Oral interviews undertaken on a few adherents of Irawat Singh throw light on some aspects of the socio- political and peasant movements launched under his leadership in Manipur. An attempt is being made to political and peasant movements launched under his leadership in Manipur. An attempt is being made to written sources to supplement and authenticate the data. The methodology employed consists that of some of the pioneering authorities on Oral History, such as Jan Vansina Paul Thompson, Alessandro Portelli, Alex Haley etc. For the present article, a few problems certainly cropped up due to the paucity of still surviving people who have first -hand information of the events of Irawat’s time and also from the fact that the nature of the struggle, which was predominantly an underground movement. A random survey of general mass interview is not feasible therefore; rely on a rather elitist approach. Nonetheless, effort is made to trace the causes, nature, and extent of success the peasant movements in the State achieved. While acknowledging the contribution of Irawat in the renaissance and the metamorphosis of his movements from a socio-religious outlook towards a more radicalised political movement, analysing two of the most contentious aspects of Manipur’s socio-politico structure viz., feudalism and class struggle are being attempted.
Communism, Democracy, Equality Feudalism, Imperialism, Peasant Movement
