This year’s Patharchatti Ramleela, the most famous in eastern India and probably even beyond in Prayagraj, promises to be a landmark celebration of art, culture, and communal unity, as for the first time, Muslim artists are taking center stage in this traditional Hindu performance.
Historically, art and culture in the region transcended boundaries, but this year’s event demonstrates that even religion can coexist harmoniously on stage, reflecting the city’s rich Ganga–Jamuni tehzeeb.
Renowned theatre artist Tarik Khan, founder of the BAFTA Theatre Institute, will direct the Ramleela organized by the Patharachatti Ramleela Committee.
With over 40 years of experience, Khan has staged his acclaimed play Daastan-e-Ram in Dubai, Lucknow, and Prayagraj.
This marks his first time directing Ramleela in his own hometown, upon the invitation of the committee’s president, Pandit Mukesh Pathak, general secretary Vijay Singh, and spokesperson Lallu Lal Gupta Saurabh.
In the Pajawa Ramleela, organized by Mahant Baba Hathiram’s committee, Fayyaaz Ahmed (‘Faaji’) from Kareli will portray the formidable role of Kumbhakarna. Fayyaaz, a Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from the University of Allahabad, began rehearsals on September 7 at the Ramleela grounds in Atarsuiya.
Meanwhile, the Katra Ramleela, chaired by Sudhir Kumar Gupta (‘Kakku Bhaiya’) and directed by Subodh Singh, has chosen Abid Ali, also from Kareli, to perform the dual roles of Bali and Agastya Muni. Though new to Ramleela, Abid is an active theatre performer and will make his debut this year.
Both the director and the actors emphasize that this year’s performance will bring alive the syncretic cultural ethos of Prayagraj, where Hinduism and Islam converge in a shared celebration of heritage.
This unprecedented collaboration makes the 2025 Ramleela truly unique in the history of Prayagraj, highlighting that art, culture, and religion can unite to create something extraordinary.
#Ramleela #CommunalHarmony #GangaJamuniTehzeeb #Prayagraj #TariqKhan #FayyaazAhmed #AbidAli #CulturalUnity