Meitei

Meitei, also known as Manipuri, is the largest ethnic group in the Indian state of Manipur, located in Northeast India. The Meitei people primarily inhabit the Imphal Valley and surrounding areas, and form the majority of Manipur's population. They speak Meitei, also called Manipuri, a Tibeto-Burman language. The language is written in the Meitei script, Meitei Mayek, which was historically supplanted by Bengali script during the 18th–19th centuries and later revived in the late 20th century. Meitei Mayek is now widely taught in schools and used in official contexts alongside Bengali script in some periods.

The Meitei kingdom, traditionally known as Kangleipak, has origins in antiquity. The modern Meitei identity emerged through centuries of settlement, court culture, and the spread of Vaishnavism in the 18th century, when King Garib Niwaj Pamheiba adopted Hinduism and promoted it across the kingdom. This period also contributed to the development of classical performance arts, including Manipuri dance (Rasa Lila), which incorporates themes from Hindu devotion.

Cultural practices include the Lai Haraoba festival, a series of ritualistic dances honouring ancestral deities, and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion historically practiced by many Meitei. Contemporary Meitei society is multilingual and multi-religious: the majority of Meitei identify as Hindu, while others follow Sanamahism, Christianity, or Islam, particularly among the Meitei Pangals (Manipuri Muslims).

In modern India, Meitei is one of the official languages of Manipur and is used in education and administration within the state. The Meitei people are a central component of Manipur’s social and political landscape and have contributed to the region’s arts, literature, and cultural identity.