Lucknow– Tonight, the skies over Aishbagh Ramlila Maidan will glow orange as a 75-foot Ravan, complete with moving head and arms, goes up in flames. It will mark the grand finale of Ramotsav 2026 and the victory of Lord Ram over the demon king.
Aishbagh’s Ramlila is among the oldest in the country, with roots going back some 450 to 500 years and a link to Goswami Tulsidas himself. This year’s edition kept that heritage at its heart while bringing in a good deal of modern tech. It began on October 11 with kalash puja and opening ceremonies led by Avnish Awasthi, adviser to the Chief Minister, and the crowds have kept coming every evening since.
The main performances were staged by a 50-member troupe from Bhaskar Nritya Kala Kendra, Kolkata. Audiences watched Sita’s swayamvar and the breaking of Shiva’s bow, Ram’s exile and the tender Kevat samvad, Surpanakha’s nose-cutting and Sita’s abduction, and the meetings with Shabari, Hanuman and Sugriva, followed by the killing of Bali. The AI-enhanced Lanka Dahan scene was a crowd favourite, with the ground ringing with cries of “Siyavar Ramchandra ki Jai” and “Pavanputra Hanuman ki Jai.”
The organisers added plenty of new touches:
- A 12-foot robotic elephant from Delhi led the processions
- LED screens, a better sound system, laser lights, holograms and digital projections made sure even those in the back rows didn’t miss a thing
- AI-based visual presentations on the Ramayana were shown on select evenings before the main act
- Horses and camels added traditional splendour
Committee president Harishchandra Agarwal and treasurer Shubham Agarwal spoke of how smoothly tradition and innovation have come together this year.
The star of tonight is the Ravan effigy, built over a month by Delhi artisan Irfan and his team. Its moving parts run on a generator. During the battle scene, Lord Ram will loose his arrow, and moments later skyshots will burst from Ravan’s head, red smoke will pour from his mouth and cold pyrotechnics will flare from his hands. Over 250 fireworks will then light up the night. More displays are planned for half an hour before and after the dahan, with hundreds of crackers, including eco-friendly ones and ground-based anaar.
Tuesday’s programme starts at 5:50 pm, with the Ravan Dahan expected around 8:30 pm. Some reports suggest the Lanka departure scene may begin after 7:30 pm. Police have been out in strength throughout the festival, with PAC personnel, women officers and plainclothes staff, and no major disruptions have been reported. Traffic and safety arrangements are in place for what organisers expect could be a turnout of over one lakh people on the final day.
The Aishbagh Ramlila goes back to the 16th century, when Tulsidas is believed to have begun staging Ramayana performances during his stay here. It later found patronage under the Nawabs of Awadh. Asaf-ud-Daula donated the land for the maidan and the adjoining Eidgah, which cemented the Ramlila’s place in Lucknow’s Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb. The Shri Aishbagh Ramlila Committee has carried it on, generation after generation.
As Lucknow celebrates Vijayadashami, Aishbagh stands once again as a symbol of faith, culture and storytelling that keeps evolving, drawing devotees from the city and nearby districts to watch good triumph over evil in a setting that feels both modern and timeless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=RtToJsBhYBatUrym&v=mOuYNSdhjHA&feature=youtu.be
