Folk Songs of Manipur: A Dive Into The Rich Culture of North East India

Geographically, though small, Manipur is a very rich state for culture in Northeastern India. It is marked by colorful traditions and multifaceted cultural heritages. The song is one of the most valued cultural items and the folk song of Manipur plays a major role in the musical and dance pattern intricately presented by the state. And such songs do not only mirror musical expressions but have become a part of day-to-day life, rites, and revelry that occur among the Manipuri people.

Kiddie Corner: Unravel the Mystique of Manipuri Folk Music

Hello kids! You do know Manipur; it's that really beautiful state in northeast India, right? It has some great folk music! Imagine songs celebrating nature and love, and big festivals taken to frenzy! From songs celebrating nature and love to big festivals taken to frenzy, Manipuri folk music is replete with great instruments like the Pung drum and vibrant dances like Thabal Chongba, where people dance in circles under the moonlight. The songs are extremely interesting compositional and entertaining ways to learn about Manipuri culture.

Next time you see a group dancing to the lively beat of the drums or people dancing to the rhythmic beat of the drums, remember that you are living an experience special in Manipur's musical magic!

Knowing the Folk Music of Manipur

The folk music of Manipur refers to the various forms of musical genres or traditions peculiar to the area. It has characteristic features such as melodic tunes, intricate rhythms, and the use of traditional instruments. Folk songs of Manipur are based deep in the social and cultural life of the Manipuri community and resonate with their views and themes on nature, love, and social values.

The Essence of the Folk Song of Manipur

In typical festivals, religious ceremonies, and social gatherings, folk songs of Manipur are sung. This consists of lyrics such as heroic deeds, stories, or expressions against the backdrops of life in its totality. Broadly, Manipuri folk songs can be divided into themes that fall under several categories:

1. Religious and Ritualistic Songs: These are songs sung at religious performances and festivals. They include devotional songs dedicated to their local deities or spirits, such as those of the "Lai Haraoba" festival, which celebrates the traditional deities of Manipur.

2. Seasonal Songs: They mark changes in seasons and agricultural cycles and, in most cases, indicate celebration at harvest and agricultural practices, hence capturing, in turn, the close attachment of the Manipuri people to their land.

3. Love Songs: The folk music of Manipur has a few romantic folk songs. The songs represent the expression of love, longing, and so on. This type of singing is often presented at marriage or other social functions. This form of singing makes romance in that particular function.

4. Historical and Heroic Songs: These songs narrate the acts of heroes of historical figures and legends of Manipur. Through folk songs, these serve to preserve the history and heritage of that area.

Famous Folk Traditions in Manipuri Music

Several traditional forms of folk music have become part of the cultural identity in Manipur. All these various forms have their style and function:

1. Pung Cholom: This is a traditional drum dance form that accompanies many folk songs of Manipur. The "Pung" is played very skillfully with its rhythmic backdrop for the dancers. The energetic performances of the Pung Cholom are part of the important ingredients that constitute Manipuri festivals and celebrations.

2. Thabal Chongba: This is a folk dance form, traditional to Manipuris. This dance is performed on the full moon night of the month of "Yaoshang", occurring in the Hindu month of "Holi". Here, the dance form is performed where people keep on moving in a circle along with the singing of traditional folk songs. Thus, this imbues joy and friendliness within the Manipuri community.

3. Lai Haraoba: Among the Manipuri people, this is a ritualistic festival full of a variety of dances and song offerings, invoking the folk deities of Manipur. The festival occupies a very special place in the religious and cultural life of the Manipuri people.

4. Nongkrem Dance: It is performed during the time of the Nongkrem festival, and to the rhythm of the tones of the traditional folk songs, it heralds an occasion of rejoicing at harvest and prosperity in the region. The festival is very prominent in the Khasi community of Manipur with all its vibrant dances and music.

