Meitei mythology: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:00, 17 July 2021

The tableau of Manipur presenting mythological figures from the Meitei mythology, in New Delhi

Meitei mythology or Manipuri mythology is a body of traditional legendary myths pertaining to the origin and the religious systems of Ancient Manipur (Ancient Kangleipak), generally retold by the Meitei ethnicity.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Meitei mythology may also references to the modern analysis of the representation of the literature and art of the culture of the Meitei people.^[5] The Meiteis usually treated their mythology as history even though it includes supernatural or mythical or miraculous elements.^[6]^[7]

Source texts

A Meitei manuscript on account of the mythological origin of the human beings

There are sources from both the manuscript as well as oral folklore in ancient kingdom of Kangleipak (present day Manipur). The so-called manuscripts are known as Puya (Meitei texts), which are the original accounts on the religious themes as well as historical events of the Meitei literature. Wakoklon Heelel Thilen Salai Amailon Pukok Puya, Sanamahi Laihui and Numit Kappa the most prestigious Puya (Meitei texts) in the Kanglei Meitei mythology.

Deities

The Meitei deities, are always associated with the Meitei religion, which has been in existence since ancient times in the Kanglei World. The traditional culture and folklore is inherited by the Meitei people from their primitive ancestors till present.

The symbol of Meitei religion

The primordial deities in the mythology and religion are:

Sidaba Mapu: He is the Creator God of the entire universe, and the sole breeder of all the living beings.^[8]
Sanamahi: He is the Guardian God of the mankind and the household. He created the human beings in the figure of the Almighty.^[9]
Pakhangba: He is the destroyer and the ruler of the universe. He can assume both human as well as serpentine figure.^[10]
Leimarel Sidabi: She is the supreme mother earth goddess and the consort of the creator God.^[11]
Emoinu (Imoinu): She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Legend says she's an exact copy of Leimarel, who takes another divine form.

In addition to these, the mythology also accounts for the vast numbers of deities as well as mythical creatures. The Lists of Creatures in Meitei Folklore are found in the vast narratives of both the PuYas as well as Meetei folklore.

Creation myths

According to the Meitei mythology (Manipuri mythology), it is Lord Pakhangba, the Great Dragon Lord, who gave birth to the seven clans of the Kanglei realm (Antique Kangleipak).^[10] The seven clans are

Clan names	Romanization
ꯃꯉꯥꯡ	Mangang
ꯂꯨꯋꯥꯡ	Luwang
ꯈꯨꯃꯟ	Khuman
ꯑꯉꯣꯝ	Angom
ꯃꯣꯢꯂꯥꯡ	Moilang
ꯈꯥ ꯉꯥꯟꯄ	Kha Nganpa
ꯁꯂꯥꯢ ꯂꯩꯁꯥꯡꯊꯦꯝ	Salai Leishangthem

Moirang Incarnations

The legendary epic tales of the seven incarnations of a God and a Goddess, in the ancient kingdom of Moirang, are the main features of the Kanglei mythology (Meitei mythology), with the Khamba Thoibi incarnation, being the last and the most significant one. The very incarnations of the Lord and the Lady respectively are as follows:

Male characters	Romanization	Female characters	Romanization
ꯑꯀꯣꯡꯖꯥꯝꯕ	Akongjamba	ꯐꯧꯑꯣꯢꯕꯤ	Phouoibi
ꯍꯦꯟꯖꯨꯅꯍꯥ	Henjunaha	ꯂꯥꯢꯔꯧꯂꯦꯝꯕꯤ	Lairoulembi
ꯈꯨꯌꯣꯜ ꯍꯥꯎꯕ	Khuyol Haoba	ꯌꯥꯢꯊꯤꯡ ꯀꯣꯅꯨ	Yaithing Konu
ꯀꯗꯦꯡ ꯊꯥꯡꯖꯍꯟꯕ	Kadeng Thangjahanba	ꯇꯣꯅꯨ ꯂꯥꯢꯖꯤꯡꯂꯦꯝꯕꯤ	Tonu Laijinglembi
ꯈꯨꯕꯣꯝꯕ	Khubomba	ꯄꯤꯗꯣꯅꯨ	Pidonu
ꯋꯥꯡꯂꯦꯟ ꯄꯨꯡꯇꯤꯡꯍꯩꯕ	Wanglei Pudingheiba	ꯁꯥꯞꯄ ꯆꯅꯨ ꯁꯤꯜꯍꯩꯕꯤ	Sappa Chanu Silheibi
ꯈꯨꯃꯟ ꯈꯝꯕ	Khuman Khamba	ꯃꯣꯢꯔꯥꯡ ꯊꯣꯢꯕꯤ	Moirang Thoibi

References

External links

[1] ttps://books.google.co.in/books?id=_HmwAAAAIAAJ&q=meitei+myth&dq=meitei+myth&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjYtJbYvuLuAhX17HMBHe9CBhgQ6AEwCXoECAkQAg

[2] ttps://books.google.co.in/books?id=p1cOAAAAIAAJ&dq=meitei+myth&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Manipuri+myths

