Advanced Research Consortium Library & Archives

11/04/2026

Our members went to pay homage to Maharaja Narasingh on his 176th death anniversary at Manglen (Royal Cremation Site) at Kangla Fort, Imphal.

Narasingh was the commander of Maharaja Gambhir Singh’s Levy during 1824–1826, which liberated Manipur from the Burmese Empire in the First Anglo-Burmese War. According to the Treaty of Yandabo 1826, Manipur was internationally acknowledged as an independent kingdom. Narasingh fought in many battles in Cachar, Manipur and Kabo ( Burma) during the Burmese War to free Manipur from Burmese rule.

He served as Senapati during the reign of Maharaja Gambhir Singh from 1825 to 1834, as Regent from 1834 to 1844, and as King from 1844 until his death in 1850.

A Guard of Honour, Gun Salute, Reverse Arms, Sounding of the Last Post, Two Minutes’ Silence, Slope Arms, and Order Arms were performed by the contingent of the Manipur Rifles.

Tarpon Katpa was also held at Nungjeng Pukhri for the departed souls of those who perished during the Burmese invasions from 1819 to 1825.

09/04/2026

Mami Numit (Manipuri Cinema Day) is celebrated annually on 9 April to commemorate the birth of Manipuri cinema, marking the release of the first feature film, Matamgi Manipur, on this day in 1972.

We also paid homage to the pioneers who laid the foundations of Manipuri cinema. The ARCLA, in collaboration with K.T. Films, is engaged in archiving surviving documents and photographs related to Matamgi Manipur and the broader history of Manipuri cinema.

We invite scholars and researchers working in film studies to access hundreds of preserved materials housed within the Karam Monomohan Collection. For further details, please visit our website.

03/04/2026

We are extremely thankful to Brahmacharimayum Roshan Sharma for donating 20 books written by his father eigya B. kullachandra Sharma. We are cataloguing the books written by late historian Eigya Kulachandra. Till today we have now collected around 30 books. The book will be listed soon in our website.

02/04/2026

It is an extraordinary finding from this manuscript ( copied c. Late 19th century) written in Old Meitei Mayek, from Langmeidong Village. Our researchers, Pibarel and Sydney, deciphered that this verse is from Surah Al-Ikhlas of the Qur’an:

Qul huwallāhu aḥad,
Allāhu ṣ-ṣamad,
Lam yalid wa lam yūlad,
Wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥad.

This represents a new discovery: an Arabic Qur’anic verse written in Old Meitei Mayek and used as a mantra. The colophon of the manuscript reads: “Chajing Peisanop pi ki sachel sellemba waney.”

It may be roughly translated as a health guide or exercise manual given by Vaisnoppi (female monk) from Chajing.

We request the general public who possess manuscripts to kindly grant access for in situ digitization so that these valuable materials can be preserved and made accessible to researchers for scholarly study and seeking to better understand our past.

01/04/2026

Silence. Focus. Learn.
Welcome to the long awaited ARC Study Carrel, a dedicated space for scholars, students, and serious learners.

📍 Now open at ARC Library & Archives, Manipur
🪑 Limited seats available, reserve yours now !

01/04/2026

The endangered Subika Art—a rare manuscript painting tradition of the Meitei community—is set to take centre stage internationally. An exhibition titled “The Revival of the Forgotten Art of Manipur” will be held from May 9–19, 2026, at Gallery 16Ten in Washington, D.C.

Featuring over 20 works by artist Sapha Yumnam, the showcase blends traditional Subika techniques with modern storytelling—reviving a centuries-old art form rooted in mythology, cosmology, and indigenous knowledge systems.

Curated by historian Wangam Somorjit and backed by The Kolorbox and ARCLA, the exhibition aims to bring global attention to one of Northeast India’s most unique yet fading artistic traditions.

01/04/2026

THE REVIVAL OF THE FORGOTTEN ART OF MANIPUR:
AN EXHIBITION OF MODERN SUBIKA ART

Exhibition Details
On View: May 9 to May 19, 2026
Opening Reception: May 9, 6:30 to 9:00 PM
Venue: Gallery 16Ten, 1610 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2026: The Kolorbox, in association with the Advanced Research Consortium Library & Archives, presents The Revival of the Forgotten Art of Manipur: An Exhibition of Modern Subika Art, on view from May 9 to May 19, 2026, at Gallery 16Ten, Washington, D.C. The exhibition features more than 20 works by artist Sapha Yumnam.

Subika art is a rare and endangered manuscript painting tradition from Manipur, a state in Northeast India bordering Myanmar. Subika paintings are known today through surviving traces preserved in a small number of
18th and 19th-century manuscripts on themes of astronomy, divination, cosmology, and ritual practices, held in museums and private collections. They were painted on handmade paper and agarwood bark manuscripts, known
as korbek or puya, and written in the Old Meitei script, the indigenous script of Meiteirol, one of the few Tibeto-Burman languages within the Sino-Tibetan family to have developed its own script.
The exhibition reintroduces Subika art as a cultural expression for a modern audience. While rooted in historical manuscript practices, modern Subika art reinterprets the form through new techniques, materials, and narrative
approaches.

Artist Sapha Yumnam plays a central role in this revival. He has transformed the form from manuscript painting into a contemporary art practice. He developed modern Subika art through two illustrated books on Manipuri
mythology and folktales. By drawing from Subika paintings in early manuscripts and working through a contemporary approach, the artist demonstrates how the form continues to evolve while remaining connected to its cultural and visual foundations.

The exhibition is curated by Wangam Somorjit, historian and Director of the Advanced Research Consortium Library & Archives (ARCLA), which is currently developing a digital repository of early Manipuri manuscripts, including Subika paintings, to make them accessible in the public domain.

31/03/2026

New Arrival
Who Paid The Pipers Of Western Marxism?
Gabriel Rockhill
2025

31/03/2026

NEW ARRIVAL

Civility And Savagery: Social Identity In Tai States, Andrew Turton

27/03/2026

26/03/2026

Our book collection search is now active. You can search for any book in our collection remotely and borrow it or read it in our space.

25/03/2026

We invite volunteers and researchers who are interested in newspaper sources from the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike many other places, Manipur’s newspaper archives are on the verge of being lost entirely, as floods and arson are frequent. Digitalisation is crucial for future generations. Although it is a mammoth task to digitise thousands of pages, small collective efforts can gradually build a valuable corpus.

Collection of Athokpam Chinglemba