PAPHALS - IGRMS

Religion has been a constant factor in the growth of human
civilization and almost all the known societies to a degree are
religious in expressing and affirming culturally prescribed
solutions of social and psychological problems. Religious
system of any society, ancient or modern, passes through
naturalism and animism. The animistic and naturalistic
faiths, those of which are deeply rooted in the beliefs and
practices of a society, remain to exist in some forms even if it
has undergone changes.
Before the advent of Hinduism in Manipur, the traditional
religion or the pre-Hindu religion existed in a polytheistic,
animistic and naturalistic form loaded with belief and
practices associated with spirits, animistic and naturalistic
faiths, ancestral worship, totemic cult, fetishism and so
on. Apart from this, curiously shaped stones and objects,
possessing some life-like forces, are often venerated and
worshiped by them. Existence of malevolent spirits in the
surrounding environment, forests and jungle, lakes, rivers
and swamps constitute traditional belief of the Meitei
people of Manipur. Free and liberated souls like Timu-Laimu,
Sharoi-Ngaroi (deomons and evil spirits), Heloi (nymph),
Hingchabis (witch), etc. according to the Meitei belief, roam
in their surroundings, the influence of which may result
a person to suffer from diseases, unconsciousness and
sometimes meet sudden death. These are warded off with
different levels of magical, ritual and ceremonial conducts by
the concerned spiritual specialists, commonly referred to as
the Maiba and Maibis (priests and priestess). Scholars have
viewed the religion of Manipur in its historical perspective
into two broad categories viz. (a) traditional religion or pre-
Hindu religion and (b)the advent and rise of Hinduism in
Manipur.
The chronicles and ancient literary texts reveal that the
ancient people of the land worshipped a number of gods
and goddesses. They included natural phenomena such as
Sun, Moon, Sky, Stars, Darkness, Wind, Water, Fire, Lighting,
Earthquake, etc. and also many mythical and legendary
figures, cultural and political heroes, tribal and clan
progenitors, and the like. Concept of High God emerges
with the Meitei Trinity Atiya Guru Sidaba or Soralel (immortal
Guru of Heaven/ Sky God), Pakhangba (Moon God) and
Sanamahi (Sun God) and they are considered to be the
manifestations of the Universal lord Taibang Panba Mapu.
According to a popular Meitei myth of creation, the newly
created earth was to be ruled by the sons of the Atiya Guru
Sidaba (immortal Guru of Heaven). In order to choose the
most able son to ascend the thorne of Kangla, Atiya Guru
Sidaba decided to examine the ability of Pakhangba and
Sanamahi by hiding himself from their sight. Sanamahi,
the eldest son took 7 rounds of the earth to find his father,
while the youngest son Pakhangba took the help of Mother
Ima Leimarel Sidabi (Immortal Mother goddess) and took
7 rounds of his father’s throne to find. Pakhangba was
successful in finding out his father . Being found cheated,
Sanamahi started quarreling with his brother Pakhangba.
The conflict between the two brothers become so dreadful
that it raised to the level of destroying the newly created
earth. Finally, Atiya Guru Sidaba intervened and resolved
the matter. Pakhangba was crowned as the ruler of the earth
and Sanamahi as the ruler of every household. In this way,
Pakhangba became the most important public deity while
Sanamahi is regarded as a household deity.
Pakhangba, other than its human existence is also believed
to have appeared in a divine form called Paphal. At the time
of creation, the thousand crested form of his assumption
laid on to fill soil for creating earth. According to Meitei
belief, earlier there was a vast expanse of water with no
patches of soil. This mythical assumption called Paphal
exists in 364 different forms and the illustration of which
are given in the ancient manuscript called Paphal Lambuba.
These forms are associated with divine power to control and
protect places. Many forms of Pakhangba are revered as
the presiding deity of River, Lakes, Hills, Ponds, Caves and
Islands while Taoroinai forms of Pakhangba represent the
divine existence in the human body to control the nervous
systems. There are as many as 108 Taoroinai Pakhangba
Paphals live in the human body as its divine assumptions.
Pakhangba and its forms in are regarded as the creator of
seven salais (clans) of Meitei. The Paphal illustrations in the
manuscripts appeared with codified colours of these seven
clans. Reflections of these divine assumptions also appear
in the Meitei numerals and scripts. These assumptions
were used as icons and symbolic representations of the
Meitei social and political organisations called Panas.
Paphals were also the symbol of royal flags. Some of these
sacred assumptions are means of healing with proper
writings of mantras on the intricate postures, and the
Pandits (royal scholars), and Maibas (traditional healers)
use it in their healing practices. Some of these intricate
postures are guidelines of Thengourol & Khousarol (steps)
to the traditional Meitei Martial form called Thang-Ta. The
impressive royal dressess and dance costumes of Manipur,
be it folk or classical, are derrived from the assumption
of Pakhangba. It is also said that, some elements of
Pakhangba Paphal were taken up in the Sringara of Lord
Krishna, and the beauty of Lord Krishna represented in
the classical Rasa Dance and temple idols of Manipur are
well accomplished with the blending of Manipuri art and
aesthetics.
Moreover, many religious preachers of all hues also passed
through this land or settled here. These immigrants and
religious preachers brought new cultural and religious
ideas into Manipur, which affected the cultural and
religious life of the the people. In course of evolution, the
traditional culture and religion of the Meitei have been
further enriched with the absorption and assimilation of
elements from other alien cultures.
Paphal is synonymous with Lord Pakhangba. People of
Manipur know Pakhangba as their ancestor, their King
and as their Lord and his symbolic representation called
Paphal is also referred by them as Ibudhou Pakhangba (the
great ancestor Pakhangba). These assumptions are not
only sacred to them but also a part of their life and culture.
Attraction of Pakhangba assumptions is not isolated from
the contemporary Manipuri society and other sects of
people. Many of the social organisations, clubs, market
and shops, display Pakhangba forms, ‘Paphal’, as their
icon, symbol and souvenirs to welcome you to the land
of Pakhangba.
The present exhibition is an attempt to showcase the
culture and importance of the Pakhangba Paphals in
the life of the Meitei people from an anthropological
perspective and to understand that Paphal is a baseline of
Meitei culture. An idea for presentation of this exhibition
is to explore the science of belief system culminating
with the Paphal cult and to understand that these beliefs
and practices are instrumental in the cultural and social
integration of the people of Manipur. The abode of Paphal
in sacred places, groves, lakes, mountains, river, caves
and forests and biological and cultural beliefs associated
with it have been the most important factor in controlling
the traditional social system and decisive in conserving
nature.
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Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya
Shamla Hills, Bhopal-462013
Qksu / Phone : 0755-2526531, 2526580, 2661319, 2526550; www.igrms.com
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25 ¨ÉÉSÉÇ 2011 ºÉä
Special Exhibition on
Paphals
the 364 mythical forms of the ruling
deity Pakhangba of Manipur
Venue: Veethi Sankul
From 25th March, 2011 onwards
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Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal

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