Khamba Thoibi

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Khamba Thoibi

Author	Hijam Anganghal
Original title	ꯈꯝꯕ ꯊꯣꯢꯕꯤ
Translator	Dr. Jodhachandra Sanasam and Vimal Raina
Country	Manipur (princely state)
Language	Meitei language
Subject	Meitei literature
Genre	Epic poetry
Publication date	1940
The epic saga is based on the love story of Khuman Salai Orphan Prince Khamba and Moirang Princess Thoibi

"Khamba Thoibi" (Meitei: ꯈꯝꯕ ꯊꯣꯢꯕꯤ) is a legendary Meitei language epic poem based on the 12th century love saga between Khuman prince Khamba and Moirang princess Thoibi in the ancient kingdom of Moirang. The poetry is composed by the legendary Bard Hijam Anganghal of Samurou and is regarded as the national epic of the Manipuris. The poetry is the greatest of all the epic poetries in Meitei literature, with 34,000 verses, even longer than the Ramayana.

The epic saga is one of the major elements of the ancient body of chronicles "Moirang Shayon" (Moirang incarnations) as well as "Moirang Kangleirol" (ancient Moirang legends), the two great cultural resources of Manipur.

There's also a folk dance of Meitei culture, under the same title "Khamba Thoibi", believed to be first performed by Khamba and Thoibi, in the Ibudhou Thangjing Temple, the shrine of Lord Eputhou Thangjing of ancient Moirang.

Textual history

Main article: Moirang

The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng is composed by poet Hijam Anganghal of Samurou. Before the creation of the epic poem, the story was told in the form of folk songs as well as oral folklore in the ancient kingdom of Moirang only. However, after Anganghal's contribution of the poetry to Meitei literature, the tale was popularized through the state of Manipur.

Synopsis

Further information: Meitei literature

Khamba was a terrae filius, brought up by his elder sister Khamnu, who spared no pains for his safety and well-being. By the time he became a youth, he wanted to be of some help to his sister and came out in search of work. On the day he first moved out of his house, he happened to enter the residence of Chingkhu Nahaa Telheiba, the King's younger brother with its imposing house and spacious premises and there for the first time saw Thoibi, the only daughter of the prince, plying her needle in embroidery. The moment she saw Khamba, handsome and shapely in physique, she gave her heart away to him. But on the part of Khamba, at first he could not harbor such sentiments as he was conscious of his humble origin.

Another man, Nongban, worked as a foil to Khamba. For a long time, there was no one in Moirang to beat him in race, wrestling and hockey, but with the appearance of Khamba, he is defeated and deprived of this honor. At first, Chingkhu Nahaa Telheiba took kindly to Khamba, and despite his offer to maintain the young man in his family, the latter insisted on singing for his supper which he did by tending the stall-fed fierce bull of the prince. As everybody was curious of Khamba's physical prowess, his sister then kept him in hiding for a while. Thoibi is heart-brokened and pines after him. From the grace of Lord Eputhou Thangjing, the two meet again on the Loktak lake. Their love is steady until the recalcitrant behavior and overzealous stance of Thoibi provokes her father to come in the way of the lovers in league with Nongban.

Khamba's gradual rise in popularity amongst the people, winning of the King's favour with the recognition of his identity on account of his superhuman feats in sports and capturing a wild bull singlehanded further enraged Chingkhuba. A murder attempt was made on his life and subsequently Thoibi was sent to exile. However, this act could not, in the least, crush the heart of the lover. Thoibi, on her being called back from disgrace, had the opportune moment of joining with her love. Before the actual marriage took place and in a trial of fate, Nongban fell prey to a tiger which Khamba could overcome.

Structure

Further information: Meitei literature

The epic contains 15 chapters (Pandups) as well as 81 sections (Tangkaks). It consists of approximately thirty four thousand lines.

Pandups	Number of Tangkaks
1st Pandup	2
2nd Pandup	1
3rd Pandup	1
4th Pandup	2
5th Pandup	9
6th Pandup	4
7th Pandup	15
8th Pandup	2
9th Pandup	3
10th Pandup	1
11th Pandup	1
12th Pandup	5
13th Pandup	13
14th Pandup	21
15th Pandup	1

1st Pandup

In the 1st Pandup, there are two tangkaks.

Tangkaks	Names of the tangkaks
1st tangkak	San Senba
2nd tangkak	Khamba amuk lotkhiba

2nd, 3rd and 4th Pandups

• The 2nd Pandup has only one tangkak named Kaang Saanaba .
• The 3rd Pandup has only one tangkak named Een Chingba .
• The 4th Pandup has two tangkaks, first one is Kangjei but the second one is unnamed.

5th Pandup

tangkaks	Names of the tangkaks
1st tangkak	Lei Hekpa
2nd tangkak	_
3rd tangkak	_
4th tangkak	Phee waiba
5th tangkak	Lei Laangba
6th tangkak	_
7th tangkak	Leiron
8th tangkak	Lei yenba
9th tangkak	Jagoi

6th to 11th Pandups

• The 6th Pandup has four tangkaks, first is Lamjel , while the remaining are unnamed.
• The 7th Pandup has fifteen tangkaks, with the first one being Kau , while the rest being unnamed.
• The 8th Pandup has two tangkaks, first being Ukai , but the second is unnamed.
• The 9th Pandup has three tangkaks, the first is Heijing , but the rest are unnamed.
• The 10th Pandup has a single tangkak, named Torbung Sadanba .
• The 11th Pandup has only one tangkak, Samukhong .

