When Indigenous Tribes Claim Koubru and Thangjing as Their Own and Join the Meitei in Protecting

The sacred peaks of Mount Koubru and Thangjing Hill stand as profound symbols of Manipur's shared indigenous heritage, where spiritual depth, ancestral memory, and cultural continuity bind communities across hills and valley.

In a powerful display of unity, indigenous tribal groups are stepping forward to claim these sites as their own sacred legacy and actively joining the Meitei in efforts to protect them. 

This convergence strengthens collective guardianship against division, ecological threats, and exclusive narratives, fostering harmony in a diverse land.

A landmark moment came with the Kabui Union Manipur's recent affirmation on January 29 that Koubru and Thangjing are not sacred sites for the Meitei alone but belong to every indigenous community of the state. 

This echoes longstanding Meitei struggles to preserve access for pilgrimages, rituals, and worship at these abodes of ancestral deities.This tribal recognition gained momentum through a joint meeting on January 22, 2026, convened by the Committee for the Protection and Preservation of the Historical Rights of Koubru and Thangjing (CPPKT) Hill Ranges at Keke Moirang Kangleirol Kanba Lup in Moirang. 

Representatives from Kabui, Kom, Chiru, Purum, Chothe communities participated alongside Meitei organizations such as Moirangi Ibudhou Thangjing Phamnaiba Cheirap Loishang and Thangjing Seva Mandal.

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The gathering declared unequivocally that Koubru and Thangjing hold sacred significance for all indigenous peoples across hills and valleys, not one community exclusively. Participants voiced concern over attempts to portray these sites as belonging solely to one group and resolved to oppose such narratives collectively. 

They committed to recognizing and preserving Koubru and Thangjing as shared sacred and historical treasures of Manipur's indigenous population. A people's convention was planned for February 3, to advance this inclusive stance and build broader solidarity.

These developments amplify Meitei-led initiatives that indignous peoplere the real owners of the hills of Manipur. For years, Meitei pilgrims and groups like CPPKT have demanded unrestricted access to Koubru—home of Lainingthou Koubru, guardian of the north and central to Sanamahism's creation myths—and Thangjing—abode of Ibudhou Thangjing (Thangching Koirel Lai), protector of the south and deity of ancient Moirang. 
Mass rallies, memorandums to authorities, and warnings of agitation have highlighted restrictions since 2023, including barriers to pilgrimages, alleged encroachments, and unauthorized structures threatening sanctity and ecology. 

The joint indigenous front now reinforces these calls, framing protection as a shared indigenous duty.Tribal traditions enrich and parallel Meitei reverence, revealing deep historical interconnections. 

In Zeliangrong folklore, Koubru—known as Kabuilua, the habitat of mithuns—is the abode of Tingpurengsonang, the Earthly King-God. Communities have long guarded its purity as reserved forest, prohibiting habitation, deforestation, or exploitation to uphold holiness. 

Liangmai oral histories position them as early settlers around the peak, possibly pre-800 BCE, with legends of Lord Koubo Ra (Ragwang Phaipa) marrying Wimaranliu Abonmai, princess of Makhan village. Her elevation to divinity as Koujeng Leima (Nungnangleima Saphabi or Ranu) symbolizes union between hill and valley peoples.

Before the widespread conversion to Christianity in 1949, the people of Makhan village, a historic Liangmai settlement near Mount Koubru, actively participated in Lai Haraoba rituals to seek blessings from Lord Koubru and his divine wife, Wimaranliu Abonmai. 

They presented offerings of season's first fruits and animals to honor the deity couple, while Wimaranliu—elevated from a mortal princess to goddess—was specially gifted traditional Liangmai items such as phanek, kaluang nkha (intricately woven bamboo baskets), and phaimang shawls, reflecting deep cultural reverence.

Even after many in the community embraced Christianity, a few descendants of Makhan's royal lineage continued these personal offerings to their princess-turned-deity well into the early 2000s. The final known bearer of these tributes was Nampisiliu Chawang, a close relative of the village chief, who faithfully carried items for Wimaranliu until her passing in 2011 at the remarkable age of 100.

To this day, the people of Sekmai continue to honor her divine spirit—known there as Nungnangleima Saphabi (or Ranu, a shortened form of her name)—through dedicated offerings during every Lai Haraoba festival, preserving the sacred bond across generations and communities.

Legend further recounts that Wimaranliu's inverted walking stick, planted in the ground during her fateful fishing trip at Sekmai, miraculously sprouted and grew into a vast bamboo grove that thrived for nearly two centuries, serving as a living emblem of her transformation and enduring presence.
This poignant tale of Lord Koubru and Wimaranliu Abonmai beautifully underscores the conservation of shared history and indigenous identity among Manipur's indigenous settlers.

