View source for Helloi

{{About|the figures in [[Meitei mythology]]|the Greek deity|Helios}}
{{Infobox deity
| type         = Meitei
| name         = Helloi
| deity_of     = Female nature spirit<ref name="Feminism in a Traditional Society: Women of the Manipur Valley - Manjusri Chaki-Sircar - Google Books" />
| member_of    = 
| image        = Helloi_Taret_amadi_Tal_Taret.jpg
| alt          = <!-- for alternate text of the title image per [[WP:ALT]] -->
| caption      = Hellois are depicted with wings in some of the modern day iconographies though wings are absent in traditional iconographies
| other_names  = 
* Heloi
* Lam Leima 
| hiro         = 
| Old_Norse    = 
| script_name  = 
| script       = 
| affiliation  = [[Meitei mythology]] ([[Manipuri mythology]]) and [[Meitei religion]] ([[Sanamahism]])
| cult_center  = <!-- or | cult_centre = -->
| abodes       = Forests, lakes, mountains, heaven
| planet       = <!-- or | world = -->
| weapon       = <!-- or | weapons = -->
| battles      = 
| artifacts    = <!-- or | artefacts = -->
| animals      = 
| symbol       = <!-- or | symbols = -->
| adherents    =
| height       = 
| age          = 
| tree         =
| day          = 
| color        = <!-- or | colour = -->
| number       = Seven
| consort      = <!-- or | consorts = -->
| father       = [[Salailen]] (Soraren) 
| siblings     = 
| offspring    = <!-- or | children = -->
| predecessor  =
| successor    =
| army         =
| mount        = 
| texts        = [[PuYa]]s
| gender       = Female
| Greek_equivalent     = [[Nymph]]s,<ref name="Valley Society of Manipur: A Cultural Frontier of Indian Civilization - Ranajit Kumar Saha - Google Books">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lpuAAAAMAAJ&q=heloi+meitei+nymph|title=Valley Society of Manipur: A Cultural Frontier of Indian Civilization|last=Saha|first=Ranajit Kumar|date=1994|publisher=Punthi-Pustak|isbn=978-81-85094-82-3|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Recent Researches in Oriental Indological Studies: Including Meiteilogy - Moirangthem Kirti Singh - Google Books">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LVpuAAAAMAAJ&q=heloi+meitei+nymph|title=Recent Researches in Oriental Indological Studies: Including Meiteilogy|last=Singh|first=Moirangthem Kirti|date=1998|publisher=Parimal Publications|language=en}}</ref> [[Siren]]s
| Roman_equivalent     = 
| Etruscan_equivalent  = 
| Christian_equivalent = 
| Slavic_equivalent    = 
| Hinduism_equivalent  = 
| Canaanite_equivalent =
| equivalent1_type = 
| equivalent1 =
| equivalent2_type = 
| equivalent2 =
| region       = [[Ancient Kangleipak]] ([[Antique Manipur]]) 
| ethnic_group = [[Meitei ethnicity]]
| festivals    = 
}}
A '''Helloi''' ({{lang-mni|ꯍꯦꯜꯂꯣꯢ}}) or a '''Heloi''' ({{lang-mni|ꯍꯦꯂꯣꯢ}}) is a female nature spirit in [[Meitei mythology]], [[Meitei folklore|folklore]] and [[Meitei religion|religion]] of [[Ancient Kangleipak]] ([[Antique Manipur]]).<ref name="Feminism in a Traditional Society: Women of the Manipur Valley - Manjusri Chaki-Sircar - Google Books">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hNALAAAAIAAJ&q=heloi+meitei+female+spirit|title=Feminism in a Traditional Society: Women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=Shakti Books|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.1357/page/n129/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Helois+Meitei|title=A collection of Essays in Manipuri Folklore|last1=Dr. Chirom Rajketan Singh|last2=Sadananda Mayanglambam|date=2013|pages=129}}</ref> Hellois look like beautiful young women. They often trick men to have sex with them. They are the most powerful among the female spirits. They can cause diseases.<ref name="Feminism in a Traditional Society: Women of the Manipur Valley - Manjusri Chaki-Sircar - Google Books" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/120/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=120}}</ref>
The hellois are often known for their charming beauty, ecological balance and male submission (seduction).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Haloi Taret Dangerous Beauty Ecological Balance and Male Submission By Rubani Yumkhaibam|url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=features.Spotlight_On_Women.Haloi_Taret_Dangerous_Beauty_Ecological_Balance_and_Male_Submission_By_Rubani_Yumkhaibam|access-date=2022-03-01|website=e-pao.net}}</ref> Hellois are sometimes seen as evil spirits in the forms of beautiful maidens.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/238/mode/2up?q=Heloi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=238}}</ref> 

