Pangal

Muslims of Manipur, known as Pangal, have existed (formerly Poirei or Meitrabak or Mekhli/Mughlai or Kathe) since the seventh century. "Pangal" simply means "Manipuri Muslims", as they follow Islam. Various historical sources have different dates for when Islam first entered Manipur. Some sources place the date at around 930 AD. However, the date all sources seem to confirm as definitive is 1606 AD. The origin of the Pangal community is equally varied. In the early-seventeenth century, Mubariz Khan was on an expedition and came across a tribe which lived in between the lands of the Khasis and the Kacharis, who referred to themselves as Mughals. The Mughal books claim that this tribe was indeed a descendant of the Turco-Mongol Timurids. They have said that during the reign of Timur in the late 12th century, the emperor had reached this extreme point and left a group of Mongols to protect the land before returning to his capital in Baghdad. Members of this tribe were white-skinned, spoke a Sino-Tibetan language, ate all sorts of animals and vegetables, and wore large turbans and big brass earrings (tunkal). Mubariz managed to defeat this tribe with a lot of difficulty, and annexed some of their land to the Bengal Subah.[1]^:324–325 It is considered that this tribe were Manipuri as they speak Meitei, which is a Sino-Tibetan language. In Assam and Greater Sylhet, Manipuris used to be referred to as "Mei-Moglai".[2]

In the sources that place their entry prior to 1606, they entered as gun makers or to extract salt from the brine springs. However, the events of 1606 state that they settled after Prince Sanongba requested aid from Cachari King Dimasha Prataphil to defeat his brother Chingsomba. Dimasha Prataphil was aware of Chingsomba's military strength and knew that his forces alone could not win. Hence, he requested the Nawab of Taraf, Muhammad Nazir to send forces to his aid. After the war with his brother Sanongba, Maharaj Khangemba and the Muslim soldiers from Taraf signed an agreement and allowed the Muslim soldiers to settle in the valleys of Manipur. In the meanwhile Burmese army broke a war against Kangleipak in Kabaw valley. King Khagemba asked the brave soldiers to help Meetei army to fight with Burma (Myanmar), agreed and fought the battle alongside Meetei army. Fortunately, Meetei army won the battle. King Khagemba was very happy with that and his highness gave the name Pangal (Pangal= Strength in Meetei lenguage ) Through marriage, adopting the Manipuri language and various local practices, which did not violate Islam, the Muslim soldiers were eventually naturalised as the Pangals. The etymology of the name is also interesting as some say it account from a Persian source states that the name Pangal was given due to their fortitude in battle, and the Pangal means ‘strength’ in Meiteilon.

The Muslims of Manipur were result of two Muslim migrations in 1606 and 1724. Manipur provided shelter to Shah Shuja, the Mughal prince who fled (and was pursued) to save himself from the wrath of his brother Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. According to Henry Rule Kathe, Muslims are the result of intermixing (melting pot) of Muslims coming in different eras from different directions – Bengal, Arakan, Cachar and Manipur itself. Silk-spinning was a trade widely practised by them.[3]

The Muslim Pangals of Manipur devastated and were taken as slaves by the invading Burmese armies.[4]

While some Muslims were already living in Manipur, there was a significant influx of Muslims from 1660 onwards, as refugees followed the deposing of the Mughal Shah Shuja (Shangkusum) of Hindustan, who lost a war of succession to Aurangzeb. Shuja's flight is significant in the Islamic folklore of both north east India and Bangladesh.

