Archive:Sanamahism

2019-11-04T05:00:30Z

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{{short description|Religious or philosophical tradition of Meetei origin}}
{{About|the Sanamahism religion|consideration of ethnic, historic and cultural aspects of the Sanamahist identity|Meetei}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox religious group
| group = Sanamahism (ꯁꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤꯖꯝ)
| flag =
| flag_caption =
| image = The Symbol of Sanamahi.svg
| image_caption = The Symbol of Sanamahism (Source:Wakoklon Heelel Thilen Salai Amailon Pukok Puya)
| population = approx. 235,000<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_data_finder/C_Series/Population_by_religious_communities.htm 2001 Census]</ref>
| founder =
| regions = [[Manipur]], [[India]]
| tablehdr =
| region1 =
| pop1 =
| ref1 =
| region2 =
| pop2 =
| ref2 =
| region3 =
| pop3 =
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| religions =
| scriptures = [[PuYa|PuYa written in Meitei Mayek]] (Manipuri)
| languages =
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| notes =
}}

'''Sanamahism''' ({{lang-mni|ꯁꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡ}}) is an [[animism|animistic]], ancestor worshipping, [[Shaman]]-led religious tradition found among the [[Meitei people|Meitei]] people in [[Manipur]] state of [[India]].<ref name=bertil113>{{cite book|author=Bertil Lintner|title=Great Game East: India, China, and the Struggle for Asia's Most Volatile Frontier|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0fLOBwAAQBAJ|year=2015|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-19567-5|page=113}}</ref>{{sfn|Otojit Kshetrimayum|2009|pp=17-34}} The term is derived from ''Sanamahi'' (''lit.'' "Spreading like liquid everywhere"), the most important Meitei deities.{{sfn|Saroj Nalini Parratt|1974|pp=17-18}} The details of the identity of [[Lainingthou Sanamahi]] – sun, fire, or an aspect of Sidaba Mapu – along with other aspects of the Sanamahism beliefs, practices and the history, are unclear and disputed. Broadly, Sanamahism worship elements of nature, such as fire, water and mountains, with a notable temple and worship rituals at the Loi village of [[Andro, Imphal East|Andro]], east of [[Imphal]], according to Bertil Lintner.<ref name=bertil113/> Along with Sanamahi, in the past, religious space within Meitei homes called ''Sanamahi Kachin'' were dedicated to Leimaren and Phungga. This is no longer seen in modern Meitei families who identify with Sanamahism.{{sfn|Saroj Nalini Parratt|1974|pp=17-18}}

==Origin==
The term '''Sanamahism''' is neither found in historic literature of northeast India, nor in Myanmar. The first mentions are found in the [[Cheitharol Kumbaba]] records of the 18th-century Manipuri king [[Pamheiba]] (later named as Garibniwaz), which mentions the ritual of drinking ''yu'' (fermented rice beer) and feasting before a deity.{{sfn|Saroj Nalini Parratt|1974|pp=17-18}} The Sanamahi deity is likely more ancient than the 18th-century, and was known by other names such as '''Taibang Khaiba''' and '''Laiwa Haba''', but this is uncertain and lacks literary or archaeological evidence.{{sfn|Saroj Nalini Parratt|1974|pp=19-21}}
[[File:Sanamahi temple inside Kangla Fort, Imphal East, Manipur.jpg|thumb|left|A recently built Sanamahi temple, Kangla Fort, Imphal East, Manipur]]

==Description ==
'''Sanamahism''' is a folk religion and a variant of [[shamanism]].{{sfn|Otojit Kshetrimayum|2009|pp=17-34}} It competes with and co-exists with [[Vaishnavism]] – a tradition of Hinduism – among the [[Meitei people|Meitei]] people. Opponents and rebellious groups have sought to revive Sanamahism and related practices to emphasize the [[Manipur]]i heritage, along with seeking a ban on Bengali language movies and replacing it with English language entertainment broadcast from [[South Korea]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Bertil Lintner|title=Great Game East: India, China, and the Struggle for Asia's Most Volatile Frontier|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0fLOBwAAQBAJ|year=2015|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-19567-5|pages=142-143}}</ref>{{sfn|Otojit Kshetrimayum|2009|pp=17-34}}

== Etymology ==
'''Sanamahism''' is also known as '''Sanamahi Laining''', for it originated from the ancient kingdom of Kangleipak.{{cn|date=September 2019}}

== Revival ==
Sanamahism is revived after a long period of 4 centuries slumber, currently occupying 8℅ of Manipur's religion population according to 2011 census.

