Skip to main content

Bishnupriya Manipuri Culture

RKHL Sinha, New Delhi


We, Bishnupriya Manipuri community people are Vaisnavities, our heart is soft, and it is so soft that the religious lyrics of Lord Sri Krishna and Sri Chaitanya Mohaprabhu bring tears in our eyes. That is what we witness in the plays of Raslila, Bhagavad Gita, in the recitation of the Ramayana and in the Mahabharata as well as in other religious functions of the community.


Every community has their own rule and conducts, so we have. The unique sitting arrangement and the components that are involved in any social gathering as well as in the other cultural gathering are as follows:

Kirtanmapu: He is person wearing a pagri is authorised to allot respective sit for Brahmins, Rajkumar, Kshatriyas, women folks, Sainyasis and Sadhus. One of the sit is permanently reserved for the Goddiswar, the respected Brahmin empowered by the community. The special sit is followed by a Gaddi covered with white bed sheet and pillow. Nobody is allowed to occupy the Gaddi except the designated pious Brahmin.The Kirtanmapu preferred to sit in the front.

Panasaberi: The function of Panaseberi is to take care of the devotees by offering them with Leichandan and pan supari from time to time.

Kholpumfum: A pious elder person who offers water on legs of pious elder devotees and Sadhus.

Bhandari: A designated righteous person is responsible for preparing food stuffs. Nobody is allowed to disturb his professional work.


I feel proud that the level of grandeur that is being followed religiously in any social gathering is unparalleled to any other communities. Efforts must be there to keep it intact before it becomes one of the extinct practices.




You like the story! Do comment. Forward it to your friend. 

If you have got any story related to Bishnupriya Manipuri, do send. 
Share your words.


For more Bisnhupriya Manipuri stories




Comments

  1. During my father's Shradh ceremony I have heard the names of all the persons like the Kirtanmapu,Panasaberi,Kholpumfum,
    Bhandari etc. but never knew their assigned job and the necessity....after reading this article it became clear....thanks for such a nice article as it will gv a clear picture to all who does nt know the social rules followed by our community....

    ReplyDelete
  2. good article....i have seen the dance in one of the 'sri sri bhuvaneshwar sadhu thakur utshab' held in Tinsukia some seven years ago....the drum dance sequence really drifted me to another world!!!

    mansi

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

We all love comments. It is moderated

Popular posts from this blog

Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Sadhu Thakur

By Ranita Sinha, Kolkata Sri Sri Bhubaneshwar Thakur, the great saint of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Community was born on 26th October, 1871, in a remote village of Cachar district called Baropua in the state of Assam. He was born to a Xatriya Manipuri family. His father Sri Sanatan Pandit was a Sanskrit teacher and mother Srimati Malati Devi, a house wife. Sadhu Baba from his childhood was indifferent to all worldly happenings. He was engrossed in chanting the name of Lord Krishna. Along with other students of his age, Sadhu Baba started taking lessons of grammar and other spiritual literature from his father. At a very young age he lost his mother but he was brought up with utmost love and care by his step mother. At the age of eighteen, Sadhu baba lost his father, so, to continue his spiritual education under the guidance of Rajpandit Mineshwas Swarbabhwam Bhattacherjee, he went to Tripura. But within one year he made up his mind to visit all the holy places and as such he took permis

Assam Search Engine: Bisarok

Exclusive search engine on Assam Manash Pratim Gohain, TNN Jun 16, 2012, 01.46PM IST NEW DELHI: Assam got its own search engine ' Bisarok '. The search engine has been launched to get results exclusively on queries and information related to Assam. 'Bisarok', means 'to search' in Assamese language, has been launched and has been linked to various websites of the Government of Assam and departments, educational institutions and media. The search engine is likely to give a new online experience related to searches on Assam. Built on Google custom search engine, the search engine would be collating and building a database of web properties exclusively of the state in the North East region. 'Bisarok' has been developed by RK Rishikesh Sinha, who had earlier created a similar custom search engine ('Bisarei') on Bishnupriya Manipuri. According to Sinha, apart from Google there was no link to get results particularly on Assam. Any web entity related

A short history of the Bishnupriya Manipuri and their religio-cultural consciousness

Undoubtedly, the accurate period of the emergence or the development of religious consciousness of the Bishnupriya Manipuri is difficult to ascertain, but it is an old one that is undoubted, writes Rini Sinha , Guwahati . Religious beliefs are found virtually in every human society. Religious beliefs usually relates to the existence and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life. Religious knowledge according to religious practitioners may be gained from religious leaders, sacred texts or personal revelation. The development of religion has taken many forms in various cultural communities. The accurate period of emergence or development of religious consciousness of the Bishnupriya Manipuries is difficult to ascertain, but it is an old one that is undoubted. However, on the basis of the views of different scholars, pre-historic and historical remain whatsoever is available and from the logic of personal observations, we may put forward some view