Yairipok Thambalnu -The Lotus Girl I Manipuri Folktales- PHUNGA WARI

Yairipok Thambalnu -The Lotus Girl I Manipuri Folktales- PHUNGA WARI

This is the second episode of a three-part podcast series- Phunga Wari, each featuring a folktale narrated by an elder in Manipuri to capture the authentic beauty of oral storytelling. Each Manipuri narration is immediately followed by an English translation in Rajkumari Reekiya's voice. 

The term “Phunga” refers to a fireplace, usually placed in the kitchen and “Wari” means tales or stories in the Manipuri Language. In the evenings, the children of a household gather around the fireplace while their grandparents share traditional stories. When the individual terms “Phunga” and “Wari” are put together, they translate to “Folktales”, stories passed down from generation to generation. 

Rajkumari Reekiya, a 5th Semester student of the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English at The Assam Royal Global University produced this podcast series as part of her Summer Internship with NEZINE. 

English narration of this episode begins at [5:21] 

Credits:

Special thanks to Laishram (O) Binodini Devi for her contribution.

Music:

Harish Kangjam

Transcript

Episode 2 ( Yairipok Thambalnu- The Lotus Girl): Manipuri Folktales- PHUNGA WARI

In a time forgotten by most, in the green valleys of ancient Kangleipak, which is now known as Manipur, lived a girl named Thambalnu, meaning "Lotus Girl" in the Meitei language. She lived in the beautiful region of Yairipok along with her widowed mother and led a simple life. People all across the land heard about Thambalnu's beauty, but it was her kind and compassionate nature that captured the hearts of those who knew her.

The town’s elders adored her, while the young men admired her and grew fond of her charm. However, a young man named Mohan Singh has Thambalnu’s heart. He was a kind person from a humble background. One quiet afternoon, as Thambalnu and her bosom friends came to “Poirou Pat”, she met Mohan Singh there, and beneath the shade of trees in the peaceful “Poirou Pat”, they made a heartfelt promise to one another, that one day, they would be married.

 In the shadows stood another man, one who had long harbored feelings for Thambalnu. His name was Pranam Singh Selungba, a nobleman by birth and a renowned officer in the court of King Gambhir Singh. He, too, admired her deeply and desired her hand. If Mohan Singh’s love for Thambalnu was gentle and sincere, Pranam Singh’s affection was fierce and obsessive. But no matter how intense his emotions were, Thambalnu's heart remained unchanged. She did not return his love.

A terrible misfortune unexpectedly befalls the kingdom. The great Imphal River, which used to be the source of life for the region, rose with the intensity of the monsoon rains and breached its banks, flooding the fields and villages. Fear and despair consumed the hearts of the people. The Royal Oracles turned to shamans and old rituals for divine wisdom and protection in their hunt for a means to preserve the country. After a long time of meditation, they proclaimed that the only way to calm the wrath of Wangpulen, the powerful water deity, was to make a serious offering. The shaman declared that the gods wanted a maiden with the name of a flower to be sacrificed, and her name had to end with the sacred suffix "-nu”. He further cautioned that the floodwaters would retreat and peace would return to the area only after the sacrificial ritual was held. Taking advantage of the situation, Pranam Singh Selungba came up and spoke to King Gambhir Singh with confidence. He said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I shall find the girl whose name has a flower in it and ends with the letter ‘nu.’ This burden is best left to me”. The king slumped his shoulders and replied in resignation, "It's not easy to save the kingdom from this disaster. What kind of parents would be willing to give up their daughter for such a cause? Such an undertaking is not something to take lightly.”

For the sake of making life easier on himself, Pranam Singh Selungba devised a wicked plan. He then proceeded to the modest home of Thambalnu. Despite his placid demeanor, his intent was cold. He looked into her eyes and continued, "To close the flooded embankment, the kingdom must offer a maiden whose name is a flower and ends in 'nu.’ The prophecy talks about you, Thambalnu. But I can save you…provided you become my wife.” Thambalnu stood her ground, her gaze steady. "I belong to someone else," she said softly but firmly. "And even if I didn't, I would never trade my life for a lie cloaked in selfishness." Fuming and humiliated after being rejected, Pranam Singh came back with guards, determined to capture her by force. But before they could grab her, Thambalnu walked forward on her own, her expression calm. "There is no need to bind me," she pleaded softly. "If my sacrifice can calm the river's anger and end the suffering of my people, I shall go.” Thereafter, Thambalnu strode toward her fate with her head held high and the strength of a thousand hearts within her. She was not a victim but a saviour.

The air was thick with silence when Thambalnu got to the embankment. Pranam Singh Selungba stood among the assembled villagers, his face unreadable as he focused on Thambalnu walking towards the flooded embankment. Thambalnu stepped forward without dread. She turned to face the throng, and her gaze stayed calm and steady. She prayed silently to the gods with her hands folded. She didn't think twice before walking into the rising water. At first, the river hugged her softly, but then it engulfed her whole, as if it knew she was not an average soul. There was a deep hush as the floods calmed and the villagers slowly made their way back home. Everyone else had left, but Pranam Singh Selungba stood alone at the brink of the embankment. Moments later, Mohan Singh came running, breathless and wild-eyed. But before he could reach the water’s edge, Pranam Singh’s guards seized him and held him back. Swallowing his grief, Mohan steadied himself and turned to Pranam Singh. With a calm voice that masked his sorrow and fury, he said, “What you have done for the kingdom is truly admirable. You gave the people hope. You saved them.” Mohan continued, stepping forward, “At least allow me the dignity of a final embrace for the sake of peace.” The two men embraced. And in that very moment, Mohan Singh drew a hidden knife and drove it into Pranam Singh’s chest, ending the life of the man who had taken everything from him. Without a word, Mohan turned the knife on himself, plunging it into his heart, choosing to follow his beloved Thambalnu into the afterlife. It is said that the heavens wept that day.

To this day, the people of the land speak of the place where the three met their tragic end. There, three jackfruit trees (known as Theibong Pambi) stand side by side, tall, silent, and eternal. Locals believe they are the living symbols of Thambalnu, Mohan Singh, and Pranam Singh Selungba, each tree marking the spot where love, sacrifice, and fate entwined forever.