Wangpulen

{{Infobox deity

| type = Meitei

| name = Wangpulen

| deity_of = water, rain, flood, disease

| member_of = Lainingthous and Maikei Ngaakpa Lais

| image = Sacred images of God Wangpulen and his divine consort, worshipped in the forms of Meitei dragons, in the sacred site of Lord Wangpulen (Wangbren), inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal.jpg

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| caption = Wangpulen and his divine consort, worshipped in the forms of Meitei dragons, inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal

| other_names = Khana Chaoba

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| affiliation = Meitei mythology and Sanamahism

| cult_center = Sugnu

| abode = underwater world

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| consort = Shangnu

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| offspring = Lok Ningthou

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| texts = Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok

| gender = Male

| Greek_equivalent = Poseidon, Oceanus

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| region = Manipur

| ethnic_group = Meitei ethnicity

| festivals = Lai Haraoba

}}

Wangpulen {{meitei|ꯋꯥꯡꯄꯨꯂꯦꯟ}} is the god of water, rain, flood, disease and sickness in Meitei mythology and Sanamahism.

He is the ruler of the underwater world.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tIBymmBWqgsC&q=wangbren+water+god&pg=PA50|title=The Lois of Manipur: Andro, Khurkhul, Phayeng and Sekmai|last=Devi|first=Lairenlakpam Bino|date=2002|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-849-5|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zmxK-f7EA6kC&dq=worshipping+water+god+Wangbren+fruits+flowers+kabok+eatable+item+rice+ritual+process+performed+maiba+ward+-+off+illnesses+caused+water+god&pg=PA148|title=Culture, Ecology, and Sustainable Development|last=Chaudhury|first=Sukant Kumar|date=2006-01-01|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-8324-132-8|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XxovEAAAQBAJ&q=Wangbrel%2C+Lord+of+Water&pg=PT102|title=And That Is Why... Manipuri Myths Retold|last=Roy|first=L. Somi|date=2021-06-21|publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited|isbn=978-93-91149-65-9|language=en}} He is the Lord of the rivers.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/116/mode/2up?q=Wangbren+sugnu+southeast+lord+rivers|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|via=archive.org|date=1984 |pages=116|isbn=9780706919677 |last1=Chaki-Sircar |first1=Manjusri |publisher=Shakti Books }} The guardianship of the south eastern direction is alluded to Wangbren and the other directions to Koupalu (north west), Marjing (north east) and Thangjing (south west).{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C2Q-DwAAQBAJ&q=guardianship+of+the+four+respective+directions+alluded+to+the+Gods+%E2%80%93+Wangbren+for+south%E2%80%93east&pg=PT355|title=Modern Practices in North East India: History, Culture, Representation|last1=Dzüvichü|first1=Lipokmar|last2=Baruah|first2=Manjeet|date=2017-11-13|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-351-27134-9|language=en}} He is one of the Umang Lais.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FH4Bb7dD4qYC&q=Wangbren+one+Umanglais+Meiteis&pg=PA132|title=Bamboo: The Wonderful Grass|last=Ghosh|first=G. K.|date=2008|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-313-0369-6|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/treesymbolworshi0000seng/page/88/mode/2up?q=Wangbrel+umang+lais+protector+country+side|title=Tree symbol worship in India; a new survey of a pattern of folk-religion|via=archive.org|date=1965 |pages=88|publisher=Calcutta, Indian Publications }}

He has a strong connection with the Anāl Naga people for marrying a lady from Khullen village.{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=11..071117.nov17|title=Wangbren-Shangnu legend testifies age-old hill-valley bond|website=e-pao.net}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pothashang.in/2017/11/06/wangbren-shangnu-legend-testifies-age-old-hill-valley-bond/|title=WANGBREN-SHANGNU LEGEND TESTIFIES AGE-OLD HILL-VALLEY BOND|website=www.pothashang.in|date=6 November 2017 }} Among the cult centres dedicated to him, the one at Sugnu is the most significant in Meitei pantheon.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z269EdNl83UC&q=Wangbren%27s+sacred+shrine+still+exists+today+Sugnu+village+every+year+non+-+Christian+Anals+every+village+give+clothes+%2C+vegetables+priest+who+takes+articles+Sugnu+offers+deity&pg=PA140|title=Rationality and Tribal Thought|last=Miri|first=Sujata|date=2004|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-912-6|language=en}}

