Ching Thang Khomba

Bhagya Chandra (also known as Ching-Thang Khomba and Jai Singh) (1748–1799) was a king of Manipur in the 18th century CE. He was the grandson of Gharib Niwaz and ruled Manipur for almost forty years (1759–1798). During his rule, he faced several invasions from the Burmese empire and went into exile, but eventually made peace with Burma.

Bhagya Chandra is known for spreading Vaishnavism in the Manipur state. He invented the Manipuri Raas Leela dance. His daughter (Shija Laioibi) played the role of Radha at the first performance and became a popular figure in Manipur.

Background

Bhagya Chandra was the son of Syam Sai, the eldest son and the legitimate heir of King Gharib Niwaz. Gharib Niwaz had however promised the throne to a son of his second wife, Chit Sai (Ajit Shah). Accordingly when Gharib Niwaz abdicated in 1748, Chit Sai became the king. According to the Royal Chronicle, Chit Sai expelled Gharib Niwaz in 1750 and the latter went to Burma, where his niece Sicha was a queen. Syam Sai was also in Burma at this time. In 1751, it was reported that both Gharib Niwaz and Syam Sai had "returned", and Chit Sai sent an expedition to have them killed. Both were killed along with their entourage on the banks of Brahmaputra.

Chit Sai's treachery was soon discovered and he was chased out of Manipur. He fled to Kachar. His brother Bharat Sai (Bharat Shah) took the throne. But he was also thrown out within a year.

In 1753, Syam Sai's eldest son Gourisiam (or Gour Shah, also known as Marampa) became the king. A Manipuri tradition that states that Gourisiam and Bhagya Chandra made a pact to rule alternatingly in five year terms. Accordingly, Gourisiam abdicated in 1759 allowing Bhagya Chandra to ascend the throne.

Burmese invasions

While Manipur was going through such turmoil, Burma was rejuvenating itself. The Toungoo dynasty collapsed soon after Gharib Niwaz's death, and Alaungpaya rose to be king, founding a fresh Konbaung dynasty in 1752. The Burmese also started using firearms, possibly acquired from European traders.

The Burmese record states that the Manipuris invaded again in 1754 and Alaungpaya set out to settle scores with Manipur. He personally led an invasion in 1758. Gaurisiam sent Bhagyachandra and his son Anand Sai to meet the invasion at Sumjok and Tamu respectively. The Tamu force got repulsed to Kakching. Gaurisiam went to join it at Kakching, possibly with additional forces, but they were all defeated. Bhagyachandra fought at Leisangkhong, but he was also defeated. The Manipur Chronicle states that the country was devastated. The Burmese established themselves in the "Land of Meeteis". According to a historian of Burma, Alaungpaya halted in Imphal for thirteen days, took what loot there was (many residents having fled to the hills), threw two heavy cannons into the river, and returned to Ava, while leaving permanent stockades at Tamu and Samjok. The Kabaw Valley was "permanently annexed".

This was only the first of many invasions to come.

Bhagyachandra ascended the throne in 1759, but his position became "precarious" due to the intrigues of his uncle Chit Sai (Ajit Shah), who was ensconced in Kachar and is said to have appealed to the British authorities for assistance in regaining the throne of Manipur. Upon hearing about this, Bhagyachandra sent his own mission, via an envoy called Haridas Gosain, to Harry Verelst, the Chief of Chittagong. Gosain argued the Manipuri case effectively, sought help against Burmese invasions, and persuaded the British that there were opportunities for trade with China via Manipur. As the British were preoccupied with the affairs in Delhi, it was not until September 1762 that a formal treaty was signed. by Gosain and Verelst.

Six companies of British sepoys were sent towards Manipur in 1763, with instructions to "fix post at Manipur and make themselves acquainted with the strength and disposition of the Burmese". The British troops made it as far as Khaspur, then capital of Kachar, but returned due to an impending war with Mir Qasim. It is also heard that heavy rains at that time hampered further progress and that the troops suffered losses due to sickness. Gourisiam, who had become king again in 1761, wrote to Verelst sending 500 gold rupees for the expenses incurred and promising to pay in produce for the troops to be stationed in Manipur. But the British cut off the transaction after this point.
Gourisiam died in 1763, and Bhagyachandra became king again.

The Burmese king Hsinbyushin invaded in 1764, which is again said to be in response to a Manipuri invasion. The Burmese invasion was devastating, causing Bhagyachandra to flee to Assam. Hsinyubshin took away many captives, whom he used for populating his new capital at Ava. A sizeable Manipuri population was formed in Ava, serving in a variety of fucntions, most notably as cavalry.

