Meitei language in Assam explained

Meitei language in Assam
Also Known As:Manipuri language in Assam
Nativename:Meiteilon/Manipuri lon
States:
Ethnicity:Meitei people
Speakers:300,000 (2024 estimate[1])
Familycolor:Sino-Tibetan
Family:Sino-Tibetan family
Ancestor2:proto-Sino-Tibetan
Ancestor3:proto-Tibeto-Burman
Ancestor4:ancient Meitei
Standards:Standard Meitei (Standard Manipuri)
Script:
Nation:
Development Body:
Iso2:mni
Iso3:mni
Map:Linguistic map of Northeast India English Native.png
Map2:Meitei language distribution.png
Mapcaption2:Meitei (highlighted in dark blue) is recognised as an official, educational and indigenous language in Assam, besides in Manipur.
Notice:IPA

Meitei language (Manipuri: {{Script|Mtei|ꯃꯩꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ), officially and formally known as Manipuri language (Manipuri: {{Script|Mtei|ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯂꯣꯟ), is one of the official languages of the state government of Assam. It serves as the additional official language in all the three districts of the Barak Valley (Cachar district, Hailakandi district and Karimganj district) as well as in the Hojai district of Assam.[2] [3] [4]

History

Meitei speaking people started living in Assam as a result of migration from Manipur due to the Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (literally, Seven Years' Devastation).[5]

Geographical distribution

Meitei language speakers live in all the three districts of the Barak Valley, Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts, as significant minority population.[6] [7] According to the Ethnologue, it also has a notable presence in Dima Hasao district, besides those of the Barak Valley.[8] It also has a notable presence in the Hojai district of Assam.[9] [10] [11]

Writing systems

Meitei Mayek script

In 2024, the State Cabinet of the Government of Assam approved the Meitei script to be used in the education of Meitei language across all the academic institutions of Assam.[12] [13] [14] It was done to help the students interested in the Meitei literature (also known as Manipuri literature) to know better about the subject.[15] [16] [17]

Meetei Yelhou Mayek script

See main article: Naoriya Phulo script. A unique form of writing system called "Meetei Yelhou Mayek", distinct from the general Meitei script, was developed by Naoriya Phulo in Cachar, Assam. This script was used to write Meitei language in certain cultural contexts.[18] [19]

Linguistic movements

See also: Meitei language movement.

In Assam, many people had organised a language movement, demanding that Meitei language be made one of the official languages of Assam, besides Assamese language.[20] [21] As a part of the movement, in 2023, they walked more than 300 km long march, as a sign of protests demanding their democratic rights.[22] In the same year, Leishemba Sanajaoba, the titular king and an Indian member of Parliament of Manipur, wrote a letter to the government of Assam, to look into the matter.[23] In 2024, the government of Assam approved the request, by declaring Meitei as the additional official language of four districts of Assam, namely Cachar district, Hailakandi district, Karimganj district and Hojai district.[24] [25] [26]

Meitei speaking people from Assam also work on the language movement demanding that Meitei be given the officially recognised classical language status by the Union Government of India.[27]

Education

The Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA)[28] and the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) provides Meitei language education in the schools of Assam.[29]

Assam University of Silchar has a "Department of Manipuri", providing education upto PhD degrees.[30] [31] Gauhati University also provides Meitei language education as an independent subject.[32]

Meitei language education is offered having independent departments for the language, in different colleges of Assam, including but not limited to the Cachar College,[33] the Gurucharan College,[34] the Lala Rural College, Hailakandi,[35] the Patharkandi College,[36] the Janata College, Kabuganj, etc.[37]

Literature

Starting from 2020, the Government of Assam provides a financial support of every year to the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, a group that works for the development of Meitei literature (also called Manipuri literature) in Assam as well as other Meitei populated states.[38] Moreover, the government also gave for the development of Meitei language corpus.[39]

Language day

In Assam, Manipuri Language Day, also known as Meitei language day, is celebrated, like it is done in other states every year. The event is celebrated to honour the day on which Meitei was made an official language recognised by the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. The notable groups that celebrate the event are Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Asam Sahitya Sabha, Department of Manipuri, Assam University.[40] [41]

Cinema

Meitei language movies are often shown in different film festivals in Assam, including theBrahmaputra Valley Film Festival (BVFF), in Guwahati.In 2023, a Meitei language movie named "Nine Hills One Valley", directed by Haobam Pabankumar, was shown in the event.[42]

