Nongmaithem Pahari
Encyclopedia
Nongmaithem Chittaranjan Singh, more commonly known as Nongmaithem Pahari, was an Indian
singer, a composer
, a revolutionist
and a writer
. He used to sing in Manipuri. He was perhaps the most prolific Modern Manipuri singer before his death on 18 October 2006 in Imphal
, Manipuri
, India.
is the way he introduced or started a new era of music. He is known to be the greatest force in consolidating the popularity of Modern Manipuri music.
Nongmaithem Pahari was born on 28 August 1934 in Imphal, Manipur. His father, Nongmaithem Thanil, represented the nobility of that time and was an avid theatre activist. Pahari's affinity towards music was manifested early in his childhood when he was heavily influenced by the likes of KL Saigal, Pankaj Mallik and Mana Dey.
Of the many albums that Pahari released during his lifetime, Undying Melodies is considered to be the magnum opus
. This is the album that features quite an eclectic number of his all time hits like "Ningsingli meraagi thabaldo", "Eigee eshei saklaroi", "Ahingda khongbee taamna", "Nangee maithong urubada" and "Nangi Napalgi".
The majority of Pahari's songs were written by Manipur B.Jayentakumar Sharma, who composed music for many feature films and many theatre dramas. He had been decorated with almost all the Awards and recognition in the state pertaining to music and culture.
Pahari wrote a book titled Eigi Diaridagi meaning "From My Dairy". It was mainly about his experiences inside the Imphal and Tripura Jail with brief but important mention of the real genesis of the political and armed revolution in Manipur.
He was one of the founding members of United National Liberation Front
, a revolutionary front formed in Manipur on 24 October 1964 which is still one of the largest insurgent groups in Manipur.
Pahari retired as the Station Director of Doordarshan Kendra Imphal(Television broadcasting station of Manipur) before which he served as the Station Director of All India Radio in various places including Imphal, Kohima and Gangtok. He was the President of Manipur Dramatic Union, Imphal and All Manipur Matam Ishei Kanglup. He also headed many other societies and cultural groups of the state.
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
singer, a composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, a revolutionist
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
and a writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. He used to sing in Manipuri. He was perhaps the most prolific Modern Manipuri singer before his death on 18 October 2006 in Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
, Manipuri
Manipuri
Manipuri is the synonym of Meetei or Meitei. Meetei is an endonym and Manipuri is an exonym.It may refer to:* Manipur, a state in northeastern India* Manipuri language, a Tibeto-Burman language also known as the Meeteilon...
, India.
Career
Nongmaithem Pahari's greatest contribution to the culture of ManipurManipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
is the way he introduced or started a new era of music. He is known to be the greatest force in consolidating the popularity of Modern Manipuri music.
Nongmaithem Pahari was born on 28 August 1934 in Imphal, Manipur. His father, Nongmaithem Thanil, represented the nobility of that time and was an avid theatre activist. Pahari's affinity towards music was manifested early in his childhood when he was heavily influenced by the likes of KL Saigal, Pankaj Mallik and Mana Dey.
Of the many albums that Pahari released during his lifetime, Undying Melodies is considered to be the magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
. This is the album that features quite an eclectic number of his all time hits like "Ningsingli meraagi thabaldo", "Eigee eshei saklaroi", "Ahingda khongbee taamna", "Nangee maithong urubada" and "Nangi Napalgi".
The majority of Pahari's songs were written by Manipur B.Jayentakumar Sharma, who composed music for many feature films and many theatre dramas. He had been decorated with almost all the Awards and recognition in the state pertaining to music and culture.
Pahari wrote a book titled Eigi Diaridagi meaning "From My Dairy". It was mainly about his experiences inside the Imphal and Tripura Jail with brief but important mention of the real genesis of the political and armed revolution in Manipur.
He was one of the founding members of United National Liberation Front
United National Liberation Front
The United National Liberation Front is an insurgent group in the state of Manipur in the north-east of India. The UNLF aims to establish an independent socialist Manipur...
, a revolutionary front formed in Manipur on 24 October 1964 which is still one of the largest insurgent groups in Manipur.
Pahari retired as the Station Director of Doordarshan Kendra Imphal(Television broadcasting station of Manipur) before which he served as the Station Director of All India Radio in various places including Imphal, Kohima and Gangtok. He was the President of Manipur Dramatic Union, Imphal and All Manipur Matam Ishei Kanglup. He also headed many other societies and cultural groups of the state.
Films and albums
- Ngak-E-Ko Nangshe (1974) (Music Direction & Playback)
- Khonjel (1981)
- Sanakeithel (1983) (Story & Music Direction)
- Khuthang Lamjel (Music Direction & Playback)
- Yairipok Thambalnu (1984) (Music Direction & Playback)
- Sanamanbi Sanarei (1995) (Music Direction)
- Meichak Meichak (1998) (Music Direction & Playback)
Albums
- Undying Melodies
- Thariktha
- Greatest Hits
- The Best of Melody King
- Golden Hits
- Dolaithakta Chatlibi