Ebuthou Thangjing - Moirang Kangleirol :: Part 2

Hemamcha Shobha *

Moirang Thanjing Lai Haraoba :: May 2009 - Pix :: Deepak Shijagurumayum

EPUTHOU THANGJING

With full devotion and greatest respect, the Moirangs through the ages, worship Him with heart and soul as the Progemitor, the great Grand Father––Eputhou. This may be in the sense that He is the creator of Moirang, He is the the source of the blood of Moirang Salai - clan since time immemorial or before the start or dawn of history. To the others the world over, Eputhou is known and worshipped as the Thangjing God or Moirang Thangjing.

In an American journel––'MAN' in 1913 J. Shakespeare dearly wrote about Eputhou in his article - "The pleasing of the God Thangjing"––with a number of snaps and photographs of those days Lai Haraoba festival and dances of the then Phamdous - Councilors and other related programmes. Every years perhaps in the months of May and June, that is during the Thangching Haraoba, many devotees, tourist thronged the temple Complex - Eputhou Yaikon for praying, thereby for getting blessings from Him. Indeed the glory of Eputhou Thangching is sweetly sung and heard by everyone and from every where, and spreading far and wide.

Who is Thangjing

Now the questions is who is He? Whose incarnation He is? And His identity?––These are not, till date successfully profounded and as such, His infinite powers and mights will remain a mystery and left to be answered by all. Let the young scholars do it in the years to come with Eputhou's blessings.

To write something or try to know of Him, will be surely a groping of the past godly history which may lead to obscurity. Though few puyas have limited references about Thangching, yet the varied titled names, the different incarnations or salwons and Langwons are all needed to be identified and explained with proper originalities in order to get a glimpse of His glory - of Eputhou Moirang Thangching Koirel Lai.

Some references in this matter

It is in the book "Moirang Thangjinggi Chinggoi" wherein Eputhou is found to be described in the titled name of Chanong Ningthou Tarengba. The related story as written in the book is that, in the pre - historic period, the western hill regions of Moirang were invaded so many times by a great giant king called Cha - (Cha and Kong were also known as Zaibang Khom. Most probably they would be the two sections of Simaras who dominated the southern part of Manipur and Arakan Yoma before the coming of Saikya clan and Moria) and his follower giants.

In frequent fightings the giants defeated the surrounding Gods of the forest region. In a severe fighting, in due course, Eputhou conquered and exterminated by beheading the leader king of the giants - Cha and all the followers. On the success and victory of Eputhou, He was then praised by the Gods and the Goddesses including nine Laiphangthou, sixty - one sarois, seven Lai Nuras - Girls, seven Lai Pakhangs - youths, nine Lamleimas, nine Turiemas and by all Maikei Ngakpa Gods. The praising ceremony took place on a peak knotted by nine other peaks with seven sub - ranges.

Since then the place or the peak along with the hill ranges became a holy place because of being the first homeland of Eputhou. The book further proceeds as Cha Hingchababu (giant) Nomgnalle. (murdered), hence Cha and Nong are coined as Chanong - (an old usuage in the history of the literature of ancient Moirang by combining preffix and suffix words), and during the devotional function over there Eputhou showed the divine power all at once in the form of a bright lightening with twinkling glow encircled by rainbow, thence Tarengba meaning twinkling glow, was so entitled, or in another sense - Eputhou might be incarnated as Chanong Ningthou Tarengba for the specific purpose to end the evils from the Earth. And such all episodes might have occurred during the early periods of Eputhou's stay at the Thangching hills and before descending down on the plain, at Moirang Leikoi Pung.

Secondly, in the old text of Kanglei Lamthon another incarnation - Salwon of Chingoo Thangching is therein mentioned briefly. Whenever Eputhou wished to hide or to stay in the Loktak lake for some purposes or others; like when Ebudhou Pakhangba searched Chingoo Thangching Koirel Lai for getting shelter at Moirang, He took the name of Loktak Melong Phaba in a disguised name.

Therefore, the hiding area is of utmost importance and taken as a sacred place, and no boat race - Hiyang Tannaba can be performed within the lake as it is against the wishes of Eputhou, for which it is still in vague in and around the lake area but exceptional occasions are seen nowadays.

