Ramlila
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
A folk enactment of the Ramayana staged over many evenings before Dussehra. The Ramlila of Ramnagar in Varanasi is among the best known.
Folk theatreWhere: Across Uttar Pradesh, notably Ramnagar (Varanasi), Ayodhya and Lucknow; also across North IndiaOccasion: Sharad Navratri, ending on Dussehra (Vijayadashami)UNESCO heritage 2008
| Performed by | Amateur local actors, traditionally men and boys; young boys play Shri Ram, his brothers and Sita |
|---|---|
| Costume | Crowns, painted faces, bows and arrows; large masks and effigies for Ravana and the demons |
| Music and instruments | Chanting of Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas by vyas (narrators), with dholak, harmonium and conch |
How it is performed
- Each evening a narrator recites verses of the Ramcharitmanas and the actors act out that part of the story with spoken dialogue.
- Episodes run in order: Shri Ram's birth, his exile, Sita's abduction, the search with Hanuman and the battle in Lanka.
- At Ramnagar the action moves between fixed open-air sites around the town, and the audience walks with the actors.
- On Dussehra huge effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad are burnt, marking the victory of good over evil.
Significance
Ramlila is how many people first hear the Ramayana. It brings whole neighbourhoods together. UNESCO inscribed Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana, on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2008.