Traditional Instruments Played in Manipuri Folk Music

Characteristic features of the folk music of Manipur are the traditional instruments giving unique sounds and rhythms to the music. Some of the same: 

1. Pung: A wooden, leather-skinned, cylindrical drum played with the hands, forming an intrinsic part of Pung Cholom and other different forms of Manipuri dances.

2. Khol: A two-headed drum, it is played during most of the Manipuri dance performances and in religious ceremonies. It produces a deep, resonant sound that enriches the musical performance.

3. Sitar: Used in some folk music in Manipuri to provide melody support to the songs and add rich texture to the musical arrangement.

4. Dholak: This is a barrel-shaped drum, much like wine barrels. It is essentially used for folk songs and dances. It plays a typical rhythm that harmonizes with the vocal melodies.

Preservation and Revival of Manipuri Folk Song

Although Manipur has a rich tradition of folk songs, there is a general concern over the preservation of these cultural practices. Modernity and a changed style of life have lessened traditional folk performances. There are concerted efforts to revive and save the folk songs of Manipur

1. Cultural Organizations: Most of the cultural organizations and institutions within Manipur work with the documentation and popularization of folk music. Fests, workshops, and performing programs are organized to keep their tradition alive and vibrant.

2. Educational Programs: Integration of folk music forms into the module of schools and colleges in Manipur can make the young generation learn from and understand their cultural heritage.

3. Media and Technology: The factor of media and technology in the realm of the preservation of folk music of Manipur cannot be overlooked. Documentaries, recordings, and the numerous digital platforms available only serve to reach a much wider audience and continue the legacies simultaneously within the mainstream relevance of contemporary times.

Evolution and History of the Folk Music of Manipur:

Manipuri folk music is, therefore, a highly woven fabric of history, culture, and traditions. This entire not-so-relaxed tradition has been combed through many centuries, tamed by happenings of historical facts, cultural exchange, and social change. The only way through which the transformation of the folk music of Manipur can be understood is by studying and determining its historical roots and principles that have culminated in its growth and development.

It is fit to the early history and nature of the land. Manipur is an integral part of the northeastern state of India, and it was the meeting place of various ethnic groups having different cultures. The different people inhabiting the region developed their characteristic musical styles, closely associated with their daily routines, rituals, and festivities.

Ancient and Medieval Periods

These traditional practices of the Manipuri people, evidenced in the historical record, testify that music and dance were inseparable elements of the religious and social life of the early Manipuri people. Manipuri royal courts have contributed immensely toward the development and patronizing of these traditions. In the medieval period itself, the Manipuri kings played their part in patronizing many forms of folk music and dance by integrating them with royal ceremonies and state functions.

However, the Vaishnavism invasion in the 15th century was one of the very early influences on Manipuri folk music. The Bhakti movement of saints like Srimanta Sankardev and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu introduced into the local Manipuri tradition new musical styles and songs of devotion. The yet-lost devotional theme to Vaishnavite others to 'Bhakti' then influencing folk music culminated in the creation of a few unique musical genres and forms.

Colonial Period

The colonial period is the one that saw mammoth transformative tasks in the cultural scenario of Manipur. Manipuri music mainly came in much closer contact with other musical traditions from India and other places under the rule of the British administration. The folk music of Manipur still maintains its identity amidst external influences. It is those traditional forms that were then taken up for preservation as a part of the cultural revival during this period.

The Evolution of Manipuri Folk Music

The evolution of the folk music of Manipur is predominantly divided and can be seen over different periods and phases that mark a change or influence prominently in this music.

Early 20th Century

The revival of Manipuri folk music happened at the beginning of the 20th century. In this period, there existed exertions that tried to document and conserve forms of traditional music. Measures by scholars and cultural activists were established in collecting and recording folk songs of Manipur, a practice that was done orally. The documentation process served to save many genres of Manipuri folk songs in devotional, seasonal, and romantic songs.

Independent India

After independence, the state experienced great political and social changes after 1947. The new cultural policies of the state showed increased interest in the preservation and promotion of traditional forms of art. Institutions devoted to the promotion of folk music and indeed folk art in form, like the Manipur State Kala Akademi, also came into existence.

