Where is it held?
Ramnagar lies about 15km away from Varanasi on the opposite bank of the River Ganges. The Ramlila takes place against the backdrop of the Ramnagar Fort which is lit up for the occasion.
Who started it?
It was started in 1830 by then ruler of Kashi, Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh. The current maharaja continues the tradition by riding in on an elephant at the head of a colourful procession to inaugurate the Ramlila.
When is it held?
Unlike most Ramlila performances, it is held over the course of one month. It begins on the day of Anant Chaturdashi and continues for 31 days until Sharad Purnima i.e few days after Dussehra.
What is special about it?
The drama unfolds in multiple venues across the town where extravagant sets are put up to represent different locations in the Ramayana like Chitrakoot, Ayodhya, Ashok Van etc. The audience follows the cast as the location shifts from place to place. E.g., when the marriage of Ram and Sita is acted out, the crowds participate in the wedding procession through the town. The Ramnagar Ramlila is relatively free of technological gimmicks.
Who are the actors?
Auditions are held among local actors for the various roles. The actors playing Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan are known as svarupas and are treated as gods for the duration of Ramlila. Some important roles like that of Ravana, Hanuman, Jatayu etc, have been acted out by members of the same family for generations.