About the Bishnupriya Manipuris

A Study on the Culture of Bishnupriya Manipuris in Tripura

Madhu Mangal Sinha

Mangaldeep Publications
Dharmanagar, North Tripura
Cover photography: Madhu Mangal Sinha
___________________________________________________
First Edition 2022
Copy right: Madhu Mangal Sinha
Rs: 300/-
Published by- Mangaldeep Publications
Dharmanagar, North Tripura-799250
 Dedication

To
All Bishnupriya Manipuri Language loving
People who love their mother tong.
 Preface
The Bishnupriya Manipuris are a group of Indo-Aryan people that lives in Assam, Tripura, and Manipur
States of India, Central Myanmar, and North Eastern Bangladesh. The Government of Assam and Tripura
categorised them under the Other Backward Class (OBC) Category. In Bangladesh, they come under
Scheduled Tribes categories. In this edition, we will discuss the culture of the Bishnupriya Manipuris. We
also include those things which are necessary to understand the rich culture of the linguistic endangered
community for the readers' convenience. Hope your constructive criticism will enrich our next edition.
My sincere love remains for you all.
Madhu Mangal Sinha
the Bishnupriya Manipuris

The Bishnupriya Manipuris are a group of Indo-Aryan people that lives in Assam, Tripura, and Manipur
States of India, Central Myanmar, and North Eastern Bangladesh. Bishnupriya Manipuri is one of the
minority languages spoken by the Bishnupriya Manipuris in the above mentioned areas. The community
first escape from Manipur is said to have occurred after religious turmoil in the mid-18th century. During
the Burmese occupation of Manipur from 1819 to 1826, thousands of Bishnupriya Manipuri left Manipur
and began settling in Assam, Sylhet in Bangladesh, and Tripura. A number of people were taken as
prisoners of war to Burma.

Bishnupriya Manipuri is said to have evolved from Sanskrit and developed under the influence of
Sauraseni Prakrit and Magadi Prakrit. The Bishnupriya Manipuri language is related to Assamese and
Bengali, but distinct from both at the same time. Manipuri is said to have 4000 words. Among the
prominent authors of this language, Gitiswami Gokrananda is prominent.

As Manipur belonged to the Kshatriyas from Western and Northern India, it was known to the Burmese
as Kathe and to the Assamese as Moglu. The inhabitants were known as Maiyangs or Khalachais, and it
was also known as Makhalee during the Epic era. Southern Chinese people referred to it as Meiun Khala,
which means the country of the vast lake . Their ancient capital was Bishnupur, which the Chinese
traveller Hsuan Tsang had referred to in his chronicle as Ishangnupul. As a result, they were known as
Bishnupriyas. Unfortunately, while being thought of as Manipur's first sophisticated governing race, they
had to endure a string of Kuki-Chin raids and the valley.

While Manipur is a multilingual country hampered by a large number of tribes, Manipuri, as we know it,
is largely divided into two different races, namely Vishnupriya and Meitei. The former group is of Indo-
Aryan origin, the latter self-identifies as the Kuki Chin branch of the Mongols. Concerning the names
Meitei and Vishnupriya, there is a story widely shared and seen in the Meitei Purana or Puya called the
'Kumal Purana'. According to the 2011 Indian Census Report, the Bishnupriya speaking population is 79,646.

The United Nations Educational Organization,Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) recently
published a list of his endangered languages. Since this language does not have its own script, the Bengali
script is used.

Bishnupriya Manipuri has (i) monosyllables, (ii) two syllables, (iii) three syllables, (iv)four syllables, (v)
five syllables, and (vi) six syllables.

Keywords: Bishnupriya Manipuri, Indo-Aryan, Syllable Structure

Bishnupriya language was developed under

Magadhi-Apabhramsa.

The speakers of this language are mainly his

scattered in the Kachar, Karimganj and Hirakandhi districts of his Assam state in North East India.

The 1981 census of did not include the number of Bishnupriya Manipuri speakers due to a pending
decision on the nomenclature Bishnupriya /Bishnupriya Manipuri. "Bishnupriya" is a contraction of the
term "Bishnupriya" (K.P.Sinha, 1981). The earliest account of Bishnupriya is found in Grierson (1903).
Grierson included this language in his Indian Language Survey as "Mayan or Vishumpriya". Volume V,
page 426, 1903. According to Grierson, there were some notable works by Sinha (1968, 1981, 1986).
These works include Sinha's own paper (1961),

Grammar (1981), and Etymology Dictionary (1986).

Data and methodology

Bishnupriya Manipuri speakers were available and were matched with other native speakers and over a
period of time to examine their authenticity, first-hand interviews of him have been conducted. Also,
thanks to

Bishnupriya verbs indicate number, person and gender rules.

Numbers are usually placed before the nouns in Bishnupriya Manipuri, but they can also come after the
nouns.

Syllable structure

According to David Crystal, "A syllable is phonetic units, usually larger than a single phone and

Smaller than a word".

Syllable is not possible without vowel phonemes. The vowels are apparently essential elements of the
syllables and are called the "nucleus" or "peak" of the syllables. On the other hand, the first consonant of
a syllable is called the "beginning" and the last consonant of the syllable is called the "coda" of that
syllable.

Yule (2004) describes the syllable structure as A syllable must contain vowel (or vowel-like) sounds. The
most common syllable type in languages also has a consonant before the vowel, is represented as CV.
Syllables like me, to or no It has a beginning and a core, but no coda. They are known as "open"
syllables. When coda is present, like syllables up, cup, at, or hat, they are called "closed" syllables.

The basic structure of is the syllable type found in English words such as green (CCVC), egg (VCC),
ham (CVC), I (V), and do. They (CVC), like (CVC), not (CV), (CVC), SAM (CVC), I (V), I (VC).

Open and closed syllables

Syllables are classified as open and closed

 Based on the lack of a coda. If the coda is not in a syllable it is called an "open" syllable and if the coda
is present in a syllable it is called a "closed" syllable.

Bishnupriya syllable structure: There are six types of syllables in speech.

1 syllable, 2 syllables, 3 syllables,

4 syllables,

5 syllables, 6 syllables.

Bishnupriya syllables are composed of nuclei, and nuclei may be vowels or diphthongs. However, all
vowels in Bishnupriya Manipuri form the core of syllables. In other words, these

Languages have no vowels other than syllables. It has also been observed that 6-syllable words

Are very rare/less compared to other syllable types. However, there are no closed six-syllable words in
this language. All Different syllables are listed below –

Monosyllabic words:

Words containing one syllable are called Monosyllables (David Crystal, A Dictionary of Linguistics
and Phonetics). Like other Indo-AryansThe language is generally a monosyllabic Bishnupriya Manipuri
root. Below are some examples of monosyllabic words found in language?

Bishnupriya Manipuri Language

Manipuri designates two language groups: Meitei and Bishnupriya Manipuri

Meitei came to Manipur from the east. Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family.
Vishnupriya came to Manipur from the west. Their language belongs to the Indo-Aryan language group.
“The Manipuris are divided into two main tribes. The Karachays, who call themselves Vishnupriya, are
said to be the first civilized race. They are said to be immigrants.” – said R.M. Shuri. Eggplant in his book
Background of Assamese Culture.

In his 1891 Survey of Indian Languages, Sir G. A. Grierson recorded their language as "Bishnupriya
Manipuri". Lord Grierson notes that he has published the Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. V, Part 1 says:
They are also known as Bishnupriya Manipuri. Suniti kumar Catterji calls the Bishnupriya Manipuri
(BPM) language simply 'Bishnupriya' or 'Mayang'. The Bishnupriya Manipuris never called themselves
'Mayang'. This is a term used in a derogatory sense by the Meiteis to refer to Indians other than Manipur.
As we call it 'Kai'... But it is clear that these two languages originated in the soil of Manipur. Vishnupriya
Manipuri - A Language Originating in Manipur
studies by both Indian and European scholars prove the existence of Vishnupriya Manipuri in Manipur in
the earliest times. "Khumal Purana" by Pandit Navakhendra Singh refers to the presence of his
Bishnupriya Manipuri language in Manipur during the reign of Garib Nawaj. Pandit Navakendra
explains: "The main Aryan peoples of Manipuri, the Kumars, Moirans, Angams and Ruwans, have
followed the Vedic cult since epic times and are devotees of Lord Vishnu, distinct from Meitais".

The language originated in Manipur. , developed and was originally confined around Loktak Lake.

Other authorities such as Colonel's description of Manipore Valley. McCullock, Ethnology of Bengal by
ET Dalton and The Linguistic Survey of India by George Abraham Grierson note that the language
existed in Manipur before the 19th century. Dr. Grierson calls this language 'Bishnupriya Manipuri', while
some other authors simply call it 'Bishnupriya'. The main places where this language was spoken are now
known as Heylok, Mayan Yangpal, Bishnupur, Kunang, Nintankon, Gaikon and Tannapokpi.

Bishnupriya Diaspora

Legend has it that King Pamheiba ordered all his subjects to bathe in Lake Nongklan to purify
themselves. The Vishnupriya tribe, led by the Kumar chief, initially refused, claiming they were purified
by adopting the Vishnad faith. In fact, the influence of the Shankar Dev sect of Vaishnavism can still be
seen in the Vishnupriya Manipuri Culture (GK Ghosh, Tribes and Their Culture). The dispute only
widened an existing rift between the Vishnupriya and Maysley ruling classes. Large numbers of
Vishnupriya Manipuri began to migrate to areas of Assam, Tripura, Burma and Bengal. This process was
accelerated by repeated Burmese attacks, and the once-proud Bishnupriya soon became a country of
refugees.

Family Pattern

Theoretically, it is the general family pattern of Vishnupriya Manipuris, including Swapinda and lineal
kinship, which influences inheritance, etc. Society is patriarchal. Father is the head of the family. He is
the soul's authority over his property, and after his death family responsibility rests on the shoulders of the
eldest son.

