LUCKNOW, Sept. 24 -- Ramleela, the vibrant theatrical depiction of Lord Ram's life, has undergone a remarkable transformation over the years. Once a simple performance, today's Ramleelas are a testament to the impact of advancing technology. As each year brings new innovations, these epic plays have embraced modern elements, showcasing elaborate costumes and improved sound quality that elevate the viewing experience. The integration of digital screens and artificial intelligence-generated videos adds a contemporary flair, enriching the narrative while making it more engaging for the audience. Recalling the oral history passed on by his elders, Shri Ramleela Committee (Aishbagh) president Harishchandra Agrawal said writer and saint Tulsidas started the tradition of Ramleela at Aishbagh in the 16th century so that the 'Ram Katha' could be made more interactive for common people. The Ramleela was staged on ground and people used to watch the play while standing for hours, till 2006, when the committee started using white curtains and lights to add to the viewer experience. "There has been no looking back as various technological upgrades were brought to the play every year," he added. "We continued to get the Ramleela staged on a makeshift stage until a permanent one was constructed with support from the government. We not just have a troupe, which turns up specially for the Ramleela, but they are supported by props, lights, sound systems, besides the digital screen and artificial intelligence (AI) videos for special scenes," said Agrawal while emphaising that the main focus while staging the Ramleela is still on the dialogues. The Ramleela staged by the Railway Ramleela Committee (RRC) is adopted from a play written by playwright Jaswant Singh in Hindostani (mixture of Hindi and Urdu). Natural looking props are used for setting scenes, which remain intact as a tradition ever since the inception of the Ramleela. "When our elders returned from Pakistan after partition, many of them received employment in Railways. This Ramleela got the name from those working with the Railways. Started in 1951, they used charpai (day beds) as stage, regular clothes as costumes while they could not even afford a sound system. However, today, we use SRP lights. What used to be staged using only four loudspeakers is now being staged using 25 loudspeakers, adding to the grandeur. Digital screens are also used on some occasions, like in scenes of war, where arrows are to be shown," said Singh. The view at Mausamganj Ramleela in Daliganj gets better when people get to see different scenes. "This is our 146th year of staging the Ramleela. This time, we will have an all-covered stage. We have heard that in the initial days, this Ramleela was staged using petromax and lanterns on takhats. But now, all characters have collar mics while the story is backed by lighting and props made of thermocol and plywood," said assistant director Ramleela Rajesh Tripathi. At the Mahanagar Ramleela Samiti, the epic play is backed by pre-recorded classical music renditions. "Traditionally, we used to cautiously burn a symbolic Lanka during the scene, which we have replaced with the help of technology. Lanka is now burnt on the screen. Use of microphones make it easier for the audience to hear the dialogues," said Hem Pant, who has been associated with the committee for several years. At Shri Public Bal Ramleela (SPBR) in Chowk, the Ramleela is staged in Parsi style of theatre, with children and teenagers accounting for over 80% of its cast. "The Ramleela was started in 1937, and till date, the weapons shown in the play are made of silver. Various technical experiments continue to remain intact which includes bringing the actor playing Lord Hanuman from top of a building to the stage using ropes," said SPBR general secretary Rajkumar Verma, who shared that they begin the Ramleela from the day of Dussehra....