S02E24 FindingTheVoices: Funeral process of Meitei Hindus in Manipur

Guest Speaker : Rajkumar Imoba Singh , Legal Practitioner in Manipur

Interview Location: Imphal, Manipur, India

Language: Podcast in Meitei-lon (Manipuri)

I had always wanted to learn more about the practical process of funeral. This episode focuses on the Meitei Hindus funeral process followed in Manipur.

I had approached my community brother Rajkumar Imoba Singh of Kwakeithel Thiyam Leikai, who had volunteered in almost all the funeral in our community. He is not a professional in this field but he  is sharing his knowledge and experience based on what he had seen so far and have clarified some of the questions I had.

I had had written Death , A Place for the Dead earlier.

Please do share your knowledge, experience and comment if any. This is just an attempt to learn the practical ongoing practice which many are reluctant to talk about.

MI_5Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

 

S02E24 FindingTheVoices: Funeral process of Meitei Hindus in Manipur

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This week, I had read the article “Around the world with Ratan Thiyam” and being a big fan of his work I looked him up to read and catch up on his latest work. I am happy to have found this old interview of him at THiNK 2012 and am sharing his voice which needs to be heard, a voice from Manipur.

“When the system is going wrong, the protest is through theatre” says it all.

Source: The Healing Voice: Ratan Thiyam at THiNK 2012, Ratan Thiyam in conversation with Tarun Tejpal at Tehelka’s THiNK 2012 session on “A Master’s Voice: What Art Can Do in a Time of War”

Ratan Thiyam, playwright and theatre director from Manipur at THiNK 2012

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Colors through your eyes, an acrylic painting

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COLORS THROUGH YOUR EYES

How would I know of the beauty of the vibrant green color of the bamboo leaves ?
How would I know of the beautiful rich saffron color soil of the hill ?
How would I know the beauty of the golden sun as it rises and sets?
How would I know the beauty of flowers with colors ?
I am color blind,
I know “beautiful” and “colors” through your eyes and words,
Otherwise it’s a mere black and white sight.

APaintingByMonicaIngudam.jpg

Colors through your eyes

An acrylic painting by Monica Ingudam

S02E23 FindingTheVoices: Chaoba Thiyam, filmmaker and artist from Manipur

Guest Speaker : Chaoba Thiyam

Interview Location: Imphal, Manipur, India

Language: Podcast in Meitei-lon (Manipuri)

An interview with Chaoba Thiyam, filmmaker and artist from Manipur. He is a Pena player and has performed in many productions (Kwakta Lamjel) of Laihui. You would also find him playing Pena with Imphal Talkies. He shared many aspect about his work as a filmmaker, his journey of playing Pena giving us a glimpse of the life of an artist.  Most importantly he shared his personal experience of overcoming depression, sharing about finding and knowing oneself and being in the present.

And yet again, I was honoured to see our Guest Speaker sharing  their story from the heart.

Here are some of Chaoba Thiyam’s work: NUNGEE MIT / EYE OF AN “I” a film by Chaoba Thiyam , Black Pot and Movement , edited & directed by Chaoba Thiyam, Womb , Editor: Chaoba Thyiam

MI_5Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

 

S02E23 FindingTheVoices: Chaoba Thiyam filmmaker and artist from Manipur

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S02E22:Pukhrambam Dhanajit sharing about Manipuri Dances.

Guest Speaker : Shri Pukhrambam Dhanajit Singh

Interview Location: Imphal, Manipur, India

Language: Podcast in Meitei-lon (Manipuri)

An interview with Shri Pukhrambam Dhanajit Singh, Manipuri dance teacher specialized in the field of Lai Haraoba and Manipuri classical dance. He has received many awards including Kalakshetra Guru National Award 2014, Indo-Nepal Friendship Manipuri Dance Guru Award 2014, Manipuri State Kala Academy Award in Manipuri Dance 2011 and many more.

He shares details about Lai Haraoba. He also spoke about very interesting perspective about the documentation status reflecting the practical movement and inner meaning of each dance form. He shares his journey, experiences as a Manipuri dance teacher leaving us with the question “How much are we retaining and learning Manipuri dance ? Are we having enough audiences ?”

