The Meitei calendar (Meitei: ꯃꯩꯇꯩ ꯊꯥꯄꯥꯟꯂꯣꯟ, romanized: Meitei Thaapaanlon) or the Manipuri calendar (Meitei: ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯊꯥꯄꯥꯟꯂꯣꯟ, romanized: Manipuri Thaapaanlon) or the Kangleipak calendar (Meitei: ꯀꯪꯂꯩꯄꯥꯛ ꯊꯥꯄꯥꯟꯂꯣꯟ, romanized: Kangleipaak Thaapaanlon) or the Maliyapham Palcha Kumshing (Meitei: ꯃꯂꯤꯌꯥꯐꯝ ꯄꯥꯜꯆꯥ ꯀꯨꯝꯁꯤꯡ, romanized: Maleeyaapham Paalchaa Koomsing) is a lunar calendar used by the Meitei people of Manipur for their religious, agricultural and other cultural activities. New moon is counted as the end of each month and has twelve months in total. The concept of era in Meitei calendar was first developed by Emperor Maliyafam Palcha, in the year 1397 BC (Palcha Era)[1] in the realm of Kangleipak in present-day Manipur. It is believed that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th months of the Meitei calendar were named after Poireiten's agricultural activities. Similar to Gregorian calendar, the Meitei calendar also consists of twelve months and seven days but the starting date with the Gregorian calendar is different.[2][3] The new year day known as, Sajibu Cheiraoba is celebrated on the 1st day of the month Sajibu.
Sl. No. | Ancient Meitei | Latin-Roman transliteration | Modern Meitei | Latin-Roman transliteration | Roman equivalents | Ruling heavenly bodies |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯢꯆꯤꯡ | Nongmaiching | ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯢꯖꯤꯡ | Nongmaijing | Sunday | Sun |
2 | ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧꯀꯥꯄ | Ningthoukaapa | ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧꯀꯥꯕ | Ningthoukaaba | Monday | Moon |
3 | ꯂꯩꯄꯥꯛꯄꯣꯛꯄ | Leipaakpokpa | ꯂꯩꯕꯥꯛꯄꯣꯛꯄ | Leibaakpokpa | Tuesday | Mars |
4 | ꯌꯨꯝꯁꯥꯀꯩꯁꯥ | Yumsakeisa | ꯌꯨꯝꯁꯀꯩꯁ | Yumsakeisa | Wednesday | Mercury |
5 | ꯁꯥꯀꯣꯜꯁꯦꯟ | Sakolsen | ꯁꯒꯣꯜꯁꯦꯟ | Sagolsen | Thursday | Jupiter |
6 | ꯏꯂꯥꯢ | Eelai | ꯏꯔꯥꯢ | Eerai | Friday | Venus |
7 | ꯊꯥꯡꯆ | Thaangcha | ꯊꯥꯡꯖ | Thaangja | Saturday | Saturn |
Ancient Meitei | Latin-Roman transliteration | Modern Meitei | Latin-Roman transliteration | Gregorian-Roman equivalents |
---|---|---|---|---|
ꯁꯆꯤꯐꯣꯢ (ꯆꯤꯟꯄꯤ) | Sachiphoy (Chinpi) | ꯁꯖꯤꯕꯨ | Sajibu | Apr-May |
ꯀꯥꯟꯄꯤ | Kaanpee | ꯀꯥꯂꯦꯟ | Kaalen | May-Jun |
ꯑꯁꯥꯎ | Asaau | ꯏꯉꯥ | Ee-ngaa | Jun-Jul |
ꯍꯥꯂꯦꯡ | Haaleng | ꯏꯉꯦꯟ | Ee-ngen | Jul-Aug |
ꯋꯥꯟꯇꯠ | Waantat | ꯊꯧꯋꯥꯟ | Thouwaan | Aug-Sept |
ꯑꯆꯤꯠ (ꯂꯥꯡꯄꯟ) | Achit (Laangpan) | ꯂꯥꯡꯕꯟ | Laangban | Sept-Oct |
ꯑꯥꯂꯦ (ꯃꯦꯂꯥ) | Aale (Melaa) | ꯃꯦꯔꯥ | Meraa | Oct-Nov |
ꯆꯤꯛꯊꯝ (ꯍꯤꯌꯥꯡꯀꯩ) | Chiktham (Hiyaangkei) | ꯍꯤꯌꯥꯡꯒꯩ | Heeyaangei | Nov-Dec |
ꯎꯟꯊꯝ | Untham | ꯄꯣꯢꯅꯨ | Poinu | Dec-Jan |
ꯏꯟꯊꯝ | Eentham | ꯋꯥꯛꯆꯤꯡ | Waakching | Jan-Feb |
ꯑꯁꯤꯠ (ꯐꯥꯢꯂꯦꯜ) | Ashit (Phailel) | ꯐꯥꯢꯔꯦꯜ | Fairel | Feb-Mar |
ꯊꯥꯄꯤ | Thaapee | ꯂꯝꯇꯥ | Lamtaa | Mar-Apr |
Many social associations and organizations are preserving and promoting the traditional calendar of the Meitei people of Manipur.[4][5]