Daranagar Ramlila: Kids turn ‘satvik’ to perform the important five characters

PRAYAGRAJ: They neither consume junk food like pizza, burger, pastries, and cake nor prefer cold drinks once they are selected for Ramlia characters. They read Ramayan and chant quadruped (chaupai) and couplets (dohe) daily.
They are none other than kids below 13 years of age portraying the main characters of Ramayan at Kaushambi’s famous Daranagar Ramlila.
Five kids of Daranagar Ramlila including Lucky Pandey (Lord Ram), Adarsh Pandey (Laxman), Ansh Pandey (Bharat), Vaibhav Mishra ( Shatrughan) and Nitish Tiwari (Goddess Sita) have left audiences spellbound while performing their roles during the episodes of Ganga pujan, liberation of Ahalya and Tarka vadh at Kadha Dham area of the district on Wednesday. These kids are pursuing their studies in class VIth, VIIth and VIIth standard at different schools.
After being selected for different roles in Ramlila, they don’t mix up with people more and prefer to stay inside their houses to focus on their characters.
They have also taken special leaves from their schools concerned to play the important Ramlila characters and started practising at least a fortnight before the beginning of Ramlila (September 26). “We all know about the epic that is traditionally divided into seven major kandas, that deal chronologically with the major events based on the life of lord Rama and Goddess Sita including —Bal Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkindhaa Kanda, Sundar Kaanda, Lanka Kaanda, and Uttar Kanda” said Lucky, playing the role of lord Ram adding “ apart from quitting fast and junk food, we consume satvik meals these days” added he.
Not only Lucky, Adarsh , Ansh and Vaibhav claimed “ They are working hard for their roles and even don’t mix up more with their friends ”.
Meanwhile, Adya Prasad pandey, president of Daranagar Ramlila committee says, “ As kid are playing important characters of Ramlila, they were being imparted training by purohits (priests) about their roles and focus was more paid on face expressions instead of delivering dialogues. Priests ( purohits) who accompany these kids while performing their assigned characters during Ramlila, speak and brief about the audiences about the meaning of couplets and chaupai while the staging Ramlila,” said Pandey adding, “ There are only two main episodes including Bharat Samvad and Parusram Samvad when dialogues are being delivered at length by the senior artists” he added.
Interestingly, all episodes of Daranagar Ramlila is being organised only during daytime at different localities where people of different communities come together to watch.
Moreover, senior artists including Shri Narayan Mishra (Hanuman), Shiv Sagar Mishra (Jamvant), Deepak Tiwari (Sugreev)and Rahul Mishra (Angad) all set to play their roles in coming episodes. Ramlila committee office bearers are also preparing for Kuppi Yudh which is the major attraction of the Ramlila - the fight between the armies of Lord Ram and demon king Ravan and selection of candidates from both opposite groups, comprising al least 40 member each side for fighting with plastic funnels on a big ground is also underway.
Interestingly, visitors from across the country arrive to see historical Kuppi fight which is to be organised on 10th (Dashmi) and 11th day (Ekadashi) of Ramlila.
Pandey, meanwhile, said “ Daranagar Ramlila is different from other Ramlila across the country. This Ramlila is not organised on stage and kids below 13 years of age play prominent characters under the guidance and direction of priests only during daytime at different localities.” Most importantly, the killing of Ravan is not organised on Dusshera but on a daylater on Ekadashi.