Indian Classical Manipuri

Manipuri is one of the six major Classical dance styles of India. It is indigenous to the state of Manipur, north-eastern state of India with major influence of Thai and Indonesian dance forms. Manipuri is an umbrella which has many different forms, evolved and come together over many generations. Hence it has got a lot of variation in style of dance. It is the only Classical Indian dance which has its own separate Male( Tandava) and female (Lasya) dance form.

To understand the history and development of Manipuri dance it is important to understand the geographic location of Manipur. It is a valley surrounded by the Himalayas. Its border areas are China, Burma, Thailand and other South East Asian Countries. The Manipuri's established artistic connections with these Countries and these can be seen in the movements of present Manipuri form. There was a continuous exchange of Culture, which is documented in the history. So Manipur was a land, with a separate identity, where people who look mongoloid, but were descendent of Gandharvas( exotic tribe of ancient India mentioned in the Ramayana and Mahabharata). This mixing not only continued their Culture and dance, but also developed it.

History suggest that Manipuri dance has evolved and become more varied with foreign migration to Manipur. The most significant of this was in the 18th century Vaishnavism arrived in Manipur when the king of manipur Pamheida alias Garib Nawaz burnt all their historic documents under the influence of Vashnav Guru Santadas Babaji ,in order to make a clean break with the past . This was a significant development which influenced the evolution of Manipuri dance. This not only forced Manipuri's to not be able to learn Meitei script but it also brought Vaishnavism into Manipuri dance. Gradually Manipuri developed into a more stylized art form through its fusion of Vedic Aryan, and it now merged into totally a new origin, i.e. Indo-Mongoloid Culture and Hindu Bangladeshi Bengali cultures.

Thus Manipuri as performed in the temple became a blending of themes from the ancient Hindu epics, alongside the traditions of Bangladeshi Bengali poetry (Vaishnav Padavali's) is known to be the highest expression of artistic genius and devotion.

One of the oldest evidence of Manipuri dance available is a copper plate inscription gives the credit of introducing drums and cymbals into this genre of dance to King Khuoyi Tompok (2nd century CE). The contribution of Maharaja Bhagyachandra (r. 1759 - 1798 CE) for the scientific development of the Manipuri dance is immense. He is credited with spreading Vaishnavism in Manipur and is the inventor of Raas Lila Dance.

Noble Laureate Rabindranath Tagore was a great patron of the Manipuri dance and culture. It was him who popularized the Manipuri style of dance with its high zenith among the people of the world. He deserves the honourable place in the style and regarded as the "Pioneer of Manipuri dance and culture".He also established this dance form in his idyllic institute the renowned Visva Bharati University, in Santiniketan, India. Gradually the practice of this dance form extended outside the Manipuri community as well national fields and became a reputed international style. Following the initial period the individual who can be credited for empowering and popularising the dance form,is Guru Bipin Singha . Through studies and researches, he had continually established a significant correlation between the available Vaishnavite (worshipers of God Vishnu) and other Indian texts on dance, as well as the oral tradition of Manipuri dance and music. His scholastic abilities had enabled him to analyse, classify, systematise and codify various aspects of Manipuri dance and create fundamental and universal principles and disciplines to impart effective training. He brings the traditional and classical dances of Manipuri from the Temples to the Theatre without altering its form and spirit. He was a pioneer in introducing solo dance performances in the Manipuri style.

Manipuri dance is characterized by delicate,lyrical,graceful. rhythmic footwork, spinning, subtle facial expressions and intricate hand movements. Mainly in this dance form movements are peculiar as they continuously flow into the other without any break between them. This gives Manipuri dance a lot of fluidity.

Manipuri is the only Indian Classical dance form which has completely different and separate Male (Tandava) and Female (Lasya) dance forms. The difference between the two is more pronounced than in other dance styles - so much so that dancers have to wear different costumes to perform them. While the Female form is soft, delicate and graceful, it is all about control, maintaining a wave like movement and being on the toes ,all the time keeping the gravity and doing a lots of footsteps. The Male form is always presented very strongly and boldly. The movement is always forceful and vigorous but with a lot of self-control with jumping, rotating and sitting movements. It has a lot of aerial movements, all jumps above. Most of the other Indian dance forms are based on floor but here the dancer goes against the gravity all the time. This 'jump and fall ' is without making a noise- like an agile cat, tiger etc. The combination of these makes Manipuri dance very graceful as well as exciting to the audiences.

