My tryst with acting in Ram Lila
I WAS studying in class three or four at that time. The enactment of Ram Lila by the neighbourhood children was the highlight of pre-Dasehra days. It was a unifying occasion for the colony, with people from all religious hues participating in it with gusto. The enthusiastic planning and preparation, along with the collection of funds for this eagerly awaited event, would start many days in advance.
The probable actors for the performance would be sounded at the daily meetings, the teenaged director would suddenly assume a larger-than-life persona, the script was taken out and dusted while parents threw appreciative glances at the activity. All children would contribute one rupee each to meet the expenses.
These were my initial forays into the realm of acting and I happily chose to play the role of Sita. Those days, hardly any girls would participate in the show. Sita's make-up took the longest time and was the most elaborate. I was awed by the alternate red and white dots the makeup didi placed around the eyebrows. Since I had curly, small hair, a nylon wig was fixed over my little head. Despite the suppressed smiles of my co-actors, I felt ecstatic.
In that scene, the vile Ravan was at Sita's doorstep, in disguise, with the intention of abducting her and his dialogues were lengthy. A bit tired and sleepy, the little Sita waited with the ceremonial bhiksha in a platter, which also had a lighted earthen lamp. While Ravan went on with his dialogues, sometimes cajoling and sometimes threatening Sita to come out, I dozed off, taking the support of the pillar.
The act went on uninterrupted till it was noticed that my nylon wig had caught fire from the lamp. With a sharp reflex, I took it off and threw it away, much to the amusement of the audience. Their glee stemmed from seeing a curly, short-haired and embarrassed Sita. I was safely whisked away backstage.
On another occasion, the scene was at the Ashok Vatika where Sita was kept in captivity. Lord Hanuman's visit was due. As per the script, Hanuman would, on arrival, partake of some fruit from the trees. Therefore, some guavas and bananas were hung from the props.
Since the performance had stretched into late evening, I was hungry. So, the starving Sita plucked a guava and started enjoying it, till there was a reprimand from the director backstage that the fruit was meant strictly for Hanuman. I felt slighted and, in full hearing range of the packed audience, retorted that I too had contributed one rupee, so was entitled to the fruit. The loud roar of laughter from the viewers was a shot in my arm; the fault finder was lulled into a silence.
My attempt at acting was, understandably, snubbed the following year.
