Thongalen Explained

Type:Meitei
Thongalen
Deity Of:King of the Underworld and God of the Dead
Member Of:Lainingthous
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Abode:the Underworld
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Consorts:
Siblings:Poireiton
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Texts:Poireiton Khunthok, Nongban Pombi Luwaoba
Gender:Male
Greek Equivalent:Hades
Roman Equivalent:Pluto
Hinduism Equivalent:Yama[1] [2]
Region:Manipur
Ethnic Group:Meitei ethnicity
Festivals:Lai Haraoba

Thongalen (also, Thongalel, Thongaren or Thongarel) is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld in Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] He is the Guardian God of the nadir.. He is the ancestor-god of the Khuman clan.[10] Laikhurembi and Lainaotabi are his wives.[11]

Mythology

In the Poireiton Khunthok

King Thongaren (Thongalen) asked his highest-ranked Queen Laikhurembi (Laikhulempi) to go with his brother Chingkhong Poireiton on a long trip. Poireiton was a widower; his wife had died, and he had six children to raise and also had to go to the Tai Pang Pan. King Thongalel thought his brother needed a wife to go with him on their trip.[12] However, Queen Laikhurembi did not want to go. She said she was already the king's wife. Trees had already been planted in her honor because she and the king had lived together for a very long time. So, instead of Queen Laikhurembi, King Thongalel sent his second wife, Leinaotabi, to go with Poireiton and be his wife.[13]

In the Pombi Luwaoba

Nongban Pombi Luwaoba was a prince in the Luwang dynasty. Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba and his wife, Namoinu, were happy. Then she died suddenly. She died because of the God Thongalel. Prince Pombi Luwaoba refused to perform the funeral for her dead body. He hoped the God Thongalel would send her soul back into her body so she would be alive again. God Thongalel received a message from the prince through a pheasant bird. The message said that Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba was ready to fight God Thongalel if he did not send Namoinu's soul back. This made the God Thongalel angry. He sent two of his brothers, but Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba beat them both. He took them prisoner. Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba sent the pheasant bird with another message to God Thongalel. The message said that if the God wanted to get his brothers back alive, then he had to send back the soul of Namoinu to her body.[14]

Finally, God Thongalel came to meet Prince Pombi Luwaoba himself. But instead of fighting, the prince prayed to the god himself. God Thongalel was happy that Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba showed him respect. Thongalel brought Namoinu back to life. He also gave her a gift: She would live for 100 years and have 100 sons.[15]

Hymns

The Meitei people in ancient times, worshipped the deity along with a hymn, which reads as follows:-

Texts

Association with other deities

God Thongalen is sometimes identified as God Wangpurel (Wangpulel). Thongalen is the King of underworld. Wangpurel reigns over the direction south. Some Meiteis believe that the direction south is the land of death. So, when the Meiteis got converted into Hinduism, both Thongalen and Wangpulel became counterparts of Hindu God Yama.[18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Elangbam Nilakanta (1982). Aspects of Indian Culture. Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy.
  2. Glimpses of Manipuri Language, Literature, and Culture - Page 19 - 1970
  3. Book: Neelabi, sairem. Laiyingthou Lairemmasinggee Waree Seengbul. 2006. 174. mni.
  4. Book: Mehrotra, Deepti Priya. Burning Bright Irom Sharmila. 2009-07-08. Penguin UK. 978-81-8475-153-6. en.
  5. Book: The North Eastern Geographer. 1980. North East India Geographical Society. en.
  6. Book: Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology. 1997. Sahitya Akademi. 385. en.
  7. Book: Contributions to Southeast Asian Ethnography. 1982. Board of Editors, Contributions to Southeast Asian Ethnography. en.
  8. Book: Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History of Manipur: An early period. 1986. Manipur Commercial Company. en.
  9. Commission, India Indian Historical Records (1976). Proceedings of the Meetings of the Session. Manager of Publications.
  10. Book: Sanajaoba, Naorem. Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. 1988. Mittal Publications. 978-81-7099-853-2. en.
  11. Book: Society, Politics, and Development in North East India: Essays in Memory of Dr. Basudeb Datta Ray. Ray. Asok Kumar. Chakraborty. Satyabrata. 2008. Concept Publishing Company. 978-81-8069-572-8. en.
  12. Book: Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. 245.
  13. Book: Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. 246.
  14. Book: Delhi, All India Radio (AIR), New. AKASHVANI: Vol. XXXIII, No.12 (17 MARCH, 1968). 1968-03-17. All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi. en.
  15. Book: Delhi, All India Radio (AIR), New. AKASHVANI: Vol. XXXIII, No.12 (17 MARCH, 1968). 1968-03-17. All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi. en.
  16. Book: Contributions to Southeast Asian Ethnography. 1982.
  17. Book: Aspects of Indian Culture. Singh. Elangbam Nilakanta. 1982.
  18. Book: Singh, L. Bhagyachandra. A Critical Study Of The Religious Philosophy. 1991. 109.