Taoroinai —A Celestial Serpentine Dragon from the ancient Meitei mythology (old Manipuri mythology)

Taoroinai (alias Taoroinai Pakhangba) is a celestial serpentine dragon, who’s a divine manifestation of Salailen, the Supreme Creator of the universe in ancient Meitei mythology (old Manipuri mythology) and Sanamahism religion.

Taoroinai serves as the mounting creature for Goddess Leimarel Sidabi, the supreme mother earth goddess, while passing through the vast cosmic ocean in the divine realm to reach the land of the mortals.

In most legends, Taoroinai is portrayed as the dragon (python) whose head is the Uranus (Shakok) and whose tail is the Neptune (Shamei) in Meitei mythology.

The serpentine dragon Taoroinai is mentioned in many ancient scriptures including “Paphal Lambuba”, “Leithak Leikharol”, “Taoroinai Yangbi” and many other puyas.

In the “Leithak Leikharol”, an ancient text, the serpentine dragon Taoroinai is mentioned as:-

The Kangla was constructed over the navel of the serpent God Taoroinai and below it was a python, a tortoise, a boar, a bull, an elephant and a God.

There’s also an artistic throne, used by the Meitei rulers (Manipuri kings) since ancient times, named “Taoroinai Throne”. The sculptured arts, include the right dragon (representing the sun God), the left dragon (representing the moon God), the tortoise (representing the mother earth) and the central figure (representing the soul giver God).

It’s assumed to be a wish throne.

Currently, it’s available in the Three Mothers Art Gallery, Imphal.