Status of Women

Vishnupriya In Manipuri society, women have always held positions of honor. They are sometimes
treated as equals to men. Princess Chitrangoda of Manipur directed her state affairs with considerable
administrative affairs. She possessed all the fine qualities required of a king. However, a woman cannot
claim a share of her paternal estate. A widow, however, could inherit her husband's property after his
death.
Housing and Food

Bishnupriya Manipuris are a simple race. They build their homes on the plains, not on the hills. Their
traditional houses, called Ying Chau, are made of wood and bamboo and surrounded by kapak, a type of
hemp plant with hemp fibers on top. Sheet metal is also used to build houses. Today, modern buildings
can also be found in the Vishnupriya Manipuri settlement, but the orthodox Bishnupriya pride themselves
on building their houses in traditional patterns.

Your cooking is very simple. They are mostly vegetarian. Rice, vegetables, fruits and milk are staple
foods. They love traditional products such as erolpa, paltoi, chhinchou and maroi-jhool. They love
longchak, a type of vegetable bean produced on a special tree. Due to social restrictions, Vishnupriya
Manipuri abstains from meat, eggs and wine. All these are treated as unclean and avoided altogether.
However, there are no restrictions on catching fish. However, eating fish is probably a pre-Aryan custom
or perhaps borrowed from the Mongols of the Manipur Valley. Various fishing gear such as are
undoubtedly of Tibetan and Burmese origin.

Clothing, Gowns and Jewelery

Clothing used by Vishnupriya Manipuris is known as fidget or hutifari. They also use both sewn (hiesi)
and unsewn (nahiesi) garments.The traditional attire for men is called pachati – self-made length 5 It is a
cloth on the feet, worn around the waist and secured with a ganja, pleats at the back. Shorts and shirts are
used for the upper body. Punjabis are used in Feichom. Men of the upper classes and men of special status
would wear a headdress called a coyette or turban and an artistically designed shoulder his robe called a
rempar his futi. Women usually wear traditional rahing/chakshabi (a coarse cloth with vertical stripes and
vertical embroidery on both sides) and enafi (a single- or multicolored coarse cloth with laces on both
ends) blouses. increase. Women usually wore traditional rahing/chakshabi (a coarse cloth with vertical
stripes and vertical embroidery on both sides) blouses and enafi (a single- or multi-colored coarse cloth
with lace on both ends) and ange. Or wear a blouse. The extreme beauty of women's clothing is the
design of moirane, a special artistic embroidery done by the weaver. Married women wear a mulolhuti
or veil and remove special hair from their hair. Their ornaments are usually made of gold and silver and
the main designs are (1) Aangthi (rings), (2) Kharau (ring bracelets), (3) Khonanakpi (necklaces) and (4)
Kanberi (earrings). , (5). ) Khathisuri (a kind of Gerland)

Purpose and Goals

The purpose of this sociolinguistic investigation of his Bishnupriya was to gather information that would
be used in planning a language development program for his Bishnupriya Manipuris. To what extent the
language is homogenous within the community and from a sociolinguistic perspective we wanted to know
whether Bishnupriya justifies literary production and literacy programs. Equally important to us knew
what the community thought of such a program. To achieve these objectives, the following objectives
have been set.
1. Investigation of possible dialect differences among Bishnupriya speakers.
2. Determine the attitude of the people of Bishnupriya to their native language.
Other language types
3. Evaluate the fluency of the Bishnupriya community in Bangla
4. Assessing the long-term viability of Bishnupriya

To achieve these goals, this sociolinguistic survey of Bishnupriya was conducted in three parts of his
interrelated. 1) The study of dialects of language, 2) The study of language use, attitudes and vitality, and
3) the study of bilingualism.

Textile Industry

All the women of Vishnupriya are excellent weavers. It is difficult to find a Vishnupriya house without a
loom. The quality of their weaving is certainly excellent, rarely seen in other parts of the world, with
some classic designs and great color combinations.How long has it taken them to develop such expertise
Whether or not they were mastered is unknown, but their ingenuity in the cotton and silk industry is
beyond doubt. However, it may have originated in China and from there migrated to Assam,
Bangladesh, and other parts of India connected by Scoff. However, silk was known in China as early as
the Song Dynasty (1523-1027 BC). But even then Manipuri's textiles and clothing were in great
demand.Agriculture, earthenware, etc.

The Vishnupriya tribe is one of his most advanced peoples when it comes to agriculture. They produce
rice, grains, legumes, etc. in well-irrigated fields using all modern techniques. They are also noted for
their ability to create stoneware items. Among them are excellent goldsmiths and blacksmiths.
Goldsmiths make beautiful ornaments that enhance the beauty of Manipuri girls, and blacksmiths fill the
need for useful tools. Bell metal utensils made by Bishnupriyas are beautiful and durable. Among the
Bishnupriya Manipuris are also excellent carpenters and excellent potters.

Language Dialect Studies

A word list was created of Bishnupriya Manipuris. These word lists were then compared to determine the
lexical similarity among the Bishnupriyas.

Study of language use, attitudes and vitality

A sociolinguistic questionnaire was used to capture the Bishnupriya's language usage patterns and
attitudes toward their own and other languages. Information from the questionnaire indicates whether
Bishnupriyans accept and use material translated into their own language, or use material translated into
another language that is well understood in their own language.

Research on bilingualism

The Bangla Sentence Repetition Test (SRT) was specifically designed to assess the level of bilingualism
among minority Bishnupriya Manipuri language speakers. It was therefore the primary tool used in
Bishnupriya's research to investigate bilingual proficiency in Bangla and patterns of bilingualism within
the community. A community information questionnaire (CIQ) and a sociolinguistic questionnaire were
also used to collect information on the depth and breadth of bilingualism. for instructions on using SRT.

The Bisnupriya Manipuris

These people are said to have been followers of Vishnuism from very ancient times. They installed a
statue of Lord Vishnu at a site in Manipur named Vishnupur.

Mr. G.A Grierson refers to the people of 'Bishnupriya Manipuris' and Dr. Suniti kumar Catterji simply
calls them 'Bishnupriya' or 'Mayang'. But "Mayan" is a misnomer for this language. The Bishnupriya
Manipuris never called themselves 'Mayang'. It is a term used in a pejorative sense by Meiteis. Similar to
the Meiteis, the Bishnupriya Manipuri community is divided into five sub-clans. Khumals, Moirangs,
Angoms, Luwangs, and Manangs. They collectively call them Lokei, Pancha Vishnupriyas. There are
also 70 Lokei members of the Ningthou Khongya or Royel family, with Lempa Lokei (Thakcham),
Moirango Lokei (Moirang) being the dominant groups. Each lokei has a different ethnic identity gotros.

E.T.Dalton says : "By degrees the Meiteis became dominant and that name was applied to the entire
colony. It is highly probable that these hordes oven-and a country that had been previously occupied by
people of Aryan blood known in Western India and to the bards. ".

The previous custom was destroyed as a result of the persecution of the Bishnupriyas and the irrational
burning of books and documents during the early 18th century under King Pamheiba. Many Bishnupriyas
left their heart and home due to the many Burmese invasions that followed such oppressive governance,
migrating in part to Cachar, Sylhet, and Tripura and in part to Burma. Only a small section of the residual
population was left to witness its gradually deteriorating moral and material standards and discover its
mother tongue being helplessly driven into oblivion. The majority of the remaining population
amalgamated with Meiteis. However, the burning of books—which were even discovered by spies—
continued to prevent any chance of tracing Manipur's history.
Eminent academics W. Shaw and Raj Mohan Nath believe that " Bishnupriya ", with its Devanagai script,
was the court language of Manipur before King Khagenba changed it. Even though Dr. Grierson was able
to locate 1000 speakers of the Meiung or Bishnupriya Manipuri language there early this century during
his linguistic survey, the Meiung or Bishnupriya Manipuri language is now practically extinct in Manipur.

However, the tragedies of history have not been able to completely demoralise the populace. They have
managed to survive thanks to their pious temperament and ingrained cultural characteristics.

Mr. C.S.Mullan , I.C.S said. - "The Manipuris of Cachar and Sylhet are really people apart... they are
foreigners in a strange land and have kept very much to themselves preserving their own language . They
must , in my opinion , be considered as a community requiring special treatment rather than a backward
race".

Later on A.K.Chanda , Bar-at-Law , one of the architects of the Barak- Valley, mentioned in a memorial
on the occasion of the eighth general session, of Nikhil Bishnupnriy Manipuri Mahasabha held at
Bhakatpur near Silchar on 26th -and 27th December 1938 , is still more illuminating . As the chief guest
of the session he addressed the Chief Minister, Assam, in memorable words -
"In forwarding the memorial to you for the sympathetic consideration of your govt. I desire to reinforce it
by adding my humble voice in its support . As one between whose family and Manipuris have subsisted
ties of fiiendship for three generations now, I feel it would not be presumptuous on my part but rather
duty to submit that the memorialist have made out a strong case for special recognition of the claims of
Manipuris. I endorse every word of the remarks made by Mr. C.S.Mullan, I.C.S. as quoted in the
memorial . Manipuris have a culture of their own ; although settled among us , they have yet preserved
their entity as inviolate . But this insularism has caused them hard in that day they have been very
reluctant to respond to the calls of time. Once high in annals of bravery and various kinds of arts in peace
they find themselves relegated to the background for lack of modem education and also initiative. While
other Communities are forging ahead , they are content to eke out a precarious existence steeped in
illiteracy, ignorance and want . They are suffering from lack of initiative as they are without a leader
strong enough to rouse them from their stupor.. It now behooves your govt. to extend them a special
measure of protection without which the future of such a fine race seems doomed."

This language is known to its speakers as ‘Imar Thar’, which means "my mother's language". They call
themselves and their language Bishnupriya Manipuri and use the term Bishnupriya to distinguish them
from other ethnic groups in Manipur. The term Bishnupriya most likely derives from Vishnupriya, a
legendary figure of the Vaishnava sect, the main religion of the Bishnupriya people. The suffix -iya
means "People of Bishnupur".

