Women’s Rāslīlā and Saṅkīrtana
The Enduring Legacy of Manipur’s Sija Laiobi
Keywords:
Sija Laiobi, Bimbavati Devi, Manipuri Vaiṣṇavism', Bhakti movement, King Bhāgyacandra, Rādhā, Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Raslīlā, Saṅkīrtana, Manipuri folklore, Women in religion, Devotional performance, Mūrti worship, 18th-century Manipur, HagiographyAbstract
Sija Laiobi, also known as Bimbavati Devi, was a Manipuri princess who played a pivotal role in the foundational narratives of Manipuri Vaiṣṇavism in the 18th century. She is one of Manipur’s most renowned bhakti saints and innovators. Drawing from hagiographical accounts, court chronicles, and ethnographic data, I show how Sija Laiobi’s rise to prominence was enabled by the prominent role of women in Manipur’s indigenous religious traditions, the sovereign status and encouragement of her father, King Bhāgyacandra, and her re-enactment of the devotional theology and narratives of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa. In particular, her mirroring of the devotional position and sentiments of the goddess Rādhā cemented her status as a devotee-exemplar in Manipuri folklore. Her legacy endured and influenced Manipur’s prominent bhakti performances, such as pilgrimage, worship of mūrti (icons in the temple), and the dedication of dance dramas like rāslīlā and women’s saṅkīrtana (devotional singing).
