The Manipuri Religion, i.e., the religious culture of Manipur said
to be the oldest organized religion of south-east Asia.
Manipuri religion is Open, Universal in outlook and without any
founder prophet or any holy book. The deeply philosophical
Manipuri religion propounds the universal concept of
equality of mankind that all human made on the image of God, in
other word all human are made equal since there is only one
creator.
The
recorded history of Manipur commences from 33 A.D. onwards. The
cultural and social system, recorded in not less than 1,000 old
Meetei scriptures is a living testimony of the rich heritage
embodying Manipuri sciences, philosophy, ethics, aesthetics,
fabulous arts, and above all, the universal, casteless Manipuri
religion.
From the period before Christ upto the advent of Hinduism around
l8th century A.D., Early Manipuris were devotees of Supreme
Almighty God "Lainingthou Soralel" following the footprint of
their Godly ancestors. That particular kind of ancestor worship
and animism, with the central focus of worship on Umang Lai - that
is, local governing deities worshipped in sacred groves. The
religious life of the people, even when they have come much under
the influence of Hinduism, retains many characteristics inherited
from their prehistoric ancestors. The essentials of this religion
remain recognizable to the present day.
Manipuri faith synthesizes the essential truths of Buddhism,
Vaishnavism, Christianity and the tribal religion assimilating
into one and pursuing the ultimate truth and godhood in such a way
as if they belonged to it as its different aspects and parts.
Sanamahi Leining, the ancestor worship, the Burmese Buddhism and
the Hindu cults have been welded together in Manipuri Religion,
whose aim is he ralization of God and its reflection in human
beings.
This compilation mainly based on certain works on Meetei Religion
and Faith by some eminent Manipuri scholars, including research
works of some Indian writers and some foreign writers as well.
Also several Meetei and Bishnupriya inhabited areas in Assam,
Tripura and Bangladesh were surveyed to investigate the doctrines
and practices of the people. I have discussed and taken interviews
of more than 1000 old members, members of social organizations,
women's groups, priests and priestesses, Manipuri Bamons, farmers,
weavers, goldsmiths and custodians of sacred texts.
A limited attempt to set up a link between the traditional
Manipuri Gods with Hindu Gods may be found in some works of
Manipuri writers. The process of detection should be viewed with
the facility of Hindu Gods to absorb and become identified with
local Gods. The ideas have been taken up by those Manipuri writers
who were involved to establish a Vedic or Hindu ancestry of them,
the theories are also mentioned here along with the name of the
writers/researchers name.
SOURCES AND REFERENCES:
Religious developments
in Manipur in 18th and 19th century by
Dr. M. Kirti Singha
1980
Religion and Culture of Manipur by Dr. M. Kirti Singha, 1988
The
Religion of Manipur by Saroj Nalini Parratt, 1980
My
Experience in Manipur and Naga Hills by Johnstone, J. 1896
The
Meitheis by T.C. Hodson, Delhi, 1972
The
Naga Tribes of Manipur by T.C. Hodson, Delhi, 1982
The
Bishnupriya Manipuris by Dr. K.P. Sinha , 1984
Prabondha Mala (part 1, Part 2 and part 3) Dr. K.P. Sinha
, 1990
An
etymological Dictionary of Bishnupriya Manipuri by Dr. K.P. Sinha
, 1978
The
Bishnupriya Manipuris &Their Language by Singha J.M. & Singha
Birendra,1975
Manipuri to Manipuri and English Dictionary by N. Khelachandra
Singh, 1964
The
Religious Beleif of Ancient Manipur by W. Yumjao Singh,
Imphal, 1st Edn.,1966
An
Early History of Manipur by W. Yamjao Singh, 1966
Introduction to Manipur by L. Ibunghal Singh, 1987
Manipur Itihas by Sri Atombapu Sharma, Part 2
Traces of Pre-Hindu in Meitei society by Singh, K.B., 1964
Khumal Puran by Pandit Navakhendra Sharma translated by Navadip
Singha
Bijoy Panchali - Edited by L. Mani singh and Shri Mangi Singh /
part II
Cheitharol Kumbaba edited by L. Ibungohal Singh and N.
Khelachandra Singh, Imphal 1967
Ningthourol Lambuba edited by O, Bhogeshwar Singh, Imphal 1967
Oikhoi Meetei, Published by Meetei Marup,Imphal, 1965
... Vaisnavism came to Manipur without any infiltration to the old
Manipuri (Meitei) Culture and faith of the ancient time. We can see the
two different faiths the Vaisnavism and the Meiteism mingling and going
together in this culturally fertile land..
...Sacred groves, or Umang Lais, as they are called in the Meetei
language, are an integral part of the Manipuri tradition of nature
worship. About 364 sacred groves are reported to be present in
Manipur...
...Meitei revivalist (Sanamahi Culture) movement among Meiteis has
started during the beginning of fourth decade of the last century.The
first ever Meitei Sanamahi revivalist group came into existence under
the leadership of LAININGHAL NAORIA FULO (1888-1941 AD) at Cachar,
Assam...
...This is shown by the fact that, no matter how hard-liner a Meitei who
follows Hinduism might be, there is always a place customarily preserved
for Ebudhou Sanamahi and Leimrel Sidabi Ebendhou, at least...
...We Meitei have been worshiping and devoted to the Supreme Almighty
God `Lainingthou' and, since 1709 when even three generations have not
been completed most of us had been forcefully converted to Hinduism with
distress warrant and under duress by the then Meitei King in connivance
with one Hindu (Bengali) hermit...
SOURCES AND REFERENCES: