Music of Manipur

Manipur is a region of North-East India. Some varieties of folk music from the area include the rural love songs Khullang Eshei, the rhythmic Lai Haraoba eshei, which contain lyrics with veiled references to erotic mysticism and pena eshei, which is accompanied by a pena, an instrument made from a bamboo rod and the shell of a gourd or coconut. The pena is an ancient instrument that is a sort of national symbol for Manipuris. Nat (a shortened form of Meitei Nat Sankirtan) is a classical form of music of Manipur.