Renowned Prof. E.Ninkanta Singh from Manipur says , "reflects the soul of a people . And to understand
a people's culture , one has to flow along with the current of heritage. The origin of the Manipuris ( or
properly speaking, the Meitels ) is still a mystery . But modem researches have pointed unwavering finger
to the East from where migratory waves have reached this land thousands of years ago".
Orthodox Bishnupriya believes that this language was brought to Manipur by immigrants from Dwaraka
and Hastinapura shortly after the Mahabharata War. Dr. K.P. Sinha, who has done a lot of research on
Bishnupriya Manipuri, disagrees with this theory and claims that this language originated through Magadi
Prakrit. According to his observations, the language retains the dominant features of Magadhi. According
to Sinha, pronouns, inflections, and inflectional endings appear to be identical or closely related to those
of Maithili, Oriya, and Bengali. These forms in Oriya and Bengali are derived from Magadi Apabramsa,
which is derived from Magadi Prakrit.
However, Bishnupriya Manipuri certainly does not belong to the Tibeto-Burman family; but is closer to
the Indo-Aryan group. At different stages of language development, Sauraseni, Maharashtri, Magadi, and
Tibeto-Burman also influenced it. Thus, it probably evolved from the Sanskrit language, Sauraseni
Maharashtri Prakrit, and Magadi Prakrit. The Magadhi elements are also notable, as the language retains
many characteristics of the Magadhi language. Furthermore, Bishnupriya Manipuri notes that he has
preserved much of the old stuff from the 15th century to the 17th century AD. Most of the speakers of this
language left Manipur in the early 19th century.
Several scholars and linguists opine Bishnupriya as a dialect of the Bengali language while many opine it
as a dialect of the Assamese language. At the same time, closer to the observations of the status of being a
Bengali dialect, many renowned scholars opine Bishnupriya as a creole language of Bengali language and
Meitei language, by retaining its pre-Bengali features in present times.
The Bishnupriya Manipuris were at a disadvantage because they had no home of their own. This
community has struggled and survived financial hardships for its identity and existence. Taking an in-
depth look at various socioeconomic and developmental issues, the speaker discusses the state of
development, moral values, rural youth issues, social norms and women, festivals and social cohesion,
and his BMDC in Assam. We will discuss in detail the role of health care professionals, health issues, and
more. We will discuss the contributions of Sri Sri Sri Bhubaneswar Sadhu Thakur, Gitiswami
Gokrananda, and the poet Senarup Sinha from Bishnupriya Manipuri Community. This volume sheds
light on various aspects of the society, economy, and development of Bishnupriya Manipuri in
northeastern India.

Opinion by William Frawley and Colin Masica

According to scholar William Frawley, Vishnupriya was once a creole of Bengali and Meitei and still
retains its pre-Bengali characteristics today. American linguist Professor Masika agrees with William.

Bishnupriya is a dialect of Assamese

Irish and Indian linguists and scholars such as George Abraham Grierson, Maheswar Neog, and
Banikanta Kakati consider Bishnupriya to be a dialect of Assamese.
Indian Linguistics
According to the Indian Language Research led by Grierson, "Bishnupriya" aka "Mayang" is a dialect of
Assamese.

Meitei element of Bishnupriya

Bishnupriya has 4000 root words borrowed from Meitei. Bishnupriya Manipuri holds the ancient 18
sounds of Meitei. Among them, 3 vowels like ɑ, i, u and 13 consonants like p, t, k, pʰ, tʰ, kʰ, c͡ ʃ, m, n, ŋ, l,
ʃ, h, There were two semivowels like w and j. Nine more notes were added to Meitei in later stages, but
Bishnupriya did not care for them, as they left Manipur in the first half of the nineteenth century. For this
reason, Bishnupriya Manipuri retains the sound of the old Meitei, but the Meitei's sound system itself has
undergone various changes. The most notable influence of the Meitei language on Vishnupriya Manipuri
is the formation of words beginning with the vowel ঙ 'aun'.

Customs and Customs

The Baishnavite culture influenced Vishnupriya centuries ago. Their cultural heritage therefore largely
reflects the culture of the Vaishnavi tribe. The Vaishnava 'Pala Kirtana' with Mridanga and Kartala has
become the most popular element in Bishnupriya art.The Bishnupriya Manipuris play an excellent host to
the Apoorvi or guests who mistake them for gods or goddesses. They all use his Kathi-Namsa-Nagun, his
three main elements of Vaishnav. There is a very impotent specific racial festival celebrated by the
Bishnupriya Manipuris. Organizations such as Dibosa, i. H. Vegetarian Festival, Akadsi and Palona
Utsova are associated with Vedic cults. On the contrary, Divosas are deeply involved in Nama-
Sangkirtana and theological debates. In addition, festivals such as Apokpa Hmadeni, the worship of
family deities. Boronor Dou Homadeni or Worship of the Harvest God. Lamor Dou Homadeni or
Guardian deity worship and Chapal Katkorani/Latkorani etc. are based on his Bhuta Yajna of Vedic
rituals.

Festival

The traditional festival or New Year celebration of Vishu is observed by offering a vegetable festival
called Ruko to the ancestral mud-brick patron deity on the last day of the month of Chaitra. On the first
day of the festival, various types of food are prepared and exchanged among neighboring families as a
sign of goodwill. They also hold his nine-day khan between Ratyatra and Filaratha with Lothapali in the
month of Ashara.
Festivals like Joidebo and Sankeertana sing devotional songs of Lord Vishnu, Sri Krishna and Jagonnath
especially in Maltep or Tample. Also, his month in Kartika is commemorated with festivals such as
Kapokorpalli (Meralpalli), with philosophical and theological discussions called Tikorani of Relic His.
The Pag or Holi festival takes place in his March and Shri Krishna Chahitanya or Gurango rejoices in
memory of his Mahaprob. The Bishnupriya Manipuri people are religiously conservative Vaishnakhs.
Primarily, Vishnupriya Manipuri's thought is identified with Hinduism in the form of Vaishunvism,
which is related to the school of Sri Chaitanya. Some scholars state that people have been followers of
Vishnu since ancient times, as before the reign of King Gharib Nawaji, when the great forces of Neo-
Vaisnavism came and spread in the land of Manipur. The whole community now accepts his Goudya
Vaishnavism.
Despite the fact that the Manipuri faith is equated with Vaishunism, there are other basic beliefs besides
Vaishunism. Manipuri Vishnupriya has its own gods, deities, rituals and rituals. Worshiping the gods
through music and dance to secure the common good is part of their belief. All these practices are said to
be associated with the Vedic ritual Bhuta Yajna. The list of deities worshiped by Manipuri Vishnupriya
is as follows:
1) Appokupa: The most important is Appokupa, a clan deity worshiped in every Manipuri Vishnupriya
house as a kind of family deity called Goroldou or Appokupa.

Vocabulary
Like other Indian languages, Bishnupriya Manipuri's primary vocabulary consists of Tadbhavas, but
thousands of Tatsuma words greatly extend its vocabulary. In addition, many other words were borrowed
from languages natively or colonially spoken in the region, such as Meitei, English, and Perso-Arabic.
Inherited/Native Indian (tadbhava): 10,000. Of these, 2,000 are found only in his Bishnupriya Manipuri
and are not inherited from other Indian languages. New words borrowed from Sanskrit (Tatsusama):
10,000
New loanwords from Sanskrit, partially modified (Ardhatatsama): 1,500
Words borrowed from Meitei: 4000
Words borrowed from other indigenous non-Indian languages: 1,500
Words borrowed from Arabic: 2,000
Loanwords from English: 700
Mixed words: 1,000
Words of unknown etymology: 1,300
Historical Keynotes on Bishnupriya Manipuri Language