12th Pandup

tangkaks	Names of the tangkaks
1st tangkak	Samukhong gi Bichaar (Waarep)
2nd tangkak	_
3rd tangkak	_
4th tangkak	Samukhong gi Sokpadagi Khamba Naaba
5th tangkak	Chingkhuba bandidagi (cheiraaktagi) thadokpa

13th Pandup

tangkaks	Names of the tangkaks
1st tangkak	Loithaaba
2nd tangkak	_
3rd tangkak	_
4th tangkak	Thoibina Kabawda laakpa
5th tangkak	Kabawda thungba
6th tangkak	Kang Sanaba
7th tangkak	Sing Chanba
8th tangkak	Long Khonba
9th tangkak	Phee Saaba Taanaba
10th tangkak	Khamba na Kabawda Koiba
11th tangkak	Khamba na Kabawda Koiba gi Waathok amadi Bichaar (Waarep)
12th tangkak	_
13th tangkak	_

14th Pandup

tangkaks	Names of the tangkaks
1st tangkak	Loi Kaaba
2nd tangkak- 7th tangkak	_
8th tangkak	Kangla Bichaar (Waarep)
9th and 10th tangkak	_
11th tangkak	Thoibi na Taa Waiba Laakpa
12th tangkak	Khamba na Thonglen gida taa Waiba Laakpa
13th tangkak	Khamba Nongban anina kei phaaba Kummakpa
14th tangkak	Khamba Nongban anina pannung changba
15th tangkak	Ani Khatnaduna pannung dagi thorakpa
16th tangkak	Akonba pannung changba
17th tangkak	Khamba na Nongban poduna pannung dagi thorakpa
18th tangkak	Pannung mei Thaarakpa Khamba amuk changlakpa
19th tangkak	Phubala gi keibao purakpa hanuba
20th tangkak	Keigi manaa piba
21st tangkak	Konungda hallakpa

15th Pandup

The 15th Pandup has one tangkak, Khamba Thoibi Luhongba .

Translations

• The first English translation of the synopsis of the ancient Khamba Thoibi folk legends was published in the book The Meitheis , written by T.C. Hodson, in the year 1908.
• The Khamba Thoibi epic poetry was translated to English language, under the title "Khamba Thoibi and Poems on Manipur" by Vimala Raina, published at the Government Press, Manipur, in the year 1963.
• The direct English version of the epic poem is translated by Dr. Jodhachandra Sanasam in 2017, for which he received the prestigious Nongthombam Kunjamohan Singh Translation Award 2017.
• The epic "Khamba Thoibi" is translated into Hindi language, by Sri Loitongbam Kalachand, which is published in the "E Pustakalaya".

Dance form

Khamba Thoibi Jagoi or Thougal Jagoi

Khamba Thoibi Jagoi is a folk dance of Moirang, an ancient kingdom of Manipur. The dance was believed to be first performed by Khamba, a legendary hero in Manipuri mythology and his lover Thoibi, the then princess of Moirang in the premises of the ancient Lord Ebudhou Thangjing Temple. The dance is still performed during the religious festival of Lai Haraoba in Manipur.

Public response

• There is a cultural and historical museum in Ngangkhalawai village, Khamba Thoibi museum , which houses the traditional items used during the historic period, when Khamba and Thoibi were believed to be born.
• In the year 2014, a grand symposium was organized in Nambol, Manipur, where there was a grand discussion on the topic Khamba Thoibi Seirengda Mityeng Ama , regarding the epic poetry of great poet Hijam Anganghal.
• In the year 2019, in a mega exhibition held in Bhopal, India, the canvas Manipuri painting titled Khambana Kao Phaba , was shown.

In popular culture

• Khamba Khamnu (1995) , was produced by Chandam Shyamcharan for C.S. Films Imphal Production.
• Khamba Thoibi (1997) , was directed and produced by Moirangthem Nilamani Singh for Anjana Films.
• There's a traditional folk song Moirang Sai (Tales from Moirang Khamba Thoibi) which has been endangered from a very long period of decades. However, recently, the ancient traditional folk music art, which covers 120 hours of performance, was revived by legendary folk singer Mangka Mayanglambam, which attain great public reception.
• In the year 2010, the Laihui ensemble produces a drama, Kao The sacred bull , based on the saga of the orphan prince Khamba and his sister Khamnu.
• A Manipuri feature film Langon , highlights the epic saga of the love between Khamba and Thoibi.
• There's an upcoming Manipuri 3D animation feature film under the title Khamba Thoibi, the epic .

See also

• Manipuri dance
• Numit Kappa
• Pung cholom
• Thabal chongba
• Lai Haraoba
• Heikru Hidongba

Further reading

• Khamba Thoibi and Poems on Manipur, 1963

Bibliography

• Khamba Thoibi Seireng, by Hijam Anganghal Singh, 1986
• Moirang Kangleirol, Khuman Khamba Seitharon, by Laisram Mangi Singh, 1980
• Khamba Thoibi Seireng Ahumsuba Saruk, by Hijam Anganghal
• Full text of "Khamba Thoibi" and poems of Manipur
• Samukhonggi Bichar, by Hijam Anganghal Singh, 1997
• Hijam_Anganghal_Singh, by Elangbam Dinamani
• Abridged from T. C. Hodson's "The Meitheis", 1908