| Moirang Sai | |
|---|---|
 Pena (musical instrument) is used in the performance of the "Moirang Sai" | |
| Originating culture | Meitei culture |
Moirang Sai (Old Manipuri : Moilang Sai) or Moirang Shai (Old Manipuri : Moilang Shai) is a traditional Meitei musical performing art form, that narrates the story of Khamba and Thoibi. The performance timing can span over 120 hours. [lower-alpha 1] [1] [2] [3]
During the time period between the 1950s and the 1980s, Moirang Sai was performed popularly for entertainment in social gatherings and weddings. Traditional Meitei singer Ima Langathel Thoinu (Meitei : ꯏꯃꯥ ꯂꯥꯡꯉꯊꯦꯜ ꯊꯣꯏꯅꯨ) is regarded as the main stylist and the modern day pioneer of the art form. She developed the art form into a theatrical woman’s musical performance, having pure Meitei Jagoi (Meitei : ꯃꯩꯇꯩ ꯖꯒꯣꯏ) dancing and singing genres. She gained her fame as the performer of the art from the 1960s to the 1990s. [1] [2]
In the 1990s and 2000s, Moirang Sai became truly endangered due to the increasing popularity of Western rock music and the mainstream Hindi and Bengali music among the audience. Besides, people started shifting their interests from traditional art forms to modern arts of live folk theater. In the late 2000s, there were only 2 or 3 artists who were then performing the art actively. Later, there were little interest in the public regarding the revival of art form. [1] [3]
In the 2010s, Ima Thoinu got only a few students to learn the endangered art form, which was the only means to keep it alive. Luckily, a small group of performers are again learning the nearly extinct art form of the Moirang Sai to save it from total extinction. Recently, Moirang Sai was outstandingly revived due to the hard works of Mangka Mayanglambam (Meitei : ꯃꯪꯀꯥ ꯃꯌꯥꯡꯂꯝꯕꯝ), a traditional Meitei folk singer and artist of the "Laihui" (Meitei : ꯂꯥꯏꯍꯨꯏ). Mangka is re-popularising the nearly extinct art form among the present youth once again. [1] [2] [3]
Every year, the Hueiyen Lanpao Columnists' Forum organises the Hueiyen Rendezvous, which performs the "Moirang Sai" at the Literary Hall of Hueiyen Lanpao Office located at Sega Road Thouda Bhavok Leikai, Imphal. [4]
On 4 October 2020, the Nongpok Ingouba Cultural Academy (NICA), Yairipok Top Chingtha Oinamthong Leirak, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, organised a workshop cum production program, on "Moirang Sai" at the Yairipok Top Lai Community Hall, to protect and popularize the traditional art of 'Moirang Sai'. [5] [6]
Khangembam Mangi Singh, popularly known as Guru Pena Mangi, was an Indian musician, known for his expertise on the Manipuri traditional musical instrument Pena. The Government of India honored him in 2011, with the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri.
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. It is the traditional musical instrument of Manipur, used mainly in the Lai Haraoba festival of Sanamahism. Pena playing is becoming a dying art as only 145 active Pena players are reported in Manipur. The Center for Research on Traditional and Indigenous Art (Laihui), an organization headed by renowned pena player, Khangembam Mangi Singh has mandated vision to revive pena music.
Nongshaba is a lion god in Sanamahism and Meitei mythology. He is also regarded as a king of the gods. He is credited with producing light in the primordial universe and is regarded as the maker of the sun. He is worshipped by the people of both the Ningthouja clans as well as the Moirang clans. Nongshaba was worshipped by the people of Moirang clan as a lineage deity and regarded as the father of the god Thangching. He is the greatest of the Umang Lais but he made his only son Thangching the chief deity of Moirang.
The Khamba Thoibi Sheireng, also spelled as the Khamba Thoibi Seireng, is a Classical Meitei language epic poem based on the ancient love story of Khuman prince Khamba and Moirang princess Thoibi of Ancient Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak. It is the magnum opus of Hijam Anganghal, the "Bard of Samurou". It is regarded as the national epic of the Manipuris. It is regarded as the greatest of all the epic poems in Meitei literature, with 39,000 verses, thereby being the third longest Indian epic poem, next to the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Phou-oibi, the Rice Goddess is a 2013 Meitei language ballad opera, based on the story of goddess Phouoibi, adapted from Meitei mythology and folklore, performed by the Laihui Ensemble from Manipur, India, as a part of the "Tapestry of Sacred Music 2013" programme, held at the Esplanade in Singapore.
Phouoibi or Phouleima is the goddess and the female personification of the agriculture, crops, fertility, grains, harvest, paddy, rice and wealth in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak . She is the lover of Akongjamba, a hero in ancient legends. But fate does not permit the lovers to unite. So, Phouoibi and Akongjamba reincarnated in the legends. She was sent by Thangching to Moirang) kingdom to make the human world prosperous. The legends of her love with Akongjamba were believed to be enacted by Thangching as a part of the Moirang Saiyon legends.
