Khamba and Thoibi

The ancient legend of Khamba and Thoibi (Khamba Thoibi) is a classic, as well as one of the epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore, that is originated from Ancient Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur). It is referred to as the "national romantic legend of Manipur" by Indian scholar Suniti Kumar Chatterjee.

Among the countless retelling editions of the epic story, is Khamba Thoibi Sheireng an eight-volume, 39,000-line epic poem composed by Hijam Angangha and published in 1940. It was written in Pena Saisak folk ballad style and has been called the national epic of Manipur.

The classic tale of Khamba and Thoibi became an Assamese classic as well, after being translated into Assamese language as Khamba Thoibir Sadhukatha, by Assamese author and anthropologist Rajanikanta Bordoloi (1869-1939).

Background
According to legend, Keke Moirang was created by the God Thangching. The first King of Moirang was Iwang Fang Fang Ponglenhanba, who was born of Moirang Leima Nangban Chanu Meirapanjenlei. He attacked tribal villages, brought Thanga under his rule, and fixed his boundaries to the north, where the Luwang King bore sway. He brought in captives, and buried the heads of his fallen enemies in the Kangla or Royal enclosure.

After some time, the God Thangching began to think that the King and his subjects were so prosperous that they were likely to forget their duties to him, and on the advice of seven gods, the Yakhong Lai, he decided to frighten the King and his people. One night, there were mysterious sounds heard. At first, the King's soldiers found nothing, but when the sounds were heard again, they discovered that the Yakhong Lai, had raised a storm thta had destroyed the Khuyal Leikhong.

The King's advisors asked him to summon the famous maibi, Santhong Mari Mai Langjeng Langmei Thouba. She was working in the fields, but came running. The King demanded that she restore the Khuyal Leikhong, and threatened to kill her if she failed. The maibi persuaded the seven gods to teach her a hymn that would restore the Khuyal Leikhong, and they ordered her to convey a message to the King. When she went to the Khuyal Leikhong she met the god Pakhangba. She raised the edifice by singing the hymn and delivered message to the King, which directed that all the maibas and maibis of the country should sleep in the temple of Thangching wearing their sacred clothes, which they did. There, in their dreams, they were instructed to divide the people into sections, according to the duties they would perform. Then the village offices were created and their order of precedence fixed. The maibas chanted the name of the god and the maibis rang the bell. Then, when they had told the King about their dreams, they were bidden to do as the god had said.

The King then died and was succeeded by his son Telheiba. During his and subsequent reigns,there were raids against tribals and various villages. Then we get into complications, for in the reign of King Laifacheng we are told, the Khumans were wroth with Konthounamba Saphaba and compassed his death. They took him into a wood and fastened him to a tree and left him, but by the aid of the Gods he broke the creeper and made his way to Moirang where he married and had a son. He left Moirang, and went to the land of the Meiteis. The King kept the child, who by favour of the God Thangching grew so strong that the folk of Moirang begged the King to rid himself of the lad, for he would supplant the King. So they put the lad in chains for seven years, and all that time there fell no rain in Moirang. Then the God Thangching appeared to the lad and told him to ask the King to take off his chains. Then the King set the lad free, and the rain fell, but many had died of fever and cholera. The King implored the lad to pardon him for his cruelty and promised him, that when he was dead the kingdom should be his for seven years, even as many years as the years of his bondage. So it fell out, and for seven years the lad reigned as King where he had been in chains.

Raids against Luwangs on the west against tribal villages, which the historian observes still pay tribute to Moirang, are all we have for a brief space covering some hundred years. The God Thangching kept his interest in the fortunes of the kingdom, and visited the King in his dreams and instructed him in many matters. The village grew and spread, so much so that in the reign of King Thanga Ipenthaba, the small hill of Thanga was broken and the water let out. Then at the instance of two Khuman women the King slew the King of the Khumans whom he met by chance hunting. In a later reign, Moirang is invaded by the Khumans who assembled a force in boats. This force was defeated, and in return the Khuman villages were fired. In the reign of King Chingkhu Telheiba (skilful archer of the hill village), a Khuman, Aton Puremba, shot nine tigers with his bow and arrows and took their skins to the King, who sought a gift worthy of the hunter's prowess. He would not give him clothes or such things. He had no daughter, so he gave him his wife, and by her the bold hunter had two children

Khamnu and Khuman Khamba. Both their parents died, and by dint of begging from door to door, Khamnu got food for herself and her baby brother. Day by day the lad grew in strength and courage. So swift was he that none could race against him. So strong was he that he and he alone dared to seize a mad bull that was raging in the land. Then Chingkhuba Akhuba, brother of King Chingkhuba Telhaiba, ordered his men to seize Khamba and have him trampled to death by the elephant. His sin was that Thoibi had made a coat which she gave to Khamba, for she loved him. The God Thangching warned Thoibi of the peril in which her lover was, and she arose and threatened to kill her father so that Khamba escaped. Then it befell a hunting party that a tiger killed a man in full sight of the King, but Khamba killed the tiger single- handed, and as a reward the King gave him the Princess Thoibi in marriage.

Editions

 * The Story of Khamba and Thoibi, an 1877 English language prose version written by G. H. Damant, published in The Indian Antiquary.
 * Khamba and Thoibi, an English language prose version, that appears in T. C. Hodsn's 1908 book The Meitheis.
 * Khamba Thoibi Sheireng, a 1940 Meitei language epic poem by Hijam Anganghal
 * Khamba Thoibi and Poems on Manipur, a 1963 English language poetry work, by Vimala Raina.
 * Khamba and Thoibi: The Unscaled Height of Love, a 1976 English language prose by N. Tombi Singh
 * Khamba Thoibigi Wari Amasung Mahakavya, a Meitei-language prose version by Khwairakpam Chaoba.

In popular culture
, being presented a memento of a painting depicting Khuman Khamba capturing the Bull, by Dr. Shivinder Singh Sidhu, the then Governor of Manipur and Okram Ibobi Singh, the then Chief Minister of Manipur, on the occasion of the foundation stone laying ceremony of three projects, National Sports University, Convention Center and Manipur Institute of Technology, 2 December 2006]]


 * Kao Faba is a 2020 Meitei language Shumang Kumhei, based on the story of the capture of bull by Khuman Khamba, produced by Western Cultural Association in Manipur.
 * Kao, the sacred bull] is a 2011 Meitei opera produced by the Laihui Ensemble, based on the story of the capture of the bull by Khuman Khamba.
 * Khambana Kao Phaba (painting), an oil painting by Manipuri artists, M Betombi Singh and Gopal Sharma.
 * Khamba Khamnu is a 1995 Meitei language feature film, produced by Chandam Shyamacharan for C.S.Films Imphal Produuctions, written by Th. Nodia and directed by Ch. Shyamacharan.
 * Khamba Thoibi is a 1997 Meitei language feature film, based on the epic story by Hijam Anganghal, produced by Moirangthem Nilamani Singh for Anjana Films, and directed by M. Nilamani Singh.
 * Langon is a Meitei language feature film, based on the epic of Khamba and Thoibi.
 * Moirang Sai is a traditional form Meitei performance that tellss the story of Khamba and Thoibi in song and dance.
 * Festival of Moirang Shai is a cultural event that aims to popularize the unique culture of the Meitei people at grassroots level, particularly in preserving and promoting Moirang Sai.