1. "There can be no reasonable doubt that a great Aryan wave of very pure blood passed through
Manipur into Burma in pre historic time. I see traces of this in the finely cut features seen now and
then among the Manipuris" - Gazetteer of Manipur by Captain E. W. Dun, Page 15.
2. " A tribe known as Mayang speaks a mongrel form of Assamese known by the same name..They
are also known as 'Bishnupuria Manipuris or Kalisa Manipuris" - Linguistic Survey of India,
1891. Compiled by Sir G. A. Greirson, Vol V, Page 419
3. "They (Mayangs) amongst themselves speak their own language, which is dialact of Hindee" - An
account of the Valley of Manipore by Mc. Cullock, 1849.
4.  " There is,moreover, an Aryan dialect called Mayang still spoken in Manipur, the headquarters of
which are two or three plain villages near Bishnupur " - Gait's History of Assam  by Shri
Padmanath Vidyavinode,1908.
5. "By degrees the Meiteis became dominant and that name was appliled to the entire colony. It is
highly probable that these hordes oven-an a country that had been previously occupied by people
of Aryan blood known in Western India and to the bards...The present population of Manipur
includes a tribe called Meiung who speak a language of Sanskrit derivation they are now in a
servile condition performing the duties of grass-cutters to their conquerors" - Descriptive
Ethnology of Bengal by E.T. Dalton, 1872, page 48,49.
6. " There is a also a degraded class called the Kalachya or Bishnupuria ..They speak a language
which is different from that of the true Manipuris" - Assam Census Report by Gait.
7. "Mayang,one of the language spoken in the polyglot state of Manipur, May, however, be classed
as a dialect of this language" - Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol I, 1907.
8. " In 627 A.D. Khgenba introduced the Meitai Language as court language in place of Bishnupriya
or Kala-chaia language."- The Background of Assamese culture by  Raj Mohan Nath,, page-87).
9. "Among the manipuris there is community called Mayang Kalichas who are more dark skinned
than the Meiteis" - Religion and Culture of Manipur by Dr. M. Kirti Singh,1988,page 53.
10. "It is quite probable that Khala-chais are the first cultural race in possession of the Manipur valley,
and they were connected more with the neighboring kingdom of Kamrupa than with other
countries, and that is why their language is more akin to Kamrupi" - The Background of Assamese
culture by R. M. Nath, 2nd edn. 1978, page 86.
11. "Among the Kshatriyas there is a community known as Vishnupriya( Vishnupuria) Manipuris." -
Religious development in Manipur in the 18th and 19th Century/ Dr M Kirti singh, page 20
12. ".. 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." -The Background of Assamese
culture by R. M. Nath, 2nd edn. 1978, page 90.
13.  " The Manipuris who have been Hinduised are worshippers of Bishnu" - Sylhet District
Gazetteer, 1970, page 105.
14. " Manipuris are divided into two sections: Khalachaia or Bishnupriya and Meitei" (English
rendering from original Bengali ) - Aranya Janapadey by Abdus Satter, 1974, page 296.
15. " Bishnupuria Manipuris identifies themselves as Ksatriyas; they are pure Vaishnavs; they do not
even touches wine or meat"(English rendering from original Bengali) - Purbobongo O Assam by
Shri Krishna Mohan Dhar, 1909, page 106,107.
 16. " Except the Bengali speaking Hindus and Muslims,there is two community in Barak valley called
Bishnupriya Manipuri and Meitei Manipuri. The difference of languages exists in these
communities." (English rendering from original Bengali ) - Weekly Desh, june 19, 1989 , An
article by Dr. Dhirendra Narayan Majumdar.
17. "Manipuri is another cast of this region. They are divided into two tribes - Bishnupriya and
Meitei." (English rendering from original Bengali ) -Report of National Aboriginal Roundtable
Meeting, Dhaka, Page 32.
18. "These people had Indo-Aryan features and called themselves Bishnupriyas. Long before their
exodus they had lost control of Manipur to the rival clan of Meiteis. In their adopted land their
lives and limbs were safe; but their language and culture began to lose ground against those of the
majorette. Meanwhile, the Meiteis in Manipur became vindictive and imposed a de facto ban on
Bishnupriya language and custom. The Bishnupriya Manipuris were caught between a rock and a
hard place. Today, young Manipuris are no longer sure of their cultural identity." -An Article By
Syed Zainul Akmal Al-Mahmood , Published in the Daily Star Weekend Magazine in the Jan 21st
issue, 2000.
19. "The manipuris residing in Cachar district are divided into two distinct Sub-groups, viz, Meithie
and Bishnupriya" - Letter of Commissioner for Linguistic minorities in India, dtd 29 August,1973
20. " The Bishnupriya are known as the Khala chais.They were the first ruling race of Manipur."
(English rendering from original Bengali ) - Aranya Janapadey by Abdus Satter, 1974, page 297.
21. " The Manipuris divided into three main groups - Bishnupriya, Meitei and Pangans" (English
rendering from original Bengali ) - Moulvibazar Zelar Jonojibon by Prof Rasamoy Mohanto, Page
86.
22. " Probably most controversial class of people having no homeland of their own, subsequently
loosing their identities are the Bishnupriya Manipuris" - Tribals and their Culture in Manipur and
Nagaland by G. K. Ghose. Page 169.

Examples of Some Original Bishnupriya Manipuri Words

Kisara (how), Kurang Jargata (where are you going), Ohat (there), Hurkang sawgo (little child), Danar
sawgo (adult child), kichara (how are you), Jelahaturiya (perverse) etc.

Bishnupriya Manipuri is an East Indies Aryan language spoken primarily in Northeast India and
Bangladesh by about 120,000 people. In 2011, there were about 79,600 speakers of the Indian
Bishnupriya Manipuri language, mainly in the Kachar, Hairakandi and Karimganj districts of Assam and
northern Tripura. In 2003, there were about 40,000 Vishnupriya Manipuri speakers in Bangladesh, mainly
living in Haviganj, Murvibazar and Sunamganj districts of Sylhet Division. There are also people in
Myanmar/Burma who speak Bishnupriya Manipuri.
In India, Bishnupriya Manipuri is taught in Elementary schools and used in literature and media. It is
written in the Bengali script and was formerly written using the Devanagari script. Also known as
Bishnupria Manipuri, Manipuri Bishnupriya, Bishnupriya, Bishnupriya Manipuri, native speakers call it
Imār Thār - "my mother's language.
The Bishnupriya Manipuris are a race of Indians who claim to be the first cultural race to rule the
Kingdom of Manipur with Bishnupur as its capital. They claim to be of Aryan descent. Manipur's last 200
years is an era of manufacturing history. Bishnupriyas are less aggressive but boastful. They did not
deviate one bit from their claim that they were descended from the third Pandavas, Arjuna, through
Baburvahana, whose mother Chitrangada was a princess of Manipur.

Curiously, the famous Manipuri culture still thrives among the Bishnupriyas. Oddly enough, Bishnupriya
Manipuris never call themselves Bishnupriya Manipuris, but simply call themselves as Manipuris.

Our research suggests that the BM are descendants of the Kshatriyas. History tells us that they colonized
Burma and the Far East. Yes, they like Lord Jagannath very much.

As seen in most Hindu colonies in the Far East, Bishnu worship was their early religion. The Bishnu
Temple at Bishnupur in Manipur happens to be the oldest Pucca structure in Manipur state. Some
historians & ASI say it was built in the mid-15th century. However, H. M. Bareh, a researcher of
Meghalaya and author of The Encyclopedia of Northeast India, claims that the cornerstone of the temple
was not laid after the 13th century.

This suggests that BM represents an interesting link between India and the ancient Hindu Far East. The
Bishnupriya Manipuris are a race of Indians who claim to be the first cultural race to rule the Kingdom of
Manipur with Bishnupur as its capital. They claim to be of Aryan descent. Manipur's last 200 years is an
era of manufacturing history. They did not deviate one bit from their claim that they were descended from
the third Pandavas, Arjuna, through Baburvahana, whose mother Chitrangada was a princess of Manipur.
This suggests that BM represents an interesting link between India and the ancient Hindu Far East.

The Government of Assam and Tripura categorised them under the Other Backward Class (OBC)
Category. In Bangladesh, they come under Scheduled Tribes categories. Banana Leaf is an essential
natural element for the daily affairs of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Community. This community is one of
the most nature-loving communities in the world. In the days of hazardous environmental pollution
Bishnupriya Manipuri community always uses bio-degrade-able Banana leaves for the community
occasions such as marriage, Sradha occasion, or any other auspicious occasions of their day-to-day life.
The banana leaf is a banana plant's leaf, which can grow up to 30 leaves at a time. The leaves are useful
for a number of tasks because of their size, elasticity, waterproof characteristic, and aesthetic appeal. In
tropical and subtropical regions, they are employed in a wide variety of ways such as cooking, wrapping,
and serving food. In many ceremonies of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Community, they use the banana
plant's leaf for decorative and symbolic purposes. Dry banana-leaf thatch is used in tropical traditional
home construction for the roofs and fences. Historically, the primary writing surfaces in many countries
of South and Southeast Asia were banana leaves.

Bishnupriya Manipur's religious practices and traditions are unique. They are organized in a temple
setting, revealing true solemnity and reflecting the peculiarities of social and religious life. The large
prevalence of Hindu practices and traditions in Bishnupriya Manipuri society is a sign of their reverence
for Hindu deities and temples.

Art
 Vaishnaism was very popular in Bishnupriya Manipur during the reign of King Bhagya Chandra around
the 18th century. As a result, Vaishnav Palakirtan became the most important element of Bishnupriya
Manipuri art along with Mridanga and Kartalaa. Rasleela is another important aspect of Manipuri culture.
The philosophy of Bishnupriya Manipuris is the basis for the philosophy of Vaisnavism, the body and
action of dance with the essence of Bhagavatha philosophy.

Atiya Guru Sidaba or Soralel or Soraren

Atiya Guru Sidaba is a high deity believed to exist above all. His alias is Psoralen (sometimes called
Solarel). Soraren (Sora = god, Ren = chief, highest rank) may have originally been a family god.
According to some Manipuri scholars, Soiraren is the corrupt word of Surendra, who is described as Indra
in the Vedic scriptures. The most famous ancient folk song of Bishnupriya Manipuri makes many
references to Sorelel. The Rain-Invoking Songs (1450-1700) and Madoi-Sorarel Songs (1500-1600) refer
to Solarel as the king of all gods.

Githanipung

Another domestic deity is his Githanipung, very similar to his Leimaren of Manipuri Meiteis. The pot
should be refilled with fresh water every Tuesday.

Pahangpa

Same as Pakhangba in Manipuri Meiteis. Offering a chapel (Chapal Katkorani/Latkorani) to appease the
negative and evil spirits associated with the worship of Pahampa.

Punka

A punka or punga rayle consists of a small pit located west of the hearth in which a clay pot is placed and
the niche is usually covered with a clay roof.

Lamor Dou

Providing food to satisfy negative and evil spirits, also found in Manipuri Vishnupriya customs.

Kaal

Kaal or Kaalthakur is the river god of Bishnupriya Manipuris. "Kaal" (>Kala) means sideways black god.
According to Vishnupriya mythology, Kaal is the most impatient god. He can get frustrated very easily.
Worship of Kaal is performed by offering a chapel consisting mainly of green grass, sesame seeds, rice,
milk and cow dung decorated with banana leaves.
Most orthodox Vishnupriyas are the name of the state/capital and people Vishnupur and Vishnupriya are
undoubtedly the focus of a group of people whose center was in Vrishni, whose ancestors came and
entered Manipur in ancient times. Descendants and followers of the aforementioned five denominational
chieftains of Bryshni proclaimed Manipuri Pancha Vishnupriya (Bisnupriya: corruption or derivation of
the word Bryshni).

The Greatest Observers of Vedic Rituals

The Bishnupriya Manipuris are considered to be a very conservative race, devoted to strict Vedic culture
and traditions, and they practice Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, etc. It can be safely said that the
Bishnupriya Manipuris are perhaps still the finest observers of Vedic rituals in India. As was the case
with the West Indian Aryans of Vedic times, social rules and beliefs are still very rigid today. Moreover,
apart from the Kshatriyas and Brahmins, there are no Vaishyas or Shudras in this community. For this
reason, these people believe they are descended from the Kshatriyas and Brahmins of Hostinapura who
came to Manipur after Baburvahana. They have a high social order and a strict structure of social
discipline. Even at the end of the 21st century, Vishnupriya Manipuri cannot dream of intercaste
polygamy or marriage. Such cultural communities can be found in the world today, but due to the severity
of the social order, the number of people who belong to these communities is very small.

