Moirang Sai () or Moirang Shai () is a traditional Meitei musical

performing art The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Pe ...

form, that narrates the story of

Khamba and Thoibi The ancient legend of Khamba and Thoibi () is a classic, as well as one of the epic cycles of incarnations of Meitei mythology and folklore, that is originated from Ancient Moirang kingdom of Ancient Kangleipak (early Manipur). It is referr ...

. The performance timing can span over 120 hours.

Prime time

During the time period between the 1950s and the 1980s, Moirang Sai was performed popularly for entertainment in social gatherings and weddings. Traditional Meitei singer Ima Langathel Thoinu () is regarded as the main stylist and the modern day pioneer of the art form. She developed the art form into a theatrical woman’s musical performance, having pure Meitei Jagoi () dancing and singing genres. She gained her fame as the performer of the art from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Endangerment

In the 1990s and 2000s, Moirang Sai became truly endangered due to the increasing popularity of Western rock music and the mainstream Hindi and Bengali music among the audience. Besides, people started shifting their interests from traditional art forms to modern arts of live folk theater. In the late 2000s, there were only 2 or 3 artists who were then performing the art actively. Later, there were little interest in the public regarding the revival of art form.

Revival

In the 2010s, Ima Thoinu got only a few students to learn the endangered art form, which was the only means to keep it alive. Luckily, a small group of performers are again learning the nearly extinct art form of the Moirang Sai to save it from total extinction. Recently, Moirang Sai was outstandingly revived due to the hard works of Mangka Mayanglambam (), a traditional Meitei folk singer and artist of the "Laihui" (). Mangka is re-popularising the nearly extinct art form among the present youth once again. Every year, the Hueiyen Lanpao Columnists' Forum organises the Hueiyen Rendezvous, which performs the "Moirang Sai" at the Literary Hall of Hueiyen Lanpao Office located at Sega Road Thouda Bhavok Leikai,

Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...

. On 4 October 2020, the Nongpok Ingouba Cultural Academy (NICA), Yairipok Top Chingtha Oinamthong Leirak, under the aegis of the

Ministry of Culture Ministry of Culture may refer to: * Ministry of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports (Albania) * Ministry of Culture (Algeria) * Ministry of Culture (Argentina) * Minister for the Arts (Australia) * Ministry of Culture (Azerbaijan)Ministry o ...

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

, organised a workshop cum production program, on "Moirang Sai" at the Yairipok Top Lai Community Hall, to protect and popularize the traditional art of 'Moirang Sai'.

Festival

Notes

References

External links

* https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/stories-in-a-song-mangka-mayanglambam-5013301/ {{Authority control Meitei culture Meitei folklore in popular culture