Ramlila, the enactment of the story of Lord Rama is believed to have showed by the disciples of Tulsidas. Throughout this long journey, Ramleela comes across so many changes in its display and picturization. But, the message conveyed by this representation remains the same throughout.
The sacred Ramleela mainly came into existence when the original version of Valmiki’s Ramayan was translated by Tulsidas for the convenience of people. The original Ramayan was written in Sanskrit, which was difficult to understand by most of the people. Tulsidas translated it into the language Avadhi, so that it would be easily understandable.
Inspired by Tulsidas ji, Goswami Sushil ji Maharaj has over the last 4 decades have experimented with the idea of performing Rama Leela through a Ballet form with the objective to effectively communicate the message of Ramayan in an entertainment form & at the same time maintain the sanctity of the Ramayana.
Lord Rama is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He came on earth to teach the world the path of righteousness and Dharma. He taught how one should lead life and thus, he was attributed with the name of 'Maryada Purushottam'. His is full of truth, gentleness and honesty. He amazed the world with his auspicious deeds and settled a perfect example that all humans should follow the kind of character that he is having.
The significance of Ram Leela comes from this point only. In today's life, no one has the time to read the ancient scriptures for knowing about the life of Lord Rama. Children are also busy in studies & extracurricular activities. So, there is a dearth of sources to communicate this message in a limited time frame, which can tell us about our history.
Though Ramleela plays a very important part in spreading awareness among the masses about the importance of birth of Lord Rama on earth but it has been a time consuming 8 to 10 days’ events; which may have been relevant in older times but certainly not in the current times. Now it has become a source of entertainment and fun for the audience. In light of the current environment, Swami ji firmly believes that “in current times, a continuous Manchan of 2 to 3 hours is an ideal time frame to convey the spirit of Ramayan in a form which is supported by all the elements of good theater i.e. a well-researched script, costumes, make up, sets, inclusion of folk dance form, Multi stage performance with an exceptional light & sound show to keep the audience glued to the concert. At the same time, maintain the sanctity of the Ramayan.