Manipuri Raas Leela 2026: Kartik Purnima Maha Raas & the Dance of Devotion

Quick answer: The Manipuri Maha Raas Leela 2026 is performed on Kartik Purnima — Tuesday, 24 November 2026 — the full-moon night when Manipur re-enacts the divine dance of Radha, Krishna and the gopis. The best-known performance takes place through the night at the Shree Govindajee Temple in Imphal.

In Manipur, worship is dance. The Raas Leela — one of the purest expressions of Manipuri, among India's eight classical dance forms — is not a stage show but an act of devotion (bhakti), offered on sacred full-moon nights to Lord Krishna. On Kartik Purnima, the grandest of these, the Maha Raas, unfolds until dawn.

When is Manipuri Raas Leela 2026?

Other Raas cycles are danced on different full moons — Kunja Raas, Vasant (Basanta) Raas in spring, Nitya Raas — but the Maha Raas on Kartik Purnima is the most revered.

The origin: King Bhagyachandra's vision

The classical Manipuri Raas Leela was shaped in the 18th century under King Bhagyachandra (Rajarshi Ching-Thang Khomba), who — tradition holds — designed the dance and the exquisite kumil / potloi costume after a divine vision of Krishna, and installed the deity Shree Govindajee. Since then the Raas has been inseparable from Manipur's Vaishnava faith.

The dance of devotion

• Dancers portray Radha, Krishna and the gopis; the Krishna role is danced by a young performer, the gopis in the stiff, shimmering, barrel-shaped potloi skirt and translucent veil.
• Movements are gentle, rounded and inward — the face serene, the devotion turned inward rather than displayed — accompanied by the pung (drum) and devotional song.
• The performance is a slow, all-night meditation on the soul's longing (Radha) for the Divine (Krishna), watched by devotees as worship rather than entertainment.

Why it matters

Manipuri Raas Leela fuses classical art with living temple ritual. For Manipur's Vaishnavas it is the year's most sacred cultural night; for India it is a jewel of the classical-dance heritage — devotion made visible in movement and light.

Frequently asked questions

Is Raas Leela only performed on Kartik Purnima?

No. Manipur has several Raas cycles across the year (Vasant, Kunja, Nitya and others), but the Maha Raas on Kartik Purnima is the most important and elaborate.

Where can one witness the Maha Raas?

The most famous performance is at the Shree Govindajee Temple, Imphal, though Raas Leela is danced at temples and mandaps across Manipur on the night.

More Kartik Purnima traditions

• Kartik Purnima & Dev Deepawali 2026
• Pushkar Fair 2026 — Kartik snan & the great camel mela
• Diwali 2026 — complete 5-day guide