“The Living Heritage of Manipur: History of the Manipuri Language”

The Manipuri language, also known as Meitei or Meiteilon, is the principal language of Manipur and belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Its origins are closely linked to the ancient Meitei civilization of the Imphal Valley. In early times, Manipuri was written in the indigenous Meitei Mayek script, used for religious texts and royal chronicles such as the Cheitharol Kumbaba. During the 18th century, the Bengali script became dominant due to cultural changes. In modern times, Meitei Mayek has been revived, preserving Manipuri’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage.