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Ankit Chadha - Ramlila in Delhi
INTRODUCTION
PROLOGUE
OBJECTIVES
METHODOLOGY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Drama , in the post-independence India , has undergone tremendous development . The beginnings of this growth
can be traced back to the classical ritualistic theatre based on the epics of the Hindu religion , especially Ramayana . Raam Leela , as the stagery is popularly known , is one of the world’s most widespread and popular dramatic traditions . Also , it is extremely heterogeneous and is enjoyed by large audiences , sometimes , in lakhs.
One of the factors that make the Ramlilas a subject of keen
interest to me is the pivotal role of the political changes that occurred in the region where I was born and brought up - the capital territory of Delhi .
As the population increased , the number of Ramlilas also rose .This has been an ongoing process that has witnessed the commercialization of this religious festival .Along with it , the very form of the Ramlilas , that is the way in which they are played , has diversified . Today, most of these performances are much more than street shows and , unfortunately , have lost the real taste and flavour they once offered .This project is a holistic analysis of the art and commerce of Ramlila.
PROLOGUE
From teaching the spirit of humanness to showcasing the power of the supernatural, this thrilling family drama has it all - beauty and beast, separation and reunion, insult and respect, loyalty and betrayal, love and war, crime and justice;
and all this on an EPIC scale Ramayana
is simply legendary and unbelievable stuff. Still, when it declares the courageous victory of dharma in such gigantic proportions, the work tends to command authority and becomes one of the most revered beliefs throughout the world .
It is then that you realize the reason behind lila being counted among the four fundamental aspects of God( besides rup, nam and dham) in the Vaishnava theology .
We are living in an age where modern entertainment is adopting Ramayana and Ramayana is adapting to modern entertainment . Marketing Mix is the formula for success today. That is why you could see the bloody scene of Shurpanakha’s encounter with Lakshmana turning into a dose of laughter. This is the present.
But, before I say more about the present, let us discover the past to gain a historical context.
OBJECTIVES
To establish linkages between the role of patronage in the growth of Ramlilas and their historical origins .
To study the various versions , variations , scales, schools and spread of Ramlila across Delhi , India and the world .
To highlight the technical aspects of production such as lights, sounds, sets , costumes , make-up etc. and the degree of attention paid by the troupes on them.
To collect sufficient information that would enable us to list a directory of Ramlila committees in Delhi .
To examine the complex organization within and between these committees and the need for it in context of their dealing with government bodies.
To analyse the budgets of the productions , learn about the sources of funds and the business involved.
To know about the other activities that the people associated with the Ramlilas participate in , for the rest of the year .
To explore the possibility of a similar institutionalization of socio-political street theatre .
METHODOLOGY
1. Gain a background knowledge of the art form by
consulting some of the commanding works on the subject.
2. Seek to collect useful material through systematic
groundwork and reading for each objective separately.
3. Prepare questionnaires and then interact with the experts
in the field to achieve clarity over issues involved.
4.Conduct a comparative study of the primary data and
arrive at a balanced conclusion .
5. Deliver a set of readable and useful studies by making
the project user-oriented.
6. Provide a scope for feedback on the work and make it
grow with user’s suggestions.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Norvin Hein's
THE MIRACLE PLAYS OF MATHURA
Richard Schechner’s
BETWEEN THEATER AND ANTHROPOLOGY
Philip Lutgendorf ’s
THE LIFE OF A TEXT: PERFORMING THE RAMCARITMANAS OF TULSIDAS
Anuradha Kapur’s
ACTORS , PILGRIMS , KINGS AND GODS : THE RAMLILA OF RAMNAGAR
Articles :
- SOUTH BY SOUTH TEXT : by Kishore Mahbubani
- RAMAYANA IN THE HEART OF MYANMAR
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