Raas Purnima, the full moon of Kartika, is the night Krishna danced the Raas with the gopis. In Assam it is the Raas Mahotsav, staged above all on Majuli, the great river island. For three or four nights nearly every satra and village on the island performs the life of Krishna in song, dance and masks, from his birth to the Raas, and tens of thousands cross the river by ferry to watch.
The story
The Raas performances grew out of Sankardev's Keli Gopal, his play on the subject. In the celibate satras the parts of the gopis were long played by young monks; in the villages, women take them.
Nalbari and Howly on the north bank hold their own Raas, with clay tableaux of the episodes and a fair that runs for two weeks.
How it is kept
- Raas LeelaAll-night performances on open stages.
- MukhaThe masks of Samaguri Satra, made of bamboo, clay and cloth.
- Gayan-bayanThe opening concert of drummers and cymbal players in white.
- MelaA fair on the sandbanks.
Why this date
Raas Purnima is the full-moon tithi of Kartika, on the day it is present at sunrise; the performances are on that night and the nights around it.
Raas Purnima in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Sunday | |
| 2028 | Thursday | |
| 2029 | Wednesday | |
| 2030 | Sunday | |
| 2031 | Friday |
More Assamese festivals
29 OctoberKali Puja and Diwaliকালী পূজা · দীপাৱলী
19 OctoberKati Bihuকাতি বিহু
15 JanuaryMagh Bihuমাঘ বিহু
10 OctoberBijoya Dashamiবিজয়া দশমী
9 OctoberMaha Navamiমহা নৱমী
7 OctoberMaha Ashtamiমহা অষ্টমী
Where to see Raas Purnima
In Assam
- MajuliAssamGaramur, Kamalabari, Dakhinpat and Auniati satras all stage the Raas.
- NalbariAssamThe Raas at Hari Mandir, with a fair of a fortnight.
- HowlyAssamKnown for its clay tableaux of Krishna's life.
Across India
- ImphalManipurThe Manipuri Ras Lila at the Govindajee temple.
- Cooch BeharWest BengalThe Rash Mela of the Madan Mohan temple.
- VrindavanUttar PradeshWhere the first Raas was danced.