TODAY -
The spirit of the Maibis
Filmmaker captures ancient religious system of Manipur
Times of India | Dibyajyoti Sarma, TNN | Sep 11, 2011,
The tides of time wash away many a relic of history; cultures and traditions fade away. What remains are the memories. Will this be the fate of the Meitei religion of Manipur too? Hopefully not. And that precisely is the assurance that emerges from city-based filmmaker Kaushik Gupta Ray's documentary 'Sacred Space', which forays into a hitherto unknown territory (both geographically and spiritually)and unveils the magic of the Maibis. These are the female mediators between spirits and men and as such have been the guardians of scripture.
Not much has ever been documented about the Maibis and 'Sacred Space' is like a journey to the unknown. Explains Ray: "What's important here is the institution called the Maibi Loisang, which has been responsible for the training of the Maibis. The Maibi is unique because, apart from being a religious functionary of the Meitei religion, she is also midwife, healer, herbalist, clairvoyant, spiritual leader and dancer."
The film captures all this and more. The Maibi sings of the grasslands and all the food and raw materials derived from it and it is believed that the famous Loktak Lake in the region was the body of the goddess Lairembi herself. Looked at from a larger perspective, the film showcases the independence and self-actualisation characteristic of the women of Manipur. On another level, it brings out the wonderful harmony that exists between man and nature.
"As I shot the film, the one realisation driven home was that the magic of these cultures lies in an intimate connection between man and spirit. The earth lies at the centre of their cosmologies," Ray concludes.
Follow the link to read the entire news here
* This Post is uploaded on September 11, 2011.
* Comments posted by users in this discussion thread and other parts of this site are opinions of the individuals posting them (whose user ID is displayed alongside) and not the views of e-pao.net. We strongly recommend that users exercise responsibility, sensitivity and caution over language while writing your opinions which will be seen and read by other users. Please read a complete Guideline on using comments on this website.
LATEST IN E-PAO.NET
Jump Start
DBS Imphal SubSite |
Readers Mail |
Editorials |
Education Announcements |
Essay |
Exclusive Event |
Flash - Audio Visual |
Incidents |
LFS Imphal SubSite |
News Timeline |
Poetry |
Opinion |
Sports |
Rock Concert |
RSS |
Top Stories |
Wathi Jugai