Sanamahism () , 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) , ...

(

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) , ...

) is a

polytheistic Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals. Polytheism is a type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the ...

religion with thousands of

deities A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...

god In monotheism, monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator deity, creator, and principal object of Faith#Religious views, faith.Richard Swinburne, Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Ted Honderich, Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Ox ...

s and

goddess A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...

es of varying power, quality, features, and character. Symbol of Sanamahi Religion

The religion originated in the Kingdom 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 ...

, and is still practiced in modern

, India, distinct from both the

Indosphere Indosphere is a term coined by the linguist James Matisoff for areas of Indian linguistic and cultural influence in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly used in areal linguistics in contrast with Sinosphere. Influence The Tibeto-Burma ...

and the

Sinosphere The East Asian cultural sphere, also known as the Sinosphere, the Sinic world, the Sinitic world, the Chinese cultural sphere, the Chinese character sphere encompasses multiple countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia that were historically ...

. The following is a list of deities, gods, goddesses,

demigod A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...

s, mortals,

immortals Immortality is the ability to live forever, or eternal life. Immortal or Immortality may also refer to: Film * ''The Immortals'' (1995 film), an American crime film * ''Immortality'', an alternate title for the 1998 British film '' The Wisdom of ...

and a few

mythical creature A legendary creature (also mythical or mythological creature) is a type of fictional entity, typically a hybrid, that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends), but may be featured in historical accounts ...

s. This does not include the full list of mythical creatures of ancient Meitei folklore, for which see

List of creatures in Meitei folklore Meitei people, being the predominant ethnic group in the Himalayas, Himalayan kingdom of Manipur, has diverse cultural contacts with diverse communities of other nations since ancient times. The case is the same with Meetei folklore, Meitei folkl ...

Main deities

There are five main deities in the ancient

and

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 ...

, namely: * Asheeba - He's the Guardian God and the protector of mankind. He is also known as

Sanamahi Laininthou Sanamahee (Meetei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯁꯥꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ) is the Supreme Guardian God of mankind and the supreme deity of the household in Meetei religion and mythology. He originated from the ancient kingdom of Kangleipak ...

. * Apanba - He's the Supreme ruler of the universe and the

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

of evil. He's also known as

Pakhangba Pakhangba ( mni, , omp, ) is a primordial deity, often represented in the form of a dragon, in Meitei mythology and religion. He is depicted in the heraldry of Manipur kingdom, which originated in ''paphal'' ( mni, ), the mythical illust ...

. * Atingkok - He's the Creator of the Universe. He's also known as Atiya Sidaba. *

Leimarel Sidabi ) , deity_of = Goddess of earth, nature and household , member_of = Imung Lais , image = Relief art depicting Salailen (Salailel), the Supreme God, creating Leimalen (Leimalel), the first female being in the universe, according ...

- Supreme Goddess,

mother earth Mother Earth may refer to: *The Earth goddess in any of the world's mythologies *Mother goddess *Mother Nature, a common personification of the Earth and its biosphere as the giver and sustainer of life Written media and literature *Mother Earth ...

. *

Imoinu Ahongbi 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 frequent ...

- Goddess of Wealth, she is also an

Incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...

of Goddess Leimarel Sidabi Among them,

Lainingthou Sanamahi Laininthou Sanamahee (Meetei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯁꯥꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ) is the Supreme Guardian God of mankind and the supreme deity of the household in Meetei religion and mythology. He originated from the ancient kingdom of Kangleipak (M ...

and

are the household deities worshipped.

Atingkok

The creator of Universe in

Sanamahism () , 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) , ...

is believed to be Lord

Atingkok Maru Sidaba "Sidaba Mapu" ( mni, ꯁꯤꯗꯕ ꯃꯄꯨ) (literally,''"Immortal God"'') or Salailel ( mni, ꯁꯂꯥꯢꯂꯦꯜ) is the Supreme God, Creator of the universe and the Sky God in Meitei mythology and religion. According to Meitei mythology, S ...

, father of

and

Lainingthou

The term "Lainingthou" literally means ''King of Gods'' or the ''Divine King'' and it is applied to various deities such as Lainingthou Khoriphaba, Lainingthou Soraren, etc. However, it is generally used to refer

Pakhangba

There are several serpent deities in the pantheon. However, the supreme most one is Lord

Sanamahi temple inside Kangla Fort, Imphal East, Manipur

Shayon (incarnations)

, the supreme goddess has incarnated several times in various divine forms with diverse attributes.

Related deities

Celestial maidens

, there are seven prominent celestial maidens, which are referred to as either goddesses or

nymph A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label=Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ty ...

