The Manipuri community living in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar district celebrated their major religious and cultural festival Maha Ras Leela that ended on Monday morning.
The Maha Ras Leela festival programme included a display of handicrafts and different ritualistic performances such as gustha leela, ras nritya, kirtana, and also included discussion on the religious rites.
The colorful celebrations began on Sunday simultaneously at different temples at Madhabpur and Adampur. The Vishnupuriya sect of the Manipuri community organised the festival at Shib Bazar Jura Mondop (Manipuri Temple) in Madhabpur while Meithei sect of the community organised the festival at Tetoigaon Jura Mondop in Adampur.
The Manipuri community has been celebrating Ras Leela on the full moon of the Bangla month Kartik in the area since the festival was introduced by the community in 1842 in Madhabpur following the tradition of Manipuris living in India.
Maharaj Bhagya Chandra, the King of Manipur, introduced Ras Leela celebration to glorify Lord Krishna through ritualistic performances. As Monipuris are the follower of Lord Sri Krishna, various Leelas of Sri Krishna performed through music, dance and recitation.
But the main attraction of the festival was traditional dance recitals performed by Manipuri boys and girls, who narrated the activities of Lord Sri Krishna since his boyhood. So fellowship, affection and charming characteristics of Lord Sri Krishna have been presented through the Ras Leela dances.
People from different communities enjoyed the performances and also visited the fair of Monipuri handicrafts and other materials. Abdus Shaheed, chief whip of Jatio Sangsad, was present at the discussion session of the inauguration ceremony as the chief guest on Sunday.
-With New Age input
