) , deity_of = Chief Queen of the Underworld
Goddess of argument, justice, good counsel, divine law, order, retribution and secrecy , member_of = Lairembis and

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 Himalayas, ...

s , image = LAIKHULEMPI.jpg , alt = , caption = "Laikhulempi", the Ancient Meitei (

Old Manipuri 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 p ...

) name of goddess Laikhurembi, written in archaic Meetei Mayek abugida , other_names = , hiro = , Old_Norse = , script_name = , script = , affiliation =

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 tradit ...

(

Manipuri 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 tradit ...

) and

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) , ...

(

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) , ...

) , cult_center = Uripok town in

Imphal Imphal ( Meitei pronunciation: /im.pʰal/; English pronunciation: ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (also known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the ...

, abode = , venerated_in =

Court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to Adjudication, adjudicate legal disputes between Party (law), parties and carry out the administration of justice in Civil law (common law), civil, C ...

s , planet = , weapon = , battles = , artifacts = , animals = , symbol = , adherents = , height = , age = , tree = , day = , color = , number = , consort = Thongalen ( Thongaren) , father = Lai-ren Humchouba , siblings = , offspring = , predecessor = , successor = , army = , mount = , texts = Poireiton Khunthok , gender = Female , Greek_equivalent =

Themis In Greek mythology and religion, Themis (; grc, Θέμις, Themis, justice, law, custom) is one of the twelve Titan children of Gaia and Uranus, and the second wife of Zeus. She is the goddess and personification of justice, divine order, fa ...

Dike Dyke (UK) or dike (US) may refer to: General uses * Dyke (slang), a slang word meaning "lesbian" * Dike (geology), a subvertical sheet-like intrusion of magma or sediment * Dike (mythology), ''Dikē'', the Greek goddess of moral justice * Dikes, ...

, Roman_equivalent =

Justitia Lady Justice ( la, Iustitia) is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems. Her attributes are scales, a sword and sometimes a blindfold. She often appears as a pair with Prudentia. Lady Justice originates from the p ...

, Etruscan_equivalent = , Christian_equivalent = , Slavic_equivalent = , Hinduism_equivalent = , Canaanite_equivalent = , equivalent1_type = , equivalent1 = , equivalent2_type = , equivalent2 = , region =

Ancient Kangleipak The Manipur Kingdom was an ancient independent kingdom at the India–Burma frontier that was in subsidiary alliance with British India from 1824, and became a princely state in 1891. It bordered Assam Province in the west and Britis ...

(

Antique Manipur An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...

) , ethnic_group =

Meitei ethnicity 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 ...

, festivals =

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 worshi ...

Laikhurembi ( omp, Laikhulempi) is a goddess in

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 the goddess of justice, good counsel, divine law, order and secrecy.Folk Culture of Manipur - Page 194 - Moirangthem Kirti Singh · 1993 She is the chief Queen of God Thongaren ( omp, Thongalen). She is the daughter of Lairen ( Lai+

ren Ren or REN may refer to: Abbreviations * Orenburg Tsentralny Airport, IATA code REN, civil airport in Russia * Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), Portuguese company * Renanthera, abbreviated as Ren, orchid genus * Ringer equivalence number ...

) Humchouba. She is one of the divine 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 ...

. She is one of the most important

s. Her pantheon is maintained particularly by the Taibungjam clan of

Etymology

In Meitei language (

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 ...

), the female first name ''"Laikhurembi"'' can be split up into three parts, "Lai", "Khu" and "-rembi". The Meitei language word "Lai" has multiple meanings. It may mean a

god In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

or a deity or a

spirit Spirit or spirits may refer to: Liquor and other volatile liquids * Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks * Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol * Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...

or a

disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...

or a

picture An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...

or a

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

in noun form. "Lai" may mean easy in adjective form in Meitei language. The Meitei language term "Khu" also has many meanings. It may mean " narrow" or "not

wide WIDE or Wide may refer to: *Wide (cricket) *Wide and narrow data, terms used to describe two different presentations for tabular data *WIDE Project, Widely Integrated Distributed Environment *Wide-angle Infinity Display Equipment *WIDE-LP, a radio ...

" in adjective form. It may mean a

knee In humans and other primates, the knee joins the thigh with the human leg, leg and consists of two joints: one between the femur and tibia (tibiofemoral joint), and one between the femur and patella (patellofemoral joint). It is the largest join ...

in noun form. It may mean "to

kneel Kneeling is a basic human position where one or both knees touch the ground. Kneeling is defined as “to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor,” according to Merriam-Webster. Kneeling when only composed of one knee, and ...