== Deities ==
{{Main|Lists of deities in Sanamahism|Kanglei mythology}}
===Prime Deities ===
There are''' five prime deities''' in '''Sanamahism, '''viz.
* '''[[Lainingthou Sanamahi]]''' : He is the King of the gods.
* '''[[Kuru (mythology)|Atingkok Maru Sidaba]]''' : He is the Creator of the [[Universe]].
* '''[[Pakhangba]]''' : He is the supreme deity.
[[File:Pakhangba.jpg|thumb|Pakhangba,the serpent deity]]
[[File:Flag of Manipur.svg|thumb|Pakhangba in the flag of Manipur]]
* '''Leimarel Sidabi''' : She is the supreme Goddess.
* '''[[Imoinu Ahongbi]] aka [[Emoinu]]''' : Though she is an incarnation of '''Goddess Leimarel''', she herself is a '''Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity'''.

===Others===
Besides, there are '''thousands of deities''' worshipped, including the following:
* '''[[Polo]] Deity Lord Marjing''' and his stead '''Shamadon Ayangba'''.[[Lists of Creatures in Meitei Folklore|See Here]].
* [[Sky God]] '''Soraren'''
* [[Sun God]] '''Korou Hanba'''
* [[Lion]] God '''Nongshaba'''

[[File:Uttra sanglen.jpg|thumb|Kanglasha, aka Nongshaba, at Kangla]]
* Goddess of Power,''' Panthoibi'''

===Forest Deities ===
Besides, there are other deities associated with [[sacred groves]] including:
* '''Ima Tamphaton Petangaa'''
* '''Chothe Thangwai Pakhangba'''

===Ancestral Deities ===
{{Main|Apokpa}}
Besides, there are deities for each clans (Yek Salai) as well as families ([[Yumnak]]) called [[Apokpa]].

===Divine Figures===
Though '''Sanarembi''' is not a deity, she is a divine figure in the religious chanting of hymns in '''[[Lai Haraoba]]''' festival.

==See also==
* [[Sanamahi creation myth]]
*[[Lists of Creatures in Meitei Folklore]]
* [[Lists of deities in Sanamahism]]
* [[PuYa|Sacred books of Sanamahi religion]]
* [[Sarnaism]] – a tribal folk religion found in the eastern states of India
* [[Lainingthou Sanamahi]]
*[[Shamanism]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation|title= Women and Shamanism in Manipur and Korea: A Comparative Study| author= Otojit Kshetrimayum| journal= Indian Anthropologist| volume= 39| number= 1/2|year = 2009| pp= 17-34|jstor= 41920088}}
* {{citation | last = Kshetrimayum | first = Otojit | year = 2014 | title = Ritual, Politics and Power in North East India: Contextualising the Lai Haraoba of Manipur | publisher = Ruby Press & Co. | isbn = 978-93-82395-50-8 }}
* {{citation | last = Hodson | first = T.C. | year = 2015 | title = The Meitheis | publisher = Ruby Press & Co. | isbn = 978-93-82395-56-0}}
* {{citation| title= The Religion of Manipur: Beliefs, Rituals and Historical Development| author= Saroj Nalini Parratt | year= 1974| publisher=Australian National University Press}}
* {{citation| title= The Second 'Women's War' and the Emergence of Democratic Government in Manipur| author1= Saroj N. Arambam Parratt |author2= John Parratt| journal = Modern Asian Studies| volume= 35| number = 4| year= 2001| pp= 905-919| jstor=313195}}
*{{citation| title= Writing the Body: Cosmology, Orthography, and Fragments of Modernity in Northeastern India| author = Sohini Ray| journal= Anthropological Quarterly| volume= 82| number=1| year=2009| pp= 129-154| jstor= 25488260}}
* {{citation | last = Singh | first = Dr. Saikhom Gopal | year = 2015 | title = The Meeteis of Manipur: A Study in Human Geography | publisher = Ruby Press & Co. | isbn = 978-93-82395-21-8}}
* {{citation | last = Singh | first = Dr. Saikhom Gopal | year = 2015 | title = Population Geography of Manipur | publisher = Ruby Press & Co. | isbn = 978-93-82395-25-6}}
{{refend}}

{{Religion topics}}

[[Category:Sanamahism]]
[[Category:Indian religions]]
[[Category:Meitei culture]]
[[Category:Religion in Manipur]]
[[Category:Religion in South Asia]]

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Archive:Sanamahism