Hills and mountains in Meitei culture

"Ching", a Meitei language root word for "hill" or "mountain"

Many Chings for hills and mountains play significant role in different elements of Meitei culture, including but not limited to Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology and Meitei religion (Sanamahism) of Kangleipak for Manipur.

Terms in Meitei

Terms in Meitei language (officially called 'Manipuri')	Translation(s)	Notes/References
"Ching" (Meitei: ꯆꯤꯡ)	either a hill or a mountain
"Cingjāo" (Meitei: ꯆꯤꯡꯖꯥꯎ, lit. 'hill/mountain‑to be large')	a high mountain
"Cingdum" (Meitei: ꯆꯤꯡꯗꯨꯝ, lit. 'hill‑sth rounded')	a hillock; mound
"Cingsāng" (Meitei: ꯆꯤꯡꯁꯥꯡ, lit. 'hill/mountain‑to be long')	the range of a hill or mountain

Heingang Ching

Main article: Heingang Ching

The Marjing Polo Statue inside the Marjing Polo Complex in November, 2022

In Meitei mythology and religion (Sanamahism), the Heingang Ching (Meitei: ꯍꯩꯉꯥꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ) is a sacred mountain and the home of God Marjing, the ancient Meitei deity of Sagol Kangjei for polo, [[Khong Kangjei language|Khong Kangjei]] for hockey and Meitei horse (Manipuri pony).

The Government of Manipur developed Marjing Polo Statue, the world's tallest equestrian statue of a player of Sagol Kangjei for polo game, riding a Meitei horse (Manipuri pony), standing inside the Marjing Polo Complex, the sacred sports site dedicated to God Marjing, which is on the hilltop of the Heingang Ching, being historically, mythologically and religiously associated with the game of polo (Meitei: Sagol Kangjei). It is built to commemorate the game of "modern polo" being originated from Kangleipak for Manipur.

Koupalu Ching

The Koupalu Ching (Meitei: ꯀꯧꯄꯂꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ), also known as the Koubaru Ching (Meitei: ꯀꯧꯕꯔꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ) or the Koubru Ching (Meitei: ꯀꯧꯕ꯭ꯔꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ), in the Northwest of Kangleipak, is a sacred mountain and a divine abode of Koupalu (Koubru), the ancient Meitei deity, who protects the Northwest direction. Innumerable shrines and holy sites dedicated to Him are located in its mountainous realms, where Meitei people regularly visit and worship Him. Many ancient Meitei language texts including but not limited to the Chinglon Laihui, the Chinggoirol, the Chingsatlon, the Nunglon mentioned about the Koupalu Ching (Koubru Ching).

Kounu Ching

The "Kounu Ching" (Meitei: ꯀꯧꯅꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ, lit. 'Mount Kounu'), located in the Senapati district of Manipur, is a sacred mountain as well as a divine abode of ancient Meitei goddess Kounu, the consort of God Koupalu (Koubru). Numerous shrines and sacred sites dedicated to her are found scattered across the mountain. Meitei people regularly visit and worship her in her holy sanctuaries.

Langkol Ching

Langkol Chingkoipa

The Langkol Chingkoipa (Langgol Chinggoiba) is an ancient Meitei language text which is a description for the Langkol Ching (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯡꯀꯣꯜ ꯆꯤꯡ), also called the Langgol Ching (Meitei: ꯂꯥꯡꯒꯣꯜ ꯆꯤꯡ), a hill situated in the north of Imphal. According to the text, the Langkol Ching is the first perfect creation of seven goddesses and eighteen gods.

When Panthoibi, the Meitei princess, was sporting with her paramour Nongpok Ningthou, she reminded him of the crack of dawn and of the fear of them being seen by her mother-in-law Manu Tekngā. Henceforth the slope has been known as Chingnung Shoy.

— Langkol Chingkoipa (Langgol Chinggoiba)

And this is the place where Nungpan Choupri maintained his kiddle for which he laid a wooden beam across the stream and erected strong reeds densely beneath it to block the passage of fishes. He handed over regularly to his wife those caught in daytime. But for some successive nights no fish could be found in the trap for which his wife developed suspicion of his having illicit relation with another woman. He sincerely pleaded that some evil spirits might have gobbled them up during the night. The fisherman invoked the god of the sky to save him from this predicament. Blessed as he was, he kept a night-long vigil on the top of a tree and could dispel with his sharp sword a rabble of goblins who clambered up to devour him. Therefore the place took the name of Laihat Shoy and also Aham Shoy as the fisherman returned home with an empty creel.

— Langkol Chingkoipa (Langgol Chinggoiba)

Nongmaiching Ching

Main article: Nongmaiching Ching

The Lainingthou Sanamahi Kiyong shrine is the central body of the University of Sanamahi Culture, in the hilltop of the Nongmaiching Ching.

Nongmaiching Chingkoipa

The Nongmaiching Chingkoipa (also called, "Nongmaijing Chinggoiba") is an ancient Meitei language text. It describes the sprawling branches of the Nongmaiching mountain (Meitei: ꯅꯣꯡꯃꯥꯏꯆꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ), which extends from the North to the South of the Imphal Valley of Kangleipak. The opening lines of the text describes the Nongmaiching to a king as follows:

O King, the mountain situated in the east and beyond the river is the abode of Kainou Chingsomba, lord of the Langmais. They attain majestic heights, are washed by seven streams, project into nine ranges and abound with deep gorges and sun-drenched ridges... They catch first the sight of every onlooker and stand steadfast unshaken by great earthquakes as if held by strong iron pegs and with their peaks kissed by white flakes of cloud. Their slopes are smoothly carpeted green with pennyworts under the shadow of tall and robust plants of cane and they are also dotted with dense growth of tall reeds. And the gorges reverberate against the strong current of wind. Of these mountain ranges the bard would like to sing.

— Nongmaiching Chingkoipa (Nongmaijing Chinggoiba)

Following these lines, the author describes on many cliffs, slopes and its peripheral areas of the Nongmaiching mountain.

Panthoibi Naheirol

See also: Panthoibi § Panthoibi Naheirol, and Nongmaiching Ching § Panthoibi Naheirol

The "Panthoibi Naheirol" (Meitei: ꯄꯥꯟꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ ꯅꯥꯍꯩꯔꯣꯜ, romanized: pānthoibī nāheirōl) is an ancient Meitei language text. According to it, ancient Meitei goddess Panthoibi pretended to be unwell in front of her mother, just to make her mother call physician Nongpok Ningthou (her secret paramour) for the treatment of her fake illness. While telling her mother about Nongpok Ningthou, princess Panthoibi mentioned the Nongmaiching (aka Langmai Ching) as follows:

As I told you there is one who is reigning supreme in the Langmai Hills on whose slope the sun shines first.

— Panthoibi to her mother in the "Panthoibi Naheirol"

Thangching Ching

The Thangching Ching (Meitei: ꯊꯥꯡꯆꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ), also known as the Thangjing Ching (Meitei: ꯊꯥꯡꯖꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡ), located in the Southwest of Kangleipak, is the divine abode of ancient Meitei god Thangching (Thangjing), the guardian deity of the southwestern direction. Shrines dedicated to Him are built in the Thangching ching, where his devotees visit and worship Him regularly.

See also

• Plants in Meitei culture
• Birds in Meitei culture
• Animals in Meitei culture
• Geography of Manipur
• Sacred mountains
• World mountain

References

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