Manipuris in Tripura celebrate Maha Raas festival

The festival is celebrated every year on the full moon night of Kartik Purnima in the Hindu month of Kartik to mark Krishna's love for Radha.

Hundreds of Hindu Manipuri’s came together to celebrate ‘Maha Raas,’ a festival dedicated to the love life of Lord Krishna on Monday.

The festival is celebrated every year on the full moon night of Kartik Purnima in the Hindu month – Kartik to mark Krishna’s love for Radha.

During the celebrations, girls in their traditional dresses danced around the idols of Lord Krishna and Radha even as girls acting as Gopis sang devotional songs throughout the night at a local temple.

The festival was sponsored by the state government, a testament to a treaty between the Manikya dynasty and the union government during Tripura’s merger with the Indian union.

The ‘Maha Raas’ celebration started in Tripura more than two centuries ago and the Radha-Madhav Jews Temple, a testament to this enduring celebration, became a focal point for devotees and participants alike.

Before the partition of India, people far from Syllhet and Comilla in present day Bangladesh used to come to participate in the night long festival.

The inception of the Maha Raas celebration in Tripura can be traced back to a historical event. The Maharani of the Manikya dynasty of Tripura, who was also the daughter of Manipur’s Maharaja Bhagya Chandra, played a pivotal role. She brought the idol of Radha-Gobind from Manipur, establishing the Radhamadhav temple in the state.

Tripura had a cultural and traditional bond with the Manipur kingdom that started more than 350 years back through matrimonial alliances.

During the late 18th century, under the reign of Maharaja Krishina Chandra Manikya, not only did Manipuri culture flourish in Tripura, but the Bhakti cult also found its place.

While the festival’s origins lie in Hindu Manipuri traditions, it has evolved into a platform of communal harmony, with both Bengalis and tribal populations participating, transcending religious and cultural boundaries.

The year 1798 AD marked a significant chapter when Hariswari, the second daughter of Manipur’s Bhagya Chandra, was married in Tripura. Since then, the Rass Leela has been a continuous tradition in the Radhanaga temple, attracting participants from the Manipuri community and beyond.

The essence of Rass is not confined to religious boundaries; it symbolizes love and communal harmony.

People from diverse communities come together, setting aside their differences to unite in celebration.

This collective spirit holds particular significance in a state like Tripura, which has grappled with militancy and communal violence for more than two decades.

The Radha Govindas Rass dance, a classical form of expression, carries the rich history and tradition of the Manipuri community. Interestingly, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore adopted this dance form from the palace in Tripura to Santiniketan, further showcasing its cultural significance beyond regional boundaries.

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