Ram Leela

It was sprawling Ram Leela maidan and the audience was packed. Usually, the audiences were uneducated masses and daily wage workers who migrated from rural backgrounds, and revered religious activities during Dussehra watching ram Leela, staged for nine days, was a must for them. It would end with the burning of an effigy of Ravan on the 10th day. This is symbolic of the victory of the Divine over evil. They were waiting patiently to see the mythological stage drama of Ramayana which was on its fourth day. Last evening the play stopped at the scene where Devi Sita was giving alms to the Demon king Ravana who was in his altered appearance. Everyone was eager to see the abduction scene.

Ram Leela or the stage play of Ramayana was conducted annually for ages on those grounds which get its name because of that. There was a lot of activity in front and behind the scenes as well. The audience loved the drama played during Dussehra time and adored the actors who looked like real-life characters. People were having eatables, soft drinks, and ice creams while waiting for the action to begin.

Behind the scenes was also packed with activity and drama of a different sort. The actor who was playing the character of Hanuman was flirting with the actor playing the role of Sita. It looked like they were in a relationship Actor playing the role of Rama was joking with the actor enacting Ravan’s character and Lachman’s role player was smoking while enjoying the joke. On top of everything, they were fully dressed in the costumes for their roles and just waiting for the action to begin. The Director who was in charge of overall supervision of the drama was making sure that everything is in order and came backstage when this offstage drama was going on. He was furious to no end and shouted at the top of his voice,” have some shame and at least have respect for the roles you are playing and get the character under your skin to be effective in enacting the role. How very insensitive to be smoking while in the get-up of Laxman. Hanuman and Sita, can’t you wait till you remove your costumes and makeup? Next time anyone is seen behaving like this, you are out of my drama company. People hold you up in high esteem and consider you as larger than life character. They will through chappals on your face if they saw your behavior backstage.” He hurried to the front as he was shouting. Everybody present there was controlling till then, burst into loud peals of laughter and, as the indication of the start of drama was given, they got busy with their work.

For the audience, these mythological characters were out of life, and they respected and adored them, they were really the characters from Ramayana.. For the actors, it purely work.

Well, the world itself is a stage and life is a drama. The drama of life goes on………..