Hiyangthang | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Coordinates: 24°43′5″N93°54′2″E / 24.71806°N 93.90056°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Manipur |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (Indian Standard Time) |
| Pin Code | 795009 |
Hiyangthang is a town in Indian state of Manipur. It is best known for the Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple, a Meitei shrine dedicated to ancient Meitei goddess Irai Leima (aka Hiyangthang Lairembi). It is located in Imphal West district. [1]
The legend of ancient Meitei goddess Irai Leima (later known as Hiyangthang Lairembi) and her dedicated shrine Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple revolves around the region of Hiyangthang. In the legend, she was an exceptionally beautiful princess of Heibok Ching ( Meitei for 'Heibok mountains'). King Heibok Ningthou, her father was a master of wizards and black magicians. One day, King Kwakpa (Kokpa) of Khuman dynasty saw Irai Leima fishing and sporting in the Liwa river. He fell in love at first sight with her beauty. He proposed her. However, she told him that her parents' wish will be her wish. So, King Kwakpa and his subjects gave beautiful and precious gifts to King Heibok Ningthou to please him. [2] King Kwakpa decided to marry Irai Leima whether her father reject or accept the gifts. Seeing the immodesty of King Khuman Kwakpa, King Heibok Ningthou rejected all the presents and turned then into stones using his magic. King Kwakpa returned home disappointed. [3]
One day, King Kwakpa got drunk with a juice of the roots of Tera plant ( Bombax malabaricum ) and went to meet Irai Leima, riding on a Hiyang boat. Seeing him coming, Irai Leima fled to Pakhra Ching ( Meitei for 'Pakhra mountains'). King Kwakpa chased her. Seeing all these, King Heibok Ningthou turned the Hiyang boat into stone and the oar into a tree using his magic. [3] Getting furious, Kwakpa tried to kill Heibok Ningthou, which forced Heibok Ningthou to turn Khuman Kwakpa also into a stone. Irai Leima was frightened seeing everything and ran away from her own father, passing through the Pakhra Ching, crossing through the Liwa river and hiding herself inside the granary storehouse of Lord Sarangthem Luwangba of Luwang dynasty. When Lord Luwangba and his good lady Thoidingjam Chanu Amurei left the house for paddy fields, Irai Leima came out from her hideout and completed all the household works for them. Before the couple returned home, she went back to her hideout again. [3] The couple were surprised at this but it happened daily. So, one day, the man returned home earlier than normal timing and discovered the truth behind the mystery. But when he came near Irai Leima, she was gone below the grain storehouse. He saw nothing under the granary. He was confused at this. So, he discussed the matter with his clan members, searching her everywhere but didn't find her anymore. [3]
Irai Leima came to the dream of Lord Sarangthem Luwangba and told him that she merged herself into the Luwang clan and spiritually became his daughter. Luwangba narrated his dream's story to King Senbi Kiyamba of Ningthouja dynasty. The Ningthouja King sent maibas and maibis, who performed investigations and finally verified that the strange lady was a goddess and she should be worshipped. King Kiyaamba ordered Luwangba to worship her. From that very year onwards, princess Irai Leima was deified and worshipped as a Meitei goddess. [4]
The first day on which Luwangba saw Irai Leima was the first Monday of the Meitei lunar month of Lamta (Lamda). And the day on which the maibas and maibis examine the case was the first Tuesday of Lamta (Lamda), the next day. Still in present times, right from the reign of King Senbi Kiyamba (1467-1508 AD), the Sarangthem family members of Luwang clan annually organise a grand feast (Meitei : Chaklen Katpa) in honor of goddess Irai Leima. [4]
Pakhangba is a primordial deity, often represented in the form of a dragon, in Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is depicted in the heraldry of Manipur kingdom, which originated in paphal, mythical illustrations of the deity. It is believed that the ancestor of one of the Meitei clans manifested himself as the Pakhangba.
Luwang is one of the seven clans of the Meitei people. Luwang consists of several Yumnaks which are native peoples of ancient Kangleipak, one of the States of India.
