The Shri Ramlila Committee, which organizes one of Delhi’s oldest Ramlila at a site near Ajmeri Gate, will not host a Ramlila this year because the authorities gave approval for the event too late.
Although the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has allowed Ramlila to organize at the site, Shiv Kumar Gupta, deputy secretary of the Shri Ramlila Committee, said that a temporary COVID19 care center is operating at the site, according to the which the DDMA grants Permission to carry out the event in a limited space of 40 meters.
“The order came just two days before the start of the Ramlila celebration. We had not made any preparations, nor were we able to demonstrate Ramlila in a restricted area of 40 meters. So we decided to go to Ramlila this year not to host,” he said Mr. Gupta.
Shiv Kumar Gupta, 55, said that he has been associated with this Ramlila since he was 13 years old and that the history of the Sri Ramlila Committee dates back to the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar, who gave permission to ride Ramlila.
“This committee has been around since the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar. He gave us permission to hold the Ramlila event. A procession known as Ramlila Sawaari used to be a highlight of the committee. The procession used to start at Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, crossed Chawri Bazar, Asaf Ali Road and ended at Ajmeri Gate.
“Politicians like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi also visited the Ramlila,” he said.
Arjun Kumar, the general secretary of Ramlila Mahasangh also said that the Sri Ramlila Committee has a rich history from the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar.
In the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar, this ramlila was held on the bank of the Yamuna River and the queens watched the event from the windows of the Red Fort. People close to the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk helped start this Ramlila. Many prime ministers have seen this Ramlila, ”he said.
Mr. Kumar stated that the Shri Ramlila Committee was the only Ramlila Committee in Delhi that received free water and electricity from the Delhi Municipal Corporation.
On September 30, the DDMA had approved the celebration of Ramlila under certain conditions of COVID19.
According to DDMA regulations, approval from the
area district judge must be obtained for any festival-related program.
In an event in a closed area only 50 percent of people are admitted, while this number cannot exceed 200 in an open area ”, according to the DDMA.
