55-537: The Manipur Kingdom also known as Meckley was an ancient kingdom at the India–Burma frontier. Historically, Manipur was an independent kingdom ruled by a Meitei dynasty . But it was also invaded and ruled over by Burmese kingdom at various point of time. It became a protectorate of the British East India Company from 1824, and a princely state of British Raj in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in
110-585: A great stir. The British Residency in Imphal was attacked and the Chief Commissioner for Assam J.W. Quinton , Col. Sken, the British Resident and other British officials were murdered. In the middle of the unrest Ethel St Clair Grimwood , the widow of Frank St Clair Grimmond, the killed British Resident, was credited with leading a retreat of surviving sepoys out of Manipur to Cachar. She was later lauded as
165-511: A hero. A 5,000 strong punitive expedition was sent against Manipur on 27 April 1891. Three British columns entered Manipur from British Burma , Cachar and the Naga Hills, which after several skirmishes with the 3,000 men strong Manipuri army, managed to pacify the kingdom. Following the British attack, Tikendrajit and Kulachandra Singh fled, but were captured. Tikendrajit and those Manipuris involved in
220-410: A lease to Burma. as the British paid a compensation of 500 Sicca Rupees per month. After these developments, Manipur is deemed to have become a British protectorate , even though its ensuing status is debated till this day. At the death of Gambhir Singh, his son Chandrakirti Singh was only one year old, and his uncle Nara Singh was appointed as regent. That same year the British decided to restore
275-507: A movement for representative government in Manipur in 1954. The Indian home minister, however, declared that the time was not yet ripe for the creation of representative assemblies in Part C States such as Manipur and Tripura , stating that they were located in strategic border areas of India, that the people were politically backward and that the administration in those states was still weak. However, it
330-536: A policy of Manipuri claims to the neighbouring Kabaw Valley . The zenith of the Kangleipak State was reached under the rule of King Khagemba (1597–1652). Khagemba's brother Prince Shalungba was not happy about Khagemba's rule so he fled to the Taraf where he allied with the local Bengali Muslim leaders. With a contingent of Bengali Muslim soldiers led by Muhammad Sani , Shalungba then attempted to invade Manipur but
385-575: A result of the agreement, the Manipur State merged into the Indian Union as a Part C State (similar to a Chief Commissioner's Province under the colonial regime or a Union Territory in the present Indian structure), to be governed by a Chief Commissioner appointed by the Government of India. The representative assembly of Manipur was abolished. Unhappy with the central rule, Rishang Keishing began
440-504: Is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India . After independence, the pre-existing undivided Cachar district was split into four districts: Dima Hasao (formerly North Cachar Hills), Hailakandi , Karimganj , and the current Cachar district. Silchar is Cachar district's center of government. The word Cacahr is derived from the Dimasa word Kachari and traces its origin to
495-456: Is more than 3,000 millimetres (120 in). Its climate is tropical wet; the district has hot and wet summers and cool winters. According to the 2011 census , Cachar district has a population of 1,736,617. It ranks 278th out of a total of 640 districts in India. The district has a population density of 459 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,190/sq mi). Its population growth rate over
550-631: Is one of the most important business centers of Assam. Because of its wet climate, the main crops of the district are rice and tea. The Indian government identified Cachar as one of the country's 250 most backward districts in 2006; there are 640 districts in India. It currently receives funding through the Backward Regions Grant Fund program (BRGF). There are several temples and historic sites in Silchar and Cachar. The village of Khaspur, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Silchar, features
605-480: Is the center of government. There are seven Assam Legislative Assembly constituencies in this district: Barkhola , Dholai , Katigorah , Lakhipur , Silchar , Sonai , and Udharbond . These seven constituencies make up the Silchar Lok Sabha constituency . Dholai is designated for scheduled castes , among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. Silchar is the district headquarters and
