Do not miss your chance to see the Ramlila—a theatre based on the life and times of Rama—that is held for a month in Ramnagar, in Uttar Pradesh. Tagged an intangible heritage of India by UNESCO in 2004, this special enactment is held in Ramnagar, the old city across the river from Varanasi. It begins on the Ananta Chaturdashi evening and concludes on a full moon night a month later. Patronised by the ruler of Kashi, who still resides in the sprawling Ramnagar Fort, the play will begin on September 27, 2015; the ruler arrives on elephant back; the king then declares the play open. What makes this nearly 200 years old play unique is that it is not held on any one stage but encompasses the whole town. Different venues are chosen for every scene—be it Ayodhya or Lanka, the swayamvara or the royal courts, the battlegrounds, etc. Both actors and spectators can be seen moving from one venue to another. The colourful settings and the presentation heighten the enjoyment. The play will draw the biggest crowds during the Dussehra Festival.

What: Ramnagar Ramlila
Where: Ramnagar, near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
When: September 27-October 27, 2015
Contact: uptourism.gov.in







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