Akongjamba was a nobleman in Ancient Moirang in Meitei mythology. He was a lover of the harvest Goddess Phouoibi. According to mythology, fate did not permit the lovers to unite, so they reincarnated. The lives of the two legendary lovers were believed to be enacted by Thangjing as a part of the epic cycles of incarnations.
A Helloi or Heloi is a female nature spirit in Meitei mythology, folklore and religion. Hellois are often depicted in the forms of beautiful young women. They are often associated with seduction of men. They are the most powerful among the female spirits. They can cause diseases. The hellois are often known for their charming beauty, ecological balance and seduction of males. Hellois are sometimes seen as evil spirits in the forms of beautiful maidens.
Thangching or Thangjing is a primordial deity in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is the ruling deity of the Moirang dynasty. He rules supreme on the banks of the landlocked sea, Loktak lake. He is one of the four cardinal Umang Lais. The guardianship of the south western direction is alluded to Thangjing and the other directions to Koubru, Marjing and Wangbren.
Nura Pakhang is a Meitei-Portuguese bilingual music video. Its song was performed by Manipuri folk musical artist Mangka Mayanglambam and the artists of Portuguese musical band Clã. The music video is directed by Romi Meitei. It was released worldwide on 28 April 2017. It is a part of an album called "T(H)REE". It is a musical collaboration between Portuguese and Asian musicians in unique ways.
Shakuhachi meets Pena is a musical composition and performance, which is a collaboration of the performances of the traditional Japanese musical instrument Shakuhachi and the traditional Meitei musical instrument Pena. It is a maiden collaboration of traditional music between the two nations, India and Japan. It was performed by Motonaga Hiramu of Japan and Mayanglambam Mangangsana with his daughter Mangka Mayanglambam of Laihui, Imphal. It was performed at "The Giving Tree", Sangaiprou, Imphal West on 28 November 2016. It was performed on the last day of a 3 day workshop on Shakuhachi conducted as a part of the "Manipur Japan Summit 2016". It was organised by the "Laihui" in collaboration with the "Art Heals Trust, Imphal, Manipur" and "The Japan Foundation, New Delhi".
In Meitei mythology and folklore, the epic cycles of incarnations in Moirang is a cyclic epic of seven incarnations of two divine lovers in the kingdom of Moirang in the realm of Ancient Kangleipak.
The ancient legend of Kadeng Thangjahanba and Tonu Laijinglembi is an epic cycle of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore from Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak. It concerns the fateful love of Kadeng Thangjahanba, a skilled blacksmith, for the beautiful Tonu Laijinglembi.
The Festival of Moirang Shai, also known as the Seminar on Moirang Shai, is an academic and cultural annual event. The event aims to impart knowledge of the unique culture of the Meitei people at grassroots level, particularly in preserving and promoting "Moirang Shai", due to the fact that Moirang is often regarded as the origin of Meitei culture and the Khamba Thoibi Dance. It emphasizes that especially younger generation should get aware of their own culture.
The ancient legend of Khamba and Thoibi is a classic, as well as one of the epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore, that is originated from Ancient Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak . It is referred to as the "national romantic legend of Manipur" by Indian scholar Suniti Kumar Chatterjee.
The Hueiyen Lanpao, often abbreviated as HL, is an Indian Meitei language daily newspaper circulated mainly in the Northeast Indian state of Manipur. As Meitei language is written in both Meitei script and Bengali script, the Hueiyen Lanpao is printed in the editions of both the writing systems. It is the second most widely read daily newspaper in Meitei language, just after The Sangai Express, as per the reports of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (India), having average qualifying sales of more than 21,000-23,000 copies in between January-June to July-December 2019.
Khamba Thoibi Jagoi, also known as Khamba Thoibi classical dance or Khamba Thoibi ballet, is a traditional Meitei ritualistic and theatrical classical dance form, which is usually enacted as a part and parcel of the Lai Haraoba performances, dedicated to God Thangching, the national deity of Ancient Moirang realm. Notably, it is one of the cultural elements, giving inspirations to the development of the Manipuri Raas Leela classical dance drama form.
The Laihui Ensemble is a centre for research on traditional and indigenous performing arts, based on Imphal, Manipur. It was established in 1985. The association is performing different art shows at different venues across different nations in the world. Mangka Mayanglambam is one of the most active artists of the ensemble, and is trying her best to revive the dying art forms of Manipur including the Moirang Sai.
Women have significant roles in different elements of Meitei culture, including Meitei dances, Meitei festivals, Meitei folklore, Meitei folktales, Meitei literature, Meitei mythology, Meitei religion, etc.
Yairipok Thambalnu, originally known as Sanoujam Chanu Thambalnu or simply as Thambalnu, was a Meitei lady native to Yairipok region of Kangleipak. She was a victim of intrigues and was forced to meet a tragic death in drowning in a flooding river.
