JNMDA's festival of Raas Leela

Rajmani Ayekpam *

A Manipuri Raas Dance during Manipur Sangai Festival at BOAT on November 22 2015 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

Perhaps, Manipuri Raas Leela is the best form among various other forms of Raas Leela prevailed in India. Not only Manipuri Raas Leela gives one of the finest forms of classical dance but also to provide one of the finest forms of spiritualism in Vaishnavishm sect. Some of the best classical dances of India based on erotica but Manipuri classical dance founded on Bakhti (devotion).

Any audience who witnessed other classical dances of India felt thrilled but an audience who witnessed Manipuri classical dance felt spiritualism. Being a Manipuri dance enthusiast, we are proud of UNESCO recognized Sankirtana as an intangible heritage and Raas Leela is a part of Sankirtana.

Though Manipuri Raas Leela is very popular among dance enthusiasts but difficult to remember all five kinds of Raas Leela i.e. Maha Raas, Kunja Raas, Vasanta Raas, Diba Raas, Nitya Raas. To witness Maha Raas one has to wait the full moon day of Hiyang-gei (November-December), so as to witness Vasanata Raas one has to wait Shajibu purnima (March-April), likewise Mera Purnima (September-October) for Kunja Raas, all the months of year except month of Hiyang-gei and Shajibu months for Nitya Raas and for Kunja Raas and Diba Raas it is opened to all months. For exclusivity of Kunja and Diba Raas these Raas are performed in daytime.

One has to face inconvenience to witness all these five Raas Leela due to technicality of specific day and timing. On the other hand, it is difficult to organize all these five Raas Leela by any individual. And another major problem for gurus and sutras (singers) of this day is to remember all the taals, songs and sequences as it is performed occasionally i.e. once in a long period.

In order to erase all the inconvenience and to preserve sanctity of Raas Leela Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA), Imphal organized Festival of Raas Leela occasionally. The last Festival of Raas Leela was held in the year 2010 at Mandap of the JNMDA. That festival was a successful one.

After five years of the last festival, JNMDA organized recently the Festival of Raas Leela at Guruaribam Mandap, Brahmapur, Imphal from October 16 to 20, 2015. Five different groups of Nata Sankirtana and dance organization participated in that festival. The festival offered much awaited opportunity to devotee of Vaisnavism and dance enthusiast of this state to witness all these five kinds of Raas Leela.

To organize such type of Festival of Raas Leela can enhance not only enhance the quality of Manipuri classical dance but also distribute spirituality to great extent. For die hard devotee of Vaisnavism sect to witness a Raas Leela is another approach to pursuit spirituality.

After the formal function of the festival, the Nata Sankirtana performance of Gurus and students of JNMDA preceded the Maha Raas performed by Gurus and students of JNMDA. The performance of Maha Raas by JNMDA was good but not upto the mark expected by audience. Intelligent audience of Manipuri classical dance expected much from JNMDA as JNMDA is the professional dance group in the whole of north-east India.

In the second day of the festival i.e. October 17 the Nata Sankirtana performance of Shri S. Kameshwar Singh & his Party preceded Kunja Raas performed by Sangeet Academy, Kakching. Kakching is far from Imphal but they have distinctive style of art & culture. The more distinctive uniqueness in Kakching is a scheduled caste community who has interested in Manipuri classical dance.

The third day of the festival, the 18th of October the Nata Sankirtana performance of the N. Ibomcha Singh & his party preceded the Vasanta Raas performed by Public Theatre Artistes Association, Nambol. Vasanta Raas is the most common Raas Leela among five Raas Leela. All the stage performance of Raas Leela witnessed by audience is Vasanta Raas so that audience very acquainted with Vasanta Raas.

The performance of the Vasanta Raas performed by Public Theatre Artistes Association was good but average. The Progressive Artistes Laboratory (PAL), Lambhoikhongnang-khong, Imphal performed Diba Raas on the fourth day of the festival. Nata Sankirtana performance of Shri L. Lakpati Singh & his party preceded the performance of the Diva Raas.

The uniqueness of Diba Raas is the only Raas Leela that can be performed on the day time. Some ordinary audience opined that that Diba Raas performed by PAL was very good in compare with other performance. Dancers & sutras (singer) who have participated in that Raas were good so that the performance can draw attention of the audience. The fifth and the last day of the festival Nata Sankirtana performance of the Shri M. Boyai & his party preceded the Nitya Raas performance of the Sangeet Kala Sangam, Khurari, Imphal. The performance of the Nitya Raas performed by SKS was also good one.

My humble suggestions to the authority of JNMDA that Lai Haraoba and Raas Leela are the backbone of the Manipuri dance. So, JNMDA may take initiative to promote and preserve sanctity of Manipuri dance as offering project work either Lai Haraoba or Raas Leela to their post-graduate students as to complete their course like National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi did to their students by offering extension workshop. This will enhance Manipuri dance to go forward.