President honours Manipuri ojas in New Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal

New Delhi, July 15 2009: President of India Pratibha Patil yesterday conferred the 2008 Sangeet Natak Academy Award to 34 eminent personalities of music, dance and theatre from across the country.

Among them were Oja Ningombam Ibobi Singh and Oja Leitanthem Heramot Meitei from Manipur in the field of Nata Sankirtana music and Thang-ta respectively.

The award ceremony was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

N Ibobi Singh (L) and Heramot receiving their SNA awards from the President of India, Pratibha Patil

A Ningombam Ibobi Singh, the head of the four Pala in Shri Shri Govindajee Temple, who received the award in the field of Nata Sankirtan said pung has always been his passion.

Excitedly explaining the beat of the pung enacting with the sound tang� with left palm and Ghinwith the right palm, playing with his finger.

Oja Ibobi has received many other State and National awards, some of which were The Kala Acedemi Award, Sahitya Parishad, Nar Singh Maharaja Award etc.

The middle among three boys, he grew up in the family who took keen interest in the field of arts and culture.

Travelling widely across India performing and showcasing his talent he has a stint in teaching at the Dance College in Mumbai and now retires as a Lecturer in Government Dance College, Imphal.

Recollecting some of his memorable performances Oja Ibobi said "Once I took 100 students from Manipur to perform in Delhi, which was really stressful".

As Oja Leitanthem Heramot Meitei talked about Thangta and the art, a youthful zeal and enthusiasm exults out of him and at 77, his age no longer shows.

His interest as a young boy was noticed by one of his neighbour who directed him to go to Oja Thoudam Chaoba known popularly as Khousaba, and Wangkheirakpam Dinachandra, the disciples of Paona Brajabashi.

Since then he began his learning under the two Guru.

Later he set up his own school in 1951 called 'Nongpok Naharol Seba Marup'.

Talking about his struggle, Oja Heramot said that apart from the financial difficulties, in the society it is opined that Thangta is no longer relevant in the contemporary world, where there are many modern weapons being produced.

He candidly said, "people laughed at me".

A passionate artist and a patriotic in the heart, Oja Heramot recalled about the history and wars fought by the Manipuris during the colonial rule, with the use of Thangta as their weapon.

Since the British took over Manipur in 1891, and ever since the historic Khongjom war Thangta was banned from use by the colonial power.

Scientific and modern weapons were imposed.

Later in 1934 Sir Churachand Maharaj with the permission of the British rulers once again allowed Thangta to be revived.

Then the first formal school "Biyayam Charcha Club" under Oja Keibung Sanatoba came into being.

Receiving his first National Award, the 2008 Sangeet Natak Puraskar Award, Oja Leitantham Heramot felt that this would have happen long time ago had it not been for his ill health where he was inactive for about 46 years and emotionally said, "I feel nostalgic".

Yet undeterred he cheerfully disclosed about a book he will bring out in near future, titled Leiteng Thanghairolda Lanthang Chungba, which is at its final stage of completion.

Being a perfomer working with a pen was not easy.

He confessed that initially the planned was to finish the book within three to four months but it took him two years.

He added, "It is difficult to put into words, how to explain the art, like the jump of the leg and the movement of the hand and the shoulder" .

He informed that one of main reason to bring out the art in a book form was that of late there has been an interest in the old traditional arts and weapons, and many educational institutions, like the Manipur University wanted to add martial arts in their syllabus.