The Meitei people, Meetei people, or Manipuri people is an ethnic group native to Manipur. They form the largest and dominant ethnic group of Manipur in Northeast India. They speak the Meitei language, one of the 22 official languages of the Indian Republic and the sole official language of Government of Manipur. The Meiteis primarily settled in the valley areas in modern-day Manipur, though a sizeable population has settled in the other Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. There is also a notable presence of Meitei people in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
Sanamahism, Meiteism, or Lainingthouism is an ethnic religion of the Meitei people of Kangleipak in Northeast India. It is a polytheistic religion and is named after God Lainingthou Sanamahi, one of the most important deities of the Meitei faith. Sanamahi is the eldest son of the supreme god Yaibirel Sidaba and the supreme goddess Leimarel Sidabi. 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 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 in 662 AD.
Sanamahi Temple or Sanamahi Sanglen is a temple of Lainingthou Sanamahi, the supreme deity of Sanamahism. It is located in the Sanakhwa Yaima Kollup near Kangla Palace in Imphal West district of Manipur, India. It is one of the oldest temples in Asia. However, it is often confused with the Sanamahi Kiyong Temple, situated in the hilltop of the Nongmaiching Hill of Imphal East district of Manipur. It is one of the largest Kanglei temples in the state.
Laininthou Sanamahee 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 (Manipur). He is regarded as the most popular and significant divinity of Sanamahism. He is the brother of Pakhangba and Nongshaba. He is the eldest son of Creator God Saalailel Sitapa and Leimalel Sitapee, the protector of the Universe in Meetei mythology and philosophy and Mother Earth goddess Leimarel Sidabi.
Meitei architecture, sometimes also referred to as Manipuri architecture, is the architecture produced by the Meitei speaking people, whose culture flourished in the Kangleipak kingdom and its neighbouring kingdoms from the middle of the fifteenth century BC. The Meitei architecture is best known for its temples, found scattered in the Kangleipak. Other architectural forms that are still in existence are the grand gates (Hojang), Traditional houses (Yumjao), Public houses (Sanglen), Official buildings (Loishang), etc.
The Kangla Sanathong, also known as the Kangla Gate, is the western entrance gate to the Kangla Fort in Imphal West district of Kangleipak.
The Kangla Nongpok Torban is a recreation area, riverfront in the eastern bank of the Imphal River in Imphal, Kangleipak, India. It was developed under the aegis of the "Imphal Smart City Limited" along the bank of the Imphal River. With the length of approximately 700 metres (2,300 ft), it covers its area from the "Sanjenthong Bridge" in the South to the Nongpok Thong of Kangla Fort in the North.
Events in the year 2022 in Manipur
The Marjing Polo Statue is a colossal classical equestrian statue of a player of Sagol Kangjei, riding a Meitei horse, constructed at the Marjing Polo Complex, the sacred sports site dedicated to God Marjing, the ancient Meitei deity of polo and horses, in Heingang, Imphal East District, Kangleipak . It is the world's tallest statue of a polo player. It is built to commemorate the game of "modern polo" being originated from Kangleipak.
The Kangla Nongpok Thong, shortly known as the Nongpok Thong, is the Eastern Gate Bridge of the Kangla Fort of Imphal, Kangleipak . With the re-opening of the modern Eastern Gate of the Kangla, the Kangla Western Gate was closed forever, under the leadership of Nongthombam Biren, the then Chief Minister of Manipur, due to the traditional Meitei belief that the western gate is regarded as the gate of the dead and it is ominous to enter the Kangla through the western doorway.
The Marjing Polo Complex is a sports complex dedicated to ancient Meitei deity Marjing, Sagol Kangjei and Meitei horse, built in the hilltop of the Heingang Ching, the sacred abode of God Marjing, located in Heingang, Imphal East district, Kangleipak . It houses Marjing Polo Statue, the world's tallest equestrian statue of a polo player.
The Heingang Ching ), also known as the Meitei: Marjing Hill, is a hill in Heingang, Imphal East district of Kangleipak. In Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism), Heingang Ching is a sacred mountain and the home of God Marjing, the ancient Meitei deity of Sagol Kangjei, Khong Kangjei, and Meitei horse.
The Nongmaiching Ching, also known as the Selloi Langmai Ching, is a mountain in Imphal Valley, Manipur. It has an altitude of around 5,133 feet (1,565 m). It is a holy pilgrimage site for the Meitei people. In Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism), it is a sacred mountain and the abode of God Nongpok Ningthou and Goddess Panthoibi. In Meitei folklore, the Nongmaiching is described as the hill that produces "the seven days of a week".
The Nongmaiching Reserved Forest, also unofficially spelled as the Nongmaijing Reserved Forest, is one of the eight reserved forests of Imphal East district of Manipur. Covering an area of 67 square kilometers, it protects the forests of the Nongmaiching Ching mountains.
The Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple Board (LSTB) is a temple development board of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Temple, Haying Khongban Uphong Yumpham, Imphal West district of Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur'). It is dedicated not only to God Lainingthou Sanamahi and Goddess Leimarel Sidabi of Sanamahism, but also to the other ancient Meitei gods and goddesses of the traditional Meitei religion.
The International Sanamahism Students' Association (ISSA) (Meitei: Malem Sanamahi Laining Maheiroi Lup), also called the International Sanamahism Students' Association, Kangleipak (Meitei: Malem Sanamahi Laining Maheiroi Lup, Kangleipak), is an international non-governmental organization of students of Sanamahism (traditional Meitei religion). It gives its services to the conservation and the upraising of the practices of Sanamahism in the society. It also draws the attention to the government of Manipur state to take up essential steps to protect Sanamahism from getting extinct.
The Lainingthou Sanna Mahee Sanna Pung, Kangleipak, also known as the Lainingthou Sanamahi Sanapung (LSSP), is a non-governmental organization of the followers of the Sanamahism, dedicated to God Lainingthou Sanamahi and other ancient Meitei deities of Kangleipak.
The South East Asia Cultural Organisation (SEACO) is an international cultural organization that works for the development of the Meitei culture of Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur'). It aims to preserve the unique history, culture, identity, and religion of Manipur. It also advocates to take "extra caution about the issue of preservation of the cultural identity of the Indigenous people in the wake of the present globalization".
Many Chings play significant role in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology and Meitei religion (Sanamahism) of Kangleipak.
Sanamahism (Meitei religion)
India 
