THE ADVENTURES OF THE PRINCE OF HEAVEN — KHORIPHABA In Meitei mythology, Khoriphaba, the Prince of the Sky, the Son of God Salailen and Goddess Tampha, got separated from his mother, when his parents got divorced. Khoriphaba, during his childhood, stayed with his father. He was taken care of by numerous celestial ladies of heaven. However, young prince Khoriphaba cried day and night for missing his mother. Attempts to comfort him were in vain. Though many gods and goddesses gifted him golden horse, golden peacock, golden tortoise, his cry couldn't be pacified. It was only when a flower called Leishang (Lycopodium clavatum) was presented, he rested from a prolong crying. The flower had a long, tail-like shape that was wagging.
Many years had passed, Khoriphaba grew up into a young man. He seeked his father's permission to go and meet his mother, who resided on earth. His father gave his own magical polo stick to protect him on his journey. Holding the divine polo stick, Koriphaba descended on earth in search of his mother. Before the onset of his journey, his father imposed him a condition that he would only have one full day on earth to complete his mission. If he didn't come back within one day timing, he would be abandoned from the heavenly realm.
Khoriphaba was interrupted by various forms of distractions during his adventurous journey.
He found himself alone, lost and directionless. He arrived in Thoubal town and encountered fierce God Yangoi Ningthou. It was a special night of ritualistic magic where no one could enter that place but Khoriphaba did accidentally. So when Yangoi Ningthou saw Khoriphaba, he attacked the latter. At first, Khoriphaba ran away from the angry God in hot pursuit. Later, there was a heavy combat between the two Gods. Yangoi Ningthou had a seven-pointed flaming spear. Khoriphaba had his father’s divine polo stick. Finally, Khoriphaba defeated Yangoi Ningthou. His victory was witnessed by Puthiba, the God of athletes, organized a grand party. Khoriphaba enjoyed the party for a while and then remembered the condition of his father to return to heaven but it was too late. Puthiba loved Khoriphaba like a brother and let him stayed in his abode. The two gods became great friends and together carried out numerous adventures.
After some time passed, Khoriphaba continued his mission to search for his mother and he traveled to Nambol town. On the hilltop of the Phoijing Hills, he settled down and wept for his mother. The cries of Khoriphaba was audible to Konthoujam village, where his mother, Tampha lived. She knew that it was her son Khoriphaba but due to her exile from the heavenly realms, she refused to meet him. In another version of the story, they met once but didn't live together.
In another adventure, Khoriphaba caught a sturdy pony which he rod. He became a good polo player and faced many challenges due to his extravagant natures.
Once Khoriphaba heard the sounds of drums and Pena (a Meitei traditional musical instrument) from the direction of Nongmaiching Hills, where the sacred Lai Haraoba festival of Goddess Panthoibi and God Nongpok Ningthou, was being celebrated. So, he went to the venue of the festival. He wished to join the festival but was not allowed because every participants need a partner each but he was single. So, he went out to find a lover.
Khoriphaba went to seek advice from God Koubru (Koupalu), his father's friend. God Koupalu is the ruler of the Northwest direction and the Divine Controller of winds. Koupalu was an expert in fertility awareness. He told Khoriphaba that he would grant his wish to marry any woman he wanted, but he would have to catch the lady first by hooking her with his polo stick. Unfortunately, Khorifaba fell in love with Koubru's own daughter, the beautiful goddess Nungthel Leima, who was already God Loyalakpa's wife. This caused a tension as Loiyalakpa had to challenge Khoriphaba for a wrestling match.
Unable to go back on his words, Koupalu broke the rules and told Khoriphaba that when looking for a wife, he would have to be blindfold and should search the lady once again. In this way, goddess Nungthel Leima was able to escape.
Later, Khoriphaba fell in love with Goddess Chaning Leima, the daughter of God Irum Ningthou. Goddess Chaning Leima was an incarnation of Nongthang Leima, the goddess of thunder and lightning. Chaning Leima had strange and untamed qualities that made her exhibit bizarre possessive attributes. Khoriphaba and Chaning Leima were married and the bride wished to live on top of Phoijing Hills in Nambol town, Manipur. So, they lived there since then.
Source: fb (credit to the original author, I'm posting this here just to make my readers and the blogger community to know about the story
)
Image source: Khoriphaba Artistes’s Association, Nambol
