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Learning from the master Guru Bipin Singh


For any artist, his art is his religion. Contribution of Guru Bipin Singh in the field of Manipuri dance has trespassed the limitation of time and space.  

On the occasion of Guru Bipin Singh’s birth anniversary, here are some of the published excerpts by exponents of Manipuri dance.

Priti Patel:

 

I am from a conservative Gujarati family in Calcutta. My grandfather, Umed Bhai Patel, however, was very progressive. He wanted his grandchildren to be well-versed in the fineries of life. When I was 10, he invited Guru Bipin Singh to train us at home in Manipuri dance. Guruji was a passionate teacher and I started to love my art. Read more Tryst withtradition (The Telegraph; June 12, 2011)

Sharmila Bandyopadhyay:

 

Guru Bipin Singh is a rare combination of a dancer, choreographer, scholar and a teacher. For over the last 50 years he had dedicated himself to the task of exploring and revealing the classical elements of Manipuri dancing in order to preserve, promote and propagate the art form in its pristine purity… His genius for creating and innovating dance compositions and choreography had given him a rightful place among the choreographers of Indian dance. Read more Guru Bipin Singh:Popularising Manipuri Dance (The Daily Star; August 23, 2007)

Tamanna Rahman:


In 1993, I travelled all the way to Kolkata to specialise in Manipuri with Guru Bipin Singh, the legendary Manipuri dancer. The whole teaching and learning belonged to the traditional system where we all had to stay at the guru's house to learn the art. I spent learning at the Manipuri Narthanalaya from the year 1993 to 1997. His wife, Guru Kalavati Devi, was also a teacher there. Read more Dance to my tunes! (The Daily Star; February 18, 2004)

Warda Rihab: 


My salute always goes to the father of Manipuri dance guru Bipin Singh, whose extensive research took ritualistic Manipuri dance to a classical dance form. Read more Dedicated Dancer Warda Rahib (The New Age)


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Guru Nileshwar Mukherjee, Guru Senarik Rajkumar, Guru Chandrakanta Singha, Guru Nilmadhab Mukherjee, Guru Haricharan Singha, Bibhaboti Devi, Kalabati Devi, Preeti Patel and Tamanna Rahman are some of the famous Manipuri dancers.
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