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#1732855402905660-631: The Burmese occupation of Manipur and of Assam , in 1824, the British declared war on Burma, which came to be known as the First Anglo-Burmese War . The exiled Manipur prince Gambhir Singh sought British help for raising a force and the request was granted. Sepoys and artillery were sent and British officers trained a levy of Manipuri troops for the battles that ensued. With British help, Gambhir Singh succeeded in expulsion of Burmese from Manipur, after receiving additional reinforcement, he expelled
715-673: The Chief Commissioner of Assam (Lieutenant Governor of East Bengal and Assam during 1905–1912) During the princely state stage (1891–1947), an Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer of the East Bengal and Assam cadre was appointed as the administrator, first as the vice-president of the Manipur State Darbar, and, from 1916, as its president. The Indian Agents were subordinated to the Governor of Assam . The Dewans were representing
770-642: The Chief Commissionership of Assam on 6 February 1874. In the later 19th century, southern Cachar was raided numerous times by the Lushais . After India's partition from Great Britain in 1947, the Karimganj sub-division of undivided Sylhet District became part of the Cachar district. North Cachar was separated from Cachar as Dima Hasao district in 1963, followed by Karimganj district . Hailakandi district
825-469: The Governor of Assam . The State of Manipur had a set of two flags, a white one and a red one. All featured the Pakhangba dragon in the centre, although not as prominently in the latter flags. 24°49′N 93°57′E / 24.817°N 93.950°E / 24.817; 93.950 Ningthouja dynasty The Ningthouja dynasty, also known as Mangang dynasty, comprises the descendants of
880-617: The Kachari Kingdom . Around the year 1536, the elder prince of Dimasa Kachari, Drikpati, and a younger prince, Dakhin, had a conflict. Dakhin and his followers were driven out and built a new capital at the Barak Valley , declaring themselves as Dibrasa or the Children of the Barak River ( Di means "River", and Brasa means "Barak" ). The Dibrasa were later known as Twiprasa and formed
935-688: The Sanskrit name Manipur ( transl. the City of Jewels ) was adopted as the name of the state, to make the realm eponymous with Manipura of the Mahabharata . King Garib Niwaj made several incursions into Burma , but made no permanent conquest. After the death of Gharib Nawaz in 1754, Manipur was occupied by the Kingdom of Burma and the Meitei king Bhagyachandra ( Meitei : Ching-Thang Khomba ) sought help from
990-717: The Twipra Kingdom in the Barak Valley . In 1562, the Koch dynasty King Chilarai invaded and captured the Barak Valley from the Twipra Kingdom. King Chilarai gave his brother, Kamal Narayan, authority over the region. The descendants of Kamal Narayan ruled the region until the 18th century. After the fall of the Koch kingdom due to no heir, the Dimasa Kingdom took over and ruled most of
1045-499: The stump-tailed macaque , the masked finfoot , and the white-winged wood duck . The sanctuary is also home to tiger , the hoolock gibbon , and the gaur . The Asian elephant is already extinct. The southern part of the district was also recommended as a Dhaleswari wildlife sanctuary but has yet to receive that status. Silchar has an airport, which is located at Kumbhirgram . It is served by regular flights from IndiGo , Air India , and SpiceJet . Broad-gauge railways connect
1100-754: The undivided Cachar district . Raja Shri Krishna Chandra Dwaja Narayan Hasnu Kacharihe was the most powerful king of the Dimasa Kingdom at Khaspur. During Krishna Chandra's rule, the Manipuri king sought help against the Burmese army. Krishna Chandra defeated the Burmese in battle and was offered the Manipuri Princess Induprabha in thanks. Because Krishna Chandra was already married to Rani Chandraprabha, he asked Princess Induprabha to marry his younger brother, Govinda Chandra Hasnu. During this period, Khaspur
1155-445: The British, but when the British refused help he went to Ahom King Rajeswar Singha who sent a force of 40,000 under Haranath Senapati Phukan to free Manipur. A treaty of alliance was negotiated in 1762 and a military force was sent to assist Manipur. The force was later recalled and then the state was left to its own devices. Manipur was invaded at the onset of the First Anglo-Burmese War , together with Cachar and Assam . Following
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#17328554029051210-449: The Burmese from Kabaw Valley by 1826 as well, and Gambhir Singh became the king of Manipur, after the war the Treaty of Yandabo was signed. According to the British political agent McCulloch , by the treaty of Yandabo, Manipur was declared independent but being too weak by itself to remain so, and its position being in a military point of view, of too much importance to permit the chance of
1265-467: The Burmese obtaining the command of it, the British government has been compelled to guard against such a chance and to retain in the country a political agent, all border disputes having been settled by this officer. However, the Burmese did not agree to the cession of Kabaw Valley. After prolonged negotiations, the British agreed to return Kabaw Valley to Burma, on the ground that Marjit Singh had already ceded it earlier. Some Manipuri scholars regard this as