Panthoibi, also known as Nongpok Leima, is a goddess associated with civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom in the mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. She is a consort of the God Nongpok Ningthou. She is considered to be one of the divine incarnations of Leimarel Sidabi and is also identified as a form of Goddess Nongthang Leima. She is worshipped mainly by the Meitei people in Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple is an ancient temple of Goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi of Meitei religion (Sanamahism). The sacred building is situated on the hilltop of Heibok Ching in the Hiyangthang, Manipur. Thousands of devotees thronged at the holy site during the festival time of Lai Haraoba of Sanamahism as well as Durga Puja of Hinduism.
Panthoibi Iratpa or Panthoibi Iraat Thouni or Panthoibi Eratpa is a religious festival of the Meitei people dedicated to Panthoibi, the ancient Meitei goddess of civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom of Sanamahism. It is celebrated on the first day of the Meitei lunar month of Mera, based on the traditional Meitei calendar. It usually, though not always, coincides with the day of the Hindu festival of Durga Puja, which is based on the Hindu calendar. So, both the festival are often celebrated together in Manipur, despite their religious differences. Goddess Panthoibi is syncretised with Hindu goddess Durga since 1714 AD during the reign of emperor Pamheiba when he made Hinduism as the official religion of the Kingdom of Manipur.
Irai Leima is a goddess in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. She is the goddess and the divine female personification of water and aquatic life. She is the consort of Irai Ningthou. Both are regarded as the divine spirits of water bodies. She is also considered to be in charge of diseases.
Khoriphaba is a God in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is the son of Sky God Salailen and the Goddess Konthoujam Tampha Lairembi. He came down from heaven to earth to search for his mother and then for a bride. He is best known for wrestling with Loyalakpa in the Lai Haraoba festival. He is also a Sagol Kangjei(polo)-playing God.
Dragons play a significant role in the legendary accounts of Meitei folklore, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology and Meitei religion (Sanamahism) of Ancient Kangleipak, Medieval Kangleipak and Modern Kangleipak.
Khamlangba is a deity in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is the God of iron, mining, metallurgy, steel manufacturing, hunting and war. His occupation is the extraction of the iron ores and the manufacture of steel. The Khamlangba Thenlon text mentions about his skills of iron metallurgy and blacksmith in ancient Kakching kingdom.
Panam Ningthou is a God in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is the protector of crops, especially rice, from hailstorms and thunder. According to legends, He ignited the first fire with flint. He is one of the Umang Lai deities.
Ichum Lairembi is a goddess in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. Her major cult centre of worship is located in Khurkhul.
The Pakhangba Temple, also known as the Pakhangba Laishang, is a Meitei temple dedicated to the God Pakhangba of Sanamahism, the traditional Meitei religion, located beside the Nungseng Eekon, to the left side of the Kangla Sanathong, the western gate of the Kangla Fort in the Imphal West district of Manipur.
In Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur, Kanglā shā is a sacred guardian beast with a lion's body and a two-horned dragon's head. It is a royal symbol of the Meitei royalties . The most remarkable statues dedicated to "Kangla Sa" stand inside the Kangla.
The ancient legend of Kadeng Thangjahanba and Tonu Laijinglembi is an epic cycle of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore from Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak. It concerns the fateful love of Kadeng Thangjahanba, a skilled blacksmith, for the beautiful Tonu Laijinglembi.
The ancient legend of Ura Naha Khongjomba and Pidonnu is an epic cycle of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore from the Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak. It concerns the love and adventures of the forgotten prince Ura Naha Khongjomba for the beautiful woman Pidonnu.
Luwang Ningthou Punshiba, shortly known as Luwang Punshiba, is a king of the Luwang dynasty of Ancient Manipur civilization. He is best known for his long life and outstanding wisdom in Manipuri folklore and history of Manipur.
Ningthou Kangba was a ruler of Ancient Kangleipak. He is traditionally seen as having invented Sagol Kangjei, the earliest form of the modern day polo sports. He was the son of King Tangja Leela Pakhangba (1445 BC-1405 BC) and Queen Sinbee Leima. He was the consort of Queen Leima Taritnu, daughter of a king named Nongpok Ningthou of the Nongmaiching Hill in the east of Imphal.
Jagoi refers to the arts of dance in Meitei culture.
