In Indic mythology, Manimekhala (Khmer: មណីមេខលា, Moni Mekhala; Thai: มณีเมขลา, Mani Mekhala) is a goddess regarded as a guardian of the seas; namely the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as part of the mythology of Indochina. She was placed by Catummaharajika to protect virtuous beings from shipwreck.[1] She appears in several Buddhist stories including the Mahajanaka-Jataka in which she rescues Prince Mahajanaka from a shipwreck.[2]
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In Pali, maņīmekhalā refers to a girdle or belt of jewels. In Indochina, she is sometimes referred to simply as Mekhala; Neang Mekhala (Khmer: នាងមេខលា) in Cambodia and Nang Mekhala (Thai: นางเมขลา) in Thailand. Her name was contributed by Thailand for tropical cyclone names occurring as 'Tropical Storm Mekkhala' in 2002 and 2008.
Manimekhala is seen in wat paintings across Mainland Southeast Asia depicting scenes from Mahajanaka.[2] In Thailand and Cambodia, she is considered a goddess of lightning and the seas. In the classical dance traditions of Thailand and Cambodia, sacred dramatic dances depict the goddess Manimekhala, Ramasura (Parashurama), and Arjuna; according to legend, the phenomena of thunder and lightning is produced in the clash of Manimekhala's crystal ball and Parashurama's axe. In Cambodia, these dance dramas are used in propitiation ceremonies called buong suong tevoda and was performed to invoke the rains to fall.[3]