Saquib Salim

Ramlila, the word conjures up the images of festivities of a fair where Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas is enacted on stage. People generally see it as a 10-day cultural or religious event and rarely appreciate its use as a political event. The fact is that Ramlila has played important role in arousing an anti-British nationalism in India in the freedom struggle.

A Slice Of History

In July 1911, the British Government directed all the Commissioners and Collectors of United Provinces (now, Uttar Pradesh) to ensure that “no opportunity should be allowed to the disloyal of utilizing the Ramlila as a means of instilling in the populace a spirit of disaffection to the British Government”.  The order said that though Ramlila was “in reality a crude form of religious drama representing the life history of Rama”, for a few years nationalist Indians had brought several ‘innovations’ to it. It was noted, “there appears to have been in some places a more or less deliberate attempt to foster seditious and disloyal feelings by the display of figures or pictures representing Rani of Jhansi, Bharat Mata, Tilak, Lajpat Rai, and Aurobindo Ghose……… the representation of characters notoriously hostile to the Government is likely to produce disaffection in the minds of the spectators”.

The order based itself upon a CID report submitted by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, U.P, on 24 May 1911. A detailed investigation of Ramlila in Allahabad (Prayagraj), Faizabad (Ayodhya), Kanpur, Mathura, Banda, Aligarh, Agra, Varanasi, Etawah, Jhansi, and Meerut revealed that the festivities of Dussehra were being used by the nationalist to ignite anti-British sentiments among masses.

The report noted that ‘conservative influence’ over Ramlila had given way to the ‘promoters’ with ‘ulterior’ motives. It said, “particularly undesirable forms of novelty introduced are those that are calculated to excite resentment against the British Government, such as an effigy of the Rani of Jhansi, of figures representing Bharat Mata and the carrying of pictures of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai or Arabindo Ghose”. It was found that people of different castes and creeds were taking part in this. It is a well-documented history that Ramlila always had Muslims and Sikhs along with Hindus as organizers, actors, or musicians.

In Prayagraj, “in 1910 one Chauki Of Bharat  Mata unaccompanied by any other attendants but the coolies,  came out of the stable of  Rai Ram Charan Das Bahadur and Om Bharat Mata Ki Jai was written on it in Hindi. It was taken round with the procession without any cries of “Bande Mataram.” At Banda, “innovation was that of the Rani of Jhansi on horseback with a man dressed like a British soldier transfixed on her spear”. At Aligarh also, Rani of Jhansi was depicted at the Ramlila processions. At “Meerut a Chauki of Bharat Mata is shown there along with the procession of Rama’s marriage”. At Mirzapur also, Rani of Jhansi was an important attraction at the Ramlila processions.

It was also reported that at fairs along with Ramlila ‘seditious’ toys were being sold. Report noted, “Clay toys representing British and Kabuli (Afghan) soldiers armed with guns, and a fortress, are shown as being a scene in the Kabul war.  In this representation, the British soldiers are shown as being defeated and slaughtered by the Kabulis.”

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After their experiences of 1857, the British did not want to interfere in religious matters therefore, the order from the Chief Secretary of the U.P Government cautioned, “The Lieutenant  Governor  has no  desire to  interfere with  the proper and  customary celebration  of  this ancient  festival,  but  he regards it as a matter of great importance” and “I am  therefore to request that  in future  the introduction of  innova­tions may he strictly prevented.”