103.158.104.234: /* History */

2021-06-24T12:34:15Z

History

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{{short description|One of the eight classical dances of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Redirect|Manipuri dance|dance styles of Manipur|Dances of Manipur}}
[[File:Ras Lila.jpg|thumb|The love story of [[Radha]] and [[Krishna]] are commonly acted out in Manipuri Raas Leela performance.]]

The ''''' Raas Leela''''', also referred to as '''''Manipuri Dance''''', is one of the major [[Classical Indian dance|Indian classical dance forms]], originating from the state of [[Manipur]].{{Sfn|Williams|2004|pp=83-84, the other major classical Indian dances are: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Cchau, Satriya, Yaksagana and Bhagavata Mela}} The dance form is based on Hindu [[Vaishnavism]] themes, and exquisite performances of love-inspired dance drama of Radha-Krishna called [[Raslila|Raas Leela]].<ref name=lochtefeld420>{{cite book|author=James G. Lochtefeld|title=The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5kl0DYIjUPgC&pg=PA376 |year=2002|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-8239-3179-8 |pages=420–421 }}</ref>{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=177}}{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=175-180}}

The roots of the ''Manipuri Raas Leela'' dance, as with all classical Indian dances, is the ancient [[Hindu]] Sanskrit text ''[[Natya Shastra]]'', with influences and the culture fusion between various local folk dance forms.{{Sfn|Saryu Doshi|1989|pp=xv-xviii}} With evidence of Vishnu temples in the medieval era, this dance form have been passed down verbally from generation to generation as an [[oral tradition]].{{Sfn|Saryu Doshi|1989|pp=ix-xii, 5-6}}{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=179}} This Manipuri dance drama is, for most part, marked by a performance that is graceful, fluid, sinuous with greater emphasis on hand and upper body gestures.{{Sfn|Farley P. Richmond|Darius L. Swann|Phillip B. Zarrilli|1993|pp=174-175}}{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|p=176}} It is accompanied with devotional music created with many instruments, with the beat set by [[cymbal]]s (kartal or [[manjira]]) and double-headed drum (pung or Manipuri [[mrdanga]]) of [[sankirtan]].{{Sfn|Saryu Doshi|1989|pp=78-84}} The dance drama choreography shares the plays and stories of ''Vaishnavite Padavalis'', that also inspired the major Gaudiya Vaishnava-related performance arts found in Assam and West Bengal.<ref name=lochtefeld420/>
{{Culture of India}}

==History==
The first reliably dated written texts describing the art of Manipuri dance are from the early 18th-century.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=179}}

===Medieval period===
Historical texts of Manipur have not survived into the modern era, and reliable records trace to early 18th century.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=178-180}} Theories about the antiquity of Manipuri Raas Leela dance rely on the oral tradition, archaeological discoveries and references about Manipur in Asian manuscripts whose date can be better established.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=178-180}}

The text ''Bamon Khunthok'', which literally means "Brahmin migration", states Panniker, states that Vaishnavism practices were adopted by the king of Manipur in the 15th century CE, arriving from [[Myinsaing Kingdom|Shan kingdom of Pong]].<ref name="Ayyappappanikkar1997">{{cite book|author=K Ayyappap Panikkar|title=Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KYLpvaKJIMEC&pg=PA327|year=1997|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-0365-5|pages=325–329}}</ref> Further waves of Buddhists and Hindus arrived from [[Assam]] and [[Bengal]], after mid 16th-century during Hindu-Muslim wars of [[Bengal Sultanate]], and were welcomed in Manipur. In 1704, the King Charai Rongba adopted Vaishnavism, and declared it to be the state religion.<ref name="Ayyappappanikkar1997"/> In 1717, the King Gareeb Niwaz converted to [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu|Chaitanya]] style devotional Vaishnavism, which emphasized singing, dancing and religious performance arts centered around Hindu god Krishna.<ref name="Ayyappappanikkar1997"/> In 1734, devotional dance drama centered around Hindu god Rama expanded Manipuri dance tradition.<ref name="Ayyappappanikkar1997"/>