Manipuri is a combination many different dance styles which has evolved come together and merge. these different styles have evolved over many generations. The development of Manipuri dance over the years can classified into four different forms.

1) a) Lai Haraoba: This is the oldest ritual in Manipur. It symbolizes the coming together of Matter and Energy i.e. "Shiva and Shakti". This ritual follows the process of Creation. It is performed three times a year, mainly by the knowledgeable Manipuri people to bring prosperity to their people. It consists of divine story-telling and demonstration of various sports through dance and hand gestures.

    b) Sankirtana: It is a ceremonial dance performed by the Manipuris on every important occasion in their life, for example marriages, child birth and even death. Its performance is considered as the highest form of worship. It is a combination of dance, vocal instruments, rhythmic chants and costumes. Its performance is bound by a fixed set of rules and principles.

2) Pung Cholom: It gets it inspiration from nature and seasons, for example, it consists of animal movements like that of a peacock, tiger, elephant, snake etc. The rhythmic chants consist of chants which are inspired from thunder storm and rain sounds. Also the vocal sound used here starts from a very high pitch and remains high pitched throughout, which is very characteristic to Manipuri dance. The costume used here are very divine and gorgeous. It presents dancers playing percussion instruments and metallic instruments while dancing simultaneously. This is again very characteristic of Manipuri dance and probably it has some links with the Japanese percussion- Taiko Drumming.

3) Raas Lila: It is a dance tradition that recreates the life and deeds of Shri Krishna and Shri Radha. This Radha- Krishna legend represents a symbol of Male and Female forces in nature. Their union and creation are important for life on earth to continue .The dancers in the Raas Lila wear elaborate costumes. Several singers and drummers play in the Raas. It is story based and tells us the story of the eternal love between Sri Krishna and Radha. It is a more dramatic, expressive and modern form of Manipuri dance. It has a separate Male and Female style i.e. Tandava and Lasya style.

The rasLilas is divided into five types. The five type of Ras Lilas is the Maha Ras, the Basanta Ras, the Kunja Ras, the Nitya Ras and Goshtho Lila.

4) Manipuri Martial Art: Thang-Ta is the term used to represent all the Manipuri martial arts. Thang-Ta literally means "sword and spear" because these are the main weapons used. However, other weapons are used as well, including shields, daggers, sticks, and axes. The Manipuri people have a long history of combat. Their methods involved specific elements of etiquette. For example, if an unarmed man was challenged to battle, he was given time to obtain his weapon(s) before engaging in a fight. Another example involved combatants who used spears to do battle. These warriors would agree on a set distance between them. When this distance was reached, the two rivals would begin to throw spears at each other. Receiving even a small scratch was enough for a participant to lose this duel and the defeated man would bravely accept death as his fate. Many times before dying, he would share a meal with the victor. By allowing himself to be executed, the vanquished warrior was actually following what is believed to be God's laws, the violation of which would be viciously avenged. The art of Thang-Ta are serious forms of self-defence, even aggression, now choreographed into well-performed movements on stage. All performances of Thang-Ta often differ greatly from one another, yet they are executed with the utmost sinjury, or even death of one, or both of the participants.

When you see Manipuri being performed, you will notice that the eyes of the dancer are never lifted up. This restraint is very beautiful and typical of this style. Even the movements of the dancer are controlled. They look easy, graceful and fluid. There are no sharp edges to the dance. Yet the dance is extremely vigorous, especially those performed by the male dancers. They play the drums and the large cymbals.

Development of music and dance has been through religious festivals and daily activities of the Manipuri people. This dance form was based in a deep understanding of the philosophy of life.

The Manipuri dance is devotional in nature. Not only the dance a medium of worship and enjoyment, a door to the divine, but indispensable for all ceremonies like the birth of a child, marriage and death etc. The dances are ritualistic and recreational, religious and temporal.

From the religious point of view and from the artistic angle of vision, classical Manipuri form of dance is claimed to be one of the chestiest, modest, softest, and mildest but the most meaningful dance of the world.