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{{redirect|Mekhala|Buddhist ''mahasiddha''|Mekhala and Kanakhala}}
{{redirect|Mekhala|Buddhist ''mahasiddha''|Mekhala and Kanakhala}}
{{other uses|Manimekalai (disambiguation)}}


[[File:Mekkala and Ramasura.png|thumb|300px|Illustrated of Mekhala and Ramasura, from a [[samut khoi]] of Thai poetry in the second half of the 19th century. Now in the collection of [[Bavarian State Library]], [[Germany]].]]
[[File:Mekkala and Ramasura.png|thumb|300px|Illustrated of Mekhala and Ramasura, from a [[samut khoi]] of Thai poetry in the second half of the 19th century. Now in the collection of [[Bavarian State Library]], [[Germany]].]]


'''Manimekhala''' ({{lang-pi|Maṇīmekhalā}}) is a goddess in the Hindu-Buddhist mythology. She is regarded as a guardian of the seas, namely the [[Indian Ocean]] and the [[South China Sea]] as part of the mythology of [[Southeast Asia]]. She was placed by Cātummahārājika to protect virtuous beings from shipwreck.<ref>G.P. Malalasekera. Dictionary of Pali Proper Names: Pali-English. Asian Educational Services, 2003</ref> She appears in several Buddhist stories including the [[Mahanipata Jataka]] (Mahajanaka [[Jataka]]), in which she rescues Prince Mahajanaka from a shipwreck.<ref name="Monius">[[Anne E. Monius|Anne Elizabeth Monius]]. Imagining a place for Buddhism: literary culture and religious community in Tamil-speaking South India. Oxford University Press US, 2001, pages 111-112</ref>
'''Manimekhala''' ({{langx|pi|Maṇīmekhalā}}) is a goddess in the Hindu-Buddhist mythology. She is regarded as a guardian of the seas, namely the [[Indian Ocean]] and the [[South China Sea]] as part of the mythology of [[Southeast Asia]]. She was placed by Cātummahārājika to protect virtuous beings from shipwreck.<ref>G.P. Malalasekera. Dictionary of Pali Proper Names: Pali-English. Asian Educational Services, 2003</ref> She appears in several Buddhist stories including the [[Mahanipata Jataka]] (Mahajanaka [[Jataka]]), in which she rescues Prince Mahajanaka from a shipwreck.<ref name="Monius">[[Anne E. Monius|Anne Elizabeth Monius]]. Imagining a place for Buddhism: literary culture and religious community in Tamil-speaking South India. Oxford University Press US, 2001, pages 111-112</ref>


==Etymology==
==Etymology==
In [[Pali]], ''{{lang|pi|maṇīmekhalā}}'' refers to a girdle or belt of jewels. In Southeast Asia, she is known by various indigenized appellations, including as '''Mani Maykhala''' ({{lang-my|မဏိမေခလာ}}) in [[Burmese language|Burmese]], as '''[[Moni Mekhala]]''' ({{lang-km|មណីមេខលា}}) or '''Neang Mekhala''' ({{lang-km|នាងមេខលា}}) in [[Khmer language|Khmer]]; as '''Mani Mekkhala''' ({{lang-th|มณีเมขลา}}) in [[Thai language|Thai]].
In [[Pali]], ''{{lang|pi|maṇīmekhalā}}'' refers to a girdle or belt of jewels. In Southeast Asia, she is known by various indigenized appellations, including as '''Mani Maykhala''' ({{lang|my|မဏိမေခလာ}}) in [[Burmese language|Burmese]], as '''Moni Mekhala''' ({{lang|km|មណីមេខលា}}) or '''Neang Mekhala''' ({{lang|km|នាងមេខលា}}) in [[Khmer language|Khmer]]; as '''Mani Mekkhala''' ({{lang|th|มณีเมขลา}}) in [[Thai language|Thai]].