[3] ttps://books.google.co.in/books?id=AoECgkZ0Wu0C&q=meitei+mythology&dq=meitei+mythology&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiLydm4vuLuAhUOgdgFHaKKAmc4ChDoATAHegQIAhAC

[4] ttps://books.google.co.in/books?id=WEQqAAAAYAAJ&q=manipuri+mythology&dq=manipuri+mythology&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiN_MrEp_XuAhXVlEsFHYlvAukQ6AEwBHoECAYQAw

[5] ttps://books.google.co.in/books?id=AoECgkZ0Wu0C&q=meitei+mythology&dq=meitei+mythology&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiLydm4vuLuAhUOgdgFHaKKAmc4ChDoATAHegQIAhAC

[6] ttps://books.google.co.in/books?id=_HmwAAAAIAAJ&q=meitei+myth&dq=meitei+myth&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjYtJbYvuLuAhX17HMBHe9CBhgQ6AEwCXoECAkQAg

[7] ttps://books.google.co.in/books?id=p1cOAAAAIAAJ&dq=meitei+myth&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=Manipuri+myths

[8] "The Manipuri Lais". manipuri.itgo.com. Retrieved Mar 1, 2021.

[9] ttp://manipuri.itgo.com/the_lais.html#sanamahi

[auto1-10] 10.0 ^10.1 "The Manipuri Lais". manipuri.itgo.com. Retrieved Mar 1, 2021.

[11] "The Manipuri Lais". manipuri.itgo.com. Retrieved Mar 1, 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 There are sources from both the manuscript as well as oral folklore in ancient kingdom of [[Kangleipak]] (present day [[Manipur]]). The so-called manuscripts are known as [[Puya (Meitei texts)]], which are the original accounts on the religious themes as well as historical events of the [[Meitei literature]]. [[Wakoklon Heelel Thilen Salai Amailon Pukok Puya]], [[Sanamahi Laihui]] and [[Numit Kappa]] the most prestigious [[Puya (Meitei texts)]] in the Kanglei Meitei mythology.
 == Deities ==
-{{Main|Lists of deities in Sanamahism|Sanamahi creation myth}}
+{{Main|Meitei deities}}
-The Kanglei Meitei deities, are always associated with the [[Meitei religion]], which has been in existence since ancient times in the [[Kangleipak|Kanglei World]]. The traditional culture and folklore is inherited by the [[Meitei people]] from their primitive ancestors till present.
+The Meitei deities, are always associated with the [[Meitei religion]], which has been in existence since ancient times in the [[Ancient Kangleipak|Kanglei World]]. The traditional culture and folklore is inherited by the [[Meitei people]] from their primitive ancestors till present.
-[[File:The Symbol of Sanamahi.svg|thumb|right|The symbol of [[Sanamahism]]]]
+[[File:The Symbol of Sanamahi.svg|thumb|The symbol of [[Meitei religion]]]]
-The primary deities in the mythology are:
+The primordial deities in the mythology and religion are:
-* [[Atingkok Maru Sidaba|Atiya Guru Sidaba]]: He is the [[Creator God]] of the entire universe, and the sole breeder of all the living beings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://manipuri.itgo.com/the_lais.html#mapu|title=The Manipuri Lais|website=manipuri.itgo.com|accessdate=Mar 1, 2021}}</ref>
+* [[Sidaba Mapu]]: He is the [[Creator God]] of the entire universe, and the sole breeder of all the living beings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://manipuri.itgo.com/the_lais.html#mapu|title=The Manipuri Lais|website=manipuri.itgo.com|accessdate=Mar 1, 2021}}</ref>
 * [[Lainingthou Sanamahi|Sanamahi]]: He is the Guardian God of the mankind and the household. He created the human beings in the figure of the Almighty.<ref>http://manipuri.itgo.com/the_lais.html#sanamahi</ref>
 * [[Pakhangba]]: He is the [[destroyer]] and the ruler of the universe. He can assume both human as well as serpentine figure.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://manipuri.itgo.com/the_lais.html#pakhangba|title=The Manipuri Lais|website=manipuri.itgo.com|accessdate=Mar 1, 2021}}</ref>
 * [[Leimarel Sidabi]]: She is the supreme mother earth goddess and the consort of the creator God.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://manipuri.itgo.com/the_lais.html#leimaren|title=The Manipuri Lais|website=manipuri.itgo.com|accessdate=Mar 1, 2021}}</ref>
-* [[Emoinu]]: She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Legend says she's an exact copy of Leimarel, who takes another divine form.
+* [[Emoinu]] ([[Imoinu]]): She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Legend says she's an exact copy of Leimarel, who takes another divine form.
+In addition to these, the mythology also accounts for the vast numbers of deities as well as mythical creatures. The [[Lists of Creatures in Meitei Folklore]] are found in the vast narratives of both the [[PuYa]]s as well as [[Meetei folklore]].
-In addition to these, the mythology also accounts for the vast numbers of deities as well as mythical creatures. The [[Lists of Creatures in Meitei Folklore|Kanglei Meitei mythical creatures]] are found in the vast narratives of both the [[PuYa]]s as well as [[Meetei folklore]].
 == Creation myths ==
 {{See|Sanamahi creation myth}}