Meet Mangka Manipuri!
Manipuri Folk Song artist and performer of Laihui Ensemble.
From her very tender age, Mangka acquired the knowledge of folk music from her father Mangangsana, a National Awardee of Manipuri folk music. Since her early age of about 9 years old, she started learning Moirang Sai and Basok (the rare traditional performing art forms of Manipur, which are performed by females) from Guru Smt. Pukhrambam Thoinu Devi (Langathel Thoinu).
Mangka had learned the Hindustani Sangeet from late Guru Mairembam Jiten Singh. She is also learning Manipuri dance at Govt. Dance College, Imphal. She has collaborated with many cultural institutions namely; Anjika Kolkata, MDU Imphal, Kalakshetra Manipur, Kanglei Mime Repertory Theatre etc. At present she is an artist of Laihui, Imphal.
More About Her Journey
She won national talent scholarship in the field of folk song from CCRT, Govt. of India in 2009. Mangka became the first Indian to perform at the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union Radio Song Festival 2014 held at Colombo Sri Lanka representing India. A solo Manipuri folk song album “Chingda Satpi” produced by Village Films in collaboration with Laihui was released in 2014. Now she is an approved folk singer of All India Radio Imphal and telecasted her songs on DDK Imphal and PPC Guwahati. Election Commission of India selected her as a ‘State Icon 2017’.
Collabration with Portuguese Band
A portrait of Mangka has telecasted on DD National Channel “Purvator Ke Sitare” in Apirl 2017. An international song collaboration with Portuguese band Clãtitled, “Nura Pakhang (eu e tu)” was released worldwide in 2017. Recently she won National Young Artiste Scholarship Award by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. She has performed at many prestigious international and national stages.
Some of Her achievements:
- Invitee performer of New Delhi World Book Fair 2015.
- Theme song performer of 8th Manipuri Polo International 2014 “Hada Shamaton” on the 150th Years of Modern Polo observation at Imphal.
- Selected as first and alone India representative artiste to perform at Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union Radio Song Festival 2014, Colombo Sri Lanka.
- Tapestry of Sacred Music 2013, Esplanade Singapore.
- IBSEN Festival, 2012, New Delhi.
- Festival of Manipur 2012, Bangalore.
- New Performance Festival 2011, Kolkata.
- Ranga Sankara Festival 2010, Bangalore.
- Laihui Festival 2010, Imphal.
- Festival of Folk Song and Narrative Art 2009, organized by TCM.
- Khunung Ishei and Pena Festival 2009, organized by EZCC Kolkata and Dept. of Art and Culture Govt. of Manipur.
Mangka’s interview :
Q1. As a great performer, tell us something about yourself?
Sincerely, I do not consider myself a great performer, as I am still a learner and have lots and lots to learn. Fortunately, I am born in a family where Music and art is the background. My father is a musician and runs a cultural organization call Laihui. I brought up in the air of dance and music. Now I have finished my Graduation in both academic and Dance. People recognize me as a Manipuri Folk Singer.
Q2. How you inculcate a versatile singer, performer, and an artist in you?
We all have an inborn talent and that talent has to be drawn and groom up in a very smooth and right way. And that has to be done by our guardians. Luckily, I got a very supportive and understanding family where they take me to the right teacher and train me. Also it needs lots of self-practice and confidence.
Q3. Who inspired you to become a successful folk singer?
My dad inspired me a lot. I chose this field and he fully guided and of course, if my mom was not there, I would not have been the girl that I am now. Her dedication, love, guidance and everything is just priceless. It is beyond any words to describe. Because of them and my teachers, I am now on the way of what I love to do the most. Here, I would like to say that family is very important and has to take the responsibility for their children’s future.
Q4. Where do you see yourself five years down the line?
I will go for research more and performing.I might be opening an art center for children and keep on doing with Laihui’s activities, promoting our folk and traditional art.
Q5. What all are your strengths? Who all supported you throughout your journey?
My family is my strength. My family of course.
The second I could start talking, I started dancing and singing on any rhythm, I heard. When I first started learning Folk and traditional songs, my friends, neighbours, relatives made fun of me saying that I would be very poor in academics and that my family was ruining my future and some underestimated on what our family were upto. That was a challenging moment for me even though I was young at that time.
I studied hard, I couldn’t be too flamboyant still I did many crazy things with my friends like others do. At the same time, my music, and dance. Balancing is what I practiced a lot. Well, after my top ranks in class 10th and 12th results, people who were talking back and front were silent. Then I started performing in some prestigious events, became an approved artist of AIR and more.
Q6: What are your long term goals?
To become a good teacher, have the personality like that of a guardian and share how beautiful our culture is with the world.
Q7 : Enlist some of your amazing performances. What is your perception for the upcoming youths these days in the field of folk music.
SOME MAJOR PERFORMANCES.
“Nura Pakhang” a global collaboration single song with Cla from Portugal in 2017.
“Ingelehua – two cultures entwined” Manipuri and Hawaiian music, dance, and poetry collaboration 2017 at Imphal.
All India Radio, Imphal Music Festival 2016 and 2017.
“Rhythms of North East 2017” at Jamia Milia Islamia University, New Delhi.
“Shakuhachi meets Pena – A Maiden Collaboration of Manipuri and Japanese Traditional Music 2016, by The Japan Foundation and Laihui at Imphal and New Delhi.
Songs and Dances of North East 2016, CIDCO, Mumbai.
Colours of North East 2016, Taj Palace, Mumbai.
New Horizons From North-East, IFFI 2015 Goa.
Silver Waves 2015 by AIR NES Shillong.
Esplanade Dance Festival 2015 at Singapore.
Invitee performer of New Delhi World Book Fair 2015.
Theme song of 8 th Manipur Polo International 2014 “Hada Shamaton” was sung on the 150 th Years of Modern Polo observation at Imphal.
“Tamla Loibi” was performed at Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union Radio Song Festival 2014, Colombo Sri Lanka as a first India representative.
Tapestry of Sacred Music 2013, Esplanade Singapore.
Well, most of the youth are always after foreign culture. Even if they do, what I wish is to make them realize their origin atleast a glance. What now I am seeing is that the youths and children have started loving and listening to folk music. It will take time but we will have to keep on promoting folk music in a modern way without compromising the originality. Here, the way of how is it presented is very much important.
Loves and Regards : Mangka
Also read “ Originality Speaks For Her! “They told I couldn’t, But I did ” |Navya Rapolu, A DubSmasher“
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