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| Bhagya Chandra Ching-Thang Khomba | |
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| King of Manipur | |
| Reign | 1759–1760, 1764–1798 |
| Coronation | 7th Sajibu, 1759 |
| Predecessor | Gourisiam |
| Successor | Rabinchandra |
| Born | 13th Poinu 1748 Janmasthan Moirangkhom,Imphal |
| Died | 1798 Murshidabad,West Bengal |
| Spouse | Akham Chanu Bhanumati |
| Issue | Rabinchandra Madhuchandra Kuranganayani Chourjit Singh Marjit Singh Gambhir Singh |
| House | House of Karta |
| Dynasty | Ningthouja dynasty |
| Father | Syam Sai |
| Mother | Wahengbam Chanu Chakha Loikhombi |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Occupation | Rajarshi –Raja (monarch) as well asRishi (saint) |
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Bhagya Chandra (also known asChing-Thang Khomba andJai Singh) (1748–1799) was a king ofManipur in the 18th century CE. He was the grandson ofGharib Niwaz and ruled Manipur for almost forty years (1759–1798). During his rule, he faced several invasions from theBurmese empire and went into exile, but eventually made peace with Burma.
Bhagya Chandra is known for spreadingVaishnavism in the Manipur state.[1] He invented theManipuri Raas Leela dance. His daughter (Shija Laioibi) played the role ofRadha at the first performance and became a popular figure inManipur.[2]
Bhagya Chandra was the son ofSyam Sai, the eldest son and the legitimate heir of KingGharib 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.[3][4] According to theRoyal 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 ofBrahmaputra.[5]
Chit Sai's treachery was soon discovered and he was chased out of Manipur. He fled toKachar. His brotherBharat Sai (Bharat Shah) took the throne. But he was also thrown out within a year. In 1753, Syam Sai's eldest sonGourisiam (orGour Shah, also known asMarampa) became the king.[3][6] ScholarSaroj Nalini Parratt cites a Manipuri tradition that states that Gourisiam and Bhagya Chandra made a pact to rule alternatingly in five year terms.[7] Accordingly, Gourisiam abdicated in 1759 allowing Bhagya Chandra to ascend the throne.[8]
While Manipur was going through such turmoil, Burma was rejuvenating itself. TheToungoo dynasty collapsed soon after Gharib Niwaz's death, andAlaungpaya rose to be king, founding a freshKonbaung dynasty in 1752. The Burmese also started using firearms, possibly acquired from European traders.[9][10]
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.[11] Gaurisiam sent Bhagyachandra and his son Anand Sai to meet the invasion atSumjok andTamu respectively. The Tamu force got repulsed toKakching. 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".[12] 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.[13] TheKabaw Valley was "permanently annexed".[10]
This was only the first of many invasions to come.
In 1762, Manipur was again attacked by the Burmese, assisted by the Chitsai.[citation needed] Bhagya Chandra, along with his queen and a few loyal attendants, fled toAhom (modern-dayAssam), where they lived under the protection of theAhom ruler,Rajeswar Singha.[citation needed]
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.[14]
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 wildelephant.
Confronted with insurmountable odds, King Bhagyachandra is said to have prayed toGovinda (Krishna) for guidance. Govinda appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to enter the arena donning a garland while holdingjapa beads. At the end of the instructions, Govinda assured him of victory.[14]
The dream also stated that Bhagya Chandra would be the sole king of Manipur. Upon regaining the kingdom, he should install a Krishnamurti. The deity, Govinda, should be carved from a certain oldjackfruit tree growing on the slopes ofKaina 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 thisvision a complete plan on how to execute the Ras Lila.[14]
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".[14]
After the duel, 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 inNagaland where they were attacked byNaga tribesmen and poisonous snakes. Rajeswar Singha called off the unsuccessful venture in 1767.
In November 1768, Bhagya Chandra and Rajeswar Singha decided to make another attempt to invade Manipur. Bhagya Chandra led 10,000 Ahom troops across theKachari kingdom 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.[15]
In 1762, the British and Manipur signed a bilateral treaty withGaurisiam, which spelled that the British and Meiteis would encourage trade and commerce. The British gave necessary help for protection against the Burmese and Naga. Manipur gave up a village for anEast India Company post. The name "Manipur" (assigned by the British for Ching-Thang's kingdom) for what was called "Meitrabak" came into being in 1774 when theGovernor General of India Mr. Rendel, surveyed the area westward fromNingthi toCachar and Northward fromChittagong to theBrahmaputra and renamed it.[16]
In 1775 he established his capital atBishenpur 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.[16]
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 strongManipuri Vaishnavism reflected on the Meiteis. He was an ardent devotee ofChaitanya Mahaprabhu and during his reign a statue ofNityananda was created.[17]
In 1796 he moved his capital toKangla. A year later, on February 5th 1798, heabdicated the throne to his eldest sonRabinchandra.[18] He spent his later years on pilgrimage to various Vaishnavite holy sites, includingNabadwip. He died on December 25th 1798 inMurshidabad, West Bengal.[19]
Ching-Thang Khomba was son of Syam Sai (Khurai-Lakpa), who had two brothersMantri 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.[16]
Bhagya Chandra had eight sons: Sanahal,Rabinchandra (Labanya Chandra),Madhuchandra, Tulsijit,Chaurajit,Marjit, Daoji (Khongjai Ngamba) andGambhir Singh. Sanahal died early. Bhagya Chandra placed Rabinchandra on the throne before he retired to Nabadwip. From this time up to theFirst Anglo-Burmese War, Manipur faced fratricidal wars among Bhagya Chandra's sons.[20]
The tradition of Rasa Lila in Manipur is attributed to Ching-Thang. The firstManipur Maha Rasleela was performed in 1777.[16][21]
It was his daughter Shija Lailoibi who first took the role ofRadha in theManipuri Raas Leela dance.
Under the influence ofBengali missionaries, he also started the tradition ofSankirtan in Manipur.[22]
| Preceded by | King of Manipur 1769–1798 | Succeeded by |