Imphal, Nov. 7: The 10th Bhagyachandra National Festival of Classical Dance, which was inaugurated yesterday, got under way with its main function beginning today with four classical dances.

The festival was inaugurated yesterday with performances of nat sankirtan and raas at Gopinathji temple at Ningthoukhong in Bishnupur district with chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh as the chief guest and presided by Govindas Konthoujam, minister for commence and industries.

The chief minister said raas danceIt is in honour of Maharaj Bhagyachandra that these dance forms_Nat Sankirtana and Raas dance are being presented_on this full moon day.being on the globeNational classicalperformance Shri Shri November 3 at Shri ShriNovember 4Shree Shree classical followed by performedended theevening withdancing a Manipuri classicalat the outset to betalking tosaiddifferent

History says Maharaj Bhagyachandra the 54th king of Manipur who ruled for forty years from 1759 to 1761 and 1763 to 1798 created the famous Maha Ras Leela of Manipur which was first performed in 1777.