The Dance
Performed only in temples, it was only in the 20th century that the
stage performance of Manipuri Dance begun.
Manipuri dance is a devotional dance, depicting the dance compositions
like Ras Lila. It is dedicated to the Hindu Dieties Radha and Krishna.
It was the Maharaja Bhagyachandra (r. 1759 – 1798 CE), who s
contribution brought drastic changes in the Manipuri Dance form. He composed
three of the five types of Ras Lilas, the Maha Ras and the Kunja Ras. There
were performed at Sri Sri Govindaji Temple in Imphal in his reign. The
elobrate costume Kumil was also designed by him. The two TYPES OF Dance -
Goshtha Bhangi Pareng and the Goshtha Vrindaban Pareng were composed by
Maharajah Gambhir Singh. Maharaja Chandra Kirti Singh (r. 1849 – 1886
CE) was a gifted drummer and he composed at least 64 Pung choloms (drum
dances). The two parengs Lasya type, the Vrindaban Bhangi Pareng and Khrumba
Bhangi Pareng were also composed by him. He also wrote Nitya Ras.
A great lot has also been contributed by the Indian Scholar and Poet
Rabindara Nath Tagore.He invited Guru Budhimantra Singh from Bangladesh in
1926 to teach Manipuri Dance in Shantiniketan. Several of Rabindranaths
Dance dramas were based on Manipuri Dance.
