Raashleela in Assam begins

"Raashleela",Lord Krishna's celestial pranks with the Gopies on the silvery banks of Yamuna in the days of yore is being re-enacted in various places like Majuli, Nalbari, Barpeta in Assam with lot of enthusiasm and merriment.

Well decorated pandals , built during the past few days are ready to welcome visitors, guests and general audience from two to thirteen  day long celebrations from Monday. At some places, people are hopefully waiting to see for themselves some prominent and popular film personalities who are expected to come to see the celebrations. In one word, the whole state is agog to make the festival an alround success.

At  Majuli, the  world' biggest river island in the heart of the Brahmaputra , Raasleela will take place in over  sixty (60) locations. As is known Majuli is the famous seat of Vaishnavite Sanskriti in the state of Assam. Tourists from various places have started coming to the river island which has transformed the mighty Brahmaputra to the legendary Yamuna.

At Nalbari near Guwahati, the Raasleela will be a thirteen day event, as reports say. All arrangements for smooth functioning of the celebrations have been made . Similar programmes are also on the cards at Barpeta, Tezpur, Gohpur, Nagaon and Jorhat.

The Raas festival in the State could not be celebrated during the last two years due to the prevailing Covid pandemic. Hence, peoples' enthusiasm is more this time to get lost in the celestial celebrations.

 ( Photo courtesy Bhubon Bora from Gohpur, Assam)

(Writer is a retired IIS officer and stays in Guwahati. He is a senior journalist)