()
, 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)
, abbreviation =
, type =
Ethnic religion
In religious studies, an ethnic religion is a religion or belief associated with a particular ethnic group. Ethnic religions are often distinguished from universal religions, such as Christianity or Islam, in which gaining converts is a pri ...
, main_classification =
Animism
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, Soul, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct Spirituality, spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—Animal, animals, Plant, plants, Ro ...
, orientation =
, scripture =
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 ...
s written on religious beliefs originally in
Meitei script
)
, altname =
, type = Abugida
, languages = Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language)
, region =
* Manipur
, sample = "Meitei Mayek" (literally meaning "Meitei script" in Meitei language) written ...
, theology =
Polytheism
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 ...
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, associations =
, full_communion =
, area =
*
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 ...
( mni,
Kangleipak
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a States and territories of India, 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 ...
)
, language =
Classical Meitei
, liturgy =
, headquarters =
, territory =
, possessions =
, recognition =
, merger =
, absorbed =
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, merged_into =
, defunct =
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, congregations =
, number_of_followers = approx. 235,000
, ministers_type =
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, nursing_homes =
, aid =
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, footnotes =
Sanamahism ( mni, Sanamahi Laining,
lit. ''"Sanamahi religion"''
) or Meiteism ( mni, Meitei Laining,
lit. ''"Meitei religion"'') or Lainingthouism (
lit. ''"faith of
God-king God king, or God-King, is a term for a deified ruler or a pagan deity that is venerated in the guise of a king. In particular, it is used to refer to:
*the Egyptian Pharaohs
*a sacred king in any other polytheistic faithWilfred L. Guerin, ''A Handbo ...
"''), is an
ethnic religion
In religious studies, an ethnic religion is a religion or belief associated with a particular ethnic group. Ethnic religions are often distinguished from universal religions, such as Christianity or Islam, in which gaining converts is a pri ...
of the
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 ...
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 ...
,
Northeast India
, native_name_lang = mni
, settlement_type =
, image_skyline =
, image_alt =
, image_caption =
, motto =
, image_map = Northeast india.png
, ...
. It is a polytheistic religion and is named after God
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 ...
, one of the most important deities of the Meitei faith. Sanamahi is the eldest son of the supreme god
Yaibirel Sidaba (also known as Saalailel Sidaba) and the supreme goddess
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 ...
. Traditionally every Meitei household, irrespective of the religion, worships Sanamahi and Leimarel Sidabi. The importance of Sanamahi in the religion is also emphasized in the name itself which means ''Liquid Gold''. Sanamahism does not have a religious head but has a body, Maru Loishang (also known as Pandit Loishang) that oversees the main religious activities and govern all affairs pertaining to the religion including conducts of priest and priestess.
The Maru Loishang also acts a court for religious disputes.
There are three main departments under the Pandit Loishang, namely, the Amaiba Loishang, the Pena Asheiba Loishang and the Amaibi Loishang.
These departments have existed since the reign of King
Meidingu Hongnemyoi Khunjao Naothingkhong 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 ...
in 662 AD.
The deities in Sanamhism can be classified into the main deities, ancestral deities called Apokpa, deities of Meitei clans (Yek Lai) or family (Saghei Lai) and regional deities called Lam Lai or Umang Lai. Worship of the Apokpa deities, the Yek Lais or the Saghei Lais are within a clan, families sharing the same surname. Regional deities are worshipped by the residents around the temple of the Umang Lais. The Umang Lais are often one of the main deities or an incarnation of the main deities. The worship of Umang Lais and the ritual that this entails, referred to as the Umang Lai Haraoba, is one of the main religious festivals in Sanamahism. There are similarities between the Umang Lais and the
Nat
Nat or NAT may refer to:
Computing
* Network address translation (NAT), in computer networking
Organizations
* National Actors Theatre, New York City, U.S.
* National AIDS trust, a British charity
* National Archives of Thailand
* National As ...
deities of Myanmar.
All the deities are denoted by the universal term Lai which means god in Manipuri. When referring to a male deity, the terms Lainingthou, Ebhudhou or Epa are used while the terms, Lairembi, Ebhendhou or Ema are used to refer to a female deity. Lairembi is mostly used for the Umang Lais.
Origin
The first mentions are found in the
Cheitharol Kumbaba
''Cheitharol Kumbaba'', also spelled ''Cheithalon Kumpapa'', is the court chronicle of the kings of Manipur.
The oldest extant version was copied in the early 19th century, under Jai Singh, the puppet king installed after the Burmese invasion, ...
, the Court Chronicles of the kings of Kangleipak (old name of Manipur), starting from the king
Nongda Lairen Pakhangba, who ruled for more than a century, from 33 to 154 CE.