Laamor Dow Homadana

A very rich culture is a blessing for the Bishnupriya Manipuri group. Across the length and width of the
communal lives, a wide range of traditions and rituals are observed and performed. A custom of the
Bishnupriya Manipuris is the "Laamor Dow Homadana," which is observed annually on the last day of
Chaitra, the last month of the Bishnupriya Manipuri calendar. This ritual involves offering food to their
ancestors and the dead in order to obtain their blessings. This is a custom that the Bishnupriya Manipuri
group practices. They used to serve food to their ancestors on the top of a banana leaf, which may have
been decorated any way they saw fit.
Vegetarian meals of all kinds are produced. Odd numbers of dishes with vegetables, legumes, and herbs
used 108 different types of components in the final dish. For the production of the specialties, they
selected a range of vegetables from their vegetable garden. Laamor Dow Homadana is usually offered in
a public place. The family's head male member performs the puja first, followed by the remaining male
family members kneeling in respect.

Shraddh
The Bishnupriya Manipuris generally pay tribute to ancestors in Haridwar and other sacred locations
during shraddha. The first day of Durga Puja, Mahalaya, which falls in October or November, is when the
Bishnupriya Manipuris show tribute to their ancestors. Either at home or in a public location, Ganga Jal is
served with flowers as mantras are chanted with flowers, diyas or Bartis are lit, and incense is burned.
The relevant Brahmins make reference to the person's gotra, and over time, they invoke the dead souls
extending back generations and ask for their blessings. In the local temple, offerings known as "Sidda"—
raw rice, pulses, spices, vegetables, etc.—are made in honour of the ancestors.
These are employed in the process of making bhogs, which are afterward offered to the temple's deities
and the parties along with neighbors. They eat the bhog and the sweets served as "prasad." Depending on
their financial situation, many people travel to Haridwar and other holy riverside locations. Here, the
Sidda is set up in a lovely arrangement of vegetables, and pulses with banana leaves and is being given to
the Brahmins for preparing prasad or bhogs.
Apokpa Homa Dena
Aapokpa is also honored by the Bishnupriya Manipuris, they call it "Apokpa Dou Homa Dena." In
villages, towns, and cities prayers are held at the location of the in-house granary, or where Anna or rice
grains are stored, and with lighting Barti (a unique kind of cotton-made candle) and incense. This is
performed inside. The first gift is made to Apokpa, the Kuldevta of the Bishnupriya Manipuris, when they
pay prayers to their ancestors during Shraddh or at a marriage ceremony at home, which is necessary in
order to obtain blessings. Apokupa does not need a brahmin for his worship, as he lives in the granary
house. Families arrange pujas with fruits and sweets in banana leaves.
Who is Apokupa?
Bishnupriya Manipuri is a community in the northeast, mainly in Assam, Manipur, Tripura, and
Meghalaya. Today, they are scattered throughout India and various parts of the world and are descendants
of Pandava Prince Arjuna and Manipuri Princess Chitrangada. During his exile, Arjuna visited the
Northeast, where he married the Manipuri princess Chitrangada. Apokpa belongs to the 7th generation of
Arjuna and Chitrangada. A detailed description of this is given in one of the many 'Puranas', the 'Kumal
Purana'.
The Bishnupriya Manipuris are probably the only Sanatani Hindu community who has never converted to
either Islam or Christianity despite being attacked and tortured. 99.99% of Bishnupriya Manipuris are still
Hindu.
Bishnupriya Manipuris in Tripura
In Tripura speakers of this language live in the North, Unakoti, Dalai, Kowai, West, and Sipahijara
districts of the state. Since 1995, the Tripura government has introduced Bishnupriya Manipuri as a
subject in Elementary schools. The language is currently taught in 39 public schools across the state.
Preparation of Text Book for Class- IX has been completed.
Name of School where Bishnupriya Manipuri language is taught-
1. Goldharpur RS H/S School
2. Tilakpur Girls J/B School.
3. Jalai High School.
4. Jarailtali H/S School(Pry. Sec.)
5. Singirbil High School.
6. Fultali S/B School.
7. Dalugaon J.B School.
8. Bhagyapur High School.
9. Fatikchhera High School.
10. East kanchanbari high School.
11. Balichhera S/B School.
12. Mashauli High School.
13. Kanchanchhera Manipuripara J. B. School.
14. Assambasti S/B School.
15. Kanchanbari H/S School.
16. Durbasakhala J. B. School.
17. Betchhera(Raitwisa) H/S School.
18. Kanthalchhera TMC High School.
19. Deochhera H/S School.
20. Joynagar H/S School.
21. Bhagyapur S/B School.
22. Sanichhera S/B School.
23. Dhigal Bank J. B. School.
24. Dakshin Purba Nadiapur J. B. School.
25. Deocherra Bhitargol J. B. School.
26. Kherengjuri S/ B. School.
27. Longtorai Narendranagar J. B. School.
28. Baralutma H/S School.
29. Debichhera High School.
30. Mohanpur High School.
31. Halhali S/B School
32. Nakful Col. High School.
33. Avanga S/B School.
34. Ramkeshab C.P. High School.
35. Jangthum J. B. School.
36. Kalkalia High School.
37. Mohanpur SB School.
38. Radhakishorpur JB School.
39.Indranagar JB School

'Manipuri' stays with Bishnupriya, 8th March 2006

A landmark ruling of the Supreme Court recognized Bishnupriya Manipuri as a distinct entity of the
Indo-Aryan language family.

Two divisions of the Apex Court, Justices Ruma Paul and Justices Dalbir Bhandari, also found that
Bisnupriyas used the term ``manipuri'' as a prefix or suffix in the nomenclature of ``manipuri''. They had
clarified that there was no problem if I continue to use it as Bisnupriya. By this decision, the Supreme
Court upheld the Gauhati High Court's decision of 9 April 1999 and approved the inclusion of the
Bishnupriya Manipuri language community in the list of Other Backward Communities (OBC) in Assam.

The case was brought to the Supreme Court after the Manipur government and a certain K. Kumardan
Singh challenged the Gauhati High Court's ruling. They, along with Bishnupriya, have rejected the use of
the term 'manipuri'.

Barak Valley

The different ethnic groups of the Barak Valley include Bishnupriya Manipuris. They are a linguistic
minority, according to the law. In the valley, there are up to 146 communities, and in 1967, 66,623 people
lived in rural regions. Strangely enough, the statistics from the 1961 census were entirely false. In an
effort to voice their displeasure, social workers conducted a census that, when properly validated by the
individual Village Panchayats, revealed the true figures listed above. By the final decade of the century,
the number would be close to 1.5 lakhs. In fact, this town has declined at every point in its historical
development.
Late Mahitosh Purkayastha, Ex-MP, and a much-respected leader of South Assam noted more than a
decade ago: "as regards the sociocultural identity, the 40000 Bishnupriya Manipuris constituting less than
0.30% of state population do not consider themselves lost socially and culturally although they have
socio-political 'events of deprivation." The case in point gets clear from the 13th Report of the
Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities of India (July 1970 -June, 1 971 Article 15, page 1
"As a result of non-implementation of the constitutional provision of Artici.-I 3 50A by some states,
specific demands of some linguistic minority groups to have instructions through their mother tongue at
the primary stage, have not been conceded Prominent among such pending issues -are the cases of the-
speakers of Bishnupriya Manipuri in Assam,, speakers of Saurastri in Tamil Nadu Santhali in West
Bengal.."

PURNIMAR JUNAK

BISHNUPRYA MANIPURI's video album "PURNIMAR JUNAK" was released in 2009 AD.
under CHANDRAKANTI PRODUCTION (Dulobchara, Karimganj) Assam. The said video album touch
Vishnupriya Manipuri's dynamic and traditional culture in all its aspects.
*** The shooting was held in the Northeast part of India.
*** Video albums are based on full high-quality cinematic standards.
*** Written and text by Chandrakanti Sinha (Dulobchara)
*** Preeti Sinha's song
This album achieved great success
Producer: Chandrakanti Sinha (Dulobchora, Karimganj)
Production Controller: Rabi (Ashutush), Guwahati
Director/Cinematographer/Editor: Subhendu Sinha (Guwahati)
Singer: Preeti Sinha
Choreography: Sunny Raj, Jori Bora
Cast: Kamal Sinha (Kaila Shahar), Biki (Karimganj), Kishore
Mukharjee, (Dulob Chara), Rahul Sinha (Garorband)
Actresses: Rubi (Shiron), Konica (Khaira Shahar), Jeshmin (Guwahati).
Rinki (Garorband), Pinki Sharma.

A BISHNUPRIYA MANIPURI PERFORMANCE IN THE SPIRIT OF NORTH EAST

FESTIVAL ORGANIZED BY INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL CENTER FOR ARTS DATE: 20
JAN, 09

A team of young Bishnupriya Manipuri professional artists performed at the Indira Gandhi National
Center for Arts, New Delhi on the eve of Assam Day,18th of January, 2009
during the Purvottri, Spirit of North East, cultural festival. The Spirit of North East festival organized by
the IGCA is an effort to suggest that identities and differences in the North-East are obverse and reverse
of the same coin and that there is a luminous convergence of the diverse dimensions of the grandeur and
depth of the human spirit in the North-East.
 It is a first-of-its-kind phenomenon that a Bishnupriya Manipuri team has come to the Capital and has
given a Bishnupriya Manipuri performance as Bishnupriya Manipuris on a national level.
The team of Bishnupriya Manipuri artists comprised Mr. Hemkanti Sinha a young promising talent,
Kajal, Gunodhar, Prabin, Anindita, Reema, Sudipta, Anita, Supriya, Subhashini, Nipendra, and Shankar.
A scintillating performance was on display when this young team wooed the crowd by performing the
`Korotali Nasa' and 'Kapokor Pali Nasa' . This team of
Bishnupriya Manipuri represented Shrimanta Shankardev Kalakhetra of Assam.

