Embodied Devotion and Cultural Negotiation: Manipuri Nritya between Ritual and Stage (Bangladesh)

Manipuri Nritya is a classical dance tradition deeply rooted in devotional spirituality, ritual practice, and the cultural life of the Manipuri community. Historically, the tradition has evolved through the coexistence of pre-Vaishnavite indigenous ritual practices, such as Lai Haraoba, and later Vaishnavite devotional expressions, particularly Raslila and other Krishna-centred religious performances. These interconnected traditions have shaped Manipuri dance as an embodied medium through which spiritual beliefs, collective memory, cultural narratives, and community identity are transmitted. In contemporary Bangladesh, Manipuri Nritya exists within both sacred ritual spaces and modern theatrical contexts, creating new possibilities for cultural engagement, adaptation, and reinterpretation.

Manipuri Nritya; Ritual Practice; Embodied Devotion; Cultural Negotiation; Bangladesh

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