A lila, a legacy: Here's a look at Ramlila hotspots in the region

Mona

Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Ravan were not the only stars on stage at the all-women Ramlila at Peer Muchalla on Tuesday night. There was Naseem Ahmad — coach of double Olympics medalist Neeraj Chopra; Nishad Kumar — double silver medalist at the 2020 and 2024 Paralympics, Swami Rajeshwaranand and Baba Manmohan Singh. Keeping up to theme of Jadon Se Judoo — connecting to the roots — each in their own way and context gave a message of working together to strengthen India as a world power.

Amongst the robust chants of Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Jai Shri Ram and Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguruji Ki Fateh, children and elders watched in awe as Ritu Kapoor mesmerised them with her exaggerated eye rolls as Ravan. Nishad Kumar’s glittering silver medal invited happy cheers and loud screams. Stories from Guru Granth Sahib to Lord Krishna’s life depicted how values can help us navigate this increasingly materialistic life. The scenes enacted were that of Shurpanakha Lakshman Samvaad and Sita haran. Coupled with impressive light and sound design, the actors lip synced but that did not take away from the spectacle that was created with backdrop projection and stage fog.

The role of Sita was played by a class 12th girl Payal, Ram by HDFC financial advisor Pratibha Singh, Hanuman by class 11th girl Janvi Nagpal, and in Ravan’s majestic get up, looking menacing, was dance teacher Ritu Kapoor.

Ekta Nagpal, a social activist, who has brought this all-women cast together, called it as a small but definitive step towards women empowerment. “I fail to understand why our definition of women empowerment is restricted to being Western — to be able to drive the car or go out for jobs. True empowerment for me is how women can lead the society by being able and capable,” she said. One amongst as many as 45 Ramlilas running in tricity, this particular group not just had an all-women cast, but also much of the crew. Pooja managed projection for the huge crowd and live stream for their YouTube channel. Together, they offered a picture of resilience and strength. Amongst the group, the youngest to play the baal roop of Ram was six-and-a- half-month-old Manisha, while the oldest was 81-year-old Pushpa Juneja, who played Gurumata at Balmiki Ashram.

Each day of Ramlila is dedicated to a certain social cause and this one paid homage to our soldiers with the ITBP band playing for the crowd, as specially-abled children sang Ram bhajans. Amongst the other causes that became part of the spectacle were cyber safety, beti bachao, beti padhao and saving the environment. Seeing the enthusiastic response each year, Ekta proudly shared. “In our home we have three generations of women, and each one us is connected with Ramlila in one way or another.”

“It’s my second time playing Ravan. I am glad how this has given me a distinct identity. It feels great to be appreciated on stage. With so many people turning up, we have been successful in connecting the past and the present,” Ritu shared.

In their third year now as the audience figure swelled, so did the budget. This year, it was close to Rs 20-22 lakh. “The response is rousing, different sections of society contribute in different ways. What we take pride is in ensuring that our values and tradition is kept alive,” said Ekta, before hurrying back to rehearsals.

Meanwhile, many different groups are performing Ramlila in tricity and innovating. Abhishek Sharma, director, Tagore Theatre, has stayed connected to Ramlila. “This year, our writers at Uttarakhand Yuva Samiti, Sector 28, have given huge weightage to the character of Jamwant. Also, Hanuman’s portrayal in Ramlilas is traditionally aggressive, so we have tried to show his sewak bhav. Shrupnakha’s prem prastav too has been written beautifully.”

Props rule in Jalandhar

Deepkamal Kaur

Ramlila in Jalandhar is never star-studded. There are no fancy stalls put up along the venue to draw bigger crowds. But still there are four-five Ramlila groups that are popular because of their vibrant depictions of various scenes, bringing out the essence of Ramayana. These popular venues include Basti Sheikh, Jalandhar Cantt, Burlton Park and Partap Bagh. The Ramlila presentation at Basti Sheikh stands out, where a bunch of 40-50 middle-aged men have formed Jai Mahabir Club and give their best performance.

The club team is a bunch of businessmen, who spare five-six hours daily from their busy schedules to plan, prepare and perform the shows every evening. “Tonight, we shall have the maximum viewers for we are going to depict the scene of Laxman Murchha. I will be playing the role of Mahabir and will bring the booti to cure Laxman,” said Sunil Shoor, a jeweller by profession, who plays the roles of Dashrath and Mahabir in the Ramlila every year. A gathering of 800-1000 people, mostly families, assemble around the venue at 10 pm daily to watch the show.

