"Rising Star" - Thokchom Bhani Devi

By Seram Rojesh *

Manipuri Classical dance and traditional folk dances has been our asset and become popular in the world stage. Manipur classical dance is one of the most unique form of classical dance among eight Indian classical dances of India. Satya dance of Assam was recently included as one of the classical dances.

Many good dancers from other part of India and from other country especially from Japan and United States have become exponent of Manipuri Dance. It is part of our glory for our performing dance culture. Some of the prominent Artist are Pretty Patel, Jhaveri sisters (Mumbai), Charu Shija (Delhi) Wife of Guru R.K. Singajit, Debolina (Lukhnow).

Some other Manipuri Artist are Bimbabali, Daughter of Guru Bipin Singh, Bena who was recently Rewarded by Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi, Nandita, Artist of Guru Singhajit, Nitya Asharam.

Even thought, Manipur classical dance is recognized as a classical dance five decades ago, as we compare with other classical dance, the present position of the number of Manipuri artist especially in the young generation are very few. Yes, there are many Dance institutions in Manipur, we still need to encourage young artist of Manipuri dance.

To become a successful artist in the performing culture, many qualities are required to be a successful artist. An artist should have some basic qualities like good education, good family support, charming personality with beauty(physically) / handsome, good financial support, hard work and complete dedication in this field.

Without these qualities, it is difficult to be a successful professional dancer. All these qualities are the back-bone, but many time we hardly find these days generally. Because many well-educated and established parents still prefer their children to be a Doctor, Engineer, Lecturer, Pilot, IAS, etc. People generally do not dream their sons and daughters as professional dancer. Parent send their children to the dance institution as a part time to make a hobby or for better discipline as generally.

It is very different in the context of Sankritan Art of Manipur. However, in the context of dance artist, it might be because of, there is no proper support of the dance artists in Manipur. We need to change this mindset. We need to encourage our new generation and welcome new-comers from young generation.

Among the young artist, we have a new 'rising star', which can be mentioned, is non-other then a great young artist Thokchom Bhani Devi. Now she is representing as a Manipuri cultural ambassador in southern India, particularly in Karnataka.

A file photo of Thokchom Bhani Devi

Thokchom Bhani Devi from Uripok, Manipur, learned many form of Manipuri dances including Lai-haraoba, Kabui dance , Mao Dance , and Thang-Ta. She finished Diploma in Dance in 1999 and Post Graduate Diploma in Lai-haraoba from Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Manipur which is a constituent unit of Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi.

Thokchom Bhani not only knew many Manipuri Dance forms, she can also perform another classical Dance - Kathak. She is one of the few artists who have passed Choreography.

Thokchom Bhani is a graduate in Chorography from Natya Institute of Kathak, Bangalore as well as a Graduate from Manipur University in Sociology (hons) from DM College of art under Manipur University. She is continuing her study M.A in Sociology.

She is a daughter of a great Chorographer, Sangeet Natak Academy Awardees, Master Thokchom Chaotombi, first chorographer in Manipur. She was one of the six students getting scholarship for talent and hard work under JNM dance Academy Manipur in 1999.

Thokchom Bhani generally performs solo items only. Some of the items are Radha Anurag, Hari Mudha Vadhu, Dasavatar and Manipuri traditional Maibi Jagoi.

Radha Anurag, is about a Ras dance as Radha sings about the beauty of Krishna and ask her Sakhis to look for him. This dance is composed of Tanchap and Menkup.

In Hari Riha Mudha Vadhu, Radha is waiting for Krishna eagerly, while she was informed by a Sakhi that her Krishna has been playing with the Gopis of Brindavan, she describe how his body is smeared with Chandan and Varmal adorn his chest as Krishna praises one of the Gopis.

Dasaavatar is another form of Ras Leela dance, which express ten forms of incarnation of Vishnu who appears to restore peace and order whenever there is disorder and calamity on the earth (Hindu Mythology). All those ten incarnations of Vishnu are described which is on of the innovatory verse of Jayadava's 'Geet Govinda'.

Maibi Jagaoi is one of the form of dances of lai-haraoba performed by Maibis. Some of the dance items are leiching jagoi, Laitai nongdai Jaigoi, Leisemlon jagoi, Pamyanlon, phisarol, Hakchang shaba , etc, In the stage performance, leiching jagoi is mainly performed though composition. It is to be said that the dress style of Ras poloi was taken from the form of Maibi dress style.

Maya Rao is the director of the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography in Bangalore. Under her production, a ballet choreograph was being produced and has been performing in many cities of India. The unique form of this ballet chorography is basically the synthesis of traditional classical form of Kathak and Modern dances of India. This is a new experiment in contemporary chorography in India. This experiment is not done in Manipuri style of ballet chorography.

Maya Rao explains that she was trying to relate with contemporary modern dance and classical forms to make this art a living art. Change is also part of the culture. Without changes how could you develop? But you have to maintain basic characters of the art forms.

As part of the celebration of the Bangaluru Habba 2007, Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography performed a ballet item at Rabindra Bhavan (Bangaluru) on 2 December 2007.

Recently, in February 2008, the same ballet was also shown at Mumbai. Maya Rao told the writer that her Ballet is based on the celebration of the 50 years of development and success story in Karnataka. In 1956, ’Subarna Karnataka’ a meeting of all Maharaja was held. The last king Joycham Rajendra Wodiyar gave up his kingship and finally democracy came as rule. It is because of the contribution of many great people of Karnataka in the field of painting, literature, sports and information technology.

Maya Rao uses 'Choudika Mela' a narrative tradition of Karnataka spreading the message of good news of development through Gogipada (wearing Black coat and white Dhoti) with Kamsala (accompanied with) in the ballet.

Interesting, to a question why people don't speak English in a program which the Governor of Karnataka was sitting as the Chief Guest that he and many outsiders from Karnataka were participating in the program, Maya Rao responded the writer that, in last year, when we announced about the program in English, the audiences were shouting and saying to announce in state language - Kannada, from that onwards - we only announce by our language.

In this ballet, Thokchom Bhani is taking a good role in the ballet performing Kathak and modern dances in more than five sequences. Thokchom Bhani is the only artist among 22 artists, who comes from a different background of another classical dance form, from of Manipur.

From 25th January 2008, Thokchom Bhani has been performing Manipuri dances every friday as a part of the program organized by government of Karnataka. (In contrary there are no any regular programs for every month or every year under the initiatives of Manipur government.).

She has been attending many National and International Dance festivals in India and foreign cities of the world. In 2006, she participated in World Dances day in Bangalore at Alien Francis auditorium.

In 2003, Thokchom Bhani was part of the cultural tour and performed at United States in fifteen states/city , including Chicago(Illinois), Texas, Virginia, New York, Boston, Chaplin, Orange County, etc. She also visited Greece. She is working as an artist in the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography. She also teaches dances class for young students.

Thokchom Bhani Devi has been doing a great job in the field of culture and will be more appreciated if she creates some other new items based on Manipuri cultural civilization about the creation of Universe and Human Existences. She deserves to be respected and honored for her contribution in her life.

Director and chorographer Maya Rao says about Bhani as "She (bhani) is very good, that is why we don't want to get her back to Manipur!". It is great to have a Manipuri "Rising Star" like Thokchom Bhani Devi.

See Thokchom Bhani Devi photo Gallery here.

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* Seram Rojesh is a frequent contributor to e-pao.net. He can be contacted at dajes_m(at)yahoo(dot)com . This article was webcasted on May 18, 2008.

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