Thokchom Ibetombi Devi

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Thokchom Ibetombi Devi
— Traditional Music and Dance Exponent —

By: Thingnam Anjulika Samom *

Her doting parents gave the name "Ibetombi" to their only daughter. Her passion for art and her talent gifted her the name "Brinda Sabi." Today at 67 years, the name that her art had given her gives her recognition, fame and respect.

Thokchom Ningol Ibetombi Devi was only around twelve years old when she first played the role of Brinda, ablest among the Gopis who plays an important role in the Radha Krishna love relationship. The audience loved her portrayal and her singing so much that she became known as "Brinda Sabi". She played the role till she reached about 14 or 15 years.

Guru Brinda Sabi was only four and a half years old when she first danced as Krishna in a Sansenba Lila organized at her father's courtyard at Thangmeiband Hijam Dewan Leikai.

After that she gradually played other roles such as Nityainanda in Goura Lila, Chandrabali, Radha and Gopi in Raas, progressing to Khubak Esei during Kang, and Jhulon Pala during Jhulon festival.

She was tutored in Gouralila, Raas, and various song forms such as Bashok, Khubak Esei and Monoharshai from many renowned masters like Khoirom Anganghal, Thourani Puinabati, Sorokhaibam Paka, Khamaram Iboton, Nagi, Sagolsem Tomchou, Ngangom Jugindro, Oja Gulapi, and Yumnam Ranjit.

Her father was Chaoba, a peon in the Secretariat office working in the Water Revenue Department with Ishing Lakpa, father of former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam. Her mother was Tonsija.

"Ras Leela" performed at JN dance Academy
Picture - Jinendra Maibam

Realizing the value of education, her father wanted his daughter to be educated well. He arranged for her to study with a private tutor at the house till "ahum suba" class. She then enrolled for "mari suba" at Khoyathong School.

"People used to ridicule saying he (my father) was trying to ruin the child and that studying books has made us impure. But my father and I persisted. In our "manga suba" class, English was introduced and when I used to read aloud A, B, C to memorize them, they would say, 'She's learning the language of the Saheb, she's impure. Such was the attitude then.

I studied for "taruk suba" but by then I was already very engrossed in my jagoi and esei and so I didn't give my exams," Guru Brinda Sabi said.

"Such stigma. When I wore shoes to school they would say, 'impure.' When I go out for my programmes, people would whisper and peek, 'Look, the singer has gone with the pung yeiba.' Since I sing they would say I am an oktabi.

That would depress me so much at times. But my father was always positive. He used to say, don't pay heed to their words, let your work show. They'll be forced to eat their words when your name is spread across the State. And his words prove true," she added.

"I was very popular in my heydays, even a few years back too. I would get invites for the whole year in advance. Sometimes when I come home late after a show or the next day, I would find people have spent the night in my outhouse just to wait for me and to give me invites.

We would get around Rs 700-800 in total from the audience which we would divide between ourselves and some amount like Rs 50-100 per person as dakhina from the host. Sometimes I would get as much as Rs 500-600 from the audience besides clothes," she reminisced, adding, "In our mind we were singing the praise of god during our performance. If people accept us, then that is our payment."

"My most favourite performance is during Goura Lila -- the Prabhu Sanyas scene. When Sachi Rani comes to know her son is gone, she searches frantically and then falls on the ground at the realization that he has really left the house.

Then she slowly raise her head and stretch out a hand, reaching out and she sings in a choked voice, 'Chatkhre Eigi Thawai Nimai Kouba ...' This is a scene when the audience would also join in the emotion and cry with Sachi Rani.

Raas Leela - Radha, Krishna and the Gopis

Somehow I love this scene very much – the plain clothes she wear, very little ornaments, hair unkempt in sorrow, voice shaky in her grief at the going away of her son," she said.

"I also like the Bi Lila when Prabhu is very young, and in Sansenba the scene when Yashoda is about to tie her son to the mortar and she chides her son for breaking the pots of gopis and stealing curd," informed Guru Brinda Sabi.

"Though I have taken part in various traditional art forms, Gouralila has been the lengthiest road of my life, especially as the mother.

But today it is almost a dying art, you no longer have people willing to host it. Therefore to keep the tradition alive I along with like-minded artistes formed the All Manipur Gourangalila and Sansenba Artists' Association which we registered in 1984. We get some small grants from the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi for performances," she said.

"Now I teach at the JN Dance Academy as visiting guru, and get around Rs. 5000/- a month. I am old now, so people don't want to see me so much. My own strength too is waning.

The other day I was invited for a wedding but due to my health I sent my pupils instead. So it means less income, but Gourachandra has given me this small job, the only other option is to sit on the Nagamapal roadside and sell herbs. But I wonder if I would be able to do that too as people know me. I am also human, I feel shy," she confided.

Guru Brinda Sabi also added, "Above that due to the present conflict situation, people fear to have lengthy, night long or late night shows. Before I would go for shows to far off places, sometimes by cycle, many times walk down.

The show would go through the whole night. In the wee hours or late at night I would hurry home with lots of gold ornaments on my body and around my neck – heibi mapan necklace and all that. But I would never fear.

My only concern would be to reach home as fast as possible to get some rest before the next show. Now even with these artificial gold ornaments fear is deep-set in my heart."

Guru Brinda Sabi is married to Thikadar Lakpa of Pishum Oinam. She has two children – a son and daughter.

"My husband is very supportive, he would buy sari for me from Mumbai or some other cities he visited. I still keep them in good condition because I love the sentiment behind the gifts."

Guru Brinda Sabi has also performed in Nabadwip, Brindaban, Radha Kunda and Cachar beside many interior rural areas of Manipur. She has received many citations and awards for her work – including the Manipur Sahitya Parishad award and State Award.

Thingnam Anjulika Samom wrote this article for The Sangai Express . You can contact the writer at thingnam(at)yahoo(dot)com . This article was webcasted on January 03rd, 2008

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