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Many Chings ( Meitei for ' hills and mountains ') 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 ( Meitei for ' Manipur ').
Terms in Meitei language (officially called 'Manipuri') | Translation(s) | Notes/References |
---|---|---|
"Ching" (Meitei : ꯆꯤꯡ) | either a hill or a mountain | [1] |
"Cingjāo" (Meitei : ꯆꯤꯡꯖꯥꯎ, lit. 'hill/mountain‑to be large') | a high mountain | [1] |
"Cingdum" (Meitei : ꯆꯤꯡꯗꯨꯝ, lit. 'hill‑sth rounded') | a hillock; mound | [1] |
"Cingsāng" (Meitei : ꯆꯤꯡꯁꯥꯡ, lit. 'hill/mountain‑to be long') | the range of a hill or mountain | [1] |
In Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism), the Heingang Ching (Meitei : ꯍꯩꯉꯥꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ) is a sacred mountain and the home of God Marjing, the ancient Meitei deity of Sagol Kangjei ( Meitei for ' polo '), Khong Kangjei ( Meitei for ' hockey ') and Meitei horse (Manipuri pony). [2] [3]
The Government of Manipur developed Marjing Polo Statue, the world's tallest equestrian statue of a player of Sagol Kangjei ( Meitei for ' polo game'), riding a Meitei horse (Manipuri pony), [4] [2] standing inside the Marjing Polo Complex, the sacred sports site dedicated to God Marjing, which is on the hilltop of the Heingang Ching, being historically, mythologically and religiously associated with the game of polo (Meitei : Sagol Kangjei). [5] [6] It is built to commemorate the game of "modern polo" being originated from Kangleipak ( Meitei for ' Manipur '). [7]
The Koupalu Ching (Meitei : ꯀꯧꯄꯂꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ), also known as the Koubaru Ching (Meitei : ꯀꯧꯕꯔꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ) or the Koubru Ching (Meitei : ꯀꯧꯕ꯭ꯔꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ), in the Northwest of Kangleipak, is a sacred mountain and a divine abode of Koupalu (Koubru), the ancient Meitei deity, who protects the Northwest direction. Innumerable shrines and holy sites dedicated to Him are located in its mountainous realms, where Meitei people regularly visit and worship Him. Many ancient Meitei language texts including but not limited to the Chinglon Laihui, the Chinggoirol, the Chingsatlon, the Nunglon mentioned about the Koupalu Ching (Koubru Ching). [8]
The "Kounu Ching" (Meitei : ꯀꯧꯅꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ, lit. 'Mount Kounu'), located in the Senapati district of Manipur, is a sacred mountain as well as a divine abode of ancient Meitei goddess Kounu, the consort of God Koupalu (Koubru). Numerous shrines and sacred sites dedicated to her are found scattered across the mountain. Meitei people regularly visit and worship her in her holy sanctuaries. [9]
The Langkol Chingkoipa (Langgol Chinggoiba) is an ancient Meitei language text which is a description for the Langkol Ching (Meitei : ꯂꯥꯡꯀꯣꯜ ꯆꯤꯡ), also called the Langgol Ching (Meitei : ꯂꯥꯡꯒꯣꯜ ꯆꯤꯡ), a hill situated in the north of Imphal. According to the text, the Langkol Ching is the first perfect creation of seven goddesses and eighteen gods. [10]
When Panthoibi, the Meitei princess, was sporting with her paramour Nongpok Ningthou, she reminded him of the crack of dawn and of the fear of them being seen by her mother-in-law Manu Tekngā. Henceforth the slope has been known as Chingnung Shoy.
And this is the place where Nungpan Choupri maintained his kiddle for which he laid a wooden beam across the stream and erected strong reeds densely beneath it to block the passage of fishes. He handed over regularly to his wife those caught in daytime. But for some successive nights no fish could be found in the trap for which his wife developed suspicion of his having illicit relation with another woman. He sincerely pleaded that some evil spirits might have gobbled them up during the night. The fisherman invoked the god of the sky to save him from this predicament. Blessed as he was, he kept a night-long vigil on the top of a tree and could dispel with his sharp sword a rabble of goblins who clambered up to devour him. Therefore the place took the name of Laihat Shoy and also Aham Shoy as the fisherman returned home with an empty creel.
The Nongmaiching Chingkoipa (also called, "Nongmaijing Chinggoiba") is an ancient Meitei language text. It describes the sprawling branches of the Nongmaiching mountain (Meitei : ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯏꯆꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ), which extends from the North to the South of the Imphal Valley of Kangleipak. [13] The opening lines of the text describes the Nongmaiching to a king as follows:
O King, the mountain situated in the east and beyond the river is the abode of Kainou Chingsomba, lord of the Langmais. They attain majestic heights, are washed by seven streams, project into nine ranges and abound with deep gorges and sun-drenched ridges... They catch first the sight of every onlooker and stand steadfast unshaken by great earthquakes as if held by strong iron pegs and with their peaks kissed by white flakes of cloud. Their slopes are smoothly carpeted green with pennyworts under the shadow of tall and robust plants of cane and they are also dotted with dense growth of tall reeds. And the gorges reverberate against the strong current of wind. Of these mountain ranges the bard would like to sing.
