Evolution of Ojanoki: Traditional Pedagogy, Cultural Transmission, and the Digital Transition among the Manipuris of Bangladesh

Since the establishment of settled Manipuri communities in northeastern Bangladesh and eastern India, the transmission of sacred songs and dance traditions has been sustained through a hereditary, oral master-disciple pedagogy known as Ojanoki (or Ojalouki). Under this system, an Oja (spiritual and artistic guide) imparts embodied ritual knowledge to Poruaks (disciples). In late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century Bangladesh, however, this pedagogical framework has encountered profound socio-economic and technological transformations. Rapid transitions from rural, agricultural livelihoods to urban, market-driven employment have distanced community members from traditional temple and village life. Concurrently, the proliferation of mass media and digital communication tools - such as smartphones, Zoom, WhatsApp, and social media platforms - has created both unprecedented avenues for virtual instruction and substantial generational divides. Elderly tradition-bearers frequently face economic precarity and technical barriers, while younger generations are increasingly drawn toward mainstream media cultures. Drawing upon primary field interviews with master tradition-bearers and performing arts scholars, this paper examines the evolution, structural characteristics, and contemporary vulnerabilities of Ojanoki. It offers a comparative analysis between Ojanoki and institutionalized Guru-Shiksha models, evaluates the opportunities and limits of digital mediation in intangible cultural heritage transmission, and outlines strategic policy interventions aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4.4 and 4.7) to safeguard Manipuri performance traditions for future generations.