1320-715: The Digboi Centenary Museum, the Railway Heritage Park and Museum, and the Sonitpur District Museum. Barail Wildlife Sanctuary is the only wildlife sanctuary in the district and was established in 2004. The naturalist Dr. Anwaruddin Choudhury worked to create the sanctuary in the early 1980s. Rare species in the sanctuary included the Hoolock gibbon , the phayre's leaf monkey , the pig-tailed macaque ,
1375-468: The Kabaw Valley to the Kingdom of Burma , which had never been happy about the loss. A compensation was paid to Raja of Manipur in the form of an annual allowance of Rs 6,370 and a British residency was established in Imphal, the only town of the state, in 1835 to facilitate communication between the British and the rulers of Manipur. After a thwarted attempt on his life, Nara Singh took power and held
1430-598: The Khaba clan. They established Kangla as their seat of power. From Kangla they absorbed the surrounding clan principalities of Luwang, Moirang, Khaba-Nganba, Angom, Sarang-Leishangthem and Khuman. Since 33 CE till the rule of the last King Bodhchandra, Manipur was ruled by seventy-four kings, of whom the hallowed reign of Pakhangba, Naothingkhong, Loiyumba, Kiyamba , Khagemba, Charairongba, Pamheiba, Maharaja Jai Singh, Maharaja Gambhir Singh , Maharaja Nara Singh , Chandrakirti and Churchand are outstanding. Since 19th century
1485-477: The Manipuri crown over the state. During the dynastic disturbances and the British intervention the Naga and Kuki hill tribes of the state lapsed into lawlessness, with numerous instances of murder and arson in the mountain villages, a situation that lasted well into 1894. The child ruler Churachand belonged to a side branch of the Manipur royal family, so that all the main contenders to the throne were bypassed. While he
1540-795: The Sun Gate, Lion Gate, the king's palace, a temple, and other remains of the 17th century Kachari Kingdom . The ruins of Kachari Fort in Dimapur , Nagaland , date to the 13th century. The Baro Dwari, Bishnu Mandir, Kali Mandir, Singh Duwar, and Snan Ghar are other ancient monuments in the Cachar district. Other sites include Badarpur Fort in Badarpur , Bhubaneswar Shiva temple at Chandragiri in Sonai , Nrimata temple at Barkhola , and Siddeshwar temple in Badarpur. Silchar has several museums, including Assam State Museum ,
1595-442: The decade of 2001 to 2011 was 20.17%. Cachar has a sex ratio of 958 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 80.36%. 18.17% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 15.25% and 1.01% of the population, respectively. Hinduism is the main religion in Cachar, including 59.83% of the population. Christians are mainly found in tribal communities, and represent just 2.17% of
1650-552: The district to Guwahati in Assam and other parts of India including New Delhi , Kolkata and Chennai ; from here, regular train service is provided to all cities in North-East India. Roads connect the district to the rest of the country. In addition, there is regular bus service to cities in North-East India. Cachar district has several well-known educational institutions. Silchar is a major learning hub of Assam. The district has
1705-593: The early 18th century. In 1714, King Pamheiba was initiated into Gaudiya Vaishnavism by Shantidas Gosai , a Bengali Hindu from Sylhet . He made the Gaudiya Vaishnava faith the state religion , replacing Meitei religion , made the Meitei language (aka Manipuri language ) written in Bengali script , destroying many documents of Meitei language written in Meitei script and changed his name to Garib Niwaj. In 1724,
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1760-503: The first Superintendent of the District. The British annexed Cachar plains on 14 August 1832. The district's headquarters moved to Dudpatil in 1833, and later to its current location of Silchar . Northern Cachar remained a separate principality but came under British occupation in 1854 after the death of Tularam; the British justified this takeover of northern Cachar because of the "misconduct of its rulers." Cachar district became part of
1815-484: The high-sounding titles such as Maharaj Kumar and Maharaj Kumari. On the inherent title and privilege of the princes Major Maxwell, the then British Political Agent in Manipur and the regent of the young Raja Churchand Singh writes:"Rajkumars, or as they are called in Manipur Ninthou Machas, a Rajas, are very numerous; if, for instance, a Raja had eight sons and these sons were equally well blessed with male issue,
