Mongba Hanba is a forest god in

Sanamahism Sanamahism , also known as Meiteism , or Lainingthouism is an ethnic religion of the Meitei people of Manipur, in Northeast India. It is a polytheistic religion and is named after Lainingthou Sanamahi, one of the most important deities of ...

, the indigenous religion of

Manipur Manipur () is a state in northeastern India with Imphal as its capital. It borders the Indian states of Assam to the west, Mizoram to the south, and Nagaland to the north and shares the international border with Myanmar, specifically t ...

. He is mainly worshipped in the sacred forest Mongba Hanba Umang on the banks of the

Imphal River The Imphal River (), also known as the Turel Achouba, is a major river in Manipur state, northeastern India which originates from the northern side of Kangpokpi district. It is a tributary of the Manipur River, joining it in Thoubal district. ...

History

On Saturday, the 16th day of the Meitei lunar month of ''Inga'', 1729, (during the reign of King Garib Niwaj Pamheiba), nine

Umang Lai Umang Lai () refers to a group of ancient Meitei deities of the traditional Meitei religion (Sanamahism) who are worshipped as the local guardians of particular areas, especially sacred groves. These deities are worshipped annually. Their Sac ...

s were brought and gathered at the Mongba Hanba's sacred forest and buried there, and a stone idol of the Hindu God

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

was installed. So, the cult of Mongba Hanba was replaced by that of Hanuman. On 6 June 1979, an association was formed to save Mongba Hanba Umang. It struggled for controlling the sacred place for worshipping the traditional deity. There have been repeated attempts to revive the pantheon of the deity. However, there is opposition from the religious body of the Mahabali Temple of Hanuman. During May 2015, an organization named ''Mongba Hanba Umang Laipham Kanba Lup'' appealed not to stop them from constructing a place of worship for God Mongba Hanba. The organization claimed that in 36 years, it had never prevented devotees of Hanuman from worshipping. The organization expected the same thing from the Hindu bodies not to stop them from establishing a place of worship for God Mongba Hanba in the complex.

Worship

According to religious custom, Tampak

Maiba A Maiba or an Amaiba (literally, "priest") is a male religious leader authorised to perform the sacred rites and rituals of Sanamahism (Sanamahism, Meitei religion), especially as a mediatory agent between human beings and one or more deities. T ...

was to worship God Mongba Hanba (). The atmosphere of blood sacrifice is said to be associated with the shrine of the deity.

References

External links

* * Shimray, A. S. W. (2001). History of the Tangkhul Nagas. Akansha Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-87606-04-8. {{Sanamahi1 Abundance gods Earth gods Fortune gods Health gods Magic gods Meitei gods Nature gods Peace gods Time and fate gods Tree gods Tutelary gods Wisdom gods