Manipur is a state in northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanmar, Sagaing Region to the east and Chin State to the south. The state covers an area of 22,327 km2 (8,621 sq mi). The official and most widely spoken language is the Meitei language. Native to the Meitei people, it is also used as a lingua franca by smaller communities, who speak a variety of other Tibeto-Burman languages. Manipur has been at the crossroads of Asian economic and cultural exchange for more than 2,500 years. This exchange connects the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia to Southeast Asia, East Asia, Siberia, regions in the Arctic, Micronesia and Polynesia enabling migration of people, cultures and religions.
Indian epic poetry is the epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent, traditionally called Kavya. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata, which were originally composed in Sanskrit and later translated into many other Indian languages, and the Five Great Epics of Tamil literature and Sangam literature are some of the oldest surviving epic poems ever written.
Indian literature refers to the literature produced on the Indian subcontinent until 1947 and in the Republic of India thereafter. The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India has 22 officially recognised languages. Sahitya Akademi, India's highest literary body, also has 24 recognised literary languages.
The Meitei people, also known as Meetei, Manipuri people, is an ethnic group native to Manipur. They form the largest and dominant ethnic group of Manipur in Northeast India. They speak the Meitei language, one of the 22 official languages of the Republic of India and the sole official language of Government of Manipur. The Meiteis primarily settled in the Imphal Valley region in modern-day Manipur, though a sizeable population has settled in the other Indian states of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. There is also a notable presence of Meitei people in the neighbouring countries of Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Meitei ethnic group represents about 53% of Manipur's population.
Dance in India comprises numerous styles of dances, generally classified as classical or folk. As with other aspects of Indian culture, different forms of dances originated in different parts of India, developed according to the local traditions and also imbibed elements from other parts of the country.
Manipuri dance, also referred to as the Manipuri Raas Leela, is a jagoi and is one of the major Indian classical dance forms, originating from the state of Manipur. It is one of the greatest cultural achievements of the traditional Vaishnavism adhering Meitei people of Manipur. Owing to the Meitei civilization, the classical dance form, first formally developed by Meitei Hindu king Ching Thang Khomba of the Kingdom of Manipur, is considered to be the highest spiritual expression of the worship of Hindu deity Krishna. Owing to its huge influences on the diverse cultural heritages across the Indian subcontinent, it is recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi of the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India as one of the few primary classical dance forms of the Republic of India, and is honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Manipuri annually. It is referred to as the "national dance" during the Armenia-India joint issue of postage stamps, as a part of the Armenia-India international relations.
Pakhangba is a primordial deity, often represented in the form of a dragon, in Meitei mythology and Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is depicted in the heraldry of Manipur kingdom, which originated in paphal, mythical illustrations of the deity. It is believed that the ancestor of one of the Meitei clans manifested himself as the Pakhangba.
Meitei Sankirtan, also known as Meitei Sankirtana or Manipuri Sankirtan or Manipuri Sankirtana, is a Meitei cultural form of performing art involving ritual singing, drumming and dancing performed in the temples and domestic spaces in Manipur in India. Through the performances which exhibit unparalleled religious devotion and energy, the performers narrate the many stories of Krishna often moving the spectators to tears. It is practiced primarily by the Meitei Hindus in Manipur and by the Vaishnava Manipuri population settled in the neighbouring States of Tripura and Assam. "Sankirtana: Ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur" was inscribed on the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the eighth session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, held in December 2013.
Panthoibi, also known as Nongpok Leima, is a goddess associated with civilization, courage, fertility, handicraft, love, victory, warfare and wisdom in the mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. She is a consort of the God Nongpok Ningthou. She is considered to be one of the divine incarnations of Leimarel Sidabi and is also identified as a form of Goddess Nongthang Leima. She is worshipped mainly by the Meitei people in Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
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.
In Meitei mythology and religion, Nongthang Leima is the goddess of seduction, thunder, and lightning. She was created by Atingkok to attract Haraba (Pakhangba). She mastered thunder and lightning in the chaos in the early world. She predicted the first rain. She limits the chaos and helps creation.
Nongpok Ningthou, also known as the Sovereign of the East or King of the East, is a deity in Sanamahism, the indigenous religion of Manipur. He is the ruling guardian deity of the eastern direction. Legend says Nongpok Ningthou and his consort Panthoibi were united in the Nongmaiching Ching mountains. Later, they were worshipped as the civilization giving deities in Meitei religion.
There are many different dance styles from Manipur, a state in northeastern India bordering with Myanmar (Burma), Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram. Manipuri dances encompasses both classical and folk dance forms. The Raas Leela is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. The folk dance forms are mainly attributed to ancient Meitei deities such as Umang Lai and performed during Lai Haraoba, and also the dances of the different tribal communities of Manipur.
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 culture of Meitei civilization evolved over thousands of years, beginning in Ancient Kangleipak, continuing most notably into Medieval Kangleipak, while influencing the neighboring states and kingdoms, till present times.
Jagoi refers to the arts of dance in Meitei culture.
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.
Ancient Meitei literature, also termed as Old Manipuri literature, is literature written in the Old Manipuri language from the earliest texts until the time of King Pamheiba. All the ancient Meitei literary works are written in the traditional Meitei script. The ancient Meitei language texts, written in Meitei script, are conventionally termed as "the puyas".
The cultural heritages of Meitei civilization has classicism in diverse traditions of cinemas, dances, language, literature, music, theatre, etc.
The intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Meitei civilization is recognised, honoured, preserved as well as promoted by the UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture of the Union Government of India, the Government of Armenia, the State Government of Manipur, the State Government of Assam, the State Government of Tripura, among many other notable institutions.
