Imoinu

The meaning of the name "Emoinu Ahongbi" ("ꯏꯃꯣꯢꯅꯨ ꯑꯍꯣꯡꯕꯤ") can be found by splitting it up word by word. Here, "E" ("ꯏ") refers to human being. "Moi" ("ꯃꯣꯢ" or "ꯃꯣꯏ") refers to rearing. "Nu" ("ꯅꯨ") refers to female deity or goddess. So, "Emoinu" means goddess who rears the human beings. "Ahongbi" means giver of plentiful household properties.

The name Imoinu (Emoinu) stands for the goddess rearing the human beings. The first-word syllable E (/ee/) means human beings, moi (/moy/) meaning rearing and nu meaning Goddess.

Ahongbi means giver of the household properties plentifully. Ibendhou (Ebendhou) meaning great-grandmother.

Dr. Parratt described Emoinu Ahongbi (alias Emoinu Ahong Achaubi) as another form of Goddess Leimarel Sidabi. Leimarel Sidabi is the supreme mother. Imoinu is regarded as an ever resourceful lady. She always gives wealth and prosperity to the mankind. She was shown as having a human appearance. She resides near the fire hearth. The goddess is believed to be the controller and regulator of good conduct and behavior of the human beings.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.461915/page/n75/mode/2up?q=Imoinu|title=A Critical Study Of The Religious Philosophy|via=archive.org|date=August 1991 |pages=75}}

Imoinu Ahong Achaubi is a deity for good moral behavior, besides wealth and prosperity. As a social code of conduct, a Meitei woman should go out from home only after prayers and worship of the goddess and other household deities. When she returns home, she should pray to the deity.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.461915/page/n165/mode/2up?q=Imoinu|title=A Critical Study Of The Religious Philosophy|via=archive.org|date=August 1991 |pages=165}}

The Meitei people believed that goddess Imoinu lives in the houses of those who strictly obey her favorite social and moral behavior norms. Imoinu blesses such people with nungai yaifaba (well being and prosperity), watta padaba (having neither shortage nor excess), tekta kaidaba (unaffected by troubles of life) and punshi nungshangba (long life). These are the basic needs of life in the human world.

According to ancient Meitei text "Lairembi Nongumlol", the Sky God Salailen Sidaba has seven daughters, whom he sent them down to earth to prosper the human civilization. All the goddesses were given a certain task to serve in their future. In that event, a goddess was given the task to be associated with peace, wealth and prosperity. Later, she came to be known as "Emoinu Ahongbi".

After the creation of the sky and the planets, Sidaba ({{langx|omp|Sitapa}}) (the Supreme Being) ordered His wife, Leimarel Sidabi ({{langx|omp|Leimalel Sitapi}}) (the first woman) to produce another Leimarel. The second Leimarel would be the second woman. Her responsibility was to take care of the mankind on the planet called earth. Goddess Leimarel Sidabi obeyed her divine husband's order. She created another Leimarel. The appearance of the second Leimarel was similar to the first Leimarel. The first Leimarel named the second Leimarel as "Emoinu Ahongbi".

Once goddess Imoinu fell in love with a man. The two became lovers. They swore to be husband and wife. One day, she visited his house in his absence. She discovered that he was already married to another woman. After knowing this, she sacrificed her love. She swore on not to see the man again. She never married to anyone. So, she remained as a virgin goddess.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H0moDAAAQBAJ&q=Imoinu+goddess+fell+in+love+swore+She+visited+the+house+of+the+man+in+his+absence+and+found+that+he+was+already+married.+After+discovering+this+she+sacrificed+her+love+and+swore+not+to+see+the+man+again.&pg=PT246|title=The Peripheral Centre: Voices from India's Northeast|last=Gill|first=Preeti|date=2014-02-13|publisher=Zubaan|isbn=978-93-83074-65-5|language=en}}

Imoinu (Emoinu) is a hearth deity. She is annually worshipped on the 12th of the Meitei month of Wakching (December–January interface month). Despite this annual event, she is also worshipped everyday. The daily worship is a part of a Meitei ritual. It is done in every Meitei household with the offering of little cooked rice before eating.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.1356/page/n231/mode/2up?q=Emoinu|title=Oral Narratives of Manipur|via=archive.org|year=2016 |pages=231}}

Nowadays, there is little or no households with proper phunga lairu (traditional fire hearth). So, a modern fireplace is developed. Here, traditional rites and rituals are performed in honor of the goddess.

There are a lot of changes in the way of worshipping Goddess Imoinu. However, the essence and the importance always remain the same as forever.

There are two major places in a household where the deity could be worshipped:-

• One abode is at the fireplace "Phunga Lairu" of the kitchen of the household.
• Another place is at the "Sanamahi Kachin", the South western corner of the household.

Ebendhou Emoinu is offered from the first serving of every meal prepared in a Meitei household. The serving is made by placing three servings of the cooked rice on a plate that is set aside. These offerings should be only vegetarian foods or fish.

