The Thadous (Thadou te) are a tribal people native to north-eastern India, Chin state and Sagaing Division in Burma (Myanmar) and eastern Bangladesh. Thadou is a Kukish language of the Tibeto-Burman family. Thadou is spoken in the different parts of North East India and adjacent portions of Burma and Bangladesh. It was the second language after Meiteilon (Manipuri) in the Manipur state during Brit
ish Colonial Period. In Manipur, the Thadou are mostly found in Churachandpur district, Senapati district, Ukhrul district, South-Western Hills and Sadar Hills, Chandel district and Jiribam. Thadous are known as:
Thadou by the Chins of Myanmar(Burma). Lusuong by the Lushais/Mizos. Khongjai/Khongsai by the Meiteis. Khongchai/Khachami by the Tangkhuls. Kusamei by the Maos. Makheng by the Anals. Thangkumsa by the Kacharis. Kuki/Cuci by the Bengalis. New Kuki by the Britishers. t is believed that Chongthu, the forefather of the Thadous, emerged out from a cave called “Chinlung or Shinlung or Khul” the location of which was believed to be somewhere in Central China, whereas others claimed it to be in Tibet. (Ginzatuang, 1973:5) Mc. Culloch (1857:55).Those ancestors emerging from the cave include Chongthu/Songthu, Khupngam, Vangalpa and some clansmen, leaving behind Noimangpa, Chongja and others of the group. William Shaw’s (1929) description about the origin of Kuki’s is recorded from his collected verbal information. The story goes like this: Noimangpa was the chief of subterranean region. Chongthu, a relative of Noimangpa, while hunting in the jungle with his dog, discovered a large cave. Chongthu, rejoiced at this discovery, gave up his hunting and went back to his village. He conjured up ideas of forming his own village on the earth. Meanwhile, Noimangpa the chief of the underworld was performing the ‘chon’ festival, in which everyone including chongja, the elder brother of Chongthu, Noimangpa’s son Chonkim participated. During this feast Chongthu started waving his sword so vigorously that he injured some of the people present, at which all were annoyed. This action of Chongthu was premeditated so that he can find an excuse to go to the upper world to form a village of his own. When Noimangpa came to know this he wanted Chongthu dead. Chongthu on hearing Noimangpa’s wrath, prepared to leave for the uninhabited earth, ‘khul’, as spoken of by the Thadous. So, Chongja and Chongthu along with the cavemen feasted before their departure. On their journey to the upper crust of the earth there was a great darkness, which lasted for seven days and seven nights, called “Thimzin” by the Thadou’s. They found a stone blocking their passage out and after making many attempts Chongja and party gave up and returned to Noimangpa and reported the result’. Pi Nemneh, wife of Songja, cursed Chongthu and party for leaving them at doom in ‘Khul’. It is also believed that Chongja, Noimangpa and other clansmen who were left behind are assimilated with the Chinese and Japanese people. So, all Thadou people in Bengaluru formed TSA-B as their parent body.
