Manipuri is a dance of the people of Manipur state. Many years ago, Krsna danced it with the gopi cowherd girls. The divine dancer asked Shiva to make sure that no one interfered with them. True to his word, Shiva, himself revered as the god of dance, never once looked at the dancers. He could only hear the sound of the flute and the jingling of the gopis ' bracelets. Unable to forget the magic melody, Shiva decided to create a dance similar to Krishna's raslila. Accompanied by his consort Parvati, he left the Himalayan abode in search of a place suitable for the implementation of the project. Suddenly, they saw a beautiful green valley surrounded by mountains. Shiva plunged his trident into the side of one of them. Water gushed out of the crevice in a torrent. The gods began to dance with joy. And the serpent Ananta, on whose head the earth's firmament rests, took the gems from his hood and lit up the valley with their brilliance. Since then, this region has been known as "Manipur" -the land of precious stones.

Manipurians consider themselves descendants of the Gandharvas, celestial musicians and dancers. Dance is an integral part of their life. Any event: ear piercing, wedding, etc. - an occasion for a dance and music ritual.

The rulers of Manipur were known as connoisseurs of art. Talented artists have always found support at court. The dance reached its peak of popularity in the second half of the 18th century, during the reign of Bhagya-chandra. At this time, Krishna was worshiped in the principality as the supreme deity.

It is said that Krsna appeared to Bhagyachandra in a dream and showed him raslila. God has expressed His desire for this dance to be performed continuously in Manipur. The king memorized the movements and costumes. And today, the raslila performers ' outfits are an exact replica of those of Krsna and the gopis.

Raslila-dance-drama. It starts at sunset and ends at first light. The compositions that make up the dance have not changed for centuries.

Every Manipur village has a temple. A circular platform with four entrances in front of it is designed for dancing. The place at the east gate is reserved for the spectators of honor. A miniature model of the temple is suspended above the northern gate.

Before beginning raslila, sankirtan - songs and dances in praise of Krsna-is performed. This is the highest form of religious service. Sankirtan even replaces the sacrificial fire during the marriage ceremony.

At the south entrance sits a boy-Krishna. When the singers begin to describe him, the main character goes to the middle of the stage. While dancing, he moves to the north gate, where the rendezvous with cowherd Radha is to take place. When Krishna reaches the meeting place, the suspended "temple" opens, showering him with flowers. Everyone present bows low and enthusiastically salutes Krsna. The musicians sound conch shells and flutes inform that he is waiting for his beloved. Radha, accompanied by the gopis, comes out of the west gate. Shepherdesses celebrate the beauty of the young couple. Actors take part in a general dance. During its performance, no one enters or leaves the venue. The audience remains silent.

In Manipuri, one movement smoothly turns into another. It seems that you are watching a dream, all the events of which take place in the underwater kingdom. The dancers ' hands are extremely flexible. Their gestures are soft, there are no fixed poses. Even when men perform fast dances of this style, the movements remain very restrained.

The rhythm that plays a major role in Kathak and Bharat Natyam is often just beginning to form in Manipuri. However, the main rhythmic points should be marked - with a hip movement, knee movement, or jump. Complex rhythmic patterns are accompanied by drumming, cymbals or just claps. Each drum is wrapped in fine muslin. According to the ideas of the Mani - Purans, tools are also living beings, therefore, they need clothes.

Today, this dance is also performed outside the state of Manipur. Artists include excerpts from ritual performances in their performances, while maintaining the traditional technique. Thanks to their skill, the ancient art of the mysterious land became available to a wide audience.

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