Khuman Puremba

Khuman Puremba belonged to the Khuman dynasty of the Khuman kingdom.^[1][2][3][4] His ancestry is traced as follows:

• Son of Parenkoiba
  • Grandson of Haoramyaima, a Khuman prince
    • Haoramyaima was one of the three sons of Khuman King Yoithongai
      • Haoramyaima left the Khuman kingdom and settled in the Moirang kingdom due to the Khuman royal necklace incident.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Khuman Puremba married Ngangkha Leima. He had two children, Khamnu, a daughter who was biologically the daughter of Moirang King Chingkhu Telheiba, and Khuman Khamba, his biological son.^[1][2][3][4]

In Moirang Kangleirol tradition of Meitei mythology and folklore, Khuman Puremba is believed to be the rebirth of Mungyang Chaoba, a gardener. Mungyang Chaoba did cohabitation with the celestial-origin goddess Arai Leima under a condition that they would stay together in the earthly realm until his natural death.^[1][4]

Mungyang Chaoba broke this condition by fleeing from the goddess. As a result, he died immediately, caused by God Thangching (also known as Thangjing), the national tutelary deity of Moirang kingdom. Thangjing then caused him to be reborn as Khuman Puremba so that he could meet Arai Leima again and fulfill the uncompleted condition.^[1][4]

Arai Leima later took the name Ngangkha Leima and became the wife of Khuman Puremba, the rebirth of Mungyang Chaoba.^[1][4]

Khuman Puremba was known for his courage and physical strength. The Salangthel hill region, inhabited by the Kabui people, was ruled by the tribal chief Kabui Salang Maiba. Salangthel was a tributary region of the Moirang kingdom and was required to send annual tribute.^[1][4]

When Kabui Salang Maiba failed to send the tribute, it was considered a rebellion. Moirang King Chingkhu Telheiba sent Khuman Puremba to suppress it and bring the due annual tributes.^[1][4]

During the expedition, Khuman Puremba lifted and threw a massive rock that could not be moved by several men together. Witnessing this, the Kabui warriors fled and reported to their chief. To avoid bloodshed, Kabui Salang Maiba chose friendship with Khuman Puremba.^[1][4]

On the return journey from Salangthel to Moirang, at the Ngangkha Lawai region, a woman of unknown origin, believed to be goddess Arai Leima in human disguise, appeared out of the bushes. In Moirang Kangleirol tradition of Meitei mythology and folklore, she had waited for him on earth since the time of Mungyang Chaoba (Puremba's previous birth) to reunite with him. She asked Khuman Puremba to take her as his wife. He brought her to Moirang on horseback.^[1][4]

Before going home, Khuman Puremba went to the Moirang Kangla to report to King Chingkhu Telheiba about his victory in the Salangthel military expedition, and also to submit the annual tributes collected from the region. He left the woman at the palace gate to wait until he came out.^[1][4]

The nine tigers caused great destruction in Moirang kingdom. King Chingkhu Telheiba organized a royal hunt using a tall bamboo stage platform for safety to view warriors and hunters capturing the tigers at Torbung region.^{[1][4][11][12]}

During the hunt, all warriors fled except Khuman Puremba. Puremba captured three tigers and was rewarded. Three more tigers attacked the king, and Khuman Puremba killed them. He was rewarded again. The last three tigers attacked the king, and he subdued them. As the king had no further rewards, he gave Khuman Puremba his favorite concubine, Ngangkha Leima, who was already pregnant.^{[1][4][11][12]}

With King Chingkhu Telheiba's permission, the already pregnant Ngangkha Leima was married to Khuman Puremba. At Puremba's house, she gave birth to Khamnu, the king's biological daughter. Some years later, she gave birth to Khuman Khamba, Puremba's biological son, at midnight.^[1][4]

Minister Thonglen, a friend of Khuman Puremba, used dark magic at the sacred Nunggoibi site at the Moirang Kangla, to pull out the soul of the unknown offender.^[1][4]

The next day, Khuman Puremba admitted his mistake publicly. He was not punished due to his status, but Thonglen later realized that the magic had affected his close friend. Khuman Puremba weakened day by day. Kabui Salang Maiba attempted to restore his soul using his own magic, but failed. He advised Puremba to apologize to Thonglen for the sake of his children. Khuman Puremba refused, stating that although his act was wrong, it did not deserve an apology. He accepted death as natural.^[1][4]

Prior to his death, Khuman Puremba entered into an agreement with his close friend, Chaoba Nongthon, stipulating that Puremba’s young daughter, Khamnu, would marry Chaoba Nongthon’s son, Pheiroijamba, once both children reached adulthood. Several years after Puremba’s death, when Khamnu and Pheiroijamba had grown into adults, Chaoba Nongthon honored this agreement by formally arranging their marriage.^[1][2][3][4]

Before dying, he entrusted two wooden chests of family treasures to Thonglen, one for Khuman Khamba, and another one for Khamnu. He also asked Thonglen, Chaoba Nongthon, and Kabui Salang Maiba to care for his children. Khuman Puremba later died.^[1][4]

Khuman Puremba's legacy as a strong, fearless, and courageous warrior was continued by his son Khuman Khamba, who later surpassed his father in fame and strength. In Meitei society, strong men in body, behavior, or mindset are often compared to Khuman Puremba, Khuman Khamba, or both, even in modern times.^[1][2][3][4]

• Khuman Kangleirol
• Moirang Kangleirol
• Khumanlol
• Khuman language
• Khuman Apokpa

• Hodson, Thomas Callan. The Meitheis. India: D. Nutt, 1908.
• Rainā, Vimalā. Khamba Thoibi and Poems on Manipur. India: Printed at the Government Press, Manipur, 1963.