Meitei Sankirtana

Meitei Sankirtan
MediumRitual singing, drumming and dancing
Originating cultureMeitei
Originating era18th century AD – present
Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur
CountryIndia
Reference00843
RegionAsia and the Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription2013 (8th session)
ListRepresentative

Meitei Sankirtan (Meitei: Meitei Nat Sankirtan), also known as Meitei Sankirtana (Meitei: Meitei Nat Sankirtana) or Manipuri Sankirtan (Meitei: Nat Sonkirton) or Manipuri Sankirtana (Meitei: Nat Sonkirton), is a Meitei intangible cultural heritage, and a performing art form, involving ritual singing, drumming and dancing performed in the temples and domestic spaces in Manipur in India. Through the performances which exhibit unparalleled religious devotion and energy, the performers narrate the many stories of Krishna often moving the spectators to tears. It is practiced primarily by the Meitei Hindus (primarily Vaishnavas) in Manipur and by the Vaishnava Manipuri population settled in the neighbouring States of Tripura and Assam. In December 2013, UNESCO inscribed "Sankirtana: Ritual singing, drumming and dancing of Manipur" in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Meitei Nat Sankirtana, along with the fusion of three other performing art forms, Huiyen Lallong, Lai Haraoba and Raaslila, gave rise to the Sangeet Natak Akademi-recognised Indian classical dance form, popularly known as the "Manipuri dance".