MANIPUR CULTURE

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        Manipur is a state rich in culture as well as beauty. And one cannot but miss the grace and rhythm found in Manipuri dances; they arrest the viewer's attention instantly. The folklore is rich in quality and dances of the tribes both ritualistic and recreational in nature. The ritual dances are performed at a particular rite or ceremony or sacrifice and these dances naturally have a spiritual and religious basis.

       The rich culture and tradition of the Manipuris are also depicted in their handloom clothes and handicrafts. The Manipuri handloom and handicraft are known throughout the world for articulate craftsmanship and usefulness. The handloom products are as varied and colourful as per individual needs and tastes. Bed sheets and covers, colourful tribal shawls, curtains and screens, sarees and gowns of Manipur find markets throughout India as well as abroad. Their handloom and handicraft products sold by ladies in Khwairamband bazar, form the largest women's market in the country.

       The colourful tribesmen are the dwellers of the blue mountains which surround the green and fertile valley in the centre. Each of these tribes has their own distinct culture and tradition that finds expression in their dance, music, dress, customary practices and pass times.

       Some of MAnipuri dances as mentioned below:

Khamba Thoibi dance
        A dance of dedication to the sylvan deity, Khamba Thoibi dance is a duet of male and female partners. This dance is a part and parcel of Moirang Lai-Haraoba. It is believed that the legendary hero - Khamba and heroin - Thoibi danced together before the Lord Thangjing, a celebrated deity of Moirang, a village in the South-West of Manipur which is known for its rich cultural traditions, for peace and prosperity of the land. This dance is a depiction of the dance performed by Khamba and Thoibi. This, along with the "Maibi" dance (Priestess dance), the "Leima Jagoi" etc. form the "Laiharaoba" dance. The "Laiharaoba" dance, in many ways, is the fountainhead of the modern Manipuri dance form.

Pung Cholom
       Pung or Manipuri Mridanga is the soul of Manipuri Sankritana music and Classical Manipuri Dance. It assumes an important ritual character, an indispensable part of all social and devotional ceremonies in Manipur, - the instrument itself becoming an object of veneration. Pung Cholom is performed as an invocatory number preceding the Sankirtana and Ras Lila. It is hignly refined classical dance number characterised by the modulation of sound from soft whisper to a thunderous climax. There is an interplay of intricate rhythms and cross rhythms with varying markings of time from the slow to the quick with graceful and vigorous body movements leading to ecastic heights.

Maibi Dance
       A way of reliving life as in the past, this dance is performed during the festival of Lai-Haraoba which is an annual ritual festival of the Meiteis(inhabitants of the valley of Manipur). The Maibis, the priestesses considered to be spritural mediums, depict the entire concept of cosmogony of the Meitei people and describe their way of life through their dances. Begining with the process of creation, they show the construction of houses and various occupations that people undertake to sustain themselves.

Nupa Pala
       Nupa Pala which is otherwise known as Kartal Cholom or Cymbal Dance is a characteristic of the Manipuri style of dance and music. The initial movements of this dance are soft and serene , gradually gathering momentum. It is a group performance of male partners, using using cymbals and wearing snow white ball-shaped large turbans, who sing and dance to the accompaniment of Mridanga, an ancient classical drum "Pung" as it is called in Manipuri. The Nupa Pala acts as a prologue to the Ras Lila dances, besides an independent performance too, in connection with religious rites.

Ras Lila
       The Ras Lila depicts the fond love of Radha for Lord Krishna as well as the sheer devotion of the Gopies toward the Lord. It is generally performed in an enclosure in front of the temple throughout night. Ras performances are seasonal and varied and performed at the temple of Shree Shree Govindajee in Imphal on the nights of Basanta Purnima, Sarada Purnima and Kartik Purnima and at local temples later. As to the composition, the performance is a combination of solo, duet and group dances. The dances are graceful and so are the costumes.

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