Khuman Pokpa ( mni, ꯈꯨꯃꯟ ꯄꯣꯛꯄ) or Khuman Apokpa ( mni, ꯈꯨꯃꯟ ꯑꯄꯣꯛꯄ) is the

Apokpa Apokpa Laining (the Apokpa religion) endeavors to discover Apokpa (the Truth; the Almighty). The first of forefathers by cultivating in one's own mother tongue, custom and culture, especially in Manipur. The Apokpa has no name, but different co ...

(Ancestor God) of the Khuman clan. He is regarded as the founder of the

Khuman dynasty Khuman Salai ( mni, ꯈꯨꯃꯟ ꯁꯂꯥꯢ) (literally, ''"Khuman dynasty"'') is a clan, which probably ruled parts of Kangleipak (present day Manipur) prior to subjugation by the Ningthouja dynasty (Mangang) c. 13th Century. The Khuman-Lon ...

. He is one of the three members of the Mangang Luwang Khuman in

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 ...

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, ...

. He represents the time of the sunset and the night.

Etymology

The name "Khuman Pokpa" is made up of two words, "Khuman" and "Pokpa". In

Meitei language Meitei (), also known as Manipuri (, ), is a Tibeto-Burman language of north-eastern India. It is spoken by around 1.8 million people, predominantly in the state of Manipur, but also by smaller communities in the rest of the country and in pa ...

(

Manipuri language Meitei (), also known as Manipuri (, ), is a Tibeto-Burman language of north-eastern India. It is spoken by around 1.8 million people, predominantly in the state of Manipur, but also by smaller communities in the rest of the country and in pa ...

), "Pokpa" means "to beget (be the father of) or to give birth to". The word "Apokpa" comes from "Pokpa". Apokpas are the dead male members of a family for the last three generations. They can be the father, grandfather, or great grandfather of any living person. They looked after the family in the past. So, "Khuman Pokpa" or "Khuman Apokpa" means "The one who gave birth to the Khumans".

Description

Meitei people 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 ...

worship fire in the fireplace called ''Phunga Mei'' (lit. ''

hearth A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by at least a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a lo ...

fire'') at home. In the fireplace, people keep three stones kept. One stone is in the right west, another in the north east and another in the south east. This forms a triangle. These three stones represent the three great times of day. The northeastern stone represents the Mangang. The southeastern stone represents the Luwang. The western stone represents the Khuman. Here, Khuman represents the time of the sunset and the night. The remaining Mangang and Luwang represent the sunrise and the noon respectively. The Meiteis addressed the ''hearth fire'' (''phunga mei'') as ''"Meitreng Arabana Yoimayai Mahut Sinna Mei"''. The English translation of this

(

) passage is ''"The burning fire in the hearth place substitutes the Sun"''. Thus, the Sun is worshipped in the Meetei Phunga.

Cults and pantheons

Among many, one of the most important pantheons of God Khuman Pokpa is in Mayang Imphal. Mayang Imphal is the ancient capital of the kingdom of the

Khuman Salai Khuman Salai ( mni, ꯈꯨꯃꯟ ꯁꯂꯥꯢ) (literally, ''"Khuman dynasty"'') is a clan, which probably ruled parts of Kangleipak (present day Manipur) prior to subjugation by the Ningthouja dynasty (Mangang) c. 13th Century. The Khuman-Lon ...

Worship

In ancient times, God Khuman Pokpa was worshipped for good health and prosperity. According to the beliefs of the fishermen of the Karang Island, diseases with unexplainable causes are caused by gods and goddesses. According to their beliefs, the danger of natural calamities, epidemics, diseases and other miseries are all due to the getting angry of gods and goddesses. The reasons for their anger are usually because of not performing rites and rituals.

Festival

The religious festival of

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 ...

is celebrated in honor of God Khuman Pokpa in the Karang Islands. The celebration lasts for ten consecutive days during the month of September. In modern days, the celebration draws attention to a large number of tourists.

References

Bibliography

* An ethnographical survey of totemism (cont.) - Page 327 - Sir James George Frazer · 1910 * History of Manipur - Page 174 - Jyotirmoy Roy · 1973 * Khamba and Thoibi: The Unscaled Height of Love - Page 189 - N. Tombi Singh · 1976 * Manipur: Law, customs, hill-men, language and religion - Page 673 - Naorem Sanajaoba · 2003 * Out of Isolation: Exploring a Forgotten World, Uncovering a Culture in Conflict - Page 492 - Frans Welman · 2007 * Proceedings of North East India History Association - Page 115 - North East India History Association. Session · 1983 * The Meitheis - Page 99 - Thomas Callan Hodson · 1908

External links

INTERNET ARCHIVE, Khuman Pokpa
{{Sanamahi1 Abundance gods Creator gods Domestic and hearth gods Fertility gods Fire gods Fortune gods Health gods Life-death-rebirth gods Magic gods Maintenance gods Meitei deities Names of God in Sanamahism Nature gods Night gods Peace gods Savior gods Sleep gods Time and fate gods Tutelary gods