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According to historian Jangkhomang Guite, on the British government part with the annexation of Upper Burma in 1855 the importance of Manipur kingdom as a " frontier kingdom " and it was followed by gradual decrease in military aids to Manipur.

As far as back in 1855, the Chief Commissioner of Assam asked the government of British India for its opinion for reforms in Manipur administration. He stated the Political agent of British Government in Manipur excercised very little interference in internal matters of Manipur and he wanted to change this. He particularly recommended the abolition of slavery system prevailed in Manipur, reform in trade system, a system of passes and the administration of jails and law courts with immediate effect. The Viceroy replied The GoI in general, felt that it would not be justified to carry out any sweeping reforms in the 'Native States in India' but set the 'exceptional' case for Manipur. It recommended that the reform being advocated 'may be possible and expedient' as Manipur was 'not a State in India'.

And cautioned not to proceed too fast and advised considering opinion of local officers and then submitting an official representation so that the attentive consideration of Government of India could be taken up.

The previous free supply of arms, ammunition and other aids to Manipur had been gradually removed. This led to reduction of Manipuri troops and a report against the state of administration increased.The political agents escorts had been increased double fold. Since 1855 an Indian regiment was stationed at Langthabal which were responsible for suppressing internal rebellion in Manipur, this was later minimized to two companies only. Maharajah Surchandra influenced declined making him unpopular among his subjects. It was in this time Senapati Tikendrajit emerged as a promising leader in Manipur.While being so popular among the people of Manipur, Tikendrajit did everything to stop British influence in Manipur's affairs.

This displeased the British so much which made him seen as a threat to British influence in Manipur. Every possible means was taken up by British to remove him from Manipur. He was initially accused of taking the administration of Manipur State in his own hands making the king a mere puppet, this was considered in a way as a war against Queen Empress of India under colonial law. Next he was accused of brutally torturing Manipur people. The Viceroy even remarked Tikendrajit as 'notorious'. In 1888, Maharajah Sur Chandra was advised to remove Tikendrajit from Manipur, which was declined though and no one can know for sure what prompted the Maharajah to go to British Residency and what exactly was conspired between the political agent and him. In September he signed an abdication letter and immediately went to British territory to collude with the British for restoration of his power (king's power).

At Manipur it was at the whims of the political agent who immediately informed the palace had been attacked and Maharajah was forcefully abdicated from the throne by Senapati Tikendrajit in the coup and made Kulachandra the new king. The problem with this report was that there was unlawful rebellion in September 1890 against the lawful Maharajah which required military intervention to punish the so called rebels. To settle this matter and arrest the reported rebel leader Tikendrajit, five British officers Mr Quinton (Chief Commisioner of Assam), Mr Grimwood (Political Agent of Manipur), Mr Cossins (Assistant Secretary to Chief Commisioner of Assam), Lieutenant Colonel Skene and Lieutenant Simpson along with other ranks of four hundred (400) 44th Gurkha Rifles reached Manipur on 22 March 1891.

To everyone's surprise on 24 March 1891, Mr. Grimwood was speared to death by one Kajao Singh who is a soldier of Manipur Kingdom and the others four officers were executed by public executioner after condemned to death by Manipur Court. This was termed as "Disaster of 1891" or "Manipur rebellion 1891" by colonial historians. This event led to the "Anglo Manipur War" in which Manipur troops were defeated by three British reinforcement column

According to scholar Chelliah, there is numismatic evidence or exchange of coins between the meiteis and Aryan dwellers of Northeastern India as early as second century AD. It is said that from fifteenth century onward, hindu preachers entered Manipur from neighbouring region of Manipur such as Assam, Gujarat, Orissa and Bengal. During those period it was reported meiteis continued to observe indigenous animistic practices with  ancestor worshipping tradition in which ruler of clans rather than individual were revered.

Chelliah stated"Hinduism took firm hold in Manipur under the rule of the monarach Pamheiba (1709-1748), who adopted hindu practices. Pamheiba instigated a conversion of royal family to Vaishnavism, a devotional style of Hindu worship popular at that time in Bengal in 1737-38". Also according to scholar Renuka,"However, with the coming of Vaishnavism in the 18th century during the reign of king Garibaniwaz, a new landmark began in the history of Manipur. The text also revealed the introduction of new gods and goddesses of the Hindu by the King. As the text relates, we are told that in 1732, five immigrant brahmanas arrived in Manipur with cooked rice to offer to the idol of Jagannatha." It was further reported that while trying to destroy records of mythology describing and legitimizing indigenous Meitei deities, Pamheiba destroyed over a hundred numbers of pre hindu religious manuscripts(puyas). Pamheiba reportedly imposed the the use of Bengali script over Meitei Mayek