Lainingthou Sanamahee (Meetei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ ꯁꯥꯅꯥꯃꯍꯤ) is the Supreme Guardian God of mankind and the supreme

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

of the household in Meetei religion and

mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

. He originated from the ancient kingdom of

Kangleipak Kangleipak was an ancient, lesser known civilisation, consisting of the modern day Manipur, India which is still known to some residents as Kangleipak, and other neighbouring regions. The Kangla served as the foremost capital city of this real ...

(

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 regarded as the most popular and significant divinity of

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 ...

. He is the brother of Pakhangba and Nongshaba. He is the eldest son of Creator God Saalailel Sitapa and Leimalel Sitapee, the protector of the Universe in Meetei mythology and philosophy and Mother

Earth goddess Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...

Leimarel Sidabi Leimarel Sidabi or Leimalel Sitapi is a goddess in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. She is the highest female divinity in the Meitei pantheon. She is the goddess of earth, of nature and the household. She is revered as the mothe ...

Etymology

The term Lainingthou is derived from Meetei language which means "King of Gods" and the term Sanamahi is combination of "Sanna" which means ''spreading'' and "Eemahi" which means "blood that originates living", literally means "spreading everywhere (like liquid)".

Mythology

When Sanamahi was ordered to cross the globe by his father, he at once proceeded. However, his younger brother Pakhangba as per the instruction of his mother

, went around his father

Atingkok Maru Sidaba Sidaba Mapu or Salailel is the Supreme god, creator of Universe and the Sky God in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. According to Meitei mythology, Sidaba Mapu, being the Creator of the Universe, from a philosophical theory know ...

, who is equivalent to the globe. As per the declaration that among the two brothers, the first to succeed in traveling across the globe, would be offered his father's throne of the Universe. That's how Pakhangba got the throne. However, in order to compensate Sanamahi,

offered him to be the king of every household of Mankind in the universe.

Divine names

There are one thousand divine names of the God Lainingthou Sanamahi.

Religious sites

The sacred places of Lainingthou Sanamahi include

Sanamahi Temple Sanamahi Temple () or Sanamahi Sanglen () is a temple of Lainingthou Sanamahi, the supreme deity of Sanamahism. It is located in the Sanakhwa Yaima Kollup near Kangla Palace in Imphal West district of Manipur, India. It is one of the oldest tem ...

, Kangla Palace, and Sanamahi Kiyong Temple.

Texts

Ancient texts that discuss him include: *

Sanamahi Laihui The ''Sanamahi Laihui'' is a religious sacred text of Sanamahism, the Meitei religion of Ancient Kangleipak. It is considered by Sanamahis to be the divine account of the power of Lainingthou Sanamahi, a primordial deity. History Its date of pu ...

* Karthong Lamlen *

Wakoklon Heelel Thilen Salai Amailon Pukok Puya Meitei literature, also known as Manipuri literature, is literature written in the Meitei language of Manipur. An ancient institution of learning, the ''Luwang Nonghumsang'', later known as the ''Pandit Loishang'', collected sources of indige ...

(written in 1400 BC) * Hijan-Hirao * Besides the above-mentioned sacred books, there are several sacred books or

Puya (Meitei texts) The Puyas are archaic Manipuri manuscripts. They encompass a wide spectrum of themes including genealogy, literature, history, royalties, administration, creation and cosmology, philosophy, poetry, religious beliefs, etc. Saroj Parratt noted ...

discovered from various hidings.

Festivals

The religious festivals associated with Lord Sanamahi are: *

Sanamahi Ahong Khong Chingba Sanamahi Ahong Khong Chingba or Sanamahi Cheng Hongba or Kang Chingba is the religious festival of Meitei people, associated mainly with the public procession with the grand chariot, housing the ancient Meitei deity Lainingthou Sanamahi. The Imp ...

Mera Hou Chongba Mera Hou Chongba or Mera Waayungba or Mera Thaomei Thaanba is the cultural festival of solidarity of Manipur, celebrated by every indigenous ethnic groups, including the Meitei people and Naga tribes of Manipur (Tangkhul, Kabui, Anal, Aimol, Ch ...

Lai Haraoba Lai Haraoba (, ), also known as Umang Lai Haraoba, is a classical,———— ritualistic, theatrical dance and music festival, annually celebrated by the Meitei people, to please the Umang Lai deities of the traditional Meitei religion (San ...

Sajibu Cheiraoba , also called or , is the lunar new year festival of the Meitei people who follow Sanamahism (traditional Meitei religion), celebrated predominantly in the Indian state of Manipur. The name Sajibu Nongma Pānba derives from the Manipuri wor ...

References

Meitei gods {{Meiteimyth navbox long