History
The original name of Bishnupur was Lumlangdong (now Lamangdong) . History recorded the facts of its origin. As soon as Kyamba ascended throne of Manipur in 1467 A.D he conquered Kyang, which was a Shan kingdom in the Kabow Valley. Then he assumed the name of Kyamba which means the conquerer of Kyang. There always had been a good relation between the Pongs and the Meities. During the reign of Kyamba also there was good relations between Kyamba and the Pong King Khe-Khomba. Actually it was the good foreign policy of King Kyamba that he was able to have a good relation with the neighbouring countries.
Kyamba wanted to conquer Kyang. So around the thirds of his reign he attacked Kyang along with Chaopha Khe Khomba, the king of Pong. After the battle was won, the conquered areas were divided between the two kings, they dined together in golden vessels and drank in join made of gold. They also exchanged servants and scholars. It is said that an image of Vishnu was given by the Pong king along with the fruit pong “hei” ton (guava) and the ponghawai (a kind of dal), Kyamba kept the given “Vishnu” image at Lumlangdong which also came to be known as Bishnupur i.e. abode of Vishnu. Perhaps, it was during the reign of Kyamba that Vishnu worship started in Manipur. This Bishnupur is the very place where king and Brahmins conserved the lord “Vishnu” Manu Brahmins also immigrated to Manipur. King Kyamba requisitioned the service of one such Brahmins and began the regular worshiper of Vishnu here at Bishnupur.
He built Vishnu Temple of Temple of brick at Bishnupur which has now become a protected historical monument under the Ministry of H.R.D (Archeology), Government of India. It is now standing as a symbol of the remains of ancient times. And the statue got by Kyamba from the Pong king is very important since it gives us the idea of the religious beliefs of those days and the very name that it had given.
They are :-
- Bijoy Govinda (now at Sagolband, Imphal)
- Gopinath (at Ningthoukhong)
- Nityainanda (at Imphal)
- Madan Mohan (at Imphal)
- Anuprabhu (at Nabadwip, West Bengal)
- Abdeitya, now enshrined at Bishnupur
Another remarkable feature of Bishnupur is by the worth mentioning. During the reign of King Bheigyachandra , there was an interesting story regarding the installation of the statue of Shri Shri Govindagee which was performed in 1780 A.D. It is also said that one night Lord Krishna appeared in his dream and asked him to find an image of the Lord. Bheigyachandra answered the command of the Lord and founded the statue of Govindagee. Along with this statue, another six statues were made from the same jackfruit tree.
The installation ceremony of the statue of Abdeitya enshrined in Bishnupur in the Vishnu temple took place in the year 1793 A.D. Since then, a number of pilgrims and saints have been visiting this temple.