Khamba Thoibi is a legendary Meitei languageepic poem based on the saga of love between Khuman prince Khamba and Moirang princess Thoibi in the ancient kingdom of Moirang. The poetry is composed by the legendary Bard Hijam Anganghal of Samurou. The poetry is the greatest of all the epic poetries in Meitei literature, with 34,000 verses, even longer than the Ramayana. The epic saga is one of the major elements of the ancient body of chronicles "Moirang Shayon" as well as "Moirang Kangleirol", the two great cultural resources of Manipur. There's also a folk dance of Meitei culture, under the same title "Khamba Thoibi", believed to be first performed by Khamba and Thoibi, in the shrine of Lord Eputhou Thangjing of ancient Moirang.
Textual history
The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng is composed by poet Hijam Anganghal of Samurou. Before the creation of the epic poem, the story was told in the form of folk songs as well as oral folklore in the ancient kingdom of Moirang only. However, after Anganghal's contribution of the poetry to Meitei literature, the tale was popularized through the state of Manipur.
Structure
The epic contains 15 chapters as well as 81 sections. It consists of approximately thirty four thousand lines.
The 2nd Pandup has only one tangkak named Kaang Saanaba.
The 3rd Pandup has only one tangkak named Een Chingba.
The 4th Pandup has two tangkaks, first one is Kangjei but the second one is unnamed.
5th Pandup
6th to 11th Pandups
The 6th Pandup has four tangkaks, first is Lamjel, while the remaining are unnamed.
The 7th Pandup has fifteen tangkaks, with the first one being Kau, while the rest being unnamed.
The 8th Pandup has two tangkaks, first being Ukai, but the second is unnamed.
The 9th Pandup has three tangkaks, the first is Heijing, but the rest are unnamed.
The 10th Pandup has a single tangkak, named Torbung Sadanba.
The 11th Pandup has only one tangkak, Samukhong.
12th Pandup
13th Pandup
14th Pandup
15th Pandup
The 15th Pandup has one tangkak, Khamba Thoibi Luhongba.
English version
The first English translation of the synopsis of the ancient Khamba Thoibi folk legends was published in the book The Meitheis, written by T.C. Hodson, in the year 1908.
The direct English version of the epic poem is translated by Dr. Jodhachandra Sanasam in 2017, for which he received the prestigious Nongthombam Kunjamohan Singh Translation Award 2017.
Dance form
Khamba Thoibi Jagoi is a folk dance of Moirang, an ancient kingdom of Manipur. The dance was believed to be first performed by Khamba, a legendary hero in Manipuri mythology and his lover Thoibi, the then princess of Moirang in the premises of the ancient Lord Ebudhou Thangjing Temple. The dance is still performed during the religious festival of Lai Haraoba in Manipur.
Public response
There is a cultural and historical museum in Ngangkhalawai village, Khamba Thoibi museum, which houses the traditional items used during the historic period, when Khamba and Thoibi were believed to be born.
In the year 2014, a grand symposium was organized in Nambol, Manipur, where there was a grand discussion on the topic Khamba Thoibi Seirengda Mityeng Ama, regarding the epic poetry of great poet Hijam Anganghal.
In the year 2019, in a mega exhibition held in Bhopal, India, the canvas Manipuri painting titled Khambana Kao Phaba, was shown.
Khamba Khamnu , was produced by Chandam Shyamcharan for C.S. Films Imphal Production.
Khamba Thoibi , was directed and produced by Moirangthem Nilamani Singh for Anjana Films.
There's a traditional folk songMoirang Sai which has been endangered from a very long period of decades. However, recently, the ancient traditional folk music art, which covers 120 hours of performance, was revived by legendary folk singerMangka Mayanglambam, which attain great public reception.
In the year 2010, the Laihui ensemble produces a drama, Kao The sacred bull, based on the saga of the orphan prince Khamba and his sister Khamnu.
A Manipuri feature filmLangon, highlights the epic saga of the love between Khamba and Thoibi.
There's an upcoming Manipuri 3D animation feature film under the title Khamba Thoibi, the epic.
