Maha Manikya

Maha Manikya (d. 1431), also known as Chhengthung Fa, was the Maharaja of Tripura from about 1400 to 1431. Contrary to narratives provided by early histories, evidence indicates that Maha Manikya was the founder of the kingdom, having established dominance over neighbouring tribes in the early 15th century. He is further thought to be the first holder of the title "Manikya", taken in recognition of a historic victory over the neighbouring Bengal Sultanate. The dynasty which he founded continued using the title until Tripura's merger with India in 1949.[1]

For the Barāha ruler of Assam, see Mahamanikya.
Maha Manikya
Maharaja of Tripura
Reignc.1400–1431
SuccessorDharma Manikya I
Died1431
ConsortTripura Sundari
IssueDharma Manikya I
Gagan Fa
three other sons
HouseManikya dynasty
Kingdom of Tripura
Part of History of Tripura
Maha Manikyac. 1400–1431
Dharma Manikya I1431–1462
Ratna Manikya I1462–1487
Pratap Manikya1487
Vijaya Manikya I1488
Mukut Manikya1489
Dhanya Manikya1490–1515
Dhwaja Manikya1515–1520
Deva Manikya1520–1530
Indra Manikya I1530–1532
Vijaya Manikya II1532–1563
Ananta Manikya1563–1567
Udai Manikya1567–1573
Joy Manikya I1573–1577
Amar Manikya1577–1585
Rajdhar Manikya I1586–1600
Ishwar Manikya1600
Yashodhar Manikya1600–1623
Interregnum1623–1626
Kalyan Manikya1626–1660
Govinda Manikya1660–1661
Chhatra Manikya1661–1667
Govinda Manikya1661–1673
Rama Manikya1673–1685
Ratna Manikya II1685–1693
Narendra Manikya1693–1695
Ratna Manikya II1695–1712
Mahendra Manikya1712–1714
Dharma Manikya II1714–1725
Jagat Manikya1725–1729
Dharma Manikya II1729
Mukunda Manikya1729–1739
Joy Manikya II1739–1744
Indra Manikya II1744–1746
Vijaya Manikya III1746–1748
Lakshman Manikya1740s/1750s
Interregnum1750s–1760
Krishna Manikya1760–1783
Rajdhar Manikya II1785–1806
Rama Ganga Manikya1806–1809
Durga Manikya1809–1813
Rama Ganga Manikya1813–1826
Kashi Chandra Manikya1826–1829
Krishna Kishore Manikya1829–1849
Ishan Chandra Manikya1849–1862
Bir Chandra Manikya1862–1896
Radha Kishore Manikya1896–1909
Birendra Kishore Manikya1909–1923
Kirit Bikram Kishore Manikya1947–1949
1949–1978 (titular)
Kirit Pradyot Manikya1978–present (titular)
Tripura monarchy data
Manikya dynasty (Royal family)
Agartala (Capital of the kingdom)
Ujjayanta Palace (Royal residence)
Neermahal (Royal residence)
Rajmala (Royal chronicle)
Tripura Buranji (Chronicle)
Chaturdasa Devata (Family deities)
Shamsher Gazi (Usurper)

Chronology and name

Maha Manikya is estimated to have reigned from about 1400 until 1431. The Rajmala, the royal chronicle of Tripura, contains little information regarding his life. There, he is described as the son of Mukut Manikya, himself the son of the dynasty's supposed founder, Ratna Manikya I, a descendant of the mythological Lunar dynasty.[2][3] Upon ascending the throne, Maha is said to have proved himself a virtuous ruler and distinguished scholar, with no mention of any military engagements during his reign.[4] There are notable reasons to be doubtful of the narrative provided by the Rajmala however. Numismatic evidence proves that Maha could not have been the son of Mukut, given that the latter had only begun his rule in 1489.[5] It is further believed that it was in fact Maha who had founded the dynasty and be the first to possess the Manikya cognomen, rather than Ratna Manikya, who evidence shows had actually reigned over thirty years after the former's death.[6]

Given that his son Dharma Manikya I is identified with the ruler named in the Rajmala as "Dangar Fa",[7] it is judged that Maha can be equated with the latter's predecessor in the text: "Chhengthung Fa".[note 1] This was likely what he was originally called, given that "Maha Manikya" (literally meaning "Great Manikya")[note 2] would be a very unusual personal name, especially considering that "Maha" is merely a prefix which is meaningless as a given name.[8][10]

