The Ramleela Festival
Artists dressed in ornate crowns and costumes performed the Ramleela in front of cheering crowds as part of Dussehra celebrations. Ramleela is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Hindu lord Ram.
The festival celebrates the defeat of the demon king Ravana at the hands of Ram, marking the triumph of good over evil. Performers dress up as different characters from the religious epic Ramayana.
Some artists are professional theatre actors, travelling from as far as Mumbai for this performance, and some are locals from the area. Actors that made up the army of monkey-god Hanuman were mostly children from the locality.
In scenes of jubilation, the crowd would shout “Jai Shree Ram,” or “Victory to Lord Ram.” Elderly devotees watched with reverence.
Ironically, the 10-headed demon king Ravana is most sought after for selfies with the spectators.
After the enactment of the legendary war between Good and Evil, the celebrations climax in the Dussehra night festivities where the giant effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbakaran and son Meghnad are burnt, typically with fireworks.