Varanasi, 23 September (IANS) as a festive sense of Dussehra sweep across India, even high walls of Varanasi’s central jail are echoing with mantras that burnt Lord Ram. In a unique initiative at a combination of tradition with reforms, prisoners serving life or long -term imprisonment are demonstrating centuries -old epic of Ramlila within the jail premises.
This is not a single incident. For the last 15 years, the Central Jail has hosted his own singing of Ramlila, in which the prisoners have played every role from Lord Ram and Goddess Sita to King Ravana and Lord Hanuman.
The performance begins on the first day of Navratri and ends with symbolic burning of the effigy of Ravana on Dussehra. Preparation begins in early July, converting the gel into a phase of devotion and redemption.
Speaking to IANS, Senior Jail Superintendent Radha Krishna Mishra shared in this initiative: “We are organizing Ramlila from 2010-11. Inmates are chosen for roles carefully, and regular rehearsals are held. They not only perform with honesty, but really bring Ramayana in life.”
Interestingly, the gel doctor plays an important role in assigning the parts to the prisoners on the basis of his behavior, voice modulation and personality – converting the casting process into a thoughtful and creative practice.
Ramilila is a performance of the Ramayana epic in a series of scenes that include song, statement, repetition and dialogue. It is performed in northern India during the festival of Dussehra held every year according to the ritual calendar in autumn.
The most families are from Ramilils Ayodhya, Ramnagar and Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora and Madhubani.
This staging of Ramayana is based on Ramcharitmanas, one of the most popular story forms in the north of the country. This sacred text, dedicated to the glory of Ramayana, the hero of the Ramayana, was created by Solsidas in the sixteenth century as Hindi to make Sanskrit epic available to all.
Most of Ramchartaman’s Ramililus recalled the episode through a series of demonstrations lasting ten to twelve days, but some, such as Ramnagar, could live throughout the month.
During the season of Dussehra Festival, festivals are organized in hundreds of settlements, towns and villages, which celebrate Lord Ram’s return from exile.
Ramlila remembers the battle between Lord Rama and Ravana and includes a series of dialogues between the gods, sages and the loyalty. The dramatic force of Ramlila stems from the succession of the icon representing the climax of each scene.
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JK/Red