) , deity_of = Queen of Heaven , member_of = Lairembis and

Umang Lai Umang Lai are the group of sacred groves preserved for the local forest deities (with the same title), worshipped by the Meitei people, the Pangal people and Meitei Christians, the predominant ethnic groups, since ancient times in the Himalayan ...

s , image = CHINGPHULON KONTHOUSU.jpg , alt = , caption = "Chingphulon Konthousu", the birth name of the goddess Tampha, written in archaic Meetei Mayek abugida , other_names = * Chingphuron Konthousu ( omp, Chingphulon Konthousu) * Haorok Konthou Lairembi ( omp, Haolok Konthou Lailempi) * Direnglu (or Direngliu) , hiro = , Old_Norse = , script_name = , script = , affiliation =

Meitei mythology Meitei mythology or Manipuri mythology ( mni, Meitei Mi Lai Tingi Wari) is a collection of myths, belonging to the religious and cultural traditions of the Meitei people, the predominant ethnic group of Manipur. It is associated with tradi ...

(

Manipuri mythology Meitei mythology or Manipuri mythology ( mni, Meitei Mi Lai Tingi Wari) is a collection of myths, belonging to the religious and cultural traditions of the Meitei people, the predominant ethnic group of Manipur. It is associated with tradi ...

) and

Meitei religion () , native_name_lang = mni , image = The Symbol of Sanamahi.svg , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = The Symbol of Sanamahism (Source: Wakoklon Heelel Thilen Salai Amailon Pukok Puya) , ...

( Sanamahism) , cult_center = Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi Temple , abode = Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi Temple , planet = , weapon = , battles = , artifacts = Konthoujam Lairembi Stone Inscription , animals = Nightingale , symbol = Nightingale , adherents = , height = , age = , tree = , day = , color = , number = , consort = Salailen (alias Soraren) , mother = Konthoujambi (alias ''Huimu Leima'') , father = Konthoujamba , siblings = , offspring =

Khoriphaba Khoriphaba (also, Khoiriphaba) is a God in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur). He is the son of Sky God Salailen and Goddess Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi. He came down from heaven to earth to ...

, predecessor = , successor = , army = , mount = , texts = Konthoujam Nongarol , gender = Female , Greek_equivalent =

Hera In ancient Greek religion, Hera (; grc-gre, Ἥρα, Hḗrā; grc, Ἥρη, Hḗrē, label=none in Ionic and Homeric Greek) is the goddess of marriage, women and family, and the protector of women during childbirth. In Greek mythology, she ...

, Roman_equivalent =

Juno Juno commonly refers to: *Juno (mythology), the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods *Juno (film), ''Juno'' (film), 2007 Juno may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters *Juno, in the film ''Jenny, Juno'' *Ju ...

, Etruscan_equivalent = , Christian_equivalent = , Slavic_equivalent = , Hinduism_equivalent = , Canaanite_equivalent = , equivalent1_type = , equivalent1 = , equivalent2_type = , equivalent2 = , region =

Ancient Kangleipak The Manipur Kingdom was an ancient independent kingdom at the India–Burma frontier that was in subsidiary alliance with British India from 1824, and became a princely state in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in the west and Briti ...

(

Antique Manipur An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...

) , ethnic_group =

Meitei ethnicity The Meitei people, also known as the Manipuri people,P.20: "historically, academically and conventionally Manipuri prominently refers to the Meetei people."P.24: "For the Meeteis, Manipuris comprise Meeteis, Lois, Kukis, Nagas and Pangal." is ...

, festivals =

Lai Haraoba Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with the Meitei people celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meiteilon. In this festival, the people worship ...

Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi ( omp, Konthoucham Tamphaa Lailempi) or Chingphuron Konthousu ( omp, Chingphulon Konthousu) is a goddess in

and

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

( Sanamahism) of

ancient Kangleipak The Manipur Kingdom was an ancient independent kingdom at the India–Burma frontier that was in subsidiary alliance with British India from 1824, and became a princely state in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in the west and Briti ...

(

ancient Manipur The Manipur Kingdom was an ancient independent kingdom at the India–Burma frontier that was in subsidiary alliance with British India from 1824, and became a princely state in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in the west and Brit ...

