The Indian Classical dance form Manipuri Raas Leela is native to the Indian state of Manipur. It celebrates the love of Radha

and Krishna. Having a purely Vaishnavite origin, the dance form extolls Bhakti Rasa - the emotion of devotion. The Manipuri King Rajarshi Bhagyachandra took it from the Natyashastra and gave it to the masses in the 18th century and ever since, it has been a symbol of Madhurya, or sweetness, as quoted by Rabindranath Tagore.

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Manipuri Raas Leela comprises Jagoi - the main performance, cholom - a dance that generally precedes the jagoi, and huyen langlon- an exhibition ofarmed and unarmed fighting.

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There are three styles of Raas Leela: Taal, Danda and Mandal.

Taal indicates clapping, Danda involves beating of sticks and Mandal means circular formation of dancers.

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Although Lord Krishna only loved Radha, the gopikas of Vrindavana sought his love too. As the story goes, Lord Krishna multiplied himself several times so that all the gopikas who sought his love were blessed with his company. Thus, a Raas Leela performance has many women dressed up as the gopikas and many men dressed up as Krishna.

The dancers who are dressed as Krishna perform Tandav while the gopikas perform Laasya. Tandav is more vigorous and energetic while laasya is more delicate and graceful.

 

A performance is thus a wave of soft movements by the women punctuated by sharp movements by the men. Performers do not wear anklets like most other Indian Dance forms. Footwork is muted and simple in this dance form and priority is given to the composite movements of the body.

 

Traditionally, a Raas Leela performance is influenced by a play that is based on a specific literary work that describes the love-story of Radha and Krishna. Every year, three dance-dramas called leelas are performed in temples on specific occasions.

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The Basantaras is performed on the night of Holi, the pournami (full moon night) of Chaitra month (in March). The play depicted in this dance is based on Gita Govindam and the Brahmavaivarta Purana. The Maharas is performed on the pournima of the Kartika month (in November). It is the most important of the three Leelas and the play is based on Srimad Bhagavatam. The Kunjaras is performed on the day before the pournima of the Ashvayuja month (in October).

 

Raas leelas not performed on any of these three occasions are termed as Nityaras (if it is performed in the night) or Dibaras (if it is performed during daytime). The play in these leelas are based on various Puranas, local folklore or oral traditions.

 

Like most Indian art forms, Manipuri Raas Leela suffered a decline in popularity during the colonial Era. Post British Raj, it has acceleratedly regained popularity due to the efforts of numerous artistes, poets and authors from Northeastern India.

 

Raas Leela is about the love between Radha and Krishna. Both love and devotion make strong spiritual connections between the performer and the divine and between the

audience and the performer.

 

-Arya Shedbal