ORIGIN OF SALAI AND MEETEI RACE
The present Meetei race is a part of the Lai peoples who were created, nurtured and inhabited after first the whole of Koubru mountain ranges of Kangleipak and dispersed and spread through out the Asiatic continent. The Lai peoples came down for the first time to the present Imphal Kangla in about 20,000 years B.P. or 180 centuries B.C., when the present Imphal valley began to be dry, and civilisation began. Probably, the Lai peoples spread and dispersed through out the vast land mass of the Asiatic continent before their arrival to the present Imphal Kangla and also before the Indian sub-continent converged and conjoined with the Eurasian land mass because of the continental drift. The Lai peoples became the present Meetei race of Kangleipak later in history. The present Meetei race is a part of the Lai peoples from the Koubru mountain tops.
When a part of the Lai People from the tops of the Koubru mountain ranges of Kangleipak came down to the present Imphal Valley,approximately in 20,000 year B.P. or 180 centuries B.C.(electroluminiscence dating),present Imphal Kangla was the only dry area and suitable for human habitation. After some time the whole Imphal valley became dried and suitable for human habitations. Then the whole Imphal valley was occupied by the Lai peoples. Then a superhuman to be precise(according to faith), our legendary historical personality, Konchin Tukthapa Ipu Athoupa Pakhangpa was born among the Lai peoples. He became the first political Monarch of Kangleipak. He married Lailup Talet (scripture), Lai nura taret (seven Lai ladies). The names of the 7 Lai ladies (queens of the Monarch) :
1. Laikok Huimulei Puksi Khompi
2. Huimu Leima
3. Loikhompi Mawai Thongngai Lelpi
4. Laiyek Pithet Leima
5. Leima Ulum Khotchao Tonpi
6. Leitham Tali Leima
7. Nonghainu Lilee Leima
These 7 queens gave birth to 7 sons what we call to day as seven Salais, namely, Mangang, Luwang , Khuman, Angom, Moilang, Khapa-nganpa and Salai Leisangthem, the present seven Salais of the Meetei race as we find today. Our salai names or the seven clans names are after the names of the 7 sons of the first Legendary Monarch of Kangleipak. The part of the Lai peoples who came down to the Imphal valley first treading the present Imphal Kangla became the Meetei Race since the time of our legendary Monarch, Konchin Tukthapa Ipu Athoupa Pakhangpa (Ibudhou Pakhangpa at present). These are all recorded history of the Meetei race of Kangleipak upto now.The development of writing scripts (Aphabets) was during the time of our first Monarch, Konchin Tukthapa. Since then we had two kinds of histories namely history of Kangleipak (history of the kingdom) and Yumtapa Puya (Genealogy of the different seven Salais or seven clans.)
MEETEI PHILOSOPHY OF THE CREATION OF UNIVERSE AND YEK
The Universe containing the space-time continuum in meetei philosophy is called tengpalpa/tingpalpa.the milky way is called ningthou turel and the creator of the universe is called thawaimichak ningthou tulel sitapa/epung loinapa apakpa.He is termed as the ONE.
Epung loinapa apakpa can be equated to the primordial state of the universe.
The body of the epung loinapa apakpa is attached to 7 MEETEI LAIPUNGTHOUS
1.NONGPOK CHINGKHEI APALPA
2.AWANGPA KOUPALU
3.THANGCHING KOILEL LAI
4.KHANA CHAOPA WANGPULEL LAI
5.ELEL PULING PULEL LAI
6.LAININGTHOU PANGKALPA
7.SALAILEL SITAPA
Since 7 laipungthous are attached to his body(paktuna naptuna yaopa),he is called apakpa.He is the origin of all bloods(ee pumnamaki mapungni,hourakfamni) and he called epung,he accompanies the universe(tengpalpa/tingpalpa),creatures(taipang panpa) and he is called loinapa(accompany).
Epung loinapa apakapa is the source of blood and every laipungthou carries a region of blood around its body.Since it seems like a figure drawn/bounded by blood( ena koisinduna yekpa manba) it is called eyek.each eyek contains a well of blood(e ki phoon) and e ki phoon is called elik. The eyek and elik interact with each other having enmity.so due to that yek is born.
The youngest son of 7 salai,salai leishangthem married chengleima and gave birth to khum khum ningthou.Khum Khum Ningthou had a son Maliya Phampalcha,the king which gave the meetei lunar calendar denoted by M.F.Maliya Phampalcha along with Leima Tannu gave birth to Konthouba who established Haolokpam SURNAME.
YEK AND YEK THOKPA
REMINDER:SALAILEL SITAPA WAS THE YOUNGEST OF 7 LAIPUNGTHOU AND EPUTHOU PAKHANGBA WAS HIS YOUNGEST SON(HE WAS BORN HUMAN) WHILE LAININGTHOU SANAMAHI WAS THE ELDEST(HE WAS BORN AS GOD).
Since after eputhou pakhangba the lineage became humans as meeteis and a line of seperation became clear between him and his father and forefathers.Salailel sitapa crossed the barrier and married haolokpam tampha chanu and other meetei women who were born to eputhou pakhangba.A controversy arose between man and god and a meeting was held.eputhou pakhangba complained that what will his generations think of his father's misdeeds.So three decisions were taken
1.No humans shall commit the act done by salailel sitapa
2.Since a misdeed was done it shall be termed as yek.
3.if such misdeeds occur again there shall be enmity among man and god ;amongst the 7 laipungthou and among 7 salais.due to enmity the shall be interrelationship amongst bloods.if any one disobeys he shall be punsined according to human and god.
Yek has no particluar value.when same salai intermarriage occurs yek and yek thokpa occurs.
EXPLAINATION OF SALAI
SALAILEL SITAPA FROM HIS IMAGINATION(NUNGPUNG WAKHAL) CREATED 7 LAI NULA.EPUTHOU PAKHANGPA ALONG WITH 7 LAI NURA RULED OVER KANGLEIPAK CREATED FROM NUNGPUNG WAKHAL.HE HAD 7 SONS WHICH WERE CALLED SALAI 7.SINCE EPUTHOU WAS HUMAN,SATONG PANPA AND HIS 7 WIVES WERE LAI,THE RESULT OF THE RELATIONSHIP IS CALLED SA+LAI=SALAI.
