A troupe performs Moirang Sai in Imphal. Telegraph picture

Moirang Sai, an old form of Manipuri folk song that narrates the epic love story of Khamba and Thoibi of Moirang, is dying as an art form.

With young artistes opting for modern Manipuri songs for instant fame and fun and the middle-aged ones going for nat sankirtan for easy income, this age-old art form is not known to the younger generation that prefer fusion (Manipuri songs with Western or Indian classical genres or plain Western songs).

One of the gurus who is making relentless efforts to preserve traditional story-telling through folk songs is Langathel Thoinu Devi, a guru of the Laihui Moirang Sai group.

That her efforts did not go in vain was evident when four young artistes presented the art form at Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre of Imphal city to a packed audience on March 16.

Mangka Mayanglambam (main vocalist), her partner Ngasham Durgeshori (pena and vocalist), Ngangom Michale (langdeng, a traditional drum) and Laishram Prithiviraj (flute) with their outstanding performance enthralled the audience. Macha Leima, a women’s NGO of Imphal, has been organising a musical programme on Meitei Cheiraoba (Meitei New Year) for the past 20 years. Its decision to open the programme with Moirang Sai was apt.

The episode staged on that day depicted the return of Thoibi, the heroine, to her home in Moirang from exile in Kabow (now in Myanmar).

On knowing this, Nongban, the villain, plans her abduction to marry her. On her way back, Thoibi meets him and throws a ball of wool to Nongban’s eyes to blind his vision.

Riding his horse, she escapes to Khamba, an orphan. Thoibi’s father Chingkhuba, the crown prince, had exiled her for the affair with Khamba.

Mangka, a Class IX student from Keishamthong of Imphal city, did justice to Moirang Sai. His high-pitched and flawless vocal chords raise the hopes of the return of Moirang Sai to courtyards and other entertainment programmes.

In the past, Moirang Sai was an important medium of entertainment and these teams were invited to celebrate the birth of a child or at Lai Haraoba programmes.

Durgeshori with her fine pena (a violin-like traditional instrument of Manipur) performance and a good vocal rendition helped the main vocalist portray a vivid picture of Thoibi’s return from exile.

The hilarious exchanges between Nongban (Mangka) and his aide Soura (Durgeshori) while waiting for Thoibi’s return had the audience in splits.

The drummer and flautist set the perfect background for depicting Moirang history.