Ratia Ramlila depicts Lord Ram’s exile and King Dasharatha’s death

Ratia: The Shakti Natak Club staged the emotional episodes of Lord Ram’s 14-year exile and King Dasharatha’s death following separation from his son on the fifth day of its historical Ramlila at the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Gurdwara Ground in Shakti Nagar, Ratia.

The performance depicted King Dasharatha’s preparations for Lord Ram’s coronation, followed by Queen Kaikeyi demanding the two boons promised to her by the king. As part of her demands, she sought the throne for her son Bharat and 14 years of exile for Lord Ram.

Kaikeyi’s Two Boons Change the Course of Events

The performance began with King Dasharatha announcing Lord Ram’s coronation. Lord Ram expressed his commitment to fulfilling his father’s wishes and upholding the principles of duty, righteousness and justice.

However, the story took a dramatic turn when Kaikeyi reminded Dasharatha of his promises and demanded that Bharat be crowned king while Ram be sent into exile for 14 years.

Deeply distressed, Dasharatha pleaded with Kaikeyi to withdraw her demand, describing Ram as his life and expressing his inability to bear the thought of living without him. Despite his repeated appeals, Kaikeyi remained firm in her decision.

Lord Ram Leaves Ayodhya with Sita and Lakshman

Upon learning about his exile, Lord Ram willingly decided to honour his father’s promise. He left Ayodhya on foot, accompanied by Sita and Lakshman, accepting the hardships of forest life without protest.

The performance then depicted the tragic death of King Dasharatha, who could not bear the pain of separation from his beloved son. The emotional scenes brought one of the most poignant episodes of the Ramayana to the stage.

Who were the Chief Guests and Dignitaries who attended the event ?

Ashok Madan, owner of Pooja Emporium, and Aapar Insa attended the fifth day of the Ramlila as chief guests.

Other prominent guests included Rajkumar Singla, president of the Bharat Vikas Parishad, along with his team; Vidya Sagar Baghla, president of Keshav Govardhan Gaushala; Sandeep Grover; Shravan Swami, president of the Press Club, along with other members; Puneet Garg; Rupesh Goyal; Suresh Chopra; Vipin Bansal; and Kapish Bansal.

How did the Organisers Honour Guests?

Those involved in the ceremony included committee president Rajesh Setia, Ravi Midha, Anshul Batra, Sachin Lalit, Karnail Singh, Anil Rukhiya, Prince Kalu Taneja, Shakti Kakkar, Ramesh Jatana, Vijay Taneja, Deepu Chilana, Ashu Taneja, Sonu Chilana, Manohar Lal and Titu Taneja, along with other members of the organising committee.