World's Oldest, Ramnagar Ki Ramlila In Varanasi Is The 31-Day Festival That You Need To Check Out

Ramnagar ki Ramlila is a 31-day long festival held in Varanasi {aka Banaras} when the entire town turns into one big stage where the story of Ram unfolds. You must’ve heard about or seen plenty of Ramlilas but what’s so special about this one is that it has been performed in Varanasi for almost 200 years, making it the world’s oldest Ramlila performance.

Moreover, the artists perform various scenes of the Ramlila in different parts of Varanasi named after the places in the epic such as Ayodhya, Lanka, Ashok Vatika and more. The performance is so old-school that artists do not use microphones and there are no loud speakers in place. All the scenes are performed in natural lighting and all actors below the age of 18 are chosen on the basis of their voice and acting skills by the Maharaja of Banaras.

A traveller wanting to gain offbeat experiences, who’s fascinated by history and doesn’t mind navigating his/her way through huge crowds would certainly have a great time at the Ramnagar ki Ramlila festival.

Plus, if you’re someone who has always wanted to go to Varanasi, have been fascinated by its ghats lining the Ganges, temples holding elaborate rituals and chatty Banarasis {all who’ll have a unique Hindu myth to share}, pack you bags and go because there’s no better time to experience it all than during the Ramlila festival.

With hymns, theatrical performances and grand rituals including processions with elephants and chanting of the Ramcharitmanas, the Ramnagar ki Ramlila is a festival that has India’s rich heritage and culture at its core. It is raw, local and a cultural gem acknowledged even by UNESCO. In 2004, UNESCO declared Ramnagar ki Ramlila an intangible heritage of India, so if there is any Ramlila that you should watch, this one definitely makes it to the top of the list.

While we admit that you might have to brave large crowds and the occasional use of Sanskrit words in the epic might make it difficult for you to understand some phrases, there’s just something very magical about participating in a festival that has been around for decades and has witnessed not a single change.

Plus, there’ll be endless rows of stalls selling the popular Banarasi paan, Puri Bhaji, Jalebis and all the delish grub you can binge on while watching historic acts unfold.

Make that trip to Varanasi because there’s no better place to celebrate Dussehra than at a town known for its prominence in the Hindu mythology. Most people {like Mark Twain} claim that Banaras is older than history, older than tradition and older than the legend surrounding the city itself, so this trip and this festival could be your crash course on Indian myths and all things legendary.

When: Sept 5 – Oct 6

Where: Ramnagar, Varanasi