Ramlila committee keeps tradition alive

UNA: While the traditional fervour of staging Ramlila based on the religious epic Ramayana is getting extinct in rural areas of Una district the Sri Ramlila Committee in Una town is keeping the practice alive by staging the melodrama for the entire 10 nights before its culmination during the Dasehra festival at the parade ground

Updated At : 05:58 AM Oct 10, 2016 IST

Characters of Ramlila along with organisers in Una. Photo: Rajesh Sharma

Our Correspondent

Una, October 9

While the traditional fervour of staging Ramlila, based on the religious epic Ramayana, is getting extinct in rural areas of Una district, the Sri Ramlila Committee in Una town is keeping the practice alive by staging the melodrama for the entire 10 nights before its culmination during the Dasehra festival at the parade ground.

Till about two decades ago, Ramlila was staged in almost every second village of the district with each committee trying to give a good performance in an effort to woo maximum audience from the surrounding villages.

It was a matter of pride to be associated as a member of the Ramlila committee and artists would begin rehearsing months in advance and costumes would be collected and repaired till the last moment.

Staging of Ramlila in the rural areas is almost unheard of now, but the Una Sri Ramlila committee comprising of Som Nath Sarraf, Avinash Kapila, Subhash Chand, Balwinder Goldi, Rajiv Bhanot, Shiv Kumar Sambar, Ganesh Sambar and others have kept the tradition alive at the district headquarters. The Ramlila still attracts quite a crowd and the committee organises Dasehra festival with the support of local residents.