Extra-terrestrial Connection of the Meeteis: Part 3
A Study of Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya

Puyam Nongdrei Khuman *

Ancient writings (puyas) found in Kangleipak (Manipur)

The ancient Meetei puyas say that Earth was once covered in water. But the question remains about who wrote the puyas telling the origin of the planet Earth which scientific discoveries have confirmed. It is natural for the primitive ancestors to understand everything in simple language because the intention of the extra-terrestrial race could be to make primitive human race have records without advanced technological development.

They left human beings to have their own developmental path in the course of history subjecting human race to the belief of some/one supreme being(s) called God(s) who once created them with the help of science. This was the beginning of religions on Earth with the base telling that 'God created everything including the mankind'.

The Meetei Puyas such as 'Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok' and 'Khamnung Ingal Leisaba' clearly state that planet Earth was once covered in water. Therefore water is called 'Malem Leiyombi'- one that covers the earth. The Genesis in the Bible also says the same thing. The Meetei Lai Haraoba is mainly a ritual dance narrating the origin of the universe especially the origin of the Earth and the living beings in it.

The Leihou-Nonghou chakoi, Leishem chakoi etc are artistic narration of the creation of the habitable centres on earth by the Lai race which was handed down to the present Meeteis according to the puyas. Lai Ikouba also substantiates the argument that water was prevalent in the early earth and is considered to be one of the most important elements of life.

Cosmology of the Ancient Civilizations

The Sumerian cosmology states that an eternal and uncreated ocean (primeval sea) engendered a united 'an-ki' (Nongthou-Malem) to be separated by the expanding force of air. This separation of the sky and earth made possible the existence of life on earth (The First Great Civilisation, 1973; By Jacquetta Hawkes).

It has been said that the Sumerians conceived all the phenomena of the world as being animated, sometimes as being imbued with 'will' thus experiencing and expressing in terms of divinities, invisible beings that had human form but were immortal. For them all were part of a living and interacting whole. They give the supreme place to God Anu (An), representing the vast and often awe-inspiring vault of the sky.

The Rig Veda (Book X, Hymn 129) states:

"Then was not nonexistent or existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it. What covered in, and where? And what gave shelter? There was water, unfathomed depth of water." The Hindu Rig Veda also says that there was in the beginning water all around. It also mentions one primordial single substance which is the source of everything.

The Mesopotamian cosmology given in the 'Enuma Elish' says that there was a primeval darkness, formlessness and passivity. The earth was created out of a 'watery chaos' through a process of separation of the space/sky and earth. It is believed that the fertile soil of Egypt arose from the water along with the 'primeval mound/hillock' where life, light, activity were to be brought into being by the creator god. After this, every sanctuary throughout the land, whatever its divinity, and at whatever date it was founded, could be identified with the 'original hill'. Moreover, the hill become a new symbol of its own in the form of 'PYRAMID', the place where the divine king could repeat the first creation and be born into eternal life.

Interestingly, the theology of Memphis narrates how 'PTAH' created the world through the power of his mind or thought and through the speech. The assumption is that thought is the source of all that exists, while speech is its agency. PTAH is the first principle who brought the universe into being through the thoughts of his heart (which for the Egyptians was the seat of intelligence) and the authority of his spoken word. Thus the things in this world are merely the objective forms of thought. On the other hand, the theology of Heliopolis tells about the creator god 'ATUM-RE', the complete one (also the supreme sun god) rises on the primeval hillock called ATUM. He was self-created, the becoming one who came into being of himself.

The cosmology of the Meeteis given in the puya Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok and other puyas narrates how the earth (Malem Leisa) was claimed from beneath the Ocean (Inungpung). Everything was covered in water and Ama (One) was the only one in existence. Like in the theology of Memphis, the 'Nungpung Wakhan' mentioned in the puya is similar to PTAH's 'thoughts of heart'/seat of intelligence.

Heliopolis theology has 'primeval mound/hillock' which is later created as the 'pyramid' and the Meetei cosmology has 'Kangla-thenpung' as the primeval mound/hillock. The puya mentions 'Aatinga Koilou Sitapa' at the very beginning. We know that 'Aatinga (Nongthou) stands for the sky/space (theologically heaven) while Koilou (numit) is to mean the sun or the day.

One can say without doubt that it stands for 'Space-Time Infinity' or the immortal sun of the sky/space. But science says the sun will have its death. The second meaning gives 'heliopolis theology' or 'sun worshipping' cult.

The significance of the first primeval hill has its counterpart in our Kangla which is used to mean every sanctuary of the people in Kangleipak starting with seven Kanglas of the seven salais and then the courtyard of every house. We have 'tulsibong/tulsipung' at the centre of every Meetei house courtyard. This practice is nothing but the significance underlying the primeval 'Kangla Thenpung' or 'Kangleipung'.

Later Hindu practice of planting basil plant (tulsi) has led to this 'micro- primeval mound' symbolically representing 'Kangla Thenpung' becoming Tulsibong. This is Kanglei counterpart of the Egyptian concept of 'PYRAMID'.