"Moirang Ningthourol Lambuba" - the puya contains a brief but varied and complex interpretations of Eputhou's incarnations as stated below......"

...... Yaibi Panloi Tanbana Keke Harepke Moirang Ngangoi Hathake......
Leisembabu......
Awang Pakhang Yoirenpabu......
Leirep phare mityeng sankeipiramwo......
Malem Leitarakye......
Mapari Nongthou Khori Haipa Nawa Khoitou Sitpana......
Yaorou Sabu Lanna Lamwokngamye Mapa Chingoo Nongthou Saralel......
Yoirelpana......Nongchup Tonpal Ningthoupu Chingoo Matik Yengke......
Mangkhire...... Marmakhong Khunpu......Marching Khongkhul Thipawo......
Koina Thikhiye...... Leikoi Achanpawo......
Punung Layollangkum...... Thikhangle...... Sangton Leinaotawo......
Chingoo Eipu Thangna Thikhanglapaki...... Namingthongpu......
Thangpasung Koirel Ningthou.
Chaopasung Koirel Ningthou.
Sangpasung Koirel Ningthou....... Koirel Ahum Thakta......
Thangching Koirel Ningthou...... Mingthonnare.
Epari Leisang Khekwaiba...... Ngangti......
Paomellampaka...... Korou Nongmaton Awangpata Halwaikhire......"

The concise summary of the above excerpt is that Yaibi Panloi Tanba having completed the creation of the land so called Keke Hareppa Moirang Ngangoi Hathaba, requested His father Awang Pakhang Yoirenba the Supreme Sky God, to visit and see the newly created land to be used as homeland and for habitation. On the father's arrival, the son Nongthou Khori Haiba Nawa Khoitou Sitpa welcomed and received the father at a place called Ngangkha Saran Thong.

Now the father Chingoo Nongthou Saralel wished to test the might and divinity of the son, Nongchup Tonpal Ningthouba and as such, suddenly vanished at a place thereafter named Keke Mangloutak. While searching to find out his father, the son followed the father's foot steps - mar makhongkhul, thence called the son as Chingoo Marching Khongkhul Thibawo. The son tried hard to find out and locate the whereabout of the hidden father and for which no stone was left unturned in the search in and around a place which was called Keke Leikoi Achanba later on.

At length, the hidden father Khoyum Namungba was searched out and identified by Eputhou beneath the earth crust in disguise of a young plantain leave shoot greenish in appearance. Hence, the son was named as Sangton Leinaotawo. To the easy recognition and correct and quick identification of the father by the son, the father Chingoo Nongthou Saralel Awang Pakhangba, was quite amazed and satisfied with the deed, His son's great and wonderful achievement with divine power was so much pleased and deemed the son as just the creator's (Supreme's) immediate incarnation, for these reasons, the father dearly and sweetly named the son as -

Thangpasung (next or immediate to Almightly) Koirel Ningthou;
Chaobasung (Vastness or Breadth) Koirel Ningthou;
Sangpasung (length) - Koirel Ningthou;
Koirel (Space or Realm) Ahumthakta (On three) Palphaba (Reignable)
that is to be reigned in three spaces or realms, Thangching Koirel Ningthouba was entitled and called so in the three spaces. Thus, the father handed over all the charges and affairs to rule Keke Leikoi Pung to his son Laisang Khekwaiba Thangching Koirel Ningthouba and then the heavenly father Chinggoo Nongthou Saralel went back to Korou Nongmadon - His abode.

In the two Puyas there writes:

"Heiyichak - Haya He......
Keke Khoira Yelhouki......
Chingoo Korou Nongmadol Hanba.

"Yaibi Panloi Tanba Nongchup Tonpan Ningthou Namu Mipokpa......
Chingoo Leisemba......
Awang Korou Nongmakheitaki....
Nate Onna..Thangching.... Chingchao......Khuntarakpa......"
––Moirang Kangleirol Lambuba

"Heiyahe......
Keke Thangching......
Moirang Kasarel Nungbi Sidaba......
Yaipi Panloi Tanpa......
Leibak Paphannaba Laiyingthou."
––Moirang Kanglei Lamthon.

