There is a need for good historical work in Manipur. A civilization with 2000 years of history lacks accurate, genuine and well researched work to feel us proud. Though several attempts have been done in the past, it is not up to the expectations of readers and researchers. Most of the historical work lacks authentic, evidences and references to support the writings. Late Karam Manimohan Singh’s work on “NUPI LAL (Women’s War of Manipuri)” is the complete history of Nupi Lal in Manipur. This book tells us not only the event and its consequences from 1904 to 1939, but the factors leading to the great uprisings from 1851 onwards.
It is rightly said that interests and dedications to one’s pursuit is more significant than one’s choice of career. Though an English Lecturer, having obtained his Ph. D. in English from the Banaras Hindu University, Manimohan’s work on Manipur history is incredible. Present day historian cannot imagine writing such a grotesque work like Karam Manimohan Singh.
In this book, the author highlights the vice and abuses in the administration as were practiced by the reigning Rajas of Manipur. The British policy of “non intervention” in the internal management of the state no doubt enhanced the Raja’s undesirable habits and ruthless antipathy which were all the time manifested towards the poor and the downtrodden, to grow up with a boundless gigantic size.
The first Nupi Lan in 1904 was clearly the handiworks of Rajkumars who do not like the selection of Chura Chand Singh as Raja of Manipur. These Rajkumars were inciting the women folk to resist the British government.
The historical demonstration of the Manipuri women for their great dislike of the absolutist manner on the part of the British officials occurred in 1904 when Lt-Col. H St. P Maxwell issued an order to temporarily resuscitate the Lalup (a forced laborer where male between age of 17-60 would work freely for 10 days in every forty days duration) system for the purpose of making the inhabitants of the Imphal town to rebuild the Assistant Political Agent’s bungalow which was burnt down. Maxwell attributed the burning of the Imphal town, instigated by the Rajkumars of the late ruling clan, as a mark of showing their great dislike of Raja Chura Chand who was independently and by breaking the traditional lie of primogeniture appointed by the British.
The women were led by the simple thought that their husbands had refused to undergo the Lalup labor which now become an illegal one and thereby causing the hardships of punishment o the women’s lot.
On the historic day of 5th October, 1904, as soon as the political Agent returned from his morning walk he found some 3000 Manipuri women gathering in his compound, and in a very few minutes, another 2000 more had arrived all commenced shouting at once. Maxwell once wrote down a very sorry remark on this event as follows:
“It is very difficult to know how to treat a mob of wild cats like this, but I shall take care to disperse them next time before they become numerous.”
An important factor, which aroused the feelings of disgust to the Manipuri against the Marwari merchants, was that the latter were not allowed to export rice from Manipur with condition to stop it when the price of rice rose to Rs. 3 per mound. But certain Marwaris were granted the pass to export the rice to meet Government purposes even during the time of prohibition. The grievance was that many of the Marwari merchants, without at least considering the needs of the public had always tried to avoid the restriction under cover of the Red Pass.
The impact of the uprising was so great that it severely influence the state administration.
Mr E.F. Lydall remarked that,
“Coming on top of this loss of confidence, the Women’s war caused a breakdown of the Administration, manifested mainly by the inadequacy, both in numbers and efficiency of the State Police.”
Karam Manimohan Singh tells more deeply on the causes, the impacts and the reforms in the state. The war which was started as an agitation by the women of Imphal against the export of rice was gradually taken over by the Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha, under the leadership of Hijan Irabot Singh and it is used as a tool for fermenting the agitation on the Congress lines.
The book is divided into thirteen chapters and a conclusion. The writer takes pain in adding few pages for additional information on Chronology of events, Glossary of words, 15 sets of appendixes and most importantly the photos of the brave women who lead the women’s war of 1939. Nupi Lan is a huge success work for the author who published earlier two more books on Manipur history – Hijam Irabot Singh and Political Movements in Manipur (1989) and History of the Christian Missions in Manipur and Other Neigbouring States (1991).
Nupi Lan, Karam Manimohan Singh
Published by K Premlata Devi
Hard and Bound cover, 331 pages
Price Rs 400