Manipuri by Bimbavati Devi

Manipuri dance, one of the major classical dance forms of India, has its origin in the north eastern state of Manipur. Characterized by its gentle, rhythmic and delicate movements, the feet of the Manipuri dancer never hit much hard on the floor. Slow and gracious movements differentiate Manipuri from other dance styles of India.

One of the most popular dances of Manipur is Ras Lila. Ras Lila is the epitome of the Manipuri classical dance and is interwoven through the eternal love story of Krishna, Radha and the Gopikas.

The performers in the Ras Lila wears elaborate costumes. The Gopikas usually wears a red dress while Radha stands out in green. The skirt of these female dancers is cylindrical in shape and is very attractive. The percussion used for the dance is drawn from a number of instruments like Pung (small cymbals), a string instrument called Pena and a flute.

Shown in the video is the performance of Ras Lila by Bimbavati Devi and group.