Lai Nuraa Taret

The seven celestial maidens are considered as seven goddesses or "Lai Nuraa Taret ", the creation of the Lord

Helloi Taret

The seven celestial maidens are considered as seven nymphs or "Helloi Taret ", who are the daughters of the

Sky God The sky often has important religious significance. Many religions, both polytheistic and monotheistic, have deities associated with the sky. The daytime sky deities are typically distinct from the nighttime ones. Stith Thompson's ''Motif-In ...

Soraren. They are then believed to be

spinster ''Spinster'' is a term referring to an unmarried woman who is older than what is perceived as the prime age range during which women usually marry. It can also indicate that a woman is considered unlikely to ever marry. The term originally den ...

Apokpa (ancestral deities)

In ancient

, the ancestral deities of every families and clans were called

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 ...

. They are worshipped by their respective families (

Yumnak In Meetei society, the sagei or family name is known as ''Yumnak'' in Meetei Language. Pronounced "yoom-naak". Ethnic ''yumnaks'' are used in the Meetei /Meitei community including the Meitei Pangal and Meitei Bamon (Manipuri Brahmin). The ...

) and clans (Yek Salai). According to T.C. Hodson's book ''The Meitheis'', the Meitei people are the only people who have a tradition of worshipping their ancestral deities in Manipur.''The Meitheis'', by T.C. Hodson, Akansha Publication, Kolkata, 1908

Dragons in Meitei mythology

The following is a list of a few

dragon A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...

s of

Planet deities

According to a

PuYa Puya may refer to: * ''Puya'' (plant), in the family Bromeliaceae * Puya (river), in Russia * Puya, a variety of Guajillo chili * ''Puya'' (Meitei texts), traditional or mythological texts of the Meetei people * ''Culoepuya'' or ''Culo'e Puya'', V ...

" Khenchonglol" (literally meaning, study of Heavenly bodies,

Planets A planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is neither a star nor its remnant. The best available theory of planet formation is the nebular hypothesis, which posits that an interstellar cloud collapses out of a nebula to create a young ...

Celestial bodies An astronomical object, celestial object, stellar object or heavenly body is a naturally occurring physical entity, association, or structure that exists in the observable universe. In astronomy, the terms ''object'' and ''body'' are often us ...

in the Ningthou Turel or

Milky Way Galaxy The Milky Way is the galaxy that includes our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye. ...

of the Universe), there are nine

Planet A planet is a large, rounded astronomical body that is neither a star nor its remnant. The best available theory of planet formation is the nebular hypothesis, which posits that an interstellar cloud collapses out of a nebula to create a you ...

s which are considered as deities. Even the

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

and the

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

are considered as planets in Meitei Philosophy. They are as follows:

Star deities

According to Khenchonglol, there are twenty seven stars which are referred to as deities, out of which the constellation Orion is the most significant. They are as follows: * Sajik ( Arietis) * Thaba (

Musca Musca () is a small constellation in the deep southern sky. It was one of 12 constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, and it first appeared on a celestial globe in dia ...

) * Khongjom Nubi (

Pleiades The Pleiades (), also known as The Seven Sisters, Messier 45 and other names by different cultures, is an asterism and an open star cluster containing middle-aged, hot B-type stars in the north-west of the constellation Taurus. At a distance of ...

) * Apaknga (Lunar, pauri, masion) * Sachung Telheiba ( A Orionis) * Likla Saphaba (Orion) * Chingcharoibi ( G Geminorum) * Chungshennubi (

Cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

)

Umang Lai

There are more than 365 forest deities or "

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 ...

" in

Sanamahism () , 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) , ...

. They are always associated with a

Sacred grove Sacred groves or sacred woods are groves of trees and have special religious importance within a particular culture. Sacred groves feature in various cultures throughout the world. They were important features of the mythological landscape and ...

each in Kanglei World. The term ''Umang Lai'' is also used to refer to the sacred abodes of the deities. Some of the significant ones are: * Nongshaba - The highest deity associated with

or "

" in

Sanamahism () , 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) , ...

. * Konthoujam Lairembi gi Khubam * Ebudhou Khamlangba * Ima Khunthok Hanbi * Hiyangthang Lairembi * Ima Langol Lairembi * Langol Ningthou * Thanga Ching Ningthou * Ipathakok * Ikop Ningthou * Laininthou Naothingkhong Pakhangba * Ima Tamphaton Petangaa

Directional gods

and

mythology Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...

, there are ten directions in Meitei philosophy, for which there are ten deities who are the protectors and the guardians of the respective directions.

Local deities

River goddesses

There are various river goddesses worshipped by the followers of Sanamahism. The main rivers associated with these goddesses originated from Manipur. Some of them are as follows: * Thongjarok Lairembi of Thongjaorok River * Iril Lairembi of

Iril River The Iril River is a river that runs through the eastern suburbs of the city of Imphal in the state of Manipur, India. The name Iril derives from two words ''Ee'' and ''Rei/Ree''. The Meitei word ''Ee'', which means ''blood'', although "Ee" is als ...

