Naoriya Phulo script

Naoriya Phulo script
(Meitei: Naoriya Phulo Mayek)^[a]
Naoriya Phulo script ; (Meitei: Naoriya Phulo Mayek);
	The vowel and consonant letters of the Naoriya Phulo script (invented Meetei Yelhou Mayek)
Script type	abugida
Time period	20th century AD – present
Official script	no
Languages	Meitei language (officially termed as Manipuri)
Related scripts
Sister systems	Meitei Mayek (traditional Meitei script), Devanagari script and the Eastern Nagari script (Bengali-Assamese script)
	It is a constructed script developed by Laininghan Naoriya Phulo (1888-1941).
	This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and ⟨ ⟩, see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.

This article contains Indic text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text.

The Naoriya Phulo script (Meitei: Naoriya Phulo Mayek), also known as the Naoria script (Meitei: Naoria Mayek^[1])^[b], the Invented Meitei Yelhou Mayek script, or the Invented Meetei Yelhou Mayek script^[c], is a constructed script, invented by Laininghan Naoriya Phulo (1888-1941), to write Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language). It is different from the Meitei Mayek, the official script for Meitei language. It shares many similarities with the Devanagari script and the Eastern Nagari script (Bengali-Assamese script).^[2]^[3]^[4]

History

The invented script of Naoriya Phulo of Cachar was sometimes interpreted as a divine gift. According to a legend, it was presented to him in his trance along with a text named the "Shakok Salai Thiren" (written in this script). During the 1930s, using his own invented script, Naoriya Phulo challenged the then official script for Meitei language.^[5]^[6] Naoriya Phulo and his organization named "Apokpa Marup" used to claim the newly invented script as the original old script for Meitei language. However, the claim was later discarded.^[7]^[8]^[9] In the year 1973, they demanded their invented script to be adopted as the "Meitei script".^[10]

Comparison to other scripts

Transliterations of the term "Meetei Yelhou Mayek" in Naoriya Phulo script (invented Meetei Yelhou Mayek), traditional Meitei Mayek script, Bengali script (Eastern Nagari script) and Devanagari.
Transliterations of "Phudoktaba Mayek" in Naoriya Phulo script (invented Meetei Yelhou Mayek), traditional Meitei Mayek script, Bengali script and Devanagari
Transliterations of the term "Thingdaba Mayek" in Naoriya Phulo script (invented Meetei Yelhou Mayek), traditional Meitei Mayek script, Bengali script and Devanagari
Transliterations of "Cheitap Taakpa" in Naoriya Phulo script (invented Meetei Yelhou Mayek), traditional Meitei Mayek script, Bengali script and Devanagari

According to some scholars like Wahengbam Ibohal, the invented script of Naoriya Phulo seems to be a modified version of Devanagari script, using some letters of the generally approved Meitei script and Bengali script. There was no proper evidence of that script being used in any certain periods of history.^[11]

Vowels

Name(s) of the letter(s)	Meitei Mayek equivalents	Eastern Nagari equivalents	Devanagari equivalents	Latin equivalents
OM	ꯑꯣ	ও	ओ	O
ARA	ꯑ	অ	अ	A
IRA	ꯏ	ই	इ	I
RIK	not available	ঋ	?	R̥
UN	ꯎ	উ	उ	U
AANG	ꯑꯥ	আ	आ	A
EENG	ꯏ	ঈ	ई	Ī
YEM	ꯑꯦ	এ	ए	Ē
YEI	ꯑꯩ	ঐ	ऐ	EI
OUM	ꯑꯧ	ঔ	औ	OU

Notes

^ The term "Phulo" is also spelled as "Phullo" with an additional letter "L". But "Phulo" is the correct spelling as it means "flower", derived from the Indo Aryan term "Phul", which has single "L".
^ The term "Naoriya" is also spelled as "Naoria" removing the letter "y".
^ The terms "Meitei Yelhou Mayek script" or "Meetei Yelhou Mayek script" are sometimes also used to refer to the general Meitei Mayek script. So, the term "Invented" is prefixed to refer to the Naoriya Phulo script.

