Mumtaz Nagar: A beacon of communal harmony through Ramleela
In Mumtaz Nagar in Ayodhya, which has a population of around 1,000 people with more than 800 of whom are Muslims), local Muslims have been organising the Ramleela for six decades.
Ayodhya, long regarded as the epicenter of communal conflict since the Ram Mandir dispute began in 1949, is also a home to the Muslim community that has been performing Ramleela for the past 60 years, exemplifying a spirit of unity. The Muslim community has played a vital role in upholding the traditions surrounding Lord Rama, reinforcing the message of inter-community harmony.
In Mumtaz Nagar in Ayodhya, which has a population of around 1,000 people with more than 800 of whom are Muslims), local Muslims have been organising the Ramleela for six decades.
The mythological Ramleela is staged under the banner of the ‘Ramleela Ramayana Samiti,’ a committee formed by the Muslims of Mumtaz Nagar in 1963 to promote communal harmony.
The Ramleela, performed over ten continuous days, features different characters from the Ramayana played by Muslim artists, funded by the Muslim community, and directed by a group of Muslim directors.
Reacting to the involvement of Muslims in the Ramleela, Maulana Liyaqat Ali, a cleric in Ayodhya, stated, “It is one of the greatest examples of communal harmony. At a time when Muslims are being targeted for their religion and largely trolled by the media, they have not lost their spirit of harmony. This Muslim Ramleela is proof of our tolerance and belief in brotherhood.”
“While politically motivated individuals are looking to give a violent twist to rumors about beef and targeting mosques and madrasas, a large number of Muslims in Ayodhya have carried the legacy of Ramleela on their shoulders for the past 60 years,” said Mahboob, a youth who sells vegetables.
In the lesser-known town of Mumtaz Nagar, barely five kilometers from Ayodhya, Muslim men and women perform different characters from the Ramayana. The president of the Ramleela committee is Dr Majid Ali, while the founding president was his late father, Dr Wajid Ali.
“Our ancestors started this Ramleela 60 years ago in 1965 to ensure celebrations during Hindu festivals since our village was predominantly Muslim,” he said. “They began it with the aim of sending a message of communal harmony, and that’s what we continue to strive for to this day.”