[[File:Pung cholom performer, Manipur.jpg|thumb|left|160px|A Manipuri dance musician playing ''pung cholom''. The 19th century musician and Hindu king Chandra Kirti wrote sixty four drum dances.<ref name=narayan57/>]]
Maharaja [[Ching-Thang Khomba|Bhagyachandra]] (r. 1759–1798 CE) of [[Manipur (princely state)|Manipur State]] adopted Gaudiya Vaishnavism (Krishna oriented),<ref name=narayan57/>{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=181-184}} documented and codified the Manipuri dance style, launching the golden era of its development and refinement.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=184-186}} He composed three of the five types of [[Ras Lila|Raas Leelas]], the ''Maha Raas'', the ''Basanta Raas'' and the ''Kunja Raas'', performed at the Sri Sri Govindaji temple in Imphal during his reign and also the ''Achouba Bhangi Pareng'' dance. He designed an elaborate costume known as ''Kumil'' (the cylindrical long mini-mirror-embellished stiff skirt costume, that makes the dancer appear to be floating).<ref name=narayan57/> The ''Govinda Sangeet Lila Vilasa'', an important text detailing the fundamentals of the dance, is also attributed to him.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=184-186}}<ref name=narayan57>{{cite book|author=Shovana Narayan|title=The Sterling Book of Indian Classical Dance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zLOiaGDLYOAC |year=2011|publisher=Sterling Publishers|isbn=978-81-207-9078-0|pages=55–58}}</ref> King Bhagyachandra is also credited with starting public performances of Raas Leela and Manipuri dances in Hindu temples.<ref name=narayan57/>

[[File:Colorful cultural performance by artistes, on the occasion of the 12th South Asian Games-2016, at Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium, in Guwahati, Assam on February 05, 2016 (1).jpg|thumb|Pung Cholom performance in 2016]]

Maharaja Gambhir Singh (r. 1825–1834 CE) composed two {{transl|sa|parengs}} of the [[tandava]] type, the ''Goshtha Bhangi Pareng'' and the ''Goshtha Vrindaban Pareng''. Maharaja Chandra Kirti Singh (r. 1849–1886 CE), a gifted drummer, composed at least 64 [[Pung cholom]]s (drum dances) and two {{transl|sa|parengs}} of the ''Lasya'' type, the ''Vrindaban Bhangi Pareng'' and ''Khrumba Bhangi Pareng''.<ref name=narayan57/> The composition of the ''Nitya Raas'' is also attributed to these kings.<ref>Singha, R. and Massey R. (1967) ''Indian Dances, Their History and Growth'', Faber and Faber, London, pp.175–77</ref>

===British ruling period===
In 1891, the British colonial government annexed Manipur into its Empire, marking an end to its golden era of creative systematization and expansion of Manipuri dance.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=185-186}} The ''Manipuri Raas Leela'' dance was thereafter ridiculed as immoral, ignorant and old-fashioned, like all other classical Hindu performance arts.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=185-186}} The dance and artists survived only in temples, such as in Imphal's Govindaji temple. The cultural discrimination was resisted and the dance revived by Indian independence movement activists and scholars.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=185-186}}

===Modern era===
The classical ''Manipuri Raas Leela dance'' genre got a second life through the efforts of the Noble Laureate [[Rabindranath Tagore]].{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=186-187}}<ref>{{cite book|author=Naorem Sanajaoba|title=Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-CzSQKVmveUC&pg=PA131| year=1988| publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-853-2|page=131}}</ref> In 1919, he was impressed after seeing a dance composition of ''Goshtha Lila'' in [[Sylhet]] (in present-day [[Bangladesh]]). He invited Guru Budhimantra Singh who had trained in ''Manipuri Raas Leela dance'', as faculty to the Indian culture and studies center named [[Shantiniketan]].{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=185-186}} In 1926, Guru Naba Kumar joined the faculty to teach the ''Raas Leela''. Other celebrated Gurus, Senarik Singh Rajkumar, Nileshwar Mukherji and Atomba Singh were also invited to teach there and assisted Tagore with the choreography of several of his dance-dramas.<ref>Singha, R. and Massey R. (1967) ''Indian Dances, Their History and Growth'', Faber and Faber, London</ref>

