SonOfZeus: Created page with "{{Short description|Accounts on birds in Meitei culture}} {{Further|Animals in Meitei culture}} {{Contains special characters|Meitei}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}} {{langnf|mni|'''Uchek'''s|Birds}} have significant roles in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei cuisine, Meitei dances, Meitei festivals, Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, M..."

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Created page with "{{Short description|Accounts on birds in Meitei culture}} {{Further|Animals in Meitei culture}} {{Contains special characters|Meitei}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}} {{langnf|mni|'''Uchek'''s|Birds}} have significant roles in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei cuisine, Meitei dances, Meitei festivals, Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, M..."

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{{Short description|Accounts on birds in Meitei culture}}
{{Further|Animals in Meitei culture}}
{{Contains special characters|Meitei}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}}
{{langnf|mni|'''Uchek'''s|Birds}} have significant roles in different elements of [[Meitei culture]], including but not limited to [[Meitei cuisine]], [[Meitei dances]], [[Meitei festivals]], [[Meitei folklore]], [[Meitei folktales]], [[Meitei literature]], [[Meitei mythology]], etc.

== Crows in Meitei culture ==
{{Further|Kwaak Taanba}}

== Doves and pigeons in Meitei culture {{anchor|Doves in Meitei culture|Pigeons in Meitei culture|Columbidae in Meitei culture}} ==
=== Goddess of doves and pigeons ===
{{Further|Khunu Leima}}
[[File:ꯈꯨꯅꯨ ꯂꯩꯃ.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Khunu Leima]], the [[Meitei goddess]] of [[doves]] and [[pigeons]]]]

In [[Meitei mythology]] and [[Sanamahism|religion]], '''[[Khunu Leima]]''' ({{lang-mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯈꯨꯅꯨ ꯂꯩꯃ}}|/khoo-noo lei-ma/}}), also known as '''[[Khunureima]]''' ({{lang-mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯈꯨꯅꯨꯔꯩꯃ}}|/khoo-noo-rei-ma/}}), is a goddess associated with [[pigeon]]s and [[dove]]s. She is one of the three dearest daughters of the sky god. Along with her two sisters, [[Nganu Leima]] and [[Shapi Leima]], she got married the same person, who is a mortal.<ref>–{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q5eBAAAAMAAJ&q=Khunu+Leima+pigeon |title=Folk Culture of Manipur |last=Singh |first=Moirangthem Kirti |date=1993 |publisher=Manas Publications |isbn=978-81-7049-063-0 |language=en}} –{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.0065/page/n202/mode/2up |title=Manipuri Phungawari |year=2014 |pages=202 |language=mni}} –{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.467071/page/n107/mode/2up |title=Eben Mayogee Leipareng |year=1995 |pages=107 |language=mni}} –{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466201/page/n43/mode/2up |title=Tal Taret |year=2006 |pages=43 |language=mni}} –{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xfDNm96yCPIC&q=Khunu+Leima+goddess+pigeons&pg=PA70 |title=Folk Tales of the North-East |last=Regunathan |first=Sudhamahi |date=2005 |publisher=Children's Book Trust |isbn=978-81-7011-967-8 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Pigeon in the story of Sandrembi and Chaisra ===
In the [[Meitei folktale]] of [[Sandrembi and Chaisra]], Lady Sandrembi, after being killed by her stepsister and stepmother, transformed herself into a pigeon and flew into the Royal Garden of the king, her husband. She perched on a tree branch and told the Royal Gardener, about the forgetfulness of the King about his wife Queen Sandrembi, the animal epidemic happened in the kingdom, the grievances of the Prince (Sandrembi's son) and the loss of the gardener's own sickle in a recent past. Sandrembi told him to report these words to the King. The king, on hearing the news, came by himself, to the pigeon in the garden. Holding some grains of paddy in his hands, the King brought and kept the supernatural bird (Sandrembi's bird form) in his custody. Even as a pigeon, she took care of the Prince. During the King's absence, Chaisra (the imposter and Sandrembi's stepsister) slaughtered the pigeon and cooked a nice meal from the meat.<ref name="Sandrembi and Chaisra">{{Cite web |title=Sandrembi and Chaisra |url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Folks.Folk_Tales.Sandrembi_and_Chaisra |website=e-pao.net}}</ref> Upon knowing that the food was made of the very pigeon, the king refused to dine it and buried the pigeon's remains in the ground behind the Royal Kitchen.<ref name="Sandrembi and Chaisra"/>

== Hornbill in Meitei culture {{anchor|Hornbills in Meitei culture|Bucerotidae in Meitei culture}} ==
{{Further|Uchek Langmeitong}}
[[File:Hayainu as the Uchek Langmeidong flying high.jpg|thumb|250px|"''Hayainu''" as the "''[[Uchek Langmeitong]]''" flying high up the sky]]
The [[Meitei folktale]] of '''[[Uchek Langmeitong]]''' (Uchek Langmeidong), also known as '''Chekla Langmeitong''' (Chekla Langmeidong), of [[Ancient Kangleipak]] (early [[Manipur]]),<ref name="books.google.co.in">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BDkSAQAAIAAJ&q=uchek+langmeidong |title=Folklore and Discourse |last1=Handoo |first1=Jawaharlal |last2=Siikala |first2=Anna-Leena |date=1999 |publisher=Zooni Publications |isbn=978-81-7342-054-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uxIIAQAAMAAJ&q=uchek+langmeidong |title=Enact |date=1978 |publisher=Pauls Press |language=en}}</ref> narrates the tragic story of a mortal girl named "Hayainu" (alias ''Nongdam Atombi''), who turned herself into a {{langnf|mni|Langmeitong|[[hornbill]] bird}} as she was unable to suffer the ill treatments of her cruel and selfish stepmother, in her father's absence.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q5eBAAAAMAAJ&q=Heiyaniu+Nongdam+Atombi |title=Folk Culture of Manipur |last=Singh |first=Moirangthem Kirti |date=1993 |publisher=Manas Publications |isbn=978-81-7049-063-0 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="books.google.co.in"/><ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>–{{Cite web |title=Human turning into Uchek Langmei Meena Uchek Langmei Onba |url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Folks.Folk_Tales.Human_turning_into_Uchek_Langmei_Meena_Uchek_Langmei_Onba |website=e-pao.net}} –{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QxXVnoMYWVAC&q=uchek+langmeidong+story+birds |title=Contemporary Theatre of India: An Overview |last=Ahuja |first=Chaman |date=2012 |publisher=National Book Trust, India |isbn=978-81-237-6492-4 |language=en}}</ref>

== Parrots in Meitei culture {{anchor|Psittacines in Meitei culture|Psittaciformes in Meitei culture}} ==
[[File:Te Te Tenawaa - a traditional Meitei children's song of Kangleipak.jpg|thumb|250px|"Te Te Tenawaa" (lit. "Te Te Parrot") - a [[Meitei culture|traditional Meitei]] children's song of [[Kangleipak]]]]

=== Sanagi Tenawa : Golden parrot ===
In a [[Meitei folktale]] of a {{langnf|mni|Sanagi Tenawa|golden parrot}}, a divine golden parrot used to live in a land of rocks. It possessed magical spells, due to which it made all the trees of the land able to talk and move like animals. The parrot was famous far and wide.
In a far away kingdom, a courageous and clever prince got the news of the parrot, which he wanted to be brought to his kingdom.
Henceforth, in the dead of the night, the prince and his friend, who was a minister's son, proceeded to find the parrot, without informing his father, the king.
For three full moons of phase, they travelled until they finally reached the land of rocks. Surprised to see the rocks and the talking trees, and wandering around, they found out a door way to go inside a cave.
When the prince was about to go inside the cave, he heard a loud sound. The voice from unknown source asked him to stop going inside the cave for the parrot. Upon investigated, they found the voice was from a tree monster at the door.<ref name="e-pao.net">{{Cite web |title=Sanagi Tenawa The Golden Parrot Folktale By James Oinam |url=http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Folks.Folk_Tales.Sanagi_Tenawa_The_Golden_Parrot_Folktale_By_James_Oinam |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=e-pao.net}}</ref>