1870-531: The killing of the British officers were tried and hanged, while the deposed King Kulachandra Singh and other leaders of the rebellion were sent to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands . Manipur was briefly annexed to British India by virtue of the doctrine of lapse . On 22 September 1891 when Meidingngu Churachand (Churachandra), a 5-year-old boy, was put on the throne, power was restored nominally to
1925-524: The kings of Manipur. Ningthouja literally means progeny of King ( Ningthou means king and cha or macha means progeny in which ja is a corrupted word of cha). It has 125 extended families. It was apparently founded by King Nongdā Lāiren Pākhangba in 33 CE. By the beginning of the 1st millennium CE, the Ningthouja Dynasty began to emerge in Imphal River valley, overrunning the territory of
1980-561: The lapse of paramountcy of the British Crown, Manipur regained its political autonomy that it had prior to 1891. The Maharaja had signed the Instrument of Accession on 11 August 1947, which legality is argued by many, ceding the three subjects of defence, external affairs and communications to the Union of India , while retaining internal political autonomy. A ' Manipur State Constitution Act 1947 '
2035-478: The north, and the Sonai River and Daleswari River from the south. The district consists primarily of plains but also includes several ranges of hills throughout the district. At times, the wetlands of the plains flood, forming lakes. The district is mostly a tropical evergreen forest , with large tracts of rainforests in the north and south of the district. The average annual rainfall of Cachar district
2090-641: The official languages of the Cachar district. According to the 2011 census, Bengali is spoken by 75% of the overall population. Although Bengali is the official language, the most common spoken language is Sylheti , generally grouped with Bengali as a dialect. Sylheti Bengalis are the majority ethnic community, but other ethnic groups also live in the district and speak Meitei , Bhojpuri , Bishnupuriya , Dimasa , Rongmei-Naga , Mizo , Khasi , etc. Immigrants from other parts of India are also present and are mainly Hindi speakers. The district has three sub-divisions: Silchar, Lakhipur, and Katigorah. Silchar
2145-413: The palace by Tikendrajit and Kulachandra Singh , two of the king's brothers, Surachandra Singh announced his intention to abdicate and left Manipur for Cachar. Kulachandra Singh then rose to the throne while Tikendrajit Singh, as the commander of the Manipuri armed forces, held the real power behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Surachandra Singh, after leaving Manipur, appealed to the British for help to recover
2200-524: The ruling family was divided into several royal houses. They are: The members of the Royal Family of Manipur since 1709 CE include: The royal titles of Meitei princes are: The royal titles for Meitei princesses are: Since the adoption of Hinduism in the 18th century the royal family of Manipur styled Hindu titles: During the reigns of Maharaja Churchand Singh (1891–1941) and Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh (1941–1955) their sons and daughters were given
2255-530: The soldiers were captured and made to work as labourers in Manipur. These soldiers married local Meitei women and adapted to the Meitei language . They introduced hookah to Manipur and founded the Meitei Pangals (Manipuri Muslim community). It is claimed that Manipur learned the art of making gunpowder from the Chinese merchants who visited the state around 1630 and had started making rockets named Meikappi by
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2310-406: The throne until his death in 1850. His brother Devendra Singh was given the title of Raja by the British, but he was unpopular. After only three months, the rightful heir Chandrakirti Singh invaded Manipur and rose to the throne. Numerous members of the royal family tried to overthrow Chandrakirti Singh, but none of the rebellions was successful. In 1879, when British Deputy Commissioner G.H. Damant
2365-557: The throne. The British decided to recognise Kulachandra Singh as Raja, and to send a military expedition of 400 men to Manipur to punish Senapati Tikendrajit Singh as the main person responsible for the unrest and the dynastic disturbances. This action and the violent events that followed are known in British annals as the 'Manipur Expedition, 1891', while in Manipur they are known as the 'Anglo-Manipur War of 1891'. The British attempt to remove Tikendrajit from his position as military commander (Senapati) and arrest him on 24 March 1891 caused
2420-623: The total population of the region. Among the Bengalis , Hinduism and Islam religions are equally represented, although Muslims are only 37.71% of the region's total population. Sikhism arrived in Cachar after Guru Nanak 's visit to eastern India in 1508. In the early 20th century, most of the Sikhs lived in the northern part of Cachar where they worked for the Assam Bengal Railway . Languages in Cachar district (2011) Bengali and Meitei are