Helloi Taret (lit. ''Seven Hellois'') are the seven sisters. They stay in the thick bushes or dark and dense forests.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uJUOAQAAMAAJ&q=heloi+taret|title=The Anthropologist: International Journal of Contemporary and Applied Studies of Man|date=2003|publisher=Kamla-Raj Enterprises|language=en}}</ref> They also live in other places of wilderness like rivers and meadows.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.1357/page/n129/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Helois+Meitei|title=A collection of Essays in Manipuri Folklore|last1=Dr. Chirom Rajketan Singh|last2=Sadananda Mayanglambam|date=2013|pages=129}}</ref>

== In Meitei mythology ==
Hellois are one of the most common female spirits believed in [[Meitei mythology]] and [[Meitei folklore|folklore]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/119/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=119}}</ref> According to the [[Maiba]]s (priests), hellois are the most powerful female spirits. They could spread diseases, especially sexually transmitted infections. Hellois attack men and cause disorder of mind. From men, women may get sick in their sexual organs. According to belief, the highest rate of such attacks occurs in March and April. It is the time of celebrating [[Yaoshang]], a spring festival. At the same time, [[:en:Thabal Chongba|Thabal Chongba]] occasions are performed by both men and women.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/120/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=120}}</ref>

== In Meitei religion ==
''Helloi Oknaba'' (lit. ''Encounter with Hellois'' in [[Meitei language|Meitei]]) is one of the most common events of meeting with supernatural beings in [[Meitei folktales|Meitei folk stories]]. Challenges to or conflicts with the hellois often make one's life unhappy. In such cases, one may get sick, mental imbalance and temporary madness. If such people are not properly treated by a [[maiba]] or a [[maibi]], the symptoms may continue long. It may lead to permanent madness (mental impairment). One who meets a helloi often acts in abnormal and mentally challenged ways.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.1357/page/n129/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Helois+Meitei|title=A collection of Essays in Manipuri Folklore|last1=Dr. Chirom Rajketan Singh|last2=Sadananda Mayanglambam|date=2013|pages=129}}</ref> For example, the victims may not be able to recognize his family members and friends. However, the victims could still communicate with the very helloi. The spirit may not easily leave the victim. She will demand something in return to leave the victim. Thus, Hellois seek their needs by bewitching people.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.language.1357/page/n135/mode/2up?q=Heloi|title=A collection of Essays in Manipuri Folklore|last1=Dr. Chirom Rajketan Singh|last2=Sadananda Mayanglambam|date=2013|pages=135}}</ref>  

The [[maiba]]s perform rites and rituals to prevent attraction and attacks on men by the hellois. They feed the spirits with animal faeces and some specially prepared ritual foods.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/120/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=120}}</ref>

== Hellois and Hingchabis ==
{{See|Hingchabi}}
Hellois and Hingchabis are the two most popular forms of female spirits in [[Meitei mythology]] and [[Meitei folklore|folklore]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/119/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=119}}</ref> But these two mythical beings are not almost all similar. Hellois are wandering spirits.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/120/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=120}}</ref> On the other hand, Hingchabis live inside some women. They exposed their supernatural powers into the bodies of the victims. They cause illness, mental sufferings, bad luck, and sometimes even death to the victims.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/119/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=119}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/feminismintradit0000chak/page/120/mode/2up?q=Heloi+Hinchhabi|title=Feminism in a traditional society : women of the Manipur Valley|last=Chaki-Sircar|first=Manjusri|date=1984|publisher=New Delhi : Shakti Books ; New York : Distributed by Advent Books|others=Internet Archive|isbn=978-0-7069-1967-7|pages=120}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Lai Khutshangbi]]
* [[Uchek Langmeidong]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== Bibliography ==
* [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.466014 Heloi Heloi Mi Heloi by Pramodini, Khaidem]
== External links ==
{{Commons}}
* {{Cite web|last=Sharma|first=H. Surmangol|date=2006|title=Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary.Heloi|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/sharma_query.py?qs=%EA%AF%8D%EA%AF%A6%EA%AF%82%EA%AF%A3%EA%AF%8F&searchhws=yes|access-date=2022-03-02|website=dsal.uchicago.edu}}
* {{Cite web|title=Helloy|url=http://www.e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=reviews.movies.Helloy|access-date=2022-03-01|website=www.e-pao.net}}
* {{Cite web|title=Lairembi Khuntarol The story of humankind and living plants By James Khangenbam|url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=manipur.Arts_and_Culture.Article_Lai_Haraoba.Lairembi_Khuntarol_The_story_of_humankind_and_living_plants_By_James_Khangenbam|access-date=2022-03-01|website=e-pao.net}}
* {{Cite web|title=Heloi ArtWork by Laishram Meena 201312|url=http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=leisure.cartoon.Heloi_ArtWork_by_Laishram_Meena_201312|access-date=2022-03-01|website=e-pao.net}}

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[[Category:Meitei folklore]]
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[[Category:Gods and goddesses of beauty]]
[[Category:Gods and goddesses of love and lust]]
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