It is at this stage, it is during this period that wide recognition was given to the Manipur folk music outside the boundary of the state. Several performances and festivals of Manipuri folk music and dance also received national and international attention. This kindled appreciation for traditional Manipuri folk forms and new artistic expressions basing themselves on tradition.

Global pressures have made the folk music of Manipur go through several revisions in the last few decades. Today, global media and digital technology have opened up fresh possibilities for the manipulation of Manipuri folk music. Nowadays, musicians and artists use these kinds of tools for the transmission of traditions among large groups of people while usually fusing elements of the traditional with those of the modern to come up with new forms.

However, despite all these contemporary developments, the movement to maintain the purity of traditional Manipuri folk music has gained strong ground. The role of cultural organizations within Manipur and the world at large in the promotion of songs of tradition and in making them relevant in today's changing times is very significant. Festivals, workshops, and carried-out educational programs are very much part of this exercise in keeping the younger generation attached to their roots.

Key Figures and Influences

In the process of evolution, Manipuri folk music has been influenced profoundly by some key figures and cultural institutions, amongst whom the following are most important:

1. Ratan Thiyam: A known theater director and playwright, Ratan Thiyam has been prominently responsible for assimilating the elements of Manipuri folk music within the paradigm of modern theatrical works. His works presented some of the very rustic and rural elements of Manipuri cultural practice on the global stage.

2. Guru N. Tombi Singh: A legendary scholar in the domain of classical Manipuri dance and music, Guru Singh has been one of the prime movers for the preservation and promotion of the pristine glory of traditional Manipuri music and dance forms.

3. Manipuri Cultural Organizations: The Manipur State Kala Akademi and its local cultural societies have played a very important role in the documentation, preservation, and propagation of Manipuri folk music. This worked out to be essentially required in the continuation of tradition and vivacity in musical forms.

Challenges and Future Directions

The folk music of Manipur faces push and pull from several challenges in the modern age. The infusion of popular music into the world, coupled with changing social dynamics, has resulted in the decline of traditional performances. However, people are trying to surmount challenges by trying to incorporate folk into educational curricula, using digital media, and cultural tourism.

The future of Manipuri folk music is probably to lie somewhere between the two concepts of preserving the linked practices and innovative expressions. But only when the efforts towards cultural preservation can be continued to be supported and appreciation fostered in the Manipuri Folk traditions could it preserve and celebrate the Manipuri musical heritage for generations yet to come.

Conclusion 

Folk songs of Manipur show the richness of its cultural heritage. They reflect values, beliefs, and way of life, and cover all different kinds of themes and forms of music. The folk music of Manipur uses traditional instruments and is performed with an exuberant performance. This is an important facet of the cultural identity of the people of Manipur. Folk songs of Manipur are the link of living with the past and a source of pride for the Manipuri community, with efforts on in their preservation and popularization.

The evolution of folk music in Manipur speaks much about the enriched cultural heritage and resilient history of the state. From very ancient origin to contemporary adaptations, Manipuri folk music remains vibrant and lives with the identity of the region. The folk music in Manipur has remained inspiring and unifying among generations through continued preservation and promotional efforts..

FAQs

1. How many types of music are there in Manipur?

The music of Manipur encompasses different types of songs such as religious, classical, love, and folk. Dhob and Napi Pala are the famous forms of music in Manipur. 

2. Who is the folk singer of Manipur?

Rewben Mashangva, also Guru Rewben Mashangva (born June 21, 1961), is a folk musician and singer from Manipur, India.

3. Which is the Manipuri traditional music instrument?

Pena is a mono-string instrument falling in the lute category, slightly similar to some of the traditional Indian stringed musical instruments such as the ravanahatha, ubo or the kenda.

4. What is Manipur folk music?

Some varieties of folk music from the area include the rural love songs Khullang Eshei, the rhythmic Lai Haraoba eshei

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