The Lions of Manipur

Patriots' Day • August 13th

The Last Stand of Bir Tikendrajit & Thangal General

A solemn tribute to the legendary commander and the veteran statesman who led Manipur's defiant resistance against the British Empire during the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891.

A War for Sovereignty

The Anglo-Manipur War of 1891 was not a mere revolt, but the final, heroic stand of an ancient sovereign kingdom against the expanding machinery of British imperialism.

It was a saga of extraordinary courage, strategic defiance, and martyrdom. The conflict reached its tragic zenith on August 13, 1891, when Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General were publicly executed at Pheidabung (now Bir Tikendrajit Park) before an assembled crowd of thousands, sealing Manipur's independence with indelible sacrifice.

Pillars of the Resistance

The dynamic military commander and the venerable master of statecraft.

Yubaraj Bir Tikendrajit

The Lion of Manipur (1856–1891)

The charismatic and militarily adept Senapati (commander-in-chief), Tikendrajit was the undisputed heart of the resistance. His martial prowess, fierce devotion to Manipuri independence, and steadfast refusal to bow to colonial humiliation made him the rallying symbol of national pride.

Thangal General

The Veteran Statesman (c. 1811–1891)

An octogenarian warrior and prime counselor, Thangal General's life spanned nearly the entire 19th-century history of the kingdom. Serving multiple monarchs, he brought unparalleled diplomatic acumen, tactical wisdom, and unshakable fortitude to the council chambers.

Chronology of the 1891 War

Click each milestone to inspect the historic turning points.

Chief Commissioner of Assam J.W. Quinton arrives in Imphal backed by 400 Gurkha troops under the guise of an official Durbar, intending to execute a secret plan to arrest Bir Tikendrajit. Informed of the covert trap, Tikendrajit declines attendance, foiling the arrest.

At dawn, British forces launch a surprise armed assault on the royal compound at Kangla Palace, causing civilian casualties. The Manipuri military mounts a fierce counter-offensive, besieging the British Residency and compelling the officers to seek a truce.

The British Empire mobilizes a three-pronged invasion from Kohima, Silchar, and Tamu (Burma). At the hillock of Khongjom, Major Paona Brajabashi and his Manipuri warriors fight with unmatched valor in close combat until their last breath, refusing to surrender against crushing artillery.

Converging British columns capture the capital, Imphal. The Union Jack is hoisted over the sacred Kangla Palace, formally ending centuries of uninterrupted Manipuri sovereignty. A widespread military manhunt is ordered to hunt down the political leaders.

Following a summary court-martial, Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General are hanged at 5 PM before a weeping crowd of over ten thousand Manipuris. Intended by the British to extinguish resistance, their supreme sacrifice transformed them into immortal national martyrs.

An Immortal Memorial

Though the kingdom was subjugated, the indomitable courage displayed in 1891 cemented Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General as eternal emblems of sacrifice. Today, these sites stand as sacred sanctuaries of remembrance.

Shaheed Minar at Bir Tikendrajit Park: Erected at Pheidabung, the historic execution grounds in Imphal, commemorating the martyrs of 1891.

Khongjom War Memorial Complex: Located in Thoubal district, honoring the valiant defenders of Manipur who made their final stand at the Kheba hillock.

• Keen, Caroline. An Imperial Crisis in British India: The Manipur Uprising of 1891. I.B. Tauris, 2015.
• Grimwood, Ethel St. Clair. My Three Years in Manipur and Escape from the Recent Mutiny. Richard Bentley & Son, London, 1891.
• Sanajaoba, Naorem (Ed.). Manipur: Past and Present (Volume 1). Mittal Publications, 1988.
• Kabui, Gangmumei. The Anglo-Manipur War of 1891 and Its Aftermath. Manipur University Press.
• Khelchandra Singh, N. Battle of Khongjom and the Patriots of 1891. Manipuri Sahitya Parishad, Imphal.
• Foreign Department Proceedings. Secret E, July 1891: The Manipur Incident and Trial Records. National Archives of India, New Delhi.
• Hodson, T. C. The Meitheis. David Nutt, London, 1908.
• Government of Manipur. Patriots' Day Commemorative Volume. Directorate of Information & Public Relations, Imphal.