Official Language of - Manipur
Spoken by - 1.5 million
The official language of the state of Manipur is known as Manipuri. This language is also known by the name of Meitei. The offices and government institutions of Manipur recognize Manipuri as their official language. This language has also influenced nearby states of Assam and Tripura and is also spoken there. It is also spoken in some parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Almost all ethnic groups of Manipur speak this language and that has helped greatly in the regional integration.
Meitei is also the medium of education in Manipur. In some universities of India, Manipur is taught as a subject to the post graduate level students also. Manipuri is different from Bishnupriya Manipuri, which is classified as an Indo-Aryan language. As per the earliest written evidence on the history of Manipuri, the language dates back to the 11th century. It had an independent script that was in use until 18th century. This script was derived from the Tibetan group of scripts.
With the arrival of the British rule, the script was modified and came to be known and used as the Bengali script. This script is being used till date. Efforts are being made to restore the original script and renew it. This will give it further recognition and importance among the current generation. In Manipur, more than 60 percent of the people converse in Manipuri and there is an urgent need to revive its original script before it completely fades away from the memories of the people.
Manipuri language is about 3,500 years old and belongs to the Kuki-Chin group of the Tibeto-Burmese stream of the Mongoloid family of languages. Up to the middle of the 19th century this language was known as 'Moitoi' after the name of a tribe. In the original 'Moitoi' there were 18 alphabets.Other alphabets were added later. Its alphabets, like the Burmese-Arakanese alphabets, are pronounced in accordance with the limbs of a human body. Its alphabets are similar to the Tibetan family. The Manipuri language began to be written in the Bangla script when VAISNAVIS assumed the form of the state religion during the days of Maharaja Garib Newaz in the 18th century.The first example of a lyrical composition in Manipuri language and literature was 'Ougri'. Before this a variety of love songs, proverbs and sayings, lyrical plays and ballads were present. The love songs are very poetic and are presented by youths in groups.
Manipuri language has many martial songs and several plays, novels, short stories and poems have been written in it. Even epic poems have been composed in this language. Some well-known Bengali and western books as well as RAMAYANA and MAHABHARATA have been translated into Manipuri. In the Indian state of Manipur it is an official language and it is one of the national languages of India. Manipuri is a Hybrid language. It is spoken by millions of people in Bangladesh, Tripura, Assam and Myanmar. Nearly half a million Manipuri speaking people live in Greater Sylhet.
Learn Manipuri
http://www.languageinindia.com/march2004/languagesituation2.html
Wiki Link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manipuri_language