Chahi Taret Khuntakpa
Meitei King Gambhir Singh, the ruler of Manipur Kingdom, was responsible for the liberation of his dominion from the Burmese occupation, thereby ending the "Chahi Taret Khuntakpa", with the help of his Manipur Levy and the British Government. | |
| Native name | Chahi Taret Khuntakpa |
|---|---|
| English name | Seven Years Devastation |
| Time | 1819 CE to 1825 CE (3212 MF to 3218 MF) |
| Duration | 7 consecutive years |
| Location | Manipur |
| Type | genocide |
| Cause | conflicts of Burmese–Meitei relations |
| Target | Meitei people |
| Perpetrator | Burmese Kingdom |
The Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (Meitei: ꯆꯍꯤ ꯇꯔꯦꯠ ꯈꯨꯟꯇꯥꯛꯄ), also known as the Seven Years Devastation, was a period in the history of Manipur, during which Manipur Kingdom was chaotically occupied by the Burmese from 1819 CE to 1825 CE (3212 MF to 3218 MF).
The Chahi Taret Khuntakpa was a catastrophic period in the history of Manipur, marked by widespread destruction, political instability, and the near-extermination of the Meitei population. It represents the final large-scale genocide of the Meitei people in the 19th century, leading to the significant dispersion of the population both within and outside the region. The devastation resulted from a combination of internal dynastic conflicts and external Burmese military interventions, which left deep scars on the region’s social and political fabric.
The Burmese invaded Manipur multiple times, with the most significant invasion occurring in 1819 during the reign of King Marjit Singh, led by the Burmese general Mingimala Bandula. The Burmese occupied Manipur from 1819 to 1826, a period marked by widespread devastation and disorder, known as "Chahi Taret Khuntakpa" or the Seven Years of Devastation. During this time, King Marjit fled to Cachar, where Chourjit Singh and Gambhir Singh also took refuge.
On March 5, 1824, the first Anglo-Burmese War commenced. Gambhir Singh allied with British forces to expel the Burmese from Cachar. A military force initially comprising 500 men, later expanded to 2,000, was placed under Gambhir Singh’s command with Captain Grant overseeing operations. This force successfully drove the Burmese out of Manipur, establishing the Ningthee River as its eastern boundary. Following the conclusion of the war and the signing of the Yandabo Peace Treaty in February 1826, Gambhir Singh was officially recognized as the king of Manipur.