The Dark Era of Kangleipak: How Pamheiba and Santidas Gosai Attempted to Erase an Ancient Civilization

The Dark Era of Kangleipak: How Pamheiba and Santidas Gosai Attempted to Erase an Ancient Civilization

Cultural Cataclysm: The Dialectic of Santidas Gosai and Lourembam Khongnangthaba Historical Retrospective The Dark Era of Kangleipak: How Pamheiba and Santidas Gosai Attempted to Erase an Ancient Civilization The early eighteenth century represents an unparalleled cataclysm in the historical and socio-cultural trajectory of Manipur, an ancient civilization formerly known as Kangleipak . During the reign of King Pamheiba (1709-1748 A.D.), who was later rechristened with the Persian title Garib Niwaz , the kingdom underwent a period of sweeping, state-enforced religious transformation. This era was characterized by profound cruelty, ideological manipulation, and the forced dismantling of a millennium-old cultural framework. At the absolute epicenter of this systemic rupture were two diametrically opposed historical figures: Santidas Gosai , a charismatic Hindu missionary who orchestrated the violent conversion to Ramanandi Vaishnavism, and Epu Maichou Lourembam Kh…