revolves around the unjust exile of the
god-king Rama; the abduction of
Rama’s wife Sita by Ravana, the
demon-king of Lanka; and Rama’s
search to regain Sita, a struggle that
ultimately ends in Ravana’s death. Ram
Lilas are prominent during the autumn
in northern India, and usually corre-
spond with the festival of Dussehra
(October–November), which celebrates
Rama’s victory over Ravana and thus the
symbolic triumph of good over evil. Late
in the nineteenth century the Ram Lilas
were important symbolic vehicles for
demonstrating pride in Indian culture.
Additionally, they were considered a
coded symbol of resistance to British
rule. Today, Ram Lilas can be found
throughout northern India in many of
the larger cities, while neighborhood
associations often sponsor their own
local productions.
The longest, most elaborate, and
arguably the oldest Ram Lila is held at
Ramnagar, the fortified town where the
kings of Benaresreside. The Ramnagar
Ram Lila was begun in the early nine-
teenth century, during the reign of Udit
Narayan Singh, and the Maharaja of
Benares still plays an important symbolic
role in the production even though he
no longer wields temporal power over
the city. It lasts for thirty-one days, dur-
ing which the action moves to different
places in and around Ramnagar.
Thousands of faithful viewers follow the
drama for the entire month, but on peak
days the audience can reach 100,000.
For further information on the Ram Lila,
see Norvin Hein, The Miracle Plays of
Mathura, 1972; and Anaradha Kapur,
Actors,Pilgrims,Kings,and Gods, 1990.
Ramnagar
Fortified city just south and across the
Gangesfrom the sacred city of Benares
in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The
Maharajas of Benares built their fort on
this site because it was relatively easy to
defend, and continue to live there,
although they no longer possess ruling
power. Ramnagar is famous as the site of
the oldest and most traditional Ram Lila,
a production of the epic Ramayana
dramatized in a month of nightly
shows. Aside from sponsoring this Ram
Lila and underwriting its costs, the
royal family also continues to play an
important symbolic role in the produc-
tion itself. For further information see
Anuradha Kapur, Actors, Pilgrims,
Kings,and Gods, 1990.Ram Navami
Festival celebrated on the ninth day of
the bright (waxing) half of the lunar
monthof Chaitra(March–April). Ram
Navami is celebrated as the birthday of
the god Rama, the seventh avatarof the
god Vishnu, and this festival also ends
the spring Navaratri festival of the
Goddess. The Goddess festival of
Navaratri, observed twice yearly in the
spring and in the fall, ends each time
with a celebration for Rama. The reason
for this festival sequence is not entirely
clear but probably reflects cultural
imperatives to contain the explosive but
uncontrolled fertile feminine energy
personified by the Goddess with the sta-
ble and predictable masculine energy of
Rama. Ram Navami is widely celebrated
across India, but especially in Ayodhya,
the city traditionally deemed his birth-
place. In their celebrations, devotees
(bhakta) may worshipin their homes,
fast (upavasa), attend religious dis-
courses (katha), or go to temples for
darshanand worship. With the recent
growth of Hindutva(militant, politi-
cized Hinduism) this holiday has
become a day for large demonstrations
and political action. This has been
particularly true in Ayodhya, where the
continuing struggle to build the Ram
Janam Bhumitemple at the site of
Rama’s birthplace has made this day
particularly significant.Ramprasad
(early 19th c.) Bengali poet-saint and
devotee (bhakta) of the goddess Kali,
who is justly renowned for the powerRamnagar