Summary

1. Ritual / Mystery
Raslila is a folk dance-mystery devoted to Krishna. It emerged in the Braj region in northern India during the 16th century. It features selected scenes from the life of Krishna, the incarnation of the god Vishnu, and his love for his earthly paramour Radha. The mystery is played out within a circle, usually outdoors, and gathers crowds of people. The faithful sing songs and clap. Young dancers, exclusively boys, impersonate Krishna,Radha and the shepherdesses that surround them.

2. Liberation / Absolute
The cult of Krishna comes from the Bhakti religious tradition. Bhakti, love for God, is one of the three roads that lead to the attainment of liberation. The human soul, atman, desires to break free from the cycle of reincarnation and attain union with the Absolute. The acts of the lovers are the symbolic expression of this striving. Yearning, longing, and desire are all metaphors of love for God, and eroticism leads to mystical experience.

3. Dance / Image
The images presented here illustrate some scenes from the life of Krishna which are played out during the Raslila. Krishna, meaning Black, the patron of shepherds, the most figural and cunning of the gods, is represented as a dark figure, adorned with a peacock feather, and holding a flute. He dances in a circle with shepherdesses and when they bathe in the nude he hides their garments. He does battle with a demonic heron and wins by ripping apart its beak. He also kills a snake that poisons the waters. The culmination of the spectacle comes with the amorous ecstasy of Krishna and Radha joined into one.
translation by Artur Rosman


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