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Meitei language in Assam

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The Meitei language (Meitei: ꯃꯩꯇꯩ ꯂꯣꯟ/মৈতৈ লোন, romanized: Meitei Lon), officially and formally known as the Manipuri language (Meitei: ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯂꯣꯟ/মণিপুরী লোন, romanized: Manipuri Lon), 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]

Meitei language in Assam
(Meitei: ꯑꯁꯥꯝꯗ ꯃꯩꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ/অসামদা মৈতৈলোন)
Manipuri language in Assam
(Meitei: ꯑꯁꯥꯝꯗ ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯂꯣꯟ/অসামদা মণিপুরী লোন)
Meiteilon/Manipuri lon
Meitei language written in Meitei script and Bengali script
Native to
RegionBarak Valley and Brahmaputra Valley (Dima Hasao district and Hojai district)
EthnicityMeitei people
Native speakers
300,000 (2024 estimate[1])
Standard forms
Standard Meitei (Standard Manipuri)
Official status
Official language in
 India
Development bodyManipuri Sahitya Parishad
Language codes
ISO 639-2mni
ISO 639-3mni
Meitei (highlighted in green) is official in four districts of Assam state, besides its neighbors.
Meitei (highlighted in dark blue) is recognised as an official, educational and indigenous language in Assam, besides in Manipur.
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.

History

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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

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Meitei language speakers have a notable presence in the Barak Valley of Assam.
 
Meitei language speakers have a notable presence in the Hojai district of the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam.

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

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Meitei Mayek script

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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

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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]

Language movements

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A depiction of the successful historical movement demanding Meitei to be made an official language of Assam

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

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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]

Literature

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Starting from 2020, the Government of Assam provides a financial support of ₹5 lakh (US$6,600) 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.[33] Moreover, the government also gave ₹6 crore (US$790,000) for the development of Meitei language corpus.[34]

Language day

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Meitei language day — 20th August

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 of Assam University.[35][36]

Movies

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Meitei language movies are often shown in different film festivals in Assam, including the Brahmaputra 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.[37]

"Phisakhol" (Meitei: ꯐꯤꯁꯥꯈꯣꯜ) is the first Meitei language movie having its initial release in the Silchar city of the Barak Valley in Assam.[38][39]

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Notes

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  1. ↑ though not declared official language status of this district

References

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

Other websites

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meitei language.
 
The Simple English Wiktionary has a definition for: Meitei and Manipuri.
 
Wikivoyage has a travel guide about: Meitei language
 
The English Wikibooks has more information on:
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