Manipur to switch to Meiteimayek script

Manipur will abolish the 300-year-old Bengali script and replace it with an ancient script from the next academic session.

Manipur has decided to abolish a three-century-old script and replace it with an ancient lettering from the next academic session, bringing the curtains down on a violent campaign in the state.

HT Image

Manipur has been on the boil with the radical Metei Erol Eyek Loinasillon Apunba Lup (MEELAL) or the United Forum for Safeguarding Manipuri Script and Language demanding the introduction of Manipur's ancient Meiteimayek script in place of the existing Bengali script.

Bengali has been used to write the local Metei language in Manipur for the past 300 years.

"As part of the changeover, we have decided to introduce the Meiteimayek script in Class 1 and 2 from the next academic session beginning 2006 and then moving up to higher classes every year till the university level," Manipur's Information Minister Gaikhangam said.

Last month, MEELAL protestors burnt down a 47-year-old library in Imphal, reducing to ashes thousands of books, including rare manuscripts and journals, written in the Bengali script.

According to estimates, there were close to 150,000 books worth about Rs 100 million in the library. Historians said the burning of the library had reduced to ashes Manipur's "knowledge bank" and its "heritage".

Several separatist groups also backed MEELAL's campaign for replacing Bengali with the Meiteimayek script in the state.

"We welcome the Manipur Government's decision to introduce the Meiteimayek script, but we want a white paper from the authorities to be hundred percent sure of their intentions," a MEELAL spokesperson said.

But experts are worried over the decision to introduce Meiteimayek script from the next academic session. "We need to have books transcribed in the Meiteimayek script ready for students, besides training and orientation to teachers to adept to the new script form," said T Singh, a noted academic.

According to various historians and experts, it will be difficult for both teachers and students to follow the Meiteimayek script as the Bengali script was followed by generations to write the local Metei language.

However, the minister said confidently: "The script changeover will be acceptable to all communities in the state and although there could initial hiccups, we are confident of overcoming the problems."

The MEELAL campaign began early this year and turned violent with the Government initially opposing the demand, leading to agitators setting ablaze dozen of Government offices, a railway station and textbooks of students written in the Bengali script.