# Classicism in Meitei culture

The cultural heritages of Meitei civilization has classicism in diverse traditions of cinemas, dances, language, literature, music, theatre, etc.

## In dances

The steps, gaits and poses of using thang (Meitei for 'sword') and ta (Meitei for 'spear') in the traditional Meitei dance-cum-martial art form of Thang-Ta form the basic foundation of the classical choreographic steps of Lai Haraoba, Manipuri Raas Leela, Meitei Sankirtana and Pung Cholom.
The Manipuri classical dance, also known as the Manipuri Raas Leela (Meitei: ꯖꯒꯣꯏ ꯔꯥꯁ/ꯔꯥꯁ ꯖꯒꯣꯏ, romanized: Jagoi Raas/Raas Jagoi), is a jagoi and is one of the major Indian classical dance drama forms, originating from Kangleipak (Meitei for 'Manipur'). Formally developed by Meitei Hindu King Ching Thang Khomba (Meitei for 'Rajarshi Bhagyachandra') of Manipur Kingdom in the 18th century CE, the Manipuri classical dance form, which is considered to be the highest spiritual expression of the worship of Hindu deity Krishna, spreads across the Indian subcontinent in subsequent centuries. Owing to its huge influences on the diverse cultural heritages across India, it is recognised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi of the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India as one of the few primary classical dance forms of the Republic of India, and is honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Manipuri every year.
Pung Cholom and Meitei Nata Sankirtana are the other classical dance forms, which are also related to the Manipuri Raas Leela.
The ritualistic and theatrical dances of the Lai Haraoba, in general and one of its primary forms, the Khamba Thoibi Jagoi (Meitei for 'Khamba Thoibi dance') in particular, are also considered to be classical dances. Notably, Lai Haraoba's Khamba Thoibi Jagoi (Meitei for 'Khamba Thoibi dance') is one of the cultural elements, giving inspirations to the development of the Manipuri Raas Leela classical dance drama form.

## In music

Nat (a shortened form of Meitei Nat Sankirtan) is a classical form of music of Manipur. It is a product of the Sanskritisation of traditional Meitei culture with Hindu culture by the Brahmanas, having 6 ragas and 36 raginis.
Contrasting to the other forms of Indian classical music, which are performed by sitting, in the Meitei Nata-Sankirtana, artists perform musical instruments as well as sing songs, simultaneously performing the delicate movements of the body and hands, based on the form of Khuthek Anoi (Meitei for 'language of hand movements'), aligning to different footsteps, based on the Khongthang Anoi (Meitei for 'language of footsteps').

