NEW DELHI: In a significant step toward organising this year’s Ramlila festivities with enhanced coordination and cultural depth, the Ramlila Mahasangh—Delhi’s apex body of Ramlila committees—held a key planning meeting at the Constitution Club on Thursday.
The event brought together over 200 representatives from Ramlila committees across the capital, alongside senior officials from 18 departments including the Delhi government, MCD, DDA, Delhi Police and utility agencies.
Presided over by Mahasangh president Arjun Kumar and moderated by Subhash Goel, the meeting saw active participation from Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal, who reaffirmed the cultural significance of Ramlila. “This tradition is not merely a dramatic performance, but the soul of our heritage. The life of Shri Ram teaches dignity, courage, and commitment—values Prime Minister Narendra Modi also embodies today,” said Khandelwal, calling for administrative streamlining to ensure smooth organisation.
A standout proposal came from saint and storyteller Ajay Bhai Ji, who called for the establishment of a Ramayana Research Institute in Delhi. The proposal was unanimously accepted, along with his suggestion to include a dramatic enactment of Sita’s birth alongside that of Ram’s—adding new spiritual depth to this year’s performances.
This year’s festivities, scheduled from September 22 to October 3, will include over 500 Ramlilas across the city, culminating in Dussehra on October 2. Notably, tableaux celebrating the valour of India’s armed forces will also be introduced, underlining themes of patriotism alongside spirituality.
To ensure effective execution, an 11-member coordination committee was formed under Arjun Kumar to liaise with government departments. Committees urged early ground allotments from DDA and MCD—ideally 45 days in advance—and demanded free or subsidised electricity and water, regular sanitation, and an end to extortion by unauthorised fairground operators.
Calls were also made for a single-window system for NOCs, domestic electricity tariffs, and special traffic and publicity arrangements.
MP Khandelwal advocated for a simplified Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) and promised a follow-up meeting next month to monitor progress.