I hope every Meetei will not forget its significance. Does the concept of Sannathong/Santhong at the southwestern corner of every Meetei house represent the spread of our civilization towards this direction? Study of our Genesis (Wakoklon) must be given due importance.

While the Biblical Genesis tries to give one God, other cosmologies including the Meetei cosmology exhibit a multiplicity of deities and other personified forces of nature. The Meetei cosmology starts with Sitapa Mapu and others are the creation of his will. The Bible has inconsistencies in its attempt to make monotheism. However, the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enuma Elish, the Rig Veda, the Biblical genesis and Meetei genesis all mention about the 'watery chaos' at the beginning of the earth. The separation of the sky and earth is fundamental in our understanding of the creation stories of all these civilizations. One can try to answer why there are similarities in their cosmological foundations.

The khununglon of Ama (1) is Aatinga (Nongthou). If we take Aatinga Koilou Sitapa as 'Space-time infinity' not as the Sun, the universe in space-time denotation is eternal according to the puya. But the puya also mentions a time when fire, water, air, earth, space, stars, moon and the sun are all non-existent. Is this the first singularity of the Big Bang theory?

But this could be specific to our solar system formation not the whole universe as such. Again we have talang Eepung, talang mei, talang ishing, talang nungshit and talang Eepung Loinapa Aapakpa which could be the 'energy-matter' building materials of the vast universe including the living beings. Thus we can separate Tingpalpa Mapu /Sitapa Mapu from the rest to give its personified place in the puya having a 'nungpung wakhan' of its own.

Excerpts from the WHTSAP puya:

Eepung Loinapa Mapuna, nungpung wakhantaki malem leishapu
Inungpungtaki phuk-khat chingkhat thangkhatlakpa matamta;
nungpung wakhantaki thokhipa- (Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok)
puyana khaakpa leitana amati
chak mali asiki mathakta oingamkhipa
amati chak mali asiki manungta oingamlakpa kayaki malampu… (p.1).

Tingpalpaki mapu Eepungloinapa Aapakpana Talang oina leilingei
Tingpalpa Amaki Maongpu leptalingei, mei, ishing, nungshit, numit, tha, thouwaimichak
amam angaan khaitalingeita pumnamak leitalingeita
mathanna onna onna talang malang oina sai-ontuna leilingeita
talang Aatingpapu Eepung Loinapa Aapakpana
talang malangna Im oina haina humna asum leilingeita malem,
nongthou manung oinapa semke ninglakle.

Ama (1) hailipa mapuna talang malang oina haina humna leilingeita
Mapu Sitapaki nungpung wakhanna
Inungpungta lupkhituna malem leishapu phuk-khat chingkhat thangkhatlakpa matamta
Inungpungki SaiOn-na Kampi, Laicha, Malangpa chongthokle.
Malem Nongthou Eyek MaOng lepkhale.
Malem nongthou anina Uyungchei oina lepkhale.
Uyungchei manungta tainapa malakta Kampi, Laicha, Malangpa chainale.
Mei, Ishing, nungshit asum oipa maOngpu Eepungona onna onna saiOnle (p. 2).

The above lines from the puya can be interpreted in three different ways to support creationism by Supreme God, intervention by extra-terrestrial humanoid race and natural laws of the universe. For those who believe in God, it can be said that everything originated from the Supreme Almighty and he was the beginning of all. For the scientists who don't believe in God and the existence of the advanced extra-terrestrial humanoid race in other solar systems or Galaxy, this was by physical laws of nature. But those who believe in the existence of extra-terrestrial beings who are scientifically very advanced than the earthlings (human beings on earth) can say that 'physical laws of nature' caused the developments but 'extra-terrestrial intervention' quickened the evolution on Earth and the scientific advancement of the mankind.

We have Eepung Loinapa Mapu, Eepung Loinapa Aapakpa, Tingpalpa Mapu, Sitapa Mapu and Ama (1) koupa Mapu. The first mention of 'Eepung Loinapa Mapu' having a 'nungpung wakhan' clearly shows that it is personified. Then come 'Tingpalpaki Mapu Eepung Loinapa Aapakpa' and 'Eepung Loinapa Aapakpa' which could be something like 'nebula' or 'person'.

Who is living in the 'talang malang' as IM (Yum=house)? This is not distinctly mentioned. Something is hidden here. Now we have 'Ama (1) Koupa Mapu' who/which is in the 'talang malang' state and 'Sitapa Mapu' having a will to separate 'nongthou' and 'malem'. The puya has been written in such as way that it does not reflect everything crystal clear. Later transcribers could be behind some of the changes thus mystifying anything powerful including the forces of nature.

Geological changes and Extra-terrestrial intervention

Geological changes or extra-terrestrial intervention through some huge explosion was responsible for uplifting the landmass (Malem Leisa) from beneath the Ocean. Please read the lines:
"Mapu Sitapaki nungpung wakhanna Inungpungta lupkhituna malem leishapu phuk-khat chingkhat thangkhatlakpa matamta Inungpungki SaiOn-na Kampi, Laicha, Malangpa chongthokle."
When the lifting of the landmass (malem leisa) took place there was interplay of fire (kampi), water (laicha) and wind/air (malangpa).

