| Loktak Ima | |
|---|---|
| Member ofMeitei goddesses | |
 | |
| Other names | Loktak Ema, Loktak Eemaa, Loktak Lairembi, Loktak Lairembee[1] |
| Affiliation | Meitei religion (Sanamahism) andMeitei mythology |
| Major cult center | Manipur |
| Abode | Loktak lake |
| Gender | Female |
| Region | Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur') |
| Ethnic group | Meitei ethnicity[2] |
Loktak Ima (Meitei:ꯂꯣꯛꯇꯥꯛ ꯏꯃꯥ,romanized: loktaak eemaa,lit. 'Mother Loktak'[3][4]), also known asLoktak Lairembi[a] (Meitei:ꯂꯣꯛꯇꯥꯛ ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯦꯝꯕꯤ,romanized: loktaak lairembee,lit. 'Goddess of Loktak'[b]),[7] is the personification of theLoktak lake, who isrevered by theMeitei people as themother goddess of thesacred waters of the Loktak lake.[8][9][10]She is highly respected and venerated by the fishermen communities of theMeitei ethnicity living in and around the periphery of theLoktak lake.[11][12] She is also considered as thefountainhead ofMeitei culture.[12]Her embodiment, the Loktak lake is associated with the epic ofKhamba and Thoibi as well as that ofPoubi Lai ofMeitei mythology andfolklore.[7]
Loktak goddess is often compared to a lady with heart that is pure and kind. It is said that whenever she passes by, thewater birds praise her by singing and thedeers bow their heads. She is benevolent to fishes.[13]
TheMaibis (Meitei for 'priestesses') oftraditional Meitei religion (Sanamahism) often sings of the grasslands, food and raw materials derived from the Loktak lake, which is believed to be the body of the Loktak Lairembi (Loktak goddess) herself. Loktak goddess is the symbol of the characters of independence and self-actualization of the women ofManipur.[14]
Loktak goddess is believed to be the one who is responsible for the replenishment of the fish population in theLoktak lake. According to traditional beliefs, there is no vanishing of the fish population no matter how much theycatch fishes.[15][12]The identity of Loktak goddess is also sometimes believed to be associated withMeitei goddess of water,Ereima.[15]
TheMeiteis acknowledge full reliance on the Loktak lake for their traditional occupations.[16]
TheMeitei people (living around the lake) consider theLoktak lake as their guardian. They believe the lake as their mother, as it is possible for them to depend upon the lake for their livelihoods, for their children and their family, only because of the grace bestowed upon them by the Mother Loktak.[18][19]
The Lore of Loktak
