() , 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 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, ...

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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 ...

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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 , 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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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 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 ...

) , language = Classical Meitei , liturgy = , headquarters = , territory = , possessions = , recognition = , merger = , absorbed = , separations = , merged_into = , defunct = , congregations_type = , congregations = , number_of_followers = approx. 235,000 , ministers_type = , ministers = , missionaries = , churches = , hospitals = , nursing_homes = , aid = , primary_schools = , secondary_schools = , tax_status = , tertiary = , other_names = , publications = , website = , website_title1 = , slogan = , logo = , module = , 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 of

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 (M ...

, 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

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. Sanamahi temple inside Kangla Fort, Imphal East, Manipur

Sanamahi temple inside Kangla Fort, Imphal East, Manipur

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 – among the Meitei people. Opponents and rebel groups have sought to revive Sanamahism and related practices to emphasize the

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 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 The Meitei script ( mni, Meitei Mayek)() or the Meetei script ( mni, Meetei Mayek) () is an abugida used for the Meitei language, the official language of Manipur state of India. Its earliest known evidence of existence dates back to the 6th ce ...

, 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 deities of Sanamahism. Translated, Lai Haraoba means ''merry making of the Gods'' in Meiteilon. In this festival, the people worship ...

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 ...

Mera Hou Chongba Mera Hou Chongba or Mera Waayungba or Mera Thaomei Thaanba is the cultural festival of solidarity of Manipur, celebrated by every indigenous ethnic groups, including the Meitei people and the rest of hilly tribes. The day falls on the 15th lunar ...

Mera Chaorel Houba Mera Chaorel Houba or Mera Chaoren Houba is the religious festival of Manipur, dedicated to the Lord Lainingthou Sanamahi and Leimarel Sidabi, celebrated by the Meitei people and the indigenous tribal communities of the hills. The day falls on ...

Kwaak Taanba Kwaak Taanba or Kwaak Jatra or Loidam Kumsaba or Crow freeing festival is an indigenous festival of Manipur, in which the King of Manipur sets free of a crow, from his custody. The day falls on the 10th lunar day of Mera month of the Meitei calen ...

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 *

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 Manipuri ...

Heikru Hidongba "Heikru Hidongba" (Manipuri boat racing festival) is a socio-religious ceremony performed every year at the moat of the Sagolband Bijoy Govinda Leikai, Imphal on the 11th day of the Meitei calendar month Langban (coinciding with September) with e ...

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. *

: 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 frequently ...

: 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 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 peak ...

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,

Eputhou Thangjing Thangching or Thangjing is a primordial deity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak (Antique Manipur). He is the ruling deity of the Moirang dynasty of Ancient Moirang. He rules supreme on the banks of the landlocked sea, Lo ...

Kounu Kounu is a goddess in Meitei mythology and religion of ancient Kangleipak ( ancient Manipur). She is a consort of the god Koupalu. She is the guardian of the northern direction. Kounu has two homes. Her main home is on Mount Kounu. Her other ...

, 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.

Umang Lai

Besides, there are other deities associated with sacred groves 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 languages, Kuki-Chin subgroup of northeastern India. It may be intelligible with Aimol language, ...

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

festival.

References

Footnotes

Sources

* * * * * * * *

External links

{{Religion topics Indian religions Meitei culture Religion in Manipur Religion in South Asia Asian ethnic religion Animism Shamanism