What could be the 'Inungpungki Saion' which caused fire, wind and water? It could be a huge explosion. This lifting of landmass created what is earth (continents) and sky meaning the formation of the Earth's crust dividing what is sky, continent and ocean. Between the sky and earth the interplay of the three forces of fire, wind and water continued. Theological interpretation generally ends up saying this as formation of the heaven and earth.

Let the scientists believing only in laws of nature say that it was the formation of the crust and then tectonic lifting caused by geological changes. I would say there was an intervention from the extra-terrestrial beings (Lai race) headed by Sitapa Mapu in this early continental formation. When I say this I am not denying the very operation of the laws of nature in the formation of the universe and the subsequent changes brought in the Earth. The universe and to be more specific the earth is not the divine creation of the so-called gods.

It already existed through many changes and transformation called sai-on and lang-on. Taking the age of the universe to be 13.7 billion years beginning with the Big Bang, the formation of our solar system including the planet Earth is believed to have been 4.54 billion years ago. But many take the universe as eternal, i.e., existing ever with no beginning and no end. Therefore the cycle of life and destruction of the planets in the universe are going on eternally without a beginning and end because of infinite space and time.

Eepungloi Aapakpana mathannata leipa yatatuna haina hummakpaki hung,
hung ki iwai ininna neekshillaktuna phamchillakpata thengnalupa atupu
laiki masani haituna laisa (leisa) haina koukhipa atupu
Inungpungtaki Eepungloinapa Aapakpana phukhat chingkhat thangkhatlakpata loinalakpa amati
laisapu thengnapataki thoklakpa kampi, laicha, malangpa haina koukhipa,
laipungthou taretki laiming thontuna Imai phaokhipa,
Imai atupu laiki khuttamni-lai malle haituna Malem haina koukhipa,
Taipangpalpa ama oilaknapa Eepungloiki nungpung wakhantaki thokhipa pumnamakpu taakpilake khantuna amati
thakka-khaka tainapa aniki malakta,
laiki maheipu taipang meeoina palhalle."

The excerpt given above from the puya is a narration of how the crust of the earth was formed with the cooling of the Earth and the same erupted above the ocean as Malem Laisa (Leisa). One can take the forces of fire, water and wind/air associated with this eruption as those of geological activities such as tidal waves, volcanic eruptions and winds. But the act of lifting up the landmass with the intervention of the extra-terrestrial forces could have similar experiences as mentioned in the puya. This, however, does not negate any geological activities causing flood, volcanic eruptions, and cyclonic storms. One can see the words 'neekshillakpa phamchillakpa' and the discovery of the 'Malem Leisa' and subsequent eruption above the ocean surface (Imai) of the crust as continent(s).

In the puya we have two different stories of dried land appearing. The first is the landmass as 'malem leisa' and another is Lainingthou Pangkalpa draining the water from the valley of Kangleipak (Manipur) at Chingnunghut leading to the emergence of the 'Kangla Thenpung' i.e., the Kangla Shallow Mound of Land. Almost at the centre of the valley surrounded by ranges of hills from all sides, this is commonly called Kangla Pungmayol. Some other scriptures refer to it as 'Kangla Lammahan' i.e., Kangla the Oldest Emerged Land. The creation of Kangleipak is thus very special from the point of view of our creators guarding something precious.

Science speaks about Primeval Earth

I have been comparing the cosmologies of different civilizations and emphasizing on their similar foundation saying that there was water all around and the separation of the sky and earth was made to make earth habitable. Now let's read what science has to say about primeval earth. A group of Australian scientists claimed that the primeval earth was covered with water (Early earth was covered in water, 1st January 2009; www.earthdives.com) with little or no land in existence around 2.5 billion years ago.

This is because of the crust formation still taking place with hot mantle causing the water to make a super ocean covering almost the whole planet. One can have difficulty in claiming that the alien race visited earth 2.5 billion years ago.

However, their space exploration like we do in the Mars or their later research on earth could have confirmed the early earth formation with the help of science. The same findings are recorded in the manuscripts of the ancient civilizations with inconsistencies made by religious minds and slight deviation to keep it semi-secret.

Another article 'oldest fossils discovered in Australia' (www.sciencedaily.com) also says the presence of the oldest fossils of the sulfur bacteria in sedimentary rocks of Western Australia's Strelley Pool when there was no oxygen in the earth's atmosphere around 3.4 billion years ago. That time the early earth was covered in water with small landmass about the size of Caribbean Islands along with cloudy sky, strong volcanic activity and huge tidal range. This scene also supports the puyanic revelation of mei-ishing-nungshit chainaba between the sky and earth.

Scientific research has concluded that Earth would be covered by ocean to a depth of 2.5-2.7 Km if all the land on Earth were spread evenly. Continents had been formed due to the cooling of the once-molten planet and the shifting of the crust (tectonic plates). Without the shifting of the crust's tectonic plates, the continents would have not been formed as such.

to be continued ....

---

* Puyam Nongdrei Khuman contributes regularly to e-pao.net
The sender can be contacted at khuman_mei(at)yahoo(dot)com
This article was posted on October 17, 2011.

---