## In language and literature

   "The beginning of this old Manipuri literature (as in the case of Newari) may go back to 1500 years, or even 2000 years, from now."
—Suniti Kumar Chatterji, Padma Vibhushan awardee Indian scholar
Meitei language (Meitei: ꯃꯩꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ/মৈতৈলোন, romanized: Meiteilon), also known as Manipuri language (Meitei: ꯃꯅꯤꯄꯨꯔꯤ/মণিপুরী), is a classical language of Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan linguistic family, having a literary tradition of not less than 2000 years. Some of the early literary works include the Ougri (c. 1st century CE musical composition), the Numit Kappa (c. 1st century CE narrative work), the Poireiton Khunthok (c. 3rd century CE narrative work), the Khencho (pre-7th century CE musical composition), 6th-7th century CE copper plate inscriptions of king Khongtekcha, the Panthoibi Khonggul (c. 8th century CE narrative work), the Loiyumpa Silyel (c. 11th-12th century CE written Constitution, drafted in 429 CE), etc. Besides, Meitei language is best known for its classical association with the Manipuri classical dance and other intangible cultural heritages of Meitei civilization.
Khamba Thoibi Sheireng (Meitei for 'Epic of Khamba and Thoibi'), the third longest Indian epic poem, next to the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, is a classical Meitei epic poem, having 39,000 lines, and is regarded as the national epic of the Manipuris. The Meitei classic tale of Khamba and Thoibi became an Assamese classic as well, after being translated into Assamese language as "Khamba Thoibir Sadhukatha", by Assamese author and anthropologist Rajanikanta Bordoloi (1869-1939).
Besides the Khamba Thoibi, other notable ancient Meitei narrative literary works which are considered to be classics, include the Nungpan Ponpi Luwaopa, the Chainarol and the story of Petanga.
The tales of Meitei folklore, which are considered to be classical in heights, include the stories of Sandrembi and Cheisra, Emoinu (Imoinu), Hanuba Hanubi Paan Thaaba, Pebet and Hoidong Lamboiba, Thabaton and Keibu Keioiba, Lai Khutshangbi, Uchek Langmeidong, Eeta Thangmei and Tapta.
Since ancient times, it was continuously used to be the sole "court language" of the Durbar (court) as well as all the other courts in the Kingdom of Manipur, later even officially declared as such in the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947, before Manipur became a territory of the Republic of India.
Owing to its huge literary heritage of ancient and medieval eras written in traditional Meitei script, it was recognised by the Sahitya Akademi of the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India as one of the major advanced languages of India in 1972, and since then, it was honoured annually with the Sahitya Akademi Award for Meitei, the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for Meitei, the Yuva Puraskar for Meitei and the Bal Sahitya Puraskar Award for Meitei. Later, it was again recognised by the Government of India as an official scheduled language, enlisted in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India in 1992. Since 2013, Meitei classical language movement for the official recognition of Meitei as a "classical language" is carried out widespreadly, in Manipur, Assam and Tripura, endorsed by the Government of Manipur, several civil society organizations and various language experts.

## In cinemas and theatres
### World Classic

Ishanou (Meitei for 'The Chosen One'), a 1990 Indian Meitei language film, was screened in the Un Certain Regard section in the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, and again after a gap of 33 years, it was recognized as a "World Classic" in the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Notably, it was the only film selected from India for the event in that year.

### Meitei adaptations of classical Greco-Roman plays

Numerous theatrical plays based on Antigone, a princess from ancient Greek mythology, was and is frequently produced in Meitei language in its own adaptation, in Imphal. Malemnganbi is a Meitei adaptation of Sophocles' ancient Greek tragedy play named Antigone, rescripted by Makhonmani Mongsaba and directed by Chanam Nillabira Meitei. In 1985–86, Lengshonnei, a play based on Antigone, adapted into Meitei language, by Ratan Thiyam, was performed in Imphal. Some sources say that he adapted from Antigone (Sophocles play) while some others assert that it was from Antigone (Brecht play).
Hojang Taret is a classical Meitei language play based on Euripides's ancient Greek tragedy named "The Phoenician Women". Directed by Oasis Sougaijam and produced by The Umbilical Theatre in Imphal, the play shows the moral uncertainty of the royal sibling rivalry that led to the destruction of the ancient city of Thebes, Greece.
Bacchae (Thiyam play) is a classical Meitei language play, based on the eponymous ancient Greek tragedy, authored by Euripides (480-406 BCE), one of the 3 tragedians of classical Athens. Directed by Thawai Thiyam, the Meitei play shows the story of king Pentheus of Thebes and Olympian god Dionysus.

### Meitei adaptations of classical Sanskrit plays

Classical Sanskrit plays such as Urubhangam (originally authored by Bhasa in 2nd-3rd century CE) was reproduced into its Meitei version by Ratan Thiyam, shown in Imphal, Panaji, Edinburgh, as well as in Athens. Its another Meitei version was directed by Uttamkumar Naorem, shown in Kakching.
Others include Shakuntala (based on Kalidas' Abhigyanam Shakuntalam), directed by Kshetri Jugindro, shown in the Jawaharlal Nehru Dance Academy in Imphal. Bhagwatajjukiyam (based on Bodhayana's Bhagavadajjukam) was produced in a Meitei version, directed by Kshetri Jugindro, under the "Manipuri Ensemble", notably staged in the 2023 Bharat Rang Mahotsav.