Salwons And Langwons
Moirang and Ebuthou Thangjing :: Part 9

Hemamcha Shobha *

RKCS Painting at Ibudhou Thangjing, Moirang, Manipur - Pix :: Recky Maibram

SALWONS AND LANGWONS

Several Sheishaklons (romantic love stories of Salwon and Langwon in Moirang Kangleirol) were pertained to the different periods of the ancient Moirang kings which enriched the cultural heritage not only of Moirang but also of Manipur.

Salwon and Langwon though different in meaning are generally used such synonymous words as Saiyon, Saiwon, Sawon, Langwol, Langngol, etc. but they are used at random while expressing the same meaning of the two separate ideas.

Whether to use the word related to the reality or originality of the meaning or to use the etimological origin of the words, Sha means 'body' or 'physique', Wonba means 'change' or 'conversion' to another physical structure or body; and Lang means skeleton left after death, and Won means 'change to another new skeleton'- whether correct or not it is still used unclearly and left to be corrected by the experts.

Whoever any writer or singer since long historical past may use any one of their choices but hitherto confusions and controversies set in and will be needed for a clear identification and final interpretation of the two words. If not, the true sketches and the real stories of Salwons and Langwons of Moirang Kangleirol cannot be fully understood and tasted.

Athough the exact meaning or definition of the two words are not found in the Puyas, any divine personalities who play the key roles of the Salwon and Langwon can be glimpsed of and dealt with briefly.

Based on old books, so far Moirang Thangjing Yageirol Marup, Moirang had come across, collected and checkmatched the usage of the two as to define thus: 'If one living body is left to change or to take over another unequal shape or form of body structure' it may refer to as Salwon; again the souls of some divine personalities or gods or goddesses are frequently changed in series or incarnated or reborn through the ages to a new life for some specific purposes' it may refer to as Langwon.

Keeping such views in this context, the meaning and usage of the two words as seen describing separately in the stories from the Puyas are stated below for healthy consideration and in support of the said interpretation "Nganba and his two sons-Tangkhu and Tanghal were hunters who used nets separately for catching birds of their own.

The father's net could never catch any bird while the nets of the two sons caught plenty of birds. On being suspected the two brothers stealthily watched the father's net but found the father having converted himself to a tiger ate all the birds. The father knew that he had been detected by his two sons and got ashame of the deeds and thence became a tiger forever." This is Salwon.

Again , the goddess Nongthangleima, incarnated as daughter of Yaoshulakpa, the king of Chairel. The Goddess ,according to the will and wishes of Eputhou Thangching, had frequent incarnations viz-one as Heiyainu and the other as Toibi Leima - all as daughters of human king. This is said as Langwon. In this way, Moirang Kangleirol possesses a number of Salwons and Langwons associated with and in various regimes of the kings of ancient Moirang.

LIST OF SHEISHAKLONS IN MOIRANG KANGLEIROL