Conference on Thailand and NE India

IMPHAL, November 29: Surindra Rajabhat University, SRRU, Surin, Thailand and Manipur University (MU), Canchipur, have jointly organised an international conference on the topic “Thailand and North East India: Issues on Sustainable Development” today at the Lecture Hall 1 of MIMS, Manipur University.

Presided over by Vice Chancellor, MU Prof H Nandakumar Sarma the function was also attended by president PhD Programme and president Surin International Folklore Foundation, SRRU Dr Achara Phanurat, as chief guest.

During the first session of the conference, Dr Achara Phanurat presented her paper entitled “The report on the study of Monk-Doctor-Teacher: Cultural Dynamic for Peace on Border of Thailand-Cambodia”.

The crisis between the border of Thailand and Cambodia is a prolonged crisis and running for more than 200 years. The governments of the 2 countries could not arrive at a solution for the problem, she said.

She stressed that the research aimed to study about ideas and actions of monk, doctor and teacher. According to the study, giving importance to monk-doctor-teacher would help to narrow a gap between the 2 nation-states and help to decelerate conflicts on physical conditions, politics, and business. This will lead to a rehabilitation of peace along the border of Thailand and Cambodia finally.

Prof N Lokendra Singh gave his speech on the topic “Meitei-Tai linkages”. He said 98% of the state is linked to international boundaries. During 1935-36, a British, Pemberton translated the San chronicle with the help of local people under the title “military expedition to Manipur and going back to own kingdom”.

The language spoken by the people of Khurkhul during 1950s is the San language, which can be understood by Ahoms, he said.

“Now they have forgotten the language. As per the book written by Terwin, when a Meitei child is born the placenta is cut by the sharp edge of a bamboo. On the sixth day the child is kept in a covering made of bamboo to perform the ritual which resembles the present day Swasti Puja”, he said.

He further said in Willock’s book titled “Custom of Meiteis”, when a child falls down “thawai-mee kouba” practice is done.

In Cheitharol Kumbaba, Kiyamba was given some relic by a San King supposed to be a personal kind of a God. The photographs of the relic were very similar to Asian deities. There are number of evidences to show the resemblance between Meitei and Tai.

Prof Amar Yumnam and Prof Th Ratankumar Singh of MU also presented their respective papers. During the second session, Prof W Nabakumar Singh, MU; Prof Suwit Threerasasawat, Kon Kaen University, Thailand; Dr Chalong Suktong, SRRU; and Dr L Jibon Kumar Sharma, MU presented their respective papers.