Manipuri raas leela

Manipuri Classical Dance- Raas

traditional manipuri dance
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Raas leela has been a popular theme in Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Manipuri and some other Indian classical dances. Manipuri Rasa Leela specially depicts the connection of the individual soul with the spirit of the Supreme Being. The dance illustrates an eternal love of Radha and Krishna as been described in the Hindu scriptures & puranas. Also reveals the sublime love of Lord Krishna and Radha including the devotion of Gopies towards the Lord. 

History

In the year 1748 Rajrishi Bhagyachandra Maharaj was born . During his reign, he took shelter in Tekhal (Assam) in a war with Ava (Burma) he found the image of the almighty Lord Shri Krishna in his dream in the most attractive and exceptional dress for soft dances. The Lord was in his Natabar besh and a flute in his hand and a top-knot  of peacock feathers on his head. The union of Lord Krishna and Radha was seen in his future vision. The king had a dream telling him to make idols from the jack fruit grown in Kaina hills and worship it. In 1776, the devoted Vaisnav, Rajrishi Bhagyachandra, established the Shree Shree Govindaji Temple and inaugurated the divine idol of Radha Krishna and began to worship the Lord with his consort in the Royal Palace. And, from the 11th of November, 1779 on a full-moon day, the Raas-Leela of Radha Krishna was held with the most dynamic way of the religious people of Manipur. 

It can be rightly said that in the Manipuri Classical Dance, the Radha-Krishna Ras-Lila is one on the most chastest, modest, softest and mildest but the most meaningful dances of the world.

There are different kinds of Raas-dances.

1. Maharas - to be played on the full-moon day of October based on Shrimad Bhagavata Panchyadhyaya.
2. Kunjaras - to be played on the full-moon day of November based on Brahma Beibarta Purana.
3. Basantaras - to be played beginning from the full-moon day of April to the full-moon of May based on Govinda Lila Amrita.
4. Nityaras - to be played on any auspicious day of ten months except Hiyanggei and Shajibu based on Govinda Lila Amrita.
5. Dibaras - to be played in all months on any auspicious day, based on Govinda Lila Amrita.

a picture depiction of manipur raas leela
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Besides these, there are also different kinds of dances, such as Gosthalila, Udhukhal, Ekagopi, etc. which were originated in this culturally fertile land of Manipur. 

One more important aspect of the Manipuri dance is the mingling of faiths of Vaisnavism and Saivism with that of the Lai-Haraoba - a traditional dance of the three hundred and sixty four deities of the Meiteis of Manipur. Here in Ras-dance the philosophy of the Meiteis is the basis on which the philosophy of the Vaisnavism is the body and plot of the dances with the essence of the Bhagavata philosophy. With an eternal bond of love, the performers sneak out of their existence of human body and get united with each other within their soul. Therefore, it is a representation of projection of an interconnection of the human souls with the Supreme Being. In actual dance performance, the eye catching stylish movements and graceful gestures can be seen. During performance, these movements are controlled very much, that it acquires a touch of spiritual force. 

Still the traditional form has remains the same. The music remains the typical Dhrupada style of the Vraja Acharyas who penned the songs they heard to the accompaniment of Sitar and Pakhawaj and the songs are sung in Vraja Language, a parent to modern Hindi. Recently, many people have changed the traditional music to popular music. Yet there are a dedicated few who seek to preserve the traditional form of devotional art known as Raas Lila.