Reign

It is believed that Chhengthung Fa (later Maha Manikya) was a Tripuri chief who had established the Tripura kingdom in the early 15th century by subjugating neighbouring tribes, namely the Kukis, Jamatias and Reangs among others. This was possible due to the Tripuri having the largest tribal population as well as its inhabitancy of the productive and fertile valleys bordering Bengal, lying between Sylhet and Chittagong.[11][5] These events are believed to have occurred around the time that Raja Ganesha had established temporary sovereignty over Bengal, when the influence of its Sultan was weak.[12]

According to the Rajmala, Chhengthung Fa later incurred the wrath of an unidentified ruler of Bengal when a man bearing a gift for the Sultan was robbed while passing through Tripura. When he learned that a large army was dispatched against him, Chhengthung Fa was prepared to sue for peace but was prevented from doing so by his queen, Tripura Sundari. She declared submission to be an act of cowardice and convinced her husband to fight, taking command of the soldiers herself and leading them to victory over Bengal.[8][13][14] It is likely that it was as a result of this impressive triumph that Chhengthung Fa took the title "Maha Manikya", with the "Manikya" suffix being subsequently inherited by his successors.[8] However, due to the similarity between the coins of Sultan Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah and that of a later Tripura ruler,[note 3] it has been suggested that some part (or perhaps temporarily, the entirety) of the kingdom had submitted to Bengal during Maha's reign, though this is disputed among historians.[12][4]

Maha died in 1431 and following a brief struggle among his children and generals, he was succeeded by his eldest son Dharma Manikya I.[15] The descendants of another son, Gagan Fa, inherited the throne in later centuries, beginning with Kalyan Manikya in 1626.[16][17]

Notes
  1. The two other rulers who are placed between Chhengthung Fa and Dangar Fa in the chronological sequence provided by the Rajmala, Achang Fa and Khiching Fa, are dismissed in this scenario. This is because they are only mentioned in passing in the text, with virtually no information provided about them, leading to the conclusion that their existence is questionable.[8]
  2. "Manikya" refers to a reddish stone or ruby.[9]
  3. The coin of Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah and that of Ratna Manikya I both share the motif of a lion with a raised fore-paw.[4]

References
  1. Bhattacharjee (2010), p. 33.
  2. Sarma (1987), pp. 38–39.
  3. Durlabhendra, Sukheshwar & Baneshwar (1999), p. 60.
  4. Sarma (1987), p. 39.
  5. Roychoudhury (1983), p. 14.
  6. Sarma (1987), p. 38.
  7. Gan-Chaudhuri (1980), p. 20.
  8. Lahiri (1999), p. 53.
  9. Singh (1999), p. 8.
  10. Saha (1986), p. 168.
  11. Momin, Mawlong & Qādrī (2006), p. 81.
  12. Ganguly (1985), p. 155.
  13. Raatan (2008), p. 145.
  14. Roychoudhury (1983), p. 3.
  15. Sarma (1987), pp. 39–40.
  16. Sarma (1987), p. 96.
  17. Choudhury (2000), pp. 501–02.

Bibliography
  • Bhattacharjee, Subhadeep (2010). Energy and Power in North East India. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-8324-338-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Choudhury, Achyut Charan (2000) [1910], Srihatter Itibritta: Purbangsho (in Bengali), Kolkata: Kotha
  • Durlabhendra; Sukheshwar; Baneshwar (1999), Sri Rajmala, I–IV, translated by Kailāsa Candra Siṃha; N.C. Nath, Agartala: Tribal Research Institute, Govt. of Tripura
  • Gan-Chaudhuri, Jagadis (1980). Tripura, the land and its people. Leeladevi Publications.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Ganguly, J. B. (1985). The Economic Content of the State Formation Process in Medieval Tripura. Proceedings of North East India History Association. Agartala: North East India History Association. Session.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Lahiri, Bela (1999). "Numismatic Evidence on the Chronolgy and Succession of the rulers of Tripura". The Journal of the Numismatic Society of India. Numismatic Society of India.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Momin, Mignonette; Mawlong, Cecile A.; Qādrī, Fuz̤ail Aḥmad (2006). Society and economy in North-East India. New Delhi: Regency Publications. ISBN 978-81-87498-83-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Raatan, T. (2008). Encyclopaedia of North-East India. Delhi: Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-068-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Roychoudhury, Nalini Ranjan (1983). Tripura through the ages: a short history of Tripura from the earliest times to 1947 A.D. Sterling.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Saha, Sudhanshu Bikash (1986). Tribes of Tripura: A Historical Survey. Rupali Book House.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Sarma, Ramani Mohan (1987). Political History of Tripura. Puthipatra.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Singh, Jai Prakash (1999). An Introduction to the History of the Manikyas of Tripura. Shillong: North Eastern Hill University Publications.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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