Description

In the Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya, Wangbren is called Khana Chaopa Wangpulen. According to the text, He is one of the seven Laipungthous and one of the manifestations of the Supreme God, Ipung Loinapa Apakpa.{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.461915/page/n63/mode/2up?q=Wangbren+wakoklon+hilel+thilel+salai+amailon+pukok+puya+khana+chaopa+wangpulon+seven+laipungthous+supreme+ipung+loinapa+apakpa|title=A Critical Study Of The Religious Philosophy|last=Singh|first=L. Bhagyachandra|date=1991|pages=63}}

Mythology

File:Statues of divine scissor bird (avian shear) and tigers in the sacred site of Lord Wangpulen (Wangbren) inside the Kangla fort in Imphal.jpg in Imphal]]

Once Wangpulen went to the village of the Anāl people, disguising Himself as a human. He fell in love with a beautiful girl, Shangnu. The maiden was also attracted to helps good looks. The girl's affair with a stranger angered the community. The young men of the village challenged Wangbren to fight. There were competitions in race, stone throwing, and archery. If he failed, he would be killed. But he won all the challenges, and he took Shangnu away to his divine abode.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.1358/page/n185/mode/2up?q=Wangbrel|title=Folktales of Manipur|via=archive.org|date=2014 |pages=185–187}}

Worship

Whenever anyone is drowned, Wangpulen is worshipped according to the traditional rites and rituals. They did so in a belief that there will be no further deaths in water. Whenever unusual flood water currents are seen, especially in rivers, He is worshipped by people to save them from drowning and other mishaps.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-tv9WOAVh5AC&dq=Whenever+cases%C2%A0drowning%C2%A0take+place+valley+Manipur+large+numbers+people+worship%C2%A0Wangbren%C2%A0as+per+traditional+rites+belief+be+no+further+death+water+Whenever+abnormal+signs+seen%C2%A0currents+rivers+flood+season+proficiate+seek+blessings+save+accidents&pg=PA182|title=Encyclopaedia of North-east India|last=Raatan|first=T.|date=2004|publisher=Gyan Publishing House |isbn=978-81-7835-274-9|language=en}}

If a drowned person's corpse is not recovered, then a portion of the trunk of palash tree is cremated. It is done in a belief that Wangpulen might have kept the corpse at a sacred place.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M85eDwAAQBAJ&q=If+the+dead+body+of+a+drowned+person+is+not+traceable%2C+a+portion+of+the+tree+trunk+of+%27Palash%27+is+then+cremated+with+a+belief+that+water+god+%27Wangbren%27+might+have+kept+the+dead+body+at+a+sacred+place.+&pg=PA31|title=Sacred and Magico-Religious Plants of India|last1=Sood|first1=S. K.|last2=Thakur|first2=V.|last3=Lakhanpal|first3=T. N.|date=2005-04-01|publisher=Scientific Publishers|isbn=978-93-87741-46-1|language=en}}

Wangpulen is worshipped by offering fruits, flowers and kabok. The rites and rituals are performed by the maibas. It is to ward off the diseases, illness or sickness caused by the water god. Examples include skin diseases, cold and cough, diarrhoea, etc.

Cults and Shrines

File:An old sacred banyan tree in the shrine of Lord Wangpulen (Wangbren) inside the Kangla fort in Imphal.jpg in the shrine of Lord Wangpulen (Wangbren) inside the Kangla Fort in Imphal]]

A sacred shrine dedicated to Wangpulen still exists today in the Sugnu village. Annually, the non-Christian Anal villagers give offerings to their priest. The priest took and offer the articles to the God in Sugnu.

Inside the Kangla, the State Government of Manipur is to renovate and reconstruct the holy altars dedicated to God Wangpulen and other deities.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w577ssi6CTAC&q=Kangla+Fort+state+government+proposes+to+renovate+and+reconstruct+the+coronation+hall+and+palaces%2C+the+mud+wall+fencing+all+around%2C+the+altars+to+Wangbren&pg=PT197|title=Burning Bright Irom Sharmila|last=Mehrotra|first=Deepti Priya|date=2009-07-08|publisher=Penguin UK|isbn=978-81-8475-153-6|language=en}}

In 2010, a temple dedicated to God Wangpulen was constructed at Wangoi, Manipur. The temple building construction costs {{INRConvert|8|l|year=2010}}.{{Cite web|url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=25..221210.dec10|title=Ibudhou Wangbran Khana Chaoba temple inaugurated|website=e-pao.net}}