Description
Sanamahism is an
ethnoreligion
An ethnoreligious group (or an ethno-religious group) is a grouping of people who are unified by a common religious and ethnic background.
Furthermore, the term ethno-religious group, along with ethno-regional and ethno-linguistic groups, is a s ...
or folk religion. Its main competitor that it attempts to struggle with is extraneous
Brahminical Hinduism
The historical Vedic religion (also known as Vedicism, Vedism or ancient Hinduism and subsequently Brahmanism (also spelled as Brahminism)), constituted the religious ideas and practices among some Indo-Aryan peoples of northwest Indian Subco ...
– among the
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 ...
. Opponents and rebel groups have sought to revive Sanamahism and related practices to emphasize the
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 ...
i heritage, along with seeking a ban on
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
script and replacing it with the old
Meitei script
)
, altname =
, type = Abugida
, languages = Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language)
, region =
* Manipur
, sample = "Meitei Mayek" (literally meaning "Meitei script" in Meitei language) written ...
which was forcefully banned during the reign of King
Garibniwaz.
Revival
The collective effort of the revival of Sanamahism is often referred to as the Sanamahi movement. The earliest accounts can be traced back to the formation of the Apokpa Marup by Naorem Phullo (Laininghal Naoria) in 1930 at Cachar (present day Assam, India). The movement spread to the Manipur Valley by 1934. Although the movement did not gain momentum due to the
Japanese invasion in the Second world war, plans were initially made to intensify the movement under the leadership of Takhellambam Bokul (Sanamahi Bokul). Phullo died in 1941.
Three years after the death of Phullo in 1944, the movement finally started gaining momentum in Manipur. Resolutions were made to denounce Hinduism and to revive Sanamahism in Manipur. Mass campaign were held to popularize Sanamahi religion at various places in Manipur. On the 14th of May, 1945, the popular Meitei Marup was formed. This marked the beginning of the revival of Sanamahism and the
Meitei Mayek
)
, altname =
, type = Abugida
, languages = Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language)
, region =
* Manipur
, sample = "Meitei Mayek" (literally meaning "Meitei script" in Meitei language) written ...
, original script of the Manipuri Language among other things. The term Sanamahism and Meitei Marup are often used interchangeably. The Brahma Sabha strongly opposed the movement and formally outcast 38 members of the Meitei Marup.
By the 1970s and 1980s, the Sanamahi Movement attracted more number of activist. Massive drives were held reclaiming shrines of deiteis and adverting Hindu practices or worship to ancient old traditions of Sanamahism. Notable movement was the seize of the idols of Sanamahi and Leimarel Sidabi from Hindu Brahmins which are now presently installed in the temple at First Manipur Rifles Ground, Imphal. On the 16th of February, 1974, mass convert to Sanamahism was held. The event is coined, ''Nongkhang Parei Hanba,'' symbolic to reversing the forced mass baptism into Hinduism in 1729, referred to as ''Nongkhang Iruppa''.
The
2011 census of India places the Sanamahi followers to be 8.19% of the total population of Manipur, India.
Official Status
On 5 August 2022, the
Manipur State Legislative Assembly
The Manipur Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Manipur.
See also
*Vidhan Sabha
*List of districts of Manipur
*State governments of India
*List of constituencies of the Manipur Legislative Assembly
...
re affirmed a resolution to record the Sanamahi religion in the census data with a separate unique code as an officially recognised minority religion of India. In the past, on 31 July 2002 and on 1 August 2003, the Manipur State Legislative Assembly had adopted similar resolutions to allot a unique code for the religion but didn't get approved by the Central
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
.
In the previous decades, many social, religious and political activists, associations and organisations struggled through violent agitations and protests to include the Sanamahi religion as an officially recognised minority religion of India.
Practices
Many Sanamahi practices are focused on food offerings to deities, combined with hymns, as well as
oracular
An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination.
Description
The word ''or ...
ritual in which priestesses become possessed by a god or goddess. An offering formula to call up the gods, uttered by a priestess over a body of water during the
Lai Haraoba
Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with the Meitei people celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional Deity, deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meitei language, Meiteilon. In this festi ...
festival, goes:
Some esoteric practices are also a part of Sanamahism, such as the use of mantras for various purposes. The mystical text ''Sanamahi Naiyom'' provides several formulas, such as a mantra that is believed to stop rain.
Religious festivals
*
Sanamahi Ahong Khong Chingba
Sanamahi Ahong Khong Chingba or Sanamahi Cheng Hongba or Kang Chingba is the religious festival of Meitei people, associated mainly with the public procession with the grand chariot, housing the ancient Meitei deity Lainingthou Sanamahi. The Im ...
