Panthoibi
Panthoibi, also known as Nongpok Leima, is a prominent goddess in Sanamahism, the indigenous ethnic religion of the Meitei people in Manipur, India, originating as a historical princess from the Ningthouja dynasty who predates the coronation of King Nongda Lairen Pakhangba in 33 CE and was subsequently deified.[1] She is celebrated for her roles as a symbol of courage, love, fertility, and statesmanship, having eloped with the deity Nongpok Ningthou after rejecting earthly suitors, a narrative that forms the basis of romantic and martial myths in Meitei lore.[1] As the consort of Nongpok Ningthou, the god associated with the eastern mountains, Panthoibi embodies multifaceted attributes including warfare, victory, handicrafts, and wisdom, often depicted riding a white horse or tiger while wielding weapons like spears and swords.[2][1] Her mythology, preserved in ancient Meitei scriptures known as Puyas such as Panthoibi Khongul and Panthoibi Naheirol, recounts her exploits as a skilled negotiator and patron of cultural practices, influencing festivals like Lai Haraoba, which reenacts her divine union and promotes themes of prosperity and peace.[1][2] Worship of Panthoibi traces back to at least the Khaba dynasty and was formalized by King Loiyumba in the 11th-12th centuries CE, as noted in texts like Loiyumpa Silyel, though her cult faced decline in the 18th century amid the adoption of Vaishnavism, leading to syncretic identifications with Hindu deities like Durga before a 20th-century revival.[1] These accounts, drawn from traditional Puyas rather than later colonial or Hindu-influenced reinterpretations, highlight her as a figure of indigenous Meitei identity, emphasizing self-reliance and martial prowess over imported religious frameworks.[2][1]