* Imphal Turel Lairembi of

Imphal River The Imphal River ( mni, Imphal Turel), also known as the Turel Achouba, is a major river in Manipur state, northeastern India which originates in Kangpokpi district to the north of Kangpokpi district headquarters Kangpokpi. It is a tributary of ...

* Kongba Turel Lairembi of Kongba River

Lake goddesses

There are various

Lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

Goddess A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...

es worshipped by the followers of Sanamahism, considering the spirits as the guardian and protector of the periphery region of the lake. Some of the deities are: * Loktak Lairembi of

Loktak Lake , image = , caption = Different scenes of the Loktak lake of Manipur , alt = View of Loktak Lake and Phumdis , image_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = , location = Manipur , coords ...

* Pumlenpat Lairembi of Pumlenpat Lake

Market goddesses

People worshipped one goddess for each market area considering the spirit of the goddess as the protector, guardian of the region. Some of the goddesses are as follows: * Pishum Keithel Lairembi of Pishumthong Market Region * Singjamei Keithel Lairembi of Singjamei Market Region. * Kongba Keithel Lairembi of Kongba Market Region

Lists in alphabetical order

Here's a lists of the deities in alphabetical order:

A

* Apanba * Ashiba * Apanthoibi * Atiya Kuru Sidaba

C

* Changning Leima * Cheikhetpi *

Chothe Thangwai Pakhangba Chothe Naga may refer to: * Chothe people (Chothe Naga people) * Chothe language Chothe (''Chawte, Kyao'') is a Sino-Tibetan language of Kuki-Chin subgroup of northeastern India. It may be intelligible with Aimol. Geographical distribution ...

E

Emoinu 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 ...

* Engarel Sidaba *

Ereima ) , deity_of = Goddess of water and aquatic life , member_of = Lairembis , image = IRAI LEIMA.jpg , alt = , caption = The name "Irai Leima", written in Meitei Mayek abugida , other_names = * Ireima ( omp, I ...

F

* Fauoibi

H

* Hikubi Yaikubi * Hi Leima * Hiyangthang Lairembi

I

Irai Leima ) , deity_of = Goddess of water and aquatic life , member_of = Lairembis , image = IRAI LEIMA.jpg , alt = , caption = The name "Irai Leima", written in Meitei Mayek abugida , other_names = * Ireima ( omp, I ...

Ireima ) , deity_of = Goddess of water and aquatic life , member_of = Lairembis , image = IRAI LEIMA.jpg , alt = , caption = The name "Irai Leima", written in Meitei Mayek abugida , other_names = * Ireima ( omp, I ...

K

* Khamlangba * Khoriphaba * Khunthokhanbi * Konthoujam Lairembi

L

M

* Malem Leima * Mongba Hanba

N

* Ngareima * Nongda Nongkhal Lembi * Nongpok Ningthou * Nongshaba *

Nongthang Leima Nongthang Leima ( mni, ꯅꯣꯡꯊꯥꯡ ꯂꯩꯃ) is the goddess of seduction, thunder and lightning in Meitei mythology and Meitei religion, religion. She was created by Atingkok (or Salailen) to attract Pakhangba, Haraba (Pakhangba). She ma ...

O

* Oknarel * Oksharel Sidaba

P

Phouoibi Phouoibi (Fouoibi) or Phouoipi (Fouoipi) or Phouleima (Fouleima) or Phoureima (Foureima) is the goddess and the female personification of the agriculture, crops, fertility, grains, harvest, paddy, rice and wealth in Meitei mythology and religi ...

* Puthiba

S

* Samurou Lakpa * Shamadon Ayangba * Silleima * Soraren

T

* Tampha Lairembi

U

* Uningthou

W

Wangbren ) * Wangpuren ( omp, Wangpulen) * Wangbaren ( omp, Wangpulen) * Wangbren ( omp, Wangpulen) * Wangpurel ( omp, Wangpulel) * Wangbarel ( omp, Wangpulel) * Wangbrel ( omp, Wangpulel) , hiro = , Old_Norse = , script_name = Ancient M ...

Y

* Yaikubi * Yoibu Noinu Thumleima

References

Bibliography

* ''The Meitheis'', by T.C. Hodson, Akansha Publication, Kolkata, 1908

External links

Names of God
Lists of deities Sanamahism Names of God in Sanamahism {{Religion topics

Main deities

Atingkok

Lainingthou

Pakhangba

Shayon (incarnations)

Related deities

Celestial maidens

Lai Nuraa Taret

Helloi Taret

Apokpa (ancestral deities)

Dragons in Meitei mythology

Planet deities

Star deities

Umang Lai

Directional gods

Local deities

River goddesses

Lake goddesses

Market goddesses

Lists in alphabetical order

A

C

E

F

H

I

K

L

M

N

O

P

S

T

U

W

Y

See also

References

Bibliography

External links