Khamba Thoibi Sheireng

This article is about a Meitei language epic poem. For the ancient story associated with the literary work, see Khamba and Thoibi.

The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng, also spelled as the Khamba Thoibi Seireng (Meitei: ꯈꯝꯕ ꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ ꯁꯩꯔꯦꯡ, lit. 'Poem on Khamba Thoibi'^[1]), is a 1940 Meitei language classical epic poem based on the ancient love story of Khuman prince Khamba and Moirang princess Thoibi of Moirang kingdom^[a] of Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur). It is the magnum opus of Hijam Anganghal, the "Bard of Samurou". It is regarded as the national epic of the Manipuris.^[2][3][4] It is regarded as the greatest of all the epic poems in Meitei literature, with 39,000 verses, thereby being the third longest Indian epic poem, next to the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.^[5][4][6] The story of Khamba Thoibi is believed to have happened in actually life. Attires worn by Khamba and Thoibi are found in Moirang, Manipur.

Khamba Thoibi Sheireng (English: The Khamba Thoibi Epic Poem)
by Hijam Anganghal
Original title	ꯈꯝꯕ ꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ ꯁꯩꯔꯦꯡ
Translator	Dr. Jodhachandra Sanasam
Written	1940
Country	Manipur Kingdom (historical)  India (current)
Language	Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language)
Subject(s)	Meitei literature (Manipuri literature)
Genre(s)	Epic cycles of incarnations, Epic poetry, National epic
Publication date	1940
Media type	book
Lines	39,000

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

Textual history

The epic poem of the Khamba Thoibi Sheireng was developed by Hijam Anganghal Singh from the "pena sheishak" style of the folk ballads (Meitei: ꯈꯨꯟꯅꯨꯡ ꯏꯁꯩ, romanized: khunnung eeshei) sung by minstrels with pena (musical instrument). It was adapted from the Meitei folk ballad known as the "Khamba Thoibi ballad" (better known as the Moirang Sai), which is practised even in present time, for a continuous duration of 20-30 days in diverse musical genres.^[3][2][4]

The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng is regarded as the masterpiece of Hijam Anganghal. The literary work was started in the year 1939 and it was completed in the year 1940.^[5]

Synopsis

Further information: Khamba and Thoibi § Plot

Khuman 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 prince Chingkhu Akhuba, the younger brother of King Chingkhu Telheiba, with its imposing house and spacious premises and there for the first time saw princess 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.^[7]

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, the prince 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 God Thangching, 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.^[7]

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 the prince. 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.^[7]

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 .

Analysis

While analysing the Khamba Thoibi Seireng, Padma Vibhushan awardee Indian Bengali scholar Suniti Kumar Chatterji commented on Hijam Anganghal, the author and the epic, like this:

"I think the entire work should be published and that will at once raise the prestige and dignity of Manipuri literature; and an abstract of the poem in English with translations of typical passages, and a critical study of it, will be desideratum in Indian literature bringing home to the rest of India and to the world what important things, important from the point of view of voicing the aspirations, the ideals and the social and cultural milieu of a whole people are being done in this distant corner of India. The position of our Poet is comparable to that of Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali and Modern Indo-Aryan literature."

— Suniti Kumar Chatterji^[6]

Writing on Akashwani All India Radio (AIR), L. Damodar Singh said about the literary work as:

“It is one of the finest stories in literature produced by the Sino-Tibetan people in India.”
. . .
“A gem of a literature which may be compared to any great epic rediscovers the glory of ancient Moirang, the cradle of Manipuri civilisation. It is truly an epic, dignified and elaborate with epic breadth of vision, richness of details, directness of ideas and a faithful portrayal of national life and manners.”

