In praise of the lord…

Well-known Nata Sankirtana artist from Manipur, Ningthoujam Shyamchand Singh, throws light on the art form.

Ningthoujam Shyamchand Singh is a multi-talented artiste from Manipur. Adept in Cholom and Eshei, he is also a well known name in the art of Nata Sankirtana. In fact, he is the third generation Nata Sankirtana performer from his family.

Singh, the ‘Joypatra’ of Imphal’s well-known Shri Shri Govindajee Temple Board and the lead singer for the temple’s Pala Loishang or Department of Nata Sankirtana, recently performed the art

in praise of Devi Dhumel at Rabindra Bharati University and Viswa Bharati University in West Bengal along with his troupe. This, he says, “was in connection with the year-long diamond jubilee celebration of the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy”, of which he is a faculty member. In this interview, he allows us a glimpse into a life dedicated to a devotional art. Excerpts:

On what occasions are What are the occasions when Nata Sankirtana performances held?

It is performed during the Nahutpa-Chura Karan-Lugunthangba initiation to accept a person as a bona fide performer of rites and the rituals relating to family ceremonies like marriage, death, samavadswar, the first death anniversary, the utsav, before performing the raas leela, besides for some other spiritual ceremonies and functions.

What are the step-by-step rituals followed in a Nata Sankirtana?

How important is Shri Chaitanya in a Nata Sankirtana performance?

Shri Chaitanya initiated Sankirtana. He was the supreme guru and father of Sankirtana, Mahajjeigya ofKali kaal (the age of Kali). He was the joint incarnation of Radha-Krishna in Kali yuga to enlighten human beings and to do away with darkness that exists in the mind of man.

At what age did you get initiated into the art of Nata Sankirtana?

When I was 12, I started learning Nata Sankirtana from Adi Guru Huiningshungbam Nabadwip Singh of Uchiwa in Manipur.

Who inspired you to learn it?

My father, late Ningthoujam Angangyaima Singh, inspired me to learn Nata Sankirtana.

Are you a full-time Nata Sankirtana guru or do you have any other profession?

I am a full-time Nata Sankirtana guru. I became a guru at the age of 30 and joined Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Company in 1998.

Do you earn well as a guru?

Fortunately for me, as a Nata Sankirtana guru, all my needs are taken care of.

What does is a usual day in your life look like?

I wake up each morning before the Sun starts his journey with his seven horses across the sky. At this juncture, the time is exclusively mine and used for getting ready to face the day. It is the time to be with my God and I pray to him fervently, after which I go on to read newspapers and may be a book.

A few of my students come to my house to learn Nata Sankirtana, Eshei and Cholom. I also teach them the theory of the subjects they are learning. Thereafter, I go to teach students at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy.In the evening after coming back from JNMDA I exercise for an hour to keep fit. After which the time is for rest and reading books.

How many times during the day are you required to perform at the Govindajee Temple?

As the head of Pala Loishang of Shree Shree Govinadajee Temple Board, I have to be there most of the time for performing and arranging Sankirtana performances.

Are young people inclined toward listening to or learning Nata Sankirtana? How popular is Nata Sankirtana today?

Many young people are attuned to it and come forward to learn Nata Sankirtana. For Manipuri Hindus, Nata Sankirtana is a part of their lives. It is performed on every ceremonial occasion, so it is quite popular.

Keywords: Ningthoujam Shyamchand Singh, Nata Sankirtana