Did you ask for RamLila?



Dear Anu,
Your comment on my blog is very valid. What about Ramlila?..Yes Tell me about it!!
Here is my sad story.
When I called over the ladies for Manjal-Kumkum, they mentioned the Ramlila to me. That it takes place near our quarters and pretty close to where I live actually.
So I thought I would get to see Ramlila, in all its splendour right at my door step. But, woe is me, this is what happened…
1) Another friend on another day informed me that the Ramlila was cancelled as there was fear of terrorism around these parts. ( Being a part of the defence services, all our units are soft targets, so this news though disappointing, was not new to me)
2) Then hubby comes and tells me it is on...Yipee I thought, all agog and ready to tell him to get seats reserved for us (privileges, privileges!!...Again thanks to hubby’s job profile!! Hehe!)
3) Here comes the best part. Hubby then with a spuriously sad face tells me that we cannot go, as it was expected that a crowd of 90,000 would be assembled on the grounds, and all officers and families were to desist from participating….tell me to beat that. I accepted defeat.

So even if I wanted to see my first Ramlila, and actually witness the arrow being shot and the Ravan falling down in flames. It was not to be so this time. Maybe next time…

But I did sneak into the grounds on Dasami morning and got 2 snaps of the effigies. Ram and Ravan…
All over Kanpur one could see such dolls, made from bamboo sticks and covered with paper Mache. They come in many shapes and sizes, and depending on the skill of the sculptor, they look decent to grotesque!
As a storyteller, and amateur puppeteer, I find them fascinating. Lots can be done if I could learn to make such life size puppets….mmmm, that gets me thinking. Actually I tell better than I can make, so I guess I will leave the making to more skilled hands( I could buy some of this I guess) and work on my telling skills!!
So that brings me to the end of my sad story and that’s why I can’t tell you much about the Ramlila. Last but not the least, I have to tell all that on that day my camera too had decided to pack up (no batteries), so I could get a few frugal snaps only , and if you would like to know, there was a huge crowd on the maidan for the Ramlila, and we couldn’t even step out of the gate!!

Yours truly
sowmya

Comments

  1. Anuradha ShankarSeptember 30, 2009 at 8:57 AM

    Oh Sowmya, that was so... sad.... the last time I went to see a Ramilila was when I was about 6 years old, and have very vague memories of it...... which is why i was looking forward to reading about yours....
    But never mind.. there will always be a next time.....

    ReplyDelete
  2. ManchusOctober 9, 2009 at 10:39 PM

    Ramlila...haven't experienced in Kanpur but I keep hearing about it from my hubby who happens to be from there. Neenga Kanpurla enga irrukel?

    ReplyDelete
  3. SoulSpaceOctober 10, 2009 at 11:02 AM

    Hi Manchus
    I live in Airforce station Chakeri..Hubby is an engg. in the IAF.
    I cldnt get access to your blog..please do tell me what yu blog about.

    ReplyDelete

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