Locals depart for global festival

A TEN-MEMBER group from the Shree Satsang Ramayan Mandali (SSRM) of Suva has departed for India to take part in the annual International Ramayana festival.

The group will perform Ram Leela (drama of Lord Rama’s life) on stage at three venues in India.

SSRM president Akhilesh Prasad said the trip was co-funded by Fiji Airways and the MultiEthnic Affairs Ministry.

“We will have our first performance on Saturday March 9,” he said.

“We will present Ram Leela in Ujjain which is one of the most historic and significant Shiv Mandir.

“Our second performance will be in Chitra Koot, which is also a very significant venue, and then we’ll perform in Ayodhya at the Ram Lalla temple.”

Indian High Commissioner Palaniswamy Karthigeyan said the group was invited by the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

“They will participate in the ICCR’s yearlong celebration of ‘Connecting the World through Ramayana-2024’,” he said.

“This is their fifth visit to India. The event will strengthen the cultural bond between the two countries as Ramayana is recited here as well as in India.”

Multi Ethnic and Sugar Industry Minister Charan Jeath Singh congratulated the team from Shri Satsang Ramayan Mandali to be selected to represent Fiji at the festival.

“Fiji has a rich presence of Indian diaspora who have preserved and promoted cultural heritage and practices and your participation at this global festival will give an opportunity for Fiji to showcase our culture and at the same time learn from other diaspora countries,” he said.

We will present Ram Leela in Ujjain which is one of the most historic and significant Shiv Mandir

– Akhilesh Prasad