Sanamahists

Sanamahist teachings - Sanamahi Manai Meetei Piba, by Tomba - Classical Meitei cultural heritage of ancient Kangleipak civilisation

Sanamahists are followers of Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of the Meitei people of Manipur, a northeastern state of India. Rooted in animism and ancestor worship, Sanamahism centers around the worship of multiple gods and goddesses, including Lainingthou Sanamahi, a household deity believed to be the protector of the home and universe. The religion emphasizes harmony with nature, reverence for ancestors, and the sanctity of traditional rituals and festivals. Despite historical suppression during the spread of Hinduism in the region, Sanamahism has seen a revival in recent decades, reflecting a resurgence of the identity of Meitei civilization and spiritual heritage.

Quotes

• Real uniqueness if a nation has a Zoroastrian Minority with the Parsis and their language (in this case) Avestan revived by the state and a Sanamahist Minority with the Manipuris and their language, Manipuri, preserved and protected by the state - in short, the more unique a composition of the civilization, the more authentic and enriched the civilization becomes, as it fosters an environment where diverse ontological perspectives and cultural narratives coexist without erasure or forced assimilation....
  • The New Societies of Mankind. N.p.: Joshua Kyle T. Rovero, 2025. p. 29, 30
• God, as a being that is abstract and unseen one that governs all Totality - has been the subject of ideation and thought by many civilizations across the world that produced different types of theism in order to interpret his or her existence. Sometimes, he can be many, like the Sanamahists of the Meitei civilization; sometimes, he can be one, like Waaq of the Oromo civilization...
  • The Other Treatises: An Examination-Ideation of Other Religions and Other Philosophies. N.p.: Joshua Kyle T. Rovero, 2024. p. 357
• The study of Sanamahi religion may be termed as "SANAMAHISM" and the followers as SANAMAHISTS"...
  • Lukram Ingocha Meetei, The Revivalism of Sanamahism (A review regarding the present scenarios), e-pao.net
• We were also told by our elders that the king looked upto Santidas Gosai and hailed him to the level of a real god in flesh and blood by ignoring and taking into granted all about his roots and went on a rampage of converting the Sanamahists i.e. those worshipping the millennium old deity of the Meiteis into Hindu Vaishavaites tilted towards Brahmanisation thereby creating a rift between our hill brethrens and those residing in the valley areas, resulting into a colossal original cultural loss with emergence of a fusion culture of Hinduism among the Meiteis.
  • Samarjit Kambam, Translation of our holy book “Puya” in English : A visionary approach, kanglaonline.in
• As newly converted Hindus, Meiteis were genuinely more committed to religion as is seen with the ‘born again’ Meitei Sanamahists with the celebration of ‘Ima Imoinu’ and Lai Harauba.
  • Part 17 Jalkeli & Bodhchandra Maharaj, e-paolive.net
• The post war outcrop of Meitei Sanamahists, Christians and even Buddhist, had their part in creating a new Meitei society....
  • Part 2 Growing up Post Japanlan in Imphal, e-paolive.net
• You won't expect a Sanamahist or a Christian to be taking part in Yaoshang festivals, but they do, at least in thabalchongba. The Sanamahists are accepted by the majority Hindus, who are half-Sanamahists, like the Japanese who profess Buddhism and ancient Shinto religion.
  • Irengbam Mohendra Singh, The future Hindu Culture of Meitei remains magificient, The Culture of Krishna is growing world-wide, e-pao.net