Ukhrul: The Hungpung Hungshi Shangva (clan) in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Wednesday claimed that there is a historical connection between the three kings of Meitei, Hungpung and Khongrei (Khongdei).
Addressing a press conference, Hungpung Hungshi Shangva chairman, AS Boniface Hungshi, said that there is historical facts of blood relationship between the three clans that are believed to be descendants of a mythical serpent.
According to the chairman, in order to trace the lineage of the three clans, the history research committee of the Hungshi clan carried out an intensive research by visiting various places and meeting people in the last 18 years.
As per the history committee findings, after generations of migration from the Central Asia, the ancestors of these three kings came to Makhel in Senapati district from Kohima, earlier known as Thibungmei.
In Makhel, a triune baby boy was born to the daughter of the king. The eldest son was named Riso (Khongrei king), while the second son was named Hiipam (Hungpung king) and the third son was named Mahzã (Meitei king). After a few years, the brothers along with their clan members moved to Kojifu village. However, after a brief stay in Kojifu, they decided to look for a better fertile land. The dowager- the mother queen gave them a precious stone with blessing and telling them to settle where the stone wil drop by itself, said the research committee in a press conference.
It further informed that after searching and looking at various places, the precious stone which the eldest son carried on the back fell by itself at Khongrei (Khongdei) village, so they settled there. But as their number grew, the second and the third brothers wanted to settle in their own land of their choice; so the three went away from the village and raised up three big boulders (Hearth) for cooking their parting meal. The stones are still there in Khongrei (Khongdei), they claimed.
The eldest stayed back but the two younger brothers left Khongrei/Khongdei and after long years of winding search they finally came to Hamleikhong at Hungpung village. Subsequently, the third brother too decided to settle in the plain of Yaingapokpi/Oknao pokpi in Imphal as Meitei. Proximity allowed the youngest one to visit the second elder brother at Hungpung from time to time, it said.
In Vashimtang at Hungpung village, there is a springwell, called Meitei Rakhong meaning Meitei springwell. Just South-East of the well is the Mafarung (A place for keeping Meitei Maharaja’s Elephant), the committee said.
The committee also informed that when the seat of the administration was passed on to his younger brother from Vashimhung (Elder brother -King), the Meitei king (Maharaja Churachand) came to visit and left footprints on the stone slabs. These can be seen in the courtyard of Hungpung King, it said.
Meanwhile, the committee also informed that until recently, the Hungpung king’s family or clan was just known as Ahungshi i- King’s clan. So, a search was made for tracing the ancient root of their ancestors, and it was found that Mangang Ningthouja was the proper Salai name of the three brothers. The word Mangang was translated into Tangkhul dialect as Hungshi.
The committee also claimed that there has never been any king’s family or clan’s name as the word ‘sun’ or zimik in Hungpung (Hundung) history as well as in Meitei Puya (historical record). If there should have been anything like that, a name or title, then, as per historical fact, such will be found in Vashimhung clan Hungpung, it said.
Legendary story has it that in the very beginning, the Immortal Being (Pakhangba) created seven maidens for his better halves, the first one was Leikak Leiyarem. Pakhangba’s spirt came upon Leikak Leiyarem and overshadowed her as a ‘sun’ and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Thus, it is written, ‘Numitna gollaka Mangang Ningthouja pogkee (Some wanted to take the ‘sun’ name, but the sun was Pakhangba’s spirit and the son’s name is Mangang Ningthouja). There are seven Salai, Salai can be solely colors, not any objects, they said.
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Mention may be made that Hungpung village is one of the largest village in Tangkhul community while Khongrei village which is inhabited by Poumai community, is in Senapati district.
The press conference was also attended by other members of the history committee namely Felix Ningkhanpam Hungshi, Innocent Hungshi, Barnabus Hungshi, Vareingam Hungshi and Wungkhachui Hungshi.
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The post is reminiscent of a Bible-verse:
Matthew 12:34 –
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”.
Now I know why Meiteis not only speak lies openly and wildly, they are also attacking people who had been speaking the truth!