"Phisakhol" (Manipuri: {{Script|Mtei|ꯐꯤꯁꯥꯈꯣꯜ) is the first Meitei language movie having its debut in the Silchar city of the Barak Valley in Assam.[43] [44]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-02-24. Assam recognises Manipuri as associate official language in four districts. 2024-05-17. Hindustan Times. en.
  2. Web site: 2024-02-24. Assam recognises Manipuri as associate official language in four districts. 2024-05-17. Hindustan Times. en.
  3. News: PTI. 2024-02-24. Assam Cabinet gives nod to recognise Manipuri as associate official language in four districts. en-IN. The Hindu. 2024-05-17. 0971-751X.
  4. Web site: Today. North East. 2024-02-24. Manipuri Language Approved As Associate Official Language For Four Assam Districts. 2024-05-17. Northeast Today. en-US.
  5. Web site: Manipuri speaking diaspora in Assam By Rafe Ahmed. 2024-05-17. e-pao.net.
  6. Mishra. Awadesh. 1999-01-01. The Manipuris in the Barak Valley: A Case Study of Language Maintenance'. Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area.
  7. Web site: Manipuri speaking diaspora in Assam By Rafe Ahmed. 2024-05-17. e-pao.net.
  8. Web site: Meitei. https://web.archive.org/web/20190724203234/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mni/. 24 July 2019. Ethnologue.
  9. Web site: AMUCO interacts with Meiteis and Meitei Pangals in Assam. 2024-05-17. Imphal Free Press. en.
  10. Web site: Samom. Sobhapati. 2018-05-22. Assam’s Hojai to host Wari-Leeba festival from May 24. 2024-05-17. NORTHEAST NOW. en-US. According to Repertory of Wari Leeba Manipur, the arts form of Wari-Leeba is slowly dying in Meitei inhabited areas of Bangladesh and Tripura while it is picking up in places like Hojai and Cachar in Assam..
  11. Web site: Public meeting at Hojai Assam on ST status to Meetei 20211004. 2024-05-17. e-pao.net.
  12. News: 2024-03-12. Cabinet nod to Meitei script in educational institutions. The Times of India. 2024-05-17. 0971-8257.
  13. Web site: Service. Statesman News. 2024-03-11. Assam govt's nod for inclusion of Meitei script in schools of state. 2024-05-17. The Statesman. en.
  14. Web site: Tribune. The Assam. 2024-03-11. Meitei script to be introduced in educational institutions of Assam. 2024-05-17. assamtribune.com. en.
  15. Web site: 2024-03-11. Assam government mulls to introduce Meitei script in educational institutions of the state. 2024-05-17. India Today NE. hi.
  16. Web site: Desk. Sentinel Digital. 2024-03-11. Assam: Government Considers Introducing Meitei Script in Educational Institutions. 2024-05-17. Sentinel Assam. en.
  17. Web site: NEWS. NE NOW. 2024-03-11. Assam government approves introducing Meitei script in educational institutes. 2024-05-17. NORTHEAST NOW. en-US.
  18. Web site: Meetei Yelhou Mayek / Naoriya Phulo script. 2024-05-17. www.omniglot.com.
  19. Web site: 2024-01-19. Atlas of Endangered Alphabets: Indigenous and minority writing systems, and the people who are trying to save them.. 2024-05-17. en-US.
  20. Web site: Manipuri language should be one of Assam’s associate official languages: AAMSU. 2024-05-17. Imphal Free Press. en.
  21. Web site: Next possible language riots in Assam Manipuris vs Assamese By Yambem Laba. 2024-05-17. e-pao.net.
  22. News: Laithangbam. Iboyaima. 2023-03-12. Manipuri organisation starts long march in Assam for its democratic rights. en-IN. The Hindu. 2024-05-17. 0971-751X.
  23. Web site: Pothashang. 2020-09-24. MP Sanajaoba urges Assam CM to include Manipuri language as associate language of Assam Pothashang News. 2024-05-17. Pothashang. en-US.
  24. Web site: 2024-02-24. Assam recognises Manipuri as associate official language in four districts. 2024-05-17. Hindustan Times. en.
  25. News: PTI. 2024-02-24. Assam Cabinet gives nod to recognise Manipuri as associate official language in four districts. en-IN. The Hindu. 2024-05-17. 0971-751X.
  26. Web site: Today. North East. 2024-02-24. Manipuri Language Approved As Associate Official Language For Four Assam Districts. 2024-05-17. Northeast Today. en-US.
  27. Web site: Classic language status for Manipuri demanded.
  28. Web site: Assam HSLC Exam Routine 2023 Revised SEBA To Conduct All Class 10 Language Papers Including English On April 1. 2024-05-17. www.india.com. en. In addition to Assamese, the other MIL subjects are Bengali, Bodo, Hindi, Manipuri, ....
  29. Web site: AHSEC COMPLETE SYLLABUS. Government of Assam.
  30. Book: Bazeley, Brinda Rymabai. Development and Problems of Higher Education in Barak Valley and Karbi Anglong Areas of Assam. 2006. Regency Publications. 978-81-89233-25-9. 75. en.
  31. Book: Kumar, Ashish. Handbook of Universities. 2006. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. 978-81-269-0607-9. 61. en.
  32. Book: Bareh, Hamlet. Encyclopaedia of North-East India. 2000. Mittal Publications. 978-81-7099-790-0. 80. en.
  33. Web site: Department of Manipuri Cachar College, Silchar .
  34. Web site: Department of Manipuri Gurucharan College, Silchar .
  35. Web site: Manipuri . en.
  36. Web site: Overview Department of Manipuri Patharkandi College .
  37. Web site: Department of Manipuri – Janata College . en-US.
  38. News: Laithangbam. Iboyaima. 2020-09-27. Assam to look into demand to include Manipuri in list of associate languages. en-IN. The Hindu. 2024-05-17. 0971-751X.
  39. News: Laithangbam. Iboyaima. 2020-09-27. Assam to look into demand to include Manipuri in list of associate languages. en-IN. The Hindu. 2024-05-17. 0971-751X.
  40. Web site: Reporter. STAFF. 2010-09-15. 26th Manipuri Language Day observed. 2024-05-17. assamtribune.com. en.
  41. Web site: Classic language status for Manipuri demanded.
  42. Web site: Sarma. Krishangi. 2023-12-24. Nine Hills One Valley is a poignant portrayal of present-day Manipur. 2024-05-17. EastMojo. en-US.
  43. Web site: Phisakhol becomes first Manipuri digital film to debut at Silchar : 16th oct17 ~ E-Pao! Headlines. 2024-05-17. e-pao.net.
  44. Web site: KanglaOnline. 2017-10-16. Phisakhol becomes first Manipuri digital film to debut at Silchar – KanglaOnline. 2024-05-17. en-US.

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