Inside Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra’s traditional revival of SHRI RAM
Trading modern screens for pure physical theatre, a historic 69-year-old production returns to its original 1957 roots. Watch authentic Indian craftsmanship and epic storytelling
As Navratri takes over the city, families and students have a rare chance to understand the authentic cultural history behind Dussehra. From today, audiences can see the epic live under the Mandi House sky.
For its 69th year, Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra’s SHRI RAM drops modern screens to resurrect the 1957 vision of stalwarts like Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Guru Gopinath, and the Dagar Brothers. What audiences will witness is pure physical theatre.
The visual shift is striking. Archers in yellow and green silks hold strict traditional stances with curved wooden bows. Ravana dominates the stage in heavy Kathakali skirts and intense face paint as Surpanakha weeps beside him. The pacing shifts naturally without any digital help. You watch Ram lift the heavy bow and exchange garlands on a hand-carved wooden chariot, before the bright celebrations suddenly drop into the quiet of the forest exile. Here, the royal silks are swapped out for simple ochre cloth, rudraksha beads and fresh white flowers. It all builds to the striking symmetry of the final coronation, anchored by a devoted, kneeling Hanuman. Even backstage, dancers preparing with raw pigments and rich, hand-stitched fabrics ground the entire performance in genuine Indian craftsmanship.
“SHRI RAM is a tradition that has lived across generations. This year, as we return to its traditional form after nearly 25 years, we are reconnecting with the visual language, music and verses that have shaped its identity,” notes Padmashri Shobha Deepak Singh.
Watching our history unfold live on stage, the festive season is finally here.
