Meiteism Explained

The 'Meitei Laining' is a term used to describe the original animistic religious belief system of the Meitei ethnicity in particular.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} It refers to the pre-Hindu faith of the Meitei ethnic group.^[5] It incorporates various teachings from the Meitei scriptures.^[6] Meitei Laining is a large facet of the collective synthesis of beliefs known as Sanamahism.

Though Meitei Laining is treated as another name of Sanamahism, the latter term has wider coverage of the traditional beliefs and practices of the hill tribesman communities also. The term was used during the Meitei revivalism movement to promote the ethnic religion of the Meitei people explicitly.

In every Meitei household, there is a sacred abode of God Sanamahi, called the Sanamahi Kachin. It is an analogous term to Koshinto being used as a term for primitive Shinto in contrast with the current established tradition.

See also

• Koshinto

Other websites

• Book: Lightfoot, Louise . Dance-rituals of Manipur, India: An Introduction to "Meitei Jagoi" . Ministry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs . 1958 . 978-1-01-374640-6.
• Book: North-east India: Ethno-cultural Perspectives and Process . Indian Anthropological Society . 1998 . 978-81-85525-02-0.
• Book: Singh, Moirangthem Kirti . Religion and Culture of Manipur . Manas Publications . 1988 . 978-81-7049-021-0.
• Book: Traditional Customs and Rituals of Northeast India: Arunachal Pradesh, meghalaya, Manipur, Assam . Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture . 2002 .
• Book: Brara, N. Vijaylakshmi . Politics, Society, and Cosmology in India's North East . Oxford University Press . 1998 . 978-0-19-564331-2.
• Book: Pawar, Kiran . Women in Indian History: Social, Economic, Political and Cultural Perspectives . Vision & Venture . 1996 . 978-81-86769-01-0.

Notes and References

1. Book: Singh, A. Prafullokumar . Elections and political dynamics . Mittal Publications . 2009 . 978-81-8324-279-0 . 3.
2. Book: Indian Council of Social Science Research . ICSSR Journal of Abstracts and Reviews: Sociology and social anthropology . National Publishing House . 1982 .
3. Book: Chaudhury, Sukant Kumar . Culture, Ecology, and Sustainable Development . Mittal Publications . 2006 . 978-81-8324-132-8 . 140.
4. Book: Meinam, Binota Devi . Population Dynamics and Economic Development: A Case Study in Manipur . Mittal Publications . 2007 . 978-81-8324-187-8 . 34.
5. Book: Singh, Kumar Suresh . People of India: Bio-cultural Dimensions : a K.S. Singh Festschrift . Inter-India Publications . 1993 . 978-81-210-0325-4.
6. Book: Chaki-Sircar, Manjusri . Feminism in a Traditional Society: Women of the Manipur Valley . Shakti Books . 1984 . 978-0-7069-1967-7.