Rosy Club - Music from the 70s

By: Daniel Chabungbam *

Late 60s mark the beginning of a new era of music in the history of Manipur. Modern Manipuri music involving modern instruments came to push music lovers into a new tune.

This is to the credit of Rosy Club, a music group formed on October 30, 1969 by young five music enthusiasts at the residence of renowned Manipuri singer, music composer and music director Sagolshem Tijendra at Moirangkhom Bokul Makhong in Imphal West district. The five music enthusiasts, Sagolshem Tijendra, RK. Jnanranjan, (Late) Nongmaithem Jyotiprakash, (late) Y. Nilamani and (late) Tombi Sharma, put their hands together on a candle and pledged to form Rosy Club with the main objective to work in the field of music, dance, drama and other allied arts and cultural activities to promote and preserve Manipuri music.

The name ROSY (Rising Omnipotent Syndicate Youths) was penned the very day when the five music enthusiasts took the pledge. The followers of Rosy club are the youths who are interested in music in those days. The rise of Rosy Club can also be termed as the third generation in the history of Manipuri music, as a new form called Manipuri Adhunik (matam eeshei) gave birth after the folk style of music and the Hindustani classical music called Kirnat were witnessed earlier.

With just a single harmonium and a tabla in their possession, the participation of each and every members unitedly working together in composing music is the success behind the club. The club also took the role as an 'Institute' not with teachers but by sharing each others talents.

Rosy Club organized annual musical live show starting from the year 1970 titled as "ROSY 70" after the first musical nite of (late) Nongmaithem Pahari (the first ever musical show of a particular individual in Manipur). The club sold ticket without a third party involvement to make the musical shows successful and these annual shows continued till the last one in 1980 titled as "ROSY '80". The musical shows were initiated by persons like Thoudam Imomacha, Irom Iboyaima, Angom Kamini, Ngangbam Nimai and others. Besides renowned singer like N. Pahari took part in musical shows as a guest artist. They sang some in Hindi besides Manipuri songs.

As one of the musical groups, Rosy club was a pioneer in using modern musical instruments like Hollow Guitar, Dholak (dhulki), Triple Congo, Banjo, Bongo, Acoustic drums. The club also performed an art form called Eeshei saktam (a combination of theatre and songs). With the introduction of new and modern musical instruments, the club gave a taste of the new form of music to the people of Manipur. Later on, musical instruments like flute and violin were also added. There were no sound mixing systems except an amplifier with 3 or 4 microphones to perform the musical shows.

Rosy Club introduced the use of Hollow Guitar and Banjo with an electronic device of their own in Manipur. Octave was also electronically modified by the club. Thus, the songs that were played during the early seventies also came to be known as "Modern Songs" due to the usage of new instruments coupled with electronic devices as mentioned earlier. Members like Yumnam Rajen (popularly known as Guitar Rajen) and Banjo player, RK. Jnanranjan, gave this new taste of modern music thereby enthralling the music lovers. However, music enthusiasts of the earlier years opined that this "Modern Music" created a 'noisy' environment to the listeners when these newer instruments were used.

Rosy Club became a household name in the 70s and they were invited to perform musical shows in various parts of the state. Mention can be made of the invitation from Nagaland Police, the club went to perform at Kohima, Nagaland in a function commemorating the anniversary of Nagaland Police.

The main singers of the club includes Sagolshem Tijendra Singh, RK Jnanranjan, (late) G. Shyamkanhai, (late) Nongmaithem Jyotiprakash Singh, Mayanglambam Imochouba Singh, Elangbam Netrajit, Takhellambam Naba (popularly called Hindi Naba) among male artist. Nongmaithem Geeta, A. Tampha, W. Ashalata and Y. Mandakini are among the female singers of the club.

The club was approved by the All India Radio Imphal as a musical group under the strict guidance of Chandam Gopal Singh. Chandam Gopal, although working in theatre, has a big influencing factor for the Rosy Club as he groomed the young talented artists of the club. Chandam Gopal was the man behind Rosy Club in becoming an AIR approved musical group.

ø Unarare ngasi nang-ga eiga mitki pigi torbanda written by Maibam Ramchoran and sung by RK. Jnanranjan and W. Ashalata Devi,
ø Haada leirang Siroy lily written by Ch. Shyamacharan and sung by Nongmaithem Jyotiprakash,
ø Karigino nangna nungshi khangdriba written by Dr. Ibochouba Khaidem and sung by Nongmaithem Geeta Devi,
ø Hainabadai numitleidi numitta onshilli sung by S. Tijendra and A. Tampha Devi,
ø Ngao-i hainei nungshinaba also sung by Tijendra and A. Tampha Devi,
ø Thabalgi ahingsu pamjade nongjugi ahingsu kijeine written by A. Shanti Devi and sung by Y. Mandakini Devi
were among the special numbers that the crowd loved in almost every musical shows. These songs are occasionally being played on AIR Imphal even today !!

The instrumentalists of Rosy club are
ø Yumnam Rajen (Guitar Rajen) from Keishamthong Moirangningthou Leirak
ø Hawaiian Guitar, Ruhinikumar from Khagempalli
ø Tabla, Budhi from Singjamei Bheigyabati Leikai
ø Tabla, RK. Jnanranjan from Yaiskul Sanakhya Yaima kollup
ø Banjo, Aribam Shantimo Sharma from Yaiskul
ø Congo and Bonjo, Radhacharan from Singjamei Chirom Leikai
ø Guitar, O. Ranbir from Sagolband Bijoy Govinda
ø Flute, Elangbam Nutan from Moirangkhom Bokulmakhong
ø Bass Guitar, Labuktongbam Sanatomba Sharma from Kalimai
ø Dholak (Dhulki), Ngangbam Bidhan from Yaiskul Police Lane
ø Drums, Tayenjam Shyamacharan
ø Tabla, RK. Keshorjit (Achouba), RK. Nandalal and others.

Rosy Club used to rehearse their numbers before the audition of AIR at the residence of Chandam Gopal Singh in Moirangkhom Sougaijam Leirak for more than 5/6 months. They also practiced at the residence of A. Shantimo Sharma at Yaiskul and Angom Kamini Singh at Moirangkhom. But, the residence (Sangoi) of RK. Jnanranjan Singh at Yaiskul Sanakhya Yaima Kollup was the place where Rosy Club used to rehearse their numbers most frequently. Chandam Sangram is a music composer of Rosy club. The songs played by Rosy Club can be heard at GM hall in Imphal almost every Sunday in those days.

In fact, the existence of musical group like Rosy Club was an era where one gets the new taste of music through introduction of modern musical instruments. Rosy Club members have been an inspiration to many young music enthusiasts. Guitar Rajen became a 'master' (teacher) for many young guitarists while RK. Jnanranjan even stepped into the world of film. It is said that RK. Jnanranjan was asked to be a cast member for the film Meichak after seeing his active performances in the musical shows.

But, the efforts taken up by Rosy Club was not an easy task. Ranging from parents scolding to criticism from various angles/people, each and every members of the club were subjected to criticism, but this was a motivating factor to work harder and perform continuously. If not, the club would not have been heard at the very outset!

Later, the club with support from its executive members, well wishers, sympathizers decided to reach its destination of making Rosy Club, a fully established and equipped musical group, but unfortunately could not achieve their wishes due to hectic and conflicting schedules among members and internal matters surfacing within the club. This ultimately led to a slow decline of the club. Nevertheless, the contribution made by the club in promoting Manipuri music in those days is bearing fruit now. Rosy Club was and is a guiding force to many music lovers of the state, to make Manipur a musical hub in the years to come.

See a full Photo gallery on Rosy Club here.