Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple — Attraction in Manipur

Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple is located at Hiyangthang in Imphal West District. The is temple perched on a small hillock and is dedicated to the Goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi. It is an important place of worship of the Meitei community residing in Manipur.

The temple is seven storied and faces eastwards with three rectangular doors of the same size, where resides the idols of the Goddess Hiyangthang.

The mandapa in front of the temple is a matching structure to the beautiful and lofty temple structure. Both the temple and the manadapa have provided architectural harmony with respect to the commanding site on the hillock overlooking the valley. The stucture is raised on pilllars and roof given concrete sheet covering. There are some paintings decorated on the walls of the hall.

Legend: Heibok Ningthou was once a remarkable clan King who was an expert in witchcraft and black magic. He had a beautiful daughter called Irai Leima who was exceptionally beautiful. Stricken by the beauty of Irai Leima , the Khuman King Kokpa approached her for marriage. She replied that she would obey her parent's wishes. So he approached Heibok King who didn't agree. Khuman Kokpa followed Iari Leima who fled towards Pakhra Ching. Heibok Ningthou saw Khuman Kokpa pursuing his daughter and cursed him to turn into a stone. Irai saw all these happenings and ran away and entered the house of Sarangthem Luwangba.

When Sarangthem Luwangba went out for working in the paddy field along with his wife Thoidingjam Chanu Amurei, Iari would come out and do all the household chores of the Sarangthem family. When Sarangthem returned home he was surprised. One day, he returned home early and saw one beautiful maiden doing the household chores and when he came nearer, she had disappeared below the granary. When he went there he found nothing.

Later Irai Leima appeared in his dream and told him "Oh father, from today onwards, I am merged to your clan. I am your daughter and immediately she disappeared". He reported the same to King Seni Kyaamaba who in turn sent Maibas and Maibis to see the spot. After examining the spot, they reported that Sarangthem had seen goddess and appropriate arrangement and rituals should be performed to worship her".

King Kyaamba asked Luwangba to worship the goddess as his clan deity and every year all his clan members should present vegetables, fruits and arrange a grand feast in honour of the deity. The day on which Sarangthem Luwnagba saw Irai Leima entering under the granary was the first Monday of Lamda and the day on which the Maibas and Maibis came, was the first Tuesday of Lamda. Even today since the time of King Kyaaba, the Sarangthen Salais hold Chaklong Katpa (grand feast) every year in the honour of the goddess who is known as Hiyanthang Lairembi.

However, Hiyangthang Lairembi had been converted into Kamakhya (Durga) during the reign of Garib Niwaj, The third day of the Durga pooja festival is observed as Bornumit (Boon Day). This Bornumit is performed at the Hiyangthang Lairembi.

Thousands of people assemble from the early morning to seek boons and blessings from goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi at the temple.

Source: Encyclopaedia Of Manipur (3 Vol.) By...

Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple is located at Hiyangthang near Heibok ching in Imphal West District. The is temple perched on a small hillock and is dedicated to the Goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi. It is an important place of worship of the Meitei community residing in Manipur.Heibok Ningthou was once a remarkable clan King who was an expert in witchcraft and black magic. He had a beautiful daughter called Irai Leima who was exceptionally beautiful. Stricken by the beauty of Irai Leima , the Khuman King Kokpa approached her for marriage. She replied that she would obey her parent's wishes. So he approached Heibok King who didn't agree. Khuman Kokpa followed Iari Leima who fled towards Pakhra Ching. Heibok Ningthou saw Khuman Kokpa pursuing his daughter and cursed him to turn into a stone. Irai saw all these happenings and ran away and entered the house of Sarangthem Luwangba.

When Sarangthem Luwangba went out for working in the paddy field along with his wife Thoidingjam Chanu Amurei, Iari would come out and do all the household chores of the Sarangthem family. When Sarangthem returned home he was surprised. One day, he returned home early and saw one beautiful maiden doing the household chores and when he came nearer, she had disappeared below the granary. When he went there he found nothing.

Later Irai Leima appeared in his dream and told him "Oh father, from today onwards, I am merged to your clan. I am your daughter and immediately she disappeared". He reported the same to King Seni Kyaamaba who in turn sent Maibas and Maibis to see the spot. After examining the spot, they reported that Sarangthem had seen goddess and appropriate arrangement and rituals should be performed to worship her".

King Kyaamba asked Luwangba to worship the goddess as his clan deity and every year all his clan members should present vegetables, fruits and arrange a grand feast in honour of the deity. The day on which Sarangthem Luwnagba saw Irai Leima entering under the granary was the first Monday of Lamda and the day on which the Maibas and Maibis came, was the first Tuesday of Lamda. Even today since the time of King Kyaaba, the Sarangthen Salais hold Chaklong Katpa (grand feast) every year in the honour of the goddess who is known as Hiyanthang Lairembi.

However, Hiyangthang Lairembi had been converted into Kamakhya (Durga) during the reign of Garib Niwaj, The third day of the Durga pooja festival is observed as Bornumit (Boon Day). This Bornumit is performed at the...

The Hiyangthang Lairembi Temple (Meitei: ꯍꯤꯌꯥꯡꯊꯥꯡ ꯂꯥꯢꯔꯦꯝꯕꯤ ꯂꯥꯢꯁꯪ, Old Manipuri: ꯍꯤꯌꯥꯡꯊꯥꯡ ꯂꯥꯢꯂꯦꯝꯄꯤ ꯂꯥꯢꯁꯪ, romanized: hee-yaang-thaang laai-lem-pee laai-shang) is an ancient temple of Goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi (also known as Irai Leima) of Meitei religion (Sanamahism).

The sacred building is situated on the hilltop of Heibok Ching in the Hiyangthang, Manipur.13 Thousands of devotees thronged at the holy site during the festival time of Lai Haraoba of Sanamahism as well as Durga Puja of Hinduism.[The worship of Goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi (alias Irai Leima) was started by the reign of King Senbi Kiyamba (1467-1508 AD) in Manipur. Right from his era, Sarangthem family members hold grand feasts (Chaklen Katpa) every year in honor of the goddess.

In the 18th century AD, during the reign of King Garib Niwaj (alias Pamheiba), Goddess Hiyangthang Lairembi (alias Irai Leima) was converted to Hindu goddess Kamakhya (a form of Durga). The 3rd day of Durga Puja is celebrated as the "Bor Numit" (literally, Boon Day) in the temple.

On the 22nd of March, 1979, an association was formed to worship Hiyangthang Lairembi (Ireima), the...