Ashangbam

Minaketan Singh

Ashangbam Minaketan Singh is regarded

as the founder of Modern Meitei literature.
He was born as the only child to
Ashangbam Jivan Singh and Medhabati
Devi on 2 May 1906.
His grandfather
Ashang Kut, also known as Ashangbam
Phura Hongba, served as a soldier in The
Maharaja of Manipur's army. In March
1891 he played a part in the assassination
of British officials and was thereby
sentenced for transportation on charge of
murder. He was sentenced twenty five
years of life imprisonment at Kalapani Jail,
which is located in the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, India.
 Ashangbam Minaketan Singh
(ꯑꯁꯥꯡꯕꯝ ꯃꯤꯅꯥꯀꯦꯇꯥ ꯟ ꯁꯤꯡꯍꯥ)

Born 2 May 1906

Wangkhei, Imphal,
Manipur, India

Died 1995 (aged 88–89)

Education Bachelor of Arts

Alma mater University of Calcutta

Known for Meitei literature

Parent Medhabati Devi
(mother)
Awards Padma Shri Award,
Sahitya Academy
Award
Soviet Land Nehru
Award

Early life, education and

career
Minaketan was born at Wangkhei in
Ashangbam family but was brought up in
the family of royal descendants of
Maharaja Nara Singh by Sanajaobi Devi,
the grand daughter of Raja Nara Singh at
Moirangkhom Sougaijam Leirak. He
graduated from the University of Calcutta
in 1930 and by that time he had mastered
English, Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit and the
Old Meitei languages with utmost fluency.
He belonged to the generation which had
grown up and saw the difficult times of
Manipur in the socio-economic condition
under the monarchic system of Govt
shaped by the colonial rule of British
Empire. But at the same time, the early
part of the 20th century was a glorious
year, a transcendental period what we call
the renaissance period of Meitei literature.
Minaketan worked as Secretary, Board of
Secondary Education, Manipur, Lecturer of
Manipur College (1962–82), Principal,
Thoubal College (1982–83);

His works
Minaketan engaged with every field of
literature: poetry, prose, essays,
translations, mythology, biography,
autobiography, and criticism. His
published works numbered more than 25
books on these different branches of
literature. Some of his works are Basanta
Sheireng (Poetry), 1928; Asheibagi
Nityaipod (Poetry), 1976; Asheibagi
Sheirol, 1977; Tonu Laijinglembi (Play);
Bharatki Lonsingi Marakta (Essay); Meitei
Upanyas (Criticism). Ashangbam
Minaketan Singh is a name to reckon with
among the pioneer poets of Meitei
literature. He had associated himself with
many State advisory committees. In short,
Minaketan himself was an institution, a
school of variety of thoughts. One
inimitable quality which keeps Minaketan
apart from other poets, which makes him
occupy a special place in the annals of
Manipur literature, is his invention of new
words purely from Old Meitei languages
spoken in the old days. In Minaketan's
poetry, people come across obscure and
recondite words or references which are
too difficult to understand at the first
reading. The vast learning and the vast
knowledge he had acquired is expressed
in such a twisted manner that it becomes
difficult to follow what the poet really
intends to say. About Minaketan's style
and choice of words, poet Shree Biren has
this observation – It is a fact that any
reader will find himself a kind of push
which violently thrown out at the very
threshold. To know the true Minaketan a
reader must face this kind of repulsion and
must try to open the door and if one had
succeeded to open the door of his treasure
house then he will surely enjoy the beauty
in the writings and words of Minaketan.
Minaketan had the power of impressing
the imagination by lines of spleen-dour
and magnificence suggesting some half-
expressed thoughts, some dimly
shadowed emotions. In the twilight years
of his life he had seen the mother in every
woman even in his own daughter. In his
poem 'Sanarik Pareng' he penned 'My
loving daughter/ you are my mother/ My
mother in you darling'. The sense of
vastness and immensity is suggested in
several lines of his poem 'Bidai Ashirbad'.
The mystery of life is exquisitely and yet
mystically suggested:

Premna Lingba Jagatnido Puba-nido

Premna/
Pubanido Premna Tengbal
Hingba-nido Premna

(Love makes the universe love binds the

universe/ love gives soul to the world) The
body and the soul are united for him with
love to the whole of universe.

In his last poem 'Yachang Sheirol

Khameen Tengtha' there is an expression
of a communion with god with his love of
motherland.

Awards
During his lifetime he was honoured and
decorated with many titles and awards
Sahitya Ratna (from Manipuri Sahitya
Parishat(1971), Sahitya Academy Award in
Asheibagi Nityaipod (Poetry) (1977),
Soviet Land Nehru Award (1977), Kavi
Samrat (from Thangal Marup, Hailakandi,
Cachhar 1980), the most eminent citizen
of Manipur (1985), Padma Shri (1985),
Shubharna Jayanti Sanman Award(1986),
Jamini Sunder Guha Gold Medal (1988),
Thoibi Award (1988), Lalit Memorial Gold
Medal (1990) and many, many more
prestigious awards.

Death and legacy

Minaketan lived a fruitful long 89 years
even having to see and play with his
youngest grandson, encompassing the
whole of the 20th century. He died of a
heart attack in 1995 leaving behind his
family and above all his legacy in Meitei
literature. He was the representative of the
Meitei Literature in the whole of 20th
century. On his death it was reported that
"The Colossus of Manipur Fell."

Birth centenary
Ashangbam Minaketan State Level
Celebration Committee, Imphal observed
the 100th birth anniversary of the poet
throughout the year 2006, beginning from
2 May 2006, the birthday of the poet. The
celebration committee comprising people
of literary figure of Manipur included
representatives from Manipuri Sahitya
Parishad, Naharol Sahitya Premee Samiti,
Cultural Forum Manipur, Writers' Forum
and Manipuri Literary Society.

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