In Meitei civilization, elephants, known as Shamu or Samu in Meitei language, play important roles, in different aspects of the cultural heritage of the Meitei people (also known as Manipuris) in Manipur, and other Meitei populated places in Assam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Tripura, among others.

Elephants are often treated as royal animals, besides horses. In Meitei language and literature, elephants and horses are collectively known as yaisa or langgoi.

History

Early times Elephants (Shamu) are featured in the design called "Shaphee Lanphee." This traditional fabric, often a shawl, has a black background with a red border. The fabric includes 10 different designs, including the elephants (Shamu). The Shaphee Lanphee is made by hand with needlework on fabric woven by Meitei women using a Loin Loom. "Shaphee" refers to animal fabric, and "Lanphee" refers to the fabric of war. The origin of this particular Meitei clothing dates back to the time of King Loiyumba (c. 10th century CE).

Medieval times The elephant plays a significant role in the story of Meitei King Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, also known as Karta Maharaj, during his time in Assam. To test his legitimacy as the king of Manipur, the king of Tekhao (Assam) asked Bhagyachandra to capture a wild elephant that had been causing disturbances. This elephant, known for its aggression, had been kept at the Tekhao palace after escaping during the upheaval caused by the 1764 war with Awa (in Myanmar).

When Bhagyachandra approached the elephant, it unexpectedly behaved in a calm manner, kneeling before him, allowing him to mount it. This behavior was interpreted as a divine sign, symbolizing Bhagyachandra’s rightful position as the ruler of Manipur. The elephant’s recognition of Bhagyachandra, possibly due to a previous connection, played a pivotal role in the validation of his kingship.

The elephant involved in the incident may have been Rajballabh, a domesticated elephant from the time of King Garibniwaj. This elephant had lived for many years and was familiar to the people of Manipur. Its interaction with Bhagyachandra reinforced the cultural and symbolic significance of elephants in Meitei society, where they were regarded as symbols of power and were used in both warfare and ceremonial events.

Meitei language terms

māut () – A person who takes care of or drives an elephant. This person is called a "mahout."

yāisā () – The most important animal, often referring to a royal horse or elephant.

lānggoi () – A horse or elephant, though this word is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

sāmu () – An elephant. There are different terms related to elephants:

sāmu kāti () – A small metal rod with a hook used to control an elephant.

sāmu tāibot () – A howdah, which is a seat placed on an elephant's back.

sāmu mayā () – The tusk of an elephant.

sāmu yāisa () – A large and beautiful royal elephant.

sāmu lamsā () – A wild elephant.

sāmusang () – A large shelter where elephants are kept and fed.

Folktales

The Flying Elephant: Samu Apaibi In the Meitei folktale of "Samu Apaibi" (), a dead elephant was found in a jungle, having died from bee stings. Eagles were feeding on the elephant's intestines, creating holes in its stomach. Due to the intense sunlight, the torn parts of the stomach hardened, trapping the eagles inside.Jayantakumar Sharma, B. "Fungawari Singbul" (in Manipuri). Samu Apaibi. India.

A performer of dance and music passed through the jungle and encountered the dead elephant. To determine if the elephant was truly dead, he played a traditional musical instrument. The sound caused the eagles to fly out of the elephant's body in fear, briefly causing the elephant to rise into the air. After the man played the musical instrument again, the elephant flew once more, but it fell back to the ground.

The man decided to ride the elephant and, by playing the musical instrument, caused the elephant to fly again. He then decided to take the elephant to the king, hoping to sell it. Upon arriving at the palace, the man flew the elephant in front of the king, queen, and ministers, attracting attention. The king offered the man gold in exchange for the elephant and the musical instrument. The man agreed, receiving the gold in return.

The king, now in possession of the flying elephant, showed it to his court. He and the queen later took a ride on the elephant, which was decorated for the occasion. The king played the musical instrument, causing the elephant to rise into the sky. As the elephant flew higher, the eagles trapped inside began to fly out through the holes in its body. Eventually, the elephant began descending and crashed back to the ground, causing harm to the king and queen.

The story serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating how the king, in his greed and overconfidence, was deceived by the man, resulting in the loss of both his wealth and his life.

The Clever Frog Defeats the Tiger and Elephant In the Meitei folktale of "Kei Amadi Shamu bu Hangoi na Maithiba Piba" (), in a forest, an elephant and a tiger, both strong and fearless, lived without encountering each other until one day, they both arrived at the same location in search of food. They did not respect each other. The tiger's roar was powerful enough to shake the mountains, while the elephant's trumpet caused the forest to tremble, scaring the other animals away.Jayantakumar Sharma, B. "Kei Amadi Shamu bu Hangoi na Maithiba Piba". Fungawari Singbul (in Manipuri). India. p. 4.

The tiger overpowered the elephant and took him captive. Although the tiger considered killing the elephant, he was already full from eating, so he kept the elephant alive for the time being. While captive, the elephant noticed a frog on a nearby tree and called out to it. The loud voice of the elephant angered the frog, which made the elephant even more frustrated.