It is encouraging to hear that there are good number of initiative from Manipuri students studying out Manipur, coming to learn Manipuri dance during their holidays and vacation. I was really lucky to get an opportunity to watch the different Manipuri dance form as part of the silver jubilee celebration of M4 House. I was even more happy to see the excitement amongst the students who performed on that day in learning something new.

MI_5Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

 

S02E22 FindingTheVoices: Pukhrambam Dhanajit sharing about Manipuri Dances.

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My father asked me why I am painting instead of studying (In his mind, I am in school and his little girl). I reminded him that I am no longer studying and am working now, and I paint as a hobby. He laughed and examined what I painted. I jokingly asked him how much my painting would fetch if sold, he thought for a bit and seriously replied that I would definitely get Rs 30. I responded quickly stating that seem to be a bit low, and he paused and said, maybe Rs 35. And we all had a good laugh together.

An acrylic painting by Monica Ingudam

A Walk in Paris, an acrylic painting

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Ema. Ema is the meiteilon word for mother. Painted while I was in Manipur, inspired by my mother. When I painted this I thought about my mother and my little brother.

An acrylic painting by Monica Ingudam

Ema, an acrylic painting

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096 It’s all in the mind : A Funeral for my living Father

/ Monica Ingudam / 39 Comments

A Funeral for my living Father

You mock about my ailing father,
Who is old and frail,
Who is battling with his memory,
Taking time to recall my name,
And yet greeting me with such profound expressions giving me the peace that feelings cannot be snatched even by Dementia,
Living his second childhood with his days numbered.

You curse about my living father,
Mocking about his funeral when he is alive,
Judging that I won’t make it for the funeral,
A funeral which you pitied the Leikai (community) will perform without me,
Such vicious words,
Such hateful words from someone I don’t even know.

You, hiding behind a fake name,
You have won in wounding me,
It’s true, I sleep every night with the biggest fear that I will miss his last moments,
It’s true, that I have failed to be with him at his hours of need,
It’s true, I have played out in my mind of every tiny details of how soon I can reach,
To be on time to hold his hands.

And I wish you would never have to feel the pain and helplessness of the separation and distance,
And remain blessed to be serving your Father living under the same roof,
Blessed to know for sure that you will light your Father’s funeral,
Blessed to know that you will be there holding your father’s hand as he crosses to the other world,
Blessed to be sleeping peacefully throwing words of mockery to the failed ones,
The failed ones like me.

~The End~

An Experimental attempt to put thoughts in writing by Monica Ingudam.

Author’s Notes: I was deeply pained and saddened by the threats, personal attacks (specially the ones about my father) and abusive vicious raw words/message I received for writing the Poem “Students in Manipur”.

Written while I was traveling in the Air India flight from Delhi to Imphal, completed in my Father’s house sitting in the Mangong (Portico) listening to the familiar sound of birds chirping. A photograph of my meal with my Father just before I left Imphal, a meal with the hope and wish for more meals together.

S02E21: FindingTheVoices Babloo Loitongbam, Manipur based Human Rights Activist.

Guest Speaker : Babloo Loitongbam,

Interview Location: Imphal, Manipur, India

Language: Podcast in English

An interview with Babloo Loitongbam, Manipur based Human Rights Activist. Our studio for this recording is at the my Father’s beautiful mangong (porch) and you could hear our neighbor’s loud crow of a rooster, the barking of the dog. We had our special Guest Speaker sharing his story from his heart, we had audiences listening with rapt attention giving me more meaning to continue FindingTheVoices and sharing the voices which should be heard.

Presenting our very own, Babloo Loitongbam sharing about his journey as a Human Rights Activist in his own words.

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MI_5Born and raised in the violence-torn landscape of Manipur, I have a vision to promote and spread inspiring, empowering, educative & entertaining stories. I believe that we can create contents bringing the positive side of Manipur. I believe we can do this together by finding the voices, voices which needs to be heard and shared, voices of our own people, people of Manipur and well-wishers of Manipur. I believe that these voices will bring a change and connect all of us.

I welcome you to join me in my journey to finding the voices at Http://FindingTheVoices.com/

 

S02E21 FindingTheVoices: Babloo Loitongbam, Manipur based Human Rights Activist.

/ Monica Ingudam / 5 Comments