Former MLA Kailash Sharma highlights Lord Rama’s ideals of duty, sacrifice and righteousness
Almora: The third day of the historic Shri Nanda Devi Ramlila in Almora witnessed an impressive presentation of the Sita Swayamvar and the dramatic dialogue between Parshuram and Lakshman. The performances captivated the audience, while the elaborate stage settings, devotional atmosphere and powerful dialogues added to the grandeur of the event.
The programme was inaugurated by former MLA Kailash Sharma, who attended as the chief guest, along with distinguished guest and state minister Govind Pilkhwal, BJP district president Mahesh Nainwal, Almora Hotel Association district president Arun Verma, and Himanshu Sah, branch manager of Kurmanchal Nagar Sahakari Bank, Almora. The dignitaries jointly lit the ceremonial lamp to mark the occasion.
Addressing the devotees, Kailash Sharma said that the life of Lord Rama teaches the values of righteousness, sacrifice, discipline and adherence to moral principles. He emphasised that Ramlila serves as an important medium for passing these ideals on to younger generations. He also appealed to devotees to attend the performances in large numbers and draw inspiration from the life and teachings of Lord Rama.
The evening began with a devotional hymn in praise of Lord Rama, followed by a Saraswati Vandana presented by young children. The performances created a spiritual atmosphere in the Nanda Devi Temple premises.
The Sita Swayamvar sequence was among the major attractions of the evening. The portrayal of King Janak’s court and the performances by the various royal characters received appreciation from the audience. The subsequent Parshuram-Lakshman dialogue brought energy and dramatic intensity to the stage.
Harshu Joshi, who portrayed Parshuram, delivered a powerful performance and received enthusiastic applause. Shashi Mohan Pandey played King Janak, Rajendra Rautela portrayed Vishwamitra, Dron Negi played Lord Rama, Aviral Joshi portrayed Lakshman, and Kiran Pargaai played Sita. Meenakshi Harbola portrayed Sunaina, Hari Vinod Sah played Ravana, and Murli Kandpal portrayed Banasur.
Other performers included Shekhar Sijwali and Sanjay Joshi as the court heralds, Kuldeep Mer as the Nepali king, Abhinav Mehra as the Kumaoni king, Arjun Singh Bisht as the Kaladhari king, and Himanshu Pargaai as the arrogant king.
The organisers presented Ram Prasadi to the guests. The presentation was attended by chief convenor Prakash Pandey, convenor Sanjay Sah, vice-president Chandra Mohan Pargaai, Mahendra Singh Bisht and Rajkumar Bisht. The programme was conducted by Paritosh Joshi.
The musical arrangements were supported by Rajan Nainwal, Anil Sanwal and Deepak Rawat on the harmonium, while Shekhar Sijwali and Arshad Ansari provided tabla accompaniment. Danish and Raju Sharma were responsible for the performers’ makeup. The ceremonial worship of the stage was conducted by Tara Datt Joshi, chief priest of Nanda Devi Temple.
The elaborate stage sets, including the royal court of King Janak and the Parshuram sequence, were prepared by Atul Verma, Mahendra Bisht, Sandeep Sah, Rajkumar Bisht, Kavish Arora, Jagdish Bisht and Rajesh Pant. Ramlila director Ganesh Mer coordinated the performers’ stage entries, while Harish Bisht and Chandra Mohan Pargaai played important roles in preparing the artists.
Naman Bisht arranged the live social media broadcast of the performance. Rajesh Palni, Dinesh Joshi and committee treasurer Dhananjay Sah helped ensure proper seating arrangements for the audience.
Those present included Nanda Devi Temple Committee president Manoj Verma; vice-president and Almora Metropolitan Congress Committee president Tara Chandra Joshi; Deepak Verma; Amarnath Singh Negi; Subhash Agarwal; Amit Upreti; Sangeeta Pandey; Poonam Pathak; Bhawna Pandey; Ayush Verma; Chitrank Sah; Manvendra Sah; Varun Sah; Sumit Sah; Parikshit Sah; and Marut Sah, along with a large number of devotees.
The historic Nanda Devi Ramlila continues to uphold Almora’s rich cultural heritage, bringing together faith, traditional theatre and the enduring values of the Ramayana.
