother of King Chingkhuba Telhaiba, ordered his men to seize Khamba and have him trampled to death by the elephant. His sin was that Thoibi had made a coat which she gave to Khamba, for she loved him. The God Thangching warned Thoibi of the peril in which her lover was, and she arose and threatened to kill her father so that Khamba escaped. Then it befell a hunting party that a tiger killed a man in full sight of the King, but Khamba killed the tiger single- handed, and as a reward the King gave him the Princess Thoibi in marriage.^[14]

• "The Story of Khamba and Thoibi", an 1877 English language prose, written by G. H. Damant, published as a part of "The Indian Antiquary, Vol. VI. 1877"^[15][16]
• "Khamba and Thoibi", a 1908 English language prose, published as a part of the book "The Meitheis", written by T.C. Hodson^[16][17]
• Khamba Thoibi Sheireng, a 1940 Meitei language epic poem by Hijam Anganghal
• "Khamba Thoibi and Poems on Manipur", a 1963 English language poetry work, by Vimala Raina^[18]
• "Khamba and Thoibi: The Unscaled Height of Love", a 1976 English language prose by N. Tombi Singh^[19]
• "Khamba Thoibigi Wari Amasung Mahakavya", a Meitei language prose by Khwairakpam Chaoba^[20][21][22]

• Kao Faba (Meitei: ꯀꯥꯎ ꯐꯥꯕ) is a 2020 Meitei language Shumang Kumhei, based on the story of the capture of Kao (bull) by Khuman Khamba, produced by Western Cultural Association in Manipur.^[23][24][25]
• Kao, the sacred bull is a 2011 Meitei opera produced by the "Laihui Ensemble", based on the story of the capture of Kao (bull) by Khuman Khamba.^[26][27]
• Khambana Kao Phaba (painting) (Meitei: ꯈꯝꯕꯅ ꯀꯥꯎ ꯐꯥꯕ, lit. 'Khamba capturing Kao bull'), an oil canvas painting by Manipuri artists, M Betombi Singh and Gopal Sharma,^[28] is one of the most well known museum series "Exhibit of the Month" of July 2019 in the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya in Bhopal, India.^[29][30][31]
• "Khamba Khamnu" (Meitei: ꯈꯝꯕ ꯈꯝꯅꯨ) is a 1995 Meitei language feature film, produced by Chandam Shyamacharan for C.S.Films Imphal Produuctions, written by Th. Nodia and directed by Ch. Shyamacharan.^[32][33][34]
• "Khamba Thoibi" (Meitei: ꯈꯝꯕ ꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ) is a 1997 Meitei language feature film, based on the epic story by Hijam Anganghal, produced by Moirangthem Nilamani Singh for Anjana Films, and directed by M. Nilamani Singh.^[35][36]
• "Khamba Thoibi, the epic" is an upcoming Meitei 3D animation feature film.
• "Langon" (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯡꯉꯣꯟ) is a Meitei language feature film, based on the epic of Khamba and Thoibi.
• Moirang Sai (Meitei: ꯃꯣꯏꯔꯥꯡ ꯁꯥꯏ) is a traditional Meitei musical performing arts form, that narrates the story of Khamba and Thoibi, with durations spanning over 120 hours.^{[c][37][38][39]}
  • Festival of Moirang Shai (Meitei: ꯃꯣꯏꯔꯥꯡ ꯁꯥꯏ ꯀꯨꯝꯍꯩ) is a cultural event that aims to popularize the unique culture of the Meitei people at grassroots level, particularly in preserving and promoting "Moirang Sai".^[40][41][42]

• Numit Kappa
• Akongjamba and Phouoibi
• Henjunaha and Lairoulembi
• Khuyol Haoba and Yaithing Konu
• Kadeng Thangjahanba and Tonu Laijinglembi
• Ura Naha Khongjomba and Pidonnu
• Wanglen Pungdingheiba and Sappa Chanu Silheibi

 This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under out of copyright (license statement/permission). Text taken from The Meitheis​, TC Hodson, David Nutt.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Khamba Thoibi.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Khamba Thoibi Sheireng.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Khamba Thoibi.

• Khamba Thoibi at e-pao.net