Bhagya Chandra, along with his queen and a few loyal attendants, fled to Ahom (modern-day Assam), where they lived under the protection of its ruler, Rajeswar Singha.

First expedition

After a test of faith, Bhagya Chandra appealed to Rajeswar Singha for military assistance. Singha agreed and sent an army to overthrow Chitsai and reinstate Bhagya Chandra. The expedition was set back in Nagaland where they were attacked by Naga tribesmen and poisonous snakes. Rajeswar Singha called off the unsuccessful venture in 1767.

Second expedition

In November 1768, Bhagya Chandra and Rajeswar Singha decided to make another attempt to invade Manipur. Bhagya Chandra led 10,000 Ahom troops across the Kachar to the Mirap river. Many battles ensued between the Ahoms and Meiteis on one side, and the Naga, Chitsai and the Burmese on the other. In 1773, Bhagya Chandra was reinstated as the king of Manipur.

Reign

In 1775 he established his capital at Bishnupur and carved the Govinda murti at the hill of Kaina. On January 11th 1779 he was "re-crowned" amid many performances of his now-popular Rasa Lila dance.

During his reign, the Meiteis repelled the Burmese from Manipur. Though his exploits did not equal Pamheiba's, his reign was characterised by security. He was a great patron of the arts and religion, and his strong Manipuri Vaishnavism reflected on the Meiteis. He was an ardent devotee of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and during his reign a statue of Nityananda was created.

In 1796 he moved his capital to Kangla. A year later, on 5 February 1798, he abdicated the throne to his eldest son Rabinchandra. He spent his later years on pilgrimage to various Vaishnavite holy sites, including Nabadwip. He died on 25 December 1798 in Murshidabad, West Bengal.

Religion and culture

Life in Assam

Chitsai wrote a letter to Rajeswar Singha saying that the person taking refuge at his court was not the true Bhagya Chandra, and advised Singha to banish Bhagya Chandra. Singha was somewhat persuaded by this letter and began treating Bhagya Chandra with suspicion.

In Meitei legends, the real Bhagya Chandra was said to have had supernatural powers. To see whether the usurper was correct, Singha designed a test at the behest of his court. In a public arena, Bhagya Chandra, while unarmed, was to catch and tame a wild elephant.

Confronted with insurmountable odds, King Bhagyachandra is said to have prayed to Govinda (Krishna) for guidance. Govinda appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to enter the arena donning a garland while holding japa beads. At the end of the instructions, Govinda assured him of victory.

The dream also stated that Bhagya Chandra would be the sole king of Manipur. Upon regaining the kingdom, he should install a Krishna murti. The deity, Govinda, should be carved from a certain old jackfruit tree growing on the slopes of Kaina hill.

After installing the deity, Govinda said the king should arrange for the performance of a Rasa-Lila, in which Krishna would be worshipped with song and dance. Bhagya Chandra also received in this vision a complete plan on how to execute the Ras Lila.

Bhagya Chandra entered the arena, donning the garland and japa as instructed in his vision. In the ensuing fight, the spectators noted that the elephant seemed to recoil as if struck by a ghost. King Bhagya Chandra said that he saw "Lord Krishna as the mahout".

Cultural works

The tradition of Rasa Lila in Manipur is attributed to Ching-Thang. The first ''Manipur Maha Rasleela'' was performed in 1777.

It was his daughter Shija Lailoibi who first took the role of Radha in the Manipuri Raas Leela dance.

Under the influence of Bengali missionaries, he also started the tradition of Sankirtan in Manipur.

Literary works

*''Laithok Laikha Jogi''

Family and succession

Ching-Thang Khomba was son of Syam Sai (Khurai-Lakpa), who had two brothers Mantri Ananda Shai and Chitsai. Ching-Thang Khomba had many siblings, the most famous of whom was Gaurisiam, King of Manipur until his death in 1763.

Bhagya Chandra had eight sons: Sanahal, Rabinchandra (Labanya Chandra), Madhuchandra, Tulsijit, Chaurajit, Marjit, Daoji (Khongjai Ngamba) and Gambhir Singh. Sanahal died early. Bhagya Chandra placed Rabinchandra on the throne before he retired to Nabadwip. From this time up to the First Anglo-Burmese War, Manipur faced fratricidal wars among Bhagya Chandra's sons.

Notes

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chandra, Bhagya
1748 births
1799 deaths
Kings of Manipur
Devotees of Krishna
Gaudiya religious leaders
Hindu monarchs
Ningthouja dynasty