08-19-2004, 07:06 AM
Ramlila may become part of world heritage
By Mandira Nayar
NEW DELHI, AUG. 18. With the Central Department of Culture submitting a proposal nominating the legend of Ram to UNESCO's Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Ramlila might soon become part of world heritage. While this ancient tradition might move beyond Asian shores, scholars are concerned that officials in the Department of Culture are not venturing further than Ram's birthplace.
"The proposal needs to be submitted to UNESCO by September 30. There are many different kinds of Ramlilas, but the proposal will concentrate on Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas and all its variants. The purity of this tradition is being diluted and it is becoming more spectator-oriented due to globalisation. The objective is to document this tradition. Most of the documentation will take place in Uttar Pradesh since the Government is already organising an event there,'' says an official.
While officials insist that there is nothing remotely saffron about the choice of venue or Ram, scholars differ.
"I can't understand why they chose to nominate Ramlila and why only document it in and around Ayodhya. There are so many versions of Ramlila across the country; every region has its own flavour. So why decide to isolate this one? The tradition down South is completely different from that in the North; they have Ravana as their hero. But what is strange is that the Government has nominated this when there are so many other forms of art which are being lost. Are they worried about their Hindu vote?'' asks <b>Shabnam Hashmi of Act Now for Communal Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD). </b>
For their part, officials maintain that there is no hidden political or saffron agenda behind the proposal, only the will to preserve this ancient tradition that keeps alive the story of the Epic.
"It is really sad that people think that Ram is being associated with being saffron. He is the last person who should be thought like that. There is nothing ideological about this nomination. It is the last year of the Masterpieces of Intangible Heritage and the idea was to nominate an art form that was pan Indian,'' asserts an official.
The "colour" of the proposal apart, scholars claim that documenting the Ramlila in only one State is limiting the aspect of the story.
"There is no doubt that Ramcharitmanas is one of the most widely read book in the world. But there is a fear of it going extinct, as over the years Ramlila has shifted from being a participative event to a more a sophisticated one. The Ramanaya as a performance, in which the whole community was involved and participated, has reduced. Earlier we used to stage the performance in Awadhi, but since the electronic revolution people have stopped understanding it and we have had to shift to Hindi. While it is a good move to protect Ram Leela, it is important to include it in all its forms. It is not a prerogative of only one State,'' reasons Shoba Deepak Singh, Vice-Chairperson of Shriram Bharitya Kala Kendra.
By Mandira Nayar
NEW DELHI, AUG. 18. With the Central Department of Culture submitting a proposal nominating the legend of Ram to UNESCO's Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Ramlila might soon become part of world heritage. While this ancient tradition might move beyond Asian shores, scholars are concerned that officials in the Department of Culture are not venturing further than Ram's birthplace.
"The proposal needs to be submitted to UNESCO by September 30. There are many different kinds of Ramlilas, but the proposal will concentrate on Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas and all its variants. The purity of this tradition is being diluted and it is becoming more spectator-oriented due to globalisation. The objective is to document this tradition. Most of the documentation will take place in Uttar Pradesh since the Government is already organising an event there,'' says an official.
While officials insist that there is nothing remotely saffron about the choice of venue or Ram, scholars differ.
"I can't understand why they chose to nominate Ramlila and why only document it in and around Ayodhya. There are so many versions of Ramlila across the country; every region has its own flavour. So why decide to isolate this one? The tradition down South is completely different from that in the North; they have Ravana as their hero. But what is strange is that the Government has nominated this when there are so many other forms of art which are being lost. Are they worried about their Hindu vote?'' asks <b>Shabnam Hashmi of Act Now for Communal Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD). </b>
For their part, officials maintain that there is no hidden political or saffron agenda behind the proposal, only the will to preserve this ancient tradition that keeps alive the story of the Epic.
"It is really sad that people think that Ram is being associated with being saffron. He is the last person who should be thought like that. There is nothing ideological about this nomination. It is the last year of the Masterpieces of Intangible Heritage and the idea was to nominate an art form that was pan Indian,'' asserts an official.
The "colour" of the proposal apart, scholars claim that documenting the Ramlila in only one State is limiting the aspect of the story.
"There is no doubt that Ramcharitmanas is one of the most widely read book in the world. But there is a fear of it going extinct, as over the years Ramlila has shifted from being a participative event to a more a sophisticated one. The Ramanaya as a performance, in which the whole community was involved and participated, has reduced. Earlier we used to stage the performance in Awadhi, but since the electronic revolution people have stopped understanding it and we have had to shift to Hindi. While it is a good move to protect Ram Leela, it is important to include it in all its forms. It is not a prerogative of only one State,'' reasons Shoba Deepak Singh, Vice-Chairperson of Shriram Bharitya Kala Kendra.