Nungthel Leima is a goddess 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, ...

. She is an adopted daughter of God

Koupalu Koupalu (also, Koubaru or Koubru) is a primordial deity in Meitei mythology and religion. He is the Guardian of the North West direction. Legend says he is the founder of civilization in Ancient Manipur, starting from the Mount Koubru, a pea ...

(

Koubru Koupalu (also, Koubaru or Koubru) is a primordial deity in Meitei mythology and religion. He is the Guardian of the North West direction. Legend says he is the founder of civilization in Ancient Manipur, starting from the Mount Koubru, a pea ...

) and Goddess Kounu.Session, North East India History Association (1995). Proceedings of North East India History Association. The Association. p. 96. She is a wife of God

Loyalakpa Loyalakpa ( mni, ꯂꯣꯌꯥꯂꯥꯛꯄ), also spelt as Loyarakpa ( mni, ꯂꯣꯌꯥꯔꯥꯛꯄ), is a God in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur). He is best known for wrestling ( mni, Mukna Kangjei) wit ...

. She is regarded as the deity of the Khunjahanba. She is one of the incarnations of

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 ...

Etymology

The name "Thoudu Nungthel Leima" (ꯊꯧꯗꯨ ꯅꯨꯡꯊꯦꯜ ꯂꯩꯃ, /tʰəu.du núŋ.tʰel lə́i.ma/) or "Thoudu Nungthen Leima" (ꯊꯧꯗꯨ ꯅꯨꯡꯊꯦꯟ ꯂꯩꯃ, /tʰəu.du núŋ.tʰen lə́i.ma/) is made up of three

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 ...

words, "Thoudu Nung" (ꯊꯧꯗꯨ ꯅꯨꯡ, /tʰəu.du núŋ/), "Thel" (ꯊꯦꯜ, /tʰel/) or "Then" (ꯊꯦꯟ, /tʰen/) and "Leima" (ꯂꯩꯃ). In

(

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 ...

), "Thoudu Nung" (ꯊꯧꯗꯨ ꯅꯨꯡ, /tʰəu.du núŋ/) means "stone". This term is typically used in poems and verses. In

(

), "Thel" (ꯊꯦꯜ, /tʰel/) or "Then" (ꯊꯦꯟ, /tʰen/) means "to display" or "to show". In

(

), "Leima" (ꯂꯩꯃ, /lə́i.ma/) means "queen". The word "Leima" (ꯂꯩꯃ, /lə́i.ma/) itself is made up of two words, "Lei" (ꯂꯩ, /lə́i/) and "Ma" (ꯃ, /ma/). "Lei" (ꯂꯩ, /lə́i/) means "land" and "Ma" (ꯃ, /ma/) means "mother".

Description

Goddess Thoudu Nungthel Leima is described as the deity of the Khunjahanba. ''Khunjahanba'' means "the first villager" or "the first citizen of a place". In

(

), "khunja" (ꯈꯨꯟꯖꯥ, /kʰun.ja/) means "a villager". Morphologically, "khunja" (ꯈꯨꯟꯖꯥ, /kʰun.ja/) is divided into "khun" (ꯈꯨꯟ, /kʰun/) and "-ja" (ꯖꯥ, /ja/). "Khun" (ꯈꯨꯟ, /kʰun/) means "village" and "-ja" (ꯖꯥ, /ja/) literally means "offspring". In

(

), "Ahanba" (ꯑꯍꯥꯟꯕ, /ə.han.bə/) means "the first" or "the initial".

Mythology

Birth, adoption and naming

Goddess

incarnated herself as a little girl and laid herself on a stone slab in the riverbed. On the same day, God Koubru and Goddess Kounu were walking in a nearby place. God Koubru got very thirsty. So, he went down the riverside to drink water. He found the girl on the river bed. Koubru shouted three times asking if there was anyone for the baby girl. Since no one responded, Koubru and Kounu brought the girl to their divine home. The girl was adopted as their own daughter. She was given three names. She was named "Ipok Leima" ("Eepok Leima") because she was found in the stream. She was also named "Thoudu Nungthel Leima" because she was found lying on the stone slab. She was given her final name as "Taipang Nganpi" ("Taibang Nganbi") because she was beautiful as well as bright.

Husband and suitor

Nungthel Leima is married to God

. However, she was once admired by God

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 ...

. Once Khoriphaba was offered a chance by God Koubru to choose any lady of his own desire from the latter's place. Unfortunately, Goddess Nungthel Leima was chosen by Khoriphaba. But since Nungthel Leima was already married, God Koubru could not give Khoriphaba the chosen lady. Koubru did not want to take back his own words. So, he asked Khoriphaba to choose a lady once again but he should do it blindfolded. Blindfolded Khoiriphaba tried to choose but could not get Goddess Nungthel Leima. This event is enacted by the

maibi Maibi are the priestess of Manipur Kingdom commonly known for performing religious rites. They are considered as Shamanism, shamans as well as Midwife, midwives. They possess various skills of religious activities and ancient medicinal knowledge. ...

s in the

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 ...

festival till present times.

Festival

The sacred

festival is annually celebrated in honor of goddess Thoudu Nungthel Leima, besides other deities.

Cults and pantheons

On 19 January 2018, a newly constructed temple of Ema Nungthel Leima was inaugurated at ''Top Siphai'' by Oinam Lukhoi, the then MLA of Wangoi Assembly Constituency. During the inaugural event, Oinam Lukhoi announced on the proposals to Manipur State Government to re-develop the existing sacred temples in the Wangoi AC, including other temples of goddess Nungthel Leima.

In popular culture

''Nungthel Leima Tollomkhombada Thajaba'' is a book written by Naoroibam Khamba. It was released on 17 January 2021.

References

External links

* {{Sanamahi1 Abundance deities Abundance goddesses Asian deities Asian goddesses Beauty deities Beauty goddesses Fortune deities Fortune 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 Mountain deities Mountain goddesses Names of God in Sanamahism Nature deities Nature goddesses Peace deities Peace goddesses