Dance of celebration of love

Raas leela : The dance of passion and love

The joyful dance of lord Krishna with his gopis is known as 'Raas leela'. Raas leela has been a popular theme in Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Manipuri, and Kuchipudi dance forms. Raas Leela is a popular form of folk theatre in the regions of Mathura, Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, especially during the festivals of Krishna Janmashtami and Holi, and amongst various followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism in the region.It is a Vaishnavite theatre form based on the legends of Radha Krishna with emphasis on prem bhakti or love and devotion. 

Main characters are Radha, Krishna and the gopis. The theme often depict the pangs of separation of the gopis and Radha from Krishna.The pure dance sequences performed in the Raas leela dances follow a specific rhythmic patterns and body movements, which are traditionally handed down.The beginning and end of the leela is enclosed within the walls of Bhakti. The Raas Leela as such is a way or path that leads to the Lord and the fulfillment of eternal happiness of all the devotees. The performance and even the seeing and hearing of it is considered as a good deed. It is a medium of achieving salvation.

The five different types of Raas Leela are :

(i) Maha Raas

 (ii) Kunja Raas

 (iii) Basanta Raas

 (iv) Nitya Raas and 

(v) Diba Raas. 

Theatrical elements of Raas Leela

Raas Leela is performed in the Mandap attached to a temple. In local areas in absence of Mandap, temporary mandap is setup. The Mandap as such is constructed with great care fulfilling the required rules, as it signifies the holy place where the divine sport of Krishna and Gopis is to be performed. The exact performance space of the Raas Leela is known as Raas Mandal. Raas Mandali is the central space of the Mandap where the exact performance takes place.  In the Brindavan Bhava the main playing space was centered around the dense forest of Brindavan where a crescent shape platform with abundant sweet smelling flowers, creepers and flower-buds all around is shaped for the divine sport. The present day Raas mandal is somewhat created to resemble as mentioned in the Puranas with artistic specified effects. The Raas Mandal is constructed, designed and decorated to have a realistic resemblance of the settings of Brindavan’s Raas Leela sport. 

The main eight pillars of the Raas Mandal are either wrapped with white clothes or with leaves (especially jackfruit tree or peepal). The ceiling is first covered -wiihyenphak which is a mat, made of Bamboo strips crossing one another or at times simply with plain white cloth. At present, movable 149 ceiling is used.lighting generally comprises of bulbs and tube lights. Straw mats are spread out in rows in all the directions surrounding the Raas Mandal for the audience. Once the preliminaries and beautification of the Raas Mandal is over, it is considered or taken as Brindavan’s Nikunja forest. The Raas Mandal is pure and sacred and prohibits entering it. The Vaishnav devotees identify it with the real performing space of Krishna and Radhika. 

Dress

The costume of Raas Leela as such is not to create a visual effect. The form of the attire, the color, symbols and motifs designed have its own meaning and underlying relationship with the concerned characters.There is costume for specific characters. The costume of Lord Krishna is known as ‘Natvar Veshm. The dhoti is of silk, golden in colour with studded sequins. Kunja or the frontal fold pleats of the pheijom is put down. Khaons or decorated flaps cross on the left and right shoulders and hang down from the waist area on both sides slightly below the knee. The upper part is worked with bright and shining sequins. The bare chest is covered with pisindrai mari, a gold necklace. The wrist, hand, forearm, feet, leg, etc. are decorated with bracelets, rings, anklets, necklaces, wrist and armbands or armlet. Radha and Gopis wear potloi. It is worn around the waist and hangs down reaching the ankle nearly touching the ground. Potloi is also known as Kumir. It is decorated with sequins, mirrors, gold applique, brass and silver colored stripes forming distinct patterns. They are totally cleansed and almost ready to enter the world of Lord Krishna. Abhisek is performed and all the actors now identified with a particular character proceed to the Raas mandal. They are considered sacred and cannot be touched by the ordinary people. 

