Pena yakairol rouses markets at dawn
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Lukhoi Wangkhem

Imphal, November 27 2010: The enchanting music of the Pena still attracts people in their thousands.

It has been clearly shown by the fact that people are thronging at the new multi-storey women market sheds where Pena yeikairol is recited everyday early morning.

Since the very day of shifting the Keithel Lairemba and Lairembi in their shrines in the new market-sheds, amaiba and amaibis have been awakening the two deities with pena yeikairol at dawn.

Hundreds of people particularly women vendors throng the market sheds and worship the deities when the amaibis and amaibas ritually awake them.

Mention may be made that UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the three multi-storey market sheds on November 12 during her maiden visit to the state and later, the shrines of the deities were shifted to the temple specially constructed for them.

Pena singer rendering rousing song in front of the newly installed market deities at the new Khwairamband market complex

From the very day of shifting the shrine, Amaiba and amaibis have been serving them with pena yeikairol.

The pena recitals attract the women vendors and early morning joggers in the bazaar area.

It has now become an unavoidable routine for women vendors to reach the market place as early as 4 am to seek the blessing of the deities.

Hearing the sweet music of Pena, refreshes the mind and brings a new ray of hope in my life.

Both my body and sounds are very much refreshed.

I feel I will be able to fight all odd ahead of life and succeed in any work.

These were words of a vegetable vendor who comes daily from a far off village.

Noted pena players from the Sana Konung are serving the deities.

In an interaction with Yoirel Hanjaba Jiten of the Sana Konung, he recalled the origin of pena and said it has been in use since the time of creation.

He said that pena was founded during the period of Nongdalen Ema Leimarol Shidabi.

The idea of the pena instrument was comes to the mind of a man in that period.

When man was in deep though of making a musical instrument from a matured khongdrum.

He put a wachet (a piece of bamboo), a flying horse passed through.

When the tail of the horse touches the khongdrum, a unique lovely sound came out from it.

Nongdalen Ema Leimarol Shidabi who heard the sound called up the man and ordered him to play the instruments.

Since then Pena has been in use, he claimed.

Later part, the instrument was played at opening functions related with the royal place.

Since then Pena has in used in various occasions linked with dance and music.

The instrument is also an indispensable part in various ceremonies related with Meetei deities.

Nowadays, instead of khongdrum, coconut shell is used to make the pena instrument, he added.

Mention may be that pena is played somewhat liked violin.

It has two parts namely, Pena Cheijing (equivalent of a bow) and Pena Maru (main body of the instrument and sound box) .

The Meiteis believe that the former represents the Universal Father and the latter, the Universal Mother.

Pena is an inseparable part of the life and culture of Manipur.

It wasplayed at the rituals and religious functions of birth, death and even marriages, before the Meiteis became Hindus.

Even now, Pena is relevant with Manipuri culture and religion.

During the Lai-Haraoba Festivals, the deities are propitiated by playing the Pena.

Pena music is the source and origin of all the tunes of various forms of folk songs prevalent in Manipur.

Pena is played not only by the Meiteis but also by some tribal communities such as the Tangkhuls and Kabuis of Manipur.