The Hindu : New Delhi News : Now, Ram becomes a world legend

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 29, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Now, Ram becomes a world legend

Mandira Nayar

NEW DELHI: The story of Ram has now moved from Asian folklore to become part of the legend of the world. Inscribed in the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO this past Friday, traditional performances of the Ramayana -- the Ramlila -- will now find a bigger stage to tell the ultimate story of good and evil.

Finding space with 42 other masterpieces along with Samba of Brazil, Kabuki theatre of Japan, the Baul songs of Bangladesh, processional giants and dragons of Belgium and France and mask dance of the drums from Drametse of Bhutan, the Ramlila is the third "desi" addition to the list.

"It is a welcome step. The Department of Culture will now have to work out a plan to protect the Ramlila. While many people go to watch the Ramlila every year and it is still very popular, the purity of the form is being threatened. The way the story was told earlier is now getting distorted with the advent of mixed media," says Sudha Gopalakrishan who compiled the dossier for the Union Ministry of Culture.

However, it is slated to be the last proclamation of the Masterpieces of Intangible Heritage as UNESCO is working to pass a convention to get member-States to protect intangible heritage. While the nomination of the Ramlila had sparked some debate in scholar circles for being a "saffron" choice in a country with many ancient traditions grappling with the rapid pace of globalisation, officials maintained that the Ramlila had a pan-Indian appeal.

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