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Thongalen
Thongalen
King of the Underworld and God of the Dead
Member of Lainingthous
Abode	the Underworld
Texts	Poireiton Khunthok, Nongban Pombi Luwaoba
Gender	Male
Region	Manipur
Ethnic group	Meitei ethnicity
Festivals	Lai Haraoba
Genealogy
Siblings	Poireiton
Consorts	Laikhurembi; Lainaotabi; Thongak Lairembi; Khamnung Kikoi Louonbi;
Equivalents
Greek	Hades
Hindu	Yama
Roman	Pluto

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Thongalen (Manipuri: ꯊꯣꯉꯥꯂꯦꯟ) (also, Thongalel, Thongaren or Thongarel) is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld (Manipuri: ꯈꯝꯅꯨꯡ, romanized: Khamnung) in Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9] He is the Guardian God of the nadir.^[3]^: 181.

He is the ancestor-god of the Khuman clan.^[10] Laikhurembi and Lainaotabi are his wives.^[11]

Mythology

In the Poireiton Khunthok

King Thongaren (Old Manipuri: Thongalen) asked his highest-ranked Queen Laikhurembi (Old Manipuri: Laikhulempi) to go with his brother Chingkhong Poireiton on a long trip. Poireiton was a widower; his wife had died, and he had six children to raise and also had to go to the Tai Pang Pan. King Thongalel thought his brother needed a wife to go with him on their trip.^[12] However, Queen Laikhurembi did not want to go. She said she was already the king's wife. Trees had already been planted in her honor because she and the king had lived together for a very long time. So, instead of Queen Laikhurembi, King Thongalel sent his second wife, Leinaotabi, to go with Poireiton and be his wife.^[13]

In the Pombi Luwaoba

Nongban Pombi Luwaoba was a prince in the Luwang dynasty. Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba and his wife, Namoinu, were happy. Then she died suddenly. She died because of the God Thongalel. Prince Pombi Luwaoba refused to perform the funeral for her dead body. He hoped the God Thongalel would send her soul back into her body so she would be alive again. God Thongalel received a message from the prince through a pheasant bird. The message said that Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba was ready to fight God Thongalel if he did not send Namoinu's soul back. This made the God Thongalel angry. He sent two of his brothers, but Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba beat them both. He took them prisoner. Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba sent the pheasant bird with another message to God Thongalel. The message said that if the God wanted to get his brothers back alive, then he had to send back the soul of Namoinu to her body.^[14]

Finally, God Thongalel came to meet Prince Pombi Luwaoba himself. But instead of fighting, the prince prayed to the god himself. God Thongalel was happy that Prince Nongban Pombi Luwaoba showed him respect. Thongalel brought Namoinu back to life. He also gave her a gift: She would live for 100 years and have 100 sons.^[15]

Hymns

The Meitei people in ancient times, worshipped the deity along with a hymn, which reads as follows:-

O Immortal Lord Thongalen!
Thou dispenser of the destiny of the dead and the living!
Skillful thou art in administration,
Favouring many a living being
Sealing the fate of many a dead man
Presidest thou over funeral affairs;
Chief of gods!
Shut the door of death
And open the door of the living!

— Ashee Thong Thingpa^[16]

Texts

According to ancient Meitei chronicle "Poireiton Khunthok", a band of colonists led by Poireiton came from the land of death, whose king was Lord Thongaren.^[17]
According to ancient Meitei chronicle "Nongban Pombi Luwaoba", there was a conflict between Nongban Pombi Luwaoba and a messenger of Thongaren and subsequent reconciliation with Lord Thongaren himself.^[18]

Association with other deities

God Thongalen is sometimes identified as God Wangpurel (Old Manipuri: Wangpulel). Thongalen is the King of underworld. Wangpurel reigns over the direction south. Some Meiteis believe that the direction south is the land of death. So, when the Meiteis got converted into Hinduism, both Thongalen and Wangpulel became counterparts of Hindu God Yama.^[19]

References

^ Elangbam Nilakanta (1982). Aspects of Indian Culture. Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy.
^ Glimpses of Manipuri Language, Literature, and Culture - Page 19 - 1970
^ ^a ^b Neelabi, sairem (2006). Laiyingthou Lairemmasinggee Waree Seengbul (in Manipuri). p. 174.
^ Mehrotra, Deepti Priya (2009-07-08). Burning Bright Irom Sharmila. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-81-8475-153-6.
^ The North Eastern Geographer. North East India Geographical Society. 1980.
^ Medieval Indian Literature: An Anthology. Sahitya Akademi. 1997. p. 385.
^ Contributions to Southeast Asian Ethnography. Board of Editors, Contributions to Southeast Asian Ethnography. 1982.
^ Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal (1986). The History of Manipur: An early period. Manipur Commercial Company.
^ Commission, India Indian Historical Records (1976). Proceedings of the Meetings of the Session. Manager of Publications.
^ Sanajaoba, Naorem (1988). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-853-2.
^ Ray, Asok Kumar; Chakraborty, Satyabrata (2008). Society, Politics, and Development in North East India: Essays in Memory of Dr. Basudeb Datta Ray. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-8069-572-8.
^ Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. p. 245.
^ Singh, Wahengbam Ibohal. The History Of Manipur. p. 246.
^ Delhi, All India Radio (AIR), New (1968-03-17). AKASHVANI: Vol. XXXIII, No.12 ( 17 MARCH, 1968 ). All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Delhi, All India Radio (AIR), New (1968-03-17). AKASHVANI: Vol. XXXIII, No.12 ( 17 MARCH, 1968 ). All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Neelabi, sairem (2006). Laiyingthou Lairemmasinggee Waree Seengbul (in Manipuri). p. 181.
^ Contributions to Southeast Asian Ethnography. 1982.
^ Singh, Elangbam Nilakanta (1982). Aspects of Indian Culture.
^ Singh, L. Bhagyachandra (1991). A Critical Study Of The Religious Philosophy. p. 109.