Ramlila at Natadol & Behind the Scenes…

With the festival season in full swing, the village near my home celebrated in its own unique way. Although the celebrations were toned down due to Covid-19, the festive spirit remained. Masks adorned nearly every face, and people avoided gathering in large crowds, yet the season retained its joyous atmosphere.

One of the major attractions in the region is ‘Ramlila,’ a dramatic reenactment of the Ramayana. This ten-day spectacle provided a wonderful opportunity to capture some intriguing scenes, both on stage and behind the scenes.

(In the role of Hanuman! Added the photograph here to break the monotony of text. Photographed later in the day.)

Whenever I set out for a photography adventure, I prefer to carry just a few lenses, mostly primes. This minimalist approach forces me to visualize the world through the specific perspectives offered by the lenses in my bag. On the day I attended the Ramlila, I brought along a Micro Nikkor 105mm and a Zeiss 25mm, both manual focus lenses. No autofocus, no zooms. Over time, using a full-frame body, I’ve developed a keen understanding of the angles of view these lenses provide and the unique qualities of the images they produce.

The Ramlila venue was just a short walk from my home. As I strolled over on a winter afternoon, the sun was bright and warm, almost too harsh for ideal photography. I hoped for a few clouds to drift by and soften the light, adding a gentle touch to the scene.

(Just a few days back, clouds and sun were playing hide and seek. For this day, I could just hope for a similar weather later in the day)

As I walked towards the ground, I saw villagers in vibrant, colorful dresses flocking to the venue. Sadly, their beautiful faces were hidden behind masks. If this is the “new normal” everyone talks about, it feels rather disheartening. I tried capturing some portraits, but with the masks on, each photograph felt like a missed opportunity.

The only consolation was knowing that the actors would perform without masks on the open stage, maintaining plenty of distance from each other. Hopefully, those photographs would turn out well.

Although it was late in the day, a flock of magpies flew by and perched on a tall oak nearby. Typically, these birds are active in the early morning or late evening, scavenging for food left behind after festivities. Unfortunately, they were too far away to capture well with the lenses I had. A dedicated birder would have had a field day with so many around.

The Ramlila was performed on a barren field, featuring a makeshift stage made of wooden boards and draped cloth. The “makeup room” was a dusty area marked off by a worn-out tent. Interestingly, in this village, all the roles are played by males. No females take part on stage, though they do gather around to enjoy the show.

(The village head dressed up as Sabri, an old lady from Ramayana. The red light that’s getting reflected from the tent’s cloth adds an interesting touch of color to the image.)

The actors were familiar faces from my daily life: mostly farmers, two shepherds, one driver, some school kids, and a few daily wage workers. This eclectic mix of people coming together during tough times to lift the spirits of the villagers was truly heartwarming.

I had my 105mm lens mounted, renowned for its tack-sharp clarity, even as a portrait lens, in addition to being a versatile macro lens. After exchanging a few greetings, I peeked into the makeup area. There, some truly fascinating activities were unfolding.

(The farmer who has an apple orchard next to my place, applies make-up to another farmer from near the stream, for the role of Ravana, the villain from Ramayana. Captured at f/8 with 1/125 second, on AutoISO. Post-processed on Affinity Photo.)

The light inside the makeup area was low and diffused, generally good for photography but with some challenges due to high ISO settings. For the photograph, I chose an f/8 aperture, which provided sufficient depth of field to capture Ravana’s face and the hands of the makeup artist while keeping the background and other details blurred. Both subjects were sitting quite still, which was helpful.

After completing the design on Ravana’s cheeks, they took a break. Someone came over with some mints, which they shared. The actor playing Ravana offered some to the actor playing Hanuman. This was fascinating for me, having grown up with the notion that Hanuman and Ravana were sworn enemies. Here, behind the stage, they were sharing mints and joking around.

The young boy playing Laxman was almost in a fistfight with another boy from the Vanar Sena. In the Ramayana, the Vanar Sena soldiers are dedicated to Laxman as well, the younger brother of Lord Ram. However, the boys playing these roles were nearly dueling over who would get the fresh apple lying on a table. By the time they decided, another boy from the cast had already polished it off!

The person playing Hanuman owns a small grocery shop around the corner and also has a small farm. After enjoying his mint, he got busy applying some basic makeup on himself.

(His bright clothes with gold and silver seemed to be in unison with the clothes hanging around. The dark back of the mirror, the tilted fabric on top and the sharp focus on face helped this image. Fibonacci Spiral in action? Also captured at f/8 with 1/125 shutter speed.)

The magpies perched on the tall oak were growing bolder, now venturing closer to where some people were having snacks. By the time I finished photographing the actors and behind-the-scenes activities, they might be within reach of my short lens.

One of the charming aspects of Ramlila in the hills is the lighthearted moments interwoven into the performance. Humor, jokes, and laughter are integral parts of the show. Another distinctive feature is that the entire performance is musical. Instead of prose, the story unfolds through poetry!

The Ramlila also has its own team of jesters. One of the farmers and a kid who had just returned from the stage after a performance were more than happy to pose for me.

(The joker duo – the photograph does not do justice to the act they both had put up! The clouds had appeared out of no where, softening the light. I didn’t have to use any fill-flash or reflectors.)

In most parts of India, Ramlila is performed in the evenings and nights. However, here in the hills, these performances usually take place during the day. As the sun approached the western hill, it would soon disappear behind it, causing the wind to turn chilling. Perhaps I’ll have another chance to photograph the magpies another day.

After enjoying a cup of hot tea, brewed in the typical Kumaoni style with lots of sugar and milk, I bid farewell to everyone and walked back. My camera was filled with photographs, and my mind with many fond memories..

A day well spent!

This article, originally published on my photography site, is now archived here; while some details may have lost their original context over time, it still offers an intriguing read.
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