A very interesting part of the Ramlila organised by this group is the use of Pushpak Viman. “We have created this flying chariot of Ravan for Sita haran by welding various iron railings and covering it with wooden planks. There is a loud applause when we bring such props in our show and the kids watch it with more enthusiasm. We used it yesterday in our show and have kept it back for use in the coming year,” said Sanjeev Sondhi, who directed the show, where Vicky Sharma plays Ram, Harsh Sondhi Laxman and Ravi Sondhi Sita.

In Delhi, it’s political!

Anshita Mehra

In a city where the Dasehra season is synonymous with grand Ramlila performances, actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari is stealing the spotlight. Dressed as Parshuram, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, Tiwari’s powerful return to the stage at the Luv Kush Ramlila at Red Fort is a celebration of both tradition and showbiz.

While his political career often takes centrestage, Tiwari’s passion for performing has never faded. This year, he’s not only wowing audiences in Delhi but is also set to play Bali in Ayodhya’s Ramlila. And he’s not doing it alone. Sharing the stage with him as Meghnad (Ravan’s eldest son) is AAP leader Brijesh Goyal, proving that even rivals in politics can unite for the love of Ramayana!

But Ramlila in Delhi is more than just about big names. Hundreds of Ramlilas across the city are keeping the festive spirit alive. From traditional storytelling to modern twists, there’s a Ramlila for everyone, but the Luv Kush Ramleela is a crowd favourite, as it brings Bollywood flair to the age-old epic.

Usually the go-to place for political rallies and protests, Ramlila Maidan transforms into a cultural hub during Dasehra. Here, under the glittering lights and soaring stages, audiences witness the tale of Lord Ram unfold in all its glory. Madhavdas Park, located opposite Lajpat Rai Market, near Red Fort, hosts one of the most technologically advanced Ramlias. Another prominent venue is Subhash Maidan, home to the renowned Sampoorna Ramlila, performed by Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra since 1957. Known for its dance-drama rendition of the Ramayana, it has become a staple for Delhiites seeking an artistic portrayal of the epic.

In Pitampura, the DDA Ground hosts one of the oldest Ramlilas, where generations gather to watch the same stories unfold year after year, creating a strong sense of community and cultural continuity.

Daresi Grounds the hotspot in Ludhiana

Shivani Bhakoo

In Ludhiana, the oldest form of Ramlila is held every year at Daresi Grounds. The dolas or chariot in which Ram, Sita and Lakshman sit together pass through several places in the interior parts of the city before finally reaching the Grounds, where Ramlila is enacted in a strictly religious manner. Interestingly, the roles of Ram, Lakshman and Sita are often played by those belonging to the families of Pandits! The former councillor of the area, Parminder Mehta, shared, “Ramlila has been staged at the Daresi Grounds since the past six-seven decades or even more. Along with it, a mela is held with stalls of eatables, decorative articles, swings, etc, which attracts huge crowds.”

Apart from Daresi, the Ramlila is held in many other areas of Ludhiana, including Agar Nagar, in PUDA grounds near Vardhman, and in other localities while a huge mela is held at the Government College for Girls.

Adaptability in Amritsar

Neha Walia

The age-old tradition of retelling Ramayana, with a usual dose of drama, has got an upgrade with costumes, LED background screens and professional light and sound. With the audience for the traditional Ramlila decreasing, there have been adaptations to make the experience larger-than-life without compromising on authenticity.

The Vaishno Dramatic Club, which has been organising Ramlila for the past four decades in Naraingarh and Cheherta areas of Amritsar, is among one of the most visited Ramlila productions in the city. From hiring local theatre artists for playing various characters to creating light and sound effects on several important scenes and composing their own music, the group has ensured that their audience gets a novel experience every year. “Traditions have to give away for some adaptability and, so, we bring in novelty in terms of our presentation and production on stage, and not the storytelling. The characters on stage have an impact on the audience. The Ramlila has today become like a theatre show, where every character gets his own unique entry and presence. For that, we have to get everything in the right order,” said Sunil Sharma, who has been playing the role of Ravan for years.

Other elements include rotating the stage, using elements of fire, water and wind through technology-based tools to add more realistic appeal to the scenes. While there are some temple committees that organise Ramlila every year with big budgets, there are also youth clubs that hold functions with their limited resources.