By Madhu Chandra
Kangla is a small area, less than one sq km, in the heart of Imphal city, the capital of Manipur. Kangla is an important historical place that includes everything that took place in the history of Manipur. The history includes the establishment of Kangla in 33AD, the religious infiltration of Hinduism at the arrival of Shantidas Gosai in 1717 and before him, the burning of the Meitei Sacred Writings known as Puya Meithaba in 1729.
Kangla was conquered and captured by the British in 1891 and then under the dominion of Assam Rifles until it was removed in 2004 by the United Progressive Alliance government under the Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh.
The establishment of Kangla in the early part of the first century, down through the religious infiltration of Hinduism, then conquered by the British followed by military control of Kangla are very much related to the socio-religion and political identity crises of the Meiteis faced today. The control over Kangla was the factor of controlling social, religious, political and ethnic points of Manipur.
The establishment of Kangla in the early 33 AD gave the socio-religious and political identities of Manipur which included all the communities in the state. The religious infiltration of Hinduism and control over Kangla, the mass conversion to Hinduism and then the burning of Puya have widened the gap between the hill and the valley. Ever since, the Meiteis, in particular, have suffered the distorted identity crisis.
The British rule over Kangla brought changes in Manipur. The hills chose to embrace Christianity and the valley continued with Hinduism. Education began in both the valley and hill under the British. The first primary school at Yaiskhul, Pettigrew College at Ukhrul and the first English-Manipur Dictionary are the symbols of the education system brought by the British.
Then followed Independence and the Indian Army’s occupation of Kangla till 2004. The military dominion in the state added to the Armed Forces Special Power Act 1958, which has been termed as a draconian law, under which the state has suffered to a great extent.
The consciousness of people to keep Kangla sacred and holy has begun with a few ongoing issues. The protest at Manipur University saw demand for the removal of AP Pandey, the Vice Chancellor, by Manipur University Students Union, Manipur University Teachers Union and Manipur University Staff Association. Then the construction of Rash Leela Mandop inside Kangla.
People in Manipur across political line and the diaspora have demanded the state government to stop construction of the mandop immediately. It has been alleged that the construction of religious structures inside the holy Kangla is aimed at hurting religious sentiments and defiling the sacred religious place belonging to Sanamahism. There are valid reasons why Kangla should be kept sacred and holy:
Kangla is Jerusalem for
Sanamahism
Kangla is like Jerusalem for Jews and Christians, Mecca for Muslims, Ayodhya for Hindus, Bodh Gaya in Bihar for Buddhists, the Golden Temple for Sikhs. Every religion has its historical establishment place. These places are very important for their religious propaganda and proclamation. Kangla is the centre for Sanamahism. Without Kangla, Sanamahism, the religion of Meiteis, will not succeed like any other religion in the world. In order to make Kangla a centre for Sanamahism, it must be kept sacred and holy without adulteration with Hinduism or any other religion.
Mothers paid the price
The world shook when mothers of Manipur stripped naked at the gate of Kangla with a banner, “Indian Army Rape Us”. That was the price paid by the mothers to rescue Kangla from the clutches of the Indian army. The mothers of Manipur sacrificed their modesty to ransom Kangla back after it was taken away from the people of Manipur 1891 until November 20, 2004. Kangla is the identity which was sanctified by the mothers. Manipur cannot afford to make Kangla enslave and defiled once again in any form.
Kangla has over 360 sacred
khubhams
It is believed that there are about 360 khubhams, the sacred places inside Kangla. According to the royal chronicle, the Cheitharol Kumbaba, Nara Singh Maharaj (1844–50) was cremated here at the ‘Manglen’.
Rash Leela Mandop at Kangla
Manipur in general and specifically the Meiteis have been facing an ethnic identity crisis ever since the emergence of Hinduism before and following Puya Meithaba. The ethnic identity of the Meiteis in the valley is a mixture in the social and religious spectrum. The quest for self identity is the need of the day. Setting up any other religious structure that hurts the sentiments of the people is termed defiling the religious sanctity. Such act is a punishable offense under the section of 295A of Indian Penal Code. The current crisis of Rash Leela Mandap, whether it was done by the previous government or the present, must consider the sentiments of the people and refrain from hurting religious sentiments. Rash Leela or any art and cultural structure must be set up elsewhere.
(The author is a Hyderabad-based freelancer and former spokesperson of North East Helpline)