Manipuri Story Collection Lonthoktabi

Lonthoktabi arrived as a response to the need for a modern, introspective Manipuri short story — one that could articulate the silent struggles of common people, especially women in domestic spaces.

The book was compiled by L. Ibungohal Singh, a pioneering figure in Manipuri literature and history. Along with other scholars like T.C. Hodson (who wrote The Meitheis), Ibungohal Singh recognized that the traditional folk tales, passed down orally from grandparents to children, were at risk of being lost or altered beyond recognition due to the lack of written records. By compiling Lonthaktabi, he bridged the gap between ancient oral tradition and modern Meitei literature. manipuri story collection lonthoktabi

Many stories in Lonthoktabi personify natural elements. One famous story features the Phumdi (the floating biomass on Loktak Lake) as a narrator. It speaks of the fishermen destroying its roots. Written decades ago, it eerily predicts the current ecological crisis of the lake. Lonthoktabi arrived as a response to the need