Folk literature and generation - X?
- Part 2 -

By Yaiphabi Thoudam *

Where are they now?

There was a time, I believe, when theatre houses in Imphal and elsewhere in Manipur would put lip plays with folk themes and content. Such events generated great popularity and stirred great interest and enthusiasm in the audience.

Though Shumang-Leela until today's date occupies a significant place in the entertainment business of Manipur, the other forms of folk arts mentioned above seem to be in a dormant stage in the current period.

It is said that, the main thrust of Manipuri theatre in the last two decades, however, has been the use of folk themes on the folk styles. The proscenium style Rupmahal theatre, Manipur Dramatic Union, Aryan Theatre etc to blame a few theatre houses, were host to many such wonderful nights, rich with folk music and plays. These theatre houses seem to have hibernated ages ago.

In the recent times, the popularity of theatre culture and entertainments seem to have dwindled down mainly due to the state of conflict our society is in. Modes of entertainment and recreation have taken a different fate. I am ashamed to say that I have never had an opportunity to watch a Raas-Leela ballet or a Folk-dance drama show when I visited Manipur.

Call it my ill-luck or lack of information, I had never found any theatre/place hosting any such performances,

The Question?

The big 'Q' still remains: Why do we tend to take a thing that is so precious and so beautiful for granted?
Why and how are the MOU or Roop Mahal theatres which had glittered with lights and bursting with actions, laughter and merriment rusting away silently?
Do we really prefer Korean, serials or movies as against watching a soulfully enriching Raas-leela or folk drama?

Not being cynical but I can't help muse, 'how many people of our Generation-X have actually taken up Manipuri Dance and music as a career?'

Not many, I suppose, after all, why would one presumably want to be a folk artist or a classical dance Guru, when we know we can earn hefty salaries by being a software engineer or simply by being an air-hostess?

What makes Manipuri dance and music not a lucrative career to pursue for the Generation-X?
Firstly, is it because our love and passion for Manipuri dance and music have been replaced by popular Western cults? Should we, the Generation-X audience, pay hundreds or rather tllousands of our hard earned money to watch the Roger Water's show.

Would we really not bother going to a folk drama performance? Or secondly, is lack of a suitable platform, both for the audience and the performers the main reason behind the decline in its demand and popularity? Or thirdly, are we so pre-occupied with the prevalent fears and worries, and busy with the race to survive in a foreign place, that we have forgotten to promote, enrich and encourage our rich arts and cultrue both as an audience and as a performer?

Or finally, is it, like any other forms of business, just a matter of the dynamics of supply and demand and vice versa, which is prevalent in any form of entertainment industry as well?

An answer?

I, for a fact know that, we Manipuris are extremely proud of our rich heritage—especially our dance and music. I think then, the answer to my big 'Q' is a mixture of 'yes' all the above questions.

This leaves me with a heart-creakingly inconvenient truth. The truth that, some years down the line, I know many of our sons and daughters will grow up in a place far away from Manipur. A place called home, far away from guns and bomb blasts, yet far away from Moirang or Loktak, where there is no Khamba or Thoibi, or Nongban.

At that moment of time, I want to be able to tell them bed-time stories about Kabui-keioiba, Shendrembi-Cheisha and others. I want to let them know, how our Grand Parents had entertained us in front of the dimly lit Phunga in cold winter nights.

I want to let them know how we spent our warm summer evenings, outside in the coutyard listening to Eta-Thangmei and witty old woman. I want them to learn about the legends of Pakhangba and Panthoibi, the charm of a Laiharaoba and the merry of Yaoshang Thabal Chongba.

I want to tell them, how we used to wake up to the serene hyms of the Yakairol eshei in the wee hours of the morning. And how scared I was to see the violent Maibi laibou Chongba. And I want to make them sing the songs and perform the dances in their school functions, Simply, lit, I want my children to stay in touch with their roots.

I guess, the only way I can do this, is by learning the tales, dance and music myself so that I can teach them some day. They can in turn teach their children when they grow up. And just like a true folklore, perhaps the rich culture of Manipuri folk literature will get passed down from one generation to another, through word of mouth.

Having said that, it is worthwhile to acknowledge the recent wind of change brought about by artist like Tapta. There has been serious effort from the Rock Star to blend Manipuri classical and folk tunes with Rap, Reggae, etc. He is the one of a kind amongst Manipuri modern song artists who fuses folk tales and folk songs with his modern songs thus making it more palatable to the younger generations.

The trend has been propagated further by the music band Hayum. Though Hayum is still a baby they sound quite promising at the moment.

Other contemporary artists like Rajkumar Singhajit Singh and Charu Sija Mathur, Bimbavati Devi etc do exist, However, they belong to the classical genre. So, for a Generation-X like me, apart from reading occasional accouchement of dance or song performances in some fancy auditorium of a foreign country, I rarely get the opportunity to relish our beautiful dance and songs.

Well, I am going for my refresher training course on folk songs and dance when I go home next. What about you?

PS: At present, Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, (Est 1954) offers several comprehensive courses in Manipuri Raas-leela, Lai Haraoba, folk & Tribal and Thang-ta (martial Art). The following courses are offered:

• A Foundation Course of three years for students of the age group 10-14.
• A Diploma Course of three years for the age group 14-18.
• A Post-Diploma Course of three years.