Prologue to Khamba Thoibi draws flak

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 25: The All Manipur Ethnical Socio-Cultural Organisation (AMESCO) has demanded deletion of the prologue to Hijam Anganghal’s epic poetry Khamba Thoibi.
Speaking to media persons at their Sega Road, Konjeng Hazari Leikai office this afternoon, AMESCO president BK Moirangcha said that the famous poet’s outstanding poetry work which is a treasure for Manipuri literature can go against the interest of people if its prologue is not deleted or rectified.
Noting that Hijam Anganghal had expired in 1943, BK Moirangcha urged his family or the publisher of the book or other authority concerned to take the responsibility of deleting the prologue.
The prologue should be deleted when the poetry work is re-printed. The Government must also ensure that misleading or controversial expressions of writers do not create conflicts and misunderstanding among the masses, he said.
Manipur University authority must also be very careful while selecting text books for its syllabus and all controversial books should be dismissed.
If any book or any part of it challenges the collective interest, identity, culture and traditions of the masses, AMESCO would take up necessary action, BK Moirangcha said.
In the prologue to his famous epic poetry Khamba Thoibi, Hijam Anganghal claimed that Khamba is an incarnation of Shree Krishna and the entire story of Khamba Thoibi was enacted by Shree Krishna at Brindavan in the form of Ras Leela, he quoted.
This outrageous claim is a serious challenge to the identity, culture and traditions of Meitei community.
In his efforts to present his poetry work as an epic,  the poet apparently overlooked the history and roots of his own community, BK Moirangcha remarked.
A poem on Khamba Thoibi by Khwairakpam Chaoba which was published by the Manipuri Sahi- tya Parishad, Imphal in 1965 as a part of Wareng Akhomba and Jodhachandra Sanasam’s English translation of Hijam Anganghal’s Khamba Thoibi Seireng do not say Khamba is an incarnation of Shree Krishna.
Recently, a seminar on ‘Epic Tradition and Contemporary Indian Literature’ was held at INA Memorial Hall, Moirang on March 20 and 21 and Hijam Anganghal’s outrageous prologue was re-opened at the seminar, BK Moirangcha said.
Notably, the seminar was jointly organised by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi; Thangjing Yageiren Marup, Moirang and Loktak Khorjei Lup, Thanga under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.
The way the outrageous prologue was re-opened by the organisers of the seminar and the paper presenter evokes a serious question whether it was a deliberate attempt to obliterate and corrupt the identity, culture and traditions of Meitei community, he said. It is also possible that the particular paper presenter picked up the prologue to inform the masses about the outrageous comment so that corrective action can be initiated, he added.      
The Ethno Heritage Council (HERICOUN) has also condemned misleading claims that 'Khamba-Thoibi' is the second manifestation of 'Ras Leela'.
The misleading claim was made by a resource person at a seminar titled 'Epic Tradition and Contemporary Indian Literature' held yesterday at INA memorial hall, Moirang jointly organised by Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, Thangjing Yagairol Marup and Loktak Khorjei Lup under the sponsorship of Ministry of Culture, said a statement issued by HERICOUN.
The resource person also had given the title of 'Shree Shree Khamba Mahaprabhu' to 'Khuman Khamba' who also said 'Moirang Thoibi' was in fact an incarnation of 'Sita', added the statement.
HERICOUN said that on many instances in history, the culture and religion of the State were subjugated in a  'systematic and institutionalised' way by outside forces and alleged that many scholars had wrongly cited Manipur to be the 'Manipur' present in Mahabharata and that the people of the State are descendants of Babrubahan (one of the sons of Arjun) which misleads the younger generations and causes confusion amongst all.
All the organisers of the seminar should clarify on the matter instead of trying to give false 'justification', demanded HERICOUN in the statement.