==In Mainland Southeast Asia==
==In Mainland Southeast Asia==
[[File:วัดหน่อพุทธางกูร อ.เมือง จ.สุพรรณบุรี (17) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Manimekhala in ''[[Mahajanaka]]''.]]
[[File:วัดหน่อพุทธางกูร อ.เมือง จ.สุพรรณบุรี (17) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Manimekhala in ''[[Mahajanaka]]''.]]
Archaeological evidence of Manimekhala in the form of reliefs has been found in Zothoke, [[Myanmar]] (near [[Bilin, Mon State|Bilin]], dating to the first millennium AD.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=MOORE|first1=ELIZABETH|last2=WIN|first2=SAN|date=2007|title=The Gold Coast: Suvannabhumi? Lower Myanmar Walled Sites of the First Millennium A.D.|journal=Asian Perspectives|volume=46|issue=1|pages=202–232|issn=0066-8435|jstor=42928710}}</ref>
Archaeological evidence of Manimekhala in the form of reliefs has been found in Zothoke, [[Myanmar]] (near [[Bilin, Mon State|Bilin]]), dating to the first millennium AD.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=MOORE|first1=ELIZABETH|last2=WIN|first2=SAN|date=2007|title=The Gold Coast: Suvannabhumi? Lower Myanmar Walled Sites of the First Millennium A.D.|journal=Asian Perspectives|volume=46|issue=1|pages=202–232|issn=0066-8435|jstor=42928710}}</ref>


Manimekhala is seen in [[wat]] paintings across [[Mainland Southeast Asia]] depicting scenes from the [[Mahajanaka]].<ref name="Monius" /> In Thailand and Cambodia, she is considered a goddess of lightning and the seas.
Manimekhala is seen in [[wat]] paintings across [[Mainland Southeast Asia]] depicting scenes from the [[Mahajanaka]].<ref name="Monius" /> In Thailand and Cambodia, she is considered a goddess of lightning and the seas.
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=== <span id="Robam Moni Mekala"></span>Cambodia ===
=== <span id="Robam Moni Mekala"></span>Cambodia ===
''[[Robam Moni Mekhala]]'' ({{lang-km|របាំមុនីមេខលា}}, also known as ''Robam Mekhala-Reamesor'') is a [[Khmer classical dance]] that portrays the story of Moni Mekhala and Reamesor. It is part of the ''buong suong'' dance suite that is among the most sacred of Khmer classical dances, serving a ceremonial purpose to invoke rain upon the land.<ref>Cravath, Paul. Asian Theatre Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Autumn, 1986), pp. 179-203 (The Ritual Origins of the Classical Dance Drama of Cambodia) University of Hawai'i Press</ref>
''[[Robam Moni Mekhala]]'' ({{langx|km|របាំមុនីមេខលា}}, also known as ''Robam Mekhala-Reamesor'') is a [[Khmer classical dance]] that portrays the story of Moni Mekhala and Reamesor. It is part of the ''buong suong'' dance suite that is among the most sacred of Khmer classical dances, serving a ceremonial purpose to invoke rain upon the land.<ref>Cravath, Paul. Asian Theatre Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Autumn, 1986), pp. 179-203 (The Ritual Origins of the Classical Dance Drama of Cambodia) University of Hawai'i Press</ref>


=== Thailand ===
=== Thailand ===
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==In modern usage==
==In modern usage==
*The popular Burmese pop singer [[Maykhala]] derives her [[stage name]] from Manimekhala.
*The popular Burmese pop singer [[Maykhala]] derives her [[stage name]] from Manimekhala.
*Her name was contributed by Thailand for tropical cyclone names occurring as [[Tropical Storm Mekkhala (disambiguation)|Tropical Storm Mekkhala]] in 2002, 2008, 2015, and 2020. Also, one award given to the television industry in Thailand since 1980 is called the Mekkhala Award.
*Her name was contributed by Thailand for tropical cyclone names occurring as [[Tropical Storm Mekkhala (disambiguation)|Tropical Storm Mekkhala]] in 2002, 2008, 2015, and 2020. Also, one award given to the [[television in Thailand|television industry in Thailand]] since 1980 is called the Mekkhala Award.


==See also==
==See also==
*''[[Manimekalai]]'', a Tamil epic from India, about the titular character who becomes a Buddhist nun
*[[Arjuna]]
*''[[Jataka tales]]'', from ''[[Khuddaka Nikāya]]''
*[[Manimekalai]]
*''[[Mahanipata Jataka]]''
*[[Nyai Roro Kidul]], a sea goddess in the legends of nearby Indonesia
*''[[Robam Moni Mekhala]]''
*[[Mazu]], Chinese Goddess of Sea
*[[Nyai Roro Kidul]], Queen of Southern Sea worshipped by Javanese and Sundanese in Indonesia


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 12:42, 1 November 2024

"Mekhala" redirects here. For Buddhist mahasiddha, see Mekhala and Kanakhala.
For other uses, see Manimekalai (disambiguation).
Illustrated of Mekhala and Ramasura, from a samut khoi of Thai poetry in the second half of the 19th century. Now in the collection of Bavarian State Library, Germany.

