Ram leela (also Ramlila) is at the forefront of all performing arts in India. We say this because the Ram leela, the dramatic folkloric re-enactment of Rama’s life, is a mega event that takes place for 10-30 days in many parts of India during the annual Navratri festival.
During the 10 days of celebrations, in many places in villages, towns and cities, especially in North India, various plays related to Rama are performed, all as part of Ram leela.
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On the last day of the 10-day Navratri festival, Dussehra or Vijayadashami is celebrated where the battle between good and evil takes place, and effigies of Ravana (evil) are burnt with firecrackers.
Ram leela is a major part of Hindu culture in the Indian cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Almora in Uttarakhand, Satna in Madhya Pradesh and Madhubani in Bihar. But, it is not limited to these parts of India. In fact, you will find performances of Ram leela in the Hindu societies of Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, USA, Canada, UK and Netherlands.
Ram leela in India has different styles of presentation. In most countries, it is performed during the 10 days of Navratri. But not in Ramnagar, Varanasi. There, Ram leela is a 30-day event. While most of these Ram leelas follow the traditional lines from Ramcharitramanas, a rendition of the epic Ramayana, written by Tulsidas, there are others where the dialogues are written and delivered in Khadi Boli, a regional dialect.
If you are wondering how, culture travels across geographical boundaries through people.
Such a massive following resulted in UNESCO designating the Ram leela as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008. What is our understanding of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage listings? The presence of a list like this ensures the protection of important cultural heritage from around the world. Through this, the world comes one step closer to so many cultures that they would not have known otherwise.
- What is Ram Leela?
Ram leela or Rama’s play is a popular dramatic re-enactment of the life of Rama according to the Ramayana. - Where is the most popular Ram Leela?
Ram leela is a major part of Hindu culture in the Indian cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, Almora in Uttarakhand, Satna in Madhya Pradesh and Madhubani in Bihar. - When did Ram Leela become part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List?
UNESCO designated Ram leela as an intangible cultural heritage in 2008.
