Skip to main content

A peek into Bishnupriya Manipuri literature

By RK Rishikesh Sinha

There is only one literature of India though there are many languages. – Radhakrishnan

Just going through the BMBooks Gallery Online, it brings few of the details to us. The details may be correct or incorrect, since it doesn’t claim exclusivity to the complete Bishnupriya Manipuri literary output and literary scrutiny that is required. An example: Can we come to the conclusion that the year 1925 with the publication of Jagaran to be taken as the beginning of the Bishnupriya Manipuri literature? It may be ‘Yes’, according to the details in the book blog, or ‘No’.

Whatsoever, considering the year 1925* as the historical year to the enrichment of the Bishnupriya Manipuri literature, still we find in comparison to the history of Assamese literature, it is to be noted that ‘the literature of Assam [i.e. Assamese language] influenced in its own way the creative literature of most parts of northeast India’, the Bishnupriya Manipuri literature had an early and impressive beginning. Arunodoi (1846-1870) was the first Assamese news magazine published by the American Missionaries. Jonaki (1892*) is considered to be the renaissance in Assamese literature. Calculate the time gap.

* Wikipedia states the same: “The history of Manipuri literature began in 1925 with the literary magazine Jagaran”.
**According to Wikipedia, it is 1889

The eighties saw beginning of prolific Bishnupriya Manipuri literary activities with the release of 95 books, later 119 books in 1991-2000, and 117 books in 2001-2010 period. We see similar feverish activities in terms of ‘modern’ poetry who wrote poetry in the social and political crisis of that period in northeast India. In Manipur there were poets like Nilakanta, Somorendra, Sri Biren etc. who wrote experimental poetry. They were wide-awake to the violence and social unrest with increasing tension resulting from material culture, corruption and moral breakdown. This trend was evidenced also in Khasi and Tripura (Kokborok) poetry with the writings of K.N Nongkynrih (Khasi) and Chandra Kanta Murasingh (Kokborok).

With respect to Kokborok literature (the 80s saw similar literary activity), Wikipedia states, “In consequence of the education thrust by the 'Tripura Janasiksha Samiti' and the literary organisations many educated Tripuri's became aware of their social obligation, and there has been a speedy flow in Kokborok literary movement and Kokborok was on way to be recognised as having a developed language and literature.”

An English literature student in India is being taught that many of the poets in the northeast India are bi-lingual. They are proficient in English as well as in their mother tongue. And most of them have a Masters Degree in English. We find it probably holds true with Bishnupriya Manipuri authors and writers as well, DILS Lakshmindra Sinha* and Mansi Sinha** hold Masters Degree in English. Lack of data related to authors and writers’ education details hinder to come to any conclusion.

* Visit Writers’ Forum website, he has posted his biography.
** I know her personally.

In the present context, in order to have enriched Bishnupriya Manipuri literature for the future, Sahitya Sabha and recently formed Bishnupriya Manipuri Writers’ Forum and other literary organisations, have to come out with strategies to catch the imagination of Bishnupriya Manipuri people. Rest who knows, what future holds for us – to the Bishnupriya Manipuri literature. We may have celebrated author like Mamoni Raisom Goswami. [Do read her short story The Empty Chest (translated by Pradipta Borgohain)]

Fun element: To the survey that was related to the buying of a book worth Rs 300 related to Bishnupriya Manipuri topic that would be written by Bishnupriya Manipuri person. Only 3 persons: Bijit Sinha, Tridiv Sinha, Sanjiv Sinha (add me) have agreed to buy!

Comments

  1. Good Report. Need more in-depth study to have actual sketch of Bishnupriya Manipuri literature. For that first of all, we need easy access of all BM books under a single roof through various Library system i.e. Public Library, Mobile Library, Digital Library etc. Only the numbers of books published so far is not sufficient, it is also important how much is the quality and standard of the matter inside the books which can make a general reader a Book-Worm and can say finally "Yes, this is the book & information I got it at last".

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

We all love comments. It is moderated

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Sadhu Thakur

By Ranita Sinha, Kolkata Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Thakur, the great saint of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Community was born on 26th October, 1871, in a remote village of Cachar district called Baropua in the state of Assam. He was born to a Xatriya Manipuri family. His father Sri Sanatan Pandit was a Sanskrit teacher and mother Srimati Malati Devi, a house wife. Sadhu Baba from his childhood was indifferent to all worldly happenings. He was engrossed in chanting the name of Lord Krishna. Along with other students of his age, Sadhu Baba started taking lessons of grammar and other spiritual literature from his father. At a very young age he lost his mother but he was brought up with utmost love and care by his step mother. At the age of eighteen, Sadhu baba lost his father, so, to continue his spiritual education under the guidance of Rajpandit Mineshwas Swarbabhwam Bhattacherjee, he went to Tripura. But within one year he made up his mind to visit all the holy places and as such he took permis

Assam Search Engine: Bisarok

Exclusive search engine on Assam Manash Pratim Gohain, TNN Jun 16, 2012, 01.46PM IST NEW DELHI: Assam got its own search engine ' Bisarok '. The search engine has been launched to get results exclusively on queries and information related to Assam. 'Bisarok', means 'to search' in Assamese language, has been launched and has been linked to various websites of the Government of Assam and departments, educational institutions and media. The search engine is likely to give a new online experience related to searches on Assam. Built on Google custom search engine, the search engine would be collating and building a database of web properties exclusively of the state in the North East region. 'Bisarok' has been developed by RK Rishikesh Sinha, who had earlier created a similar custom search engine ('Bisarei') on Bishnupriya Manipuri. According to Sinha, apart from Google there was no link to get results particularly on Assam. Any web entity related

A short history of the Bishnupriya Manipuri and their religio-cultural consciousness

Undoubtedly, the accurate period of the emergence or the development of religious consciousness of the Bishnupriya Manipuri is difficult to ascertain, but it is an old one that is undoubted, writes Rini Sinha , Guwahati . Religious beliefs are found virtually in every human society. Religious beliefs usually relates to the existence and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life. Religious knowledge according to religious practitioners may be gained from religious leaders, sacred texts or personal revelation. The development of religion has taken many forms in various cultural communities. The accurate period of emergence or development of religious consciousness of the Bishnupriya Manipuries is difficult to ascertain, but it is an old one that is undoubted. However, on the basis of the views of different scholars, pre-historic and historical remain whatsoever is available and from the logic of personal observations, we may put forward some view