Chada Laihui

The Chada Laihui (Meitei: ꯆꯥꯗꯥ ꯂꯥꯢꯍꯨꯢ) is a Meitei language historical document (puya), about the genealogy of the Meitei kings from their mothers' sides.^[1][2] It traces the genealogical account of the kings' mothers' lineage.^[1][2][3][4] It is a supplementary reader to the Cheitharol Kumbaba, the foremost royal chronicle of Manipur.^[1]

Chada Laihui

Ancient and Modern Meitei language names of a Classical Meitei literary work of Kangleipak civilization - Chata Laihui (Chada Laihui)
Country	Ancient Manipur (Kangleipak)(historical) India (current)
Language	Meitei language (Manipuri language)
Subject	History of Manipur
Genre	Genealogy
Account of the mothers of the successive ruling kings of Manipur kingdom right from 33 AD

Chada Laihui is considered unique in world literature because it traces royal ancestry through female lineage, unlike most historical records.^[5]

Structure and content

The text begins with Chakha Nuron Piron Yambi, the mother of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, who became king in 33 CE. For the first seven queens, only their names are listed. After that, each queen’s background is described in more detail.^[5]

Each entry usually begins with a question about the father of a queen. The answer includes stories, place names, and sometimes mythical events. These answers often lead to more questions, especially about the mother of the queen, whose background is then described in the same manner. The name of the king appears last in the description.^[5]

Example: The Seventh Queen

A free translation of the entry for the seventh queen, Yaoreiba Chanu,^[5] goes as follows:

"Who was the father of your grandmother Yaoreiba Chanu, the Meitei queen of the Luwang clan, whose beauty is praised like a sacred flower?

Her father came from the line of Khaba Nongchenba's grandson, a lover of music. He was born near Ngamu Panglangmei, a place named after a loach that looked up at the sky during a religious ritual. Another story tells of a conflict between Khaba Nongchenba and Moirang Chaoba Melleiba over a fishing trap. Melleiba’s younger brother made poisoned arrows so powerful that one broke a mud wall, uprooted bamboo, and brought down a tree. He used one of these arrows to kill Khaba Nongchenba and his children at Ngamu Panglangmei. And who was the mother of Yaoreiba Chanu? She was the daughter of the Langmai king, who ruled the snowy Langmai Hills where pine trees grow.

The Meitei king born of her is called Naophangba."^[5]

Evolving manuscripts

There are multiple manuscripts (MSS) of the Chada Laihui. These versions often differ by one or two queens and their sons. This shows that the text has grown over time, with additions made by later scholars.^[5]

For example:

• In one version, the last queen and her son are Chakhamaring Loikhombi from the Moirang clan and Noinai Chingthangkhomba (1759–1798).^[5]

• In another, the names are Khumbongmayum Chanu and Gambhir Singh.^[5]

• During his reign (1850–1886), Maharaja Chandrakirti had two scholars include the names of his mother, Maisnam Chanu Kumudini of the Luwang clan, and of himself in the text.^[5]

This is also confirmed by an entry in the Cheitharol Kumbaba.^[5]

Style and literary value

Besides its historical value, Chada Laihui is praised for its poetic style. The language is old-fashioned and often lengthy, but the stories are dramatic and rich in symbolism, especially in how they explain the origin of place-names.^[5]

Related pages

• Toreirol Lambuba