From India, with love: Ramlila in Russia to forge epic bonds beyond borders

LUCKNOW: Snow may still line the streets of Moscow, but on Feb 20, the city will echo with the chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram' as a grand staging of the Ramlila will unfold in Russia far from the ghats of Ayodhya.

In a striking blend of cultures, Russian artistes will step into the timeless epic, bringing the Ramayana alive on a Moscow stage in what organisers describe as a celebration of shared civilisational bonds.


Backed by the Embassy of India in Russia and the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Centre, the production promises traditional costumes, elaborate stage design and music rooted in Indian theatrical traditions.

Evgeny will don the mantle of Ram, Daria will portray Sita, Murat will appear as Lakshman and Dmitry will take on the role of Hanuman — a cast that underscores the growing cultural resonance of Indian mythology beyond its borders.

The programme is being organised by the Russian-Indian friendship organisation ‘Disha', led by Dr Rameshwar Singh, which has been fostering artistic and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

The event is expected to draw members of the Indian diaspora, Russian citizens and cultural figures, turning the performance into more than theatre — a people-to-people bridge.

The staging also carries historical echoes. In the 1960s, Soviet actor Gennady Mikhailovich Pechnikov had performed Ramlila in Moscow, forging an early cultural link.

Decades later, inspired in part by Ayodhya's grand Deepotsav celebrations, the epic returns — this time with a new generation of Russian voices retelling an ancient Indian story.