Sri Radha Krishna Prem leela

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Sri Radha

Radha, the World-Mother, who took her birth at Barshana, near Vrindavan, who is an embodiment of Sri Krishna Prem. Radha was born to Kamalavati and Vrishabhanu in village of Barshana, about 8 kilometers from Vrindavan. Since their childhood, they were very close to each other - they danced,they fought, they played, and grew up together with the thought of living together for eternal. This love game between Radha and Krishna, popularly known as raas leela, was the embodiment of devotion,love,passion and transcendental care. Radha is the embodiment of Mahabhava. The word Radha means a devotee. 

The body of Radha is made up of  tenderness and beauteousness for Sri Krishna. The substance of her subtle form as Mahabhava is Krishna Prem. Her sweet radiant smile spreads as an aromatic smell. All good qualities are her garlands.  The lover and the Beloved become one through the intensity of love. Radha had this type of love. In Madhurya-bhava there is the closest relationship between the devotee and the Lord. There is no sensuality in Madhurya-Bhava. The language of love which the mystic uses cannot be comprehended by worldly persons. Only Gopis, Radha, Mira, Tukkaram, Narada, Hafiz, can understand the language.

Before leaving from vrindavan to kill demon kamsa,safeguard truth & virtue and protect citizens of mathura, he met radha. Sobbing in love she asked krishna "Why don't you marry me and take me with you for what i know you are not going to come back soon?" Krishna just turned back and didn't respond. Krishna smilingly then answered : "Radha, we need two souls for marriage but you tell me where is the second one?How can i marry myself?"

Another story of Sri Radha

According to another story Radha was already married to a person named Ayyan Alias Chandrasen and thus, was an aunt of lord Krishna. Since she was already married , lord Krishna couldnt accept her proposal for marriage as a hundu woman was not allowed to marry twice. After this Krishna left Mathura and married three girls whereas radha still remained devoted to Krishna and is said that her love and devotion remained in krishna's heart forever.all incarnations. 

It is said krishna wanted to give the message of true love and devotion and so, he expanded himself to produce a feminine entity out of himself and tool immense delight in loving her equivalent to loving himself Although they didn't marry each other still their love beome eternal and their love stories will be admired and adored till the end of this universe. 

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Krishna Leela

Krishna and her Gopis

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Not many people are familiar with the term rash/raas leela. The term, raas means "aesthetics" and leela means "act," "play" or "dance" which is mainly a concept from Hinduism, that roughly translates to "play (leela) of aesthetics (raas)," or more broadly as "Dance of Divine Love". It is mainly a form of dance which were said to be performed by the Hindu god Krishna and her gopis. It depicts the traditional story of Krishna as described in Bhagavata Purana and literature such as the Gita, where he dances with Radha and her gopis. Lord Krishna performed this raas leela with Vrindaban gopis and these gopis were not merely the village girls actually they are the ones who had been appeared through the energy of Krishna’s own Hladini shakti (Joy-rendering power or mental companion potency),and  Radha rani was the symbol of this Hladini Shakti. These gopis were nothing but the sages who were waiting for long. 

The ages of these gopis varied from 12 to 25 and even 40 years old. they served their life to Lord Krishna and offered seva (service) to him in return of Krishnas company. the gopis were not only Brahm Gyani (knower of god) but they crossed the level and became Brahm premi (lover of god). growing above the material wealth these gopis only served themselves for the love of Lord Krishna. The Love of all those gopis were simply unconditional, they expected nothing in return from Krishna, all of them were waiting since many decades just to enjoy the company of Krishna in Raas leela. The traditional romantic world between human and materialistic world is declined and spiritual love is welcomed. 

The rasa lila takes place one night when the gopis of Vrindavan, upon hearing the sound of Krishna's flute, sneak away from their households and families to the forest to dance with Krishna throughout the night, which Krishna supernaturally stretches to the length of one night. In the Krishna bhakti traditions, the raas-leela is considered to be one of the highest and most obscure or rarefied of Krishna's pastimes. The Bhagavata Purana states that whoever faithfully hears or describes the Raas leela attains Krishna's pure loving devotion.