The Indian state of Manipur is culturally very rich and their rich heritage is best reflected in the music of Manipur. The love songs and the folk music of Manipur can tantalize ones senses. Music of Manipur includes different types of songs, including religious, classical, love, folk songs etc. The most popular kinds of music in Manipur include:
Gaur Padas- This is a kind of devotional music of Manipur which is sung to upheld the greatness of Chitanya Mahaprabhu, a religious preacher.
Manohar Sai- Named after Manor Sai, this music of Manipur is sung along with the music of Ramkartal, or cymbals and Khol or drums.
Lai Haraoba ishei- Full of erotic mysticism, this music of Manipur is based on dual meanings where there real meaning is camouflaged by innocent words. The tune and the rhythm is the main asset of this music of Manipur.
Thoubal Chongba- This song is sung with the Thoubal chongba dance and has a religious theme.
Pena ishei- The Pena, a musical instrument in Manipur, is an integral part of the music in Manipur. The Pena ishei is a kind of song that is sung is accompaniment of the Pena.
Khullong ishei- This music of Manipur is sung mostly by the Meities while they are working in the fields. This music of Manipur usually has love as its theme and the singer can uses words at his will and adjusts it to the tune.
Nat- This is a classical form of music in Manipur and is usually sung during ceremonies. The Nat songs have specified ragas for specific occasions
Some of the other popular kinds of music in Manipur are:
