PUNG CHOLOM
Pung or Manipuri classical
drum is the soul of Manipuri Nata- Sankirtana
(devotional music) and Classical Manipuri dance. It is made of
seasoned woods of Jackfruit and Wang trees and is an
indispensable part of all aspects of the social, cultural, and
religious life of Manipur.
Cholom means a graceful, dynamic and rhythmic
movement of the body involving the head and legs while playing
the musical instrument. Pung Cholom is performed as an invocatory
number preceding the Nata-Sankirtana.
Pung Cholom is a highly refined classical dance number
characterized by the modulation of sound from a soft whisper to a
thunderous climax. The dancers execute various stages of slow and
quick movements of the body while playing the pung --with
intricate rhythms and cross rhythms leading to ecstatic heights.