*
Lai Haraoba
Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with the Meitei people celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional Deity, deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meitei language, Meiteilon. In this festi ...
*
Mera Hou Chongba
*
Mera Chaorel Houba
*
Kwaak Taanba
*
Yaoshang
Yaosang is a festival celebrated in Manipur for five days in spring, starting on the full moon day of the month of Lamda (February–March). Yaosang is indigenous traditions of the Meitei people.
It is considered the most important festival ...
*
Panthoibi Iratpa
Panthoibi Iratpa or Panthoibi Iraat Thouni or Panthoibi Puja is a religious festival of the Manipuri people dedicated to goddess Panthoibi, the goddess of courage, war, bravery and wisdom of Sanamahism (Manipuri religion). The festival falls o ...
*
Imoinu Iratpa
Imoinu Iratpa or Emoinu Iratpa or Waakching Taranithoini Paanba is the religious festival of lights dedicated to the Meitei Goddess Imoinu Ahongbi. The festival is celebrated by the Meitei people following Sanamahism, especially in Manipur. The ...
*
Sajibu Cheiraoba
Sajibu Nongma Pānba, also called Meetei Cheiraoba or Sajibu Cheiraoba, is the lunar new year festival of the people who follow the religion of Sanamahism in the Indian state of Manipur. The name Sajibu Nongma Pānba derives from the Manipur ...
*
Heikru Hidongba
Deities
Main deities
There are five main deities in Sanamahism:
*
Asheeba: Protector and guardian god of mankind.
*
Atingaa Koilou Sitapa:
Creator of the
Universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. Acc ...
.
*
Apanba: Ruler of the universe and destroyer of evil.
*
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 ...
: Earth Goddess.
*
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 ...
: An incarnation of Leimarel, and a goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Related deities
Besides the five main deities, there are innumerable gods and goddesses, playing significant roles in the ancient pantheon, as well as in
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 ...
. Examples include
Panthoibi
)
, deity_of = Goddess of civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom
, member_of = Lairembis and Umang Lais
, image = PANTHOIPI.jpg
, alt =
, caption = Goddess Panthoipi char ...
,
Lainingthou Nongpok Ningthou,
Lainingthou Koubru,
Ibudhou Marjing
)
, texts = Kangjeirol, Leithak Leikharol
, gender = Male
, Greek_equivalent = Ares
, Roman_equivalent =
, Etruscan_equivalent =
, Christian_equivalent =
, Slavic_equivalent =
, Hinduism_equivalent =
, ...
,
Thongalel
)
, planet =
, weapon =
, battles =
, artifacts =
, animals =
, symbol =
, adherents =
, height =
, age =
, ...
,
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 ...
,
Eputhou Thangjing,
Kounu,
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 ...
, and
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 ...
.
Umang Lai
Besides, there are other deities associated with
sacred groves
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 an ...
called
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 ...
including Konthoujam Lairembi gi Khubam, Ima Tamphaton Petangaa and
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 ...
groves.
Ancestral deities
There are also deities for each clan (Yek Salai) and family (
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 ...
), 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 ...
.
Divine figures
Though Sanarembi is not a deity, she is a divine figure in the religious chanting of hymns in
Lai Haraoba
Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with the Meitei people celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional Deity, deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meitei language, Meiteilon. In this festi ...
festival.
See also
*
Lai Haraoba
Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with the Meitei people celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional Deity, deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meitei language, Meiteilon. In this festi ...
*
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 ...
*
Lists of creatures in Meitei folklore
Meitei people, being the predominant ethnic group in the Himalayan kingdom of Manipur, has diverse cultural contacts with diverse communities of other nations since ancient times. The case is the same with Meitei folklore as well as Meitei cultu ...
*
Lists of deities in Sanamahism
Sanamahism (Meitei religion) is a polytheistic religion with thousands of deities, gods and goddesses of varying power, quality, features, and character.
The religion originated in the Kingdom of Manipur, and is still practiced in modern Manip ...
*
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 ...
*
Puya (Meitei texts)
The Puyas ( mni, ꯄꯨꯌꯥ) are archaic Meitei language manuscripts. They encompass a wide spectrum of themes including genealogy, literature, history, royalties, administration, creation and cosmology, philosophy, poetry, religious beliefs ...
*
Sanamahi creation myth
The Sanamahi creation myth is the traditional creation myth of Sanamahism, a religion of the Meitei, Chothe, Komhreng, Kabui, Anāl, and, before their conversion to Christianity, Tangkhul people in Manipur, India.
Koubru, the first pla ...
*
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 ...
References
Footnotes
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
{{Religion topics
Indian religions
Meitei culture
Religion in Manipur
Religion in South Asia
Asian ethnic religion
Animism
Shamanism