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Kakyen

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Ancient Meitei legendary giant bird Meetei Mayek This article contains the Meitei alphabet. Without proper rendering support, you may see errors in display.
Kakyen
(King of the birds)
Kakyen Mingamba - Tyrannical monstrous gigantic colossal cannibalistic bird - swallowing Meitei Elder Prince Yoimongba in front of Younger Prince Taothingmang
Groupingbirds
Similar entitiesPhoenix (mythology), Pebets, Uchek Langmeitong, Roc (mythology)
FolkloreMeitei mythology and folklore
First attestedduring the time of King Kangba
Other name(s)
  • Kakyen Mingamba
  • Kakyel Meengamba
  • Kwaak Kakyen Mingamba (Meitei: /kwāk kak-yen mī-ngam-ba/)
  • Kwaak Kakyel Mingamba (Meitei: /kwāk kak-yel mī-ngam-ba/)
Country
RegionKangleipak (present day Manipur)

Kakyen (Meitei: ꯀꯛꯌꯦꯟ), also known as Kakyen Mingamba (Meitei: ꯀꯛꯌꯦꯟ ꯃꯤꯉꯝꯕ) or Kakyel Meengamba (Meitei: ꯀꯛꯌꯦꯜ ꯃꯤꯉꯝꯕꯥ), was a big man-eating bird mentioned in Meitei mythology, folklore and history of Kangleipak (Manipur). According to legends, it used to serve King Kangba. It used to eat dead bodies thrown at the water bodies, especially a river near Heibok Ching. It was best known for having a fight with two Meitei princes, Taothingmang and Yoimongba. It was later killed by the two brothers.

According to the Sakok Lamlen Ahanba (Meitei: ꯁꯥꯀꯣꯛ ꯂꯝꯂꯦꯟ ꯑꯍꯥꯟꯕ) text, Kakyen was mentioned as the king of the birds and was named as "Thilpai Ngamba Thinungkhak" (Meitei: ꯊꯤꯜꯄꯥꯏ ꯉꯝꯕ ꯊꯤꯅꯨꯡꯈꯥꯛ).

Depictions of kakyen bird and other animals and the moon in the "Subika Laisaba" (Meitei: ꯁꯨꯕꯤꯀꯥ ꯂꯥꯏꯁꯥꯕ) book

Kakyen was mentioned in the Tutenglon (Meitei: ꯇꯨꯇꯦꯡꯂꯣꯟ) text. The book was about the heroic works of the two Meitei princes, Yoimongba and Taothingmang.

Story

Once Kakyen started killing many people and destroying many villages, including Lokha Haokha area (Meitei: ꯂꯣꯛꯈꯥ ꯍꯥꯎꯈꯥ) in ancient Kangleipak. The people requested Taothingmang (Meitei: ꯇꯥꯎꯊꯤꯡꯃꯥꯡ) and Yoimongba (Meitei: ꯌꯣꯏꯃꯣꯡꯕ), the two sons of Khuyoi Tompok (Meitei: ꯈꯨꯌꯣꯏ ꯇꯣꯝꯄꯣꯛ), the then King of Kangleipak, to kill the bird to save them. So, the two royal brothers worshipped goddess Leimarel (Leimalel). The goddess blessed the two men with a divine bow (along with a quiver full of arrows) and a divine sword. Later, they met the bird. Yoimongba held the sword and Taothingmang held the bow and arrows (in the quiver). Kakyen swallowed prince Yoimongba. Taothingmang shot his arrows to the bird. The bird flew away. Inside its body, Yoimongba cut the bird using his sword. Later, the bird was killed. One of its wings was chopped off.

In another version of the story, goddess Leimarel suggested the brothers to worship goddess Panthoibi (Meitei: ꯄꯣꯟꯊꯣꯏꯕꯤ) to get the weapons. And the boys did so.

Nomenclature of places

One of the Kakyen bird's chopped off wings was used to stop the flow of water as a dam. That place was later known as "Ithing" (Meitei: ꯏꯊꯤꯡ). The place where the bird was beheaded was called "Kaklou" (Meitei: ꯀꯛꯂꯧ).

The place where Kakyen was killed was also known as "Kakyen Phabi" (Meitei: ꯀꯛꯌꯦꯟ ꯐꯥꯕꯤ).

