The construction of the Sanamahi Kiyong temple aims at the establishment of a university of Sanamahi religion on the Nongmaiching mountain.
It was built according to a 2002 resolution adopted at a public meeting having a goal to construct a university for Sanamahism,[2] with the aim to teach the future generations of people about the ancient Meitei culture of the Sanamahi religion, offering its students various subjects about indigenous art forms, dance forms, music, Thang-Ta and Sagol Kangjei (Meitei for 'polo') etc.[1][8]
The Sanamahi Kiyong is 75 feet (23 m) tall. It has 7 stories, that represent the seven clans (Meitei: Salai) of the Meitei people. The 7 stories are painted in the colours of the 7 Meitei clans.[2]
Construction
The construction of the Sanamahi Kiyong started in the year 2006. It was done through the donated funds raised from the public.[2][4][5]
As of March 2012, the construction cost reached ₹2 crore (equivalent to ₹3.8 crore or US$450,000 in 2023) and the then estimation of net cost was around ₹3 crore (equivalent to ₹5.7 crore or US$680,000 in 2023).[2]
Inauguration
The Sanamahi Kiyong was previously planned to be inaugurated on 16 May 2019. But it was postponed to 8 June 2019 because religious leaders advised that it should be done on Meitei month of Enga (Meitei: ꯏꯉꯥ, romanized: ī-ngā) and not on the month of Kalen (Meitei: ꯀꯥꯂꯦꯟ, romanized: kā-len) and 8 June falls on Enga, the favourable month.[3][9][10]
On 8 June 2019, the Sanamahi Kiyong Hongba (Meitei for 'inauguration of the Kiyong-Temple') was organised by the "Foundation For University of Sanamahi Culture" and the "Laiyingthou Sanamahi Thougal Kanglup". The event was attended by N Hiyainu, wife of Nongthombam Biren, the then Chief Minister of Manipur.[1]