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Upstaged by Covid: Ramlila troupes await word from Chandigarh administration on shows this year
Around 25 Ramlila organisations from the city have applied for permissions to the Chandigarh administration to stage shows, but they are yet to hear from the officials
By this time of the year, Ramlila troupes in the city get ready with the warpaint and glittering costumes to stage episodes from the epic Ramayana for 10 days prior to Dussehra, which falls on October 25 in 2020. This time, however, with the Covid-19 outbreak, no rehearsals are taking place as the city’s regular Ramlila organisations await word from the UT administration on plans for the festive season.
“Around 25 Ramlila organisations from the city have already applied for permissions to the Chandigarh administration to stage shows, but we are yet to hear from the officials. We are waiting for relaxations to be announced on September 21, which will bring more clarity on Ramlilas this year,” says Bhagwati Prashad Gaur, president of the Chandigarh Kendriya Ramleela Mahasabha, the umbrella organisation of the city’s Ramlila troupes.
Gaur feels festivities should be allowed for a welcome distraction from the suffering caused by Covid-19. “We are ready to follow all safety related instructions by the government. It won’t be fair to cancel the shows because many people in the city are not following basic precautions.”
However, even if the shows are cancelled, aarti will be done every day at the spots where performances take place. “The annual function to adjudge the best Ramlila of the year can be held online,” suggests Gaur.
Banking on online performances
Ashok Chaudhry, advisor to the Joint Ram Leela Sangh, well known in the city for the role of Ravana he performs every year for the Azad Dramatics Club in Sector 20, says in case the shows are not allowed, most troupes are open to live stream their performances online during the Navratras. “Although we have applied for license, we are already thinking of hosting 30- to 45-minute Ramlila web episodes. We will cover some of the main events with a few old actors who already know all the lines so rehearsals won’t be necessary,” he adds.
Shorter shows
Jyoti Bardwaj, chief organiser of the Sector 29 Ramlila, says show timings can be cut short or allowed for one day before Dussehra. “A two- to three-hour function with social distancing rules imposed strictly can be held and main episodes from Ramayana staged then.”
Some troupes, however, have chosen to sit this one out. “Even if permission is granted it will be tough to maintain social distancing. We don’t want to be responsible for a breakout of Covid. There have been no rehearsals till now and it is very likely we won’t organise a Ramlila this year,” says Deepak Kaushik, general secretary of the Panjab University Ramlila.
