Meitei Christians
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Meitei Christians are a movement of Christianity in Manipur, India and are formally known as the Meitei Baptist Association.
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[edit] William Pettigrew
Christianity in Manipur is commonly traced back to William Pettigrew during the reign of Maharaja of Manipur, Surchandra Singh in 1890. William Pettigrew, born in Edinburgh, Scotland and educated in London, England, was a member of the Anglican Church. He applied to work with the Arthington Aboriginals Mission in India and travelled to Bengal late in 1890, and worked for two years in Dhaka and Silchar.
In 1891, Pettigrew applied for permission to work in Manipur, but was not granted permission until 1894. He came to Imphal, India where and began as a tutor to the children of government servants. Pettigrew soon opened a school for Manipuri boys and establish permanent mission station.
Pettigrew’s attempts at evangelistic work among the Meiteis began to cause difficulties within the delicate political climate in Manipur, and the more extreme Hindus complained that he was trying to impose Christianity upon the state. British authorities also withdrew support of his mission in Manipur and the sponsorship given by the Arthington Mission was not willing to establish a permanent mission station in any particular place. Not wanting to return to England he applied for membership to the American Baptist Missionary Union in Assam. He was redesingnated as a Baptist missionary to Manipur. Pettigrew changed his Christian denomination from the Anglican to Baptist only in the interest of staying with his mission.
Pettigrew went on to establish other mission schools within the Ukhrul District.[1]
[edit] Christianity in Manipur
[edit] The First Meitei Christian convert
The first Meitei convert to Christianity in Manipur is still uncertain. Some traditionally believe that Porom Singh was the first to convert, with the conversion taking place in Manipur. However, another tradition says that Ningol Kaboklei, who went to Sylhet (presently in Bangladesh) and met a Christian missionary and embraced Christianity around 1893. Claims that Porom Singh was the first Christian may cause others to ignore the other tradition claiming Kaboklei was the first convert in Manipur because she was converted outside of Manipur in Sylhet.
During this time, Severe attempts were made to get the Christians to renounce their faith and return to the Hindu fold. They petitioned the government to grant them land for Christians to live, and an area in Thangmeiband was granted.
[edit] Porom Singh
It is not known for certain if either Porom Singh or Kaboklei was the first convert. Porom Singh by theological scholars. Some believe that Porom Singh was baptized on the January 3rd, 1896, when Pettigrew was in Imphal. On that date Pettigrew baptized his first Meitei convert at the watering Morangkhom Hiden Tapham. Porom Singh would have been only about eleven or twelve at the time and it is possible that such a public act would have caused uproar.
Following the disturbances surrounding his baptism, Porom Singh left Imphal with Pettigrew and functioned as Pettigrew’s right hand man during the early days at Ukhrul. In December 1912 taught in a school at Ukhrul along with the responsibility of preaching the gospel to native people a teacher and headmaster.
Porom Singh was one of only seven Christians who stood with the missionary. At the outbreak of the First World War he supported Pettigrew in raising a labor corps. Porom Singh became one of the corps leader and interpreters. He served in France, receiving excellent testimonials and on his return was exempted from house tax.
[edit] Local denomination
The history of Christianity in south west of Manipur is bit different. Watkins R. Robert, a Welsh Presbyterian missionary, came to southern Manipur to preach the gospel. He was called by local people as "Pu Tlangval" (Sir Youngman), as he was only a young man of 24 years when he first came to Manipur.
Today Baptist denomination Christians, the fruits of William Pettigrew is found in northwest and northeast of Manipur while the majority of Presbyterian denominational Christians are found in southwest of Manipur as fruits of Watkins R. Roberts. What about a tiny Christian population of Meitei community in Manipur valley. Two major denomination of Meitei community are the Baptist Meitei Christians through the Baptist Churches in hill areas and the Presbyterian Meitei Christians through the Presbyterian churches in southwest of Manipur. There are also tiny other denominational Christians are found among Meitei community.
[edit] Present Meitei Christian movement
Meitei Christians in the state of Manipur and other northeastern part of India are found under different denominational heads like Baptist, Presbyterian, Evangelical, etc. Although Christianity was first adopted by Meiteis, the history of Christians among the Meitei community only started to become visible in the 1960s.
When Christianity adopted among the Meitei communities, the belief system and theological teaching are all based on the biblical teaching, however, the actual practice of the Christian faith is very different.
Approximate population of Meitei Christians in the state will be nearly 15,000 with nearly 1,000 churches.
[edit] References
- ^ Kangla Online Education in Tangkhul Nagas Region Retrieved on June 18, 2007
- Moirangthem Madhu Chandra, A Brief Account of Meitei Christians
