Manipuris return to Nabadwip for Raas Utsav

Nabadwip: An age-old cultural bond between Bengal and Manipur comes alive this Holi in Nabadwip after a two-year hiatus. The Raas Utsav (Holi), which begins on Feb 27 and ends on March 4, is expected to witness the participation of more than 4,000 devotees from Manipur.Over the last two years, footfall dwindled to less than 200 due to ethnic strife in the north-eastern state. Rajkumar Tikendrajit Singh, one of the royal family members, said, "Over 1,000 devotees from Manipur are arriving daily between Feb 27 and March 4 — a significant rise compared to the past two years." Their presence marks a revival of spiritual exchange between the two regions. After the lifting of president's rule in Manipur on Feb 4, 2026,more pilgrims started flowing in.
This year marks the 251st Raas Utsav, where the sacred Raas Leela takes centre stage. In Manipur's Gaudiya Vaishnav tradition, the narrative of Krishna's celestial dance with Radha and the gopis, rooted in the Bhagavata Purana and Jayadeva's Gita Govinda, evolved into a refined classical form, said Onima Khaidem from Kairang, a practitioner of royal Raas dance in Manipur. Each year, Dol Yatra is celebrated here in the Manipuri style. Devotees participate in Raas Leela performances, while Nagar Parikrama processions take place during the Ashtaprahar observance. After the Holi procession, worship of the chariot-mounted deity is followed by community celebrations, said Usha Rani (64) from Yaiskul, a visitor.Manipur Rajbari stands at the heart of this celebration. Rooted in Vaishnavism — the dominant faith of Manipur and its royal family — Maharaja Bhagyachandra arrived in Nabadwip in 1798 with princess Bimbabati and established the idol of Anu Mahaprabhu, a Manipuri form of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.At a time when public worship of Chaitanya was forbidden under the rule of Maharaja Ishwarchandra of Nadia, Bhagyachandra's initiative revived devotional practices.