The 1891 Battle of Khongjom was a defining moment in the history of Manipur which heralded the beginning of colonial rule in an independent kingdom which was once a minor regional power at the crossroads of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The Manipuris were a martial race and they are known and feared for their valour in battle. It was one of the fiercest battles fought in hand to hand combat in this part of the world. The British forces attacked from three sides and powerful legions were sent from Kohima,Tamu and Silchar.
The hero of the battle was Major Paona Brajabashi whose name is being epitomised by the Manipuris for his bravery and patriotism even in ballads which came to be known as Khongjom Parva. It is said even the British were awed by his bravery and love for his motherland. It was the spirit of independence and a race which refused to cow down to colonialism of any kind. There were several other heroes who fought in the Khongjom battle like Major Chongtham Mia, Chinglen Sana, Khumbong Major, Loitongba Jamadar, Keisa Jamadar, Heirang Khongja, and many more unknown soldiers who sacrificed their lives at this battlefield.
Every year, on April 23, the whole state of Manipur pays homage to those great warriors at the Khongjom War Memorial Complex. The solemn memorial site stands at the very place where the warriors gracefully accepted the historic defeat. It stands there as a living symbol of the spirit of patriotism and heroism of Manipuris. Three prominent figures who played a dominant role in the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891 against the British imperialists were hanged publicly at Pheidapung on August 13, which is now known as Bir Tikendrajit Park.
Bir Tikendrajit, Thangal General, Pukhramba Kajao, and Chirai Thangal were hanged before the very eyes of general public while many unknown soldiers laid down their lives gracefully in order to save the nation from colonisation by the mighty British imperial forces. While the ringleaders of the revolt against the British usurpers were hanged, some Manipuris including Maharaj Kulachandra were exiled beyond the ocean at Kalapani, the infamous Cellular Jail located at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
So far, the state has also been celebrating the life and sacrifice of these patriots and the unknown soldiers who gave their lives for the independence of Manipur. Perhaps unknown to many, the observation of Patriots Day was first introduced by Pan Manipuri Youth League in 1968 and taken over by the state government in 1972 when Md Alimuddin led Manipur Peoples’ Party (MPP) government was formed after Manipur attained statehood.
But it was not just a celebration of the valour and sacrifice of those patriots but also an attempt at reversing the collective trauma of annihilation in the hands of British colonialists. The pride and glory of a once independent people and nation was crushed by hanging its leaders in public. That collective trauma had to be reversed, the lore of our Bravehearts had to be narrated and the ethos of patriotism infused among the young generation.
Today, the significance of Patriots Day has been reduced to ceremonial laying of wreaths and lip-service to the patriots who believed in supreme sacrifice and independence. Had they been selfish and cowardly they could have sold the nation to the British colonialists for self-preservation and borrowed power handed out by the colonialists. They refused to sell the soul of the nation for the sake of personal power or political survival, unlike the present generation of self-seeking politicians. And still, they have audacity to speak of the sacrifice and our patriots. God forbid, save us from the spectacle of pretension and false patriotism.
