By H.H. Mohrmen
It is somewhat disconcerting that this article is the first attempt to bring our own traditional belief system into the public domain. More ironic is the fact that, while volumes have been written about other God or gods, very little effort has been made to study and understand our own traditional conception of God and deities.
This is an area I have long wanted to explore. Interestingly, I came upon this deeply fascinating subject in the course of my research on ka Siang ka Pha, the practice of ancestor veneration in Raid Jowai, supported by the Chief Minister Research Grant 2024–25. This article is just a glimpse of a larger study that I intend to develop into a book in due course.
God and the divinities
At the top of the divine hierarchy in the Pnar belief system is U Trekirod, also known as U Syiemblai meaning God the King or the King of gods or the Almighty. Subordinate to Him are ki Wakhroo Watri, followed by ki khon Wakhroo khon Watri, and, further down the chain of command are, ki blai najrong cha tbian. These are the four different hierarchies of god, deities, and divinities but regardless of their rank, all these gods, deities, and divine beings exist to serve i mon i khe or the will of U Tre kirod.
It may also be mentioned that though the Pnar use the term ki blai, these are not deities or gods in the generally accepted sense of the term. Ki Wakhroo Watri, ki khon Wakhroo Watri, and ki blai najrong chatbian are manifestations of U Tre Kirod, the Exalted One (Lamar D). From the explanations provided, it became clear that while the literal translation of ki blai is “gods” or “deities,” the term does not carry the same meaning in the Pnar context.
U Tre Kirod is regarded as the Supreme Deity, and all the divinities, along with ki Syngngia ki Saret (spirits of the ancestors), dwell with Him at Soorkep, but the divinities represent the Almighty on Earth. At the same time, U Tre Kirod is omnipresent and all-encompassing and it is believed that the divinities exist because of Him, through and for Him, to extend His will on Earth.
It is believed that U Tre kirod entrusted the ki Wakhroo Watri the four divine beings with the authority to provide for and care for His creation. These four divine entities are: 1. Ka Syiem Wabuh; ka Syiem Wathoo, 2. Ka Bei Ramaw; ka Syiem Ramchit, 3. Ka Syiem Sngi, and 4. U Pa Pyrthat. They are also referred to as ki Sookuna Sookujun, the four divine forces exist to serve and care for all the created beings.
Creator and Enforcer of Divine Command
Ka Syiem Wabuh is also known as ka Blai Synchar ka Nonghukum, the divinity tasked with governing the Earth and delivering God’s commandments to creation. She is responsible for placing and creating all animate beings on Earth (Lamar D). In the Pnar belief system, U Tre Kirod is not personally or directly involved in the act of creation. Instead, He delegated the task of creation to ka Syiem Wabuh, who, together with other divinities, brought all things on Earth into existence. They were not only responsible for creating everything in the world but also for placing each element of creation in its rightful place.
The divinities and spirits, subordinate to ka Syiem Wabuh is u Thakur, also called u khon Wakhroo, meaning great son though; “son” here signifies a subordinate divine being, not a biological child. In the same way as u Thakur, serve ka Syiem Wabuh, he in turn, commands other subordinates, including u Niangpyrchit, u Niangsyiar, u Niangthyllu, ka Lakachiang, ka Lakawang,ka Langliang, ka Tyrud, ka Tmer, and ka Rasong ka Rache (Lamar D).
These are associated with various illnesses that afflict human families and are collectively referred to as ki chakri blai (servants of God). By divine command, u Thakur visits the family once in every generation, and when these divinities enter a home, they leave e tika tinam or i tika blai, a divine mark symbolising the fulfillment of the covenant between Creator and creation (Lamar D).
Mother Nature
Ka Bei Ramaw provides creation with an earthly dwelling place, caring for and sustaining all living beings. Ka Rym-aw ka Rymchit also provides food, drink, and shelter for humans. She is considered to be a spirit close to the creation and whenever there is prayer, offerings or sacrifices, i e i pyrnah i pyrjiñ (libation) the first offering is to ka Bei Ram-aw (Lamar D).
Ka Bei Ram-aw serves as the Almighty’s eye over creation because she embodies nature and sees everything within and around the natural world. By virtue of her closeness to creation, ka Bei Ram-aw acts as a witness to human actions and behavior. When a person dies and is judged, it is ka Bei Ram-aw who is responsible for presenting the evidence either for or against the individual. In her responsibility to serve the will of U Tre kirod, she is supported by her ki Wakhroo Watri who is known as u Khad. However the deity subordinate to u Khad is ka Blai Mynsoo. The three names given to this divinity namely, ka Bei-ram-aw, meaning Mother Nature; ka Bei Wasa, the mother who provides shelter; and ka Bei Wasung, the mother who provides space for people to farm and work, signify the honour bestowed upon the deity and the role and responsibility she was assigned by U Tre Kirod.
U Pa Pyrthad
U Pa Pyrthad is the Thunder God, also called u Syiem diñ or the Fire King. He aids in melting, molding, and smelting of iron, and plays a role in recreating and preserving what was created by ka Syiem Wabuh, the goddess of creation. The divinities under u Pa Pyrthad include u Biskurom, and under him are u Kamar and u Satar (Lamar D).
Of light and warmth
Ka Syiem Wachit, also called Ka Syiem Wache, the queen of warmth and light, is the divinity which provides warmth and light, the essential elements for sustaining life. Her role is to nurture and support the world so that all beings may thrive. The divine hierarchies lower to her also known as ki Khon Wakhroo ki khon Watri are ka ’Ngi kyllung the Sun and u ’Nai kyllung the Moon, whose servant is ka Ron Chondi (Lamar D). It is believed that ka Syiem Wachit ka Syiem Wache is the source of warmth and light and she operates with the help of the Sun and the Moon.
Ki Blai Najrong Chatbian
The other divine servants, known as ki chakri blai or “God’s servants,” which are spirits and fairies believed to protect people within their respective raids (territorial domains). They are also referred to as ki blai chnong blai thaw or the regional deities or guardian spirits who watch over and protect those living within their territories.
Each raid is believed to have three layers of divine protection they are ki Ryngkaw ki Wasa or the nature gods and these are the outermost guardians protecting the entire raid from external harm. Ki Tawiar ki Takan the guardian angles is the second protective tier, comprising the guardian spirits or angels of the raid. The third and the last realm of protection are ki Sooduar ki Sooluti the four corridors or four pathways, these are the primary or innermost guardians who safeguard the settlement. They are located in the directions of the four winds and are therefore associated with the four pathways or gateways leading into the Raid. The four guardians protecting Jowai are u Mooralong, u Mookhai, u Mootong, and u Moosniang. In addition, there are also spirits that dwell in sacred groves, known as ki khloo blai / khloo langdoh.
This belief does not imply that people worship rivers, hills, or forests themselves; rather, they revere the spirits that inhabit these natural elements. These are the divinities that U Tre Kirod ordained to protect His creation, but there are also internal forms of protection present at the household level.
Ki Blai Ïung Blai Sem
These divinities are belief to reside at the different parts of the Ïung Blai. Within the Tre Thlong room in every Ïung Blai dwell u Biskurom, ka Kpong ka Pyrtuh, ka Kani Pati, and ka Ko Pati. These spirits guard and protect the members of the family, which is why they are called ki blai ïung blai sem, or household deities. These tutelary deities protect all those who belong to the clan.
In conclusion, I believe that to understand the Pnar, one needs to understand their traditional religion, and I owe it to those I interviewed, as well as to all who continue to follow the Niamtre religion. They are the keepers of these ancient traditions and without them we would have lost all this profound knowledge.
