A scientific view to the uniqueness of the sacred Kangla and Sanamahi’s indigenous Philosophy

Dr. L I Meetei *

Under construction of Ras Leela Dance Hall within Kangla : Picture Source - Facebook

We, Meetei worship the Nature God, popularly known as ‘Umang Lai’ located within the landscapes of the valley as well as the Hills of Kangleipak (Manipur) since thousands of years. We don’t try to create any structure within such sacred lands as it may disturb the natural ecological system, because structures are temporary and pollute the nature earth as per the philosophy of Sanamahi.

If Sanamahi follows worship only inside structures such as temple or Mandir or church, then there would have been 360 structures at the named sacred holy spots inside the Kangla itself which might have converted Kangla into a metallic Island but luckily we have little structures except by the Britishers, and our oldest national emblem called Kanglasha statue (A Lion like animal which is named after Kangla) and Kingdom symbol called Kangla Utra.

Please don’t construct anything in the sacred place as Meetei indigenous faith doesn’t want to harm nature for a commercial dance and festival or regular inference by inviting stranger crowd into our scared places except those who are meant to worship and learning about the value of Sacred Kangla.

It is always better not convert the green sacred Kangla into hubs of metallic and cemented structures by promoting and promising huge structural or Mandap projects for mere vote bank politics, for running exotic Entertainment & cultural items which is not at all suitable with the sanctity of Kangla. Pulling mass Crowds for non ritual entertainment program inside the Kangla will pollute the ambiance, ecology and green/ Umangs in the future.

Our harmony and wish is that please don’t go for financial benefits by giving free hand to few rich contractors by making new unrelated non existent structures in this Heritage of sacred Kangla . Most of our Laipham/scared places are still within the natural ecological system in local level by protecting forest and it’s ecology as you all know.

Development of structures by damaging huge natural forest and landscape doesn’t always create a good philosophy or civilization of the past so it is better to save nature by preserving green Heritage site but don’t fall into money making religious organizations like some other religions do, who are fighting for religious construction and mushrooming growth of Worship places using huge construction material by digging up the mother earth.

So, the construction of structures in the name of religion and worship place is not according to the concept of Umanglai of Sanamahi philosophy, unlike other major religion does.

How many worship places are there in every village, town, city and far flung places away from the city in this world in the name of religion and it’s expansionist idea, but Sanamahi religion has a good concept that this worship place should be within the house of an individual or family, which generally don’t need to construct thousands of worship places as extra structures in the name of Sanamahi religion, unlike other by digging mother earth.

That is the beauty of Meetei indigenous religion but please understand our valuable contribution in keeping world as a green lung of human and other living beings so, don’t encroach our sacred holy places which are located in the Kangleipak and the Kangla as these places are not Khasland or free space to those who are looking for religious and festival based construction, we prefer natural landscape more than such temporary beauty of structure made from construction materials.

We should worship at our sacred places by keeping and maintaining Kangla as per the recommendation of 2003 Kangla Charter before Kangla was handed over to the people of Manipur by former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh in the month of November 2004.

Let’s keep away from construction materials like Iron, sand , bricks and tiles from Kangla, so Kangla can be preserved as a true heritage of Meetei inhabitants living in this world and we don’t want to make ourself an agent of pollution and climate change. Meetei should not entertain more assimilation in its history and heritage site by accepting exotic align projects in the name of funded project given behind some other motives which may affect the minority community like Meetei who has its own religion, language, script, arts, culture and 2000 years old written history.

So, for the Kangla we don’t need more construction based projects, what we need is only preservation and protection of sacred land to maintain a natural landscape. We should not make our valuable sacred place to emulate exotic religious structures against the philosophy of indigenous religion.

We don’t want to lose scared Kangla as it is representing pure tradition, culture of nature worshiping idea which are originated from this little land in the heart of the Imphal (Yumphal) city acting like a lung ( forest land) of this congested city which is finally based on Our forefather’s concept and civilization based on Sanamahism & Umanglai.

To conclude with, from the scientific as well as religious point of view, the Kangla is to be used as an island of a true identity of a human race called Meitei/Meetei and also as lung of Imphal city, but not to spoil with non Yelhoumee/ indigenous based assimilation concepts done by past few kings and individual leaders for their individual objective and motive since 300 years.

India govt must protect the rich heritage of Meetei and Manipur as it is and will be a unique example in this world for preservation and conservation of original heritages.