Classical Meitei language

Classical Meitei (ꯊꯥꯛ ꯑꯋꯥꯡꯄ ꯃꯩꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ) or Classical Manipuri (ꯊꯥꯛ ꯑꯋꯥꯡꯄ ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ ꯂꯣꯜ) is the standardized literary form of the Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language in India), in which the holy Puyas, the religious and philosophical texts of Sanamahism, the traditional Meitei religion, were written. Similar to Latin, it serves as the liturgucal language of Sanamahism and is not spoken as a native language by any significant sector of the population. Nevertheless, Classical Meitei is still used in religious ceremonies, rites and rituals, while chanting hymns and singing prayers to the deities. The most popular usage of the Classical Meitei language is during the annual Lai Haraoba festival of Sanamahism across Manipur and other Meitei populated areas of the South Asian world. It is the representation of the development of the rich literary sources of the modern day Meitei literature (Manipuri literature).

Since Meitei is the only Indian language from Sino-Tibetan family (a greater branch of the Tibeto-Burman family) whose literature grew up under the royal patronage since ancient times, Classical Meitei is the only standardised literary form of all the Sino-Tibetan languages of the Indian subcontinent (South Asia). It is the purest of all the forms of Meitei language, for having no mixing with any foreign words from other languages. Classical Meitei is still used with modernised pronunciations in present day times. It is different from Medieval Meitei (Middle Meitei) though it was still used in medieval times too. It is distinct from every other forms of Meitei language.

Today, Classical Meitei is still taught at high schools in Manipur as a subject extension of Modern Meitei (Modern Manipuri) and Elementary Meitei (Elementary Manipuri).