Manimekhala Explained

Manimekhala (Pali: Maṇīmekhalā) is a goddess in the Hindu-Buddhist mythology. She is regarded as a guardian of the seas, namely the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as part of the mythology of Southeast Asia. She was placed by Cātummahārājika to protect virtuous beings from shipwreck.^[1] She appears in several Buddhist stories including the Mahanipata Jataka (Mahajanaka Jataka), in which she rescues Prince Mahajanaka from a shipwreck.^[2]

Etymology

In Pali, Pali: maṇīmekhalā refers to a girdle or belt of jewels. In Southeast Asia, she is known by various indigenized appellations, including as Mani Maykhala (Burmese: မဏိမေခလာ) in Burmese, as Moni Mekhala (Central Khmer: មណីមេខលា) or Neang Mekhala (Central Khmer: នាងមេខលា) in Khmer; as Mani Mekkhala (Thai: มณีเมขลา) in Thai.

In Mainland Southeast Asia

Archaeological evidence of Manimekhala in the form of reliefs has been found in Zothoke, Myanmar (near Bilin), dating to the first millennium AD.^[3]

Manimekhala is seen in wat paintings across Mainland Southeast Asia depicting scenes from the Mahajanaka. In Thailand and Cambodia, she is considered a goddess of lightning and the seas.

Manimekhala and Ramasura

The story of Manimekhala and Ramasura is mentioned many times in the classical literature of Cambodia and Thailand. It depicts Manimekhala along with Ramasura (usually considered a depiction of Parashurama) and Arjuna. According to legend, the phenomena of lightning and thunder is produced from the flashing of Manimekhala's crystal ball and the sound of Ramasura's axe as he pursues her through the skies.^{[4] [5]}

In Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, she is considered to be the sea goddess. In the Tamil epic poem, the Manimekalai, she puts the eponymous heroine to sleep and takes her to the island Maṇipallavam (Nainatheevu). In the mythic cycle of the god Devol, when the latter approaches Sri Lanka and his ship founders, it is Manimekhalai, on the instructions of the god Śakra, who conjures up a stone boat to save him.

Dance

In the classical dance traditions of Thailand and Cambodia, sacred dramatic dances depict the story of Manimekhala and Ramasura.

Cambodia

Thailand

In Thailand, the Mekkhala–Ramasun dance was performed as a boek rong ('prelude dance') introduction before main performances of lakhon nai or khon dances.^{[7] [8]}

In modern usage

• The popular Burmese pop singer Maykhala derives her stage name from Manimekhala.
• Her name was contributed by Thailand for tropical cyclone names occurring as Tropical Storm Mekkhala in 2002, 2008, 2015, and 2020. Also, one award given to the television industry in Thailand since 1980 is called the Mekkhala Award.

See also

• Manimekalai, a Tamil epic from India, about the titular character who becomes a Buddhist nun
• Jataka tales, from Khuddaka Nikāya
• Mahanipata Jataka
• Robam Moni Mekhala
• Mazu, Chinese Goddess of Sea
• Nyai Roro Kidul, Queen of Southern Sea worshipped by Javanese and Sundanese in Indonesia

External links

• The Goddess and the Ogre - A Cambodian Legend

Notes and References

1. G.P. Malalasekera. Dictionary of Pali Proper Names: Pali-English. Asian Educational Services, 2003
2. [Anne E. Monius|Anne Elizabeth Monius]
3. MOORE. ELIZABETH. WIN. SAN. 2007. The Gold Coast: Suvannabhumi? Lower Myanmar Walled Sites of the First Millennium A.D.. Asian Perspectives. 46. 1. 202–232. 0066-8435. 42928710.
4. Candelario. Rosemary. 2014-04-14. Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso Edited by Prumsodun Ok (review). Asian Theatre Journal. en. 31. 1. 324–326. 10.1353/atj.2014.0027. 160156947. 1527-2109.
5. Web site: Cambodian Folktales Southeast Asia Program. seap.einaudi.cornell.edu. 2019-11-22.
6. Cravath, Paul. Asian Theatre Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Autumn, 1986), pp. 179-203 (The Ritual Origins of the Classical Dance Drama of Cambodia) University of Hawai'i Press
7. Web site: เรียนรู้เรื่องรำไทย ระบำชุด เมขลารามสูร . natasinsamphan.com . 15 March 2020 . th.
8. กระบวนท่ารำของรามสูรในการแสดงเบิกโรงละครใน . Ramasura dance patterns in lakon nai dance prelude . master's thesis . Chulalongkorn University . Prasert Sontipong . 2002 . 974-17-2465-9.