Lucknow – Shri Ramleela Samiti Mahanagar is gearing up for its annual Ramleela festival, scheduled to be held from September 26 to October 3, with performances starting daily at 8:30 PM. Media spokesperson Devendra Mishra shared that this year’s eight-day festival will feature special enactments of Sita Janm, Ravan-Banasur episode, and Jatayu episode, making it a grand celebration of devotion and culture.
Under the direction of Mahendra Pant, actors are undergoing rigorous training at the Samiti’s premises, assisted by co-director Harish Lohumi. Newly elected General Secretary Girish Chandra Joshi revealed that Mahendra Pant will also play key roles, including Kevat and Hanuman, while Harish Lohumi will portray Janak and Jatayu. His family members, including daughters Yashi and Falghuni as Ram and Lakshman, and wife Bhavana Lohumi as Janak’s wife, are actively participating.
Anuradha Mishra, a graduate student, will perform as Sita, while veteran 75-year-old artist Hema Joshi will enact Shabari. Other notable participants include Radhika Bora as Manthara, Kamal Pant Sumant as Bali and Jogi Ravan, Bhaskar Joshi as Lanka Ravan, and retired UP government officer N.B. Joshi as Banasur, alongside Sushain Vaidya. Sujata Sharma, a teacher from a prestigious city school, is training her daughters Yashi and Pratibha for the roles of Bharat and Shatrughna.
Musical accompaniment will feature Lalit Bhatt on harmonium, Divakar Rao on tabla, and Kishore Srivastava on flute. Special attention is being given to costumes and stage decor by Himanshu Mishra. Meanwhile, committee officials and volunteers, led by President Lalit Mohan Joshi, General Secretary Girish Chandra Joshi, and others including Deepak Pandey, Hem Pant, Sanjay Srivastava, Sanjay Pandey, Neerad Lohani, Anand Singh, Brijesh Mehta, and K.K. Pandey (Kanhiya), are managing the financial and logistical arrangements to ensure a successful festival.
The festival promises to be a vibrant cultural spectacle, combining dedicated performances, intricate costumes, and musical excellence, bringing the epic Ramayana to life for audiences across Lucknow.