==Repertoire==
''Chali'' or ''Chari'' is the basic dance movement in Manipuri ''Raas'' dances.{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=177-179}} The repertoire and underlying play depends on the season. The dances are celebrated on full moon nights, three times in autumn (August through November) and once again in spring (March or April). {{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=177-179}}The ''Basanta Raas'' is timed with the Hindu festival of colors called [[Holi]], while others are timed with post-harvest festivals of [[Diwali]] and others. The plays and songs recited during the dance performance center around the love and frolics between Radha and Krishna, in the presence of ''Gopis'' named Lalita, Vishakha, Chitra, Champaklata, Tungavidya, Indurekha, Rangadevi and Sudevi.{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|p=179}} There is a composition and dance sequence for each Gopi, and the words have two layers of meanings, one literal and other spiritual. The longest piece of the play focusses on Radha and Krishna.{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=177-179}} The dancer playing Krishna expresses emotions, while the body language and hand gestures of the Gopi display their feelings such as longing, dejection or cheer.<ref>{{cite book|author=Shovana Narayan|title=The Sterling Book of Indian Classical Dance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zLOiaGDLYOAC |year=2011|publisher=Sterling Publishers|isbn=978-81-207-9078-0|pages=58–59}}</ref>

In other plays, the Manipuri dancers are more forceful, acrobatic and their costumes adjust to the need of the dance. Dozens of boys synchronously dance the ''Gopa Ras'', where they enact the chores of daily life such as feeding the cows. In ''Uddhata Akanba'', states Ragini Devi, the dance is full of vigor (jumps, squats, spins), energy and elegance.{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|pp=177-179}}

==Costumes==
[[File:Rasa Lila in Manipuri dance style.jpg|thumb|Manipuri Raas Leela dancers in traditional costumes.]]
This classical Manipuri dance features unique costumes. The women characters are dressed like a Manipuri bride, in ''Potloi'' costumes,<ref name="Devi2010p64">{{cite book|author=Jamini Devi|title=Cultural History of Manipur: Sija Laioibi and the Maharas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wLzDLsEYZGQC&pg=PA63|year=2010|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-8324-342-1|pages=61–69}}</ref> of which the most notable is the ''Kumil''. A ''Kumil'' is an elaborately decorated barrel shaped long skirt stiffened at the bottom and close to the top. The decorations on the barrel include gold and silver embroidery, small pieces of mirrors, and border prints of lotus, [[Vanda coerulea|Kwaklei orchid]], and other items in nature.<ref name="Devi2010p64"/> The ''Kumil'' may be an adaptation of ''Fanek'' (or ''Phanek'') – a tighter sarong-like wear which is used in more vigorous dances and by male characters.<ref name=narayanmanicos/>{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=184-185}} The ''Kumil'' is bordered at the top with undulating gauzy translucent top skirt shaped like an open flower, and tied in ''Trikasta'' or three places around the waist (front, back and one side) with spiritual symbolism of the ancient Hindu texts.<ref name="Devi2010p64"/> The upper body is dressed in a velvet blouse, the head covered in a white translucent veil, to symbolically mark elusiveness. The dancers do not wear bells on ankles as in other classical Indian dances, but like them Manipuri dance artists do adorn the face, neck, waist, hands and legs with round jewelry ornaments or flower garlands that flow with the dress symmetry.<ref name=narayanmanicos>{{cite book|author=Shovana Narayan|title=The Sterling Book of Indian Classical Dance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zLOiaGDLYOAC |year=2011|publisher=Sterling Publishers|isbn=978-81-207-9078-0|pages=57–58}}</ref> The symmetrical translucent dress, states Reginald Massey, makes "the dancers appear to float on the stage, as if from another world".{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=184}}

The male characters dress in a ''[[dhoti]]'' (also called ''{{transl|kn|dhotra}}'' or ''dhora'') – a brilliantly colored broadcloth pleated, wrapped and tied at waist and allowing complete freedom of movement for the legs. The Krishna character wears a peacock feather containing crown, with a feathery attachment at the back.<ref name="Devi2010p64"/>