), in land that is currently the state of

Manipur Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. She was formerly a mortal being belonging to the Haorok Konthou clan (Konthoujam clan). She is a consort of the sky god Salailen (alias Soraren). Her only child is

Mythology

Konthoujamba and Konthoujambi were a couple with no child. They consulted maibas, but the maibas could not help them have a child. They prayed to the sky god Salailen to help them. Salailen heard their prayer and told the goddess

Imoinu Imoinu or Emoinu ( mni, ꯏꯃꯣꯏꯅꯨ) is a goddess associated with household, hearth, family, fireplace, kitchen, wealth, peace and prosperity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur). She is frequently ...

to help the couple. Imoinu implanted herself into the womb of Lady Konthoujambi. When Konthoujambi was pregnant with a three month old fetus, Salailen instructed her that her child will be His wife in the future. Later, Konthoujambi gave birth to a baby girl. The couple named their daughter ''Chingphulon Konthousu'' (later known as ''Tampha''). As Chingphulon Konthousu grew up, she was known for her beauty and gentleness. She used to go to woods, lakes, and open meadows for fun. One day, while Tampha was out in an open field with her friends, a strong wind blew. Tampha was lifted up by a whirlwind towards the sky. Her friends could do nothing but watch. The wind took her to heaven, the abode of Salailen. He was waiting for her. Tampha was unhappy about being far away from her parents and friends. To please her, Salailen promised her that the people of her native place would attain immortality and be safe from all diseases. Still, her parents, family and friends cried for the loss of her. Salailen told them that Tampha was safe with him. He told them about the promises he kept to her. Many years had passed and Salailen and Tampha had a son. She and Salailen named their son

. Tampha's parents wanted to see her, so they planned to meet her. Men went on a hunting expedition with their hunting dogs across the

Thangjing Hill Thangting Hill ''Meetei'':-''ꯊꯡꯖꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ'' is a hill range in the Himalayan state of Manipur, India. The hill range is the abode of God Eputhou Thangjing and other Meitei deities in Meitei mythology. The temple of Lord Eputhou Th ...

s. Unfortunately, they could not catch even one animal. The tired hunters rested under the shade of a tree. Meanwhile, one of their favorite hunting dogs wandered away. The dog saw a large python sitting in sun. It barked at the python. The python killed it. Later, the hunters found the dead dog and carried it home. They prepared a funeral for the dog. The smoke from the funeral rose up towards the sky. Up in heaven, Tampha saw the smoke rising from her native place. She knew it was for a funeral. She worried about her people. Perhaps someone had died even though Salailen had promised to keep them safe from disease. She asked Salailen about his promises. Salailen told her that the funeral was only for a dog. She did not believe him and wanted to see her parents. Reluctantly, Salailen allowed her to meet people under some conditions. She should leave only after their son

had gone to sleep and should come back before he woke up. Also, she should not consume any earthly foods or drinks. Then, he placed a golden ladder (or golden stairs in another version) for her to climb down. She landed on the

and then went to Konthoujam, her native land. She met her near and dear ones. Her mother offered Tampha delicious foods. Tampha did not accept her mother's offers. However, her mother caught hold of her and tried to force her to eat. Tampha told her mother of the conditions with which she was leaving heaven to meet them on earth. Then, her mother arranged a shade with seven layers of false ceiling, enclosed by seven layers of drapery. Her plan was to block the vision of Salailen from above. Inside the shades, she served out delicious food for Tampha. Poor Tampha was compelled to eat what her mother had so lovingly prepared for her. But Salailen saw it happen even through the drapes. As Tampha started eating, Salailen proclaimed from heaven that she could not come back to his abode. He spat a blob of spit on her hand (or on her food in another version). The golden ladder (or golden stairs in another version) was also lifted up. Poor Tampha was abandoned from heaven. Salailen also took back his promises of immortality and immunity to disease. Later, she lived in the outskirts of Konthoujam. Since then, she came to be known as Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi.

References

External links

* * * * * * * * * {{Sanamahi1 Abundance deities Abundance goddesses Beauty deities Beauty goddesses Earth deities Earth goddesses Fertility deities Fertility goddesses Fortune deities Fortune goddesses Health deities Health goddesses Leima Life-death-rebirth deities Life-death-rebirth goddesses Love and lust deities Love and lust goddesses Magic deities Magic goddesses Maintenance deities Maintenance goddesses Marriage deities Marriage goddesses Meitei gods and goddesses Names of God in Sanamahism Peace deities Peace goddesses Sky and weather deities Sky and weather goddesses

Mythology

See also

References

External links