230 years, 3km radius, 20,000 spectators a day: Inside Varanasi’s living Ramayana
The Ramnagar Ramlila in Varanasi is a 230-year-old tradition where the entire town serves as a stage for a 30-day enactment of the Ramayana. Recognized by UNESCO, the performance is unique for its active audience participation and resistance to modern commercialization.
Why it matters
It represents a significant cultural preservation effort that maintains historical and spiritual traditions in a rapidly modernizing India.
Across the Ganga from Varanasi, a unique Ramlila has run in Ramnagar for over 200 years. In it, spectators become part of the performance and the town itself serves as the setFor Brijesh Kumar Tiwari, salvation came in the form of voluntary retirement from the police force. The former sub-inspector no longer has to plead for long leave to play Hanuman in the Ramnagar Ramlila, a 30-day extraordinary enactment which transforms a part of Varanasi into the geographical and spiritual landscape of India’s most beloved epic. “This is my seva,” says Tiwari, his tail comically reaching skywards.
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