Henjunaha and Lairoulembi

Lore & Background

Henjunaha was a fatherless lad brought up by his widowed mother Khoiju Hongbi, while Lairoulembi was raised by her rich father Thongnang Ningthouba. They became devoted lovers. One day, Khoiju Hongbi had an ominous dream and warned Henjunaha not to leave the house. Ignoring her, he sneaked out at night to meet Lairoulembi, carrying a polo-stick. On the way, he encountered a coven of evil spirits feasting on a corpse at a place called Khundinbi. He disguised himself among them but was eventually discovered and chased. The spirits caught him just as he reached Lairoulembi's verandah, and he was murdered. Lairoulembi, upon waking and finding him in a pool of blood, committed suicide by thrusting a sharp knife into her own body. Their souls were then judged by the god Thongalen, who granted them a limited time to return to the human world—a span that varies across different tellings of the epic.

Reader's Guide

The story of Henjunaha and Lairoulembi holds significance as one of the epic cycles of incarnations in Meitei mythology, originating from the Moirang province of Ancient Kangleipak. It illustrates themes of unconditional love, fate, and defiance of divine will. After their deaths, Henjunaha's soul was taken to the underworld, but Lairoulembi's soul was denied entry because she committed suicide, making her own destiny. She wept on the bank of the Styx (Meitei: Ashi Turel) until the youngest wife of God Thongalen pleaded for her. Thongalen eventually allowed both souls to return to the human world for one hundred years. Meanwhile, Lairoulembi's parents' dog sensed sounds from the burial ground, and when dug up, the lovers revived and lived happily ever after. The legend has been preserved in books and performances, including a 2015 publication and a 2017 show in Imphal, reflecting its enduring cultural legacy.

Did You Know?

• Henjunaha's father died when he was young, and he was raised by his widowed mother Khoiju Hongbi.
• Lairoulembi's soul was judged by Thongalen, the god of the underworld, who guided her fate rather than denying her entry solely for suicide.
• The souls of the lovers were allowed to return to the human world for a limited time granted by Thongalen, though the exact duration varies in different versions of the epic.
• The lovers' revival is traditionally brought about by divine intervention or a specific character, not by a dog sensing sounds from the burial ground.