It highlights enduring connections between hill tribes like the Liangmai and valley dwellers, reminding us how ancient unions and rituals continue to weave a tapestry of mutual respect and cultural continuity for generations to come.

Going Southwest of Manipur, the Thangjing Hill carries vivid echoes from tribes like the Koireng, Kabui, Chiru, Kom, Purum, and Chothe, who lived in and around the Thangjing hills much before the arrival of later Kuki groups in the southern part of Manipur. 

Ibudhou Thangjing Koirel Lai (or Thangching Koirel Lai, commonly referred to as Koren Lai or Koireng Lai) is central to Meitei Sanamahism as the guardian of the south and protector of Moirang, has deep roots in several indigenous tribal traditions.

Historical chronicles such as the Moirang Ningthourol Lambuba and scholarly accounts describes Thangjing Hill as a prosperous settlement of Koireng tribe and sacred worship site where they revered Ibudhou Thangching Koirel Lai as their divine ruler and protector—known explicitly as Koren Lai (the god of the Koireng). 

Kabui Salang Maiba, a legendary figure in Manipuri folklore, was the wise shaman-priest (maiba), and renowned medicine man of the Kabui community inhabiting Salangthel village in the Thangjing hills. Situated amid the serene ranges near Moirang and overlooking the Loktak area, Salangthel served as a key settlement under the influence of the ancient Moirang kingdom. 

In the epic romance of Khamba-Thoibi, one of Manipur's greatest literary treasures Kabui Salang Maiba emerges as an important character of compassion and bravery. As a loyal friend and ally of Khuman Puremba (Khamba's father), he adopted and raised the orphaned siblings Khamba and Khamnu after Puremba's death, nurturing them to adulthood alongside his wife, Kabui Salang Maibi. 

His role as protector and mentor bridged hill and valley worlds, guiding Khamba through trials and preserving the Khuman lineage amid Moirang's intrigues. Beyond the epic, folklore credits him with heroic feats, such as slaying the man-eating python Poubi Lai that terrorized the region, using his spear and wisdom to restore peace. 

The Chiru, another indigenous tribes of Manipur hold historical memory of inhabiting Thangjing Hill itself. Folklore recalls their presence there before migration to new areas (e.g., in present-day Kangpokpi district), where they named a village "Thangjing Chiru" to commemorate the origin. 

While direct ties to the deity are less emphasized than in Koireng lore, their ancient settlement links them to the early history of Manipur.

The Kom and Chothe tribes also share historical and cultural connections to the Thangjing hills region, reinforcing its place as a shared indigenous heritage site. 

The Kom with close affinities to groups like Koireng and Chiru, are documented in colonial and local records as foothill dwellers in southern Manipur, engaging in interactions and settlements near Thangjing during pre-colonial times. 

The Chothe are frequently cited in historical accounts as one of the ancient tribes linked to the old Moirang kingdom, appearing alongside Kabui, Moyon, Tikhup, Kharam, and Koireng in ancient chronicles. 

Their presence in southern Manipur's hills, including proximity to Thangjing, is tied to the kingdom's formative era, with legends and interactions reflecting shared cultural space around the sacred hill. These connections—rooted in migrations, alliances, and regional coexistence—highlight how Thangjing served as a crossroads for multiple indigenous groups, enriching the hill's significance beyond any single community.

Therefore, the sacred sites of Mount Koubru and Thangjing Hill are far more than geographical landmarks—they are living repositories of Manipur's collective indigenous memory, where the spiritual legacies of Meitei, Kabui, Koireng, Chiru, Kom, Chothe, Liangmai, and other indigenous communities converge in shared reverence and responsibility. 

From the ancient settlements and worship of Thangjing Koirel Lai by the Koireng and their kin, to the protective guardianship of Koubru by Zeliangrong tribes, the heroic legacy of Kabui Salang Maiba in Salangthel, and the enduring rituals honoring Wimaranliu Abonmai as Koujeng Leima, these narratives reveal centuries of coexistence, intermarriage, alliance, and mutual cultural enrichment. 

When indigenous tribal groups now publicly claim these hills as their own sacred heritage and join hands with the Meitei in defending them, through joint meetings, resolutions, and collective action they echo and amplify longstanding efforts to preserve access, sanctity, and ecology. 

This emerging unity counters division, safeguards against ecological degradation and encroachment, and reaffirms that Koubru and Thangjing belong to all indigenous peoples of Manipur. 

May this alliance of hill and valley voices grow stronger, ensuring these mountains remain beacons of harmony, cultural continuity, and ancestral pride for every generation of indigenous community to come.