Ayodhya's Ramlila continues throughout the year!

Ayodhaya, Sep.29 (ANI): Even as Ramlila, the mythological play based on epic Ramayana, has concluded all over the country with the celebration of Dussehra on Monday, it will continue to be staged in Ayodhya throughout the year.

Every day a chapter of the epic is enacted by individuals on stage in Ayodhya.

According to the organiser, the initiative is to offer visiting tourists in Uttar Pradesh an opportunity to witness the mythological epic throughout the year.

"The purpose is to give tourists of Ayodhya an opportunity to witness Ramlila and also give troupes an opportunity to perform and showcase their talent," said Avinash Kumar, one of the organisers of the Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan.

During the last five years, over 55 styles of Ramlila and 150 troupes from all over the country and also from Maldives and Indonesia have performed here.

Till date, tourists from almost 17 foreign countries have witnessed the play here.

"The local people, tourists and pilgrims come there to witness the Ramlila. Till now tourists from 17 foreign countries have visited Ayodhya to witness it," added Avinash Kumar

Each troupe performs for 15 days, making two troupes performing here in a month and 24 troupes in a year. Troupes from Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, West Bengal and different regions of UP like Mathura, Vrindavan, Bundelkhand, Allahabad, Varanasi and Orai have participated here.

The feat has attracted ht the attention of UNESCO, which has called the Ramlila "a commendable effort to preserve an intangible heritage".

The unique presentation was started for the first time in 2004 under the aegis of the Uttar Pradesh Culture department's Ayodhya Shodh Sansthan. Since then, not one day has passed without the play being staged.

Legend has it that prince Rama's wife Sita was abducted by demon king Ravana. Ram waged a war with the help of "Vanar Sena" (monkey army) to get his wife released from Ravana's captivity.

Rama's victory over Ravana is described as the triumph of good over evil.

Ramayana is a Hindu scripture, which narrates the life of Lord Rama.By AmitANI)