Snippets of Information - Dance
Manipuri
* 3 Aug 2025
The first effort to identify the Manipuri Jagoi (dance) to the world was made by Kavi Guru Rabindranath Tagore.
It is said that Kavi Guru first saw Manipuri Jagoi at Sylhet. Later on,
Rabindranath Tagore had witnessed Manipuri Jagoi many times in the
palace of Maharaja Manik Kishwar of Tripura. For the first time Kavi
Guru witnessed amusement connected with Basanta Utsav there.
Guru Maisnam Amubi, the then renowned Guru in Manipuri Jagoi and Yambem Mahavir, the young disciple (sevak) of Guru were invited by Uday Shankar
to be faculties for the Dance Troupe of Manipuri Jagoi. Thus they
worked with Uday Shankar for a long period of time which is found in the
records of history. Thus the combination of artistic talent and skill
of both Uday Shankar and Guru Amubi had produced a unique form of
Manipuri dance in the best possible degree of performance. Thus a
gradual recognition to the Manipuri dance started from all over the
world. It is also the credit of Uday Shanker to produce the young
talented artiste, Yambem Mahabir as a co-dancer of Uday Shanker before
the audience of the world.
Miss Luis Lightfoot made financial investment and arrangement for
the eventful functions of stage performance of Manipuri Dance in
different cities of Australia during 1950. There are records that
performance of Manipuri dance was shown in Japan during 1951 and in
America and Europe during 1952. The then leading artistes of
Manipuri dance viz Rajkumar Priyogopal and Shri Laishram Lokhon Singh had taken hard pains and endeavour to produce Manipuri dance for the first time before the audience of the world.
After the visit of the then prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru to Manipur during 1952, the artistes like Phurailatpam Iboton Sharma (Costume), Chitrasen Singh (Instrument), Babu Singh (Pung), Nodia Singh (Pung), Suryamukhi Devi (Dance) and Tombinou Devi
(Dance) shared in making teams to exhibit or show the Manipuri dance to
the foreign countries of the world like Soviet Russia, Poland,
Chekoslovakia, Republic of China and other countries of South East Asia
etc. during the period of 1954 to 1956 and 1958.
Source: PROPAGATION OF MANIPURI DANCE TO THE WORLD by Yaikhom
Hemantakumar, Laishram Hemantakumari Devi, granthaalayahpublication.org,
26 March 2021
* 3 Aug 2025
The mutual relationship between Kavi Guru and king of Tripura began
since the rule of Kala Premi Maharaja Radhakishwar Manikya (1896-1909
A.D.) At the request of Gurudev, a dance teacher of the palace of
Tripura, Rajkumar Angousana (Budhimanta) also brother-in-law of Maharaja Brajendrakishwar Manikya was deputed at Santiniketan who worked for some time at Santiniketan. Later, Pangambam Nabakumar Thakur
was sent by the Maharaja of Tripura as a dance teacher at Santiniketan
in place of Rajkumar Angousana. To fulfil the wishes of Gurudev,
Nabakumar started new experiments in dance and music and in 1927
produced the first dance drama , 'Natir Puja' of Gurudev and
'Chitrangada' for the second time. Later, a dance drama, 'Syap Mochon'
was produced in 1936.
On the invitations from Santiniketan, some teachers from Manipur, like Oja Laishram Kulabidhu (1930), Rajkumar Suryaborosana (1937), Guru Haobam Atomba and Arambam Amubi Singh
worked at Santiniketan from time to time. But the real and vivid
Manipuri dance could not be witnessed by the audience of the world as
many of the performances were the creative products of Gurudev Tagore
and Uday Shankar.
* 3 Aug 2025
Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi was a celebrated Manipuri classical dancer
known for her profound contributions to the art form over five decades.
Her work primarily focused on enriching and promoting Manipuri
classical dance, including traditional forms like Raas Leela, Lai
Haraoba, and tribal folk traditions.
She was associated with 'Nrityashram,' the pioneer Manipuri dance
institute established in 1950 by Guru Yambem Mahabir Singh from its
inception. Suryamukhi learned Manipuri dance under the guidance of Guru
Maisnam Amubi Singh, Yambem Mahabir Singh, Haobam Atomba Singh, Amudon
Sharma, Kh. Lokeshwar, A. Yaimabi, Th. Babu Singh. She trained in
contemporary dance under the notable choreographers like Apunikarta,
Prabhat Ganguli and Narendra Sharma. She also received training in Chhau
dance of Mayurbhanj from Guru Krishnachandra Naik. As an artiste of
Nrityashram, she first performed her Manipuri solo dance item
“Abhimanyu” at Bharatiya Kala Kendra, Delhi in 1953.
Source: Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi (June 1, 1935 - June 29, 2025) by Dr. Sinam Basu Singh, narthaki.com
* 24 Jul 2025
The Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy,
a constituent Unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, is the
premier institution for teaching of Manipuri Dance and Music and allied
subjects like Thang-Ta. Established in 1954, it offers comprehensive
courses. The institution has on its staff, teachers of eminence and a
Production Unit with a large repertoire of critically acclaimed
dance-dramas. The management of the Academy is vested with the Executive
Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi which is assisted by an
Advisory Committee chaired by His Excellency, Governor of Manipur in
matters of policy and maintenance of standards.
Source: sangeetnatak.gov.in
* 24 Jul 2025
Lai Haraoba is one of the main festivals still performed in
Manipur which has its roots in the pre-Vaishnavite period. Lai Haraoba
is the earliest form of dance which forms the basis of all stylised
dances in Manipur. Literally meaning – the merrymaking of the gods, it
is performed as a ceremonial offering of song and dance. The principal
performers are the maibas and maibis (priests and priestesses) who
re-enact the theme of the creation of the world.
Source: ccrtindia.gov.in
* 24 Jul 2025
The Manipuri classical style of singing is called Nat - very
different from both north and south Indian music, this style is
immediately recognizable with its high pitched open throated rendering
with particular type of trills and modulations. The main musical
instrument is the Pung or the Manipuri classical drum. There are also
many other kinds of drums used in Manipuri dance and music. The Pena, a
stringed instrument is used in Lai Haraoba and Pena singing. Various
kinds of cymbals are used in Sankirtana and Ras. The flute is also used
to accompany vocal singing.
Source: ccrtindia.gov.in
* 24 Jul 2025
Manipuri, one of the classical dances originated in the state of Manipur in the north-eastern region of India.
Manipur dance has a large repertoire, however, the most popular forms
are the Ras, the Sankirtanaand the Thang-Ta. There are five principal
Ras dances of which four are linked with specific seasons, while the
fifth can be presented at any time of the year. In Manipuri Ras, the
main characters are Radha, Krishna and the gopis. The Ashtapadis of
Jayadeva’s Geeta Govinda are very popular and are sung and danced in
Manipur with great religious fervour.
Manipuri abhinaya does not play up the mukhabhinaya very much – the
facial expressions are natural and not exaggerated -sarvangabhinaya, or
the use of the whole body to convey a certain rasa, is its forte.
The Kirtan form of congregational singing accompanies the dance which is
known as Sankirtana in Manipur. The male dancers play the Pung and
Kartal while dancing. The masculine aspect of dance - the Choloms are a
part of the Sankirtana tradition. The Pung and Kartal choloms are
performed at all social and religious festivals.
Source: ccrtindia.gov.in
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