2475-518: The west and British Burma in the east, and in the 20th century covered an area of 22,327 square kilometres (8,621 sq mi) and contained 467 villages. The capital of the state was Imphal . The early history of Manipur is composed of mythical narratives . The location of the Kangla Fort on the banks of the Imphal River is believed to be where King Pakhangba built his first palace. Loyumba Shinyen ,
2530-435: The whole 64 grandsons would be Ningthou Machas, and their sons again, and so on." Rajkumars were a troublesome people, Major Maxwell observed and he gave them little encouragement. (dated 1944, 7 min, 35 mm) (dated 1945) (dated 1941) (Imphal: Manipur sahitya Parisad) (London, 2005). (Imphal: W. Ananda Meetei, 2010) (Imphal, 2005) (New Delhi: Akansha Publishing). Cachar Cachar district
2585-460: The written constitution of Kangleipak was formally developed by King Loiyumba (1074–1121) in 1110 AD. He consolidated the kingdom by incorporating most of the principalities in the surrounding hills. After subjugating all the villages within their valley Kangleipak kings grew in power and began a policy of expansion beyond their territory. In 1443 King Ningthoukhomba raided Akla (present day Tamu, Myanmar ), an area ruled by Shan people , initiating
2640-577: Was a minor the affairs of state were administered by the British Political Agent , which facilitated the introduction and implementation of reforms. The first paved road to Manipur was inaugurated in 1900 —until then there had been no proper roads to reach the kingdom— and this improvement in communication facilitated a visit by Viceroy Lord Curzon in 1901. Raja Churachand was formally declared king in 1907 after completing education in Ajmer . In 1918 he
2695-402: Was assassinated on 24 April 1840 at Haritikar. Because he died without a natural heir, his territories were annexed by the British under doctrine of lapse , adding it as the Cachar district of Assam. The British sent army officer T. Fisher to oversee the region; he established its headquarters at Cherrapunji on 30 June 1830. Fisher was both the magistrate and the collector, later becoming
2750-568: Was enacted, giving the state its own constitution, although this did not become known in other parts of India owing to the relative isolation of the kingdom. The Government of India did not recognize the Constitution. On 21 September 1949, the Maharaja was coerced to sign a Manipur Merger Agreement with the Union of India, to take effect on 15 October the same year, which legality is also disputed by many As
2805-609: Was formed from Cachar district in 1989. Cachar district occupies an area of 3,786 square kilometres (1,462 sq mi). The district is surrounded on the south by Mizoram , to the east by Manipur , to the west by Hailakandi district and Karimganj district , and to the north by the Barali and the Jayantia hill ranges. The Barak River is the main river of the district, along with its tributaries—the Jiri River and Jatinga River from
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#17328554029052860-502: Was given a substantial measure of local self-government under the Territorial Councils Act of 1956, a legislative body and council of ministers in 1963, and full statehood in 1972. The rulers of Manipur state were entitled to an 11- gun salute by the British authorities. The present dynasty began in 1714. There were two feudatory kings during the time of the Burmese invasions . The Political agents were subordinated to
2915-565: Was given the privilege to use the title ' Maharaja ' and during his reign Manipur enjoyed a period of relative peace and prosperity. In 1934 king Churachand was knighted by the British, becoming Sir Churachandra Singh. Between March 1944 and July 1944 part of Manipur and the Naga Hills District of Assam Province were occupied by the Imperial Japanese Army . The capital Imphal was shelled on 10 May 1944. On 14 August 1947, with
2970-580: Was killed by an Angami Naga party, the king of Manipur assisted the British by sending troops to neighbouring Kohima . Following this service to the crown, Chandrakirti Singh was rewarded with the Order of the Star of India . After Maharaja Chandrakriti's death in 1886 his son Surachandra Singh succeeded him. As in previous occasions, several claimants to the throne tried to overthrow the new king. The first three attempts were defeated, but in 1890, following an attack on
3025-429: Was the capital of Cachar. The last king of Cachar was Raja Govindra Chandra Dwaja Narayana Hasnu. The British moved into Assam in 1824 during the First Anglo-Burmese War , which was then under Burmese occupation. At the time, the Cachar kingdom was ruled by two leaders—Raja Govindra Chandra Dwaja Narayana Hasnu in the southern plains, and Raja Tularam Thaosen in the North Cachar Hills ( Dima Hasao ). Raja Govinda Chandra
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