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| Sunday, 27 March 2005 |
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Dances of the seven sisters From Upali Rupasinghe in New Delhi
Indian dance and music has its origins in folk dancing and religious functions and date back to several centuries. The source of Indian dance forms is the 'Natya Shastra' written between the second century B.C. and second century A.D. while musical forms prevalent today have their roots in the book 'Samaveda'. The uniqueness of Indian classical and folk dances and music is that they are all devotional in content using the body as an affective medium of communication to express moods and emotions. Apart from the five major schools of dancing Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kathak, Manipuri and Kuchipudi folk dances from different parts of the country and the North-East, have also become very popular. Centuries of migrations from Burma (Myanmar), Tibet and China to the North-East have been a major contributing factor in creating one of the most fascinating cultural regions in India. This pollination of cross-cultural diversity amongst the people of the 'Seven Sisters' North-East Arunachal, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura-along with Sikkim is deeply reflected in the multi-hued spectrum of their music and dance. The cultural ethos of the 'Seven Sisters' is coloured by the distinctive festivals that are a celebration of life and thanks giving in all their richness. The best thing is that the region's geographic isolation has played an integral role in preserving the pristine elements of its indigenous genre. The incredibly, rich tradition of folk and religious dance and music, interwoven with contemporary strains, has resulted in a dazzling repertoire. Dance lovers can thus look forward to a delightfully original approach to the expressions that mark these celebrations of bountiful harvests, successful hunting, victory over enemies, veneration of deities or purely recreational occasions. In many instances, lack of formal training has, in no way, taken away the beauty of sound and grace of movement.
Steeped in myth, folklore and religious belief, many of the dancers have emanated from community participation. Women have played a great role in keeping alive the spirit of cultural creativity. In matrilineal societies, Meghalaya for example, one sees the greater participation of women in some of the important dances of the state. There are certain dances in which only the male members of a community can participate such as the war dances of the Naga. One of the finest examples of grace and delicate beauty is reflected in Manipur's ancient traditional Ras Leela performances. Emanating from the Bhakti movement of spiritual belief and having evolved to such a degree over time, this ancient art is a world renowned classical dance today. Of the Seven Sisters, the repertoire of dance-dramas and operas based on Buddhist and tribal themes make Arunachal Pradesh a virtual feast for the cultural afficionado. Coloured by rhythms and passion, the stylised religious dance-drama 'chhams' or mask dances of the lamas (Buddhist monks of the Mahayana sector), the martial nuances of the Ponung dance and the delightful variety of folk dances such as the Aji Lamu by the Monpas (a tribal) are seductive offerings for the visitors. Intrinsically woven into the agricultural calendar of Assam, the Bihu festival welcomes the spring in a frenzy of song and the delightful Bihu dance. Traditional dances of the Mishing tribe, who also inhabit Majuli Island, can be enjoyed during the Ali-Aliligang festival the first three months of the year. Ras Purnima is celebrated on the island with a three day Ras Leela festival of song and dance. The world renowned Manipuri classical dance form has evolved from the Ras Leela dance-drama tradition whose central themes revolve around episodes from Lord Krishna's life, the celestial love of Radha and the devotion of the 'gopie' (milkmaids) to the lord. One of the most exotic offerings of the North East is the aesthetic fusion of the religious song and the dance forms of Manipuri. One of the most famous dances identified with Meghalaya is the sacred thanks giving ritual of the Nongkrem dance of the Khasis which is performed by young virgins and unmarried boys. Nagalands dance and music is not much known, but what is known is a dazzling spectacle of one of the most colourful people of the North-East. Rhythmic footwork, the flashing daos, spears and shields off-set by dazzling ceremonial attire and inventive headgear mark the mysterious war dances of he 16-odd tribes and equal number of sub-tribes that inhabit the verdant land. One of the most fascinating aspects of Sikkimese culture is their ancient tradition of pantomimes - featured in their delightful mask dances. Buddhist monks become gods during Losoong or Sikkimese New Year festivities at the world famous Rumtek monastery. The Lama (Buddhist monk) masked dance or Tse-chhu 'chaan', performed during the festivities, is a mystical symbolism of the good exercising evil. Tripura is inhabited by the Tripuris, Jamatias, Reangs, Mogos, Halams, Mizos and a mixture of Bengali and local tribe culture. It is a rich repository of some of the finest traditions of the North-East. One of the most electable dances of Tripura is the Hozagiri dance which is accomplished by the flute, symbol and the 'khamab', performed by the Reang women. During my 15 years stay in India, I have visited almost all the seven states in the North East and have attended a number of annual dance festivals in both cities and villages.
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