Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong

The Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong (Meitei for 'Lainingthou Sanamahi Shrine'), officially known as the Laiyingthou Sanamahi Kiyong (Meitei for 'Laiyingthou Sanamahi Shrine'),[a] is a temple of God Lainingthou Sanamahi of Meitei religion (Sanamahism), built on the Nongmaiching mountain (Selloi Langmai mountain) in the Imphal East district of Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur'). It is a center of the Sanamahism followers in Manipur.[3][2] It is the central body of the "Sanamahi Lainingkol" (University of Sanamahi Culture) at Chingoi Maru Langmaiching (Nongmaiching).[4][5][6]

Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong
An afternoon scene of the Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong
Religion
Affiliation Sanamahism (Meitei religion)
SectLainingthou Sanamahi worship
DistrictImphal East district
ProvinceKangleipak
(Meitei for 'Manipur')
RegionNongmaiching Mountain (Selloi Langmai Mountain)
DeityLainingthou Sanamahi
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusactive
Governing body"Sanamahi Lainingkol" (University of Sanamahi Culture)
Year consecrated2019[1]
Statusactive
Location
LocationNongmaiching mountains (Selloi Langmai mountains)
MunicipalitySangsabi
StateManipur
CountryIndia
Geographic coordinates24°48′18″N 94°02′08″E / 24.80505°N 94.03543°E / 24.80505; 94.03543
Architecture
TypeMeitei architecture
StyleMeitei architecture
Funded byfollowers of Sanamahism
Date established8 June 2019; 5 years ago (2019-06-08)[1]
Groundbreaking2006[2]
Completed2019
Specifications
Height (max)75 feet (23 m)[2]
Dome(s)1
Minaret(s)1
Spire(s)1
Temple(s)1
Monument(s)1
Shrine(s)1
Inscriptions1
Elevation980 m (3,215 ft)

The Sanamahi Kiyong is a religious destination and a pilgrimage site for the Meitei people, even for those living outside Manipur in other Northeast Indian states and also for the Kabui people and the Zeliangrong people living in Manipur, Assam and Tripura inside India as well as in Myanmar and Bangladesh.[7]

The construction of the Sanamahi Kiyong temple aims at the establishment of a university of Sanamahi religion on the Nongmaiching mountain. It was built according to a 2002 resolution adopted at a public meeting having a goal to construct a university for Sanamahism,[2] with the aim to teach the future generations of people about the ancient Meitei culture of the Sanamahi religion, offering its students various subjects about indigenous art forms, dance forms, music, Thang-Ta and Sagol Kangjei (Meitei for 'polo') etc.[1][8]

Architecture

edit

The Sanamahi Kiyong is 75 feet (23 m) tall. It has 7 stories, that represent the seven clans (Meitei: Salai) of the Meitei people. The 7 stories are painted in the colours of the 7 Meitei clans.[2]

Construction

edit

The construction of the Sanamahi Kiyong started in the year 2006. It was done through the donated funds raised from the public.[2][4][5] As of March 2012, the construction cost reached 2 crore (equivalent to 3.8 crore or US$450,000 in 2023) and the then estimation of net cost was around 3 crore (equivalent to 5.7 crore or US$680,000 in 2023).[2]

Inauguration

edit

The Sanamahi Kiyong was previously planned to be inaugurated on 16 May 2019. But it was postponed to 8 June 2019 because religious leaders advised that it should be done on Meitei month of Enga (Meitei: ꯏꯉꯥ, romanized: ī-ngā) and not on the month of Kalen (Meitei: ꯀꯥꯂꯦꯟ, romanized: kā-len) and 8 June falls on Enga, the favourable month.[3][9][10]

On 8 June 2019, the Sanamahi Kiyong Hongba (Meitei for 'inauguration of the Kiyong-Temple') was organised by the "Foundation For University of Sanamahi Culture" and the "Laiyingthou Sanamahi Thougal Kanglup". The event was attended by N Hiyainu, wife of Nongthombam Biren, the then Chief Minister of Manipur.[1]

edit

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ The terms "Lainingthou" (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯏꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ) and "Laiyingthou" (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯏꯌꯤꯡꯊꯧ) are interchangeably used with no change in the word meaning.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d "Sanamahi Kiyong inaugurated: 09th jun19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Work on Sanamahi Kiyong gaining momentum: 23rd mar12 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Sanamahi Kiyong to be inaugurated on June 8: 12th may19 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Sanamahi Kiyong Donation: 15th dec08 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Sanamahi Kiyong: 15th may15 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Sanamahi Kiyong: 20th oct14 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  7. ^ সনামহি কিয়োং কোনুং | ইম্ফাল ইষ্ট ডিষ্ট্রিক্ট, মণিপুর গভর্নমেন্ট | India [Sanamahi Kiyong Konung | Imphal East District, Manipur Government | India]. National Informatics Centre (in Manipuri). India. Retrieved 2 February 2023. লাইশং অসি মণিপুর নত্তবা অৱাং নোংপোক্কী লমদা খুন্দাদুনা লৈবা মীতৈ/মৈতৈ শিংনা ধর্ম্মগী ওইবা লম কোইবা চৎপা অমদি মণিপুর, ম্য়ানমার, অসাম, ত্রিপুরা অমসুং বাংগ্লাদেস তা খুন্দারিবা কবুই অমদি জেল্য়ারোং কাংলুপকী মীওইশিংগী পুক্নিং চিংশিলহল্লি।
  8. ^ "Sanamahi University on the card: 25th jan04 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". www.e-pao.net. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  9. ^ Akoijam, Jeet (11 May 2019). "Sanamahi Kiyong to be inaugurated on June 8 - Imphal Times". www.imphaltimes.com. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  10. ^ নোংমাইচীং চীংদা শাগৎলিবা লাইনিং- থৌ সনামহি কিয়োং শঙ্গাবগী থৌরম য়ৈথোক্লে হায়না লাইয়িংথৌ সনামহি থৌগল লুপনা লাউথোকপগী শক্তম (PDF). hueiyenlanpao.com (in Manipuri).
edit