No Ramlila at Aishbagh this Dussehra
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COVID EFFECT ON FESTIVITIES
LUCKNOW : In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, Aishbagh Ramlila Samiti in the state capital has decided not to organise the over 400- year-old annual event this year.
Besides, the samiti has also decided to restrict people’s entry to Aishbagh Ramlila ground where an effigy of demon king Ravana will be burnt on the occasion of Dussehra.
“We have decided to observe some symbolic rituals on the very first day of Ramlila. On the rest of the days, we will be holding nearly an hour-long online programme to highlight the importance of Ramlila, how it originated and so on,” said Pt Aditya Dwivedi, the convener Aishbagh Ramlila Samiti that is said to have been formed way back in 1857.
The Aishbagh Ramlila is a hugely popular event of the state. Its popularity could be gauged from the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Dussehra celebrations here in 2016. While referring to the history of the event, Dwivedi
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Ramlila at Aishbagh in Lucknow.
claimed,
“It’s perhaps for the first time in the history which goes back to the time of poet Tulsidas, who wrote the ‘Ramcharitmanas’ and himself took part in the play here, when Ramlila would not be organised here.”
He also said this year the samiti had decided to burn a smaller effigy of the demon king Ravana than it did in the previous years.
“Unlike previous years when there used to be a 121-feet tall effigy of Ravana, the height of the effigy would not be more than 50 feet this year to keep it a low-key affair,” Dwivedi said.
Moreover, all other Ramlila samitis in Lucknow have not cleared their stand over holding the event this year so far. Officebearers of some samitis said they were waiting for the district administration and the UP government to issue guidelines on holding Dussehra events.
“The decision over holding of Dussehra events is still awaited. It would be finalised in a meeting that would be held shortly,” said Sushil Pratap Singh, city magistrate, Lucknow.