Ballet (dance drama) is an essential part of their culture-the most fa — Numit Kappa

"Numit Kappa is the first long narrative verse which is addressed to the Sun God According to them, the poem was recited before King Taothingmang (possibly 264-364 AD) to the accompaniment of a penaa"

"The Meetei ancestors lived on the hills till the valley dried up. Late Oinam Bhogeswor cites the names of Manipuri autochthones as mentioned in Numit Kappa viz., Chakpa, Shelloi-Langmai, Maring tribe (supposed to be the oldest hill tribe) and Thongnang (possibly the Boros)."

"Other genres include allegories such as Numit Kappa (Shooting the sun) which is reproduced with interlinear translation in Hodson (1908),..."

"The Lois continued to be worshippers of nature and natural forces, eg, sun and moon (as were the Meiteis during their pre-Vaishnav days), as revealed by the Numit Kappa, a legendary Loi book in the genre of the Epics."

"There are books like the Numit Kаррa, narrating some old Manipuri legends, and there is a rich literature of chronicles as well as works on the movements of the tribes, in Manipur, which are all preserved in the Old Manipuri language."

"Numit Kappa, as dealt with before, is an allegory and legend, portraying the exploitation of the people by the powerful and the great and the-courage of the people to rise against them. Two brothers were reigning over their kingdom as the star and the sun respectively, one in the day, another in the night, dazzling the kingdom with bright light giving no respite to their subjects. One of the subjects shot down the star, no longer able to carry the burden to work throughout the day and the night. The sun, in fear, hid himself for a long time plunging the world in darkness. At last the Gods sent Panthoibi, the goddess, who intervened and the sun came out and shone brightly. Apart from its literary qualities it has socio-economic and politico-religious significance."