M. K. Binodini Devi


Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi, known as M.K. Binodini Devi and henceforth referred to as MK Binodini or Binodini, the mononym that she wrote under, was a writer, social activist and princess of Manipur. She worked in multiple genres, including fiction, essays, drama, screenplays, lyrics, and ballet scripts often addressing themes such as patriarchy and colonialism in Manipuri society. She received the Padma Shri in 1976, and her historical novel Boro Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979. The novel was subsequently translated into English as The Princess and the Political Agent and published as a Penguin Modern Classic in 2020.

Life

Sana Wangol or Wangolsana was born 6 February 1922 to Sir Maharaja Churachand Singh of the Manipur Kingdom and Maharani Dhanamanjuri Devi. M.K. Binodini Devi was the first woman to graduate in Manipur and its first woman writer.
She married Dr. Laifungbam Nanda Babu Roy, on 26 January 1950; they had two sons, L. Debabrata Roy and L. Somi Roy.
Binodini was also a sculptor and studied art in Santiniketan with Ramkinkar Baij and other artists. Many of the portraits painted by Baij of her are now held in the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi.
was established in Imphal, Manipur, by her son, L. Somi Roy, and the writer's friends and associates. Its stated goal is to preserve, protect and promote the legacy of M.K. Binodini Devi.

Career

Literature

M.K. Binodini Devi wrote her first short story, Imaton '', while she was still a student at Tamphasana Girls High School.
"My first short story was called Imaton. It is about a relationship between a young man and his young stepmother. I liked it immensely as a good story. So, I showed it to my teacher, Oja Salam Tombi, who also happened to be my tutor. Contrary to my expectations, he gave me a sound scolding for writing it. He said it was unbecoming of me to write such an immoral adult story."

Her first book was Nunggairakta Chandramukhi , a collection of 19 short stories published in 1965, for which she was awarded the Jamini Sundar Guha Gold Medal. Her collected short stories were published by Imasi Foundation as Wari Macha Binodinigi which included seven of her previously unpublished short stories. These 26 short stories are turned into audio recordings as an initiative of Imasi Foundation's project available on the Imasi Foundation YouTube channel. She received a Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979 for her historical novel Boro Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi. The historical novel is about Princess Sanatombi, her aunt, and Colonel Henry St. P. Maxwell, the political agent of Manipur, and is set in the years leading up and following the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891. It was recorded as an audiobook by Penguin Random House, India and Audible in 2023.
Binodini wrote her play Asangba Nongjabi, adapting it for the stage from her radio play called Shilpi. She wrote 15 radio plays, 12 of which are published in the collection, Khonjel Lila Binodinigi. She translated Ebong Indrajit, a notable Bangla-language play by Badal Sircar, as well as works by Rabindranath Tagore and Sankar.
Her last book was a volume of memoir essays about life in the royal palace, titled Churachand Maharajgi Imung'' . It covers the reign of Maharaja Churachand from 1891-1941. These essays appeared first in the Manipuri daily, Poknapham. The volume of essays was published in 2008.

Film

Binodini wrote screenplays for Manipuri feature films like Olangthagee Wangmadasu , Imagi Ningthem , Paokhum Ama , Thengmallabara Radhamanbi, ''Ishanou , Mayophygee Macha , Asangba Nongjabi, 2003 and Nangna Kappa Pakchade . Her story Ngaihak Lambida was made into a short film by Haobam Paban Kumar. She also wrote the scripts for non-fiction films such as Orchids of Manipur , Sangai: The Dancing Deer of Manipur , and Laa .
In 1981, Aribam Syam Sharma's film Imagi Ningthem based on her screenplay adapted from her radioplay of the same name, won the Montgolfiere Grand Prix at Nantes in France. She wrote the original screenplay of Ishanou, whch was selected for Un Certain Regard at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival. It was later recognised as a Cannes Classic in May 2023. She scripted the film version of the Manipuri ballet called Sangai: The Dancing Deer of Manipur by Aribam Syam Sharma which was selected as the Outstanding Film of the Year Award for 1991 by the British Film Institute.
Many of her screenplays won national and state film awards in India, including multiple awards for Olangthagee Wangmadasu and the Best Story Award at the 9th Manipur State Film Awards for the movie, Nangna Kappa Pakchade'' in 2014, awarded posthumously.

Songs

Binodini wrote 58 songs and translated 29 Rabindra Sangeet into Manipuri. These were published in Isei Binodinigi by Imasi Publications in 2014. The second edition of this collection of songs by Binodini was published as Khongjom Parba Amadi Isei Binodinigi as a dual Meitei Mayek and Bangla script edition in 2026 by Imasi Foundation, with the addition of her epic ballad, Khongjom Parba, about the Anglo-Manipuri War of 1891 and its aftermath. She wrote lyrics for a song titled Lapna Lotna Leiyu for the first Manipuri feature film Matamgi Manipur . Many of her songs are still sung today and are classics of contemporary Manipuri songs. They were all performed by artists of Roop Raag and were broadcast over All India Radio, Imphal.
Patriotic songs written by her such as Kannada Sinnani Phiral Ase '', Sukna Mamla Guha Nungda and Lairabini Hainei Ima Nangbu Mina'' were associated with the Great June Uprising on 18 June 2001. It was the occasion when she returned her Padma Shri awarded to her by the Government of India in 1976.

