Lakpati in Nata Sankirtana attire.
When he breaks into song, he's a singer extraordinaire -- hypnotising his fans. Every nuance of the lyric makes his frame swayed; every pitch of the vocal, modulates his bhakti. During the performance, his audience would not only watch him in rapt attention but also prostrate before him, with tears even, one after another, in the centre of the mandapa, where the ceremony is being held. The ultimate devotion is ecstatic.
Leimapokpam Lakpati, a popular Nata Sankirtana performer, has captivated and enthralled the devout Vaishnavas of Manipuri Hindu society. The singer guru of the mass, shining star of the time, he has a mellifluous voice and perfect body language known as abhinaya in this musical lexicon.
His rhythmic movement of kartal cholom, dancing with hand cymbals, perfected on the tala beat of pung (mridanga), in unison with his co-artistes; all are to be seen to believe. An aesthetic synchronization of three elements namely, ritual-singing, dancing and drumming into one art form called Nata Sankirtana -- a religious performance -- to eulogise the Lord Krishna Chaitanya. Yes -- an intangible cultural heritage of humanity indeed.
The Nata Sankirtana is one of the most popular cultural aspects in the lives of Manipuri Hindus. The style came from Bengal (and possibly Assam also) and this musical type got mixed with Manipuri traditional folk tune. Started as Bangadesh pala in 1709 AD, followed by Manoharshai pala in 1850, the genre got rooted to the cultural soil of the State during the time of king Garibniwaj (1709 - 1748). During the reign of Rajashri Bhagyachandra (1764 - 1789) it had reached its pinnacle of fame.
Lakpati enacting kartal cholom.
No religious functions like marriage or shradha ceremony
were complete without a Sankirtana programme. Even the famous Manipuri classical dance – Ras Leela – which is one of the eight classical dances of India
recognised by Sangeet Natak Akademi is an extension of this musical form. Every
Ras Leela programme is preceded by a Nata Sankirtana performance. The tandava (masculine) and lasya (feminine) characteristics are
beautifully manifested in this ritual performance through cholom and prayer-singing.
This tradition of singing has been religiously practised
and guarded since then. A part of Manipuri Hindu lifestyle, there are many
exponents and gurus and they are
respectably called Oja. Leimapokpam
Lakpati is one such Oja. He learned
the music from his father Herachandra first and hence his adi guru. Thereafter, he attended the schools of various gurus like Laishram Tolpishak,
Khangembam Gulapi, Thangjam Chaoba, and Y. Birahari etc., among others.
Besides, he learnt Hindustani classical music from Phurailatpam Devkeshor
Sharma, the principal of Government Music College, Imphal.
Born at Imphal on August 12, 1953, Oja Lakpati today is
sixty three years young. He spent his childhood period for about ten years in a
village called Elangkhangpokpi, near Kakching, 45 km south of Imphal. This gave
him exposure to Meitei rural folk-song called Khunung-ishei. Afterwards, he returned to present home situated at
Kwakeithel Nganapithong and married to Boro Devi. He slowly yet steadily got
himself transformed into a popular ritual singer par excellence. By virtue of
his sterling performance, he was continuously invited to perform at various
ceremonies and functions like Luhongba,
Shradha, Upanayana, Karnabedha,
Khubak ishei, Nupa pala, Udukhon, Goura leela
etc. He wrote books and attended many seminars also.
He also performed at many places outside Manipur like Cachar, Agartala, Guwahati, Kolkata, Nabadwip (West Bengal), Gujarat, Italy and Paris etc. He received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, New Delhi in 2001; Sangeet Ratna citation from Manipuri Sahitya Parishad in 2002; Kala Ratna from KALASADAN, Mumbai in 2004; and Senior Fellowship in Manipuri Music (Nata Sankirtana) from Department of Culture, Ministry of HRD, GOI in 1998 etc., among others. Many of his programmes were aired through AIR and DDK in Imphal and Guwahati. He appeared in a Manipuri film also.
He also performed at many places outside Manipur like Cachar, Agartala, Guwahati, Kolkata, Nabadwip (West Bengal), Gujarat, Italy and Paris etc. He received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, New Delhi in 2001; Sangeet Ratna citation from Manipuri Sahitya Parishad in 2002; Kala Ratna from KALASADAN, Mumbai in 2004; and Senior Fellowship in Manipuri Music (Nata Sankirtana) from Department of Culture, Ministry of HRD, GOI in 1998 etc., among others. Many of his programmes were aired through AIR and DDK in Imphal and Guwahati. He appeared in a Manipuri film also.
The ultimate devotion is ecstatic.
Since May, 2015, he has been a visiting guru of
Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Imphal, a constituent unit of Sangeet
Natak Akademi, New Delhi. He could not forget his gurus. To pay tribute to them – living and dead – Oja Lakpati has
been organising guru kirtana ceremony every year, on full moon day of Manipuri
month Mera Wayungba, in October, since the last seventeen years without fail.
The Oja is at present Director of Gulapi Nata Sankirtana
Akademy, Imphal – an institute devoted to uphold the value and tradition of
Manipuri Nata Sankirtana and to
preserve guru-sishya parampara. Some
of his popular students today are Laishram Itomcha, Meisnam Gouradas,
Moirangthem Inaoton, Rajmohon, and Meinasing etc.
Had there been a ritual singer in Manipur who devoted his
entire life to the cause of Nata
Sankirtana, he could perhaps be none other than Leimapokpam Lakpati himself
– a doyen of Manipuri culture.
Konjengbam Kameshore
(Courtesy: Eastern Panorama; Shillong, May, 2016)
