Raas Leela, Majuli Raas Mahotsav - The Magnificent Raas Festival of Majuli
Raas Leela, Majuli Raas Mahotsav - The Magnificent Raas Festival of Majuli 2024
The Raas Mahotsav or Raas Leela is an annual and magnificent festival of the Majuli Island being performed on the full moon day which is basically called "Purnima" in the months of October-November (Kati-Aghun) during the autumn season. The Raas Mahotsav was first introduced in Majuli as a performing festival and during this festival, the Satra of the Island draw a large number of disciples, devotees & tourists. The Raas Leela is the story of the life of Lord Krishna presented in the form of performing art. The event of Raas Leela as mentioned in the 'Bhagawat Purana' depicts a blissful story with Bhakti Rasa. Here Lord Krishna plays the lead role in the divine form, who is accompanied by the Gopis of Gokul. The Raas Leela is mainly classified into nine Bhakti Raas & Natya Raas, out of which Bhakti Raas assumes much significance. It begins with the birth of Lord Krishna, his upbringing at the house of King Nanda, his tending the cows at Gokula along with his fellow cowherds, his childhood activities, his killing of the demons like Bakasura, Aghasur, Pralambasur, Dhenukasur, Chakrabat, Putana, Kaliya and of Kansa-his maternal uncle, at various time of his youth and on various other occasions, and finally his amorous play with the Gopies.
In the Udasin Satras, the Raas dance is performed by the celibate inmates of the Satra, the Bhakats donning a female costume in the night in the Naam Ghar with music and dance. Performance of the Raas Leela involves various classes of musical instruments, music and dance, and artifacts mask and painting.
The first Raas Leela was performed at Dakhinpat Sattra in 1840 AD and is still ongoing. This is a part of ancient Assamese music and dance. Raas Lila was sung by Pitambardeva Goswami from Garamur Sattra in 1934; In 1950, Sattra enabled her daughters to participate in Raas Lila and dance. Nowadays, women join many institutions as a normal way to pursue the performance of Raas Lila.
Although this festival is part of the Sattra tradition as a festival held by many villages, it has a significant impact on the life and culture of the people of Majuli in particular. During the festival, all men, women and children are busy welcoming guests and performing various festival-related duties. There are reports that millions of people visited the island during the event, which lasted four to five days, and that every family was required to host and maintain one or more of them during those days.
History of Raas Leela:
According to folklore, Basudev Goswami, the 10th Satradhikar of Dakhinpat Satra, was given divine command in his dream to keep Sri Krishna Raas Leela in the Satra to save the Satra from erosion. Following this order, Basudev Goswami wrote a play on the life of Lord Krishna until Aristasur was killed and started taking action based on the play.
Raas Leela began in 1934 with a performance by Sri Sri Pitambardeva Goswami, former Satradhikar and social reformer of Garamur Satra. In 1950, Satra allowed the girls to participate and dance in Raas Leela. Nowadays, it is common for women to participate in Raas Leela in many institutions. This festival has a great impact on the lives and culture of the people of Majuli. Although it is a part of the Satras culture, it is practiced in many villages.
At the festival, men, women and children are busy welcoming guests and performing various festival-related tasks. This takes a long time, 4-5 days, millions of people visit the island and the people of Majuli treat this place as their guest.
Majuli Raas Mahatsav, Majuli Raas Festival 2024
Every year in the third week of November, Majuli hosts the Raas Leela festival. This festival is a celebration of 500 years of cultural and artistic contributions of various Sattras and various tribal traditions. The 5th-century saint Srimanta Sankardev used dance dramas to share stories of Lord Krishna with people who did not understand texts in Indian languages. Earlier Raas was performed only by Sattra priests and saints.
This changed a few years ago and today locals join Sattra monks in a three-day festival and re-enact the life of Lord Krishna through chants, songs, folk dances, performances and games. Some of the participants lead a strict lifestyle for a few days before the festival so that they can concentrate more on their work. Some of the good deeds done are: birth of Krishna, Krishna herding cows in Gokul, child robbery, Makhan Chori (stealing clarified butter) and killing demons like Bakasur, Kaliya and Kans. The Bhaona drama, in which the actors wear masks made by monks, is quite interesting. Another highlight is the traditional Sattriya dance which features in various Sattras. The Raas Leela festival is a unique combination of neo-Vaishnavite and Assamese tribal culture.
Majuli Raas Mahatsav, Majuli Raas Festival Song 2024 in Assamese
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
প্ৰভু নাচে কৃষ্ণ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
আৰে বিমল অম্বুজ, বিমলই অম্বুজ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন,
হৰি নাচে কৃষ্ণ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
প্ৰভু নাচে কৃষ্ণ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
ৰতন আসন ৰতন ঘোষন
তপব কাঞ্চন মৰণ
জলস ৰনভ পৰম পল্লভ
যেন বিকশিত ধৰণ,
হৰি নাচে কৃষ্ণ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
প্ৰভু নাচে কৃষ্ণ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
ঘেৰি ঘেৰি পলক পুণিত
আনন্দে আনিএ কিও !
গোপীসদে কহে কৰণ কমলে
সম্পকালে স্থানে দিও,
হৰি নাচে কৃষ্ণ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
প্ৰভু নাচে কৃষ্ণ
বিমলই অম্বুজ বদন
Majuli Raas Mahatsav, Majuli Raas Festival Song 2024 in English
Lord Krishna is dancing among Gopies
And his charming beauty
Dazzles like the blooming lotus
His clean and charming beauty
Fascinates all.
He shines with golden beauty
Inspires emotions of love
He is reflected everywhere on earth,
Water and in the sky charming as Full moon.
Let us enjoy the rare taste of nectar (honey)
By dancing, playing and singing around him.
Danced, played and sang to be happy
And overjoyed with the attachment of beautiful Krishna.
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