Pung-Dhon-Dholak Cholom & Nat Sankirtan of Manipur
- Part 4 -

By Waikhom Damodar Singh *

The singing of the Manipuri Sankirtans is done in three scales of "pitches' - 'tones' -

1. Low pitch (ghor),
2. Medium pitch (panchom) and
3. High pitch (drigha),

and it is for getting or setting for the right 'tone' of the singing that the most important and indispensable first phase process known as "Raga Houba" (Raga Abahon) - invoking of the Raga and Ragini deities - there are 6 Raga and 36 Ragini deities - is performed both by the Mridanga players and the singers with spiritualistic approach for invoking the "presiding deity" of the sankirtan, Gouranga Mahaprabhu (Chaitanya) who is the joint incarnate of Shri Krishna and Shrimati Radhika (antare kala, internally the dark colour Krishna of the Brajabrindaban and bahire gora, externally the golden colour Shrimati Radbika) and who came down on this marta-bhumi to rescue the helpless and down-fallen human beings from being drowned into the deep ocean of miseries and pangs of the dark and most sinful world of the "kali-yuga" by using the Hari sankirtan" as the divine weapon as indicated in Srimad Bhagavatam -

"Krishna varnang twisha Krishnang,
sangopangastra parsadam,
jajnei sankirtane prayier,
yajanti hi shumedhasa" -

the easiest way of performing the Hari Sankirtan adopted and widely and vigorously preached by him is the constantly chanting of the divine Hari Nams

"Hare Krishna hare Krishna,
krishna ktishna hare hare,
Hare Rama Hare Rama,
Rama Rama Hare Hare"

which is called "Sulo Nam" - sixteen divine names and ever remembering the words -

"Harera nameiva Harera nameiva nameiva kevalam,
Kalau nasteiva nasteiva gatirnartha" -

there is no way or means at all to destroy the evils of the kali-yuga except of constantly chanting and hearing the sweet name and glories of Shri Hari, the Supreme Lord and Saviour.

According to the sankirtan vichar or "Maharyatam" of guru, Shri Raghunath Das of the time of Shri Gouranga Mahaprabhu the Raga and Raginis to be invoked on the different days with different colours and Rasas are given as:

On Sundays guru Raga is to be invoked with Purubi as the Ragini for which prescribed colour is "bluish colour" and the theme (rasa) of singing is to be the "khandita-rasa" which depicts the pangs of sorrows and profound despairs of Shrimati Radhika in the very late night when Shri Krishna did not turn up timely near her despite her great expectation and long awaiting in the "kunja" and thus of her great and adament sulkiness and "anger" which could not be pacified in that very night even though He, after turning up very late in the night begged most fervently of her excuse even by prostrating before her and touching her lotus-like feet with the saying of the well known "verse" -

"Smara garala khandanang,
mama sirashi mandannag,
dehi pada pallava mudarang"

as described glaringly in the "badashi yad kinch dapi" portion of the Geet Govinda written by Kavi-Raj Joydeva.

On Mondays - "Mallava Raga" with Raginis Dhanshri, Manshi, Ashambari, Bheiravi, Ramkeli - green (shyam varna) being the colour of the day and swadhinbhatrika as the rasa.

On Tuesdays - "Mallar Raga" with Raginis - Kura, Kedar, Puya, Beluwa, Rabir, Chitta, Kanura, Madhabi and yellow being the colour of the day and rasa - Utkanthita and proshitbhatrika.

On Wednesdays - Shri Raga with Raginis - Gandhar, Belwar, Priyabani, Surfak, Kamod, Kulal!, Beitagini and white as the colour of the day and proshitbhatrika as the rasa.

On Thursdays - Hillon or Hillar Raga and the Raginis - Mawur, Depika, Deshkari, Barari, Marhati, Ahir - copper or bay colour is the colour of the day and "Basak Sajika" as the rasa.

On Fridays - Karnataka Raga and Raginis - Tori Panchami, Lalita, Pathmanjuri, Gunjari and Bibhasana. Yellow is the colour of the day and "Utkanthita" as the rasa.

On Saturdays - "Basanta Raga" with Raginis - Gouri, Bhupali, Kamod, Kalyan, Ramkeli.

The colour of the day is black and proshit bhatrika as the rasa. However, according to the "Raga-Ragendra Nrianaya" of Manipur followed from the time of Maharaj Ishwar, Chandrakirti Singh the Ragas and their colours are as - Mallava on Sundays with bluish colour, Mallar on Mondays with greenish colour, Shri Raga on Tuesdays with yellow colour, Basanta on Wednesdays with white colour, Hillon or Hillar Raga on Thursdays with bay (copper colour) and Karnataka Raga on Fridays with light yellow (champak flower) colour.

To be continued ...

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* Waikhom Damodar Singh wrote this article for The Sangai Express
This article was webcasted on August 26th, 2008

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