A BRIEF HISTORY OF SERICULTURE IN MANIPUR
Since from time immoral, it is said that Sericulture has been practice in different part of Manipur. Story related with silk and mankind has found in every ancient and old books of Manipur viz. “Puya”( written records handed down to posterity by the forefathers of the Meiteis) and “Moirang Kanglei rol ” (a section/part of Puya, mainly records of Moirang Kingdom and Khamba-Thoibi).
Shri. Moirangthem Chandra Singh, a famous Pandit/Guru of Manipur has mentioned that, according to “Puya”, Sericulture has started in Manipur about 4000 BC. The use of Silk cloths by the royal Kings & Queens can be quoted, during the period of great King Kangba (1405-1359 BC) who invented the game Polo (Sagol-Kangjei). In „Moirang Kangleirol‟ it has written that „Kabon Kabrang‟ an instrument used for reeling was used and Kabrang loisang ;a station, like an office where the Silk and other fabrics and yarns were deposited, and evaluated the progress and production of silk and other yarns as well as fabrics. It is also found that, the silk were used as a part of taxes paid by the defeated king to the one who conquered as a protection of their kingdom. (loipot kaba).
The great Legendary King, Khuiyoi Tompok (154-264 CE) believe to be the blood line of “the creator of all”, has two daughter, the youngest who has a mythical power, very skillful in the field of reeling & weaving (Taot-Tamang subi) and hard working lady (Sil-leima i.e. Sil-skillful, hard working, leima-a lady) felt in love with a poor, simple and innocent man and later on married to him. Though they were poor, with her mythical power, she used to take out the silk thread from her mouth during late midnight inside the mosquito net, so that nobody can see. By the combination of this thread, 7 times (lang la taret), she made beautiful fabric cloths for his father in exchange to support for their livelihood.
One day, her husband who was warned by her not to disturb rather investigate in her activities of the midnight (i.e. the spinning of cocoon), suddenly open the mosquito net and saw the condition of her wife, from that moment she was unable to return back in human form, died without saying a word.
Many plants were emerged and small worms started feeding on the plants and produces cocoons on the graveyard of the Goddess, which was taken care like her own Leima by the dishearten widower and started rearing the Silkworm. As the worms climb on the tree and feed themselves and produce the shiny thread, the word “Kabrang chaba til”i.e., the mulberry silkworm was named and the host plant is name as the “Kabrang chak”i.e., Mulberry tree. These stories were found in the legend and literature, fable and folklore of Manipur.
The place called Leimapokpam became the first to start rearing of the „leima til‟, the mulberry silkworm, and then it spread in frontal areas, namely „Leimapokpam mamang‟. Then atlast with the course of time later on the said area was named as „Leimaram‟.
King Medingu Senbi Kiyamba (1467-1508), during his rule he encourage and develop in the field of producing Silk fabrics. A measuring device called „chei amsung kan‟ was introduce to measure the quantity and fix the price of different threads including silk.
Many rulers, mythical and non-mythical great kings pass, many generations of wars, hunger, famine, etc etc have passed where the sericulture related stories have also lost in between and forgot to be documented.