GUWAHATI, Nov 14 � Hectic preparations are on in the river island Majuli to celebrate the three-day Raas festival beginning from November 16. The festival is based on the central theme of Raas Leela of Lord Krishna.
This time, the added attraction of Majuli Raas is the arrival of South Asia Curator of the British Museum Richard Burton. The British Museum Curator is camping on the river island for the past couple of days. A host of foreign tourists have also arrived at the river island as usual, to share the festivities with the islanders, said Ghana Nath, Principal of the Garamur Pitambar Dev Junior College and a member of the Majuli Cultural Landscape Management Authority (MCLMA).
Raas is the main festival of the river island and a festive mood has already gripped the entire island. Preparations are on also to stage the Mising version of the Raas Leela play at the Jengraimukh Kumarbari Rangamancha on November 16, 17 and 18, he said.
While the Dakhinpat Sattra will hold Raas Puja on November 16 and a Raas Mela and performance of the Raas Leela Naat respectively in the daytime and evening of November 17, the artistes of the Natun Samaguri Sattra will stage the Keligopal play of Srimanta Sankaradeva on the open stage on November 17, Nath said.
It needs mention here that almost all the Sattra institutions of the river island celebrate the Raas festival and in the localities too, clubs and cultural organisations celebrate the festival in a befitting manner. The Bongaon Rangamancha is celebrating the golden jubilee of its Raas festival this time with various programmes.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is expected to visit Majuli in connection with the Raas festival on November 16.
This time too, in around 50 areas like Citadar, Chelek, Natun Bazar and Sumoimari, local clubs and cultural organisations and the Sattra institutions are making preparations to celebrate the festival.
The relatively popular and conveniently placed locations of the celebration include those of the Garamur Srimanta Sankaradeva Kristi Sangha, the Garamur Bangshigopal Natya Mandir and the Kamalabari Milan Sangha.
Though most of the Sattras and cultural organisations will celebrate the festival on November 16, 17 and 18, some of them will celebrate it on November 16, 17 and 19, Nath said
For the tourists, round the clock ferry services and local taxi services are available during the Raas days on demand, he said.
For centuries, Majuli people have been celebrating Raas Leela of Lord Krishna by enacting themselves the plays based on His Leela and thus to pay their obeisance to Him. The overwhelming majority of the Majuli people are followers of Vaishnavism.
