Meidingu
| Meidingu | |
|---|---|
_and_%22Meitingu%22_(Ancient_Meitei_name).png?lang=simple) "Meidingu" (Modern Meitei name) and "Meitingu" (Ancient Meitei name) | |
| Creation | Before 33 CE |
| First holder | Nongda Lairen Pakhangba |
| Last holder | Charairongba |
| Status | Replaced by Sanskrit title "Maharaja" in the 18th century |
Meidingu or Meedingu (Old Manipuri: ꯃꯤꯇꯤꯉꯨ, romanized: Meetingu) is a native royal title used by the kings of the Meitei people in Kangleipak (now called Manipur).[1][2] The title was used before the Sanskritisation of Manipur in the 1700s.[3]
Etymology
[change | change source]The name Meidingu comes from two Meitei words. Mei (ꯃꯩ) is a short form of "Meitei", which first meant the people of the Ningthouja dynasty (also called the Mangang clan).[4] Dingu (ꯗꯤꯡꯉꯨ) means "ruler" or "great king".[3] So, Meidingu means "King of the Meiteis" or "Main ruler of the Meitei kingdom".[5]
Usage
[change | change source]The title Meidingu was used by the kings of the Ningthouja dynasty and other small kingdoms in old Manipur.[6] The word can be found in old books, temple writings, and songs.[7] The first known king who used the title was Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, who became king of Kangla and started the rule of the Ningthouja kings.[8]
In the 1700s, during the rule of Pamheiba (also called Gharib Niwaz), Manipur changed its religion to Hinduism.[9] After this, the Meitei kings started using new royal names from Sanskrit like Maharaja instead of Meidingu.[10]
Historical change
[change | change source]Many researchers say that the change from Meidingu to Maharaja was part of a big cultural change in Manipur. This happened when King Pamheiba changed the religion of the kingdom to Vaishnavism, a type of Hinduism.[11]
After that, many local Meitei traditions were replaced with Hindu customs. The kings began to use Hindu names and started adding the word "Singh" to their names.[12][13] The old title Meidingu slowly stopped being used as the royal court accepted the new culture.
Related pages
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ "Post Historical Kings of Manipur". E-Pao. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ Khumukcham, Robert (24 May 2020). "Know the Meetei". Imphal Times. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Paonam, Bidyarani (2021). "Refashioning Kingship in Manipur in the 18th Century". Religions. 12 (12): 1041. doi:10.3390/rel12121041.
- ↑ Khumukcham, Robert (24 May 2020). "Know the Meetei". Imphal Times. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "Post Historical Kings of Manipur". E-Pao. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "Past Historical Kings of Manipur". E‑Pao. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "Feudalism in Pre‑Colonial Manipur". KanglaOnline. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "Kings of Manipur". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2025-07-03.
- ↑ "Hinduism in Manipur". Imphal Times. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures – Meidingu Pamheiba". DBCIC. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ Paonam, Bidyarani (2021). "Refashioning Kingship in Manipur in the 18th Century". Religions. 12 (12): 1041. doi:10.3390/rel12121041.
- ↑ Khumukcham, Robert (24 May 2020). "Know the Meetei". Imphal Times. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
- ↑ "Hinduism in Manipur". Imphal Times. Retrieved 1 July 2025.