Manimekhala (Pali: Maṇīmekhalā) is a goddess in the Hindu-Buddhist mythology. She is regarded as a guardian of the seas, namely the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as part of the mythology of Southeast Asia. She was placed by Cātummahārājika to protect virtuous beings from shipwreck.[1] She appears in several Buddhist stories including the Mahanipata Jataka (Mahajanaka Jataka), in which she rescues Prince Mahajanaka from a shipwreck.[2]

Etymology

[edit]

In Pali, maṇīmekhalā refers to a girdle or belt of jewels. In Southeast Asia, she is known by various indigenized appellations, including as Mani Maykhala (မဏိမေခလာ) in Burmese, as Moni Mekhala (មណីមេខលា) or Neang Mekhala (នាងមេខលា) in Khmer; as Mani Mekkhala (มณีเมขลา) in Thai.

In Mainland Southeast Asia

[edit]
Manimekhala in Mahajanaka.

Archaeological evidence of Manimekhala in the form of reliefs has been found in Zothoke, Myanmar (near Bilin), dating to the first millennium AD.[3]

Manimekhala is seen in wat paintings across Mainland Southeast Asia depicting scenes from the Mahajanaka.[2] In Thailand and Cambodia, she is considered a goddess of lightning and the seas.

Manimekhala and Ramasura

[edit]

The story of Manimekhala and Ramasura is mentioned many times in the classical literature of Cambodia and Thailand. It depicts Manimekhala along with Ramasura (usually considered a depiction of Parashurama) and Arjuna. According to legend, the phenomena of lightning and thunder is produced from the flashing of Manimekhala's crystal ball and the sound of Ramasura's axe as he pursues her through the skies.[4][5]

In Sri Lanka

[edit]

In Sri Lanka, she is considered to be the sea goddess. In the Tamil epic poem, the Manimekalai, she puts the eponymous heroine to sleep and takes her to the island Maṇipallavam (Nainatheevu). In the mythic cycle of the god Devol, when the latter approaches Sri Lanka and his ship founders, it is Manimekhalai, on the instructions of the god Śakra, who conjures up a stone boat to save him.

Dance

[edit]
Mekkhala dance in Thai style.

In the classical dance traditions of Thailand and Cambodia, sacred dramatic dances depict the story of Manimekhala and Ramasura.

Cambodia

[edit]

Robam Moni Mekhala (Khmer: របាំមុនីមេខលា, also known as Robam Mekhala-Reamesor) is a Khmer classical dance that portrays the story of Moni Mekhala and Reamesor. It is part of the buong suong dance suite that is among the most sacred of Khmer classical dances, serving a ceremonial purpose to invoke rain upon the land.[6]

Thailand

[edit]

In Thailand, the Mekkhala–Ramasun dance was performed as a boek rong ('prelude dance') introduction before main performances of lakhon nai or khon dances.[7][8]

In modern usage

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ G.P. Malalasekera. Dictionary of Pali Proper Names: Pali-English. Asian Educational Services, 2003
  2. ^ a b Anne Elizabeth Monius. Imagining a place for Buddhism: literary culture and religious community in Tamil-speaking South India. Oxford University Press US, 2001, pages 111-112
  3. ^ MOORE, ELIZABETH; WIN, SAN (2007). "The Gold Coast: Suvannabhumi? Lower Myanmar Walled Sites of the First Millennium A.D.". Asian Perspectives. 46 (1): 202–232. ISSN 0066-8435. JSTOR 42928710.
  4. ^ Candelario, Rosemary (2014-04-14). "Moni Mekhala and Ream Eyso Edited by Prumsodun Ok (review)". Asian Theatre Journal. 31 (1): 324–326. doi:10.1353/atj.2014.0027. ISSN 1527-2109. S2CID 160156947.
  5. ^ "Cambodian Folktales | Southeast Asia Program". seap.einaudi.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  6. ^ Cravath, Paul. Asian Theatre Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Autumn, 1986), pp. 179-203 (The Ritual Origins of the Classical Dance Drama of Cambodia) University of Hawai'i Press
  7. ^ "เรียนรู้เรื่องรำไทย ระบำชุด เมขลารามสูร". natasinsamphan.com (in Thai). Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. ^ Prasert Sontipong (2002). กระบวนท่ารำของรามสูรในการแสดงเบิกโรงละครใน [Ramasura dance patterns in lakon nai dance prelude] (master's thesis). Chulalongkorn University. ISBN 974-17-2465-9.
[edit]
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