Nongshāba

Nongshaba (Nongsaba) and his wife Sarunglaima (Sarungleima) being carried to the Laisang or Laishang ('temple') in Moirang - Two girls are carrying the god's fans and utensils in their hands, and each has a red blanket for the god's use over her left shoulder. It was first published in the 1901 edition of Man (journal) published by the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland.

The cult of God Nongsaba (Nongshaba) was brought from Moirang by two persons, Mungyaang Ngairaangba and Yumnaam Tonba, and presented the deity to Meitei King Khagemba (Meitei: ꯈꯥꯒꯦꯝꯕ).[17][18]

The position of the cult dedicated to God Nongsaba (Nongshaba) was elevated to that of the supreme deity during the reign of Meitei King Khagemba (Meitei: ꯈꯥꯒꯦꯝꯕ) (r. 1597-1652 AD). With the recognition of God Nongsaba as an Umang Lai, a five storied temple building was constructed in his honour.[19][20]

During the reign of King Khagemba, with the rise of the position of God Nongsaba as a supreme deity, other Umang Lai deities became lesser deities. During the King's reign, a Meitei family named "Leithangbam" was given the duty to look after the cult of God Nongsaba. "Phura", a group of maibis (Meitei for 'priestesses') was also established to worship God Nongsaba.[19][21][22][23]

During the reign of Meitei king Paikhomba (Meitei: ꯄꯥꯏꯈꯣꯝꯕ), there was a spiritual and symbolical marriage ceremony of princess Yaosombi (Meitei: ꯌꯥꯎꯁꯣꯝꯕꯤ) and God Nongsaba, with the offering of an elephant to the deity. From the reign of King Khagemba until the accession of King Charairongba, the cult dedicated to God Nongsaba was more popular than that of God Sanamahi.[21][24]

During the reign of King Garibniwaz (Meitei: Pamheiba), on the 12th of November 1723, Brahmins (priests of Hinduism) started managing the temples of God Nongsaba (Nongshaba), along with the shrines of other deities, including Yimthei Lai, Panthoibi and Taibangkhaiba (Sanamahi).[21][25][26]

With the purge of 1726 AD, the cult of God Nongsaba did not survive for a long time, as his cult was destroyed with the arrival of Hinduism.[27][28] On 17 October 1732, King Garibniwaz (Meitei: Pamheiba) and his Guru Shantidas Gosai ordered the destruction of temples of God Nongshaba and other deities including Sanamahi, Yumtheilai, Panthoibi, and Umang Lais.[29]

According to the Meitei beliefs, Kangla Sha is a divine representation of Lainingthou Nongshaba.[30][31]

According to the "Nongshaba Laihui" ("Nongsaba Laihui"), a Meitei text, God Nongsaba (Nongshaba) is the second son of the Universal Lord, and is also known as "Tholbu Chinglen Nongdai Ningthou". According to the text, God Nongsaba is neither assigned much duty nor he has taken a big role in the creation of the universe. Unlike his younger brother Pakhangba, Nongsaba did not stand in the way of his elder brother Asheeba (alias Sanamahi) and abstain himself from disturbing Asheeba in the great task.[7][32][33][34]

Unlike his younger brother Pakhangba, Nongsaba does not have any human descendants. Unlike his elder brother Sanamahi, Nongsaba does not have any manifestation in human forms. These are mentioned in the Meitei scriptures, the Pakhangba Laihui and the Sanamahi Laihui.[35][34]

The Nongsaba Laihui (Nongshaba Laihui) describes the magnificence of all the glories of God Nongsaba (Nongshaba) as follows:

"Thou, Lord of Gods and Goddesses together with the exalted Awang Phatlou Laimakhomba (Sanamahi), like two strands of the thread entwined, exercise Thine sway over the earth and in doing so effulgent rays radiate from Thee. Thus with the reflected light, all other divine beings take on a dazzling look and are then made to stand guard at the four corners, eight directions and sixteen sub-directions. All the souls of the living creatures emanate from Thee and again like beads of gold strung together Thou art in complete harmony with Nongda Lairen Pakhangba who can be a man in the night and a God during the day. There Thou takest Thine name as Chinglen Nongdai Ningthou and with Thine consort Thongnang Leicha Khombi, Thou becomest like innumerable Suns among the myriad stars… On both of Thee attend the God of the death and the God of the westerly directions, who hold ornamental receptacles for delicacies. And the enchanting seven goddesses gently play the fans made of peacock feathers for Thy pleasure. O Powerful One! Thou holdest intake the seven folds of the sky above and the earth down below with dowels of iron…"[35][7][36]