The costume tradition of the Manipuri dance celebrates its more ancient artistic local traditions, fused with the spiritual ideas embedded in the love story of Radha-Krishna found in the tenth book of the [[Bhagavata Purana]].<ref name="Devi2010p64"/><ref>{{cite book|author1=Peter J. Claus|author2=Sarah Diamond|author3=Margaret Ann Mills|title=South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ienxrTPHzzwC |year=2003|publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-93919-5 |pages=514 }}</ref>

==Music and instruments==
The musical accompaniment for Manipuri dance comes from a percussion instrument called the [[Drum|Pung]] (a barrel drum{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=198}}), a singer, small ''{{transl|sa|kartals}}'' ([[cymbal]]s), ''sembong'', harmonium, and wind instrument such as a [[flute]].<ref>{{cite book|author=S Prajnanananda|title=A historical study of Indian music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=guXibgtWsNwC|year=1981|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal|page=223}}</ref>

[[File:A group of musicians and instruments at Jagoi, the Manipuri dance.jpg|thumb|left|Musical instruments at Jagoi.]]

The drummers are male artistes and, after learning to play the pung, students train to dance with it while drumming. This dance is celebrated, states Massey, with the dancer wearing white turbans, white ''dhotis'', a folded shawl over the left shoulder, and the drum strap worn over the right shoulder.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=198}} It is known as [[Pung cholom]], and the dancer plays the drum and performs the dance jumps and other movements.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=198}}

Another dance called ''Kartal cholom'', is similar to ''Pung cholom'', but the dancers carry and dance to the rhythm created with cymbals.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=198-199}} This is a group dance, where dancers form a circle, move in the same direction while making music and dancing to the rhythm.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=199}} Women dance too as groups, such as in the Manipuri dance called ''Mandilla cholom'', and these usually go with devotional songs and playing colorful tassels-string tied cymbals where one side represents Krishna and the other Radha.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=199}} Shaiva (tandava) dances are choreographed as ''Duff cholom'' and ''Dhol cholom''.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=199}}

The lyrics used in Manipuri are usually from the classical poetry of [[Jayadeva]], [[Vidyapati]], [[Chandidas]], [[Govindadasa|Govindadas]] or Gyandas and may be in [[Sanskrit]], [[Maithili language|Maithili]], [[Brij Bhasha]] or others.

==Styles==
{{expand section|date=August 2016}}
The traditional Manipuri Raas Lila is performed in three styles – ''Tal Rasak'', ''Danda Rasak'' and ''Mandal Rasak''.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=193}} A Tal Rasak is accompanied with clapping, while Danda Rasak is performed by synchronous beat of two sticks but the dancers position it differently to create geometric patterns.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=193}} The Mandal Rasak places the Gopis in a circle, the Krishna character in the center, and then they dance in this mandala.{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|p=193}}

The Manipuri dance is also categorized as either tandav (vigorous, usually go with Shiva, Shakti or Krishna as warrior-savior themed plays) or lasya (delicate,<ref>{{cite book|author=Vimalakānta Rôya Caudhurī|title=The Dictionary of Hindustani Classical Music|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofhind00roya|url-access=registration|year=2000|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1708-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofhind00roya/page/80 80]}}</ref> usually go with love stories of Radha and Krishna).{{Sfn|Reginald Massey|2004|pp=193-194}}{{Sfn|Saryu Doshi|1989|pp=xvi-xviii, 44-45}}

The Manipuri Raas Leela dance style embodies delicate, lyrical and graceful movements. The dance features rounded soft sensuous movements of women, and occasional fast movements by male characters.{{Sfn|Farley P. Richmond|Darius L. Swann|Phillip B. Zarrilli|1993|pp=174-175}}{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|p=176}} Unlike the other classical dance forms of India, the Manipuri dance artists do not wear anklet bells and the footwork is subdued and gentle in the Manipuri style. The stage movements is part of a composite movement of the whole body.{{Sfn|Farley P. Richmond|Darius L. Swann|Phillip B. Zarrilli|1993|pp=174-175}}{{Sfn|Ragini Devi|1990|p=176}}