The frog then proposed a race, stating that the winner would be considered the greater one. The race began, and during the race, the frog jumped onto the elephant’s back and then leapt off before reaching the finish line, thus winning the race. The two then became friends.

When the tiger realized the elephant had escaped, he searched for him and encountered the frog. They argued, and another race was arranged. Using the same technique as before, the frog won the race again. The tiger, defeated, fled.

As a result, the frog successfully saved the elephant from the tiger. The two lived peacefully thereafter. This story demonstrates that intelligence can sometimes be more effective than physical strength.

The egotistical elephant and praying pebet

In the Meitei folktale of "The egotistical elephant and praying pebet", in a forest at the edge of a large forest, a pebet bird and her young lived in a nest containing eggs awaiting hatching. One day, a herd of elephants approached the area where the nest was located. As the elephants came closer, the baby pebets became anxious and asked their mother to request the elephants to be cautious to avoid destroying the nest and the eggs.

The mother pebet approached the leader of the herd and respectfully requested that the elephants be careful as they passed. All elephants, except for one, heeded her request. The last elephant, young and arrogant, ignored the plea and, believing his strength made him invincible, crushed the nest and its contents underfoot.

The mother pebet, deeply saddened by the loss of her young, confronted the young elephant, expressing her anger at the destruction. However, the young elephant disregarded her words and continued with the herd. In her grief, the pebet prayed to the divine mother, Leimarel, seeking guidance.

After several days of prayer, the divine form of Mother Leimarel appeared, offering advice and blessings. Following this guidance, the pebet attacked the young elephant by repeatedly striking a sensitive area on his back, causing a wound. She then allowed flies to lay eggs in the wound, which later hatched into maggots, worsening the elephant’s condition.

As the elephant grew weaker, he eventually begged for mercy, acknowledging the pain he had caused and expressing regret. The pebet, remembering the advice of forgiveness given by Mother Leimarel, agreed to spare the elephant’s life on the condition that he would respect all living creatures. The elephant, now repentant, promised to change his ways.

The pebet then used medicinal herbs to treat the elephant’s wound. Over time, the elephant recovered, and his reputation in the jungle changed from one of arrogance to one of gentleness. The pebet and the elephant formed a lasting friendship.

King's Elephant in "Lamhui amashung Keishal" In the Meitei folktale of "Lamhui amashung Keishal" (), a king once had a large elephant that he used for riding. One day, the elephant wandered into the jungle and died there. The king sent his soldiers to search for the elephant but could not find it. He offered a reward to anyone who could return the elephant.Bemni Singha, N. (1999). "Lamhui amashung Keishal". Funga Wari, Vol. 3 (in Manipuri). Assam, India: Naharol Khorjei Thaugallup Jaribon.

Meanwhile, a couple of foxes found the elephant’s body in the jungle. They decided to live inside the elephant’s stomach to avoid searching for food. After a few days, they grew tired and wanted fresh air, but when they tried to leave, the hole they had made to enter had closed up. They were trapped.

The king’s soldiers later came across the elephant’s body, thinking it was asleep. The female fox came up with a plan and pretended to be the elephant. She called out, asking the soldiers to bring oil and ghee to rub on the elephant’s legs, as they were numb from sleeping.

The soldiers returned with oil and ghee and began to rub the elephant. The female fox saw that the hole had softened and ordered the soldiers to step back so she could get up. She quickly crawled out, and her husband followed but was caught by the soldiers.

The soldiers brought the male fox to the king, who ordered his execution. The fox was tied up in the royal stable.

That night, a jackal visited the stable and saw the fox. The fox told the jackal that the king had planned to marry him off to his daughter, but he had refused and was going to be executed. The jackal wished he had such luck, and the fox offered to swap places. The jackal agreed, and the fox tied him up in his place before escaping.

The next morning, the king’s men arrived and, thinking it was the fox, beheaded the jackal. The fox returned to the jungle and shared the story with his wife. They both laughed at the trick and lived happily in the jungle.

Heavenly elephant in "Apangbagi Laibak" In the Meitei folktale of "Apangbagi Laibak" (), a foolish man and his wife lived in a village. One day, while the man was guarding his field, an elephant flew down from the sky and began eating his crops. The man became angry and decided to punish the elephant. He grabbed the elephant’s leg, and the elephant flew up into the sky, carrying him with it.Jayantakumar Sharma, B. "Apangbagi Laibak". Fungawari Singbul (in Manipuri). India. p. 21.

They reached the Sky Kingdom, where the Sky King was surprised to see a human. The man explained that the elephant had eaten his crops and asked for compensation. The King gave him gold and silver and ordered the elephant to take him back home.

The man became rich, and his wife wore gold and silver. In the same village, there was a clever man whose wife sold vegetables. She noticed the foolish man’s wealth and asked him how he became rich. The fool explained everything, and the clever man asked to be taken to the Sky Kingdom.