A Red Letter Day to Brahmanad Sinha, ND

It was just after noon when he got a call from one of my friends that the Bishnupriya Manipuri troupe
would perform for the first time at Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts in New Delhi to celebrate
Assam Day. “Poorvatari: The Spirit of North East”. Coincidentally, they ran into serious trouble and
clashed with another group of people belonging to a diverse community of shared dogmas that prevented
them from participating in D-Day.
He had to hasten to Hotel Le Sancy in Karol Bagh, but before he could reach the place,he received the
strong intercession of Monica, Henry, Chandan, Nilkant, Jyothilmoy, and Mr. Dilip Sinha. By doing so,
the derogatory problem was solved. The enthusiasm of the participants has finally returned.

January 18 day 2009 was undoubtedly a historic red day for the entire Bishnupri Yamani Puri community.
Because on that day their culture and dance were identified and established at the national level. To Mr.
Dilip Sinha and all the members of Anindita, Supriya, Amrita, Subhashini, Sudipta, and Reema from the
villages of Chencoorie, Singari, and Rengti and all the boys from Singari and Silchar Debabrata, Praveen,
Gopinath, Kajol, Nipendra and Shankar Respectful. Everyone of the community knows about Mr. Dilip
Sinha's credibility as a musician and his connection with Kalakshetra. So there was a distinct sense of
sovereignty when he saw someone of his stature at the head of the team, as Dilip told him of his IGNCA
filming of his documentary by Kartik Pali Dance and Korotali Nasha. He was even more excited when
Dilip Sinha approached him to write a brief about some performances to be exhibited for. Without
hesitation, he seized the opportunity and happily registered my voice to announce the details of the item.
Moments excited to see their people exhibiting their culture in the National capital.

Surma Valley Manipuri Association

It is impossible to overstate the historical significance of the Surma Valley Manipuri Association,
afterward known as the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha in 1932. This is the leading
sociocultural organisation in society. It was founded in June 1932 and has been actively striving to
improve the neighbourhood. It should be noted that Manipuris were categorised as tribal people
descended from Tibeto-Burman ancestry in the 1931 census. However, after carefully reviewing the
historical documents obtained from the Bishnupriya Manpuris of Cachar under the auspices of the Surma
Valley Manipuri Association, the census commissioner Dr. J. H. Hutton categorised them within the caste
Hindu Indo-Aryan group in 1933.
Gokulananda Gitiswami
Gitiswami Gokulananda, who travelled the entire Bishnupriya-speaking region while singing with a
missionary fervor about the problems in our society and their solutions, is undoubtedly the best of the
earlier poets. His act was mostly dramatic, mocking our people's follies and vices throughout. He
specifically criticised the vice of imitation. It should be noted that his role is analogous to that of Bengal's
Mukundadas, who flourished during the great years of the country's comeback and moved millions of
people with his stirring songs. Even though his area of influence was constrained, he must have felt the
pressure of the times because he seemed to have wider sympathies.
A cursory glance at our recent history will show the circumstances that contributed to the development of
this outstanding reformer-poet. Our women from the lower middle class went to the market to sell some
daily essentials while working in a down economy. Until it was discovered that these innocent women
were frequently subjected to insults from some vulgar persons in the marketplace, this was not regarded
as shameful. Gokulananda, a young man, was horrified to see a woman being tormented in this way, but
no one stepped in to aid her. He was moved by the situation and became outraged, which made him
tragically realise how bad things were for us. And he made the historic choice to devote himself to the
welfare of his neighborhood.
To raise the standard of living for Bishnupriya Manipuris stay up with the development of other cities. He
dramatised the struggle of our women against the then-relative laziness of our men. His songs were
straightforward and frequently energetic in tone because he had a serious goal in mind. His caring face
and bright eyes were perfectly adapted to the task, and his mouth had a tiny leftward curve that gave the
image of a determined man. His level of achievement can be inferred from the affectionate moniker
"Gitiswami" given to him. He truly was the language's master of lyricism.
He is depicted as a guy at the pinnacle of his communal affiliation in his song that honours Mother
Bishnupriya. Furthermore, through his dramatic performances and other works, he significantly
contributed to the arousal of our social conscience. The Bishnupriya Manipuries have benefited much
from this famous travelling singer in a variety of ways. By now, we are aware that true poets, not just
poets who can create beautiful verse, are what humanity needs. One of the main sources of inspiration
from which our modern poets and social workers, for that matter, continue to draw their nourishment is
Gitiswami. We are now more likely to examine within ourselves without delusion or any false sense of
"self-pleasure" rather than just being passive observers.
Bhubaneshwar Sadhu Thakur
As has already been said, Bishnupriya Manipuris are devoted members of the Gaudiya Vaishnava
religion. In some ways, Sri Bhubaneshwar Sadhu Thakur, who was born in Baropoa, Cachar, has
prevented the population's spiritual decline as a result of extreme poverty. Currently, the village of
Baropoa is known as Bhubaneshwar Nagar. He taught them how to live truthfully and amicably with the
little they have. It makes sense why they view him as their saviour. For the followers, Sri Govinda's
temple in Nabadwip, West Bengal, also known as "Govindabari," is a true haven of calm.
The famed dramatist Leikhomsena Sinha, a native of Singari in Silchar and the late, sadly missed father
of Guru Bipin Sinha, a top performer of Manipuri dance, also merits attention. In addition, a large number
of other poets and socially responsible individuals have given their small part to the improvement of the
neighborhood. The Bishnupriya Manipuris hold a respectable place in this valley's disciplines of
education, science, and culture despite their struggling economy.
This brings us to the core issue with the question. Do Bisnupriyas have any Manipuri ancestry? Naturally,
they are. They have continually rebuffed proposals from the state and federal governments to accept
Bisnupriya alone because of this. Over the years, they have expressed their constitutional claims through
nonviolent, democratic actions. But regrettably, something went wrong. I sincerely believe that this
conundrum can be resolved by the right-minded residents of the valley who have a great sense of history.
If "Manipuri" is dropped or removed, the cultural identity of the Bishnupriya Manipuris is in jeopardy.
Bishnupriya Manipuri Welfare and Cultural Association, Bangalore

Such a large-scale historical event “Sadhu Thakur Utsab 2014” was celebrated for the first time in
Bangalore on 30th November 2014. This first big celebration of Sadhu Thakur Utsab was done mainly
because we were excited and able to come together as one big family "to celebrate and have fun
together". Sadhu Thakur Utsab To the over 300 people who attended the 2014 event, their time and care
are profound and continually growing. Those who contributed but were unable to attend due to other
commitments or individual sponsors; their support made it possible to successfully host such a large-scale
event. It was an honor and a privilege to have guests inside and outside the community. It was an honor to
be able to launch the magazine 'Yaripoli 2014' and include articles about all respected authors across the
country. Event '145. started with Pooja by Radha Krishna Aiga) and Aaroti. The stages are beautifully
designed and the first background design designed by Urumi her Mrs. Sinha was amazing. The managing
Committee would like to thank Sushanta Sinha aka Bhajan Samrat, the famous singer for accommodating
our requests and ultimately making the event enjoyable. The performance by our traditional drummers or
DAKULAs Biren Sinha and Bidyut Sinha was outstanding. They reminded them of their own culture and
made the event more colorful. Child performers such as Sujata in dance and regular performer Dr.
Swapan. Arunaba and Shiradi song performances, Krishna Bhajan's Sananda dance performances,
Brindha Nicha performances of Supriti accompanied by Dhakula.

Bishnupriya Manipuris press for OBC status on Oct. 2015

“Bishnupriya Manipuri has a rich cultural heritage. More awareness is needed to promote, preserve and
disseminate the unique cultural and linguistic traditions of the Bishnupriya community. We need to
implement more welfare programs for the benefit of the people,” said Kartik Sena Sinha, former MLA
and chairman of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Development Council, said the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri
Student Union, Bishnupriya Manipuri. He spoke at the two-day General Assembly of Gasangram.
Parishad, Vishnupriya Manipuri Women's Organization and Vishnupriya Manipuri Veterans Organization
in the auditorium of the city's district library on Sunday. This conference was held with the cooperation
of four organizations.

Mr Singha said that as a result of his initiative, his Rs 19.8 crore package had been granted by the State
Administration for the welfare of the community. He also called for the inclusion of Bishnupriya
Manipuri Municipality in the OBC's central list. Gopidas Singha, as keynote speaker on the occasion,
announced that the community would be encouraged to introduce the Bishnupriya Manipuri language
program and broadcast from Silchar and Guwahati to All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan Kendras.
(DDK) to appoint qualified Bishnupriya Manipuri people.

After a series of agitation and debate, the Central government has yet to implement the Bishnupriya
Manipuri program in DDK and AIR. He warned relevant authorities that if their long-standing demands
were not met, the community would have no choice but to initiate mass public. The conference raised
many concerns, including calls for the inclusion of the Bishnupriya Manipuri language as a Modern
Indian Language (MIL) subject on the SEBA and AHSEC boards, and the appointment of TET and other
exam-qualified teachers in state-owned schools. Other participants included the Sanskrit Faculty of
Birendra Singha, Gurucharan College, Dip Singha, Gaurav Rajkumar, Samir Singha, Nirmal Singa, Rita
Singha and Rajrakhi Singha.

Bishnupriya Manipuris call 101hr blockade

Five organizations of Bishnupriya Manipuri are pushing various demands, including declaring a 101-hour
rail blockade in Barak Valley from December 21st, 2017 and reserving seats for the community in
parliament and Lok Sabha.

All India Bishnupriya Manipuri People's Mahasabha working president, Subal Sinha,  said Sunday all
organization members unanimously decided on Saturday to continue the lockdown to advance the seven
demands said he did. He said a bicycle rally will be held in Silchar on December 16th.

Other requests are to introduce Bishnupriya Manipuri section in AIR stations in Silchar, Guwahati and
Agartala, to transmit programs in Bishnupriya Manipuri language at Doordarshan Kendras in these
places, to establish language departments in all universities, appointment of Bishnupriya Manipuri
Language Teacher.

Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha demanded that the Bishnupriya Manipuri living in Assam be
treated as an 'indigenous' community.

Plea for indigenous status Jan, 2020

The Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha demanded for “indigenous” community status. They
handed over a memorandum containing a request for declaration of “indigenous” status to the Chief
Minister of Assam Sarvananda Sonowar. The State government has already granted them OBC status to
the Bishnupriya Manipuri community living in Assam. Sonowal assured them he would discuss the
matter with the Center.

Bishnupriya Manipuri Body presses for Autonomous Council; Oct, 2021

The Bishnupriya Manipuri Autonomous Demand Committee, at its first annual meeting held in
Kachudaram, west of Silchar, has raised repeated requests for the Autonomous Council to meet the hopes
and aspirations of the OBC community in the Barak Valley. Demad Commission Chairman Gopidas
Sinha read the resolution adopted at the conclave to the media, who reiterated a long-pending call to the
council. The government of Sarbananda Sonowal approved for the special welfare and development of
underdeveloped societies, he argued. They decided to submit the memorendam to the state Government.

The struggle for the welfare and development of the community is driven by his 21-member committee,
headed by Chairman Gopidas Sinha and General Secretary Jyotirmoy Sinha. Bishnupriya Manipuri
community members attended a public session chaired by Ani Krishna Rajkumar, former president of
Bishnupriya Manipuri Students Association. Overall, the first meeting was important for the Autonomous
Council's agenda.
Bishnupriya Manipuri Firsts

 First Minister: Girok Bimal Sinha. He was the Health Minister of Tripura, India.
 First MLA: Girok Geetiswami Sinha and Girok Gano Sinha, India
 First lady MLA: Mrs.Bijoy Lakhi Sinha, Tripura
 First Justice: Justice S K Sinha, Bangladesh
 First IITian: Mr. Joysen Jit Rajkumar, presently in New Delhi
 First Superintendant of Police: Mr. Babul Sinha
 First Topper in State Board Exams: Mrs. Shyamali Sinha
 First television star: Mr. Krishnakanta Sinha (Captain Tara, Sigma), India
 First Bollywood actor: Mr. Krishnakanta Sinha (Dil Se and more), India
 First Bollywood choreographer: Himu Sinha, Mumbai
 First All India Radio Artist: Girok Kunjolal Sinha, Calcutta, India
 First Playback singer: Girok Kunjolal Sinha, India
 First Drama Company: Girok Prem Singh Jatra Dol, India
 First Fashion Designer in Bollywood: Jyoti Prakash Sinha (Manna). Currently he is working with
Abu Jani in Mumbai.
 First Rock Band: Mingaal, India
 First  Ranji Trophy Cricketer: Mr. Riten Sinha (Guwahati)
 First practicing lawyer in Supreme Court: Ms. Jayashree Sinha, India
 First Professor in IIM: Mr. Banibrata Sinha, India
 First person to work with IMF: Mr. Biman  Sinha, India
 First Civil Surgeon: Dr.Hari Prasad Sinha, India,
 First  website : pouri.com by Uttam Sinha, Bangladesh
 First  website: www.bishnupriyamanipuri.org  Jyotirmoy Sinha, delhi India
 First Police Inspector in British Police: Girok Gapeshwar Sinha, India
  First Film Maker: Girok Bimal Sinha from Tripura made the first Bishnupriya Manipuri film
 First Maha Mel: At Patherkandi, India
 First social organization: Biraat Sabha
 First Martyr: Shahid Sudeshna, Patherkandi , India
 First Fashion Photographer: Mr. Amit Sinha, India
 1st BM PHD in Computer Science: Sritikumar Sinha, Dean, Computer Sc. Dept., Tezpur
university,
 1st PHD of BM. : Kaliprasad sinha, Ex HOD, Sanskrit, Assam university
 An eminent & first gynaecology specialist : Dr. Debendra Sinha
 She is the first graduate of B.M. community : Mrs. Sukhajyoti Sinha. (Guwahati) Wife of Late
Krishna Sinha. (Advocate)
 First Assam & Tripura Ranji Trophy Player : Mr. Salil Sinha
 First IIT Faculty: Mr. Pradip Sinha, Masughat, Silchar
 First Indian Navy Commanding Office : Commander Sura Chand Rajkumar
 First wrote & performed Ramayana In bishnupriya manipuri language : Oja Nabolokishor Sinha,
Gokila, Tinokhal, Karimganj
 First wrote & performed Rashleela, Jaidev (Rathyatra) In bishnupriya manipuri language : Kobi
Birendra Sinha, Tinokhal, Karimganj

SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY OF THE BISHNUPRIYA MANIPURIS

Organised by the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Mahasabha
Venue: Community Hall, Sree Sree Bhubaneswar Sadhuthakur Sevashram, Silchar

Guest :

Convener- Dils Lakshmindra Sinha, Respected Chairperson , Honourable Chief Guest Mr. Padmasan
Sinha, Special Guest Mr. Bhimsen Sinha, Advocate Guwahati High Court and Guest of Honour
Dr.K.P.Sinha, Proff. Assam University, Mr. Sushil Kumar Sinha, Rtd. Secretary, Education, Nagaland,
Proff. Monoranjan Sinha, Ex-President, Mahasabha, Dr.D.K.Sinha, President of the Nikhil Bishnupriya
Manipuri Mahasabha and distinguished Scholars and participants.
Welcome address was given by the convenor of the organising committee Dils Lakshmindra sinha. He
said on behalf of the Organizing Committee and himself, he would like to extend a warm welcome to all
of them on this wonderful occasion. He thanks them for participating in the seminar, including everyone
from Bangladesh.

That was the first time he had held a seminar on such a serious subject. Therefore, despite their good faith
efforts, there will be some irregularities in the contract.

He said T.S. Eliot wrote in his famous poetic work Four Quartets that both past and present exist in
future time. To pave the way for the future, the past must be explored. The gateway to our past is history.
 Every race and nation has its own history. It was not merely a description of the rise and fall of a king or
his kingdom, but of the state of the whole.

Civilization, that was, the level of development of art and culture, literature, knowledge and science of a
nation. Part of a larger Aryan civilization, the Bishnupriya Manipuris were probably the first arable race
possessed by Manipur. At this point,he strongly recommend using the word "race" instead of the word
"nation". In Greek History, Dr. K.C. Choudhury: "The Greeks were more a race than a nation.

Lacked of the political unity that could be considered a foundation national presence. The Greeks were
divided into Ionians, Aeolians, Dorians, and other smaller branches that emerged from a single tribe." It
had become a chronological history. He recall a passage described by Arthur A. Mednell in his History of
Sanskrit Literature. In reality, this flaw, complete lack of accurate chronology, does not exist...". The
Bishnupriya Manipuris, like their ancestors, believed primarily in oral tradition.

The second, but most dominant, factor was the damage to historical relics, ancient records, and other
relevant information by Meitei King Pamheiba or Ghalib His Niwaji in the 17th century AD

The Bishnupriya Manipuris were forced to leave their ancestral homeland and settle in various parts of
present-day Myanmar, Assam, Tripura and Bangladesh. In the dark ages when people fought hard to save
their lives, people forgot to preserve old records.

However, due to the virtual nonexistence of such historical records, some Western and non-Bishnupriya
Manipuri Indian writers including Manipur historians have drawn brief sketches of the historical
background of Bishnupriya Manipuris. From their mention it is certain that there was Bishnupriya
Manipuri in Manipur soil. Some Western writers include Captain Pemberton, Dr. Brown, E.T. Dalton,
T.C. Hudson, E. Gate, B.C. Some quoted the fact that was said. Even Sir. G. A. Grierson, the great master
of Indian linguistic research, could not entirely remove references to such distorted facts. But they express
our sincere gratitude to him for his effective remarks, who have won the battle against the threat of
sedentary interests that cut us off from our historical roots. , also they honors the late Mr. R.M. With our
deepest respect, they had highlighted a few.Facts about the history of Bishnupriya Manipuri in his famous
work 'Background of Assamese Culture'.

History is a science based on facts and reason, leading from hypothesis to proposition ,from hypothetical
knowledge to logical conclusion. Who will make history in this race? They answered that question in the
spirit of Bankim Chandra Chattapadhyaya. There must be somepeople , “All Bishnupriya Manipuri must
write their history. Literally only Bishnupriya Manipuri can seriously engage in thorough and systematic
research in that field.

Once again, he expresed his deepest respect to the work of the late Mahendra Kumar Sinha. He was a
pioneer in the historical study of Bishnupriya Manipuri. His work was compiled in his ‘Manipure Prachin
Itihas’ in three volumes, the first of which was published earlier. they could not wait for the rest of the
volumes to be released. The late Sena Sinha contributed greatly to this with his work ‘Manipure  Itibritta’.
However, some of his discoveries have not been free from controversy. They also have deep respect for
him. Other scholars had also made many contributions in that area.

There were other interested individuals who had taken the study of history seriously. Most of there works
were yet to be published.

He was sure that he couldnot fully agree with all of the early scholars' findings above. And as time goes
on, more and more information will come to light, opening up new areas of speculation. Under those
circumstances, they decided to present that seminar with a collective approach in the field, deriving the
complete national history of Bishnupriya Manipuri from the invaluable contributions of experts and
scholars who had put a lot of effort into the research work.

Earning activities of rural Bishnupriya Manipuris

Manipuri people are known to be hard-working. Both men and women participate in paid employment. It
is very rare that Bishnupriya Manipuris are not engaged in financially paid work. With the exception of
relatives such as children, the sick, and the elderly, most people work to survive.

Although agriculture is their traditional and main source of income, the Bishnupriya Manipuris engage in
a variety of profitable activities. Many suffer from a variety of problems, including lack of land for
agriculture, low demand for traditional jobs, low benefits, lack of available labor in rural areas, and lack
of capital. Circumstances change occupations over time. They are involved with both governmental and
non-governmental organizations. Bishnupriya Manipuri gained a position as a senior government official.
Researchers found a variety of elementary and high school teachers who were respected and held in high
esteem.

