Nirupan of Shri Madan Mohan, Anuprabhu, Abdeita Prabhu
- Cultural History Of Manipur -

Dr. Ch. Jamini Devi *

The Nirupan of Shri Madan Mohan

At the request of his sons Labanyachandra, Rajarshi Bhagyachandra had a fifth idol made out of the Theibong tree. It was the idol of Shri Madan Mohan. According to scholars, the nirupan of Madan Mohan likely occurred around shakabda 1718-19, when Karta Maharaj moved his palace from Langthabal (Canchipur) to Konthoujam Yumpham (the present day Rajbhaban). Labanyachandra received the idol in his care while he was the Jubaraj. Today, the idol is at Oinam Thingel, still under the care of Labanyachandra’s progenies. It was previously kept at Uripok Achom Leikai.

There is also an idol in existence, made of metal, known as Shri Madan Mohan Deb. It was brought from Mathura and was being worshipped by a Brahmin called Hangoibam Chura, near the road that leads from Kongba Keithel to Irilbung. This idol was not commissioned out of the Kaina Theibong.

Shri Madan Mohan Deb is a renown and revered deity. The place at Kongba where the temple is located is named Madan Mohan, after the deity. The place is also known as Hangoi Chura. Shri Madan Mohan graces the place still today under the care of the Brahmans belonging to the Hangoibam clan.

The Nirupan of Shri Anuprabhu

The idol sculpted from the 6th portion (stump) of the Theibong tree was of Shri Anuprabhu. Sija Laioibi requested her father to have the idol made. The reason, on one hand, was that Sija Laioibi wished to accompany her father at his pilgrimage. On the other hand she did not want to stay away from Shri Govinda’s seva for long. With the permission from Sri Govinda, she wished to have an idol of Shri Gourachandra Prabhu made.

She would consider Him her lord Shri Govinda, and take Him to Nabadweep and spend the rest of her life there in the seva. The idol was named Shri Anuprabhu after princess Anurupa (Sija Laioibi). At the nirupan of Sri Anuprabhu, the left leg of the idol crossing over the right leg in bhang-gi, and the naming of Anuprabhu, both resulted from Sija Laioibi’s request to his father.

According to the Manipur Devalaya Grantha, the idol was made at Sri Govinda’s Anumati (directive), hence the name Anuprabhu. When Karta Maharaj went on a pilgrimage in shakabda 1720 (c. 1798), Sija Laioibi accompanied him taking Sri Anuprabhu with her. Sija Laioibi remained at Shri Dham Nabadweep in the service of Sri Anuprabhu.

The Nirupan of Shri Abdeita Prabhu

In c. 1798, on his way to the pilgrimage, Rajarshi Bhagyachandra spent a day at Lamangdong (Bishnupur). He was given an instruction in his dream. Accordingly from the stump closest to the root, an idol of Shri Abdeita Prabhu was made. It had to be God’s wishes !

Earlier attempts to making an idol out f the stump failed repeatedly. However, the making of the idol of Shri Abdeita was accomplished without any difficulties.

Along with the nirupan of the idol, a temple was also erected at Lamangdong, and Karta Maharaj spent three months there in Abdeita’s seva. The temple was located at the palace ground at the time, currently the site of C.I college. Bhagyachandra Maharaj’s daughter Jatishwari Ratna Manjuri took the leading role in the Rasa dance that was held in honour of Shri Abdeita Prabhu.

Bhagyachandra gave her daughter in marriage to Shri Dharmeshwar, the son of his Guru Premananda Sharma. Rajarshi left Shri Abdeita Prabhu in the hands of his son-in-law and proceeded to Nabadweep Dham. Shri Abdeita Prabhu is still in the care of Dharmeshwar Sharma’s family.

The Nirupan of Shri Bangshibadan and Gourarai Prabhu

Two more idols were sculpted out of two branches of the Theibong tree. One was named Bangshibadan, and was given to a loyal attendant who resided at Khangabok. The other idol was Gourarai Prabhu. This idol of Gourarai Prabhu is now at Keishamthong Sega Road, under the care of the offspring of the Karta clan.

(Extracted from the book 'Cultural History of Manipur' by Dr. Ch. Jamini Devi)