Pung-Dhon-Dholak Cholom & Nat Sankirtan of Manipur
- Part 3 -

By Waikhom Damodar Singh *

In this regard it is enshrined in the Sanskrit Sloka or phrase as 'Geetang, Badyang tatha Nrityang jatadasthale preateestitum' i.e. displaying of all the three 'touryatrik kala arts' fully depends on the factor 'Tala', for which it is again enshrined as 'Ta kare Shankara prokta., La kare Parvati smrita' i.e. 'TA' is the vigorous 'tandava' (positive) element of Shiva Mahadeva and 'LA' is the soft 'Laishya' (negative) element of Parvati (Durga) - to say in other words, it is just like the entire cosmic world is made-up of particles by the combination of two smallest basic elements of positive (male) and negative (female) element as is well manifested in the 'theory' of positron (positive) and electron (negative) in the structure of an 'atom'.

While singing of the Manipuri Nat Sankirtan is done in 108 types of talas (rythms) as has been already mentioned, the "Rasa; (themes) in which they are sung, yielding the 'Prem-Bhakti' rasas, are done in 64 types of "Rasas" known as "Chousasti Rasas" - "Sringar" rasa which is divided again into two parts - "Bipralambha" (extreme anxieties of meeting between a Nayak, the hero and a Nayika, the heroine) and "Sambhog" (feelings of profound joy of a Nayak and a Nayika when they meet physically), which have again 32 parts each.

Out of the 64 rasas the generally sung rasas to provide both the sacred and easier paths of 'sarvanang' (hearing) and "kirtanang" (singing) to the Krishna Bhakta (Krishna Premis) for achieving the "Krishna-Prem-Bhakti" are - the rasas of - 1. Abhisar
2. Utkanthita or Utkantha
3. Basak Sajika
4. Bipralabdha
5. Khandita
6. Kalahantarita
7. Proshitbhatrika and
8. Swadhinbhatrika.

Manipuri Nat sankirtan is performed in two forms: one in the form of "Rupak-Natya Kala' type i.e. in a form exhibiting more in "abhlnaya arts" such as of Gostha-Leela (sansneba - herding of cows), Gour-Leela etc and the other in the form of "Rasa-Nat Kala' type" i.e. more in "Rasas" such as of Nat Pala Sankirtan, Ras-Leela, Holi-Khela singing etc.

The word "Nat" is derived from the Sanskrit word. "Nata and the phrase "Natati yashya Nata", meaning one who can sing and dance with musical instrument exhibiting artistic expressions (abhinayas) i.e. posssessing of the three - pronged qualities of kalas, the Touryatrik Kala - geetang, badyang tatha nrityang.

Shiva Mahadeva and Lord Krishna have been the foremost amonst the "beings" possessing such extraordinary faculty, who therefore are known as "Nata Raj" and "Nata-Bara" respectively, and later on, Shri Gouranga Mahaprabhu as "Nata Sekhara".

The main badya-jantra instrument for both the Natya kala and Nat Pala singings is the "Mridanga" (pung) whereas "Dhon" and "Dholak" are only for Holi-khela singing - this part of the Manipuri Nat Sankirtan singing is done in rememberence of the jovial play of Lord Krishna with Shrimati Radhika and the Gopies in Brajabrindaban smearing with red colour powder (Abir) on their faces and spraying with coloured and scented (kum-kum-chandan) water by "pichkaris" (small brass hand pumps) to express their joyful moods and spirits on the coming of the most enjoyable "spring season", the king of the seasons, the Ritu-Raj Basanta.

Though Manipuri Nat Sankirtan singing is mainly based on the kirtan singing of Bengal, particularly of the Mridanga instrument - a modified form of "khol instrument", the Manipuri Holi kirtan singing is fully based on the Rajasthani features in so far the use of badya jantras i.e. Dholak, Dhon, Tafad, khanjuri etc. and the costumes used such as of "Ajmiri type pagris and light turbans" are concerned.

Again Manipuri Sankirtan singing is said to have begun from the early time of Meidingu (king) Kiyamba in 1404 A.D. when he and his subjects, the Meiteis began to follow the Hinduism but the Nat Sankirtan singing in much more improved form, particularly in the more "Krishna-Prem-Bhakti" yielding form began from the time of Rajarshi Bheigyachandra, Karta and Joy Singh Maharajah of the 18th century, after he and the people embraced the "Gour Dharma" with the installation" of the idols of Lord Krishna (Govindajee) in the State, and the Holl khela singing began actively from the time of Maharajah Nara Singh in the 19th century, and the same in the Manipurl vernacular, from the time of Sir Churachand Singh in the 20th century.

The "sole purpose" of the Manipuri Nat Sankirtan singings is to provide both the sacred paths of sarvanang and kirtanang to the Krishna Bhaktas who could melt their humble hearts and become ever "passive by hearing and singing the divine and most sweet and unalloyed (unata-ujala-madhura) prem-rasa of the divine play of Lord Krishna with His beloved eternal companion, Shrimati Radhika taken place in the Brajabrindaban.

However, it is also being based very much on the indigenous cultural elements and unique features, incorporates the vigorous dancing of "Tandava type" by the Mridanga and Dholak players known as "choloms" (cholom is a Manipuri word derived from the words "Cholom Gothon", the walking and body movement traits).

These vigorous dancings of "Tandava type" by the Mridanga and Dholak-Dhon players which are known as "Pung Cholons" and 'Dhon-Dholak-Choloms" carried out in the midst of soft singings are, no doubt, fabricated with the indigenous elements of the most famous Manipuri "Martial Arts, the Thang-Ta (Sword-spear) fighting indigenous techniques - the aim of adopting or indulging to such vigorous body movements of the Pung and Dholak Yeibas (players) and also other singers earlier was to keep them "ever fit" physically for immediate participation in "war" for which they also formed the State "militia force" like the Polo players and others did under the strict "Roster system" enforced then known as "Lallups" (war groups).

The main difference between the "Manipuri Pung" (Mridangs) the "Dholak" lies in the factors that the former, particularly the lighter and smaller one used in the singing of Nat Sankirtans from the time of Maharajah Nara Singh of the 19th century, which had been modified from the much bigger and longer ones of more heavier and growling sound of the so called "Bangadesh Ariba Pala Santirtan" the singing of which began from the time of Meidingu Pamheiba (Garibniwaz) of the 17th century, produces much more lighter sound but of higher "pitch" (kharga teng ta ghin, ghin teng ta ta...) and the latter (the Dholak) of more heavier and growling sound (Dhong khra khra dhong, dhong tai tai...) i.e. it gives more vigorous 'tandava-tones' thus matching more for the singing and dancing of more vigorous features of the Holi singing maintaining most uniquely the soft and subtle prem-rasa singing portions, and of other indigenous dances, particularly of the sword-spear fighting dances.

To be continued ...