Dehradun, 9 Oct: To preserve the folk culture and traditional values of Uttarakhand, a grand presentation of Garhwali Ramlila was staged at Graphic Era, here, on 8 October. The cultural event was filled with devotion, folk melodies, and the sweetness of the Garhwali language. Each scene beautifully combined faith, culture, and dramatic art, leaving the audience deeply moved by the cultural richness it portrayed.
The spectacular performance was held at the Silver Jubilee Convention Centre of Graphic Era. The play was presented in an engaging style by ‘Sutradhar’ Madan Mohan Duklan and Sonia Gairola, who played the role of his wife. Through their conversations in their small hermitage, they seamlessly narrated different episodes from the Ramlila, keeping the audience connected throughout. The use of modern stage technology added life and vibrancy to the performance.
Before the Ramlila began, Chairman of Graphic Era Group of Institutions Dr Kamal Ghanshala was felicitated for his efforts in promoting Uttarakhand’s folk culture. The Director, Coordinator, and Folk Artist, Kulanand Ghanshala said that this Ramlila became possible only because of Dr Ghanshala’s consistent encouragement and support for preserving local traditions.
In his address, Chairman Dr Kamal Ghanshala said that the centuries-old story of Ramlila continues to inspire people to fulfil their duties in a most meaningful way. In present times, such inspiration has become even more relevant. He added that, if the ideals of Ramlila are adopted, many social challenges and disparities can be resolved.
The Ramlila began with the emotional scene of King Dasharath’s arrow taking the life of Shravan Kumar. It then moved through several touching episodes — the birth of Lord Ram, the slaying of Tadaka, Sita’s Swayamvar, Manthara convincing Queen Kaikeyi to demand her boons, Ram’s exile, Sita’s abduction, and the meeting with Shabari. Each scene left a deep impact on the audience.
Following this, the scenes of Hanuman’s meeting with Ram, the search for Sita, the Ram-Ravan war, and Ravan’s defeat brought the Ramlila to its dramatic climax. The performance concluded with Lord Ram’s coronation in Ayodhya, filling the auditorium with chants of joy and devotion.
The skilled acting and direction made every scene come alive, conveying emotions of faith, love, and sacrifice straight to the audience’s hearts. Many viewers were moved to tears during emotional scenes such as Shravan being struck by Dasharath’s arrow, the grief of his parents, and Sita’s farewell from Janakpuri.
Ayush Rawat portrayed Lord Ram, Anupriya Sundriyal played Sita, Alok Sundriyal was Lakshman, Gaurav Raturi – Bharat, Harsh Pandey – Shatrughna, Mukesh Hatwal – Hanuman, Tania Chauhan – Shuparnakha, Nandkishore Tripathi – Kumbhkaran, Kartik Maikhuri – Meghnath, Vijay Singh Rawat – Vibhishan, and Dinesh Singh Bhandari – Ravan, each leaving a strong mark with their outstanding performances.
The Ramlila was jointly organised by Graphic Era Deemed University and Himalaya Lok Sahitya Evam Sanskriti Vikas Trust.
Also present on the occasion were Vice Chancellor, Graphic Era Deemed University, Dr Narpinder Singh, Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Santosh S Sarraf, Registrar Dr Naresh Kumar Sharma, and Dean, International Affairs, Dr DR Gangodkar, along with other officials, heads of departments, faculty members, and a large number of students who thoroughly enjoyed the cultural presentation and praised the artists.
During the event, Chairman Dr Kamal Ghanshala also released a book written by Director Kulanand Ghanshala. The programme was conducted by Faculty Member, Management, Dr Girish Lakhera.
