Ramlila of Delhi
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
The staging of the Ramayana over the nights before Dussehra, performed on grounds across Delhi and ending with the burning of Ravana's effigy.
Folk theatreWhere: Across Delhi, including Ramlila Maidan and the Red Fort groundsOccasion: Navaratri, ending on Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
| Performed by | Local Ramlila committees with amateur and semi-professional actors; also professional dance-drama troupes |
|---|---|
| Costume | Bright costumes, crowns, bows and painted faces for gods and demons; masks for Ravana and his army |
| Music and instruments | Recitation of verses from the Ramcharitmanas, songs, harmonium, tabla, dholak and shehnai |
How it is performed
- Each evening a part of the story is performed, from Rama's birth and exile to the war in Lanka.
- Narrators sing verses from Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, and actors speak dialogue and act out scenes.
- Music, dance and battle scenes keep crowds involved; fairs with food and rides grow up around the grounds.
- On Dussehra, huge effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad are set alight to mark the victory of good over evil.
Significance
Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana, is a living tradition across north India and is on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Delhi's Ramlilas draw large crowds every year, and the city also has dance-drama versions staged by its cultural institutions.