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[[File:Gopinath Temple - Ningthoukhong, Manipur (India).jpg|thumb|[[Ningthoukhong]] Gopinath Temple.]] | |||
{{Vaishnavism}} | |||
'''Manipuri Vaishnavism''' is a regional variant of [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] with a culture-forming role in the north-eastern [[India]]n state of [[Manipur]].{{sfn|Singh|2004|pp=125–132}} Most Vaishnavires of Manipur belong to [[Narottama Dasa|Narottama Dasa Thakura]]'s [[Guru-shishya tradition|luneage]] (parampara).{{cn|date=August 2021}} | |||
The Manipuri Vaishnavas do not worship Krishna alone, but as [[Radha-Krishna]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=g-wbAAAAIAAJ&q=Manipur+Radha&dq=Manipur+Radha&lr=&client=firefox-a Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature - p. 4290], Amaresh Datta, Mohan Lal (eds.), 1994.</ref> With the spread of Vaishnavism the worship of Krishna and [[Radha]] became the dominant form in the Manipur region. Every village there has a Thakur-ghat and a temple.<ref name = years>{{cite book |author=Shanti Swarup |title=5000 Years of Arts and Crafts in India and Pakistan |location=New Delhi |year=1968 |page=272}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=lnVQAAAAMAAJ&q=Manipur+Radha&dq=Manipur+Radha&pgis=1 p.183]</ref> | |||
==Background== | |||
[[Vaishnavism]] in Manipur has extended history. While there are records in the [[Purana]]s as to account of the pre-historic forms of Vaishnavism or [[Bhagavatism]] in the area of present state, the modern history of Vaishnava practices in Manipur started with a king of the [[Shan people|Shan kingdom]] of Pong gifting a [[murti]] of [[Vishnu]] [[chakra]] (the symbolic disc of Vishnu or [[Krishna]]) to Kyamaba, king of Manipur, so since the 1470s the kings of Manipur started worshiping Vishnu. Many [[brahman]]a priests from the west, main areas of India, came to Manipur and settled there. The account of the arrival of the members of [[brahmana]]s is found in the records of the book Bamon Khunthock. King Kyamba (1467–1523) built a Vishnu [[mandir]] in [[Bishnupur, Manipur|Vishnupur]], a notable architectural monument. In 1704 King Charai Rongba was initiated into Vaishnava tradition and since then Vaishnavism became the [[state religion]]. This consolidated the cultural contact with India even further. After a short period of Vaishnavite [[Ramanandi Sampradaya|Ramaism]] penetration, Gaudiya Vaishnavism spread in the early 18th century, especially from beginning its second quarter.{{sfn|Singh|2004|p=128}} King [[Gharib Nawaz (Manipur)|Gharib Nawaz (Pamheiba)]] was ruling from 1709 to 1748 and he was initiated into Vaishnavism of Gaudiya Chaitanya tradition, by followers of Narottama Dasa Thakura. He practiced this religion for nearly twenty years. Preachers and pilgrims used to arrive in large numbers and cultural contact with [[Assam]] was maintained.<ref name = ML>{{cite book |title=Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology |publisher=Sahitya Akademi |location=New Delhi |year=1997 |isbn=81-260-0365-0 }}[https://books.google.com/books?id=KYLpvaKJIMEC&pg=RA1-PA327 p.327]</ref> It is believed that the wave of devotion that turned the entire kingdom Krishna conscious took place during the reign of Gareeb Nivaz’s grandson [[Ching-Thang Khomba|Bhagyachandra]]. | |||
==King Bhagyachandra== | |||
King [[Ching-Thang Khomba]], also known as Rajarishi Bhagyachandra, was most devotee ruler and propagandist of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, under the influence of Narottama Dasa Thakura's disciples, and who has visited the holy for the Chaytanyaits [[Nabadwip]].{{cn|date=August 2021}} He ascended the throne in 1759; however, in 1762 the Burmese invaded Manipur, and the king, with his queen and a few attendants, fled to the neighboring state, now known as Assam. The dispute over real identity of the king, called for a demonstration of supernatural powers, believed to be attributed to the king. It is believed that Bhagyachandra had a revelation from Lord Krishna in a dream; based on this revelation, he committed himself to making worship of [[Govinda]] the state religion on return to power in Manipur. It is believed that the [[murti]] of Govinda was to be made of the specific sacred tree and carefully planned [[Rasa-lila]] dances to be instituted in the country, which was regained with the help of the king of present-day Assam. On reinstating the throne, a Govindaji deity was installed and regularly worshiped; later a Radha deity was installed and worshiped next to it.{{sfn|Singh|2004|p=128}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jswami.info/Manipur/Krishna_conscious_state |title=Krishna Conscious State |access-date=2008-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516054324/http://www.jswami.info/Manipur/Krishna_conscious_state |archive-date=16 May 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
