Ching-Thang Khomba
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| Ching-Thang Khomba | |
|---|---|
Chinglen Nongdrenkhomba | |
| House | House of Karta |
| Dynasty | Ningthouja dynasty |
| Father | Shyamjai Khurailakpa |
| Mother | Wahengbam Chanu Chakha Loikhombi |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Occupation | Rajarshi – Raja (monarch) as well as Rishi (saint) |
Kingdom of Manipur | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of History of Manipur | ||||
| Kings of Manipur | ||||
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| Manipur monarchy data | ||||
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Ningthou Ching-Thang Khomba (also Rajarshi Bhagya Chandra, Jai Singh Maharaja) (1748–1799) was a
Much of his history is mythologized.Early years
Maharaja Bhagya Chandra ascended to the throne of Manipur in 1759, eight years after the death of his grandfather
Life in Assam
Chitsai wrote a letter to Rajeswar Singha saying that the person taking refuge at his court was not the true Bhagya Chandra, and advised Singha to banish Bhagya Chandra. Singha was somewhat persuaded by this letter and began treating Bhagya Chandra with suspicion.[4]
In Meitei legends, the real Bhagya Chandra was said to have had supernatural powers. To see whether the usurper was correct, Singha designed a test at the behest of his court. In a public arena, Bhagya Chandra, while unarmed, was to catch and tame a wild elephant.
Confronted with insurmountable odds, King Bhagyachandra is said to have prayed to Govinda (Krishna) for guidance. Govinda appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to enter the arena donning a garland while holding japa beads. At the end of the instructions, Govinda assured him of victory.[4]
The dream also stated that Bhagya Chandra would be the sole king of Manipur. Upon regaining the kingdom, he should install a Krishna murti. The deity, Govinda, should be carved from a certain old jackfruit tree growing on the slopes of Kaina hill.
After installing the deity, Govinda said the king should arrange for the performance of a Rasa-Lila, in which Krishna would be worshipped with song and dance. Bhagya Chandra also received in this vision a complete plan on how to execute the Ras Lila.[4]
Bhagya Chandra entered the arena, donning the garland and japa as instructed in his vision. In the ensuing fight, the spectators noted that the elephant seemed to recoil as if struck by a ghost. King Bhagya Chandra said that he saw "Lord Krishna as the mahout".[4]
Retaking of Manipur
First expedition
After the duel, Bhagya Chandra appealed to Rajeswar Singha for military assistance. Singha agreed and sent an army to overthrow Chitsai and reinstate Bhagya Chandra. The expedition was set back in Nagaland where they were attacked by Naga tribesmen and poisonous snakes. Rajeswar Singha called off the unsuccessful venture in 1767.
Second expedition
In November 1768, Bhagya Chandra and Rajeswar Singha decided to make another attempt to invade Manipur. Bhagya Chandra led 10,000 Ahom troops across the
Dealings with the East India Company
In 1762, the British and Manipur signed a bilateral treaty with
Reign
In 1775 he established his capital at
During his reign, the Meiteis repelled the Burmese from Manipur. Though his exploits did not equal Pamheiba's, his reign was characterized by security. He was a great patron of the arts and religion, and his strong Manipuri Vaishnavism reflected on the Meiteis. He was an ardent devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and during his reign a statue of Nityananda was created.[6]
In 1796 he moved his capital to
Family
Ching-Thang Khomba was son of Samjai Khurai-Lakpa, who had two brothers Mantri Ananda Shai and Chitsai. Ching-Thang had many siblings, the most famous of whom was Gaurisiam, King of Manipur until his death in 1763.[3]
Cultural works
The tradition of Rasa Lila in Manipur is attributed to Ching-Thang. The first Manipur Maha Rasleela was performed in 1777.[3][9]
It was his daughter Shija Lailoibi who first took the role of
Under the influence of
Literary works
- Laithok Laikha Jogi[10]
References
- ^ Sheram, AK (2012). "Manipuri, The". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
- ^ "Manipur". Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
- ^ a b c d e "History of Manipur – The Medieval Period". IIT Guwahati. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
- ^ a b c d Swami, Jayadwait. "Manipur – A Land of Krishna Conscious Culture". Archived from the original on 4 October 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
- JSTOR 1782048.
- ISBN 0-7619-9781-4. p. 128.
- ISBN 978-81-8465-210-9.
- ISBN 978-81-8465-210-9.
- ^ "Manipuri Dance: Both Ritualistic and Recreational". Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
- ^ a b "Information – Snippets – narthaki.com". Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2016.