Volume-XII, Issue-V, September 2026 |
The Resilience and Renaissance of the Manipuri Language: Linguistic Heritage, Constitutional Recognition, and the Quest for Classical Status Dr. Abul Khair Choudhury, Assistant Professor & HOD, Department of Manipuri, S.R. College, Kalain, Cachar, Assam |
Received: 18.08.2026 | Accepted: 29.09.2026 | Published Online: 30.09.2026 | Page No: 83-90 | ||||
DOI: 10.29032/ijhsss.vol.12.issue.05W.374 | |||||||
ABSTRACT | ||
The Manipuri language, which is also called Meiteilon, possesses a lengthy and unique literary and cultural history. The evolution of the language has been closely tied to the intellectual, social, and cultural activities of the people of the Manipur valley. This article looks at some of the main phases in the history of the Meitei language, focusing especially on its early literary traditions, the Puyas, the Meitei Mayek script, the incident remembered as Puya Meithaba, constitutional recognition, and the development of modern Manipuri literature. It also looks at the ongoing demand for Classical Language status and considers the importance of supporting this claim by carrying out systematic historical, textual, and linguistic research. The full history of the Manipuri language and literature cannot be grasped simply by looking at its constitutional recognition or by focusing on the revival of its script; instead, all its older literary traditions, manuscript culture, oral heritage, and modern literary development form part of a single, ongoing narrative. The revival of the Meitei Mayek script and its integration into digital technology have opened up new opportunities for preserving and more widely using the language. Yet, in the end, the survival of a language relies on its presence in education, in literature, in public life, in research, and in everyday communication. The future of Manipuri therefore will depend on how well its historical inheritance can be linked to the requirements of present-day speakers and to the quickly changing digital environment. | ||
Keywords: Manipuri language; Meitei Mayek; Eighth Schedule; Puya Meithaba; Classical Language; Manipuri literature; linguistic revival. |