==See also==
*[[Rajkumar Singhajit Singh]]
*[[Darshana Jhaveri]]
*[[Manipuri Sankirtana]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite book|author=Saryu Doshi|title=Dances of Manipur: The Classical Tradition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xRbkAAAAMAAJ|year=1989|publisher=Marg Publications|isbn=978-81-85026-09-1}}
*''Manipuri'' by R K Singhajit Singh, ''Dances of India'' series, Wisdom Tree, {{ISBN|81-86685-15-4}}.
* {{cite book|last=Devi|first=Pukhrambam Lilabati|title=Pedagogic Perspectives in Indian Classical Dance: The Manipuri and The Bharatanatyam|year=2014|isbn= 978-9382395393}}
*{{cite book|author=Ragini Devi|title=Dance Dialects of India|url=https://archive.org/details/dancedialectsofi0000ragi |url-access=registration|year=1990 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0674-0}}
*{{cite book|author=Natalia Lidova|publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2014 |doi=10.1093/obo/9780195399318-0071 |title= Natyashastra }}
*{{cite book|author=Natalia Lidova |title=Drama and Ritual of Early Hinduism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3TKarwqJJP0C |date=1994 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1234-5 }}
* {{cite journal| last= Williams|first=Drid| title=In the Shadow of Hollywood Orientalism: Authentic East Indian Dancing|url= http://jashm.press.illinois.edu/12.3/12-3IntheShadow_Williams78-99.pdf |journal=Visual Anthropology| volume=17|issue=1 |year=2004|pages=69–98 |publisher= Routledge |doi=10.1080/08949460490274013| s2cid= 29065670}}
* {{cite book |author=Tarla Mehta | title=Sanskrit Play Production in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l7naMj1UxIkC | year=1995| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-1057-0 }}
* {{cite book|author=Reginald Massey|title=India's Dances: Their History, Technique, and Repertoire|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6MJ8jbHqIwC |year=2004|publisher=Abhinav Publications|isbn=978-81-7017-434-9 }}
*{{cite book |author= Emmie Te Nijenhuis |author-link=Emmie te Nijenhuis |title=Indian Music: History and Structure |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NrgfAAAAIAAJ |year=1974|publisher= BRILL Academic|isbn=90-04-03978-3 }}
*{{cite book| author=Kapila Vatsyayan |title=Bharata, the Nāṭyaśāstra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zKW1PAAACAAJ |year=2001|publisher=Sahitya Akademi |isbn=978-81-260-1220-6}}
*{{cite book| author=Kapila Vatsyayan |title=Classical Indian dance in literature and the arts |year=1977 |publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi |oclc= 233639306}}, [http://library.mpib-berlin.mpg.de/toc/z2008_2719.pdf Table of Contents]
*{{cite book| author=Kapila Vatsyayan |title=Indian classical dance |year=1974 |publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi |oclc= 2238067 }}
*{{cite book| author=Kapila Vatsyayan |title=Aesthetic theories and forms in Indian tradition |year=2008 |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal |oclc= 286469807| isbn= 978-8187586357}}
*{{cite book| author=Kapila Vatsyayan |title=Dance In Indian Painting |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=58fUibaZdGYC |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-81-7017-153-9}}
*{{cite journal | author =Wallace Dace | title=The Concept of "Rasa" in Sanskrit Dramatic Theory | journal=Educational Theatre Journal | volume=15 | issue=3 | year=1963 | pages=249–254 | jstor=3204783 | doi=10.2307/3204783}}
*{{cite book|author1=Farley P. Richmond|author2=Darius L. Swann|author3=Phillip B. Zarrilli|title=Indian Theatre: Traditions of Performance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OroCOEqkVg4C|year=1993|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0981-9}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Manipuri dance}}
* [http://manipuri.wordpress.com All about Manipuri dance], History and development of Manipuri dance forms, Dance costumes, Dance style, Famous Manipuri artists
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQI0T5Kjw9E Manipuri dance], Raas Lila, Video clip (1 minute 29 seconds)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120216050006/http://www.sangeetnatak.com/sna/awardeeslist.htm Official list of Sangeet Natak Akademi Award recipients in Manipuri]

{{Dance in India}}
{{Hindudharma}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manipuri Dance}}
[[Category:Classical dance genres of India]]
[[Category:Culture of Manipur]]
[[Category:Meitei culture]]

Manipuri Raas Leela - Revision history

Stuee.Singh: minor rework lead as per guidelines

103.158.104.234: /* History */