In the shadows of your footsteps
Many lives exist
On your nature's bounty
Many lives lean
O, beloved mother Loktak
O, beloved mother Loktak....— from Ranbir Thouna's song, Loktak[20]
| Description (inMeitei script) | Description (inEastern Nagari script) | Meanings/Translations |
|---|---|---|
| ꯏꯃꯥ ꯂꯣꯛꯇꯥꯛ ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯦꯝꯕꯤ / ꯏꯔꯩꯃꯒꯤ ꯁꯥꯏꯑꯣꯟ ꯂꯧ / ꯏꯪꯅ ꯄꯣꯝꯁꯥꯠꯅꯔꯤꯕꯤ / ꯐꯧꯑꯣꯏꯕꯤꯅ ꯂꯨꯆꯤꯡꯕꯤ / ꯂꯥꯏ ꯆꯅꯨꯔꯥ ꯇꯔꯦꯠꯀꯤ / ꯍꯤ- ꯌꯥꯏ ꯈꯨꯗꯤꯡ ꯅꯥꯎꯄꯨꯕꯤ, / ꯆꯤꯡꯅꯨꯡ ꯂꯩꯃ ꯆꯤꯡꯁꯤꯡꯅꯕꯤ / ꯍꯥꯏꯅꯨ ꯂꯩꯃ ꯍꯥꯏꯁꯤꯡꯅꯕꯤ / ꯂꯦꯝꯂꯩ ꯉꯥꯔꯥꯛ ꯉꯥꯑꯣꯏꯕꯤ / ꯅꯤꯡꯉꯣꯜ ꯅꯨꯔꯥꯕꯤ, ꯀꯣꯂꯥꯡꯅꯨ / ꯇꯣꯏꯕꯤ ꯀꯦꯟꯃꯤꯟꯅꯕꯤꯒꯤ / ꯈꯣꯡꯒꯨꯜ ꯂꯤꯃ ꯇꯥꯔꯤꯕꯤ, / ꯆꯤꯡꯉꯨ ꯊꯥꯡꯖꯤꯡ ꯀꯣꯏꯔꯦꯜꯂꯥꯏ / ꯀꯧꯕ꯭ꯔꯨ ꯃꯥꯔꯖꯤꯡ ꯋꯥꯡꯕ꯭ꯔꯦꯟꯅ / ꯃꯦꯏꯒꯩ ꯃꯔꯤ ꯉꯥꯛꯂꯤꯕꯤ / ꯁꯥꯏꯑꯣꯟ ꯂꯥꯡꯑꯣꯟ ꯀꯌꯥꯒꯤ / ꯈꯣꯏꯊꯨꯝꯂꯕ ꯋꯥꯔꯤꯅ / ꯏꯔꯣꯟꯅꯨꯡꯗ ꯊꯨꯞꯂꯤꯕ / ꯏꯃꯥ ꯅꯪꯒꯤ ꯃꯤꯡꯈꯩꯔꯣꯟ / ꯁꯛꯄ ꯉꯝꯂꯣꯏ ꯀꯩꯗꯧꯅꯨꯡ।Loktak Sheitharol, page no. 1 (ꯂꯣꯛꯇꯥꯛ ꯁꯩꯊꯥꯔꯣꯜ , ꯂꯥꯃꯥꯏ :꯱)। | ইমা লোক্তাক লাইরেম্বী / ঈরৈমাগী শাইওন লৌ / ঈংনা পোমশাত্নরিবী / ফৌওইবীনা লুচিংবী / লাই চনুরা তরেকী / হী- য়াই খুদিং নাউপুবী, / চীংনুং লৈমা চিংশিংনবী / হাইনু লৈমা হাইশিংনবী / লেমলৈ ঙারাক ঙাওইবী / নিংঙোল নুরাবী, কোলাংনু / তোইবী কেনমিন্নবীগী / খোঙ্গুল লীম তারিবী, / চীংঙু থাংজীং কোয়রেল্লাই / কৌব্রূ মারজীং বাংরেন্না / মায়গৈ মরি ঙাক্লিবী / শাইওন লাংওন কয়াগী / খোয়থুলবা বারীনা / ঈরোন্নুংদা থুপ্লিবা / ইমা নঙগী মিংখৈরোল/ শকপা ঙম্লোই কৈদৌনুং।Loktak Sheitharol, page no. 1 (লোক্তাক শৈথারোল, লা:১)। | Mother Loktak Goddess / O the incarnation ofIreima / Peacefully blooming one / Led byPhouoibi / Of the seven divine ladies / The possessor of all the gems, / The lady who pulls inside the mountains / The waving lady who waves / The lady who is fish among the fishes / Virgin lady, Kolangnu / Toibi Kenminnabigi / Tracing the foot paths, / GodThangching Koirellai /KoupaluMarjingWangpulen're / Guarding you from four directions / Of the many incarnations / Those are sweet stories / Existing inside the underwater / O mother, your many names / Couldn't be sung completely ever.Loktak Sheitharol, page no. 1[21] |
| ꯊꯥꯡꯖꯤꯡ ꯆꯤꯡꯁꯥꯡ ꯃꯁꯥꯏꯀꯣꯜ ꯊꯨꯞꯆꯩ ꯃꯔꯨꯝ ꯂꯣꯛꯇꯥꯛ ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯦꯝꯕꯤ ꯂꯤꯔꯛꯏ ꯋꯥꯔꯤ ꯂꯩꯁꯦꯝꯉꯩ ꯊꯣꯛꯈꯤ ꯅꯁꯥꯏꯀꯣꯟꯁꯤꯗ ꯃꯨꯠꯅꯥꯏꯗ꯭ꯔꯕ ꯋꯥꯔꯤ, ꯁꯥꯌꯣꯜ ꯇꯔꯦꯠ, ꯈꯣꯏꯌꯨꯝ ꯂꯥꯡꯑꯣꯟ ꯆꯪꯈꯣꯟꯕ ꯂꯩꯃꯔꯦꯜ ꯂꯥꯡꯑꯣꯟ ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯤꯕꯤ ꯀꯥꯎꯉꯝꯗ꯭ꯔꯕ ꯋꯥꯔꯤꯅ ꯑꯣꯏꯔꯤ ꯈꯣꯔꯤꯔꯣꯜ ꯄꯨꯛꯀꯩ ꯑꯊꯣꯏꯕ ... । | থাংজিং চীংশাং মশাইকোল থুপচৈ মরুম লোক্তাক লাইরেম্বী লীরকি বারী লৈশেমঙৈ থোকখি নশাইকোনসিদা মুৎনাইদ্র ৱারী, শায়োল তরেৎ, খোইয়ুম লাংওন চঙখোনবা লৈমরেল লাংওন নীংথিবী কাউঙমদ্রবা ৱারীনা ওইরি খোরিরোল পুক্কৈ অথোইবা ... । | In the region ofThangjing Hill range Goddess of Loktak seek asylum Narrating thecreation myth It happened on your lap Immortal tales, sevenEpic cycles of incarnations, Perfect incarnation of divinity Incarnation ofLeimarel It is an unforgettable story |
