Shingnaba of 1974

Three Young poets in their mid twenties published an anthology of their poems entitled “Shingnaba” in 1974. They published two volumes of this anthology in the month of September and October. It was a time when Manipuri literature was representing realities of a morally deteriorated Manipur leaving behind the romanticised writings of Hiajm Anganghal, Khwairakpam Chaoba, Dr. LamabamKamal, etc. There is such power in literature that the  truth and reality of Manipuri society ignited long back in late nineteen forties by E. Nilakanta actually rose in full force with Shri Biren’s poetry in early sixties. Shri Biren inspired the younger generation of poets during this time. Thangjam Ibopishak and Yumlembam Ibomcha were two young poets who were very much influenced by Shri Biren. Thangjam Ibopishak  shocked the entire literary society with his poem “Hayingkhongyambi” in 1968. The poem was published in “Wakhal”, a journal by Naharol Sahitya Premi Samiti (NSPS) and it was the first volume that NSPS published. The poem questioned the beliefs of many Manipuri vaishnavites which was never questioned before.
The three poets who published the anthology “Shingnaba” were none other than Thangjam Ibopishak, Yumlembam Ibomcha and W. Ranjit. But the question arises : why did they publish an independent anthology when they were registered members of Literary organization like Manipur Sahitya Parishad and NSPS?.
It was because the literary society was not yet ready for the adicalism of these young poets. “Wakhal” apparently had censored some poems of Thangjam Ibopishak in late sixties(His poem “Apaiba Thawai” was censored too from his first poetry collection entitled “Apaiba Thawai.” But the name of the book remained unchanged. In the latest edition of the book Ibopishak published the poem thanking B.S. Rajkumar for helping him in publishing the new edition). So by publishing “Shingnaba’ not only the three poets challenged Manipuri Society but the literary circle too.
But today in 21^st century they admit they were very impulsive about everything ,and that often led them to the side of fanaticism of Manipuri culture, tradition and roots. But they addressed certain important issues in their poems for example about the rise of insurgency and corruption of government official, the hardship of Bihari workers, Marwaris businessmen, etc.
Post Shingnaba:
N. Tombi, a well known literary critic, found the anthologies as an outburst of a drunken generation in the dead of a night, and said such poems cannot be called a new literature or new art. It proves that the entire literary circle was shocked with such publications. Shri Biren too was critcised for his poem “Amamba Mapei (A Pile of darkness)” in which he abused people of Imphal for just letting things go and seeing without reactions. The poem was an outburst too based on real life incident when Shri Biren witnessed a lifeless naked body of a woman near Kanglapat in early sixties. The information was disclosed to Burning Voices in an interview.
The three poets of Shingnaba were ordered to be arrested by the Government of Manipur, because of their writings.Yumlembam Ibomcha disclosed to BV,” It was the time RK Dorendro was the CM for the first time, “The goverment had orders to arrest three of us. But Oja Nilakanta saved us saying that “Dont arrest them, they will get more famous…hahaha.”