Shumang leela, a theatrical form of Manipur, is not only for entertaining but also represents the cultural practices, realities of life and informs the people of the social events and issues affecting society
Over the last decades, feminist thinkers across a range of disciplines have been revisiting, re-looking at history to understand the social representation of women in various historical narratives. Discussing social representation of women in various historical narratives becomes important in order to understand, the complexities of the life of a woman, the subtleties, how society treats women, their social position and so on. For representation affects women, their way of thinking, and the way they perceive the world and themselves as well as how society perceives them.
Cinema, art, music, drama, et al. remain the most popular medium of passing down these historical narratives from one generation to the next.
Shumang leela, literally translated as courtyard drama, is a popular theatrical art form of Manipur and is a medium not only for entertaining the people but also of representing the cultural practices, ideologies, realities of life. It also informs the
people of the social events and issues affecting the society.
‘Nupigee Thamoi’ directed by Yumnam Rajen, is one such Shumang leela based on the legendary story of Prince Naothinkhong and Petanga, the only daughter of the Shelloi village Chief.
Naothingkhong, the third son of Meitei Emperor Urakonthouba of Manipur (568-663AD) was an arrogant youth, who ran away from home to escape his father's constant attempts to discipline him. He hid at a place called Shelloi. There he fell in love with the beautiful daughter of the Shelloi Chief, Petanga and they secretly got married.
The Shellois had a long enmity with the Meiteis. On coming to know that Naothinkhong is the son of the Meitei King, the Shelloi villagers pledged to take revenge on the Meities by killing the Prince. Petanga pleaded for Naothinkhong's life but the angry villagers were unwilling to concede. Realising that her pleading would be in vain, she requested the villagers to give her some time so that she could share a last meal together with her husband. The villagers agreed to this request.
In the meantime Petanga persuaded Prince Naothingkhong to escape from Shelloi and to return after he becomes the King of Manipur. After hours of persuasion the Prince finally succumbed to her wishes and fled from the spot.
later, the villagers realised that Petanga had fooled them and helped Naothingkhong to escape from her house cursed her and ran to chase the prince.
Meanwhile, Prince Naothingkhong took shelter at the residence of the Khuman King. The Khuman King gave his daughter for marriage to Prince Naothingkhong. To build more alliances the Khuman King introduced Prince Naothingkhong to the Moirang King who also handed his daughter's hand in marriage to Prince Naothingkhong. Under the able guidance of the two kings, Prince Naothingkhong learnt the art of war and the art of running the state.
While on one side Prince Naothinkhong struggled to win back his kingdom was going on the other, we see the sufferings Petanga had to undergo for helping Prince Naothingkhong to escape the Shelloi village. Every now and then she was taunted by the villagers and was even debarred from using the village pond and wells. She became an outcaste in her own village.
Prince Naothingkhong with the help of the Khuman King and the Moirang King succeeded in ascending the throne. News spread far and wide of his victory and of his coronation as the Meitei King with Keirunghanbi as the queen. Petanga on hearing this rushed to the palace and was shocked to see the daughter of the Khuman King seated on the left side of Prince Naothingkhong. Petanga pleaded with the Prince to recollect their love and the sacrifices she had made for him. She said she is the only rightful person to be seated on his left side. However, Prince Naothingkhong bounded by his obligation towards the Khuman King and the Moirang King refused to acknowledge Petanga. Petanga couldn't bear and she took her own life.
The play offers many insights to the then existing social situation from the gender perspective. The stories played out hovers around Prince Naothinkhong life, his dreams, his aspirations, his tragedies, his revenge, his desires and his heroism. The women exist only in relation to him, as his caretaker, his consoler, his wives and especially his lovers, reflecting the power dynamics in Meitei society.
The three women in the play symbolize how in different contexts the discourse of nationalism, of creating and solidifying the political boundaries uses women as key signifiers, symbolising both the physical and metaphorical terrain upon which political and ethnic identities are created, maintained and reinforced.
This historical narrative throws light to the fact that it is inherent in our society's structure to use women's body as a site for political struggle and supremacy and that the processes of determination and formation of women's identity is not a matter of personal choice rather it is circumscribed. This play denounces the imagery of a secular, egalitarian, and democratic Meitei society.
We need to reflect whether the narrative of employing women as emblems, as tools for political agenda, as someone bereft of agency being internalised by women, making it their own identity and negotiated in real life, in their everyday experiences.
(Written by Dr Sushma Wahengbam who is a Senior Research Associate with the Vivekananda Kendra Institute of Culture, Guwahati. The views expressed do not represent that of the institute)