Author: Manihar Singh
Publisher: Sahitya Akademi
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 323
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8126015861
Description
Manipuri, a member of the Tibeto-Burman family of languages, is spoken not only in Manipur, the eastern-most state of India, but also in parts of Assam, Tripura, Bangladesh and Burma (now Myanmar) where there are Manipur settlements. Its literature, in the written form, developed from the twelfth to the fifteen century, though in oral traditions it had evolved since early times, as evidenced by chronicles. It had its own script and in it all the works produced before the close of the nineteenth century, were written.
The language and its literature developed on their own without the influence of any other language or literature developed on their own without the influence of any other language or literature until the advent of Hinduism in Manipur at the turn of the eighteenth century. The name Manipur given to the present state itself is also of comparatively recent origin dating from that time only. The present work attempts to trace the evolution of its literature from very early period to the present day taking into account the gradual development of the language and also other historical events that went into shaping the course of its literature.
Contents
PREFARE
CHAPTER I: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Land and People
Language
Script
CHAPTER II: THE EARLY PERIOD
Ritual Songs
Hymns
Trail of Heroism
Love Supramundane
Chronicles
Religious Works
Other Notable Works
The Dawn of Change
CHAPTER III: THE MIDDLE PERIOD
The Background
The Hindu Epics:
The Ramayana
The Mahabharata
Traditional Meitei Faith
Historical Biography
Fiction
Prose
Other Notable Works
The Interlude: Haodijamba Chaitanya
CHAPTER IV: THE MODERN PERIOD
The Background
The Literary Scene
Pre-World War II Literature:
Poetry
The Novel
Drama
Prose
Post-World War II Literature:
The Background
Drama
Poetry
The Novel
The Short Story
Prose
Criticism
Translation
MISCELLANEOUS WORKS:
Grammar
Poetics and Other Works of Fine Arts
Biography, Autobiography and Travelogue
Folk Literature
Narratives
Select Bibliography
Glossary
Index