— Nongmaiching Chingkoipa (Nongmaijing Chinggoiba) [13]
Following these lines, the author describes on many cliffs, slopes and its peripheral areas of the Nongmaiching mountain. [13]
The "Panthoibi Naheirol" (Meitei : ꯄꯥꯟꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ ꯅꯥꯍꯩꯔꯣꯜ, romanized: pānthoibī nāheirōl) is an ancient Meitei language text. According to it, ancient Meitei goddess Panthoibi pretended to be unwell in front of her mother, just to make her mother call physician Nongpok Ningthou (her secret paramour) for the treatment of her fake illness. [14] While telling her mother about Nongpok Ningthou, princess Panthoibi mentioned the Nongmaiching (aka Langmai Ching) as follows:
As I told you there is one who is reigning supreme in the Langmai Hills on whose slope the sun shines first.
The Thangching Ching (Meitei : ꯊꯥꯡꯆꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ), also known as the Thangjing Ching (Meitei : ꯊꯥꯡꯖꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ), located in the Southwest of Kangleipak, is the divine abode of ancient Meitei god Thangching (Thangjing), the guardian deity of the southwestern direction. [15] Shrines dedicated to Him are built in the Thangching ching, where his devotees visit and worship Him regularly. [16]
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.
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.
Nongshaba, also spelled as Nongsaba, is a Lion God in Meitei religion (Sanamahism) and mythology. He is also regarded as a king of the gods. He is credited with producing light in the primordial universe and is regarded as the maker of the sun. He is worshipped by the people of both the Ningthouja clans as well as the Moirang clans. God Nongshaba was worshipped by the people of Moirang clan as a lineage deity and regarded as the father of God Thangching (Thangjing). He is the greatest of the Umang Lais in Ancient Kangleipak but he made his only son Thangching (Thangjing) the chief deity of Moirang.
Nongpok Ningthou, also known as Sovereign of the East or King of the East, is a deity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. He is the ruling guardian deity of the eastern direction. Legend says Nongpok Ningthou and Panthoibi got united in the Nongmaiching mountains. Later, they were worshipped as the civilization giving deities in Meitei religion.
Daughters of the Polo God is a 2018 Indian Meitei-English bilingual documentary film directed by Roopa Baruah and edited by Hemanti Sarkar. It is based on the story of girls and horses empowering each other. It is about saving the endangered Meitei horse and empowering women in the sport of polo simultaneously.
Loyalakpa, also spelt as Loyarakpa, is a God in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. He is best known for wrestling with Khoriphaba during the Lai Haraoba festival. He is the consort of goddess Thoudu Nungthel Leima. He is one of the ten kingly gods in Meitei religion.
Marjing is the God of horses, polo, hockey, sports and war in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. The guardianship of the north eastern direction is alluded to Marjing and the other directions to Koupalu, Thangching and Wangpulen. According to the legend, he invented the game of polo and introduced it as the national game. He and his divine creature, Samadon Ayangba, reside in the top of the Heingang Ching.
Thangching or Thangjing is a primordial deity in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. He is the ruling deity of the Moirang dynasty of Ancient Moirang. He rules supreme on the banks of the landlocked sea, Loktak lake. He is one of the four cardinal Umang Lais. The guardianship of the south western direction is alluded to Thangjing and the other directions to Koubru, Marjing and Wangbren.
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 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 Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong, officially known as the Laiyingthou Sanamahi Kiyong, is a temple of God Lainingthou Sanamahi of Meitei religion (Sanamahism), built on the Nongmaiching mountain in the Imphal East district of Kangleipak. It is a center of the Sanamahism followers in Manipur. It is the central body of the "Sanamahi Lainingkol" at Chingoi Maru Langmaiching (Nongmaiching).
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 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 Panthoibi Khonggul, often misspelled as Panthoibi Khongul, is an ancient Meitei language text, narrating about the quest of deified Meitei princess Panthoibi. The text highlights the love story of Panthoibi and her ultimate lover Nongpok Ningthou, after leaving her former husband's house. It is traditionally attributed to be written by Akoijam Tombi, during the reign of Meitei King Khongtekcha Yoiremba in c. 763 AD.
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.
Sagol Kangjei, also known as Sakol Kangchei, Shakol Kangchei, Shagol Kangjei, is a traditional Meitei game, resembling hockey, played on a Sagol with a long-handled Kangjei, or Kang-hu and a Kangdrum, usually in a Kangjeibung. It is the predecessorial as well as traditional form of modern polo in the intangible cultural heritage of Meitei civilization.
THE DONATIONS for the construction of Sanamahi Kiyong, which will be the central body of Sanamahi Lainingkol (University of Sanamahi Culture) at Chingoi Maru Langmaiching (Nongmaiching) is going on.