Both men and women are involved in income streams, but most of their jobs are not high paying.
Therefore, they have to engage in different activities at the same time. Old people contributed to their
family by growing vegetables for home use in their garden. Income sources were inconsistent, with
different income sources found based on availability, work, and breadwinner skills. These activities can
be ranked by the number of villagers involved, including participants, using the following table.

Bishnupriya Manipuri Income Generation Activities

Agriculture
Hand-woven
Government service
Non-governmental services
To teach
Carpentry
Auto mechanic
Goldsmith
Work Daily Wage
Ayurvedic treatment
Livestock

Cultural activist
Priest
Tailoring
Religious work

Historical evidence suggests that there were changes in Bishnupriya Manipuris' diet, largely due to his
early 18th-century introduction of Hinduism. With the official adoption of Hinduism, many food species
were banned. Fish is allowed, but animal meat and eggs are prohibited. Onions and garlic are also
prohibited. Bishnupriya Manipuris are health conscious. Their diet consists of healthy and generally
balanced meals. Therefore, with a few exceptions, they usually do not suffer from serious health
problems. Bishnupriya Manipuris are predominantly vegetarian.

Both males and females are the bread spear chewers, often seen in the elderly. Tobacco is consumed by
all classes and ages, but female smokers are rarely found in Bishnupriya manipuris. Cultural dietary rules
are strictly followed in rural areas, but less so in urban areas, especially among young people. Young
people in urban areas interact extensively with most cultures and try to follow many cultural conventions,
including dietary habits. Mainstream food is common in urban Manipuri. When young groups go to their
home villages, they try to continue the eating habits they know from urban areas, unless no one objects to
these adapted diets. However, the elderly are still very strict and loyal to tradition.

Manipuri produces its own food. Most homes have vegetable gardens and produce vegetables for
personal use. Some grow vegetables for commercial purposes. The rice, dal and oilseeds are also
homemade. Landowners are few, but most of them have the opportunity to meet their personal needs.
Many families in Manipuri faced extreme poverty, but not a single villager went without food for days. If
someone does not have the means to support themselves, relatives or members of the community help
them prepare food.

Banana Leaves

The Bishnupriya Manipuris use Banana Leaves from time immemorial because of some their customs and
tradition. But the thing is that in every costumes or tradition behind using banana leaves there may have a
very good science.

Bananas are one of the most popular tropical fruits around the world. Fruits have many health benefits
and also have a high energy content that is often added to athletes' diets. However, not many people know
that banana leaves also have many health benefits. Banana leaves dried and fresh can also be used as
herbs. They have many benefits for our health and beauty and can cure ailments such as sore throats,
coughs, colds and fevers. It is also used as a traditional spa ingredient in Bali and is very good for the
skin.
In South East Asia, banana leaves are often used as food decorations and as food packaging. So far, most
people know that he only has banana leaves for food packaging and crafting materials.

Dried banana leaves contain compounds important to our health, including polyphenols which function
as antioxidants, lignin, hemicellulose, protein, and allantoin.

Banana leaves also have an astringent effect. That is why banana leaves can cure diseases. It can be used
like any other herbal medicine to get the benefits of dried banana leaves.

Rich in Antioxidants
Banana leaves are rich in polyphones, a type of antioxidant. Included in Antioxidants are necessary to
combat many disorders caused by free radicals in the body. Fights free radicals and prevents Micro-
inflammations caused by free radicals. These micro-inflammations can lead to many degenerative
diseases such as atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, dementia and even cancer. Yes. High levels of
antioxidants are also known to help prevent early signs of aging, such as wrinkles and dullness. To get
these benefits, drink banana leaf tea 1-3 times a day. You can drink.

Cure Sore Throat

Because a sore throat is a symptom of many respiratory diseases, most of which are caused by viruses,
antibiotics may not help at all. Sore throat is really annoying and causes pain when swallowing food and
drink.Banana leaf at least once a day for him to relieve sore throat gradually.

Reduces Fever
The antioxidants and astringents in banana leaves are good substances for reducing inflammation often
caused by heat. Its astringent action also relieves the discomfort of heat. To reduce fever, you can drink
the decoction three times a day.

Boosts Immune System

Dried banana leaves contain allantoin, a substance known to boost the immune system, speed healing and
act as an astringent. For this reason, banana leaves can cure sore throats and fevers, which are mainly
caused by a weak immune system. Even if you don't have such symptoms, drinking banana leaf decoction
or tea at least once a day will strengthen your immune system and make symptoms less likely to occur.

Khar a Special Kind of Curry

Khar is a special type of Bishnupriya Manipuri vegetable curry. The Khar is made with burn ash of
Banana Leaves, outer crust of Banana, or the rejected portion of Athia Kola a verity of Banana. The Khar
works as a natural soda for cooking among the community.

Treating Dysentery

Allantoin and polyphenols in dried banana leaves may reduce intestinal bleeding in dysentery. To stop
bleeding, we can drink the decoction at least once a day. The astringent action also reduces stomach pain
due to excessive peristaltic activity in the intestine. Luckily, banana leaves are not affected by prescribed
medicines, so for severe dysentery, you can take the medicine and a tea or decoction of banana leaves
together.

Fresh banana leaves have traditionally been used to heal wounds and inflammations. Simply crush a
banana leaf in a mortar and place it on the affected area. It can be tied with a bandage to prevent it from
falling off. Change sheets and bandages 2-3 times a day.
Banana leaf beauty trick
On the other hand, there are some health benefits of banana leaves that support beauty tricks.

Maintains Healthy Hair

Banana Leaf Extract cures dandruff, maintains a healthy scalp and retains natural hair color thanks to its
high allantoin and astringent properties. If you frequently have an itchy or sore scalp, this banana leaf hair
mask has proven to be very effective.
Try crushing fresh banana leaves in a blender. Apply as a hair mask to scalp and hair, leave on for 10-15
minutes, then rinse with cold water. Regular use of this hair mask will leave your hair shiny and beautiful.

Maintains Healthy Skin

One of the health benefits of banana leaves is the promotion of healthy skin. Banana leaf masks have
been used in traditional spas for generations to help maintain healthy skin. Fresh leaves are crushed in a
mortar or blender and applied to the face and all over the body.

Other traditional uses of banana leaves

Food packaging

Banana leaves are often used to wrap Bishnupriya Manipuri traditional food. Banana leaves give off an
appetizing and particularly pleasant aroma. The food wrapped in green banana leaves also looks beautiful.

Rice and other takeout foods wrapped in banana leaves also last longer. Although the mechanism is still
unknown, banana leaves may have antibacterial effects that kill bacteria that spoil food. For example, rice
wrapped in banana leaves can be kept for 24 hours without spoiling and is often used as a picnic or travel
prep.

Banana leaves are also used to wrap the fruit in large baskets when the fruit is transported to the local
market. The result is a longer shelf life of the fruit and retention of color and firmness.
Bishnupriya Manipuri 's most important culture, banana leaves are often accompanied by temple
offerings. This kind of garnish can be found in India and Bangladesh. It is also seen in many locations for
large ceremonies such as weddings, annaprashans.

Farm Animal Feed

Livestock such as cows, buffalos like to eat banana leaves. They like the taste, especially young leaves.
Banana leaves also contain nutrients and act as natural medicines. If you have livestock or pets at home,
you can give them fresh banana leaves. It is cheap, and some people throw away the leaves after picking
the fruit. Dried leaves can be stored and used like hay. Currently, many animal feed mills use banana leaf
powder as raw material for their products.

Crafts

Many artisans use dried banana leaves in their products. Banana leaves are usually dried and woven into
bags, belts and bracelets. Dried banana leaves are considered a waste product in tropical countries, but
these artisans can turn them into beautiful works of art that are very expensive. We are looking at these
products to realize our ideas.

Preparation of banana leaves

You can either dry fresh banana leaves in the sun or pick the dried banana leaves directly from the tree. If
you want to dry yourself, take some fresh banana leaves and clean them under running water. Then dry in
the sun until they are brown and dry and crunchy when pressed. Wash the dry leaves. Take a handful of
dried leaves in a pot, add 3-4 cups of water and boil until only 1 cup of water remains. Leave to warm and
strain before drinking. You can also add honey for better taste. Take this decoction at least once a day to
speed up the healing process.

Findings:

This report presents the results of a study conducted on Bishnupriya Manipuris. Data collected through
word lists, sociolinguistic questionnaires, and SRTs are presented and analyzed to determine the current
sociolinguistic situation. In short, Bishnupriyas are not only highly bilingual in, but they also speak their
native language well enough to sustain their vitality and maintain a positive attitude towards it.
Nevertheless, increased use of native language literacy would further enhance its usefulness and vitality.
Amy Kim and Seung Kim prepared this report for her SIL International. In Bangladesh, almost all
Bishnupriya live in flat arable land; mainly in the Sylhet Division in the Murvibazar district . They also
live in some villages in his three other districts in Sylhet Division. In short, it is concluded that
Bishnupriyas are not only highly bilingual in their States languages, Bangla, Assamies, Hindi but also
speak their native language well enough to sustain their vitality and have a positive attitude towards their
mother tongue. Nevertheless, increased use of native language literacy would further enhance its
usefulness and vitality.

References:
1. The Mahasabha Review, 1970
2. Memorendum to Dr. Pratap Chandra, Ex. Education Minister, Govt. of India,1977.
3. Let history and facts speak Manipuris - Nikhil Bishnupn'ya Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, 1984.
4. Anatomy of North-East, Purkayastha M. 1980.
5. Souvenir, East India Cultural Conference 1975.
6. Ethnic Processes in North-eastern India - Acharjee, S.K. Special article in "Economic and Political
weekly", May 21, 1986.
7. Emerging Pattern of the Bisnupriya Manipuri Society- A Study in Cultural Identity –Barun Kumar
Sinha
8. http://www.bangalore.bishnupriyamanipuri.org/home.html
9.https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/bishnupriya-manipuris-press-for-obc-status/
10.https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/assam-news/bishnupriya-manipuri-body-
presses-for-autonomous-council-560157
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