Manipuri dance originated as part of traditional rituals and festivals celebrated in the region, with its earliest form, Lai Haraoba (“merrymaking of the gods”), depicting stories of cosmic creation through dance. Legend has it that it was inspired by a divine moment when the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati, after witnessing the dance of Krishna and his beloved gopi (milkmaid) Radha on Earth, created a sacred space to dance together. In the 15th century Vaishnavism introduced themes of devotion, and under King Bhagyachandra in the 18th century, the raslila tradition was formalized.
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