CM meets ‘Ramleela’ artistes from Indonesia, says world has to rise above intolerance
LUCKNOW : A delegation of Ramleela artistes from Indonesia called on chief minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence on Saturday.
Yogi gifted the delegates ‘ang vastras’, a Ram Durbar, Patt style of pictures from Odisha and the book ‘Kashi Ki Ram Leela’.
Adityanath observed how despite 86% of Indonesia’s population being Muslim and merely 5% Hindu, the culture of the nation was based on the Ramayan.
“This is because all the people in Indonesia treat Lord Ram as their ancestor,” he said.
He said everyone was witness to the rapid growth of Indonesia and added the world would have to adopt this model by rising above religious intolerance so that there is peace around the globe. He added Lord Ram was revered world-wide and pointed out how this message came across loud and clear in Indonesia, Malaysia (Muslim countries) and Buddhist nations like Thailand and Cambodia.
For the last three years, the Indian Council of Cultural Relations has been sending groups for staging international Ramleelas to various states after their performance in Delhi. In 2015, Ramleela groups from Cambodia and Fiji performed in Lucknow and Ayodhya. In 2016, a group from Thailand had performed at these places.
This year, a five-member group from Indonesia was in Lucknow and Ayodhya between September 13-15 to perform. This group from Jakarta (Bali) was led by Agung Rai and comprised Ketuk Suparna, Apitu Asthana, Vayam Anarwa, Hir Ashubh and Mo Iksung. Officials of the social cultural division of the Indonesian embassy in India were also present during the meeting.
People had enjoyed the Ramleela performance at the tourism bhawan auditorium on September 13. The artistes had performed without any dialogues, with the help of light and sound and their expressions.
On September 15, it was again enacted at the auditorium of the Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University. All these artistes have been performing since the age of five years but have come for the first time to India. They expressed happiness at being able to visit Ayodhya where Mahant Nirtya Gopaldas blessed the artistes.
Also present during the meeting was principal secretary (Tourism, Information and Religious Affairs) Avanish Kumar Awasthi, secretary (Culture) Anita C. Meshram and director of the Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan Dr Yogendra Pratap Singh.