description of a Manipuri 'elephant cloth'

not photographed

The Elephant Cloth

This cloth, which is of blue cotton, embroidered with crude figures in red, white and yellow, is called the SASANGASABA (literally "made of animals and fish"), or SAMUPHI (literally "elephant cloth"). It was first made by the order of Maharaja Khagemba Singh (1598-1652 A.D.), who wished to have some cloth, similar the NINGTHOUPHI (literally. "king's cloth"), which he could give to hillmen as a reward, and the Ningthouphi was given to Manipuris. He accordingly ordered the Khoisnam family to make this cloth as their task or tribute (every Manipuri family had some task or tribute allotted to them).

The cloth bears representations of elephants, horses, peacocks, fishes, buffalo horns, flowers, the moon and the stars, signifying that he who gives this cloth and he who wears it is lord of elephants and horses and all the beasts are subject to him. He reigns like the moon and the stars.

At the coronation (phamban tongba) ceremony, the Khoisnam family offered this cloth to the Maharaja and Maharani, just as all the families (yumnak) offered their tribute.

It is said that a cloth was usually given to Tangkhuls, who were brave in war and the allies of the Manipuri Raja. It is now worn more or less indiscriminately by Tangkhul, Maram and Khoirao Nagas. The Memai Nagas also wear it, but among them it is restricted to men who have dragged a stone, though not the distinctive cloth of the stone-dragger, which is white with raised ridges or rolls of cloth at the seams.

The Khoisnam family have a tradition that their first divine ancestor married a Naga goddess from Siloi Nongmai, named NUNGAI PETENGA, who was the first to weave this cloth. This would put the origin in the days long before the time of Khagemba, when gods roamed on earth. But the Pandit Achouba, who is not only High Priest of the pre-Hindu gods of Manipur, but is also in charge of the State historical records, informs me that Petanga (sic) did not teach the Khoisnams to weave this cloth, as she died the day she reached the Palace. Se was not a Naga, but belonged to the Nongmaithem family, which fled to Siloi Nongmai, at the foot of Nongmaijing hill, after being defeated in battle, along with the Angom tribe in 518 A.D., when the Meitei King Sameirang defeated and slew the Angom King Kwakpa Thawanthaba. As the Nongmaithems subsequently collected the Nagas to fight the Meiteis, the Nagas called them their gods.

Recorded by J.C. Higgins, Political Agent, Manipur, Feb. 1933

Kohima, Naga Hills

March 31st 1933

My Dear Balfour,

I am sending you in a separate parcel with two other cloths a Manipuri cloth called Sasangsaba ...I am not sure if you have one. Anyhow I am pretty sure you have no notes on it. I enclose a note on it recorded by Higgins. The makers in Manipur seem to have forgotten what each part of the design means, but the Eastern Angamis, who often wear it, attach traditional meanings. These I give below. They are quite definite about the spider, which is the most curious of all, and even specify a particular spider usually found near streams.

[An example of the cloth

top line: spider, red buffalo head & ?moon, ?star with green, yellow and red rays, peacock, ?star, red buffalo head & ?moon, spider

second line: spider, yellow buffalo head & ?moon, ?sun, butterfly, butterfly, ?sun, yellow buffalo head & ?moon, spider

middle line: spider, red buffalo head & ?moon, horse, elephant, elephant, horse, red buffalo head & ?moon, spider

fourth line as second, and fifth line as top.