The household members are asked to maintain discipline, be respectful, and be tidy so as to please Emoinu.

{{Main|Imoinu Iratpa|Meitei calendar}}

The Imoinu Iratpa (Emoinu Eratpa) is a religious festival dedicated to goddess Imoinu (Emoinu). It is celebrated on the 12th of Wakching month (December–January interface month) every year. Traditionally, worship and prayers are performed inside every households. Nowadays, Imoinu Iratpa festival is also celebrated in a larger way in public gathering clubs also.{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=1..080120.jan20|title=Emoinu day|website=e-pao.net}}{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/ge.asp?heading=Snipp10&mx=&src=150122|title=Emoinu Eratpa celebrated|website=e-pao.net}}

Wherever the festival is performed, seasonal fruits, vegetables and fish are offered to goddess Imoinu.{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..030115.jan15|title=Imoinu Iratpa extensively held all over|website=e-pao.net}}

Imoinu Iratpa is observed every 12th day of the Meitei lunar month, Waakching (Dec-Jan in gregorian calendar).{{cite web|title=Observance of festival of Emoinu|url=http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Manipur_and_Religion.A_Hymn_for_Goddess_Emoinu|website=E-Pao|publisher=Nabakumar Salam}}{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..030115.jan15|title=Imoinu Iratpa extensively held all over : 03rd jan15 ~ E-Pao! Headlines|website=e-pao.net}} On this day, especially at night, Emoinu is offered what each can, particularly fish curries as dinner for Emoinu and a variety of cuisines in odd numbers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/imoinu-iratpa|title=Imoinu Iratpa around the world in 2021|website=Office Holidays}}

Ima Keithel ({{langx|en|Mothers' Market}}) is the world's only women run market. It has three major building complexes.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eENU_a8c79MC&q=ima+keithel+market+khwairamband+only+women+world&pg=PA974|title=Encyclopaedia of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh|last=Gupta|first=Om|date=2006|publisher=Gyan Publishing House |isbn=978-81-8205-389-2|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vjzcDAAAQBAJ&q=ima+market+nupi+keithel+only+women+world&pg=PT37|title=Vyapar Shastra|last=Shivhare|first=Vishal|date=2016-08-17|publisher=Jaico Publishing House|isbn=978-81-8495-898-0|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kbu_AwAAQBAJ&q=ima+keithel+market+only+women+world&pg=PA4|title=The Endless Kabaw Valley: British Created Visious [sic] Cycle of Manipur, Burma and India|last=Singh|first=Dr Th Suresh|date=2014-06-02|publisher=Quills Ink Publishing|isbn=978-93-84318-00-0|language=en}} Imoinu Ima Keithel is the Complex Number 2 of the market. It is preceded by Leimarel Sidabi Ima Keithel (Complex Number 1) and followed by Phouoibi Ima Keithel (Complex Number 3).{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/imphal/all-women-imphal-market-reopens-after-10-months/articleshow/80974793.cms|title=All-women Imphal market reopens after 10 months|newspaper=The Times of India|date=16 February 2021 }} This 500 years old market is in the center of Imphal, Manipur.

• Lainingthou Sanamahi
• Pakhangba
• Atingkok Maru Sidaba
• Lists of deities in Sanamahism
• Lists of Creatures in Meitei Folklore
• Sanamahi creation myth
• Sacred Scriptures of Sanamahism

{{Reflist}}

• [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.310153 Emoinu Ahongbi Tungnapham by Budhichandra, Yumnamcha]
• [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466055 Holy Man by Dhiren Meitei, a.k]
• [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466636 Laiyingthou Lairemmasinggee Waree Seengbul by Neelabi, Sairem]
• [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466654 Leeklam by Apunba Shintha Lup]

{{Commons}}

{{Wiktionary|Imoinu}}

{{authority control}}

• [http://e-pao.net/epSearchResults.asp?cx=partner-pub-3342616103029311%3A3788634109&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=Imoinu&sa.x=0&sa.y=0 E-pao, Imoinu]
• [http://e-pao.net/epSearchResults.asp?cx=partner-pub-3342616103029311%3A3788634109&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=Emoinu&sa.x=0&sa.y=0&siteurl=http%3A%2F%2Fe-pao.net%2F%3Ffrom%3Dmobile E-pao, Emoinu]
• [https://archive.org/search.php?query=Imoinu&sin=TXT Internet Archive, Imoinu]
• [https://archive.org/search.php?query=Emoinu&sin=TXT Internet Archive, Emoinu]
• [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/sharma_query.py?qs=%EA%AF%8F%EA%AF%83%EA%AF%A3%EA%AF%8F%EA%AF%85%EA%AF%A8&searchhws=yes Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary, Imoinu]

{{Sanamahi1}}

{{Meiteimyth navbox long}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Meitei goddesses