Dance

Binodini wrote the scripts for six modern Manipuri ballets. They were produced by the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy where she served as Secretary for 11 years. They include Keibmuchamjao and Loktak Isei.
"The Loktak lake is a rich depository of several legendary tales. There is a big tradition, a huge cultural tradition associated with the lake. There has been so much literature on the Loktak, inspired by its beauty and charm, of its legends and folktales. That is why I have tried to write the ballet Loktak Eshei for the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy."
They use both classical Manipuri Dance and folk styles to tell stories based on Manipuri folklore. These ecological ballets contributed to environmental awareness and wildlife preservation in Manipur. The film version of her ballet Keibul Lamjao's, titled Sangai: The Dancing Deer of Manipur, was produced by Sangeet Natak Akademi.
In 1976, M.K. Binodini Devi led a Manipuri dance troupe to perform at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC for the celebration of the US Bicentennial. The troupe also toured Mexico, Canada and Europe. In 2003, she wrote Ho Mexico! Lamkoi Wari, a series of travel essays about the dance tour.

Essays and social activism

M.K. Binodini Devi used her literature to advocate for wildlife and environmental causes. Her essay Thoibido Warouhou'i was her basis for her ballet Keibul Lamjao. These works ignited themes of wildlife appreciation and environmental awareness.
"I felt ashamed to ride in the presence of the animals. I got off and walked down the hill. The car followed me, stupidly."

The essay along with others Ahong Yumna Haihou'i and Darjeeling Chat'ngeida. Most of them were published in Manipuri newspapers like Poknapham and Naharolgi Thoudang.
"A woman of letters, she contributes regularly to the local dailies such as Poknapham, Naharolgi Thoudang and the Imphal Free Press with letters, stories, articles and commentaries of current social and political issues in Manipur."
M.K. Binodini Devi took part in the Quit India Movement in 1942, and was a lifetime president of the Manipur chapter of the Indian People's Theatre Association.
Her patriotic songs including Kannada Sinnani Phiral Ase and Lairabini Hainei Ima Nangbu Mina are popular in Manipur today. In October 2001, she founded LEIKOL, a women's writers' circle. In 1975, she introduced microfinancing for market women and was the founding chairman of the Manipur Women's Cooperative Bank Ltd.
She was elected to the Manipur Assembly in 1952.

Publications (in Manipuri)

Nunggairakta Chandramukhi '', short storiesAsangba Nongjabi, playsBoro Saheb Ongbi Sanatombi, novelAmasung Indrajit, translation of the Bengali play by Badal SircarO Mexico! Lamkoi Wari, travel writing about Mexico, the US and EuropeChurachand Maharajgi Imung Isei Binodinigi Khonjel Lila Binodinigi
  • ''Wari Macha Binodinigi''

Film scripts (in Manipuri)

Olangthagee Wangmadasoo Imagi Ningthem Paokhum Ama Sangai, the Dancing Deer of Manipur, Ishanou Mayophygee Macha Orchids of Manipur Sanabi La,Thengmallabara Radhamanbi Ashangba Nongjabi Ngaihak Lambida

Radio plays

Basi Marol Chumdaba Charangnaraba NungCheisraChithiImagi NingthemImphal KabaJahanara or Ketabgi Segaikhraba LamaiKanana Keithel Kabini? Kaorabara Ras Sannabagi AhingdoNandiniNangna Kappa PakchadeNgaikho, HingminakhisiNongphadok LakpadaShilpi, later Asangba NongjabiSribon Chinggi Tamnalai
  • ''Thengmallabara Radhamanbi''

Adaptations

Ahing Amagi Wari Charangnaraba Nung Nongphadok Lakpada
  • ''Sanabi''

Ballet scripts (in Manipuri)

Kong Hangoi Thoibi Keibul Lamjao ''Loktak Isei Pebet
  • ''A Throw of Dice''

Translations

Ima Amasung Indrajit Solution X Sakhangdaba Kayani Charangnaraba Nung Karna Kunti Sangbad
  • ''28 Rabindra Sangeet''

Selected translations

My Son, My Precious. Translation by L. Somi Roy. Cinewave, Calcutta 1981One Answer. Cinewave, Calcutta 1982My Little Friend. Translation by L. Somi Roy. Sahitya Akademi anthology. New Delhi 2005A String of Beads Cambridge University Press, New Delhi 2011Crimson Rainclouds. Translation by L. Somi Roy. Thema Books, Calcutta 2012Sanatombi. Translated into Assamese by Indramani Rajkumar; Sahitya Akademi, 2012The Maharaja's Household: A Daughter's Memories of Her Father. Translation by L. Somi Roy. Zubaan Books, 2015Girls Hostel. Translation by L. Somi Roy. Viswabharati Quarterly, 2018; Crafting the World, Zubaan Books, 2019The Princess and the Political Agent. Translation by L. Somi Roy. Penguin Modern Classics, Penguin Random House India, 2020
  • ''Nil Sandhyar Agun Megh''

Biography

Binodini: A Writer's Life, Film by Aribam Syam Sharma, Sahitya Akademi, 2003, 26 min.MK Binodini Devi, L. Somi Roy, Sahitya Akademi, Makers of Indian Literature series, 2022

Awards

Nunggairakta Chandramukhi, Jamini Sunder Guha Gold Medal, 1966