References

^ Borderlines. University of Michigan. Binalakshmi Nepram. 2004. p. 23. Naoria started its movement to revive Kanglei or Meetei tradition in 1930 from a village cailed Jaribon, Laishramkhul in Cachar in Assam. He developed a script and named it after him. The Naoria Mayek challenged the script imposed and propagated by the Konung in Kangieipak, ...{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ "নাওরিয়া ফুলো : ঋষি অমা - এলাংম দীনমনী" (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri). India.
^ "লাইনীংহন নাওরিয়া ফুলো অমসুং মহাক্কী থবকশিং - ইঙো লোইতোংবা মোহেন" (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri). India.
^ "নাওরিয়া ফুলোখী মপোক কুমওনগা মরী লৈননা শৈরেং শৈদান্নবগী থৌরম পাঙথোকখ্রে" (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri).
^ Singh, Moirangthem Kirti (1998). Recent Researches in Oriental Indological Studies: Including Meiteilogy. Parimal Publications. p. 101. The challenge to official script came in the thirties of this century in the person of Naoriya Phulo of Cachar who was not only a gifted founder of Apokpa Marup (Meetei Revivalist school) but also a far sighted originator of Meitei script and desanskritised words. He invented a script and numerals as a divine gift in his trance and got a Purana called Shakok Salai Thiren said to be written in this script.
^ "What's in name?". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 28 January 2023. For the record, controversy with regard to the script is not a new thing. It had been raging since the first half of 20th century with the coming of a revivalist movement led by Naoriya Phulo. He had then challenged the script officially recognised by the Royal Palace with his own set of alphabets.
^ Ningthoukhongjam, Urmila (2007). The Student Movement in Manipur. India: Akansha Publishing House. p. 142. ISBN 978-81-8370-141-9. The political motive of the Meetei Marup founded by Naoriya Phulo of Cachar District of Assam is also obvious when it invented certain new characters and claimed to be the original old script . Later , the character were discarded ...
^ Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal (1986). The History of Manipur: An early period. India: Manipur Commercial Company. p. 500. It may be mentiond here that some of the revivalist groups specially the followers of Naoriya Phullo claimed a script to have been used by the Meiteis in early days.
^ Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. Internet Archive. India: Digital Library of India. p. 500. It may be mentiond here that some of the revivalist groups specially the followers of Naoriya Phullo claimed a script to have been used by the Meiteis in early days. They circulated leaflets to the general public and the Meitei Mayek...
^ Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. Internet Archive. India: Digital Library of India. p. 501.
^ Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. Internet Archive. India: Digital Library of India. p. 501.

External links

[1] The term "Phulo" is also spelled as "Phullo" with an additional letter "L". But "Phulo" is the correct spelling as it means "flower", derived from the Indo Aryan term "Phul", which has single "L".

[3] The term "Naoriya" is also spelled as "Naoria" removing the letter "y".

[4] The terms "Meitei Yelhou Mayek script" or "Meetei Yelhou Mayek script" are sometimes also used to refer to the general Meitei Mayek script. So, the term "Invented" is prefixed to refer to the Naoriya Phulo script.

[2] Borderlines. University of Michigan. Binalakshmi Nepram. 2004. p. 23. Naoria started its movement to revive Kanglei or Meetei tradition in 1930 from a village cailed Jaribon, Laishramkhul in Cachar in Assam. He developed a script and named it after him. The Naoria Mayek challenged the script imposed and propagated by the Konung in Kangieipak, ...{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[5] "নাওরিয়া ফুলো : ঋষি অমা - এলাংম দীনমনী" (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri). India.

[6] "লাইনীংহন নাওরিয়া ফুলো অমসুং মহাক্কী থবকশিং - ইঙো লোইতোংবা মোহেন" (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri). India.

[7] "নাওরিয়া ফুলোখী মপোক কুমওনগা মরী লৈননা শৈরেং শৈদান্নবগী থৌরম পাঙথোকখ্রে" (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri).

[8] Singh, Moirangthem Kirti (1998). Recent Researches in Oriental Indological Studies: Including Meiteilogy. Parimal Publications. p. 101. The challenge to official script came in the thirties of this century in the person of Naoriya Phulo of Cachar who was not only a gifted founder of Apokpa Marup (Meetei Revivalist school) but also a far sighted originator of Meitei script and desanskritised words. He invented a script and numerals as a divine gift in his trance and got a Purana called Shakok Salai Thiren said to be written in this script.

[9] "What's in name?". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 28 January 2023. For the record, controversy with regard to the script is not a new thing. It had been raging since the first half of 20th century with the coming of a revivalist movement led by Naoriya Phulo. He had then challenged the script officially recognised by the Royal Palace with his own set of alphabets.

[10] Ningthoukhongjam, Urmila (2007). The Student Movement in Manipur. India: Akansha Publishing House. p. 142. ISBN 978-81-8370-141-9. The political motive of the Meetei Marup founded by Naoriya Phulo of Cachar District of Assam is also obvious when it invented certain new characters and claimed to be the original old script . Later , the character were discarded ...

[11] Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal (1986). The History of Manipur: An early period. India: Manipur Commercial Company. p. 500. It may be mentiond here that some of the revivalist groups specially the followers of Naoriya Phullo claimed a script to have been used by the Meiteis in early days.

[12] Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. Internet Archive. India: Digital Library of India. p. 500. It may be mentiond here that some of the revivalist groups specially the followers of Naoriya Phullo claimed a script to have been used by the Meiteis in early days. They circulated leaflets to the general public and the Meitei Mayek...

[13] Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. Internet Archive. India: Digital Library of India. p. 501.

[14] Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. Internet Archive. India: Digital Library of India. p. 501.