Rama Leela Festival

Rama Leela Festival

September-October; near the 10th day of waxing half of Hindu month of Asvina

The Hindu festival of Dussehra ( see Durga Puja), observed on the 10th day of the waxing half of Asvina, celebrates the victory of the legendary hero Rama over the demon Ravana. The Rama Leela (or Ramalila) is a cycle of pageant plays based on the Hindu epic, Ramayana, which details the life and heroic deeds of Rama. Around the time of Dussehra, therefore, the Rama Leela is performed in towns and cities through northern India—most notably at Agra, Allahabad, Rama Nagar, and Varanasi. The performances last between seven and 31 days, during which the Ramayana is constantly recited to the accompaniment of music.
Perhaps the most important of these performances takes place for 31 days in Rama Nagar, where the scenes are enacted at various set locales in the form of processions depicting various scenes from the Ramayana .

CONTACTS:
Directorate of Tourism, Uttar Pradesh
Rajarshi Purshottam Das Tandon Paryatan Bhavan
C-13, Vipin Khand, Gomti Nagar
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh C-13 India
91-522-2308916; fax: 91-522-2308937
www.up-tourism.com

SOURCES:
IntlThFolk-1979, p. 216
RelHolCal-2004, p. 176