By: Sapna
The winds in India are laden with festive fragrance. From fasting for Navratras to chanting in temples, it’s definitely festival time. It is also the season for the quintessential ‘Ramlilas’, the story of Ramayana, which is enacted across India, turning every ‘Nukkad’ into a stage when night falls. Visits to a couple of Ramlilas proved both hilarious and appalling as one witnessed the influence of changing times on this ancient practice.
At one venue, male ‘apsaras’ (courtesans) clad in the flimsiest outfits were lipsynching to the latest Bollywood chart hits in order to entice Ravana’s attention. While everybody was clad in outfit dating back to the Ramayana era, one bodyguard in particular stood out in his Batman apparel. The fellow had obviously been too busy to change or hadn’t managed to get a costume prepared. Or perhaps his parents did not have enough faith the histrionic talents of their child to lighten their purse for the traditional Angrakshak (bodyguard) gear.

Another venue was the scene of total chaos due to Hanumana, the disciple of Lord Rama, distributing sweets in the name of his Lord. Even elderly ladies, with tears in their eyes and perpetual utterances of Lord Rama’s name, made a beeline for the stage.
The instant transformation from a devotional gathering to wolf whistles during the dance numbers was nothing short of astounding.
Among other strange tales, I’ve been told that in the small towns, the young men of colonies make donations in the name of the most “beautiful girl” in town. The practice of hooting and flinging money ‘mujra’ style has become a common feature in small towns.
As Ram Lila draws to a close on Dussehra and giant effigies of Ravana and his kin bite the dust, it leaving behind the eternal tales of Ramayana and moral of victory of good over evil, but with new flavours of changing times. After all art imitates life.