In Panchkula, all-women Ramlila retells epic with dazzling panache
Staged by NGO Jadon se Judoo in collaboration with Reeshan Foundation, the production has already set a cultural milestone for the region; since September 23, the vast Indradhanush Auditorium—built to seat nearly 1,500 people—has echoed with chants of “Jai Shri Ram” as over 80 women bring the epic alive on stage
The buzz around tricity’s first-ever indoor all women-led Ramlila was evident on its opening night on Tuesday.
A a young girl’s cry inside the Indradhanush Auditorium in Panchkula’s Sector 5 summed it up. Upset with her mother for arriving late, she regretted missing Ravan’s dramatic entry.
Staged by NGO Jadon se Judoo in collaboration with Reeshan Foundation, the production has already set a cultural milestone for the region.
Since September 23, the vast Indradhanush Auditorium—built to seat nearly 1,500 people—has echoed with chants of “Jai Shri Ram” as over 80 women—from homemakers to professionals and students—bring the epic alive on stage.
Abha Shukla as Ram, Pallavi as Lakshman, Janvi Nagpal as Hanuman and Ruchita Garg as Ravan lead the cast.
The oldest participant Pushpa, 83, portrays Rajmata, while the youngest, a six-month-old, stars as the newborn Lord Ram.
The idea of shifting Ramlila indoors came from director Shyam Jaitley, who has been directing stage productions since 1976 and felt the epic deserved a proper theatrical presentation. “Outdoors, people come and go. In a theatre, audiences stay till the end, focus better, and experience the story in depth,” he said.
NGO founder Ekta Nagpal added, “We started small in Peer Muchalla. Now, moving into an auditorium gives women performers dignity and respect, while keeping cultural roots alive.”
Unlike mela-style outdoor shows, the theatre demanded scale and precision. Earlier staged on a single screen, the group now works with seven digital screens, a large backdrop, surround sound and synchronised lip-sync to male voice-overs. The bigger stage required elaborate entries, exits and coordination. “Outdoors, the stage was smaller and movements were easier. Here, we have to run across scene changes while maintaining presence,” said Anusha, who is playing the role of Sita.
After the first performance, the crew reviewed recordings to fine-tune lights and sound, introducing rehearsals with full technical setup to polish the presentation further. The actors, who trained for two months, mastered gestures to convincingly portray male roles. “For years, men enacted female characters. Why can’t women do men’s roles? If women can join the army, they can also be warriors on stage,” Jaitley said.
Audience turnout grew steadily with each show. The first evening saw a modest turnout, with half the hall filled. On the second day, the lower floor was packed and the balcony half full. By the third evening, it was a full house. “I have been attending this women’s Ramlila since 2023, and now I come daily from Zirakpur to watch it here,” said Dhruv, a regular. Another spectator, Roshni, said she was so moved by the performance that she now wants to be part of it herself.
For many families, it was their first time watching Ramlila in a theatre. “I feel secure bringing my children here. Indoors, the environment is disciplined, the stage presence was powerful, and the performances left us inspired,” said Rohit, a Panchkula resident, echoing the sentiment of several visitors.
Organisers said several Ramlila committees have lauded the move, with some even inspired to consider theatre settings next year. The success of this indoor, all-women production has already left a lasting mark on both stage and the audience.
