Meitei guardians of the directions

Further information: Meitei mythology and Meitei deities

In Meitei religion and Meitei mythology, the Guardians of the Directions or Maikei Ngaakpa Lai refers to the deities who rule the specific directions of space according to Sanamahism.^[1]

Symbol of Sanamahism

There are mainly ten Guardians of the Directions in Meitei mythology. These are the following:

Name	Meitei Transliteration	Direction	Description	Consort	Associated creature
Kounu	ꯀꯧꯅꯨ	North	She's the goddess who dwells in the snows of far north. Kounuthel (ꯀꯧꯅꯨꯊꯦꯜ), a stream, flowing in the Kounu Hill (ꯀꯧꯅꯨ ꯆꯤꯡ) is considered to be her native place. She's the mother of Lord Loyalakpa.	Lainingthou Koubru
Lok Ningthou	ꯂꯣꯛ ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ	South	He's the divine king of a hillock kingdom in the southern realms.
Nongpok Ningthou	ꯅꯣꯡꯄꯣꯛ ꯅꯤꯡꯊꯧ	East	He's the ruler of the Selloi Langmai Nongpok Hill (ꯁꯦꯂꯣꯢ ꯂꯥꯡꯃꯥꯢ ꯅꯣꯡꯄꯣꯛ ꯆꯤꯡ), and is associated with attributes of being a hunter, a lover, an adventurer and a physician.	Panthoibi	He himself assumes the form of a ferocious tiger, whom goddess Panthoibi rides on.
Loya Lakpa	ꯂꯣꯌꯥ ꯂꯥꯛꯄ	West	He's the son of Lord Koubru and Lady Kounu.	He's the consort of Lady Thoudu Nungthel Leima (ꯊꯧꯗꯨ ꯅꯨꯡꯊꯦꯜ ꯂꯩꯃ), the adopted daughter of his own parents.
Thangjing	ꯊꯥꯡꯖꯤꯡ	South west[2]	He's the progenitor of the Moilang dynasty in Moirang kingdom. He dwells both in the Ibudhou Thangjing Temple as well as on the Thangjing Hill.[3]	Ayangleima Ahal (Koirenleima Ahal) and Ayangleima Atompi (Koirenleima Atompi)	He rides on a Manipuri pony, which is a gift from Lord Marjing.
Ibudhou Marjing	ꯏꯕꯨꯙꯧ ꯃꯥꯔꯖꯤꯡ	North east	He's the God associated with horses, polo, sports, war, combat, battle, and animals.[4] His only child is Lord Tolongkhomba.	He's the consort of Lady Humuleima, the daughter of Kurulen Sidaba.	He rides on Samadon Ayangba, a winged flying horse, with white complexion.
Wangbren	ꯋꯥꯡꯕ꯭ꯔꯦꯟ	South east	He's the God associated with water, diseases, death and plaque.[5]	Anal Chanu Shangnulembi	He rides on a black tiger.[6]
Koubru	ꯀꯩꯕ꯭ꯔꯨ	North west	He's the God associated with hunting, animals and wind. Legend says thunderstorm is due to the firing of his divine gun and cloudiness is due to the spreading of his clothes.[7]	Kounu	He rides on Koubru Laishaa, a white elephant.
Salailen Sidaba	ꯁꯂꯥꯢꯂꯦꯟ ꯁꯤꯗꯕ	Zenith	He's the Supreme Being and the Sky God, who rules the heaven.[8]	Leimarel Sidabi,[9] Nong Leima and Tampha Lairembi.	He rides either on an elephant or on a winged horse.
Thongalel	ꯊꯣꯡꯉꯥꯂꯦꯜ	Nadir	He's the God of death and the ruler of the underworld kingdom.	Laikhurembi, Thongak Leima, Khamnung Kikoi Louonbi and Lainaotabi.

Development

Main article: Meitei mythology

According to Meitei mythology, before the creation of the universe, there were four deities who guard four realms. These are the following:

Old name of the deities	Modern name of the deities	Divine jurisdiction
Thawaa	Wangbren	Nonglam
Chengaa	Marjing	Mitlam
Yucheng	Thangjing	Eelam
Yuhaa	Koubru	Nungshitlam

These four deities guardians guard the four main directions before the creation of the universe.^{[citation needed]}

However, the following deities are also added to the guardianship of the directions after the creation of the universe:

Deities	Direction
Nongpok Ningthou	Nongpok (East)
Loya Lakpa	Nongchup (West)
Laireima Kounu	Awang (North)
Lok Ningthou	Makha (South)

Four main directions

• Ibudhou Marjing:- He is the Guardian of the North East direction.^[10]
• Thangjing:- He is the Guardian of the South West direction.^[11]
• Lainingthou Koubru:- He is the guardian of the North West direction.^[12]
• Wangbren:- He is the guardian of the South East direction.^[13]

See also

• Guardians of the directions, the Hindu equivalent.
• Norðri, Suðri, Austri and Vestri, the Norse equivalent.