— L. Damodar Singh, All India Radio (AIR)^[6]

Some scholars compare the Khamba Thoibi Seireng with the Shahnamah, the national epic of Persia and the Kalevale, the national epic of Finland, as well as the Sigurd the Volsung by William Morris.^[6]

Translations

Further information: Khamba and Thoibi § Editions

• 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", bestowed by the "Sahitya Thoupanglup".^[8]

Public response

In the year 2014, an academic symposium on the topic "Khamba Thoibi Seirengda Mityeng Ama" (Meitei: ꯈꯝꯕ ꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ ꯁꯩꯔꯦꯡꯗ ꯃꯤꯠꯌꯦꯡ ꯑꯃ, lit. 'A perspective on the Khamba-Thoibi Poem'), regarding the epic poetry of Hijam Anganghal, was organised by "Nongchup Haram Khorjei Lup" (NAHAKHOL) at Public Theatre Hall, Nambol Phoijing in Bishnupur district. A book titled "Khamba-Thoibi Seirengda Mityeng" was also published by NAHAKHOL on the occasion.^[9]

The "Hijam Anganghal Singh Memorial Lecture 2020-21" was organised at the Artistes’ Dormitory of the Directorate of Arts and Culture in Imphal by the Manipur State Kala Akademi. In the event, scholars discussed about the "Khamba Thoibi Sheireng", as a great contribution of Hijam Anganghal to Meitei literature, that justifiably earned him the title "Mahakavi" (transl. classical poet).^[10]

In popular culture

Further information: Khamba and Thoibi § In popular culture

• "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.^[11]

See also

• 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

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

Notes

1. Moirang was an independent kingdom in early times, though later became a province of a unified kingdom, called Manipur Kingdom.

References

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Khamba Thoibi Sheireng.

1. George, K. M. (1992). Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems. India: Sahitya Akademi. p. 29. ISBN 978-81-7201-324-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
2. George, K. M. (1992). Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems. India: Sahitya Akademi. p. 258. ISBN 978-81-7201-324-0. H. Anganghal Singh's Khamba Thoibi Sheireng (Poem on Khamba Thoibi, 1940) is a national epic of the Manipuris based on the story of Khamba and Thoibi of Moirang. The poet composes the whole epic in the Pena Saisak style of folk ballads sung by minstrels or bards popular in Manipur.
3. Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti. India: Sahitya Akademi. p. 1186. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
4. Das, Sisir Kumar (2005). A History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, struggle for freedom : triumph and tragedy. Sahitya Akademi. p. 190. ISBN 978-81-7201-798-9. His epic Singel Indu was published in 1938 which was followed by his magnum opus Khamba Thoibi Sheireng (1940), a poem of 39000 lines, considered to be the 'national' epic of the Manipuris, written in the Pena Saisak style of folk ballads.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
5. Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti. India: Sahitya Akademi. p. 1573. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0. His best work, Khamba Thoibi sheireng, in 39,000 lines on the story of 'Khamba and Thoibi' was started in 1939 and the composition was completed in 1940.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
6. Delhi, All India Radio (AIR), New (31 August 1975). AKASHVANI: Vol. XL. No. 35 ( 31 AUGUST, 1975 ). All India Radio (AIR),New Delhi. p. 1582.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
7. Singh, Ch Manihar (1996). A History of Manipuri Literature. Original from:the University of Michigan. India: Sahitya Akademi. ISBN 978-81-260-0086-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
8. "Jodhachandra Sanasam Sahityabhusan 2017". e-pao.net. And he was also awarded with Dr. Kamal Kabiratna Ningsing Sel Mana 2014 by Manipuri Sahitya Parishad Imphal for his novel Leisat Tamle Nanggidamak and for his English translation of Khamba Thoibi Seireng he was honoured with Sahitya Thoupanglup's Nongthombam Kunjamohan Singh Translation Award 2017.
9. "Symposium on Khamba-Thoibi : 24th sep14 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net.
10. "Hijam Anganghal Singh Memorial Lecture held". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 1 January 2023. In 1939, the poet compiled 'Khamba Thoibi Sheireng', an epic poem running over 39,000 lines depicting the immortal love of Khamba and Thoibi and completed it in 1940, he further said, adding this work, considered as the masterpiece of all his literary works, justifiably earned him the title 'Mahakavi'.
11. . 16 March 2016. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2022. 30. Khamba Thoibi, 1997. 35mm colour. Based on a story by Hijam Anganhal. Produced by Moirangthem Nilamani Singh for Anjana Films. Direction: M.Nilamani Singh. Screenplay: M.Ibempishak. Music: A.Shyam. Casts: M.Amirkumar, M.Ashwinikumar, Sarjubala and others.