Meitei Christians - The Modern Movement

The Modern Movement

The Meitei Christians from Manipur and north-east India are of different denominations, such as Baptist, Presbyterian and Evangelical. The history of Christians among the Meitei community only started to well known in the 1960s.

When Christianity was first adopted among the Meitei communities, both the belief system and the theological teaching were based upon biblical teaching. The practice of the Christian faith in present times has changed considerably. There are approximately between 75,000 and 100,000 Meitei Christians in India, and around 2,000 churches.

When Hinduism came to Manipur and was adopted by the Meiteis, it was creatively adopted such as Raj Leela, which was promoted by Rabhindranath Takhur, which further helped in expansion of Hindu religion. Similarly, when Meiteis adopt Christianity, it is done as contextually acceptable to indigenous culture, as a tradition of the community. Definitely, a kind of Christianity as different from the practice of Christianity in the hill areas. Some of the churches in Meitei villages (for instance, the tiny Meitei Christian group of 800 to 1000 people from Kakching) have helped transform the lives of local people.