Ramlila artistes upbeat amid Covid gloom, await nod

Gaurav Kanthwal

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 7

There is only one thing that keeps Ramlila artistes going: The zeal to perform better than last year.

Financial constraints, squeezing out rehearsal time from the quotidian existence are part and parcel of a Ramlila artiste. Then there is committee politics to deal with to get the desired role year after year.

Even recurrent wardrobe malfunctions do not deter a true-blue Ramlila artiste from giving his best. Add to it, the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainty over the staging of Ramlila this year.

‘Ready to do it live on Facebook

With just a few days left for the Navratri fest to begin (October 15) and no signs of permission coming from the Deputy Commissioner and the Municipal Corporation, Sanyukt Ramlila Sangh secretary Parmjit Singh Pamm claimed that if they did not get the ground permission, they were prepared to do it live on Facebook and YouTube.

With just a few days left for the Navratri fest to begin (October 15) and no signs of permission coming from the Deputy Commissioner and the Municipal Corporation, Sanyukt Ramlila Sangh secretary Parmjit Singh Pamm claimed that if they did not get the ground permission, they were prepared to do it live on Facebook and YouTube. Those involved in staging Ramlila for decades say it will increase the expenses considerably and this is the first such instance that they are not sure whether it will be possible or not.

Trust the innovation of a Ramlila troupe to come out victorious in every situation, be it a pandemic.

Rehearsals, though, are in full swing at various places.

“Artistes’ enthusiasm has not dipped. They are practising in open spaces, parks and nearby community centres. I know many who have been rehearsing for the past one month in their homes,” said Sunil Kumar, who has been performing at the Sector 17 Ramlila for the past 43 years. The local legend and onstage Ravana used to be the first one to cycle his way to the blood donation camp in all his finery for years.

Jyoti Sharma, a veteran who used to perform the role of Hanuman but has moved on to the role of Ravana now, said, “There are close to 25 artistes involved in staging the event each night. An equal number of people are involved in backstage preparations. Logistics are a big concern this time, but it is a new challenge.”

Chandigarh Kendriya Ramleela Mahasabha president Bhagwati Prasad Gour said, “We are yet to get MC permission, but the main issue is with area police officials who have been sitting over the verification file for a month now. We have to book tent houses in advance and go from door to door for collections. What if an artiste tests Covid positive, the whole troupe would be quarantined in the middle of the 10-day event. All our preparations will come to a nought.”

General secretary Luv Kishore Aggarwal said, “The expenses touch the Rs4 to 5-lakh mark for staging Ramlila for 10 days. If you take into account the cost of effigies, it comes around Rs8 lakh.”

In Chandigarh, there are two mahasabhas — Chandigarh Kendriya Ramleela Mahasabha and Sanyukt Ramlila Sangh — with 25-27 committees under their wings. There are around 15 more committees, which operate independently. While most of them are optimistic of staging Ramlila this year, some of them have already given up.

Theatre artistes Sanjay Kumar and Naresh Kumar of city-based Suryavanshi Rangmanch and others said the latest guidelines issued on September 30 clearly state that an assembly of 100 people (indoors) and 200 people (outdoors) for religious and cultural functions is allowed.