==Geographical isolation of Manipur== | |||
According to some researchers the geographical isolation of Manipur seems to be the major factor to resist the immediate indigenous transformation from the sanamahism to any denomination of Hinduism and Vaishnavism, and even [[Buddhism]]. On the other hand, the migration that continued no doubt was with its modification due to addition of new religious fold and practices.<ref name = BM>Rini Sinha, Guwahati. MONDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2007 [http://bishnupriyamanipuri.blogspot.com/2007/12/short-history-of-bishnupriya-manipuri.html A short history of the Bishnupriya Manipuri and their religio-cultural consciousness]</ref> | |||
==Impact of Gaudiya Vaishnavism== | |||
[[File:Ras Lila.jpg|thumb|Artists depicting Radha Krishna's love story through Raas Leela dance.]] | |||
The Meiteis or Manipuris were initiated to the religion of Chaitanya during the middle of the 18th century. With a vast cultural changes during the then king Bhangyachandra, which include development of [[raslila]] dance drama of ''[[Manipuri Raas Leela]]'' dedicated to ras of Krishna and [[gopis]], which is well known to the world, the image of Manipuri society changed and evolved as a sanskritised society. | |||
Various other literature of gaudiya sampradaya was translated and thoroughly studied. This also included chantings and [[sankirtana]]. Various other dance drama were also composed like gaura lila and six form of ras lila and performed in villages of Manipur. | |||
The manipuri ras lila dance is evolved from dances of lai haraoba performed by maiba and maibi,priests and priestesses of traditional meitei religious beliefs before vaishnavism in manipur. [[Rasa Lila]] and [[Manipuri Sankirtana]] or Nata Sankirtana which is also a [[UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage]] of Humanity, became the important features of day to day life. In all rituals non-vegetarian foods is completely prohibited. | |||
Even though, Krishnaism became a prominent part of meitei religious beliefs, they never stopped worshipping the traditional deities. So, one cannot deny that Meitei religious world is an amalgamation of two religious beliefs. The older deities with similar concepts were equated with different other hindu gods, like Lainingthou Nongpok Ningthou and Panthoibi with Shiv-Parvati, etc. There are many temples in Imphal valley like Hiyangthang Lairembi where the deity is worshipped in both [[Sanamahism]] and vaishnavism way. The advent of Vaishnavism had added various aesthetic element to the existing cultural beauty of the Manipur. The creativity and devotional spirit of meitei has indeed given a lot of internationally recognized elements like [[Manipuri dance]] and Nat Sankirtana to art and culture of Vaishnav world. | |||
==See also== | |||
*[[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] | |||
*[[Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami]] | |||
*[[Manipuri dance]] | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
==Bibliography== | |||
* {{cite book|surname=Singh |given=Kunj Bihari |year=2004 |orig-year=1963 |chapter=Manipur Vaishnavism: A Sociological Interpretation |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mc6GAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA125 |title=Sociology of Religion in India |editor=Rowena Robinson |series=Themes in Indian Sociology, 3 |place=New Delhi |publisher=Sage Publ. India |pages=125–132 |url={{Google books|Mc6GAwAAQBAJ|page=|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} |isbn=0-7619-9781-4}} | |||
==External links== | |||
*{{cite web | |||
|url=http://www.jswami.info/manipur_a_land_of_krishna_conscious_culture | |||
|title=Manipur: A Land of Krishna Conscious Culture |publisher=Jayadvaita Swami | |||
|access-date=2008-05-17 | |||
}} | |||
*{{cite web | |||
|url=http://www.jswami.info/Manipur/Krishna_conscious_state | |||
|title=How Manipur Became a Krishna Conscious State | |||
|publisher=Jayadvaita Swami | |||
|access-date=2008-05-17 | |||
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516054324/http://www.jswami.info/Manipur/Krishna_conscious_state | |||
|archive-date=16 May 2008 | |||
|url-status=dead | |||
}} | |||
[[Category:Culture of Manipur]] | |||
[[Category:Krishnaite Vaishnava denominations]] | |||
[[Category:Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] | |||