Garib Niwaz

Garib Niwaz (born Pamheiba, 1690–1751, /pāmheiba/, Gopal Singh, Ghareeb Nawaaj/Garib Niwaj) was a Meitei ruler of Manipur Kingdom, ruling from c. 1709 until his death. He introduced Hinduism as the state religion of his kingdom (1717) and changed the name of the kingdom to the Sanskrit Manipur (1724). He changed his royal name from his birth name Pamheipa to the Persianate "Garib Niwaz". During most of his reign he was engaged in warfare against the weakened Burmese Toungoo Dynasty. Pamheiba (Paamheiba, Gopal Singh, Ghareeb Nawaaj) was born on 23 December 1690 in Manipur to Pitambar Charairongba and was crowned Meidingu ("king") on 28 August 1709 (the 23rd of Thawan, 1631 Saka Era). After converting to Hinduism Pamheiba took the Persianate name "Gharib Nawaz" (also spelt "Garibniwaz"). His reign lasted 39 years. During that time, the realm of Manipur extended from the Irrawaddy River in the east to Cachar and Tripura in the west. At some points during his reign, his realm extended into the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Shortly after taking power from his father Charairongba he invaded Burma after the Burmese King insulted his sister. The Burmese King asked for the hand of another of Charairongba's daughters in marriage in 1724. Instead of a princess, the King of Burma was met by cavalry, led by Pamheiba that massacred the Burmese army, and brought many prisoners of war to Imphal. The Burmese sent an expedition in revenge, but it was ambushed in the swamps near Heirok, southwest of Thoubal, and losing heavily retreated in haste. In 1735, Pamheiba invaded Myedu in Shwebo district and carried off loot, cattle and a thousand people. In 1737, Pamheiba again invaded Burma, killed two-thirds of a royal levy, including commander, who came to oppose the invading Manipuris, and swept down to Tabayin in Shwebo district, burning everything they met.