The origin of Manipuri dance can be traced back to ancient times that go beyond recorded history. Manipuri dances sustained such ritual practices that were prevalent in the region. The ritual dances were of devotion and dedication to a deity. The evolution of this dance form was due to a mutual interaction between the earlier ritualistic dances and the Vaishnava Bhakti cult. In the 18th Century, a king of Manipur named Garib Nivas embraced Vaishnavism though the ground had been prepared by earlier Vaishnava missionaries. Sant Dass of Bengal left the deepest impact on the people. Meities assimilated the Vaishnava tradition but the older forms of Manipuri and themes were never given up. The result is a rich repertoire, divided into two clear parts. The first consists of the Meities dances, such as the Lai Haroba and the Khamba-Thoibi, while the second includes the Vaishnavite dances which chiefly present the varieties of rasa dances and the bhangis.
