Chaotic Scenes at Rajasthan Ram Leela: Abandoned Hanuman Actor and Failed Ravan Effigy Burning

The performer portraying Lord Hanuman expressed disappointment as no one assisted him during the chaotic scene at the Ajmer Ram Leela celebration.

Jaipur:

Dussehra celebrations have concluded in Rajasthan, though not without some memorable mishaps during the Ramayana enactments across the state.

At Patel Stadium in Ajmer, the Ram Leela performance descended into disorder when police attempted to manage an overwhelming crowd.

A troupe of actors dressed as Lord Ram and other Ramayana characters had arrived to conduct the Ravan Dahan, the traditional burning of Ravan effigy that marks Dussehra.

Simultaneously, members of the Agarwal community, who traditionally transport Ravan on a palanquin, appeared at the venue accompanied by a substantial crowd.

When authorities tried restricting additional spectators from entering the stadium, the situation became tumultuous with several individuals engaging in physical altercations.

The performers portraying Lord Ram, Lord Laxman, and Lord Hanuman, seated in their ceremonial palanquin, found themselves trapped amidst the surging crowd.

Additional Superintendent of Police Himanshu Jangid was observed searching for his wireless communication device after losing it in the commotion.

Eventually, during the disorder, some attendees decided to liberate the actors from their immobilized palanquin. They hoisted the performer playing Lord Ram onto their shoulders and carried him toward the Ravan Dahan installation.

Unfortunately, the artist portraying Lord Hanuman wasn't as fortunate, with no one coming to his assistance. He appeared visibly distressed while attempting to make his way independently to the performance area.

"The event was extremely poorly organized. We were jostled around, my costume was damaged, and I nearly lost my crown. The administration needs to implement better arrangements next time," Rajendra, who enacted Lord Hanuman, informed NDTV.

Officials subsequently intervened to restore order, after which the palanquin finally reached the stage.

In another Ram Leela performance at Ajmer's Ashok Nagar Bhatta, the actor playing Ravan made a notable entrance on an electric rickshaw. During the enactment of the epic Ramayana battle, the performer emerged for his role but accidentally slipped and fell on stage. Spectators had to assist in transporting him home.

"This represents an ancient tradition we enact in our community annually. Ravan always exits in this manner. He becomes overwhelmed by the character he portrays and faints on stage," explained Rahul Kathumara, organizer of the Bal Ramyana Mandali.

In Kota, Rajasthan, a 221-foot-tall Ravan effigy, designed to potentially establish a world record, failed to ignite despite the organizers' numerous attempts.

The effigy was intended to burn after fires activated by sensors, but rainfall caused technical difficulties. This failure disappointed the audience, including Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Om Birla.

Later that evening, municipal workers doused the effigy with petrol before setting it ablaze. They subsequently employed a crane to dismantle the remaining structure and remove the debris.