Goutamkumar Oinam (Public Domain)
Shooting down the Sun : Numit Kappa
In an era of antiquity, steeped in the mystique of allegory and symbolism, the archaic Meitei classical epic tale of "Numit Kappa," or "The Shooting Down of the Sun," emerges as a captivating narrative, its title alone evoking the grandeur of celestial events. Though the story’s allegorical nature suggests a deeper meaning, one might ponder if such a sophisticated literary device was intentionally employed in those ancient times.
The protagonist of our tale, Khwai Nongchengpam Naicha Yekma Haotangla—more succinctly known as Khwai Nongchengpam Piba—found himself in servitude to two royal brothers, Tauhuireng Ahanpa and Numitsana Khomadon. These regal personalities, bearing names synonymous with the Sun, demanded his unwavering attention both day and night, leaving him bereft of moments to cherish his family, to embrace his offspring, or to attend to the hearth. Consumed by turmoil, he conceived a daring stratagem to liberate himself from the tyranny of these solar brothers.
Goutamkumar Oinam (Public Domain)
In pursuit of his liberation, he dispatched his wife, the dutiful Haonu Chakhanu, to her ancestral home to procure bamboo of unparalleled resilience. With these materials, he crafted a bow and arrows, honing his archery skills until they matched his resolute determination. Concealed in ambush, he awaited the arrival of Tauhuireng Ahanpa, the elder of the two royal brothers. His arrow struck true, wounding the targeted person grievously, causing him to secrete lifeblood in torrents and seek refuge in the secluded expanse of Khunbirok. The steed of the target, too, was not spared, its cries of agony echoing as it succumbed to its injuries.
Numitsana Khomadon, the younger sibling, now gripped by terror of his insurgent servant, remained hidden. Their absence from administration cast the Meitei world into an abyss of darkness, robbing the common folk of their means to sustain life. The anguish of the people knew no end until the ten esteemed nobles embarked on a quest to locate the vanished brothers and beseech their return. Alas, their efforts bore no fruit, and it fell upon the sagacious wives of these noblemen to seek the aid of the high priestess, Chakpa Lamlang Amaipi. Through her dedicated intervention, the younger sun was coaxed from his seclusion, restoring light and jubilation to the land. A ceremonial cleansing ensued, accompanied by sacred rites to prevent such calamities from recurring.
Understanding the hero’s plights :
Goutamkumar Oinam (Public Domain)
This minstrelsy, akin to its predecessors, unfolds with a brisk cadence and succinct phrasing, yet it does not lack for vivid details. For instance, prior to executing his audacious plan, Khwai Nongchengpam Piba embraced a night of solemn vigil, abstaining from all earthly pleasures, including the comfort of his wife's embrace. With the dawn's light, he did not confide in her as Brutus did in Shakespeare's tale; instead, he admonished her to remain within their home, to weave at her loom, and to eschew her customary exchanges with the neighbors.
Understanding the hero’s plans :
His preparations were meticulous: for five days, he seasoned the bamboo in the sun’s embrace, fashioning a bow and arrows with painstaking precision. His initial trials were met with success, as he felled a small bird and a wild pigeon with ease. On the seventh day, he challenged his wife to balance a pitcher upon her head, which he then targeted with an arrow, cleaving her earring in twain. Subsequent tests saw him striking an arumroot atop her head and severing a taut thread with unerring accuracy. Thus emboldened, he made his fateful attempt upon the life of Tauhuireng Ahanpa, the elder of the royal brothers.
Significance of the allegory :
Goutamkumar Oinam (Public Domain)
The tale’s allegorical layers, suggestive of political undertones, are ever-present, yet it is the human elements that lend the story its standalone merit. When the female hierophant, with her melodious incantations, praised the younger solar brother and lamented the people’s plight, he could no longer resist her entreaties.
Trauma of the younger royal brother :
Nongpok Touring Leimacha, the younger of the royal brothers, recounted the tragic fates of his kin: his mother, the Lady Korou Nongmai Hanpi, bore sons who met untimely ends—one stillborn, another lost as an unhatched egg (miscarriage), and a third, Sana Khommaton Numit Kaite Ngampa, who perished young, his hair transforming into white wildflowers, his teeth into gleaming cowries. His elder brother, Tauhuireng Ahanpa, had fallen to Khwai Nongchengpam Naicha Pongparacha Atanpa’s lethal arrows, his mount collapsing on Khunbirok’s slopes, and he himself wandering into the firmament’s far reaches. "Thus, O Chakpa Amaipi," he declared, "I cannot heed your summons to return alone. The thought of those piercing arrows still terrifies me. I harbor no desire to venture into the other world like my brother or to rejoin mankind, but rather to spend my days here in tranquility."
Recovery from the trauma :
Goutamkumar Oinam (Public Domain)
The narrative’s secondary meaning crystallizes as Sana Khomadon, now enlightened by his trials, emerges from hiding. The vigilant priests of the Moirang and Ningthouja (Meitei) nations welcomed him with harmonious ritual songs and bathed him in the sanctified waters of Kangla, infused with medicinal herbs. Transformed into a radiant being akin to his elder brother, he dispelled darkness from every corner. The laborers returned to their fields, birds soared in search of sustenance, and malevolent spirits fled. Light and warmth enveloped all.
Conclusion :
Goutamkumar Oinam (Public Domain)
In the story's concluding verses, the bard exuberantly praises Sana Khomadon's virtues, likening him to an eternal flame that never ceases to illuminate the world.
Special Notes:
* In linguistic, ethnic as well as cultural aspects, Meitei is synonymous with Meetei, Mitei, Meithei, Manipuri, Kanglei, Poirei, etc.
* Traditional Meitei ethnic religion is also known as Sanamahism (or Sanamahi religion), Sannamahism (or Sannamahi religion), Lainingthouism (or Lainingthou religion), Kangleism, Meiteism, Meeteism, Miteism, Meitheism, Manipurism, etc.
* In religious aspect, a believer or a follower or a theologist of the traditional Meitei religion is known as Sanamahist, Sannamahist, Lainingthouist, Kangleist, Meiteist, Meeteist, Miteist, Meitheist, Manipurist, etc.
* Ancient land of the Meitei speaking people (alias Manipuri speaking people) is known as Kangleipak, Meiteileipak, Meeteileipak, Miteileipak, Meiteileibak, Meeteileibak, Miteileibak, Meitrabak, Poireilam, Tilli Koktong, Leikoilel, Leikoilen, Sanaleipak, Sanaleibak, Sannaleipak, Sannaleibak, etc. In present day, most of its parts is located in what we now call Manipur state, with few others in the state's neighboring places.
* In English terms, the Meitei realm is also known as Meiteidom, Meeteidom, Miteidom, Meitheidom, Manipuridom, Kangleidom, Meiteisphere, Meeteisphere, Miteisphere, Meitheisphere, Manipurisphere, Kangleisphere, etc.