The "Nongsaba Laihui" text further describes God Nongsaba (Nongshaba) as:

"God Koubru served Nongsaba as his shawl, god Thangjing Koiren Ningthou as his back cushion, god Wangpuren, son of Wangnu Reima Khomchomphabi, as his carpet, God Marching, as his throne, god Nongpok Ningthou as his looking mirror, Telli Ningthou Sidaba as his clothes hanger, the sun god as his sekpin (canopy) and Pakhangba as arangchi, goddess"[19]

The same text describes all the Umang Lai deities, including Sanamahi, as the attendants of God Nongsaba (Nongshaba).[19][34]

According to Saroj Nalini Arambam Parratt, the second stanza of the Meitei poem "Anoirol", sung in the Lai Haraoba, mentions many sky deities including God Nongshaba. Nongshaba is described as the god of the sky of Moirang.[37]

Devotees worship God Nongsaba (Nongshaba) by offering white clothes, fruits, flowers, white fish, preferably "Sareng" (Wallago attu) and loincloth. Similar offerings can be offered to Pakhangba and Yumjao Lairembi (Yumjao Leima).[38][39][40]

In early times, God Nongshaba was venerated, along with Pakhangba, in the "Naoshumshang", the shrine of ancestral figures. The God was prayed for the longevity of the lives of the Meitei kings.[41]

At a place named "Khoibaching" in Manipur, a round shaped stone is worshipped as God Nongshaba. The shrine is reserved for the kings only. It is 6 cubits deep.[42][6]

According to Meitei culture, the "Phura" is a class of the maibis (Meitei for 'priestesses'), who are used to take care of the cult of God Nongshaba.[43]

"Ningkham Samchi" ("Ningkham Samji" or "Ningkham Samjin") dress represents God Nongsaba (Nongshaba).

In traditional Meitei dress making art and culture, the patterns of the "Ningkham" and the "Samjin" are the representations of God Nongshaba. The "Samjin" represents the head portion of God Nongshaba. The "Ningkham" represents the tail portion of God Nongshaba.[44][45][46][47]

Head of Nongshaba

The head of God Nongshaba is believed to be similar to that of the unicorn, being represented in the headgear ("headwear" or "headdress") by the curved decorated stick raising up at its apex.[44]

Ears of Nongshaba

The two ears of God Nongshaba are symbolically represented by the fan like frills on the two sides of the headdress.[44]

Beard of Nongshaba

The beard of God Nongshaba is symbolically represented by the long and narrow strip of a decorative cloth hanging loosely on the chest.[44]

Patterned body of Nongshaba

The patterned body of God Nongshaba is represented by the wearing of the Khamen Chatpa loincloth around the loin.[44]

Tail of Nongshaba

The tail of God Nongshaba is symbolically represented by the "Ningkham" on the girdle.[44][45]

Meitei kings constructed many temples dedicated to Meitei deities in Bangladesh, among which a shrine dedicated to God Nongshaba was a notable one.[48] In the Manipuri Rajbari in Lama Bazar of Bangladesh, there is a temple of God Nongshaba, built along with the temples of God Pakhangba and Goddess Yumjao Lairembi. Its architecture is similar to that of Goddess Yumjao Lairembi. The Temple's facade faces South. Its ground plan is square in shape, covering an area of 2.40 sq. meters.[49][50][51]

On the 15th of December 2015 in Imphal, a fortnightly magazine named "Nongsaba" was launched under the motto "Journalism for change". The publication focuses on the socio-political, economy, education, unemployment, art and culture, science, sports, beauty, health, entertainment, etc.[52]

• The Quarterly Review of Historical Studies. Institute of Historical Studies. 1999. pp. 30, 33.
• K. Sobita Devi (1998). Traditional Dress of the Meiteis (in English and Manipuri). p. 26.
• Parratt, Saroj Nalini (1980). Religion Of Manipur. Firma Klm. p. 119.

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• Nongshaba at e-pao.net
• Nongshaba at xobdo.org