The monster warned them of asking them three questions before they enter. If answered incorrectly, they would turn into stones.
The first question was 'Who is the happiest man alive?'
The prince's answer was 'One who owes no debt to anyone and who is healthy and free from any illness.'
The second question was 'What are the main qualities of a king?'
The prince's answer was 'A king should conduct according to the wishes of the people, should take care of the poor and destitute, and should treat everyone equally.'
The final question was 'Name the gods one can see one's own eyes?'
The final answer was 'One's birth parents are one's gods that they can see with their eyes.'<ref name="e-pao.net"/>

The tree monster was satisfied with all the correct answers and it praised the prince for his wisdom and intelligence. It allowed the prince for entry and was vanished from the spot as it was waiting for someone who could answer all the questions correctly before he leave.
Inside the cave, the golden parrot was found sitting on a golden plate, as was once being under captivity of the tree monster.
The prince was told by the parrot about the way to change the stones into princes. He had to sprinkle water of the golden pond on them.
The prince did and undo the spells/curses of the stones, bringing them back to life. The princes thanked the prince and went back to their respective kingdoms.
Finally, the parrot was brought by the prince and his friend to their kingdom.<ref name="e-pao.net"/>

== Waterfowls in Meitei culture {{anchor|Ducks in Meitei culture|Geese in Meitei culture|Swans in Meitei culture}} ==
{{Further|Nganu Leima}}
[[File:ꯉꯥꯅꯨ ꯂꯩꯃ.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Nganu Leima]], the [[Meitei goddess]] of [[waterfowl]]s]]
In [[Meitei mythology]] and [[Sanamahism|religion]], '''[[Nganu Leima]]''' ({{lang-mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯉꯥꯅꯨ ꯂꯩꯃ}}|/ngaa-noo lei-ma/}}), also known as '''[[Nganureima]]''' ({{lang-mni|{{Script|Mtei|ꯉꯥꯅꯨꯔꯩꯃ}}|/ngaa-noo-rei-ma/}}), is a goddess associated with ducks and [[waterfowl|other water bird]]s . She is one of the three dearest daughters of the sky god. Along with her two sisters, [[Khunu Leima]] and [[Shapi Leima]], she married to the same person.<ref>–{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.467071/page/n107/mode/2up |title=Eben Mayogee Leipareng |year=1995 |pages=107 |language=mni}} –Folk Culture of Manipur - Page 7 - Moirangthem Kirti Singh · 1993 –{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466201/page/n39/mode/2up |title=Tal Taret |year=2006 |pages=39 |language=mni}} –{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466201/page/n43/mode/2up |title=Tal Taret |year=2006 |pages=43 |language=mni}} –{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.0065/page/n202/mode/2up |title=Manipuri Phungawari |year=2014 |pages=202 |language=mni}} –{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xfDNm96yCPIC&q=Nganu+Leima+goddess+ducks&pg=PA70 |title=Folk Tales of the North-East |last=Regunathan |first=Sudhamahi |date=2005 |publisher=Children's Book Trust |isbn=978-81-7011-967-8 |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Hills and mountains in Meitei culture]]
* [[Plants in Meitei culture]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Birds in art]]
[[Category:Birds in culture|Meitei]]
[[Category:Birds in mythology]]
[[Category:Birds in religion]]
[[Category:Meitei culture]]
[[Category:Meitei folklore]]
[[Category:Meitei literature]]
[[Category:Meitei mythology]]
[[Category:Sanamahism]]

Birds in Meitei culture - Revision history