Maharaja Garib Niwaz : Builder of Manipuri civilisation
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Maheshsana Rajkumar
Contd from previous issue
Moni Gatha in her article “The Curious case of Rama in West Bengal” writes, prior to Gaurio Vaishna-vism of Sri Chai-tanya (1486-1533) it was the Ra-mayat form of Vaishna- vism that prevailed in Bengal.
What actually happened in Bengal was that Ramayat Vaishnavism got mixed with Gaurio Vaishnavism, and the latter took control. In simple words, Krishna took precedence over Rama, because of the immense popularity of Sri Chaityna and Gopal was preferred over Sitanath, but the latter never entirely disappeared in that sense.
Ramanada was a 14th century Vaishnava devotional poet saint, who lived in the Gangetic basin of northern India. The Hindu tradition recognizes him as the founder of the Rama-nandi Sampradaya, the lar- gest monastic Hindu renunciant community in modern times. An early social reformer, Ramanada accepted disciples without discriminating anyone by gender, caste, class or religion. Lord Rama, the ideal king, the ideal of Dharma worship was free from any sort of discriminations to the followers based on gender, caste, class or religion and this made it easier for Garib Niwaz to bring almost all the ethnicities living in Manipur to embrace Ramanandi Vaishnavism.
The “Ramji Prabhu Temple” is located at Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal, under Imphal East district. The temple consists of three different idols-Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman. Besides these there are also idols of Garib Niwaz and Santi Das Gosai with his hand cuffed, which actually relates the temple to the “Ramandi cult”. The Hanu-man idols in “Ramji Prabhu Temple”, also has great significance in the depiction of “Ramandi Cult” in Manipur.
According to J. Roy the temple of Hanumanji was made of brick and construction of Ningthem Pukhari at Wangkhei Leikai, the size of the tank reflects to some extent the greatness of the king.
According to Gangmu-mei Kamei Garib Niwaz carved out an image of Hanuman in relic on a big slab of stone. The stone with the image forms the northern wall of a Hanuman temple built by him at Mahabali in Imphal. The temple was inaugurated in the month of Hiyangei, 1729. The image of Hanu-man and the Hanuman tem- ple are still in a very good condition. The temple is quite near Krishna Temple said to be built by Pitambar Charai Rongba in 1704.
Manipuri scholar Hawai-bam Ranbir Singh in his book, “The Vedic Tradition, Shrimad-Bhagavad- Gita and Vaishnavism” writes, “Gareeb Niwaz was a political genius of a high order, a great general, and a great administrator, with a burning zeal for National conso- lidation and for building a powerful state with extended territories.
That explains why earlier he was zealously propagating Vaishnavism as he inherited it from his father. That also explains why, when faced with a choice, he made a decisive option for Rama, the ideal king, the ideal of Dharma.
He was in a hurry to see that the whole process was completed in his life time, and that explains his drive and a degree of ruthlessness in enforcing the new faith. In Gareeb Niwaz the groping desire of the Manipur kings of that period for using Vaishnavism as an ideological weapon for Meitei ‘National’ consolidation found its clearest and most articulate consciousness and its most resolute determination.” Manipuri research scholar Naorem Naokhamba Singh in his article titled, “Religious Syncretism among the Meiteis of Manipur, India” writes, “On the advice of preceptor Shanti Das, Garib Niwaz introduced the Hindu Gotra system and identified traditional seven yeks/salais (Clans) of Meitei into respective Gotras as follows; Yek/Salai (Clan)-Hindu Go-tras, Ningthouja/Mangang- Shandilya, Luwang- Kash-yap, Khuman-Madhu-galya, Angom-Kaushika, Moirang-Aitereya, Khaba- Nganba- Gautam, Sarang Leisang-them-Bhardwaj.
During the reign of king Garib Niwaz a number Manipuri traditional festivals were modified or iden- tified with concurrent Hindu festivals. (To be contd)
Contd from previous issue
Moni Gatha in her article “The Curious case of Rama in West Bengal” writes, prior to Gaurio Vaishna-vism of Sri Chai-tanya (1486-1533) it was the Ra-mayat form of Vaishna- vism that prevailed in Bengal.
What actually happened in Bengal was that Ramayat Vaishnavism got mixed with Gaurio Vaishnavism, and the latter took control. In simple words, Krishna took precedence over Rama, because of the immense popularity of Sri Chaityna and Gopal was preferred over Sitanath, but the latter never entirely disappeared in that sense.
Ramanada was a 14th century Vaishnava devotional poet saint, who lived in the Gangetic basin of northern India. The Hindu tradition recognizes him as the founder of the Rama-nandi Sampradaya, the lar- gest monastic Hindu renunciant community in modern times. An early social reformer, Ramanada accepted disciples without discriminating anyone by gender, caste, class or religion. Lord Rama, the ideal king, the ideal of Dharma worship was free from any sort of discriminations to the followers based on gender, caste, class or religion and this made it easier for Garib Niwaz to bring almost all the ethnicities living in Manipur to embrace Ramanandi Vaishnavism.
The “Ramji Prabhu Temple” is located at Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal, under Imphal East district. The temple consists of three different idols-Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman. Besides these there are also idols of Garib Niwaz and Santi Das Gosai with his hand cuffed, which actually relates the temple to the “Ramandi cult”. The Hanu-man idols in “Ramji Prabhu Temple”, also has great significance in the depiction of “Ramandi Cult” in Manipur.
According to J. Roy the temple of Hanumanji was made of brick and construction of Ningthem Pukhari at Wangkhei Leikai, the size of the tank reflects to some extent the greatness of the king.
According to Gangmu-mei Kamei Garib Niwaz carved out an image of Hanuman in relic on a big slab of stone. The stone with the image forms the northern wall of a Hanuman temple built by him at Mahabali in Imphal. The temple was inaugurated in the month of Hiyangei, 1729. The image of Hanu-man and the Hanuman tem- ple are still in a very good condition. The temple is quite near Krishna Temple said to be built by Pitambar Charai Rongba in 1704.
Manipuri scholar Hawai-bam Ranbir Singh in his book, “The Vedic Tradition, Shrimad-Bhagavad- Gita and Vaishnavism” writes, “Gareeb Niwaz was a political genius of a high order, a great general, and a great administrator, with a burning zeal for National conso- lidation and for building a powerful state with extended territories.
That explains why earlier he was zealously propagating Vaishnavism as he inherited it from his father. That also explains why, when faced with a choice, he made a decisive option for Rama, the ideal king, the ideal of Dharma.
He was in a hurry to see that the whole process was completed in his life time, and that explains his drive and a degree of ruthlessness in enforcing the new faith. In Gareeb Niwaz the groping desire of the Manipur kings of that period for using Vaishnavism as an ideological weapon for Meitei ‘National’ consolidation found its clearest and most articulate consciousness and its most resolute determination.” Manipuri research scholar Naorem Naokhamba Singh in his article titled, “Religious Syncretism among the Meiteis of Manipur, India” writes, “On the advice of preceptor Shanti Das, Garib Niwaz introduced the Hindu Gotra system and identified traditional seven yeks/salais (Clans) of Meitei into respective Gotras as follows; Yek/Salai (Clan)-Hindu Go-tras, Ningthouja/Mangang- Shandilya, Luwang- Kash-yap, Khuman-Madhu-galya, Angom-Kaushika, Moirang-Aitereya, Khaba- Nganba- Gautam, Sarang Leisang-them-Bhardwaj.
During the reign of king Garib Niwaz a number Manipuri traditional festivals were modified or iden- tified with concurrent Hindu festivals. (To be contd)