Mathu Naba Meetei Nupi Sahnpujarramagica [better]

Translated loosely, the term means: “Mathu Naba, the Meetei woman of the magical offering-rite of the Sahnpujarra.” Linguists and folklorists debate its precise etymology, but the consensus is that it refers to a priestess-medium ( maibi in Meetei) who wielded a form of sorcery distinct from mainstream Lai Haraoba rituals.

A 2019 blog by a self-identified practitioner named “Mathu Naba Chanu” wrote: “The copper dish never lies. We are the Meetei Nupi of the old magic – the Sahnpujarramagica. Not for fame, but for the land.” The keyword Mathu Naba Meetei Nupi Sahnpujarramagica is not a random string – it is a doorway into Manipur’s nearly forgotten tradition of female-led ritual magic. It speaks of a time when women invokers of copper offerings could call spirits, change weather, and heal or hex through a power distinct from mainstream worship. Mathu Naba Meetei Nupi Sahnpujarramagica

While much remains mysterious – possibly deliberately so – the very existence of such terms reminds us that the history of magic in South Asia is far richer, stranger, and more feminine than textbooks admit. For those who seek the Sahnpujarra, the path begins with a Meetei woman, a copper offering, and the whispered name of Mathu Naba. Note: This article is based on available folklore, limited ethnographic reports, and linguistic reconstruction. Parts remain speculative due to the esoteric nature of the subject. Further fieldwork in Manipur may clarify or correct these interpretations. Translated loosely, the term means: “Mathu Naba, the

So together, the keyword names a specific kind of magical practitioner: Part 2: Historical and Mythological Background The Maibi Tradition of Manipur Long before Hinduism arrived in Manipur (c. 15th–18th centuries CE), the Meetei people practiced a form of nature worship led by priestesses called Maibis . These women performed Lai Haraoba (pleasing of the deities) – but some lineages were known for khuring nupa (left-hand or nocturnal rites), which involved invocations of wild spirits ( lam-lai ) and magical healing. Not for fame, but for the land