Two Manipuri Languages
Manipuri community is comprised of Aryans and Kuki-chin
people and thus the people of this community speaks in two
distinct languages namely " The Meitei language" and "the
Bishnupriya Manipuri language" . As the Meiteis entered
Manipur from the east, their Language is of the
Tibeto-Burman group. The Bishnupriyas entered Manipur from
the west and so their language is of the Indo-Aryan group.
The records maintained by the British India Government as
well as the Government of India in independent India attest
to this practice and in Govt. records Manipuris are
classified into two sub-heads: Meitei and the Bishnupriyas.
During the British regime, in the school statistics
maintained by the Cachar School Board, Cachar, the main
heading "Manipuri" was sub-divided into "Meitei" and
"Bishnupriya". The Census of India, 1961, also subdivided
the main heading "Manipuri" into "Meitei" and "Bishnupriya".
Commission for Linguistic minorities in India states - "The
manipuris residing in Cachar district are divided into two
distinct Sub-groups, viz, Meithei and Bishnupriya"
The Meitei Language
Meitei (called Meiteilon in the language itself) is a
Tibeto-Burman language belonging to the Kuki-Chin subgroup.
As the term "Meitei" was taken to be wholly synonymous to
"Manipuri" by passing a language bill in Manipur states
assembly, the language is included as Manipuri language in
the Eighth schedule of the Constitution of India. The
Resistance, a journal from Imphal, Manipur dated 9 January,
1976, observed thus - " Manipuri, used to denote Meiteilon (i.e,
Meitei language) is a misnomer. It neither signifies that it
is the language of Meiteis nor does follow that it is the
language of the Manipuris"
Meiteilon or Meitei language is spoken primarily in the
valley region of the State of Manipur, Assam, Tripura,
Nagaland in Índia, some parts in Burma and in Bangladesh.
Meitei language have its own scripts named Meetei-Mayek,
that is the script which was used to write Meeteilon
(Manipuri) till the 18th century. Subsequently, Bengali
script was adopted to write the language and is being used
till date.
For details on Meitei Language please visit
The Bishnupriya Manipuri Language
The Bishnupriya Manipuri language (also known as BPM or BM)
is highly influenced by the Sanskrit and Maharastri as well
as Sauraseni Prakrits, though some words of the Hindi
language of Northern India , some demoting terms of Meitei
and Assamese language and a little influence of Benignly
language are incorporated in the BM language.
Bishnupriya Manipuri has two dialects, namely,(1). Rajar
Gang ( Kings Village) and (2). Madoi Gang ( Queens village
).
Bishnupriya Manipuri was originally confined only to the
surroundings of the Lake Loktak in Manipur. The principal
localities where this language was spoken are now known as
Khangabok, Heirok, Mayang Yamphal, Bishnupur, khunan,
Ningthankhong, Ngakhong, Thamnapoxpi and so on. However,
later a great majority of speakers fled away from Manipur
and took refuge in Assam, Tripura, Sylhet and Cachar during
eighteen and nineteenth century due to internal conflicts
among the prices of Manipur and due to Burmese attack.
Consequently, it was difficult for the small number of
Bishnupriyas who remained in Manipur to retain their
language in face of the impact of Meitei, although Dr. G.A.
Grierson, in 1891 found the existence of a considerable
number of speakers in two or three villages near Bishnupur,
locally known as Lamangdong.( LSI, Vol -V, Page 419). This
Language is now spoken in parts of Assam, Tripura, Manipur(
Jiribam Sub-division) in India ,in Bangladesh, in Burma and
some other overseas countries.
The Bishnupriyas also claim that they have their own scripts
that is Devanagari Scripts which was used to write
Bishnupriya language till 1627 A.D. W.Shaw and Raj Mohan
Nath , two eminent scholars are of the view that "
Bishnupriya " with its Devanagai script had been the court
language of Manipur and was replaced by king Khagenba. R.
M.Nath says "so in Manipur in spite of Devanagari scripts
which the kala-chaias might have been using, the Meitai when
they came into power introduced the new scripts."
For details on Bishnupriya Manipuri Language please visit
Compiled
by Ashim Kumar Singha on November 12, 2002