" or "to

cough A cough is a sudden expulsion of air through the large breathing passages that can help clear them of fluids, irritants, foreign particles and microbes. As a protective reflex, coughing can be repetitive with the cough reflex following three ph ...

" in verbal form. According to "The History Of Manipur" written by Wahengbam Ibohal, the word Laikhurembi is Lai+Khu+rembi which is a combination of " Lai" and "Khu" surnames i.e. descendants from these two different groups of people. The last part "-rembi" means chief, head or graceful in feminine form.

History and Origin

According to the Poireiton Khunthok, Laikhurembi ( omp, Laikhulempi) was the chief queen of Thongaren ( omp, Thongalen). This book talks about her body in ways that show her personality. They say she had a wide mouth, which means she was loud or boastful. They say she had small breasts, which meant she used her heart less than she used her head; she was a thinking person and not a feeling person. They say she had sideways eyes, meaning she did not look at people straight on. Scholars think this queen may have had Asian ethnicity. Some scholars think Laikhurembi could come from a tribe that had both ''Lai'' and ''Khu'' people in it. Other scholars think "Laikhurembi" is just her title and not her name. Laikhurembi ( omp, Laikhulempi) is the daughter of Lai-ren Humchouba ( omp, Lai Len Hum Choupa, Shan: Hoom Chao Hpa). In Meitei language (

), "Lai-ren" means "Chief of Lai". In Meitei language, the word "Lai" has many meanings. Queen Laikhurembi was the first wife of King Thongaren ( omp, Thongalen). Then king asked her to marry his younger brother, Poireiton, instead, because Poireiton's wife had died. Poireiton was beginning a journey to Tai Pang Pan (old name of Manipur) and King Thongalel thought it would not be good for Poireiton to go without a wife. However, Laikhurembi did not want to go. Trees had already been planted to honor her as the King's wife. Instead of Laikhurembi, King

Thongalel ) , planet = , weapon = , battles = , artifacts = , animals = , symbol = , adherents = , height = , age = , ...

sent his second wife

Leinaotabi ) , deity_of = Goddess of charm, magic, sorcery, spell, weaving and witchcraft , member_of = Lairembis , image = LAINAOTAPI.jpg , alt = , caption = "Lainaotapi", the Ancient Meitei (Old Manipuri) name of the g ...

to accompany her brother in law Poireiton as a wife.

Description

The Goddess Laikhurembi had special powers. She was ''Yungyatnaba'' (lit. ''erect and sharp'') which meant she could see objects accurately no matter how far away they were. She could look at a person and see who he or she truly was inside. When she made a judgement, she would announce her

decision Decision may refer to: Law and politics * Judgment (law), as the outcome of a legal case *Landmark decision, the outcome of a case that sets a legal precedent * ''Per curiam'' decision, by a court with multiple judges Books * ''Decision'' (nove ...

wisely, and people got the right rewards for what they had done (''things given in recognition of service, effort or achievement''). No one could find the Goddess Laikhurembi unless she wanted them to find her. No matter how hard a person would look, she could hide and stay hidden.

Cult

There is a temple dedicated to Goddess Laikhurembi in Uripok town in

Imphal West district , native_name_lang = Meitei , other_name = omp, Nongchup Yumphal , nickname = , settlement_type = District of Manipur , image_skyline = Knagla fort, manipur, India 6.jpg , image_a ...

Manipur 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 ...

. During the

festival of Uripok, a

carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival ...

like atmosphere subdues the sacred traditional ritualistic ceremonies. During the noisy possession of the festive occasions, the

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

s dance in the gentle melodies of pena. The

s became possessed by the spirits when the music stopped and they delivered

oracle 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 wor ...

s. During this, the audiences listen to them very attentively.

References

External links

Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary. Laikhurembi
{{Sanamahi1 Abundance deities Abundance goddesses Arts deities Arts goddesses Asian deities Asian goddesses Beauty deities Beauty goddesses Fortune deities Fortune goddesses Justice deities Justice goddesses Knowledge deities Knowledge goddesses Leima Magic deities Magic goddesses Maintenance deities Maintenance goddesses Marriage deities Marriage goddesses Meitei gods and goddesses Names of God in Sanamahism Nature deities Nature goddesses Peace deities Peace goddesses Time and fate deities Time and fate goddesses Underworld deities Underworld goddesses Wisdom deities Wisdom goddesses