Sanamahism

SANAMAHISM
Total population	235,000-250,000
Regions with significant populations	Manipur, India
Holy Books	Puya / written in Meitei Mayek (Manipuri)
Place of Worship	Laishang / Umanglai (forest) /Home/Sanglen

Sanamahism is the worship of Sanamahi, the Creator aspect of Sidaba Mapu, the trinity God of the Meeteis. Sanamahism is one of the oldest religions of South Asia / South East Asia. It originated in Manipur India and is mainly practiced by the Meeteis, Kabui, Zeliangrong and other communities who inhabit Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Myanmar and Bangladesh, with small populations in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada.

Among the meeteis there are those who had been influenced by the hinduism and they follow both the religions. Like worshiping Lainingthou (Sanamahism) for important occasions and following social hindu festivals.But there are those meetei who do not believe in Hinduism. These are the real follower of Sanamahism.

Some Hindu Meetei scholars are in the opinion that the term 'Sanamahi' comes from the Vedic 'Senmhya'. This is a far fetched theory just like Manipur (our state's name)is a part of Mahabharata. The Manipur in Mahabharata lies in the coast of Orissa.

Present Day and Sanamahism

According to the last census, about eleven percent of Manipur belong to religions stated as 'other'. Most of this population can be assumed to represent followers of the Sanamahi religion. This represents a significant increase over the previous census. The revivalism of Sanamahism is recognized by the census records of the government of India due to the praise worthy efforts of late R.K. Birendro Singh, I.A.S.

Attitude of indigenous people of Manipur to the religion and concept of God is not possible without the proper understanding of Sanamahi religion. Pakhangba Laining was also currently employed to signify revivalism.

Form of Worship

In assimilate features such as the worship of forces of nature like fire, water, mountain etc. ancestor worship (Apokpa), Lamlai, Yumlai, Ningthoulai and Umanglai. Religion of antiquity-In its pure native form it is as all as the History of Meetei/Meitei people.

There is reference to the worship of Sanamahi by King Kangba in the Hayi age. Manipur is a land of deities with Atiya Shidaba as the Supreme God. Atiya Kuru Shidaba is worshiped as Shiva by Meetei Hindus.

Atiya Shidaba, Apanba and Asheeba are the three manifestations or incarnations of God as the creator, the preserver and the annihilator of this universe respectively. Pakhangba, Sanamahi and Nongpok Ningthou are the incarnations who play the role of the male deities of the Meiteis whereas Leimarel Shidabi and Panthoibi , the role of female deities.

Panthoibi is the Mother of the Universe and Nongpok Ningthou is her mate. Besides these, three hundred and sixty four deities with their consorts are the most important deities worshipped by the Meeteis.

Maibis are priestessess and they invoke the Atiya Kuru Sidapa.

Festivals

Cheiraoba

Cheiraoba is the new year's day for Meetei. But this day is not the same for Meetei and Hindu Meetei. Hindus Meetei follows the day derived by the hindu pandit "Bamon" whereas the Meetei follows a different day. This day falls on either the 13th or 14th of April every year. During this occasion, Meetei houses are renovated and white washed to mark the new year's day. The householders offer fresh vegetables and cook vegetarian food to offer to gods and goddesses. In the afternoon, young boys and girls clib a small hillock called "Cheiraocheeng" to worship their Lord.

Lai Haraoba

Lai Haraoba is the festival of the recollection of the creation stories played by all deities with the first origin of this universe and evolution of the plants and animals through the will of Atiya Shidaba. Sannamahi and Leimarel are worshiped in every house of the Meeteis and other mentioned Indigenous community of Manipur and nearby states including Mayanmar. The other gods and the three hundred and sixty four deities are worshipped in the "Umanglai Laisangs" (temple of gods in the reserved woods with spacious grounds) in the villages.

Threats

In the 18th under the King Meidingu Pamheiba, 1708-1747 AD, the sacred writings of Sanamahi religion, the Puyas were collected and burnt by Pamheiba and Sanamahi scholars were expelled to remote villages. King Pamheiba is claimed by some to have attempted to eliminate the Sanamahi religion. This event is known as Puya-Meithaba among Meeteis. As a result, the majority of meetei became hindu socially in those time because of the fear of the king's retribution but still practiced Sanamahi in some form privately.

In modern time we found two groups of meetei. one whose believes only the Sanamahism and those who had learned to lived with the two religion. Hindu Meetei are still in majority at present but its changing because of revivalism of Sanamahism. Later in the 19th century began the mass conversion of the Hill tribes to Christianity.

Sohini Ray "2000-01" "The Body-Cult in Sanamahism: A Case of the Revival of an Indigenous Religion Among the Meiteis in Manipur" is an ethnographic study of the sacred myths about the human body among the Meeteis, a community in Northeast India, and on how these mythological beliefs play a pivotal role in a socio-religious revival movement now occurring in the community. Sohini Ray recently received her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. [2]

External links

• [3]
• [4] Revivalism of Sanamahism