Meitei Culture/Mythology/Goddesses/Ngaleima



Goddess Ngaleima, also known as Ngareima, is a divine female personification of fish, the predominant form of aquatic life. She is one of the noble princesses of the Celestial Realm. She is one of the favorite daughters of the Sky Father Salailen. She was sent down to earth to prosper the earthly water bodies, with aquatic life, and to prosper the human civilization as well. Obeying the divine orders of her Supreme Father, she and her sisters descended from the heavenly realm to the earthly realm. On her way, she had numerous adventures. Finally, she lived in the water bodies of the earth, and gave rise to various types of aquatic life forms, predominately the fish. Ancient Meitei fishing people always offered prayers to her, to shower her blessings to them. Abundance and scarcity of fish haul was perceived as satisfaction (pleasure) and dissatisfaction (displeasure) of her respectively.