Nata Sankirtan Maha Jeigya in the Manipuri society A passage from the Manipuri book Nata Sankritana by Sanakshya Ibotombi Haorokcham

Yumnam Suren
Contd from previous issue
So, we still can see here and there in the Meitei Society the culture and customs which they believed and followed for many long years inceasantly.
When the time honoured monarchy in Manipur had come to an end and it was merged into India in the middle to the 20th Century AD and a democratic society had emerged Nata Sankirtan Mahayagya and other old cultural activities which were under good and careful royal patronage fell in the hands of the public and when they cannot be looked after well as they were in the days of monarchy they are like things without any owner now.
The big changes which took place in the short time of about fifty years in respect of living standard, economic condition and political life of Manipuris have given a powerful impact on the social and religious activities of Manipur. Religious or social ceremonies and function which were very vigilantly guarded and maintained by the king are left at the people’s hand and they are being performed now accordingly as one likes.
The old religious cultural and social ceremonies function and activities are now facing a threatening situation verging on extinction. And, this situation is what Nata Sankirtan is facing in the Meitei Society now.
In the short time of about the past fifty years, the significance and value of Nata Sankirtan seem to be faded considerably in the minds of most of the people of Meitei Society. As usual people perform in Shradh ceremony in after the death of a member of their families and a marriage ceremony also performed with Nata Sankirtan (in both ceremony) in a big way, but most people seem to be unknowing or unwilling to know the important purpose, inevitability and intrinsic value of Nata Sankirtan Mahayagya in the ceremonies performed.
Performances of shradha, weddings, etc. ceremonies with modern song of Bhajan and kirtan in place of Nata Sankirtan, out of ignorance, are on the rise. Girls and women who cannot be entitled to the virtues and benefits of the rite of Upanayan were banned to sing Sankirtan in religious and public places but since no one could prove Sankirtan to be a mahayagya and since no one could show the diving line of differentiation between kirtans and Sankirtan in the court of law, the  restrictions imposed on girls and women against singing of Kirtan or Sankirtan was quashed in a leg case and then they were allowed to give performances of Sankirtan Mahayagya in public places.
The dearth of professional Nata Sankirtan artistes (singers and drummers) who are educated understand the etymology of the art clearly and know the skill and practical application of the art has caused a matter of great concern. Though the important words of Sankirtan, such as Raag, Dhruva Ghat, Setu, Vedi, Mel, Mishra, Sankirna, Sanch Akhara, Anuwa, Adhivas etc. etc. are general and often used freely by all, there are only a few artistes (singers and drummers) who know and use them with propriety. For lack of supervision by scholars and knowledgeable persons and  the prevalence of abridging and omitting parts without considering the inviolable rules, normal tradition etc. and the combining of incomplete parts of Sankirtan by some artistes, this led to distortion of the original forms, features and sanctity of Nata Sankirtan.
In fact, the members of the Meitei Society seem to be unawake to matter still. Most of them appear not to have the desire to guard this invaluable ancestral culture and to keep it clean and intact. They seem to remain thinking that their precious wealth would be guarded and patronized by their king and nobles as before.