Chakpa Makhao Ngambi

Chakpa Makhao Ngambi was the Burmese queen of Toungoo dynasty of Kingdom of Ava (modern day Upper Burma) and the Meitei princess of Ningthouja dynasty of Kangleipak (Manipur Kingdom). She was the Queen consort of King Taninganway of Myanmar, until her stepping down from the status of chief queen consort after having a son. By birth, she was a first-degree relative of King Charairongba of Manipur Kingdom and a second-degree relative of King Pamheiba Garib Niwaj, Charairongba's successor. Her abdication from the Burmese throne caused a long time international conflict between the Meiteis (Ningthouja dynasty) and the Bamars (Toungoo dynasty).

Family The parents of princess Chakpa Makhao Ngambi are opined by some scholars to be Meitei prince Tonsen Ngampa and his wife Ngangpam Chanu Ngaikhom Ngampi . Contrary to this fact, noblemen in the court of King Pamheiba, namely "Aroi Laishrancha" and "Atibar Yumnancha" wrote the "Samsok Ngampa" , which mentioned that princess Sicha Chakpa Makhao Ngambi was born to Khoiyoiron Ngaikhom Ngampi, mother of Tupi Charairongpa. King Charairongpa addressed Sicha Chakpa Makhao Ngampi as "Yimom" (a Meitei language term for both daughter and younger sister). Pamheipa, son of Charairongpa, used the term to address princess Chakpa Makhao Ngambi.

Marriage Proposal On 18 January 1703 AD, two Burmese ambassadors named "Senpi Mayangkong" and "Lousingpa Aawa Tunglacha" came to the court of Meitei King Charairongba carrying a marriage proposal from Taninganway, the Burmese King .

The "Samsok Ngampa" text mentioned that the Burmese ambassadors presented to Meitei king Charairongba a large quantity of gold, bronze, silver, lead, plates, colorful items of cloths as gifts for the marriage proposal.

Conditions King Charairongpa, all the members of the royal council and his ministers had a long discussion regarding the Burmese King's formal proposal. Later, Charairongba agreed the proposal on the following conditions: Meitei princess Chakpa Makhao Ngambi should be enthroned as the Queen of Kingdom of Awa. the former tributary tribes subject to the Meitei people, namely Pungpun, Kamu, Chirang, Kharo, Ting Yitsa, Maru Kondong and Loipi Tarao Khundon, should pay tributes to the Meitei King.

The Burmese king agreed to the conditions.

Wedding Chakpa Makhao Ngambi was escorted by Charairongpa up to the Ningthi River . The wedding ceremony took place at Ava kingdom. After the marriage, she ascended the of Awa kingdom. She was proclaimed as the head queen of the Burmese kingdom. The event of escorting the princess by Meitei king to Burma took place in between May and December 1704 AD.

Abdication Some time later after Chakpa Makhao Ngambi gave birth to a son named "Mangtra Kentu Ngampa" , her husband, the King of Burma abdicated her position from being the chief queen of the kingdom. The news was brought to Meitei King Charairongpa, by a subject to the princess named "Pukhran Wapihaipa" . Consequently, Charairongba held a grand assembly in the Kangla . After a long discussion, they declared a war against Burma, to revenge on the insult to the Meitei princess. Eventually, a war broke out between the two kingdoms. Starting from the reign of Charairongba, the conflict continued till the reign of King Pamheiba .

When Charairongba was in his dying bed, he told his son Pamheiba, regarding the revenge on the insult to princess Chakpa Makhao Ngambi, as follows:

In Meitei literature

The Samsok Ngamba text, written by Laisram Aroi and Yumnam Atibar, describes the agony of princess Chakpa Makhao Ngambi on her way to the unknown kingdom for marriage with the old aged king of Burma. After going on the way for a long distance by crossing many hill and mountain ranges, the princess stopped at the hilltop of "Loukeirao" and wished to see her relative, the Meitei King Charairongba for the last time. Despite being consoled by Charairongba, she never stopped weeping, standing on the high slope of the mountain and looking down on the Imphal Valley. Her sorrowful uttering to herself is described as follows:

In popular culture The "Iramdam Manipur Artistes' Association", on the occasion of the 22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2023, organised by the National School of Drama, presented a Shumang Kumhei genre Meitei language theatrical production, titled "Chakpa Makhao Ngambi", based on the historical figure of the same name. The same theatrical play was released in December, 2014 by the same production house in the Chadrakriti Auditorium in Palace Compound, Imphal, as well as in Vasanth Nagar, Bangalore.