Seven Years Devastation (1819-1826) And The Settlement Of Manipuris Outside Manipur

Abstract

Manipur, a small hilly state in the north-eastern part of India with an area of 22,327 sq. km., is bounded by Assam in the west, Nagaland in the north, Mizoram in the south and Myanmar (erstwhile Burma) in the east. The state is inhabited by several ethnic and religious communities. Meeteis/Meiteis, Manipuri Muslims (locally referred to Meitei-Pangals) and several other small communities reside in the valley of Manipur, while numerous tribes occupy the surrounding hills. Besides Manipur, significant population of Meetei and Manipuri Muslims are settled in Assam, Tripura, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Manipuri population moved from Manipur during the medieval times and it was caused by several factors, which include matrimonial relationships between the ruling families of Manipur and the neighbouring kingdoms, religion, political turmoil caused by struggle for the royal throne, foreign aggression, war and destruction. The political instability that developed in Manipur after the death of the monarch, Maharaja Bheigyachandra (1763-1798), led to the Burmese incursion and occupation of the valley for seven years (1819-1826), a period known in the history of the state as Chahi Taret Khuntakpa, or Seven Years Devastation. Majority of the inhabitants in the valley, the Meeteis and Muslims, fled to Barak Valley and beyond to escape Burmese carnage, while a large population was carried by the Burmese as captives. 

This paper, in general, traces the history of the settlement of Manipuris outside Manipur with special reference to the mass migration that occurred during the period of Seven Years Devastation. It also looks into the historical context, pattern and routes of the migration as well as the settlement process. The paper further makes an attempt to study the demographic transformation caused by the migration and map the Manipuri settlement areas.