Manipuri indian dance

Manipuri dance is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. It originates from Manipur, a state in north-eastern India on the border with Myanmar (also known as Burma).The cult of Radha and Krishna, particularly the raslila, is central to its themes but the dances, unusually, incorporate the characteristic cymbals (kartal or manjira) and double-headed drum (pung or Manipuri mridang) of sankirtan into the visual performance

Manipuri dance
Stylistic origins	Manipuri and Vedic
Cultural origins	Early 15th century Manipur
Typical instruments	Pung, Pena, Kartal and Manzilla, Mangkang, Sembong, Baashi, Harmonium
Mainstream popularity	Much in Manipur and in India
Subgenres
Pung ch

Maharaja Bhagyachandra (r. 1759 – 1798 CE) codified the style, composed three of the five types of Ras Lilas, the Maha Ras, the Basanta Ras and the Kunja Ras, performed at the Sri Sri Govindaji temple in Imphal during his reign and also the Achouba Bhangi Pareng dance. He designed an elaborate costume known as Kumil. The Govindasangeet Lila Vilasa, an important text detailing the fundamentals of the dance, is also attributed to him.
Maharaja Gambhir Singh (r. 1825 – 1834 CE) composed two parengs of the tandava type, the Goshtha Bhangi Pareng and the Goshtha Vrindaban Pareng. Maharaja Chandra Kirti Singh (r. 1849 – 1886 CE), a gifted drummer, composed at least 64 Pung choloms (drum dances) and two parengs of the Lasya type, the Vrindaban Bhangi Pareng and Khrumba Bhangi Pareng. The composition of the Nitya Ras is also attributed to him.^[2] 

Modern Times

Exponents of Manipuri dance

This genre of dance became better known outside the region through the efforts of Rabindranath Tagore. In 1919, he was so impressed after seeing a dance composition, the Goshtha Lila in Sylhet (in present day Bangladesh) that he invited Guru Budhimantra Singh to Shantiniketan. In 1926, Guru Naba Kumar joined the faculty to teach the Ras Lila. Other celebrated Gurus, Senarik Singh Rajkumar, Nileshwar Mukherji and Atomba Singh were also invited to teach there and assisted Tagore with the choreography of several of his dance-dramas.

Other Indian Classical Dances

The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on seven other Indian dance forms:

1. Bharatanatyam - Indian Classical Dance
2. Odissi - Orrisa Classical dance
3. Kuchipudi - Telugu Classical dance
4. Mohiniaattam - Kerala Classical Dance
5. Sattriya - Asamese Classical Dance
6. Kathakali - Malayalam Classical Dance
7. Kathak - North Indian Classical Dance