Ramlila-themed puja pandal to showcase cultural heritage

Lucknow: As the Latouche Road Puja Sangsad Society enters its 83rd year, it will continue its 14-year-old tradition to showcase themes from Unesco's representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in its puja pandals with the theme of Ramlila.After taking up Chhau dance theme in 2023, the focus will be on Ramlila, the traditional performance depicting episodes of the Ramayana, inscribed in UNESCO's heritage list in 2008.The celebrations are set to unfold at ‘Priti Prangan' Puja Sthal on Jogendra Pathak Road, near Shivaji Marg, from Oct 8-13.Unesco's intangible cultural heritage list features 14 cultural elements, including Durga Puja, Kumbh Mela, and Sankirtana from Manipur. "Every year, we highlight one of these elements. This year's spotlight on Ramlila includes dramatic performances featuring song, narration, and dialogue," said LRPSS president Sanjay Banerjee.He emphasized that this year's Durga Puja pandal will transform into a visual spectacle, recreating iconic scenes from the Ramayana. Visitors can expect 20ft high replicas of heritage buildings and arched welcome gates inspired by Ayodhya.Durga idols will don Ramlila-style costumes, with live performances depicting Lord Ram invoking blessings from Goddess Durga before his battle against Ravan.Preparations began in July 2024, led by Kaushik from Kolkata.
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