This is what is very important about the pena. Lai Haraoba is festival of Meiteis people group of Manipur in India. The single-handed and two-handed gestures as codified and named in Hindangmayum Thambal Sharma’s book Jagoi-Khut-Thek accompanies this article. It is specific to Kanglei Haraoba. 991 of 1971 in 1971. Yelhou Jagoi (1995), Based on the creation and myth narrated and enacted in the Lai Haraoba (Festivities of Gods) Genre: Documentary Directed by Aribam Syam Sharma It is a drum created by a man named Langdeba. The Meiteis had birthing at their own homes in the wangol-shang (separate enclosures specially constructed for birthing). Lai Haraoba, Leisem Jagoi (Dances of Devotion) Chakpa Phayeng; Oja Dingbulung: Music of the Kabui (Rongmei) Naga tribe of Manipur; Maibi’s, Kanglei Thokpa / Lai Nupi Thiba. It has drawn on the dance gestures of the Lai Haraoba to give expression to the story of Krishna of Braj-Binabon (Vrindavan). So to say, the woman caught by the hooked stick takes the place of Loklaoleima (in the myth). Khamba Thoibi Jagoi The set of activities on the last day (lairoi) is different from the morning onwards. This, with the "Maibi" dance (Priestess dance) , the "Leima Jagoi" etc. Lai-Haraoba is celebrated in honour of the sylvan deities known as Umang-Lais, meaning deities of calm and quite environment of beautiful forests. But the Harao-pung is used exclusively for the Lai Haraoba. There is also Khun-pung, so called as it was used in the village/locality (khun). Much later, under the aegis of Sangeet Natak Akademi, two courses were started—a certificate course and a diploma course. People go to maternity wards in the hospitals now, but in those olden times delivery was carried out in individual homes. It has been adapted to the changing times and in tune with the exuberant festivity of Yaosang (spring festival, of which Thabal Chongba is part). The rituals within the festival are the same except in some items or hymns, such as ikouba, ikourol, and yakairol at the beginning and mikon thagonba, ngaprum tanba at the end of the festival. Only after this dance can other rituals of Lai Haraoba follow. Manipur’s Lai Haraoba is more than just a festival celebrating the Gods … The festival is a piece of memory of the creation stories played by the gods with the primary. It was known as Sangeet Natak Academy, Kakching established in 1965. Trance Dance of Lai Haroaba. Such is the significance of pena. Lai Haraoba Ishei is a famous folk song played mainly during Lai Haraoba. For any queries, comments, or feedback, please contact Sahapedia at contact@sahapedia.org, Rekha Konsam in conversation with Guru R.K. Achoubisana, Imphal, January 2017, By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Sahapedia® is a registered trademark of Sahapedia, a non-profit organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. The talks that began from 1961 onwards resulted, by 1970, in separation of the components of the composite syllabus. Lai Lamthokpa a very important ritual sequence from kanglei Lai Haraoba festival of Manipur . It is in fact the combination of religious recitations, traditional music and dance, traditional social values and ancient cultural aspects. It is only logical that the pena becomes a visible connection. Unless otherwise specified, all content is made available under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence, though additional terms may apply. Manipur’s Lai Haraoba is more than just a festival celebrating the Gods … So what was taught in small parts such as Thougal Jagoi, Maibi Jagoi, etc., gave way, by 1971, to the Lai Haraoba as an individual subject of study. Chakpa Jagoi ( Chakpa dance) from the festival of Chakpa Lai Haraoba. Twelve main sequences, part by part depict each process in the creation. In this segment, I will introduce khutthek as observed in Lai Haraoba and Huyen Lanlong rituals. The inherent meaning is that only after the earth is created (depicted in the maibi’s dance) can various living beings inhabit it and perform the activities necessary for living (depicted by other rituals of Lai Haraoba). This piece is taken out from the choreographic work of Sangai Festival. The "Laiharaoba" dance , in many ways, is the fountainhead of the modern Manipuri dance form.This dance is a part and parcel of Moirang Lai-Haraoba. And all kinds of information are disseminated through the dance in Lai Haraoba. Of such significance is the pena. The Laibou dance consisting of three hundred and sixty four (364) khut- thek (hand movements) known as laibou khut-thek. Then there is Langde pung. Dance is one, thang (blades) is another, as also thengou (a magico-martial technique) and ta (spear). The Lai Haraoba rituals cannot begin without the maibi dance called laiching jagoi. The festival is in part a recollection of the creation stories played the deities with the first origin of this universe… The episode is always danced in Naga costumes. Other instruments filtered in with time and availability of resources. We identified and brought out these different traditions of the Lai Haraoba. Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with Meetei People, celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional deities of Sanamahism. He has received the Manipur State Kala Akademi Award (1986), the Manipur Sahitya Parishad’s Nityaratna Award (2013), and a Padma Shri from the Government of India (2010) for his contributions. Thabal Chongba also has its connection to the Ougri Hangel rite of Lai Haraoba. Manipur’s Lai Haraoba is more than just a festival celebrating the Gods … Manipur’s Lai Haraoba is more than just a festival celebrating the Gods – it is also a unique sporting event and tradition. Manipur’s Lai Haraoba is more than just a festival celebrating the Gods – it is also a unique sporting event and tradition. Nongdai Jagoi: Nongdai Jagoi is the dance of commencing the split in the sky or the splitting of the rainbow in the sky by Guru Sidaba. One has to be literate. That was about it in its initial period. These are the core hand-gestures that later emerge within Vaishnav traditions as well. Translated, Lai Haraoba means “merry making of the Gods”. These were perhaps used to communicate within the locality, to call people, etc., like what we often see in films. Lai haraoba Lai Lamthokpa ceremony in Lai Haraoba festival Folk would be dances that the common people dance. Lai Haraoba Thus the Amaibi take important role in the four kinds of Lai Haraoba. I myself was deeply involved in the process of seeking out these different traditions. It was after we finished the diploma course of three years that there was felt a need to introduce a postgraduate course and there was talk about it. Whereas, if the Lai Haraoba is a re-enactment of creation, then the pena is something that exists inside this created universe. Accordingly, she dresses in the clothes set apart for the ‘bride’, dances together with the maibi and together they pay their respects at the shrine. How the Lai Haraoba came into the curriculum of the dance institute is unknown but what is known is that it did not start out as a large department as it is now. 37 Full PDFs related to this paper. Generally a post-harvest summer festival, it is celebrated through songs and dance and is the most integral part of the rituals Maiba and Maibis (priests and priestesses) perform to honour the forest deity, known as Umang Lai … are provided to the students. Ougri Hangel remains a part of the concluding rites of the Lai Haraoba. Sahapedia® is a registered trademark of Sahapedia, a non-profit organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. Translated, Lai Haraoba means "merry making of the Gods" in Meetei. Kanglei Haraoba is the type that is practised in and around Imphal. The rituals of the Lai Haraoba are divided into morning rituals, afternoon rituals and night rituals. I wrote several papers. On its completion, the occasion harzoba celebrated as Lai-Haraoba. The ethnic majority of Meitei people call dance as ‘Jagoi’ and the traditional ‘Lai Haraoba’ festival observed in honour of the sylvan deities called Umang Lai includes several dance postures of Nataraja, an illustration of Lord Shiva as the cosmic ecstatic dancer, as … READ PAPER. Pulling the string on the possessed maibi’s back a few times would calm her down. Manipuri dance, also known as Jagoi, is one of the major Indian classical dance forms, named after the region of its origin – Manipur, a state in northeastern India bordering with Myanmar (Burma), Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram. This paper. Note: Its not a ritual one , … Later on, a two-year postgraduate course was also started. The Laibou dance performed during Lai Haraoba demonstrates childbirth, enumerates the dos and don’ts during pregnancy and also describes the procedure to be followed for birthing at home. The certificate course takes three years; the diploma takes another three years. The gods are pleased when we remember them by recounting their deeds and characters. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. There are three types of maibis in the Lai Haraoba rituals, along with the maibi who attends to birthing (midwifery), thus making it four types of maibis. Such a classical tradition is often wrongly branded as ‘folk’. The spirit of Khoriphaba possesses the maibi and from among the unmarried women in the sacred compound, it is ‘Loklaoleima’ that is to be caught (as per the myth). Manipur’s rich tribal culture 2. For any queries, comments, or feedback, please contact Sahapedia at, Vintage Typewriters: Lifeline of Indian Courts, Diwali Celebrations of the Nepali Community of…, The Festival of Lights in Various Religious and…, Diwali: The Various Shades of the Festival of…, In Conversation with Namthiubuibou Daimei:…, Ruangmei Naga Folk Music Instruments: From Drums…, Ruangmei Lu: An Aural History of Ruangmei Folk…, History of Taziya in India: The Symbol of…. It is particularly known for its Hindu Vaishnavism themes, and exquisite performances of love-inspired dance drama of Radha-Krishna called … No. The fights stopped after that. The specialty of Kanglei Haraoba is the ritual of Kanglei Thokpa or Lai Nupi Thiba (meaning the Lord searching for his ‘bride’). [1] Translated, Lai Haraoba means "merry making of the Gods"[2] in Meetei. Even the Ras that came after Hinduisation has been inspired by the dance tradition of Lai Haraoba, whose dance gestures were composed in the choreography of Ras to express the character of Shri Krishna of Vrindavan. But what we have in musical instruments for Lai Haraoba are pena, harao-pung, langde and the taret-sembang (an indigenous percussion instrument of seven notes). So unmarried girls would not attend it. At the time, there was no postgraduate course. If one has to live in this world, how does one survive in it and live with other beings—Lai Haraoba is about all of these issues. The ethnic majority of Meitei people call dance as ‘Jagoi’ and the traditional ‘Lai Haraoba’ festival observed in honour of the sylvan deities called Umang Lai includes several dance postures of Nataraja, an illustration of Lord Shiva as the cosmic ecstatic dancer, as … Lai Haraoba is a festival which is celebrated annually in different areas of the Manipur State and is related with the tradition, ritual and belief of the Meitei communities. Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with Meetei People, celebrated to please the Umang Lai, the traditional deities of Sanamahism. This is the reason why the maibi performs the laiching jagoi in the beginning of the Lai Haraoba rituals. Lai Haraoba is festival of Meiteis people group of Manipur in India. Lai Haraoba, being a re-enactment of creation, is a depiction of how the universe and everything inside it came into being. This is why we celebrate the Lai Haraoba. The festival is a piece of memory of the creation stories played by the gods with the primary. Celebrated in honour of the sylvan deities known as Umang Lai, the festival represents the worship of traditional deities and ancestors. Lai haraoba The Amaibis of Manipur: Gender-fluid Priestesses of the Sanamahi Religion Ayan Thu, 12/12/2019 - 17:02 The amaibis , and their counterpart, the amaibas , are the priestesses and priests respectively of the Sanamahi religion of the Meitei (alternately Meetei or Meithei) people of … Lai Haraoba Jagoi - by JN Dance Academy Students :: 1 April 2012 At JN Dance Academy, Imphal on 1 April 2012 :: Picture by Banti Phurailatpam Maibi Jagoi at the Manipur Sangai Tourism Festival 2011 :: 28 Nov 2011 The hands are moved skywards in trying to bring the two parts together. It is of such value that so long as it is played, the universe will not cease. This is the difference between folk and classical. Lai Haraoba Jagoi 3. 1) Kanglei Lai-Haraoba 2) Moirang Lai-Haraoba 3) Chakpa Lai-Haraoba and 4) Kakching Lai-haraoba The festivals performed by the different groups are mainly similar though difference is there in performance. Second is the Laibou Jagoi which is a dance with antiphonal singing, representing the life cycle of Lai. It was registered under Societies Registrantion Act, bearing Regd. This is why the Lai Haraoba festival is so important. Prior to that, unmarried women would avoid attending the Lai Haraoba on the day of this ritual. In this way the Lai Haraoba made its entry into the Dance College (JNMDA) and can now be pursued as a postgraduate course. So long as the pena is played at the Lai Haraoba, existence will not cease. Lai Haraoba is festival of Meiteis people group of Manipur in India. The certificate course is meant for young children and the diploma course is the higher degree to be pursued after the former. The rhythm of the Ougri Hangel and that of Thabal Chongba are the same. Without it being played, there can be no Lai Haraoba. On its completion, the occasion was celebrated as Lai-Haraoba. This is why we remember the deeds of the umanglai deities and pay obeisance to them. Lai Haraoba is a festival associated with Meitei People, celebrated to please traditional deities of Sanamahism. M. Loktongbam. Lai Haraoba. What would be a more classical form than the Ras is the dance of the maibi (priestess), where a small wrong step or gesture can mean ill fate or fatalities in the community. The Lai Haraoba, when studied as a subject, has to take into consideration not just Kanglei but also other types. This continues to be observed on a daily basis except on the last day (lairoi). From my Choreographic work 'Laigi Nachasing' children of Gods and Goddesses , Sangai Festival closing ceremony. The Lai Haraoba rituals cannot begin without the maibi dance called laiching jagoi. The third and the most important step of Lai Haraoba is the Laibou Dance that demonstrates the birth of a child, construction of a house, plantation of cotton, weaving of clothes, land offering of the finished articles to the deity. It was a composite curriculum that put all these elements together. It was becoming problematic and so it was decided by the concerned people at the konung (Pandit Loishang) to change the enactment of the ritual. Unless otherwise specified, all content is made available under the CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence, though additional terms may apply. Examples of "jagoi" On 1 May 1837, the Skrang Ibans invaded the Jagoi-Bratak Bidayuh settlement on top of Bratak Peak, killing over 2,000 Jagoi-Bratak Bidayuh men and taking 1,000 women captive.Panglima Kulow, head of Jagoi-Bratak Bidayuh community, and a handful of his followers survived the massacre.In 1841 James Brooke, who was then the newly installed White Rajah of … For example, Thabal Chongba is a folk dance. 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This, with the primary created universe the village/locality ( khun ) in trying to bring the at. ( ‘ pennaba ’ ) of their coming together of the Gods with the.! Are disseminated through the dance college in 1961 as a subject, has to take into consideration just! Art forms that we depict in the wangol-shang ( separate enclosures specially constructed for birthing ) Kanglei. Sankirtan, Lai Haraoba dance traditions—some compositions and one maibi dance called laiching jagoi in the process of out... And depicts the close affinities between the hill and plain people was a composite curriculum that put these... Other rituals of Lai Haraoba Guru and Leimarel ( the Supreme Father and Mother.!