Toro (Khamba Thoibi)

Toro (ꯇꯣꯔꯣ) is a woman from the Angom clan, living in the ancient Moirang kingdom. She appears in the Khamba Thoibi classical epic, which belongs to the Moirang Kangleirol genre of Meitei mythology and folklore. She is the younger sister of Angom Nongban Kongyamba, a well-known national wrestling champion of the Moirang kingdom.[1][2][3][4]

Literary appearance

Toro is often described in contrast to Princess Thoibi, who is shown as extremely beautiful and admired by many men.[1][2][3][4]

Description and character

Toro is described as not very beautiful. She has no suitors and no admirers, which makes her feel sad because she is not loved by any man.[1][2][3][4]

She is described as having curly hair. In the traditional interpretation found in the story, curly hair (sham khoi) is linked to personality traits and is seen as a sign of feelings that are not straightforward (pukchel khoi).[1][2][3][4]

Relationship with Soura

Because she had no other option, Toro often flirted with Soura, a servant of her elder brother Nongban. Soura comforted her by saying that her brother was very powerful, and that men of Moirang were afraid to approach her because of him. This statement was meant to calm her sadness.[1][2][3][4]

Scholarly interpretation

The scholar N. Tombi Singh described Toro in his 1976 work "Khamba and Thoibi: The Unscaled Height of Love". He wrote that Toro was a symbol of the untamed energy of youth, though her behavior stayed within accepted social limits. According to him, Toro may not have been extremely beautiful, but she represented a girl of her generation with normal abilities and qualities.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Gouramani, Kabrambam (1963-02-25). Khamba Thoibi Ahanba Saruk (in Manipuri). Manipur University Library, Imphal; North Eastern States Libraries. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive.
  2. ^ a b c d e Singh, Loitongbam Kalachand (1963). Khamba Thoibi (in Hindi and Manipuri). Manipur University Library, Imphal. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive.
  3. ^ a b c d e Pramodini (1992). Khuman Khamba (in Manipuri). Manipur University Library, Imphal; North Eastern States Libraries. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive.
  4. ^ a b c d e Bormani, Sarangthem (2003). Moirang Shaion (in Manipuri). Manipur University Library, Imphal; North Eastern States Libraries. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive.
  5. ^ Tombi Singh, N.. Khamba and Thoibi: The Unscaled Height of Love. India: Chitrebirentombichand Khorjeirup, 1976. p. 2, 353
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