On 6 June 1660, Shuja fled from Dacca (Dhaka), initially intent on travelling, via Chittagong to Arakan (Rakhine).[5][6] Arakan, capital of the Mrauk U Kingdom, was the destination, because Sanda Sudamma (Thudamma) had reportedly promised to provide ships to take Shuja and his entourage to Mecca for haj (pilgrimage). Shaju travelled with his wife Piari Banu Begum (a.k.a. Praveen Banu, Piara Banu, or Pai Ribanu) and her sister Sabe Banu, his sons Zainul Abidin (Zainibuddin, Bon Sultan or Sultan Bang), Buland Akhtar and Zain-ul-Din Muhammad (Zainul Abedi), and daughters Gulrukh Banu, Roshanara Begum and Amina Begum,[7] as well as two vessels of gold and silver, jewels, treasures and other royal trappings, on the backs of half a dozen camels, while about 1,000 palanquins (carriers) transported Shuja's harem. After staying for some time at Chittagong, Shuja took a land route (still called Shuja Road) southward. Shuja prayed the Eid prayer at a place called Edgoung (meaning eidgah) in Dulahazra. The part crossed the Naf River, half a mile north of Maungdaw, which is sometimes still known as "Shuja Village". The final leg was a sea voyage to Arakan where Shuja was received by an envoy of king Sanda Sudamma and escorted to quarters provided for him. However, after Shuja arrived in Arakan, Sudama reportedly reneged on this promise and confiscated some of Shuja's treasure. In retaliation, Zainul Abidin and another brother led a Mughal attack on Sudama and almost succeeded in setting fire to the royal palace. Two or three of Shuja's sons died in subsequent fighting and/or the Mughals' flight into the jungle. Many other Mughals were massacred. Shuja's daughter Gulrukh reportedly committed suicide after being captured and raped by Sudama. The surviving members of Shaju's party, helped reportedly by Mughals and Pathans resident at Arakan,[8] travelled north with Portuguese mariners, at a high cost in gold and jewels.

The Hindu kings of Tripura and Manipur were more agreeable hosts – probably because they did not like the expansionist policy of Aurangzeb – and played a crucial role in concealing Shuja's whereabouts. He and his party arrived at Tripura on 16 May 1661,[5] and in Manipur in December 1661.[9] Conscious that Aurangzeb’s scouts and spies were searching for them,[10] misinformation was spread that Shuja had died at Arakan, or was travelling to Mecca, among other stories.[8] Among other precautionary measures, Shuja was sent by elephant to the hill country of Ukhrul.[11] Mir Jumla II came to know of the situation and sent three men to Manipur in late December 1661, to detain and retrieve Shuja's family.[12] However, the Qazi of Manipur, Muhammad Sani, detained the chief emissary of the Mughals, Nur Beg to ensure that the others, Dur Beg and Rustam Beg, did not provide information regarding Shuja’s presence in Manipur.[13] At that time, Shuja was in hiding at a cave known later as Shuja-lok ("Shuja Cave"),[14] Haignang, Kairang (east of Imphal). According to some accounts he later died at the cave.

The Manipuri Muslims are the descendants of the invaded soldiers from the Sylhet and the local women. The king of Manipur gave their surname based on their profession. For example, fundreimayum was the surname given to those who worked on lathe. Likewise, Chesam was given as surname to those who worked in paper industry. Among the Manipuri Muslims, Fundreimayum and Yumkhaibam Clan are Turko-Afghan descendants. Their ancestors were Pathans and they are the descandants of Kundan Khan and Zamman Khan who were Pathans. The First Chief Minister of Manipur, Alimmudin was from the Fundreimayum clan of Manipuri Muslims.

Today there are more than 50 Muslim family title names. They are an indigenous and peace-loving community. Traditional dress for men is Lungis and pajamas, and for women is Kurtis, Shalwar and phanek. Both also wear western attire. They maintained their own identity though they assimilated and intermixed with the other local communities.

• 1993 Pangal massacre
• Muslims of Manipur
• Meitei people
• Aliyah (2018 film)

• Hui Legends of The Companions of The Prophet, China Heritage,20 Sep 2010, www.chinaheritagenewsletter.org/article.
• For Muslim settlement since 7th century see History Of Migration In the Valley Of Manipur by Dr. Oinam Ranjit Singh.
• Manipuri Muslims: Socially Speaking

• Muslims in Manipur: A look at their socio-economic condition - TCN News
• How Muslims came to be in Manipur