Thangjing Hill, the sacred abode of Ibuthou Thangjing, a holy deity of the Meitie community, faced a second instance of desecration on November 30 at the hands of the Kuki community. At this Meitie pilgrimage site, a cross was erected, constituting a blatant act of provocation that deeply wounded the religious sentiments of the Meitie community. The surrounding areas of Thangjing Hill, home to various sacred places, were also affected.

Desecration of Thangjing Hill

This incident marks the second occurrence, with a similar desecration reported in September. In this earlier incident, the Kukis reportedly defiled Mount Thangjing, located in the Churachandpur district. The mountain is considered the abode of Thangching, the ancestral deity of Moirang, featuring a temple on its peak that draws Hindu pilgrims from Manipur.

Visual evidence from the mountain peak revealed the presence of a cross and a ZRA (Zomi Revolutionary Army) flag. The Zomi Revolutionary Army is a Kuki Zomi militant group active in Manipur, and the video capturing this event emerged on social media on September 10.

In the ancient mythology of the Meitei people (old Manipuri mythology), Thangching (also known as Thangjing in Modern Meitei) is among the Guardian deities safeguarding the ten directions. He holds a special place as the national deity of the ancient Moirang kingdom situated in Manipur’s southern Kangleipak. Thangching invokes the seven divine incarnations of the God and Goddess of Love within the ancient Moirang kingdom. Furthermore, he stands out as one of the prominent deities known for appearing in people’s dreams to convey messages. Thangching resides atop Thangjing Hill (also known as Thangching Hill) in Moirang, Southern Manipur.

Manipur Violence

The ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur has resulted in over 100 fatalities and the displacement of thousands. The initial clashes on May 3 stemmed from a “Tribal Solidarity March” organized by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) in opposition to the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Tensions escalated in April following a Manipur High Court decision mandating the state administration to address the Scheduled Tribe status issue.

In the three months between May 3 and July 30, the Manipur Police reported over 6,500 cases, primarily categorized as arson, looting, destruction of house property, and damage to public property. These numerous cases, amplified by multiple zero FIRs for the same incidents, included 4,454 instances of arson, 4,148 of looting, 4,694 of destruction of house property, and 584 cases of damage to public property. These statistics underscore the extensive property damage in the northeastern state during the peak of the ethnic unrest.