The Chhattisgarh government organised a three-day Ramayana national cultural festival in the Raigarh district's Ramleela Maidan on Thursday. While inaugurating the festival, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said Lord Ram spent 10 of the 14 years of his exile in the present-day Chhattisgarh and that Ram belongs to everyone. He added that during his banishment, Lord Ram faced extreme hardships and difficulties, but he never lost sight of his moral values and dignity, reported new agency PTI. Multiple Ramayana troupes from 12 states in the country and two countries such as Indoneisa and Cambodia are performing at the festival.
Chhattisgarh's Ramnavami Community also participated in the three-day Ramayana national cultural festival. Notably, people from this community have Lord Ram's name tattooed all over their bodies, from head to toe.
"Our Ramnavami community has been there for the past 150-200 years. We give the message of peace and prosperity to the world,” one of the participants from the community told news agency ANI
Speaking on the event further, CM Baghel said, "The time Rama spent in forests played an important role in his journey to become Maryada Purushottam,” reported PTI.
He stated that Chhattisgarh also played a part in his (Rama’s) character building.
While addressing the crowd, the CM said Lord Rama belongs to everyone. Chhattisgarh is also the state of Mata Kaushalya (Lord Rama's mother) and Mata Shabri (a tribal devotee of the deity), Baghel said, adding that the state is the land of tribals and forest-dwellers who have been living here for centuries.
"When Shri Ram was supposed to be crowned as a king, he had to go into exile. During his exile, Shri Ram met Nishadraj (a tribal king), Shabri Mata and several sages and ascetics,” said Baghel, as quoted by PTI.
“We, in Chhattisgarh, relate to both 'Vanvasi Ram' as well as 'Kaushalya's Ram'. As Chhattisgarh is the birthplace of Mata Kaushalya, Shri Ram is considered as 'bhanja' (nephew) in Chhattisgarh," he added.
Baghel further said Lord Rama spent most of his exile period with forest-dwellers. "We find an account of his connection with nature and forest-dwellers in the Ramayana," he said.
Later in the day, Chief Minister and thousands of spectators joined in the collective recitation of Hanuman Chalisa.
Although it is a national event, teams from countries like Cambodia and Indonesia are also participating in the grand cultural programme, giving it an international flavour.
Over 200 Artistes From India, Indonesia Perform
Around 270 artistes from 12 states and also overseas are participating in the three-day programme. These include 70 artistes from Chhattisgarh and 27 from abroad. An Indonesian dancer Ni Wayan Sriyani, who has come to Chhattisgarh to perform at 'National Ramayana Festival, said the story of 'Ramayana' is the same in India and Indonesia, but cultural factors give rise to different interpretations of the epic, reported PTI.
"The story of Ramayana is same in India and Bali, but cultural factors make it different," said Sriyani. Sriyani also said, Ramayana provides lessons about good, evil, love and several other aspects of life.
Meanwhile, K S Hegde, who leads the Yakshagana group from Karnataka, said this is probably for the first time that such a large-scale event on "Ramayana" is being held.
Hegde further said, "Ramayana is a good medium of cultural exchange." The three-day event is being organised ahead of the state Assembly elections later this year.