Christianity among the Meiteis in Manipur- A Missiological Perspective

About The Book

This book comprises a study and analysis of the causes for rejection of Christianity among the Meiteis in Manipur valley. The upshot of the research is that there are three causes for this rejection, i.e., Sanskritisation; Revival of traditional religion and British colonialism in Manipur, and goes on to examine these in detail. Christianity was brought to the Meiteis in 1894. Yet out of approximately 1.3 million Meiteis in Manipur valley alone, there are today not many Christians even after more than a century of missionary endeavor. This fact has made the author raise questions about the resistance of Christianity among the Meiteis in general, and to make a study of this problem. The book then goes on to argue that the study of the causes for of Christianity is crucial at this point of time as the rejection of Christianity in this community is increasingly obvious, and in fact minority Meitei Christians are now faced with persecution.

About the Author

Dr. L. Bimol Meitei has been serving the Lord for the last 14 years in various capacities. He holds several theology degrees, including Doctor of Theology (2014), all from SATHRI/Senate of Serampore. His ministerial service includes chaplainship at Manipur Theological College, Manipur; Program Coordinator for OM Northeast India and Vice Principal of Association for Theological Education in Nepal, Kathmandu. He is married to Dr. Nyimang and they are blessed with a son, Manna. Currently, he is the Head of the Department of History-Mission cluster at UBS, Pune.

Foreword

It is indeed heartening to hear of a seminal work by Dr. L. Bimol coming out as a book entitled Christianity among the Meiteis in Manipur: A Missiological Perspective.

So far people have written on the history of Christianity in Manipur in a general way and that too about Christianity in the Hills rather than in the valley of Manipur. Since none has analysed the causes for rejection of Christianity by the Meiteis in general in Manipur valley, this becomes a seminal work and path-finder for mission and ministry.

Christianity was presented to the Meiteis, known also as Manipuris, in 1894 by William Pettigrew who came through the Arthington Aborigines Foreign Missionary Society. But then the political crisis in the Kingdom of Manipur made his work difficult. In such a situation the Manipur tribal Christian converts of William Pattigrew took the Gospel to the Meiteis of the Manipur Valley. Yet the number of Christians among the Meiteis stood at 5000 only of whom 75% are from schedule caste Loi Meiteis, and that made Dr. L. Bimol Meitei, a Meitei himself to analyse the causes for poor response, even rejection of Christianity by the Meiteis of Manipur Valley, for which he had used the historical analytical methodology. His analysis has been objective.

Dr. L. Bimol analyses the causes for rejection under three headings viz Sanskritisation of Meiteis, a revival of traditional religion and British colonialism in Manipur (1891-1947). Each of these causes is dealt with lucidly and with clarity, using relevant documents including Government sources. The author's purpose viz to disseminate the causes for rejection are very effective and illuminating. He explains them in such a way that even a non-Manipuri/Meitei could understand them very easily and ponder over them. I came to know more about the traditional religion of the Meiteis viz. Sanamahism through this work. It is very revealing to hear how British Colonialism in Manipur was a cause for the rejection of Christianity since British Colonialism was exploitative, cruel and inhuman in nature, contrary to the Christian Gospel of love.

Introduction

1. Statement of the Problem

Christianity among the Meiteis' in Manipur valley' has been a challenging phenomenon ever since the coming of Christianity in 1894. Out of approximately 1.3 million Meiteis in Manipur valley alone, there are around 5000' believers only, even after more than a century of missionary endeavor. This fact has made the writer raise questions on the rather slow growth of Christianity among the Meiteis. Realizing that there is a problem in the midst of the Meiteis regarding the acceptance of Christianity, the writer made a study of this problem among the Meiteis in Manipur valley. In order to be specific in his study, the writer zeroed in on the analysis of the causes for the rejection of Christianity among this group of people. He believes there are historical causes to the problem for the rejection of Christianity which need to be probed into and analyzed. Other authors have written on the history of Christianity in Northeast India, but none have touched on the problem of rejection of the religion. Therefore, this work is the study and analysis of the problem of rejection of Christianity among the Meiteis in Manipur valley.

2. Elaboration of the Problem

2.1. Christianity in Manipur

William Pettigrew, the first Christian missionary to Manipur, came to India under the sponsorship of a private society called Arthington Aborigines Foreign Mission Society (AAFMS). He was a member of the Church of England. Pettigrew came to West Bengal in 1890 to propagate Christianity. It was during the time when the kingdom of Manipur was going through a serious political crisis. This political crisis led to the outbreak of a palace revolt which resulted in the massacre of seven British officials. The shocking news of the massacre spread across the country and beyond and this was the key factor for Pettigrew in deciding to go to Manipur:

The massacre of 1891, in which seven British officials were killed by the Manipuris, attracted his attention to Manipur. ... He applied for permission to enter the State to work among the Manipuri Hindus, but it was not until January, 1894, that permission was granted.

His interest in Manipur grew stronger when he met Meiteis in Cachar, Assam in 1891 but he could not enter Manipur at that time as British power was not completely established in the State. Therefore, he had to stay for another three years at Silchar" to wait for an opportunity. While waiting, he had plenty of time to get training and learn Meiteilon for the mission work that he was about to begin for the people of Manipur. He mastered Meiteilon to a considerable extent." Thus, Pettigrew was able to prepare himself for the new field where he was going to work and looked for divine guidance to open a way with great hope and zeal.

**Contents and Sample Pages**