Festival

The killing of the Kakyen was celebrated as a part of the festival of Mera Chaorel Houba (Meitei: ꯃꯦꯔꯥ ꯆꯥꯎꯔꯦꯜ ꯍꯧꯕ), including the Mera Hou Chongba (Meitei: ꯃꯦꯔꯥ ꯍꯧ ꯆꯣꯡꯕ) by the Meitei people and the tribal people of Kangleipak (present day Manipur). The body of the Kakyen was cut into pieces and cooked by the people. Both Meitei people and the tribal people of Kangleipak together had a big feast of the Kakyen meat. However, as there would be no more Kakyen, but they still wanted to celebrate the festival next year, they collectively decided to have feasts on cattle meat instead from the coming years. For the event, they annually sacrificed seven big cattle animals to the gods, and later ate the meat. The ceremony was known as "mera santuba" (Meitei: ꯃꯦꯔꯥ ꯁꯟꯇꯨꯕ).

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. Luhar, Sahdev (2023-02-25). Folklore Studies in India: Critical Regional Responses. N. S. Patel (Autonomous) Arts College, Anand. p. 363. ISBN 978-81-955008-4-0.
  2. Tensuba, Keerti Chand. Genesis of Indian Tribes: An Approach to the History of Meiteis and Thais. India: Inter-India Publications, 1993. p. 98
  3. ^ Hareshwar Goshwami. Hareshwar Goshwami History Of The PEOPLE OF MANIPUR. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive. p. 148.
  4. Singh, L. Bhagyachandra (1991). A Critical Study Of The Religious Philosophy. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive. pp. 119–120.
  5. Hareshwar Goshwami. Hareshwar Goshwami History Of The PEOPLE OF MANIPUR. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive. p. 174.
  6. Census of India, 1961. India: Manager of Publications, 1965. p. 1
  7. Manaoyaima Singh, Nongmaithem (1980). Tutenglon (in Manipuri). India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive. pp. 5, 6.
  8. "Young Designer '08 :: National Institute of Design". youngdesigners.nid.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  9. তোম্বা, নামোই. "মেরা চাওরেল হৌবা, শনতুবা, হৌ-চোং, মেন তোংবা চীংমী-তম্মীগী অহোং কুহ্মৈ (মেগা ফেষ্টিভেল)" (PDF). Hueiyen Lanpao (in Manipuri).
  10. Moyon, Rev Dr Koningthung Ngoru (2023-11-16). The Lost Kingdom of Moyon (Bujuur): Iruwng (King) Kuurkam Ngoruw Moyon & The People of Manipur. Shashwat Publication. pp. 158, 164, 286, 313, 314. ISBN 978-81-19517-31-2.
  11. Sana Sharma, Gurumayum (2008). Safa Lanfa Thengkourol (in Manipuri). India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive. p. 34.
  12. Manaoyaima Singh, Nongmaithem (1980). Tutenglon (in Manipuri). India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive. pp. 5, 6.
  13. তোম্বা, নামোই. "মেরা চাওরেল হৌবা, শনতুবা, হৌ-চোং, মেন তোংবা চীংমী-তম্মীগী অহোং কুহ্মৈ (মেগা ফেষ্টিভেল)" (PDF). Hueiyen Lanpao (in Manipuri).
  14. Manaoyaima Singh, Nongmaithem (1980). Tutenglon (in Manipuri). India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive. pp. 5, 6.
  15. প্রমোদিনী, নোংমাইথেম. "তুরেল মরীন তেংথোকসি: অঙনবা মণিপুরগী লৈঙাক থৌশিলগী শরুক অমা" (PDF). Hueiyen Lanpao (in Manipuri).
  16. তোম্বা, নামোই. "মেরা চাওরেল হৌবা, শনতুবা, হৌ-চোং, মেন তোংবা চীংমী-তম্মীগী অহোং কুহ্মৈ (মেগা ফেষ্টিভেল)" (PDF). Hueiyen Lanpao (in Manipuri).
  17. তোম্বা, নামোই. "মেরা চাওরেল হৌবা, শনতুবা, হৌ-চোং, মেন তোংবা চীংমী-তম্মীগী অহোং কুহ্মৈ (মেগা ফেষ্টিভেল)" (PDF). Hueiyen Lanpao (in Manipuri). ককয়েন মীঙম্বা হাৎপগী "নীংশিং কুহ্মৈ"-মেরা চাওরেন হৌবা,...

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