Manipuri artistes presented classical manipuri dance and traditional kirtan song at the bamboo made auditorium of Manipuri Theatre at the remote village Ghoramara under Kamolganj upazila in Moulvibazar district.
The traditional artistes of the community also presented ritualistic songs and dance recitals at the programme on Thursday, which was organised by Dhrumel, a joint venture of Manipuri Theatre and Dhaka based cultural organisation Shadhona, said a press release.
The show began with two kirtans by Suniti Sinha and Gourhori Chatterjee sung in the traditional Manipuri style.
It was followed by a traditional Khubak Ishei, or clapping dance, performed by female singers and a male drummer, choreographed by Bidhanchandra Sinha.
Over 50 local Manipuri dancers, who are learning classical manipuri dance under the three-year project, displayed Krishna-Balarama nartan [the dance of young Krishna and his friends] in the evening at unique stage, which is located on the edge of a paddy field.
As part of the project, these artistes, who basically present ritualistic Manipuri dance in rituals, learnt classical manimuri genre under the tutelage of Indian dancer Sweety Das Chowdhury, who is at present living in Dhaka for marital reasons.
The programme concluded with Gouranga Nritya, a unique dance composition by Sweety based on a traditional Bangla kirtan sung by Krishna Kumari Debi and Binod Bihari Sinha with percussion by Ojha Konung and Bidhan Sinha.
Though ritual dances have been performed on stage by actors of Manipuri Theatre, this is the first time that a dance on a traditional kirtan has been presented in the classical Manipuri style, according to the release.
The presentation was much appreciated by the large crowd of local Manipuris present.
Special guests of the programme were a delegation from The Grand Sultan, a five-star hotel scheduled to open in Srimangal in November, 2013. Tony Khan, the general manager of the property, offered all support to promote cultural tourism in the area.
Lubna Marium, general secretary of Shadhona, spoke about the future plans of the project, which included tie-ups with Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Academy in India and an international Manipuri Dance Festival in winter next year.
Shubhashish Sinha, the chief of Manipuri Theatre, encouraged all young Manipuris to enroll in the classes and help revitalize the rich culture of the community.
-With New Age input