In the above two quotations from two different puyas, some specific but separate titled names or incarnated names of Eputhou are pointed out and discussed. Here Eputhou is for the first time described as Chingoo Korou Nongmadol Hanba––the Supreme Sky God who, in different incarnated names descended from the heaven to the Thangching hills and from there climbed down on the plain for settlement sake and establishment of homeland.

Indeed, Eputhou in a series of Salwons or say in incognito names became Chingoo Leisemba - Creator of Earth; Namu Mipokpa - birth of mankind, Yaibi - soul Panlon Tanba - taker of soul, Malem Paphanba - architect of the earth's frame work; Moirang Kasarel––Originator of Moirang Salai etc, and above all He is the destiny of all living beings.

So, as a creator of the Earth, according to Leisemlon Puya––Eputhou is Asiba, one of the three Supreme Sky Gods who created the earth and its frame work, and also created mankind from the father's image and shadow and all living beings of the earth.

Again in the Umanglon Puya it is written that the name of Layingthou Thangching while shaping and forming man was known as "Mee - ta - Ngang, he, he, he, he, he, he." In this context, Eputhou Himself is regarded as Asiba, and Asiba is Taobi Loinai, who produced or gave birth to Sandhong Lai and Moirang Phaktom Phamba Lai but both of them after a detailed study, are found none but Asiba or Eputhou Himself.

As a Supreme God

Lastly, Eputhou as the greatest and mightiest, and as head or supreme of all Gods, can be easily noted and understood as shown while performing in the closing function which is an important ritual item of Eputhou Lai Haraoba - known as Laibou Sanaba - creative dance. It is generally done at the closing of the day's function of the festival.

In Eputhou's festival, the item Laipoula Thaba means laying of plantain leave for offering and taking permission and recognition before the start of Laibou dance, is not prevelent and performed though used in other Umang Lai haraoba of Manipur. This shows that Eputhou is the head or supreme of all, therefore no need for praying and taking permission except that of invitation and information to other Gods.

One more unavoidable item in the festival's Laibou dance is the singing and hyming of Hoirou Taret, Heiya Taret, and playing and application of Tilli Lairu during the formative steppings of the dance which is a mark to remember the reconstruction or the creation of the earth, and formation of mankind by Asiba. These are thought to be a myth creation of ancient origin in which every prayer, offerings and application are all none but for the supreme God - Eputhou ultimately at the end.

The last but the most important concluding item still performs in the Manipur's Umang Lai Haraoba Festival, is the Lai Nongaba that is demise or way back journey to heaven, which is, unlike the others never included and performed in the Eputhou Thangching Haraoba Festival. Because Eputhou Thangjing Koirel Lai never dies. So from the above devotional and spiritual functions, it can clearly interpret the fact that Eputhou is the Head of all and has been doing for the welfare and upliftment of all human beings specially for the Moirangs since the creation of the earth, for which Eputhou is prayed as follows -

* Keke Pokpa Salailen
Head of Keke clan

* Moirang Pokpa Kasarel
Source of Moirang blood

* Khoyum Sana Khuyakhada
To thy golden feet

* Khoyum Natei Nanad Ahummakpu
To thy three wives and husband Khoimom Laireima Khongjang Leimai Hanbi

* Namely Goddess Khongjang Leimaihanbi
Namely Leima Laisan Thanbi

* And Chingoo Thangching Koirel Lai
Bow down to thy three And Prays.

To be continued....



About the Book:

Source Author: Hemamcha Shobha (b.1941), President of Moirang Thangjing Yageirel Marup [Register No: 1025/1972] and Chief Editor of 'Yageirol'.

Reproduced from Chapter - 1 of his book 'Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing' for public by: Shanjoy Mairembam, London (UK), shanjoym (at) gmail (dot) com

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* Shanjoy Mairembam , resident of UK, regularly contributes to e-pao.net. He is sharing this book for public consumption and can be contacted at shanjoym (at) gmail (dot) com
This article was webcasted on March 04th, 2012.

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