Puya (Meitei texts)

Puyas
(Manipuri: ꯄꯨꯌꯥ ꯂꯥꯢꯔꯤꯛ, romanized: pooyaa laaireek)
LanguageMeitei language
No. of booksmore than 120

The Puyas (Manipuri: ꯄꯨꯌꯥ) are archaic Manipuri manuscripts.[1] They encompass a wide spectrum of themes including genealogy, literature, history, royalties, administration, creation and cosmology, philosophy, poetry, religious beliefs, etc.[1]

Saroj Parratt noted in 2005 that none of these Puyas were yet to be dated by professional historians or subject to serious textual-critical scrutiny.[2] Consequently, she criticized the tendency of local authors to treat puyas as reliable sources in their reconstruction of Manipuri history.[3] Scholars have noted that puyas had been forged by Meitei nationalists to support their reinvention of history and tradition.[4][5][6]

  1. ^ a b Laishram.
  2. ^ Parratt (2005), pp. 10.
  3. ^ Parratt (2005), pp. 11.
  4. ^ Parratt (2005), pp. 11, 17.
  5. ^ Brandt (2005), pp. 128.
  6. ^ Naorem (2015), pp. 219.