Dance & Music in Manipur

Manipuri Dance

Manipuri Dance is the classical dance India. The Manipuri dance holds a ritualistic tradition going back to very early times. The Manipuri form, as we see it today, is the blend of ritualism and devotional Vaishnavism ( bhakti cult) of the chaitanya school which swept over the region from the 15th century. Hence the predominance of the leelas of Sri Krishna enshrined in the raasa dance forms.

Manipuri Dance

The Manipuri dances are simple, yet vivid and vigorous. A special occasion for this dance is the Durga-Puja.

The Manipuri dances as a whole show extreme grace and fluidity, which stamp it as a distinct genre from the other Indian classical dances. They exhibit precision, without severity or sharpness of movements.

The most obliging aspect of Manipuri culture is that, it has retained the ancient ritual based dances and folk dances along with the later developed classical Manipuri dance style. Among the classical categories, 'Ras Leela' - a highly evolved dance drama, choreographed on 'Vaishnavite Padavalis' composed by mainly eminent Bengali poets and some Manipuri Gurus, is the highest expression of artistic genius, devotion and excellence of the Manipuris.

Nupa Pala

Nupa Pala dance is also known as Kartal Cholom or Cymbal Dance. The dance is started in a slow motion and the initial movements of this dance are soft and calm and slowly the people who are dancing dance with more speed. This dance is basically a group performance of male dancers using cymbals and wearing snow white ball-shaped large turbans.

Pung Cholom

Pung Cholom dance is performed as dance in which the person dancing is trying to call the deity. This dance is performed before Sankirtana and Ras Lila. This dance is a very well polished classical dance.

Maibi Dance

Maibi dance is performed during the festival of Lai-Haraoba which is an annual ritual festival of the people of Manipur. In this dance the Maibis which are the priestesses and are considered to be spiritual mediums. They dance in a way describing the whole concept of how Manipuri people live.

Khamba Thoibi Dance

Khamba Thoibi dance is a duet dance comprising a male and a female partner. The dance is dedicated to the sylvan deity. The description of the dance is Thangjing of Moirang and is performed by Khamba and Thoibi, the hero and heroine of the Moirang episode of the hoary past.