পুরেনব এবং হ্যালই
English
According to Monipuri religion, at the beginning of creation, the supreme God Sitapa Mapu decreed that the Earth would be inhabited by the descendants of both Gods and humans. He selected his eldest son, Sanamahi, to lead the race of Gods and other divine beings, while his youngest son, Pakhangba, was chosen to lead the human race. The two brothers descended from Mount Koubru and established their respective tribes. However, over the years, the tribes began to mix. The Gods sometimes took human wives against their will, and human men also fathered children with Hellois, a race of beautiful celestial women. Unfortunately, these unions resulted in a race of demi-gods who were more powerful than humans but were seen as outcasts by the Gods. Recognizing his mistake, Sitapa Mapu realized that Gods and humans were never meant to coexist. He proclaimed that all divine creatures should abandon Earth and move to the Underworld. Gradually, all the divine beings departed, except for one Haloi who refused to let go of the beautiful forests and valleys she called home. With time, she became a mere myth. If anyone went missing in the forest, people would invent stories of them falling victim to the Haloi.
One day, a curious king of Moirang decided to resolve the myth of the lone Helloi once and for all. He summoned his general, Purenba, to investigate the matter. Purenba gathered four of his finest soldiers and instructed them to venture in four different directions in search of the mythical Haloi. Before their departure, Purenba directed his men to leave their shadows with him so that he could instantly be notified if any of them were in danger.
Thus, the four soldiers embarked on their journey, riding on the backs of giant water-serpents to cover more ground swiftly. On the evening of the second day, one of the shadows displayed signs of distress. Concerned, Purenba immediately set off towards the soldier, leaving his shadow behind. Unbeknownst to Purenba, the injured soldier had an old dispute with certain individuals in the kingdom. Once the general departed, an assassin arrived and killed the shadow, which, in turn, resulted in the soldier's demise.
Meanwhile, Purenba returned from his adventure having successfully captured the beautiful Helloi. The king was highly pleased with his general's accomplishment and inquired about his desired reward. Purenba boldly requested permission to take the Helloi as his wife, despite fearing the wrath of the Gods. The king hesitantly approved the marriage. In the following years, Purenba fathered two children named Khamba and Khambu.
Simultaneously, Purenba sought the assistance of a powerful sorcerer named Thonglen to investigate the death of his fellow soldier. The assassin's identity was soon revealed, and fearing a dreadful fate at the hands of the sorcerer, the assassin surrendered to Purenba. The assassin's only plea to the general was to convey a message to his elderly mother, whom he could no longer meet. Purenba granted the assassin's wish and departed for the mother's residence. Unbeknownst to him, the sorcerer had set a trap at the mother's house, anticipating the assassin's presence. Unfortunately, due to sheer misfortune, Purenba unintentionally fell into the trap, resulting in the permanent separation of his shadow from his body. When the dying general returned home after visiting the mother, it didn't take long for his Helloi wife to notice his missing shadow. Tears streamed down her face as she realized something else. There was an ancient prophecy that foretold the tale of a Helloi whose children would be orphaned as punishment for marrying a human. She immediately understood the significance of the prophecy. With her husband's last breath, the Helloi abandoned her children and finally moved to the underworld, as the Gods had always desired.