Being central to Manipur, Loktak features prominently in folklore, oral literature, rituals, and songs. It is called Loktak Lairembee or Goddess Loktak. The people living on the shores believe in isha-mapal, or nine sources of the lake, that must always be kept clean for the continuing health of Loktak. There is wisdom in the old belief as the nine rivers that drain into Loktak are essential to the existence of the lake, its wetlands, and the human lives dependent on them.
... the Meitei people's hopes are pinned on Loktak Lairembee now. Will she succeed in protecting the region all by herself?
lāirembi ꯂꯥꯏꯔꯦꯝꯕꯤ /lai.rem.bi/ n. goddess. Morph: lāi‑rem( [God‑excellent‑Feminine].
Local legend has it that the lake was formed when the gods wooed the people of the valley, and, for Manipuris, it is a goddess, Loktak Lairembi. In the local Meitei belief system, the timeless romance of princess Thoibi and Khamba came to life on the lake's shores, and the mythical creature Poubi Lai resides at its heart. The lake itself is ema (mother) for the thousands of fishermen who earn their livelihood through her.
Just as India's Hindu community views the River Ganges as a living mother goddess, the Meitei see Loktak Lake as their 'mother' – a provider of life for all.
Loktak is not just a lake. For Manipuris she is Loktak Lairembi (Goddess Loktak), and for the several thousands of fishermen who depend on her for their livelihood, she is ema (mother). And although she is the fountainhead of Manipuri culture, her own identity has been in a state of flux for decades.
The Maibi is unique because, apart from being a religious functionary of the Meitei religion, she is also considering as a midwife, a healer, an herbalist, a clairvoyant, a spiritual leader and a dancer." The Maibi sings of the grasslands and all the food and raw materials derived from it and it is believed that the famous Loktak Lake in the region was the body of the goddess (Lairembi) herself, the independence and self-actualization characteristic of the women of Manipur. On another level, it brings out the wonderful harmony that co-exists between man and nature. In the attempt at understanding the lives of a group of priestesses. 'Sacred Space' opens by placing the Maibi in context of the Sanamahi religious beliefs or Sanamahism of the Meitei people of Manipur.